cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock

The diagnosis and management of severe sepsis and septic shock is a complex and dynamic process. Newer evidence-based interventions are constantly being developed and implemented with the purpose of improving morbidity and mortality. Current investigations are being performed in hospital environments to determine the change in behaviors and clinical impact with the most recent recommendations. The use of standardized treatment protocols in addition to newer diagnostic and treatment modalities in patients who have severe sepsis and septic shock can continue to improve patient-related outcomes and the damaging effect of these diseases on society.
A software design method for distributed real-time applications

Abstract This paper describes a software design method for distributed real-time applications that typically consist of several concurrent tasks executing on multiple nodes supported by a local area network. The design method is an extension of DARTS, the design approach for real-time systems, and is called DARTS/DA, DARTS for distributed real-time applications. The method starts by developing a data flow model of the distributed application using structured analysis. The next stage involves decomposing the application into distributed subsystems based on a set of subsystem structuring criteria and defining the interfaces between them. Next, each subsystem is structured into concurrent tasks using the DARTS task structuring criteria and the interfaces between tasks are defined. Finally, each task, which represents a sequential program, is structured into modules using the structured design method. As an example, DARTS/DA is applied to the design of a distributed factory automation system.
Physics of the high current density electron beam ion source (EBIS)

Abstract Interest in upgrading present heavy particle accelerators has led to study of EBIS as a possible source of high Z ions, e.g., Ar +18 . The present work has been motivated primarily by the results reported by CRYEBIS, which indicate that a space charge neutralized, external electron gun can achieve current densities of 10 5 A/cm 2 . Scaling relationships are developed as a basis for understanding CRYEBIS operation. The relevance of collective effects to beam equilibrium and stability is pointed out. Single electron impact ionization scaling and beam neutralization scaling indicate that higher beam voltage may be the easiest way of increasing both ionization rate and particle intensity. Consideration of radial ion confinement suggests that beam collapse to high current density may be related to the highest charge state which is energetically accessible.
Accurate forces in a local-orbital approach to the local-density approximation.

Les forces atomiques sont calculees comme des derivees propres de l'energie totale, incluant les necessaires corrections de l'ensemble de base. Le potentiel de l'approximation est evalue exactement sur une maille d'integration determinee de facon variationnelle. La methode est appliquee au dimere de molybdene, a la molecule d'ethylene et au monomere NaCl
Spin-Based Quantum Dot Quantum Computing in Silicon

The spins of localized electrons in silicon are strong candidates for quantum information processing because of their extremely long coherence times and the integrability of Si within the present microelectronics infrastructure. This paper reviews a strategy for fabricating single electron spin qubits in gated quantum dots in Si/SiGe heterostructures. We discuss the pros and cons of using silicon, present recent advances, and outline challenges.
GAMBLING WITH TAX DOLLARS

Municipalities often spend money in the hopes of generating new tax revenue. Because the estimated increase in tax revenues is uncertain, these policies are essentially gambles with tax dollars. This paper shows that it is possible for a welfare-maximizing government to exhibit risk-loving behavior even though individual taxpayers are risk-averse. This risk-loving behavior may occur when the government has the option to provide an indivisible public good, such as a park. Interestingly, the poorest and wealthiest municipalities do not find gambles optimal. For communities that find gambles optimal, both the provision of the public good and tax rates are affected.
Search for strange baryonium states in p-bard interactions at 8. 9 GeV/c

A search for SU(3) manifestly exotic ${Q}^{2}$Q\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} $^{2}$ baryonium states in antiproton-deuterium interactions was carried out at the SLAC 40-in. hybrid bubble-chamber facility. The I=(3/2, S=1 channel, ${X}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, produced in conjunction with a forward produced neutral antikaon was studied. Such ${X}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ states would decay into an antihyperon and a baryon. The fast forward K\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} $^{0}$ was detected in a three-view segmented calorimeter placed downstream of the bubble chamber and used as part of the trigger. Upper limits of 0.50\char21{}1.63 \ensuremath{\mu}b are reported for the ${X}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}n${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, \ensuremath{\Sigma}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} $^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}n$, \ensuremath{\Lambda}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}p${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, \ensuremath{\Sigma}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} $^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}\ensuremath{\pi}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, \ensuremath{\Sigma}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} $^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}\ensuremath{\pi}^{\ensuremath{\mp}}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ exclusive channels based upon \ensuremath{\le}13 events per channel.
The Relationship of Iodine to Thyroid Hyperplasia and Function

The literature upon thyroid disease is so voluminous, the ideas expressed are so varied and many of the papers are so abstract that physicians who have not made a special study of goiter are more confused after reviewing the literature than before beginning such a study. It is time for those who are making an actual study of the thyroid and its pathology to sift carefully the wheat from the chaff and state in a definite, clear and concise manner the present status of our knowledge. The clinician’s interest in goiter centers around three major problems. First, the insuring of a normal thyroid gland at birth; second, the prevention of goiter; and third, the treatment of goiter in those patients in whom it has been permitted to develop.
Border-cell migration: the race is on

The conversion of stationary epithelial cells into migratory, invasive cells is important for normal embryonic development and tumour metastasis. Border-cell migration in the ovary of Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as a simple, genetically tractable model for studying this process. Three distinct signals, which are also upregulated in cancer, control border-cell migration, so identifying further genes that are involved in border-cell migration could provide new insights into tumour invasion.
Rule-Based Processing For String Code Identification

A 3-D distortion-invariant multi-class object identification problem is addressed. Our new, fast and robust string-code generation technique (using optical and digital methods) makes the rule-based system quite practical and attractive. Emphasis is given to our rule-based system and to initial data results. Excellent multi-class recognition and reasonable object distortions can be accommodated in this system. We achieved 80-90% correct recognition (Pc) for 10 object classes and +30 ° 3-D distortions and full 360 ° in-plane distortions.
Mikrofluidik im "offenen Raum": lokalisierte Prozesse an biologischen Oberflächen

Lokale Wechselwirkungen zwischen (Bio)chemikalien und biologischen Grenz-/Oberflachen spielen eine wichtige Rolle in Gebieten wie der Oberflachenfunktionalisierung bis hin zur Zelltoxikologie. Diese Wechselwirkungen konnen mithilfe von Mikrofluidsystemen untersucht werden, die im “offenen Raum” arbeiten, d. h. ohne die gewohnlich in der Mikrofluidik verwendeten geschlossenen Kanale und Kammern. Diese aktuell entstehende Klasse von Verfahren lokalisiert chemische Reaktionen an Oberflachen biologischer Proben, ohne den Proben signifikante “Einschrankungen” wie Einbettung, Vorverarbeitungsschritte oder die Notwendigkeit von stabilisierenden Gerusten aufzuerlegen. Sie offnen damit neue Moglichkeiten fur die Handhabung und Analyse von Wechselwirkungen mit biologischen Proben. Es werden drei Klassen von Mikrofluidsystemen vorgestellt, die im offenen Raum arbeiten, namlich solche auf mikroelektrochemischer Basis, auf der Basis von Multiphasentransport und auf der Basis von hydrodynamischer Fokussierung von Flussigkeiten.
A TECHNIQUE FOR ELIMINATING THERMAL STRATIFICATION IN LAKES

The design, installation, and operation of a compressed air system to eliminate thermal stratification in lakes is described. During a year-long field test on a 19 ha lake, this system effectively eliminated thermal stratification, increased dissolved oxygen, and kept part of the lake ice-free during winter. This system has the capability for use in larger reservoirs and, used for control or elimination of stratification in lakes, is a promising tool for alleviating problems caused by thermal stratification.
Stand and cohort structures of old‐growth Pinus resinosa‐dominated forests of northern Minnesota, USA

Questions What is the natural range of variability in stand and age structure of old-growth Pinus resinosa-dominated forests? Does the spatial pattern of tree ages provide insights into past disturbances that structured these forests? Location Old-growth P. resinosa forests at seven sites in Minnesota, USA. Methods We applied detailed dendrochronological methods to living and dead material to reconstruct stand and age structures prior to European settlement of the region. We linked dendrochronological data to mapped stem locations to shed light on spatial patterns of past disturbance. Results Data pooled across sites revealed a mean living tree basal area of 34.8 m2·ha−1, snag basal area of 6.9 m2·ha−1 and down woody debris (DWD) volume of 100 m3·ha−1. Living tree diameter distributions varied between sites; however, at all sites, smaller diameter classes were dominated by non-pines, many pre-dating the onset of fire suppression in the 1920s. There were a variety of P. resinosa age structures, including one-cohort, two-cohort (at times with additional sporadic recruitment) and three-cohort stands. For multi-cohort stands, the spatial pattern of cohorts shows considerable within-stand patchiness. Conclusions The wide range of stand and age-cohort structures in these old-growth P. resinosa stands depicts pre-settlement forests more complex than those of the single-cohort, post-stand-replacing-fire model that has guided regional forest management. Within-stand patchiness of cohort age structures implies disturbances operating at scales smaller than typically associated with this regional forest type. Presence of non-pine ‘ingrowth' on all sites might suggest that P. resinosa stands supporting these species lie within the natural range of variability for this community type, representing situations in which surface fires did not occur for extended periods or were spatially patchy at the stand scale. The diversity of reference conditions documented here suggests targets that might guide ecological restoration prescriptions for these ecosystems, with the goal of reintroducing structural and compositional complexity reflecting natural disturbance and stand development.
Abnormalities of neuronal oscillations and temporal integration to low- and high-frequency auditory stimulation in schizophrenia.

Background Electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography studies indicate among schizophrenia patients (SZ) abnormal, often reduced, entrained steady-state (aSSR) and transient (N100/M100) neural responses to auditory stimuli. We complement this literature by focusing analyses on auditory cortices, assessing a wide range of stimulation frequencies with long driving periods and evaluating relationships between aSSR and M100 reductions in SZ. Methods Seventeen SZ and 17 healthy subjects (H) participated. Stimuli were 1500 msec binaural broadband noise sequences modulated at 5, 20, 40, 80, or 160 Hz. Magnetoencephalography data were collected and co-registered with structural magnetic resonance images. The aSSRs and M100s projected into brain space were analyzed as a function of hemisphere, stimulus density, and time. Results For aSSR, SZ displayed weaker entrainment bilaterally at low (5-Hz) and high (80-Hz) modulation frequencies. To 40-Hz stimuli, SZ showed weaker entrainment only in right auditory cortex. For M100 , while responses for H increased linearly with stimulus density, this effect was weaker or absent in SZ. A principal components analysis of SZ deficits identified low (5-Hz entrainment and M100) and high (40- to 80-Hz entrainment) frequency components. Discriminant analysis indicated that the low-frequency component uniquely differentiated SZ from H. The high-frequency component correlated with negative symptoms among SZ. Conclusions The SZ auditory cortices were unable to 1) generate healthy levels of theta and high gamma band (80-Hz) entrainment (aSSR), and 2) augment transient responses (M100s) to rapidly presented auditory information (an index of temporal integration). Only the latter was most apparent in left hemisphere and may reflect a prominent neurophysiological deficit in schizophrenia.
Use of the prepulse technique to enhance the weak 18.2-nm laser line in neonlike selenium.

We report strong lasing in selenium on the neonlike 3p → 3s, J = 0 → 1 transition at 18.2 mn when the prepulse technique of using a low-intensity prepulse before the main optical drive pulse is used to illuminate the selenium target. Without the use of the prepulse, this line is 2 orders of magnitude weaker. The usual J = 2 → 1 lines at 20.6 and 20.9 nm are observed to dominate the spectra both with and without the use of the prepulse. These experiments may provide important clues to help our understanding of why the 18.2-nm line, which was predicted to dominate the laser output, was always observed weakly in previous experiments.
QUADRUPOLE AND HEXADECAPOLE DEFORMATIONS IN RARE EARTH NUCLEI.

Abstract Precision studies of the inelastic scattering of alpha particles from selected rare earth nuclei have been interpreted to yield quantitative determinations of the hexadecapole term in the mass distributions of these nuclei in addition to the now familiar, and dominant, quadrupole term. Cross sections for scattering to the 0 + , 2 + and 4 + states of the ground state rotational bands of 154 Sm, 166 Er and 176 Yb were measured at 27.5, 30.0 and 32.5 MeV incident α-particle energy, and over the angular range from 20° to 140°. These data were analyzed with a theory which models the nucleus as a rigid rotor, and the interaction as a deformed, complex optical potential. The parameters of the undeformed potential were determined from an optical-model analysis of elastic scattering from the essentially spherical nucleide 148 Sm, measured over the same α-particle angle and energy ranges. The analysis of the data has as its foundation the utilization of the interferences among Coulomb excitation, nuclear quadrupole and nuclear hexadecapole inelastic scattering amplitudes leading to the lower members of the ground state band. The characteristically different energy dependence of the interfering amplitudes has led to a determination of deformation parameters of these nuclei. The parameters so determined simultaneously fit the data obtained at all three incident energies. They are, moreover, in complete accord with parameters previously extracted from 50 MeV inelastic α-particle scattering data. Additional credence is therefore given to the interpretation of the parameterization as a physical representation of the nuclear shape.
Evidence that Na+-pumping occurs through the D-channel in Vitreoscilla cytochrome bo.

Abstract The operon ( cyo ) encoding the Na + -pumping respiratory terminal oxidase (cytochrome bo ) of the bacterium Vitreoscilla was transformed into Escherichia coli GV100, a deletion mutant of cytochrome bo . This was done for the wild type operon and five mutants in three conserved Cyo subunit I amino acids known to be crucial for H + transport in the E. coli enzyme, one near the nuclear center, one in the K-channel, and one in the D-channel. CO-binding, NADH and ubiquinol oxidase, and Na + -pumping activities were all substantially inhibited by each mutation. The wild type Vitreoscilla cytochrome bo can pump Na + against a concentration gradient, resulting in a transmembrane concentration differential of 2–3 orders of magnitude. It is proposed that Vitreoscilla cytochrome bo pumps four Na + through the D-channel to the exterior and transports four H + through the K-channel for the reduction of each O 2 .
Transport in an Idealized Three-Gyre System with Application to the Adriatic Sea

Abstract Motivated by observations of surface drifters in the Adriatic Sea, transport in a three-gyre system is studied with the aid of dynamical systems techniques. Particular attention is paid to the issue of intergyre transport. The velocity field is assumed to be two-dimensional and incompressible and composed of a steady three-gyre background flow on which a time-dependent perturbation is superimposed. Two systems of this type are considered: 1) an observationally motivated, analytically prescribed model consisting of a steady background on which a multiperiodic time-dependent perturbation is superimposed, and 2) an observationally based model of the Adriatic Sea consisting of the mean surface circulation derived from surface drifter trajectories on which a time-dependent altimetry-based perturbation velocity field is superimposed. It is shown that for a small perturbation to the steady three-gyre background, two of the gyres exchange no fluid with the third gyre. When the perturbation strength excee...
Memory resource allocation for file system prefetching: from a supply chain management perspective

As an important technique to hide disk I/O latency, prefetching has been widely studied, and dynamic adaptive prefetching techniques have been deployed in diverse storage environments. However, two issues are not well addressed by previous research: (1) how to handle the prefetching resource allocation between concurrent sequential access streams with different request rates, and (2) how to coordinate prefetching at multiple levels in the data access path.Interestingly, we found that these problems bear a strong resemblance to situations long studied in the field of supply chain management (SCM), used by retailers such as Wal-Mart. In this paper, we demonstrate how to perform the problem mapping and then apply SCM principles in practice, particularly from the branch of inventory theory, to improve data prefetching performance in storage systems. More specifically, we applied (1) two SCM policies to dynamically configure the sequential prefetching parameters, and (2) an SCM solution to correct the access pattern information distortion in multi-level prefetching. We implemented these SCM-based strategies in the Linux kernel prefetching algorithm and a multi-level storage simulator, and evaluated the performance with three types of workloads. The results indicate that the SCM approaches are able to generate up to a 55.0% of performance improvement for a real-world server workload benchmark, and up to 33.3% for a combination of Linux I/O-intensive applications.
Observational Diagnosis and Model Forecast Evaluation of Unforecasted Incipient Precipitation during the 24–25 January 2000 East Coast Cyclone

Abstract Previous research has shown that a lower-tropospheric diabatically generated potential vorticity (PV) maximum associated with an area of incipient precipitation (IP) was critical to the moisture transport north of the PV maximum into the Carolinas and Virginia during the 24–25 January 2000 East Coast cyclone. This feature was almost entirely absent in short-term (e.g., 6–12 h) forecasts from the 0000 UTC 24 January 2000 operational runs of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) North American Mesoscale (NAM, formerly Eta) and Global Forecast System (GFS, formerly AVN) models, even though it occurred over land within and downstream of a region of relatively high data density. Observations and model analyses are used to document the forcing for ascent, moisture, and instability (elevated gravitational and/or symmetric) associated with the IP, and the evolution of the IP formation is documented with radar and satellite imagery with the goal of understanding the fundamental nature o...
Toward stable compactifications

Abstract We show that compactifications of theories with extra dimensions are unstable if due to monopole configurations of an antisymmetric tensor field balanced against one-loop Casimir corrections. In the case of ten-dimensional supergravity it is possible, at least for a portion of the phase space, to achieve a stable compactification without fine-tuning by including the contribution of fermionic condensates to the monopole configurations.
Human and social behavior in computational modeling and analysis of egress

Safe egress is one of the key design issues identified by facility planners, manager and inspectors. Computational tools are now available for the simulation and design of emergency evacuation and egress. However, these tools rely heavily on assumptions about individual human and social behaviors, which have been found to be oversimplified, inconsistent and even incorrect. Furthermore, the behaviors are usually incorporated into the computational model in an ad hoc manner. This paper presents a framework for studying human and social behavior, from the perspectives of human decision-making and social interaction, and for incorporating such behavior systematically in a dynamic computational model suitable for emergency egress analysis.
Temperature variability and early clustering of record-breaking events

As the number of climatological studies using record-breaking statistics is growing rapidly, understanding the sensitivity of the chosen time period becomes essential. To that end, here we examine the evolving variability of monthly mean temperatures and its dependence on beginning and final year. Specifically, we use an index, α, based on record-breaking statistics and employing reversibility such that 〈α〉=0 indicates no trend in variability. Generally, 〈α〉 has decreased between 1900 and 2013, indicating decreasing variability relative to early decades for stations from the contiguous USA (United States Historical Climatology Network, version 2.5). We find, somewhat surprisingly, that the observed decrease is due to an early excess of records beginning in 1917 (record low value) and 1921 (record high value). While detailed results depend on whether the data is gridded, detrended, etc., the general finding appears remarkably robust and holds globally as well.
Analysis of the Cytokine-Stimulated Human Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) Gene: Characterization of Differences between Human and Mouse iNOS Promoters

Expression of human inducible nitric oxide synthase (hiNOS) is under cytokine control and is transcriptionally regulated. The hiNOS and mouse iNOS (miNOS) genes are regulated differently by cytokines. To understand better the transcriptional regulation of the hiNOS gene, the 8.3-kb hiNOS promoter was characterized. Promoter activity was evaluated by transient transfection of hiNOS luciferase constructs in A549 human alveolar type II epithelium-like cells in the presence and absence of cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha). Important cytokine-responsive elements are located at -3665 to -5574 bp (containing two perfectly matched AP-1 sites which are not present in miNOS promoter) and -8093 to -8296 bp (one perfectly matched NF-kappa B site) of the hiNOS promoter region. Likely, these two AP-1 sites and the upstream NF-kappa B site are important in the transcriptional induction of hiNOS by cytokines. Our data demonstrate the molecular basis for the different cytokine-stimulated characteristics of hiNOS and miNOS genes.
Joint angle-dependence of elbow flexor activation levels during isometric and isokinetic maximum voluntary contractions.

Abstract Objective . The influences of elbow joint angle and the type of contraction on the activation levels of biceps brachii and brachioradialis during maximum voluntary isometric and isokinetic contractions were investigated. Design . A within-session repeated measures design. Background . Activation of synergistic elbow flexor muscles has been reported to be affected disparately by elbow joint angle and contraction type. Methods . Ten subjects performed concentric isokinetic, eccentric isokinetic, and isometric maximum voluntary contractions of the elbow flexor muscles. For the isokinetic contractions the activation levels of two ranges of motion were compared. For the isometric contractions the activation levels at two joint angles were compared. The activation levels of the biceps brachii and brachioradialis acquired simultaneously using bipolar surface electrodes and a surface electrode array were compared. Results . Results from the electrode array were similar to those acquired using conventional bipolar electrodes. The activation of biceps brachii was significantly affected by joint angle during concentric isokinetic and isometric maximum voluntary contractions. The activation of brachioradialis was significantly affected by joint angle only during eccentric isokinetic maximum voluntary contractions. Conclusions . The results confirm that joint angle and contraction type contribute to the distinction between the activation of synergistic elbow flexor muscles during isometric and isokinetic contractions. Relevance The results point to the complexity of control of elbow joint synergists and raise questions about the plasticity of this dependency of elbow flexor activation on joint angle. Solutions to these questions are of importance in the areas of upper extremity rehabilitation and modeling the upper extremity neuromechanics.
Severe hemorrhage from a pigmented exophytic mass.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION A 70-year-old African-American man, a nursing home patient, was admitted to the Veterans Administration Medical Center, West Los Angeles, for management of severe hemOrrhage from a lesion on the maxillary alveolus. The nursing staff provided a history of the patient of mild oozing of blood from the oral cavity for I day followed by profuse hemorrhage on the day of admission. The patient 's medical history was significant and included end-stage renal disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, acute renal failure without a history of dialysis, and senile dementia. The patient was bedridden. His medications on admission included insulin neutral protamine Hagedorn, 17 units every morning and 5 units every evening; nifedipine (Procardia XL), 90 mg once a day; and furosemide (Lasix), 40 mg once a day. On examination, the patient was afebrile, with stable vital signs, and presented in moderate distress. Extraoral examination of the head and neck revealed a 4 cm hard and fixed left submandibular lymph node. Oral examination revealed profuse hemorrhage from a 3.0 cm x 3.0 cm dark red, firm, exophytic lesion located at the left maxillary alveolus involving the second incisor, canine, and first premolar (Fig. 1). Macular pigmentation of the gingiva was observed on the contralateral alveolar mucosa. An occlusal radiograph revealed osteolytic changes of the maxillary alveolus with a soft tissue density extending from maxillary gingiva anteriorly (Fig. 2). Fig. 1. Clinical view shows exophytic lesion located at left anterior maxillary alveolus. Fig. 2, Occlusal radiograph shows soft tissue density involving left anterior maxillary alveolus.
Experimental Modification of Water and Salt Output in Patients with Diabetes Insipidus

Largely through the work of Ranson and his associates (1), inability of the kidney tubule d to resorb water in normal quantity has been established as the primary functional disturbance in the patient suffering from the syndrome of diabetes insipidus. Because of the large volume of urine thus secreted, such subjects seem peculiarly adapted to a study of the action of hormones and other agents which are apparently capable of affecting water and electrolyte balance in the body. Three patients with diabetes insipidus, two of the persistent and one of the intermittent type, have served as the basis of the study. In each of these three patients the presence of diabetes insipidus has been proven by the use of water-deprivation and saltloading tests when the patients have been successively on a dietary of average, low, and high salt content, respectively. methods and procedure Each of the three patients with proven diabetes insipidus was hospitalized for several weeks prior to a study of the influence of various...
Development of a multidisciplinary design optimization framework for an efficient supersonic air vehicle

A modular multidisciplinary analysis and optimization framework has been built with the goal of performing conceptual design of an advanced efficient supersonic air vehicle. This paper addresses the specific challenge of designing this type of aircraft for a long range, supersonic cruise mission with a payload release. The framework includes all the disciplines expected for multidisciplinary supersonic aircraft design, although it also includes disciplines specifically required by an advanced aircraft that is tailless and has embedded engines. Several disciplines have been developed at multifidelity levels. The framework can be readily adapted to the conceptual design of other supersonic aircraft. Favorable results obtained from running the analysis framework for a B-58 supersonic bomber test case are presented as a validation of the methods employed.
Intramyocardial Calcification in the Elderly: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Puzzle

A 70-year-old woman presented with anular and progressive intramyocardial calcification within a five-year period. She had become increasingly symptomatic with mitral regurgitation and coronary insufficiency during the same period. The subvalvular (mitral) calcified intramyocardial mass was found to be “grumous atherosclerosis.” This was obliterated while the mitral valve was replaced with a prosthetic valve and the coronary arteries were bypassed × 3. She is surviving and well four years postoperatively. (Chest 1992; 102:317–19)
Historical trends of mercury and spheroidal carbonaceous particle deposition in sub-alpine lakes in the Great Basin, United States

The geochemistry of lake sediments was used to identify anthropogenic factors influencing aquatic ecosystems of sub-alpine lakes in the western United States during the past century. Sediment cores were recovered from six high-elevation lakes in the central Great Basin of the United States. The proxies utilized to examine the degree of recent anthropogenic environmental change include spheroidal carbonaceous particle (SCP), mercury (Hg), and sediment organic content estimated using loss-on-ignition. Chronologies for the sediment cores, developed using 210Pb, indicate the cores span the twentieth century. Mercury flux varied between lakes but all exhibited increasing fluxes during the mid-twentieth century. The mean ratio of modern (post-A.D. 1985) to preindustrial (pre-A.D. 1880) Hg flux was 5.2, which is comparable to the results from previous studies conducted in western North America. Peak SCP flux for all lakes occurred between approximately A.D. 1940 and A.D. 1970, after which time the SCP flux was greatly reduced. The reduction in SCP input is likely due to better controls on combustion sources. Measured Hg concentrations and calculated sedimentation rates suggest atmospheric Hg flux increased in the early 1900s, from A.D. 1920 to A.D. 1990, and at present. Atmospheric deposition is the primary source of the anthropogenic inputs of Hg and SCPs to these high elevation lakes. The input of SCPs, which is largely driven by regional sources, has declined with the implementation of national pollution control regulations. Mercury deposition in the Great Basin has most likely been influenced more by regional inputs.
M-CSF Induces Monocyte Survival by Activating NF-κB p65 Phosphorylation at Ser276 via Protein Kinase C

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) promotes mononuclear phagocyte survival and proliferation. The transcription factor Nuclear Factor-kappaB (NF-κB) is a key regulator of genes involved in M-CSF-induced mononuclear phagocyte survival and this study focused at identifying the mechanism of NF-κB transcriptional activation. Here, we demonstrate that M-CSF stimulated NF-κB transcriptional activity in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) and the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. The general protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor Ro-31-8220, the conventional PKCα/β inhibitor Go-6976, overexpression of dominant negative PKCα constructs and PKCα siRNA reduced NF-κB activity in response to M-CSF. Interestingly, Ro-31-8220 reduced Ser276 phosphorylation of NF-κBp65 leading to decreased M-CSF-induced monocyte survival. In this report, we identify conventional PKCs, including PKCα as important upstream kinases for M-CSF-induced NF-κB transcriptional activation, NF-κB-regulated gene expression, NF-κB p65 Ser276 phosphorylation, and macrophage survival. Lastly, we find that NF-κB p65 Ser276 plays an important role in basal and M-CSF-stimulated NF-κB activation in human mononuclear phagocytes.
The effect of growth temperatures on the in vivo ribose methylation of Bacillus stearothermophilus transfer RNA

Abstract When Bacillus stearothermophilus was cultured at 70 and at 50 °C, 1.4 times as many methyl groups were incorporated into tRNA produced at the higher temperature compared to that produced at the lower. This was due predominantly to a threefold increase in the 2′-O-methylribose moieties of the tRNA. The type and quantity of the base methylated nucleotides in the tRNAs produced in cultures grown at 70 and 50 °C were almost identical. The base methylated nucleotides found were: m2Ap, ms2Ap, ms2i6Ap, an unidentified i6Ap derivative, m6Ap, m26Ap, m1Gp, m7Gp, m5Up-(Tp), and an unidentified methylated Up or Cp. 3 The nucleotide m7Ap, never before reported to be a constituent of tRNA, has been tentatively identified as a component of B. stearothermophilus tRNA.
Indole-3-carbinol mediated cell cycle arrest of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells requires the induced production of activated p53 tumor suppressor protein

Abstract Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a dietary compound found naturally in cruciferous vegetables of the Brassica genus such as broccoli and brussels sprouts, induces a G1 growth arrest of human reproductive cancer cells. We previously reported that in LNCaP prostate cancer cells, I3C down-regulated cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2 activity. In our current study, Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that I3C treatment increased both the transcripts and protein levels of the CDK2 inhibitor p21 waf1/cip1 (p21). Transfection of luciferase reporter plasmids containing wild-type and mutated p21 promoter fragments revealed that I3C induced p21 gene transcription through a p53 DNA binding element. Oligonucleotide precipitation showed that I3C increased the level of activated p53 nuclear protein that is competent to bind its DNA target site on the p21 promoter. Ablation of p53 production using short interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented that the I3C induced G1 arrest and up-regulation of p21 expression. Western blots using p53 phospho-specific antibodies revealed that I3C treatment increased the levels of three phosphorylated forms of p53 (Ser15, Ser37, Ser392) that are known to contribute to p53 protein stability and greater transactivation potential. Taken together, our results establish that the I3C induced G1 arrest of human prostate cancer cells requires the induced production of the activated phosphorylated forms of p53, which stimulate transcription of the CDK2 inhibitor p21.
Rad54 Oligomers Translocate and Cross-bridge Double-stranded DNA to Stimulate Synapsis

Rad54 is a key component of the eukaryotic recombination machinery. Its presence in DNA strand-exchange reactions in vitro results in a significant stimulation of the overall reaction rate. Using untagged Rad54, we show that this stimulation can be attributed to enhancement of the formation of a key reaction intermediate known as DNA networks. Using a novel, single DNA molecule, dual-optical tweezers approach we show how Rad54 stimulates DNA network formation. We discovered that Rad54 oligomers possess a unique ability to cross-bridge or bind double-stranded DNA molecules positioned in close proximity. Further, Rad54 oligomers rapidly translocate double-stranded DNA while simultaneously inducing topological loops in the DNA at the locus of the oligomer. The combination of the cross-bridging and double-stranded DNA translocation activities of Rad54 stimulates the formation of DNA networks, leading to rapid and efficient DNA strand exchange by Rad51.
Memory in Colette's Chéri

Although Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette based much of her fiction on her own personal memories, in her novel, Cheri, she portrays memory as a destructive force. The happiness which her characters, Lea Lonval and Cheri Peloux, discover in retrospect is all the more painful to them because their six-year-long liaison becomes overly embellished in their minds. In depicting the two protagonists of Cheri and its sequel, La Fin de Cheri, Colette transposes into them her own feelings. The writer, however, must be distinguished from the characters she creates in that, while Lea and Cheri are torn by the illusions which memory produces, Colette liberates herself from such a plight through writing. In Cheri, Colette denounces memory as a refuge from reality. Moreover, by means of her fiction, Colette rids herself of illusions she has had so as to see herself with more objectivity.
Insensitivity of global warming potentials to carbon dioxide emission scenarios

GLOBAL warming potentials for radiatively active trace gases (such as methane and chlorofluorocarbons) have generally been expressed1–2 relative to the time-integrated climate forcing per unit emission of carbon dioxide. Previous attempts to estimate the integrated climate forcing per unit CO2 emitted have focused on perturbations to steady-state conditions in carbon-cycle models. But for non-steady-state conditions, the integrated climate forcing from a CO2 perturbation depends both on the initial conditions and on future atmospheric CO2 concentrations. As atmospheric CO2concentrations increase, the radiative forcing per unit CO2 emitted will become smaller because the strongest absorption bands will already be saturated. At the same time, higher concentrations of dissolved carbon in the surface ocean will reduce the ocean's ability to absorb excess CO2from the atmosphere. Each of these effects taken alone would affect the climate forcing from a pulse of emitted CO2 by a factor of three or more; but here we show that, taken together, they compensate for each other. The net result is that the global warming potential of CO2 relative to other radiatively active trace gases is nearly independent of the CO2emission scenario. Thus, the concept of the global warming potential remains useful, despite the nonlinearities in the climate system and uncertainties in future emissions.
Disorder annealing in III–V semiconductors after ion implantation at low temperatures

Abstract Undoped Gap, GaAs, GaAsP, and GaSb were implanted near liquid-nitrogen temperature with 110 keV Zn ions. Implantations with O, Sb, and Xe between 110 and 150 keV were performed for comparison. The implantation-induced lattice disorder was studied without warm-up and as a function of isochronal anneal temperatures by ion channeling and backscattering measurements using 1.5 MeV He+ or 450 keV protons. For low-fluence implants where the initial disorder peak is ≲30% of the level for amorphous layer formation, the annealing is found to be characteristic only of the target compound. Broad anneal stages centered at 320, 250, and 290 K are observed for Gap, GaAs, and GaSb, respectively. GaAsP annealing occurs at temperatures intermediate between that for GaP and GaAs. For higher fluence implants, where channeling measurements indicate that an amorphous layer is formed, the disorder annealing is strikingly similar for the III-V compounds studied with a single annealing stage centered at 530 K. The scatte...
Design and implementation of dexterous robotic hand for human controlled interfaces: a comparative analysis with EAP systems

An anthropomorphic robotic hand was developed with 23 degree of freedom (DOF) and dexterity to meet the requirements for typing on a standard keyboard. The design was inspired by human hand physiology and consists of 19 servo motors that drive tendons which run from the forearm to the hand. Antagonistic torsional springs and a 4-bar mechanism was used to decrease the number of actuators while maintaining human-like dexterity. The high dexterity also allows other complex tasks such as grasping and object manipulation. In order to achieving complete resemblance to the human hand, servo motors should be replaced with smart actuators that offer advantages in terms of energy density, power consumption, mechanical deformation, response time and noise. This paper will review the advantages and disadvantages of traditional servo motors with respect to commonly studied electro-active polymer based actuators and how they can affect the performance and appearance of humanoid hand.
IL-4 secreted from individual naive CD4+ T cells acts in an autocrine manner to induce Th2 differentiation.

Naive CD4+ T cell populations rapidly produce small amounts of IL-4 in response to T cell receptor-mediated stimulation and may undergo Th2 differentiation without exogenous IL-4. Whether this is due to autocrine IL-4-stimulation or the production of IL-4 by an infrequent naive cell has not been determined. Here we show that single CD4+ T cells from RAG2−/− T cells receptor transgenic mice primed with their cognate antigen give rise to IL-4-producing cells at a similar frequency whether primed with or without added IL-4, but not if anti-IL-4 is added to the culture. Thus, each founder cell or one or more of its early daughters can produce sufficient IL-4 to drive Th2 differentiation. This indicates that autocrine IL-4 production by naive CD4 T cells can drive the appearance of Th2 cells.
Interaction between a screw dislocation and a viscoelastic piezoelectric bimaterial interface

The complex variable method is employed to derive analytical solutions for the interaction between a piezoelectric screw dislocation and a Kelvin-type viscoelastic piezoelectric bimaterial interface. Through analytical continuation, the original boundary value problem can be reduced to an inhomogeneous first-order partial differential equation for a single function of location z = x + iy and time t defined in the lower half-plane, which is free of the screw dislocation. Once the initial, steady-state and far-field conditions are known, the solution to the first order differential equation can be obtained. From the solved function, explicit expressions are then derived for the stresses, strains, electric fields and electric displacements induced by the piezoelectric screw dislocation. Also presented is the image force acting on the screw dislocation due to its interaction with the Kelvin-type viscoelastic interface. The derived solutions are verified by comparing with existing solutions for the simplified cases, and various interesting features are observed, particularly for those associated with the image force.
Thrombin induces rapid PAR1-mediated non-classical FGF1 release

Thrombin induces cell proliferation and migration during vascular injury. We report that thrombin rapidly stimulated expression and release of the pro-angiogenic polypeptide fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1). Thrombin failed to induce FGF1 release from protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) null fibroblasts, indicating that this effect was dependent on PAR1. Similarly to thrombin, FGF1 expression and release were induced by TRAP, a specific oligopeptide agonist of PAR1. These results identify a novel aspect of the crosstalk between FGF and thrombin signaling pathways which both play important roles in tissue repair and angiogenesis.
Arrhythmogenic inherited heart muscle diseases in children

Abstract The left ventricle (LV) plays a central role in the maintenance of health of children and adults due to its role as the major pump of the heart. In cases of LV dysfunction, a significant percentage of affected individuals develop signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure, leading to the need for therapeutic intervention. Therapy for these patients include anticongestive medications and, in some, placement of devices such as aortic balloon pump or left ventricular assist device, or cardiac transplantation. In the majority of patients the origin is unknown, leading to the term idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. During the past decade, the basis of LV dysfunction has begun to unravel. In approximately 30% to 40% of cases, the disorder is inherited; autosomal dominant inheritance is most common (although X-linked, autosomal recessive and mitochondrial inheritance occurs). In the remaining patients, the disorder is presumed to be acquired, with inflammatory heart disease playing an important role. In the case of familial dilated cardiomyopathy, the genetic basis is beginning to unfold. To date, 2 genes for X-linked familial dilated cardiomyopathy (dystrophin, G4.5) have been identified and 4 genes for the autosomal dominant form (actin, desmin, lamin A/C, [delta ]-sarcoglycan) have been described. In 1 form of inflammatory heart disease, coxsackievirus myocarditis, inflammatory mediators, and dystrophin cleavage play a role in the development of LV dysfunction. This review describes the molecular genetics of LV dysfunction and provide evidence for a [ldquo ]final common pathway[rdquo ] responsible for the phenotype.
Activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibits estradiol production and cyclic AMP accumulation from cultured rat granulosa cells

Objective To demonstrate the expression of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) alpha and beta subunits in rat granulosa cells and determine the effects sGC activation on levels of cyclic GMP (cGMP), E 2 , and cAMP. Design Basic research study. Setting University research laboratory. Animal(s) Estrogen-treated immature Sprague-Dawley female rats from which primary cell culture of granulosa cells was obtained. Intervention(s) Functionally immature rat granulosa cells were incubated for 48 hours with media alone, FSH, or FSH plus YC-1, a specific activator of sGC. Main outcome measure(s) Expression of sGC alpha and beta subunits was determined by immunoblot analysis. Media concentrations of E 2 , cAMP, and cGMP were measured by radioimmunoassays. Result(s) Immunoblot analysis of granulosa cells revealed the expression of sGC alpha and beta subunits. While cGMP accumulation was low in cells incubated with media alone or with FSH, cotreatment with FSH plus YC-1 increased cGMP levels approximately five-fold. Incubation of cells with FSH stimulated E 2 production in a dose-dependent manner. However, cotreatment of cells with FSH plus YC-1 significantly decreased E 2 concentrations at all doses of FSH tested. Similarly, while FSH increased cAMP accumulation from granulosa cells, cotreatment with YC-1 markedly inhibited FSH-stimulated cAMP levels. Conclusion(s) These findings demonstrate the expression of sGC subunits in rat granulosa cells and indicate that activation of sGC increases cGMP levels, which are associated with inhibition of FSH-stimulated E 2 production and cAMP accumulation.