cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gas permeability of cross-linked poly(ethylene-oxide) based on poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate and a miscible siloxane co-monomer

Abstract Pure gas permeability coefficients of a series of copolymers based on polar, hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate, n = 14 (PEGDMA) and siloxane-based co-monomer, [methyl bis(trimethylsiloxy)silyl] propyl glycerol methacrylate (SiGMA) are reported. SiGMA is miscible with PEGDMA and able to form homogeneous films. SiGMA contains a bulky siloxane-based end group, which acts to increase permeability, and an –OH pendant group, which increases miscibility with polar co-monomers, such as PEGDMA. As the SiGMA content in these copolymers increases to 53 vol%, CO2 permeability increases from 95 to 255 barrer, while CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 pure gas selectivities decrease from 58 to 20 and 6.4 to 3.2, respectively. At the same time, fractional free volume of the copolymer increases from 0.118 to 0.140. Comparisons to a similar copolymer system are made to rationalize the permeability and selectivity trends of this series of copolymers.
Synthesis of the 2-aza-7-oxatricyclo[4.3.2.04,8]undecane nucleus of some gelsemium alkaloids

Abstract The preparation of a key tricyclic intermediate for the eventual total synthesis of the alkaloids gelsemicine and gelsedine is described.
Vibrating Needle Cutting Force

Needles are one of most commonly used medical devices, used to deliver drugs, biopsy tissue, draw blood, conduct brachytherapy cancer treatment and many other procedures. Maintaining a low insertion force of the needle is important to the success of these procedures. Utilizing vibratory cutting reduces the insertion force, thus improving the outcome of the procedure. This paper describes the experimental setup utilized to test the effectiveness of axial vibration in reducing the insertion force into porcine skin across a range of frequencies, amplitudes and needle sizes. Experiments showed the addition of the vibration was able to reduce the insertion force by up to 35%. The minimum insertion force occurred at lower maximum vibratory insertion speeds for larger diameter needles.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Soy Protein Isolate Solubility and Surface Hydrophobicity as affected by Antioxidants

Addition of tert-butylhydroquinone or a mixture of butylated hydroxyanisole and tert-butylhydroquinone (200 ppm on a lipid basis) during SPI processing gave increased protein solibility over that of the control (55%. 56% and 34%. respectively). These increased solubilities correspond to 32% and 18% decrease in oxidation of free sulfhydryls and 20% and 12% reduction in protein oxidation, as determined by protein carbonyl content. Increased protein solubilities, due to added antioxidants, were accompanied by higher total protein surface hydrophobicity, as determined by the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) binding method, and soluble protein hydrophobicity, as determined by the fluorescence probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS).
Equivalence of $n$-point Gauss–Chebyshev rule and $4n$-point midpoint rule in computing the period of a Lotka–Volterra system

Two integrals (3.6), (4.7) for the period of a periodic solution of the Lotka–Volterra system are presented in terms of two inverse functions of $x\exp(x)$ restricted on $x \geq -1$ , $ x \leq -1$ , respectively. In computing this period numerically, the integral (3.6), which possesses a weak singularity of the square root type at each endpoint of the integration, is an excellent example of using the Gauss–Chebyshev integration rule of the first kind; while the integral (4.7), which is an integral of a smooth periodic function over its period $[0, 2\pi]$ , is an excellent example of using the midpoint rule, but not the trapezoidal rule, suggested by Waldvogel [39, 40], due to a removable singularity of the integrand at $0$ , $\pi/2$ , $\pi$ , $3\pi/2$ , and $2\pi$ , respectively. This paper shows, in computing the period of a periodic solution of the Lotka–Volterra system, the $n$ -point Gauss–Chebyshev integration rule of the first kind applied to the integral (3.6) becomes the $4n$ -point midpoint rule to the integral (4.7).
Caregiving in progressive supranuclear palsy

Background: Basic issues regarding factors influencing progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patient caregiver burden remain unresolved, including whether and how disease severity and duration influence caregiver burden. Objective: To examine the relation between PSP patient caregiver burden and disease severity, describe the time course of caregiver burden in relation to disease progression, and identify the contribution of other factors (e.g., patient memory and behavioral problems, caregiver gender) to caregiver burden. Methods: Mail survey of 180 caregivers of PSP patients (living at home and cared for by nonprofessionals) who were members of the Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. The survey included the Burden Interview, an instrument measuring caregiver burden by inquiring how they feel about different aspects and demands of caregiving. Results: Caregiver burden was related to both PSP disease severity ( r = 0.40) and disability/need for assistance ( r = 0.43). The relation between burden and disease duration was nonlinear, following the same time course as disease severity; the burden increased during the first 18 months postdiagnosis and leveled off thereafter. Women reported more burden than men (caregiver sex Δ r 2 = 0.05), even after controlling for disease severity and duration (Δ r 2 = 0.22) and patient gender (Δ r 2 r 2 = 0.09), and aggressiveness (Δ r 2 = 0.02). Conclusion: Burden in PSP is related to disease severity, disease duration, and caregiver gender (even after controlling for patient9s memory, patient depression, and aggression).
Adrenocortical Hydroxylase Deficiencies In Acne Vulgaris

To investigate the possible occurrence of partial 11- or 21 hydroxylase deficiencies in acne, an androgen-dependent disorder. 11 women with chronic nodulocystic acne were subjected to a 24-hr infusion of ACTH and their urine analyzed for tetrahydro S and pregnanetriol. The results obtained were compared to those found in 8 control women. Seven of the patients exhibited elevated excretion of either tetrahydro S or pregnanetriol, probably indicative of partial 11- or 21 -hydroxylase deficiencies, respectively.
Performance of a propensity score adjustment in longitudinal studies with covariate‐dependent representation

Longitudinal observational studies provide rich opportunities to examine treatment effectiveness during the course of a chronic illness. However, there are threats to the validity of observational inferences. For instance, clinician judgment and self-selection play key roles in treatment assignment. To account for this, an adjustment such as the propensity score can be used if certain assumptions are fulfilled. Here, we consider a problem that could surface in a longitudinal observational study and has been largely overlooked. It can occur when subjects have a varying number of distinct periods of therapeutic intervention. We evaluate the implications of baseline variables in the propensity model being associated with the number of post baseline observations per subject and refer to it as 'covariate-dependent representation'. An observational study of antidepressant treatment effectiveness serves as a motivating example. The analyses examine the first 20 years of follow-up data from the National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Depression Study, a longitudinal, observational study. A simulation study evaluates the consequences of covariate-dependent representation in longitudinal observational studies of treatment effectiveness under a range of data specifications.The simulations found that estimates were adversely affected by underrepresentation when there was lower ICC among repeated doses and among repeated outcomes.
Leading with Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit

The article reviews the book “Leading With Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit,” by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal.
Price-weight relationships for feeder cattle.

Feeder cattle prices are determined by the interaction of numerous factors. As economic conditions change over time, price differentials associated with feeder cattle weight vary. This study analyzes transactions data on 46,081 pens of feeder cattle over a 10-year period. Results indicate that fed-cattle futures prices and corn prices are important determinants of price-weight relationships for feeder cattle. Time of year, recent feeding margins and sex of feeder cattle have moderate impacts on the price-weight relationship (i.e., price slides). Coefficients of variation for fed cattle and corn prices have economically unimportant impacts on price relationships. Results of this model can be used to assess feeder cattle price relationships across weights as fed cattle and corn prices vary. Les prix des bovins d'engraissement sont fonction de I'interaction de nombreux facteurs. Au fil des changements des conditions economiques, les ecarts de prix associes au poids des bovins varient. Nous etudions les donnees de transactions realisees dans une periode de 10 ans sur 46 081 parquets de bovins d'engraissement. II ressort de ce travail que les prix e terme des bovins finis et le prix du mais sont d'importants determinants des rapports prix-poids pour ce type d'animaux. L'epoque de I'annee, les marges d'engraissement recentes et le type sexuel des bovins n'ont que des repercussions moderees sur le rapport prix-poids (c.-a-d. I'ecart de prix aux 100 Ib selon lepoids de I'animal). Les coefficients de variation relatifs aux prix des bovins finis et e ceux du mais sont denues de toute importance economique pour les rapports de prix. Les resultats du modele peuvent etre utilises pour evaluer les rapports de prix des bovins d'engraissement selon une echelle de poids en fonction des variations des prix des bovins gras et de ceux du mais.
New diagnostic developments for intense ion beam experiments

A review of recent developments in intense ion beam diagnostics used in the international light ion inertial confinement fusion (ICF) programs will be presented. These developments have occurred in each of the several generic classes of diagnostics, namely, imaging diagnostics, particle spectrograph diagnostics, nuclear activation, and visible spectroscopy. Critical beam parameters measured by the new diagnostics include spatial profile, absolute number, species, anode plasma temperature and density, voltage, current density, and power density. A unique feature of most of these diagnostics is that they are capable of operating in hard (multi-MeV) X-ray (bremsstrahlung) backgrounds of some 109–1011 rad/s. The operating principles of each diagnostic will be summarized in the paper with examples of how the diagnostics may be integrated together to form a complete diagnostic system. The paper will close with a discussion of two new data acquisition systems that have been developed for intense beam diagnostics.
Prevalence of Lymphedema in Women With Breast Cancer 5 Years After Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy or Axillary Dissection: Patient Perceptions and Precautionary Behaviors

Purpose Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy was adopted for the staging of the axilla with the assumption that it would reduce the risk of lymphedema in women with breast cancer. This study was undertaken to examine patient perceptions of lymphedema and use of precautionary behaviors several years after axillary surgery. Patients and Methods Nine hundred thirty-six women who underwent SLN biopsy (SLNB) alone or SLNB followed by axillary lymph node dissection (SLNB/ALND) between June 1, 1999, and May 30, 2003, were evaluated at a median of 5 years after surgery. Patient-perceived lymphedema and avoidant behaviors were assessed through interview and administered a validated instrument, and compared with arm measurements. Results Current arm swelling was reported in 3% of patients who received SLNB alone versus 27% of patients who received SLNB/ALND (P < .0001), as compared with 5% and 16%, respectively, with measured lymphedema. Only 41% of patients reporting arm swelling had measured lymphedema, and 5% of pat...
Erythropoietic response of the neonatal rat to hypertransfusion and erythropoietin (Ep)

A sustained state of plethora cannot be induced in neonatal rats by intraperitoneal injections of RBC. On the other hand, erythropoiesis is markedly and rapidly suppressed by intra-cardiac injections of RBC. The data suggest that administration of Ep to such animals results in a two-fold action: an early release of reticulocytes followed by a true stimulation of erythropoiesis.
Cofilin-Actin Interactions

Cofilin, along with other proteins that belong to the actin-depolymerization factor (ADF)/cofilin family enhance actin turnover by severing filamentous actin (F-actin). using total internal reflective fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, we show that yeast cofilin (YCof) severs yeast F-actin effectively at low concentrations whereas high concentrations of human cofilin 1 (hCof1) are required for such severing and filament shortening. It has been suggested that the severing of actin filaments is caused by changes in their twist upon binding of cofilin. Electron microscopy (EM) 3-D reconstruction shows both YCof and hCof1 cause similar changes in the twist of yeast F-actin (5o). Cofilin/ADF affects strongly the structure of actin filaments and especially in the vicinity of intermolecular contacts of the DNase I binding loop (D-loop) in subdomain 2. This is manifested in strong cofilin-induced acceleration of D-loop cleavage in F-actin by subtilisin. Similar acceleration of D-loop cleavage by subtilisin is observed with yeast and human cofilin in yeast F-actin. These results indicate that the twist change and/or D-loop exposure to proteolytic attack are not coupled tightly to filaments severing by cofilin.
Low Protein Z Levels and Risk of Ischemic Stroke: Differences by Diabetic Status and Gender

Protein Z was recently shown to act as an essential cofactor for protein Z-dependent protease inhibitor, a potent downregulator of coagulation Factor Xa. Thus, deficiency of protein Z is hypothesized to lead to a prothrombotic state, but two publications reported opposing results for the relationship of protein Z levels with ischemic stroke in young European subjects (mean age 33–40 years). We performed a study of stroke in a different ethnic population of greater mean age (57 years) to further clarify this issue. An ELISA was developed to measure protein Z antigen in 154 patients with ischemic stroke and in 206 controls in a largely Hispanic population. Low plasma protein Z values were significantly associated with ischemic stroke except in diabetic subjects and females. The mean protein Z value was significantly lower in stroke cases than in controls for nondiabetic subjects [1.78 ± 0.77 (S.D.) versus 2.28 ± 0.88 μg/ml, P < 0.0001] and for males (1.90 ± 0.90 versus 2.42 ± 0.99 μg/ml, P = 0.0004). Stroke risk was higher in subjects with protein Z levels at or below the fifteenth percentile of controls (≤1.46 μg/ml). The odds ratios were: 2.6 for all subjects (95% C.I. = 1.5–4.3); 3.8 for nondiabetic subjects (95% C.I. = 2.2–6.8); and 3.6 for males (95% C.I. = 2.0–6.4). This study also revealed high protein Z levels associated with high triglyceride levels in controls (P = 0.015). Protein Z is suggested to be a physiologic downregulator of blood coagulation and low protein Z levels are associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke, particularly in males and in the absence of diabetes.
Midgut metabolism in different instars of the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta)

Enzyme activities and mitochondrial substrate oxidation were measured in the posterior midguts of tobacco hornworms at different larval stages. A comparison of third, fourth, and fifth instars demonstrated no differences in citrate synthase activity (per gram of midgut), indicating that maximal aerobic capacity is unchanged during larval growth. The midguts of fifth instars had the highest activity of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and carnitine acetyltransferase. Furthermore, mitochondria isolated from the midguts of fifth instar larvae had higher rates of palmitoyl carnitine oxidation when compared to mitochondria isolated from the fourth instar larvae. These results indicate that there is an increased preference for fatty acid oxidation in the midguts of fifth instar larvae. The presence of succinyl-CoA ketotransferase and acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase as well as the mitochondrial oxidation of acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate indicate that ketone bodies can serve as substrates for the midgut. The activities of malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were significantly higher in fifth instars than in fourth instars, indicating an increased capacity for lipid synthesis. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF RECOMBINATION IN THE INFECTION OF COMPETENT BACILLUS SUBTILIS BY BACTERIOPHAGE DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID.

Abstract Bacteriophage SPO-1 will infect a transformable strain of Bacillus subtilis. SPO-1 contains 5-hydroxymethyluracil in place of thymine but is distinguishable from another phage containing this unusual base, SP8, by its host range and serological specificity. DNA extracted from the phage by phenol treatment induces the production of complete phage when added to a competent B. subtilis culture. Mutants of SPO-1 were isolated, and recombination frequencies were determined with whole phage and with infectious DNA. Recombination frequencies were much higher when infection was with DNA rather than with whole phage. Some single bursts giving only recombinant progeny were obtained after infection with a mixture of mutant DNA's These recombination data and the kinetics of infection suggest that recipient bacteria are infected by two or more DNA fragments to yield complete phage particles.
Quantifying the impact of GPUs on performance and energy efficiency in HPC clusters

We present an inexpensive hardware system for monitoring power usage of individual CPU hosts and externally attached GPUs in HPC clusters and the software stack for integrating the power usage data streamed in real-time by the power monitoring hardware with the cluster management software tools. We introduce a measure for quantifying the overall improvement in performance-per-watt for applications that have been ported to work on the GPUs. We use the developed hardware/software infrastructure to demonstrate the overall improvement in performance-per-watt for several HPC applications implemented to work on GPUs.
Numerical Simulation of Wave Effects around Compound Coastal Structures

A new three-dimensional potential flow numerical method has been developed to study wave diffraction around compound coastal structures. This new method is based on a multi-block finite-analytic scheme. A chimera domain decomposition technique is used to model complex geometry and to connect overlapped grids by interpolating information across block boundaries. Calculations were performed for three examples, including a harbor entrance, a single breakwater, and a combined breakwater and large floating platform, to illustrate the flexibility and effectiveness of the present method.
Influence function analysis for partial least squares with uncorrelated components

Influence theory has been studied extensively in multivariate analysis and detailed results are available for a host of multivariate techniques, including principal components, canonical correlations, and linear discrimination. In this article, the first such results are derived for partial least squares (PLS). In particular, classical perturbation theory is employed to produce theoretical and empirical influence functions for PLS under the constraint of uncorrelated scores. These influence functions are carefully interpreted and then applied to a protein analysis problem.
Near-terminator Venus ionosphere: How Chapman-esque?

[1] We have modeled the near-terminator ionosphere of Venus for solar zenith angles χ between 60 and 85° in 5° increments, and from 86 to 90° in 1° increments. The most important neutral densities of the background thermospheres have been adopted from the VTS3 model of Hedin et al. (1983), which is based on densities from the Pioneer Venus (PV) Orbiter Neutral Mass Spectrometer (e.g., Niemann et al., 1980) that are normalized to the PV Orbiter Atmospheric Drag data (e.g., Keating et al., 1980). We compare the ion density profiles to those of a Chapman layer and to those obtained from radio occultation data. We determine the best fit values of nmax,0i and k in the Chapman expression nmax,χi = nmax,0i cos(χ)k for each solar zenith angle interval; using a linear least squares regression for log nmax,χi as a function of log cos(χ) we also derive the best fit values for the group of ten models for solar zenith angles from 60 to 89°. For a theoretical Chapman layer with plane parallel geometry, k = 0.5, and nmax,0i is the peak electron density at the subsolar point. In the near-terminator region, the production rates and densities must be computed using spherical geometry, and this alone will cause the derived value of k to be reduced below the theoretical factor of 0.5. For the solar zenith angle models in the range 60–85°, we find that the magnitudes of the both the main (F1) and lower (E) peaks decrease as the solar zenith angle increases in a somewhat Chapman-like manner, but the altitudes of the F1 and E peaks increase only slowly from 140 to 144 km and from 125 to 129.5 km, respectively. The nearly constant altitude of the F1 peaks has been attributed to the collapse of the thermosphere as it merges into the nighttime cryosphere (Cravens et al., 1981). This behavior is quite different from that of Mars, where the electron density peak altitudes have been observed to rise monotonically as the solar zenith angle increases. The predicted behavior for the Venus ionosphere is in general agreement with radio occultation data, but some differences also are observed. We discuss the differences between the modeled and observed peak altitudes and we attribute the differences partly to deficiencies in the VTS3 models and partly to uncertainties in the electron temperatures. There also may be some errors introduced into the radio occultation profiles in the very near-terminator region due to deviations from spherical symmetry. In addition, differences exist between the measured and model peak magnitudes at solar zenith angles near 60° that we ascribe partly to the use of the S2K v2.22 solar flux model of Tobiska (2004), for which the EUV and soft X-ray photon fluxes are significantly smaller than those of the S2K v1.24 or the Hinteregger solar flux models.
A novel approach of integrating ventilation and air cleaning for sustainable and healthy office environments

Abstract A wise integration approach using well-developed and innovative existing scientific/engineering tools can be a good answer to rising core questions of sustainability science. Many research works have been conducted to protect and satisfy occupant health and comfort in a sustainable way. The present study investigates a novel approach to the control of ventilation, dynamically integrated with the use of air cleaning technology toward a substantial reduction of building energy/cost with cleaner indoor air than what the standard provides. To demonstrate the proposed methodology, a low energy office building was used as a testbed, subject to the variation of outdoor pollution due to nearby traffic. A detailed building model was constructed by utilizing DesignBuilder and ContamW based on the building design/actual construction documents for the analyses of combined IAQ and energy benefits. Target contaminants included formaldehyde, other 16 representative VOCs and CO 2 for IAQ analysis. Dynamic profiles of outdoor pollution were based on actual monitoring data and EPA_2008_AirData. By setting up a suite of usage scenarios under four representative climate and outdoor air quality conditions throughout the U.S. including Syracuse (cool), Los Angeles (mild), Houston (cooling dominant) and Duluth (heating dominant), the approach of dynamic integration of ventilation and air cleaning was assessed. Results showed that the minimum ventilation rate requirements in ASHRAE 62.1-2010 might not be sufficient for meeting the exposure limit constraints for IAQ (especially for formaldehyde) at all times. The integration strategy would provide satisfactory IAQ, and also could bring most energy/cost benefits (∼11% annual savings) for the case building.
UV-A Inhibition of Alternative Respiration in Pea Leaves and a Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Total respiration (vT) increased after exposure to UV, but a decrease in the capacity of SHAM-sensitive-alternative respiration (Valt) was accompanied by an increase in residual respiration (vres). The capacity for CN sensitive-cytochrome c respiration (Vcyt) was not inhibited by UV-A. After 4 h of irradiation of high-CO2-grown cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with UV-A (2 μW. CM−2) in the presence of white light (300μE.m−2.s−1), the capacity of Vast was reduced from 10 to 4 μmol O2. mg−1Chl.h−1, a 60 % reduction. After a similar exposure to UV-A, the capacity of Valt in pea leaves was reduced from 13 to 5 μmol O2.g−1 fr wt.h−1. Exposure to UV-C was not inhibitory, but UV-B caused up to 25% inhibition of the Valt. Twenty to 48 h after exposure to UV-A radiation, the capacity of alternative respiration had recovered. UV-A inhibition of the alternative respiration was consistent with UV-A absorption by quinones, except that UV-A did not inhibit the cyt c pathway of electron transport that also involves the ubiquinones.
Synthesis and characterization of glycerol-adipic acid hyperbranched polyesters

Abstract The structure and molecular weight of the hyperbranched polyesterification of adipic acid and glycerol were characterized by 13 C NMR spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography as a function of reaction time and reaction stoichiometry. The glycerol substitution patterns and the extent of reaction of both glycerol and adipic acid were determined by NMR. The glycerol species concentrations determined by NMR were used with a Macosko–Miller conditional probability model to predict the hyperbranched polyester weight-average molecular weight. The model accommodated the difference in primary and secondary –OH reactivity and any substituent effects to glycerol –OH reactivity. In all cases, the predicted weight-average molecular weights were in excellent agreement with the absolute molecular weights determined by size-exclusion chromatography with light scattering detection.
The average sensitivity of bounded-depth circuits

Abstract The average sensitivity of a Boolean circuit is the expected number of input bits that, when flipped, change the output of the circuit, starting with a random input setting. We show that unbounded-fanin circuits of depth d and size s have average sensitivity O(log s)d−1. This bound is asymptotically tight.
Evaluation of profile classification module of GPM-DPR algorithm after launch

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission was successfully launched in February 2014. It is the next satellite mission to obtain global precipitation measurements following success of TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission). The GPM core satellite is equipped with a dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) operating at Ku- (13.6 GHz) and Ka- (35.5 GHz) band. DPR on aboard the GPM core satellite is expected to improve our knowledge of precipitation processes relative to the single-frequency (Ku-band) radar used in TRMM by providing greater dynamic range, more detailed information on microphysics, and better accuracies in rainfall and liquid water content retrievals. New Ka- band channel observation of DPR helps to improve the detection thresholds for light rain and snow relative to TRMM PR [1]. The dual-frequency signals allow us to distinguish regions of liquid, frozen, and mixed-phase precipitation. In this paper, an evaluation of the profile classification module is presented. Cross validation is also presented with ground radar.
Testing the hypothesis that a clade has adaptively radiated: iguanid lizard clades as a case study.

The study of adaptive radiations has played a funda- mental role in understanding mechanisms of evolution. A recent resurgence in the study of adaptive radiations highlights a gap in our knowledge about determining whether a clade constitutes adap- tive diversification. Specifically, no objective criteria exist to judge whether a clade constitutes an adaptive radiation. Most clades, given enough time, will diversify adaptively to some extent; therefore, we argue that the term "adaptive radiation" should be reserved for those clades that are exceptionally diverse in terms of the range of habitats occupied and attendant morphological adaptations. Making such a definition operational, however, requires a comparative analysis of many clades. Only by comparing clades can one distinguish those that are exceptionally diverse (or nondiverse) from those exhibiting a normal degree of adaptive disparity. We propose such a test, fo- cusing on disparity in the ecological morphology of monophyletic groups within the lizard family Iguanidae. We find that two clades, the Polychrotinae and Phrynosomatinae, are exceptionally diverse and that two others, the Crotaphytinae and Oplurinae, are excep- tionally nondiverse. Potential explanations for differences in diversity are discussed, as are caveats and future extensions of our approach.
Thermodynamic Analysis and Kinetic Implications of Chemical Vapor Deposition of Sic from Si‐C‐C1‐H Gas Systems

Experimental results compiled from the literature were compared to thermodynamic calculations of the most stable proportion of condensed phases to deposit from gas mixtures of Si-C-Cl-H. The calculations indicated that the predominant gas molecules participating in a deposition process are chlorides and chlorosilanes for silicon and methane and acetylene for carbon. The mismatch of the calculated and experimentally determined phase boundaries at 1473 and 1600 K led to the conclusion that silicon deposition occurs faster than carbon deposition in proportion to their partial pressures. The probable reason is that silicon-bearing gas molecules have a greater sticking probability on polar Si and SiC surfaces because of their asymmetric geometries. 18 references, 8 figures, 3 tables.
Nonlinear dynamic perspectives on dynamic force microscopy

Abstract Dynamic force microscopy (DFM) utilizes the dynamic response of a resonating probe tip as it approaches and retracts from a sample to measure the topography and material properties of a nanostructure. We present recent results based on nonlinear dynamical systems theory, computational continuation techniques and detailed experiments that yield new perspectives and insights into DFM. A dynamic model including van der Waals and Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov contact forces demonstrates that periodic solutions can be represented as a catastrophe surface with respect to the approach distance and excitation frequency. Turning points on the surface lead to hysteretic amplitude jumps as the tip nears/retracts from the sample. New light is cast upon sudden global changes that occur in the interaction potential at certain gap widths that cause the tip to “stick” to, or tap irregularly the sample. Experiments are performed using a tapping mode tip on a graphite sample to verify the predictions.
Continuity between wound macrophage and fibroblast phenotype: analysis of wound fibroblast phagocytosis

Analysis of phagocytic activity in wound fibroblasts was chosen as a means to assess the possible continuity between macrophage and fibroblast phenotypes. Fibroblast phagocytosis of uncoated, IgG-c...
Testing and Evaluation of Water Quality Event Detection Algorithms

Event detection systems provide online analysis of water quality data for identification of significant water quality events. Two different online algorithms are tested here with multivariate data from two monitoring locations in an operating water distribution network. The data are split into training and testing sets and parameter identification is completed on the training data prior to application on the testing data. Water quality events are added to the testing data sets as perturbations from the measured water quality using 11 different event strengths. Resulting receiver operating characteristic curve areas quantify the relationship between probability of detection and false detections at the time step scale. Additionally, the proportion of events containing at least one detection is measured. Results show that both algorithms are capable of reliably detecting events that change the background water quality by 1.5 times the standard deviation of the water quality signal while limiting the false-positive results to 3–4% of the time steps. Trade-offs in the delay to detection versus the number of false-positive results are examined in the context of the event length.
Symbolic Simulation with Approximate Values

Symbolic methods such as model checking using binary decision diagrams (BDDs) have had limited success in verifying large designs because BDD sizes regularly exceed memory capacity. Symbolic simulation is a method that controls BDD size by allowing the user to specify the number of symbolic variables in a test. However, BDDs still may blow up when using symbolic simulation in large designs with a large number of symbolic variables. This paper describes techniques for limiting the size of the internal representation of values in symbolic simulation no matter how many symbolic variables are present. The basic idea is to use approximate values on internal nodes; an approximate value is one that consists of combinations of the values 0, 1, and X. If an internal node is known not to affect the functionality being tested, then the simulator can output a value of X for this node, reducing the amount of time and memory required to represent the value of this node. Our algorithm uses categorization of the symbolic input variables to determine which node values can be more approximate and which can be more exact.
Evaluation of simplified evaporation duct refractivity models for inversion problems

To assess a radar system's instantaneous performance on any given day, detailed knowledge of the meteorological conditions is required due to the dependency of atmospheric refractivity on thermodynamic properties such as temperature, water vapor, and pressure. Because of the significant challenges involved in obtaining these data, recent efforts have focused on development of methods to obtain the refractivity structure inversely using radar measurements and radar wave propagation models. Such inversion techniques generally use simplified refractivity models in order to reduce the parameter space of the solution. Here the accuracy of three simple refractivity models is examined for the case of an evaporation duct. The models utilize the basic log linear shape classically associated with evaporation ducts, but each model depends on various parameters that affect different aspects of the profile, such as its shape and duct height. The model parameters are optimized using radiosonde data, and their performance is compared to these atmospheric measurements. The optimized models and data are also used to predict propagation using a parabolic equation code with the refractivity prescribed by the models and measured data, and the resulting propagation patterns are compared. The results of this study suggest that the best log linear model formulation for an inversion problem would be a two-layer model that contains at least three parameters: duct height, duct curvature, and mixed layer slope. This functional form permits a reasonably accurate fit to atmospheric measurements as well as embodies key features of the profile required for correct propagation prediction with as few parameters as possible.
Mating-Type Functions for Meiosis and Sporulation in Yeast Act through Cytoplasm.

ABSTRACT Given a nutritional regime marked by a low nitrogen level and the absence of fermentable carbon sources, conventional a/α diploid cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiue exhibit a complex developmental sequence that includes a round of premeiotic DNA replication, commitment to meiosis and the elaboration of mature tetrads containing viable ascospores. Ordinarily, haploid cells and diploid cells af genotype a/a and α/α fail to display these reactions under comparable conditions. Here, we describe a simple technique for sporulation of α/α and a/a cells. Cells of genotype α/α are mated to haploid a cells carrying the karl (karyogamy defective) mutation to yield heterokaryons containing the corresponding diploid and haploid nuclei. The karl strains mate normally, but nuclei in the resultant zygotes do not fuse. When heterokaryotic cells are inoculated into sporulation media, they produce asci with six spores. Four spores carry genotypes derived from the diploid nucleus and the other two posses the markers originating from the haploid nucleus, i.e., the diploid nucleus divides meiotically while the haploid nucleus apparently divides mitotically. Similarly, the a/a genome is "helped" to sporulate as a consequence of mating with α karl strains. The results allow us to conclude that the mating-type functions essential for meiosis and sporulation are communicated and act through the cytoplasm and that sporulation can be dissociated from typical meiosis. This procedure will facilitate the genetic analysis of strains that are otherwise unable to sporulate.
Occupational exposure to crystalline silica and autoimmune disease.

Occupational exposure to silica dust has been examined as a possible risk factor with respect to several systemic autoimmune diseases, including scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and some of the small vessel vasculitidies with renal involvement (e.g., Wegener granulomatosis). Crystalline silica, or quartz, is an abundant mineral found in sand, rock, and soil. High-level exposure to respirable silica dust can cause chronic inflammation and fibrosis in the lung and other organs. Studies of specific occupational groups with high-level silica exposure (e.g., miners) have shown increased rates of autoimmune diseases compared to the expected rates in the general population. However, some clinic- and population-based studies have not demonstrated an association between silica exposure and risk of autoimmune diseases. This lack of effect may be due to the limited statistical power of these studies to examine this association or because the lower- or moderate-level exposures that may be more common in the general population were not considered. Experimental studies demonstrate that silica can act as an adjuvant to nonspecifically enhance the immune response. This is one mechanism by which silica might be involved in the development of autoimmune diseases. Given that several different autoimmune diseases may be associated with silica dust exposure, silica dust may act to promote or accelerate disease development, requiring some other factor to break immune tolerance or initiate autoimmunity. The specific manifestation of this effect may depend on underlying differences in genetic susceptibility or other environmental exposures.
On visualization techniques for solar data mining

Large-scale data mining is often aided with graphic visualizations to facilitate a better understanding of the data and results. This is especially true for visual data and highly detailed data too complex to be easily understood in raw forms. In this work, we present several of our recent interdisciplinary works in data mining solar image repositories and discuss the over-arching need for effective visualizations of data, metadata, and results along the way. First, we explain the complex characteristics and overwhelming abundance of image data being produced by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Then we discuss the wide scope of solar data mining and highlight visual results from work in data labeling, classification, and clustering. Lastly, we present an overview of the first-ever Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) system for solar images, and conclude with a brief look at the direction of our future research.
Rapid redistribution of phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate and septins during the Candida albicans response to caspofungin.

ABSTRACT We previously showed that phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] and septin regulation play major roles in maintaining Candida albicans cell wall integrity in response to caspofungin and other stressors. Here, we establish a link between PI(4,5)P2 signaling and septin localization and demonstrate that rapid redistribution of PI(4,5)P2 and septins is part of the natural response of C. albicans to caspofungin. First, we studied caspofungin-hypersusceptible C. albicans irs4 and inp51 mutants, which have elevated PI(4,5)P2 levels due to loss of PI(4,5)P2-specific 5′-phosphatase activity. PI(4,5)P2 accumulated in discrete patches, rather than uniformly, along surfaces of mutants in yeast and filamentous morphologies, as visualized with a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-pleckstrin homology domain. The patches also contained chitin (calcofluor white staining) and cell wall protein Rbt5 (Rbt5-GFP). By transmission electron microscopy, patches corresponded to plasma membrane invaginations that incorporated cell wall material. Fluorescently tagged septins Cdc10 and Sep7 colocalized to these sites, consistent with well-described PI(4,5)P2-septin physical interactions. Based on expression patterns of cell wall damage response genes, irs4 and inp51 mutants were firmly positioned within a group of caspofungin-hypersusceptible, septin-regulatory protein kinase mutants. irs4 and inp51 were linked most closely to the gin4 mutant by expression profiling, PI(4,5)P2-septin-chitin redistribution and other phenotypes. Finally, sublethal 5-min exposure of wild-type C. albicans to caspofungin resulted in redistribution of PI(4,5)P2 and septins in a manner similar to those of irs4 , inp51 , and gin4 mutants. Taken together, our data suggest that the C. albicans Irs4-Inp51 5′-phosphatase complex and Gin4 function upstream of PI(4,5)P2 and septins in a pathway that helps govern responses to caspofungin.
Throughput optimization in relay networks using Markovian game theory

In this paper, problem of throughput optimization in relay networks where all users transmit their packets on a multiple-access channel is studied by introducing a new Markovian game theoretical solution. Despite the previously reported works, in the proposed model, simultaneously transmitted packets on a multiple-access channel are not always discarded. In this article, the possibility of capturing one of these packets is considered. Both cases of cooperative and non-cooperative stochastic game solutions are investigated and compared. The main objective is to maximize the system throughput with minimum transmission delay and power consumption cost. Effect of different packet error rates due to possible collision occurrence is considered in the game definition that improves system performance further. Performance of the proposed non-cooperative game model approaches the cooperative case, however the non-cooperative game model adds less signaling load to the system, therefore it is more likely to be used in practical applications.
Abdominal pain in first trimester pregnancy.

Dr. Todd Thomsen: Today’s case is that of a 6-week pregnant 37-year-old woman with a chief complaint of severe abdominal pain. She was feeling well until the morning of admission, when she experienced the acute onset of severe lower abdominal and pelvic pain. She described the pain as sharp, constant and severe. Shortly after the onset of the pain, she felt lightheaded and had several near-syncopal episodes. There was no malaise, anorexia or dull abdominal pain, and she denied recent trauma, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dysuria, flank pain, fever or chills. Her last bowel movement was earlier that morning and was normal. She had eaten a light breakfast of toast and juice several hours before the pain had begun. Dr. Nathan Mick: While the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain is large, the first diagnosis to consider in a woman in her first trimester is ectopic pregnancy. Can you tell us more about her obstetrical history? Was she experiencing any vaginal bleeding? Dr. Thomsen: The patient was G2P1. Her first pregnancy was approximately 10 years ago and was without complications. The current pregnancy was a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and three embryos had been transferred into her uterus 6 weeks prior to her Emergency Department (ED) visit. The cause of her infertility was unknown, and she had no history of tubal surgery or pelvic inflammatory disease. An ultrasound performed 1 week prior to presentation showed a normal 5-week-old intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) with a fetal pole, as well as a second intrauterine gestational sac without a fetal pole. No adnexal abnormalities were noted. The patient denied any vaginal bleeding during the course of the current pregnancy. Dr. Peter Pang: Are there any other significant factors in her medical or surgical history? Dr. Thomsen: She denied any chronic medical problems and had no previous surgeries. A prenatal vitamin supplement was her only medication and she had no drug allergies. She denied the use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit substances. Upon our initial evaluation, the patient was pale, profusely diaphoretic, and in obvious distress; she preferred to lay motionless on the gurney, as any movement seemed to exacerbate her symptoms. Vital signs were as follows: temperature 37.2°C (99.0°F), heart rate 126 beats per minute, systolic blood pressure 68 mm Hg, respiratory rate 22 breaths per minute, oxygen saturation 98% on 100% oxygen via face mask. The head and neck examinations were unremarkable. The lungs were clear. Cardiac examination revealed a normal S1 and S2 without a murmur or gallop. The abdominal musculature was held tight with voluntary and involuntary guarding; there was exquisite tenderness to palpation in all four quadrants and rebound tenderness was also present. The pelvic examination revealed a closed os with no vaginal bleeding or discharge. There was bilateral adnexal ten-
Etiologic factors in sialolithiasis.

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate etiologic factors for sialolithiasis in a population of patients from the United States.Study Design. Retrospective, cohort study.Setting. T...
A Microfluidic Study of Megakaryocytes Membrane Transport Properties to Water and Dimethyl Sulfoxide at Suprazero and Subzero Temperatures

Megakaryocytes (MKs) are the precursor cells of platelets. Cryopreservation of MKs is critical for facilitating research investigations about the biology of this important cell and may help for scaling-up ex-vivo production of platelets from MKs for clinical transfusion. Determining membrane transport properties of MKs to water and cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) is essential for developing optimal conditions for cryopreserving MKs. To obtain these unknown parameters, membrane transport properties of the human UT-7/TPO megakaryocytic cell line were investigated using a microfluidic perfusion system. UT-7/TPO cells were immobilized in a microfluidic system on poly-D-lysine-coated glass substrate and perfused with various hyper-osmotic salt and CPA solutions at suprazero and subzero temperatures. The kinetics of cell volume changes under various extracellular conditions were monitored by a video camera and the information was processed and analyzed using the Kedem–Katchalsky model to determine the membrane tra...