cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of phosphorylation on the functional regulation of an expressed recombinant human dopamine transporter

Metabolic labeling experiments were performed using eukaryotic cells transfected with the human dopamine (DA) transporter cDNA. Autophosphorylation in the presence and absence of the transporter substrate DA, was analyzed. Dopamine transporter (DAT) was phosphorylated in the absence of DA and dephosphorylated in the presence of the substrate. The functional significance of this phenomenon was checked by incubating cells with phosphorylation promoting agents, all of which reduced substrate uptake and ligand binding significantly. It is shown that at least one site of phosphorylation on DAT is a serine residue. These experiments suggest that the state of phosphorylation of the DAT may play an important role in its biological function.
Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of [(dfepe)Pt(μ-H)]2. An Unusual Example of Conformational Polymorphism

Treatment of the methyl complex (dfepe)Pt(Me)(O2CCF3) (dfepe = (C2F5)2PCH2CH2P(C2F5)2) with 1 atm of H2 in acetone at 20 °C cleanly affords the hydride-bridged dimer [(dfepe)Pt(μ-H)]2 (1), which cr...
Compressed CO overlayers on Pt(111) — Evidence for tilted CO species at high coverages by digital ESDIAD

Abstract The existence of tilted CO molecules in compressed CO overlayers on Pt(111) has been detected using the digital ESDIAD method with enhanced resolution achieved by applying a retarding potential procedure to separate CO + , CO ∗ , and O + ESD products. Digital symmetrization was used for analysis of the ESDIAD data collected under field-free conditions. The CO tilting is consistent with the building of antiphase domain boundaries of close-packed terminal-CO species. It has been found that CO molecules tilt about 6° off-normal at CO coverages higher than 0.6 CO/Pt. The azimuthal directions (equivalent to [1 1 0]) of CO tilting indicate that the close-packed CO molecules are repelled along the nearest Pt-Pt neighbor directions. Studies of the thermal broadening of the CO + ESDIAD patterns due to the tilted-CO molecules have shown that the maximum amplitude of the vibrational motion of the tilted-CO species occurs along the directions normal to the tilting plane. A comparison of the CO + and CO ∗ ESDIAD patterns has permitted approximate estimation of the distance of the image plane from the center of the charge for the CO + ESD product at the point of its origin.
Time to resolution of morbidity: an endpoint for assessing the clinical cure of community-acquired pneumonia

Abstract Clinical trials of new therapeutics for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) have typically used a subjective endpoint of clinical response. However, as this endpoint is not quantitative, it is subject to observer bias and renders the conduct of multicenter trials difficult. For the purposes of conducting a clinical trial of filgrastim, as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of CAP, a set of clinical criteria were developed prospectively to determine the time when a clinical cure was achieved, based on respiratory rate, temperature, oxygenation and roentgenographic findings, which was termed the time to resolution of morbidity (TRM). The TRM was evaluated on the first 100 patients entered in this clinical trial. As no clear reference standard exists, the predictive value for the duration of parenteral antibiotics (AB) and the length of hospital stay (LOS) was compared with that provided by a widely used classification system for severity of disease, APACHE II. The TRM was found to correlate significantly better with AB or LOS than APACHE II (P
Correlation between metabolic tumor volume and pathologic tumor volume in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Purpose To explore the relationship between pathologic tumor volume and volume estimated from different tumor segmentation techniques on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in oral cavity cancer.
Atomic Force Microscopy for Low-Adhesion Surfaces: Thermodynamic Criteria, Critical Surface Tension, and Intermolecular Forces

Designing low-adhesive surfaces is a challenging task made difficult in part by a lack of understanding of the fundamental intermolecular forces underlying adhesion. Atomic force microscopy was use...
TARGET-INDUCED ANERGY OF NATURAL KILLER CYTOTOXIC FUNCTION IS RESTRICTED TO THE NK--TARGET CONJUGATE SUBSET

This study examined the characteristics of functional anergy of natural killer cells (NK) following their interaction with target cells. Purified NK cells were cocultured with K562 for 15 min or 4 hr to allow for binding of targets to NK cells. The resulting NK-target conjugates were then dissociated by EDTA, and the unbound NK cells were separated from the targets by flow cytometry and cell sorting. Compared to untreated NK cells, the K562-dissociated NK cells were inhibited for cytotoxic function as assessed by the 51Cr release assay and by the single killer frequency assay and also responded poorly following activation by IL-2 or IFN-alpha. The inactivated NK cells had a diminished ability to reform conjugates with the target cells. Following cell sorting of the NK subsets, the conjugate subset had the least cytotoxic activity when compared to both the free NK subset or the unfractionated NK population. The IL-2 response observed with the unfractionated anergic NK cells was found to be due to the activation of the NK free cell subset while the conjugate subset was poorly responsive to IL-2. The cell surface CD16, CD2, and CD56 antigen expression was downmodulated in the conjugate subset but not in the free cells. However, the CD69 surface expression was significantly upregulated on the surface of the NK conjugate subset and was potentiated following treatment with IFN-alpha and IL-2. These results demonstrate that target-mediated anergy of NK cells is restricted to the NK-target conjugate subset while sparing the remaining free cell subset. Further, the findings demonstrate that the anergic NK cells express the phenotype CD16dimCD2dimCD56dimCD69brightCD11bbright.
8 The effect of food on electrical and mechanical activity of the canine antrum

Background: Gastric electrical and mechanical activities are modulated by food, however, the pattern of food-induced changes and the mechanisms governing them are not well defined. Aim: To characterize food–induced changes in gastric antral activity and to explore underlying mechanisms for such changes. Methods: Experiment 1- intended to test the effect of food on gastric signals. Two bipolar electrodes were implanted in the antrum of 7 mongrel dogs for simultaneous recording of slow wave rate, in events /min (SWR), and contractions assessed by electrical impedance (AI) in ohms. A strain-gauge transducer was implanted in 3 dogs to correlate changes in AI with contractions. The meal consisted of a preload of 100 g of dry food followed in 10 min, by 900 g of the same food, to lengthen meal duration. SWR and AI were determined during 4 periods of 5 min/each (baseline, end of preload, satiety, 10 min after satiety). Experiment was repeated 5 times/dog. Experiment 2-acute study, under anesthesia with 3 tests: 1) esophageal balloon distension 2) fundic balloon distension at volumes of 50–400 ml, using a balloon of 800 ml, and 3) nitroglycerin infusion, 0.5 (g kg­1 min­1 for 10 min. results as Mean ± SD. Results: Experiment 1- frequency of antral contractions by strain-gauge correlated well with frequency of contractions as measured by AI, R = 0.76. SWRs at baseline, preload, satiety and post satiety were: 5.0 ± 0.3, 4.9 ± 0.4, 3.8 ± 0.65, and 4.4 ± 0.47 respectively. SW amplitudes (ohms) at the same periods were: 5.3 ± 1.4, 8.5 ± 2.1, 12.2 ± 4.3 and 12.0 ± 5.3 respectively; p < 0.05 for satiety and post satiety vs. baseline for both measurements. Both changes peaked around the time of satiety. Mean time interval between satiety and slowest SWR was 80 ± 40 sec. Amplitude of contractions remained elevated for 212 ± 110 min after the meal. Experiment 2- fundic distension caused a transient decrease in SWR at lower volumes, but the decrease was sustained at the 400 ml volume, 3.9 ± 0.2 vs. 3 ± 0.8, baseline vs. distension, respectively, p = 0.002. NTG significantly reduced SWR: 4.0 ± 0.7 vs. 3.5 + 0.8, baseline vs. infusion, p = 0.007. Esophageal distension did not affect SWR. Conclusions: Food ingestion causes a significant decrease in SWR and significant enhancement of antral contractions that peak at satiety. This suggests a possible causal relationship that can be potentially useful when considering gastric electrical stimulation for modulation of satiety signals. Both gastric distension and nitrergic pathways affect SWR.
The Effect of Location-Based Tax Incentives on Establishment Location and Employment across Industry Sectors

This article examines the potential for location-based employment tax incentives to have a differential effect on establishment location and employment across industry sectors. The authors model the differential effect of the location-based federal Empowerment Zone (EZ) wage tax credit on equilibrium labor and total cost savings across industry sectors. The model guides the empirical work, as the authors test the effect of the program across industry sectors. The empirical analysis shows that location-based tax incentives have a positive effect on firm location in some of the industries their model predicts and a negative effect in industries that could be crowded out.
On the role of semantics in a theory of adverb syntax

The recent literature on adverb positioning is roughly divided between two theoretical camps, one of which claims that adverbs are licensed in spec positions by empty functional heads (Cinque, 1999), the other taking adverbs as adjoined and licensed largely by semantically based principles (Ernst, 2002). This paper defends the latter view, presenting two sets of evidence. First, the syntactic approach invoking functional heads holds that certain aspects of an adverb's meaning are encoded in the functional heads, such as the different scopes of frequency adverbs, e.g. in Texans often drink beer versus Texans drink beer often. It is shown that this approach to adverb meaning leads to significant redundancy and great difficulties in representing adverb semantics in a coherent way. Second, while the functional-head theory does account for the normal order of subject-oriented adverbs and negation (She probably didn’t leave versus *She didn’t probably leave), the existence of exceptional cases where adverbs may follow negation requires this theory to adopt a semantically based explanation (invoking the adverbs’ status as positive polarity items) in any case. As a result, its original account of subject-oriented adverbs is redundant. For both sets of evidence, the semantically based theory handles the data easily: scope and related patterns are predicted by its basic semantic principles, and the polarity explanation for the second set also fits naturally into this framework without redundancy. Thus, the two phenomena provide evidence for the semantically based theory.
A two‐phase, double‐blind randomized study of three haloperidol plasma levels for acute psychosis with reassignment of initial non‐responders

To clarify the plasma level/therapeutic response relationship of haloperidol (HPDL) we used a prospective double-blind design in 95 acutely psychotic patients. After drug washout, patients were randomly assigned to a low, middle or high plasma level range for 2 weeks (phase A), and then 50% of the initial non-responders were randomly reassigned into the putative therapeutic range for an additional 2 weeks (phase B). There were no significant differences in clinical outcome between the three plasma level ranges in phase A. However, in phase B initial non-responders displayed greater improvement in the middle range than in the low or the high ranges. No further benefit was observed when plasma levels were raised to or maintained in the high range.
Enhancing Language and Early Literacy Development of Lowest Performing Preschoolers: Yes We Can!

This discussion article takes a closer look at 5 Early Reading First projects in this special issue. It first explores what needed to be in place before these projects could help teachers individualize instructional support for children. The way in which each project sought to provide effective instruction for all children is then discussed, followed by demonstrated project outcomes. The special emphasis that these projects placed on language is highlighted and its importance for literacy is reiterated. Finally, suggestions for next steps in the research process are made.
Perceived leader integrity scale: An instrument for assessing employee perceptions of leader integrity

Abstract Little empirical research has investigated the role of leaders' ethical integrity in their effectiveness. This may be due, in part, to the unavailability of sound measurement instruments designed for use in this area. The present research provided a partial remedy for this problem by developing and initially validating a new instrument, called the Perceived Leader Integrity Scale (PLIS). In both a student sample and an organizational field sample, the PLIS demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > .97) and expected patterns of correlation with other variables. In the organizational sample, factor analysis indicated a unidimensional factor structure. Analyses based on item response theory (IRT) indicated that the PLIS generates estimates of respondents' standing on the perceived leader integrity construct (θ) with standard errors as low as .08. Implications for further study of perceived leader integrity were discussed.
RNA Homeostasis Governed by Cell Type-Specific and Branched Feedback Loops Acting on NMD

Summary Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a conserved RNA decay pathway that degrades aberrant mRNAs and directly regulates many normal mRNAs. This dual role for NMD raises the possibility that its magnitude is buffered to prevent the potentially catastrophic alterations in gene expression that would otherwise occur if NMD were perturbed by environmental or genetic insults. In support of this, here we report the existence of a negative feedback regulatory network that directly acts on seven NMD factors. Feedback regulation is conferred by different branches of the NMD pathway in a cell type-specific and developmentally regulated manner. We identify feedback-regulated NMD factors that are rate limiting for NMD and demonstrate that reversal of feedback regulation in response to NMD perturbation is crucial for maintaining NMD. Together, our results suggest the existence of an intricate feedback network that maintains both RNA surveillance and the homeostasis of normal gene expression in mammalian cells.
Evaluation of the centrifuged and Gram-stained smear, urinalysis, and reagent strip testing to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria in obstetric patients.

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to compare the efficacy of the centrifuged and Gram-stained smear with the efficacy of both urinalysis and reagent strip testing for nitrites and leukocyte esterase in detecting asymptomatic bacteriuria in obstetric patients. Study Design: A midstream urine specimen was evaluated in 528 patients either at the initial prenatal visit or at a visit because of possible preterm labor. Separate aliquots were tested by centrifugation (with a Cytospin Cytocentrifuge; Shandon, Inc, Pittsburgh, Pa) with Gram stain, by microscopic urinalysis for the presence of moderate to large numbers of bacteria or >10 leukocytes per high-power field, and by reagent strips for the presence of nitrites or leukocyte esterase activity. Results were compared with those of a quantitative urine culture obtained with blood and MacConkey agar plates. Results: Thirty-six women (6.8%) had urine cultures showing 100,000 colony-forming units of a uropathogen per milliliter. The sensitivity and specificity of testing by centrifugation and Gram stain were 100% and 7.7%, respectively. Urinalysis and dipstick testing offered a sensitivity of 80.6% and 47.2%, respectively, with a specificity of 71.5% and 80.3%. No combination of tests, in series or in parallel, offered improved specificity over urinalysis alone. Conclusions: Centrifugation with Gram stain of a urine specimen offers excellent sensitivity but very poor specificity compared with microscopic urinalysis for the detection of asymptomatic bacteriuria and is not an acceptable screening test in an obstetric population. The false-negative rates of urinalysis (19.4%) and reagent strip testing (52.8%) preclude these from being excellent screening tests for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Given the potential sequelae of undiagnosed asymptomatic bacteriuria in an obstetric population, we conclude that urine cultures should be used for all pregnant patients to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;182:1076-9.)
Radial particle-size segregation during packing of particulates into cylindrical containers

Abstract In a series of experiments, soil materials were placed in long cylindrical containers, using various packing procedures. Soil columns produced by deposition and simultaneous vibratory compaction were dense and axially uniform, but showed significant radial segregation of particle sizes. Similar results were obtained with deposition and simultaneous impact-type compaction when the impacts resulted in significant container “bouncing”. The latter procedure, modified to minimize “bouncing” produced dense, uniform soil columns, showing little radial particle-size segregation. Other procedures tested (deposition alone and deposition followed by compaction) did not result in radial segregation, but produced columns showing either relatively low or axially nonuniform densities. Current data suggest that radial particle-size segregation is mainly due to vibration-induced particle circulation in which particles of various sizes have different circulation rates and paths.
Seasonal variation of carcass decomposition and gravesoil chemistry in a cold (Dfa) climate.

It is well known that temperature significantly affects corpse decomposition. Yet relatively few taphonomy studies investigate the effects of seasonality on decomposition. Here, we propose the use of the Koppen-Geiger climate classification system and describe the decomposition of swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) carcasses during the summer and winter near Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Decomposition was scored, and gravesoil chemistry (total carbon, total nitrogen, ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate, and soil pH) was assessed. Gross carcass decomposition in summer was three to seven times greater than in winter. Initial significant changes in gravesoil chemistry occurred following approximately 320 accumulated degree days, regardless of season. Furthermore, significant (p < 0.05) correlations were observed between ammonium and pH (positive correlation) and between nitrate and pH (negative correlation). We hope that future decomposition studies employ the Koppen-Geiger climate classification system to understand the seasonality of corpse decomposition, to validate taphonomic methods, and to facilitate cross-climate comparisons of carcass decomposition.
FMIT Diagnostic Instrumentation

The Fusion Materials Irradiation Test facility (FMIT) cw prototype accelerator has noninterceptive beamline instrumentation to measure beam parameters. The transverse emittances and beam profiles are measured with an array of photodiode sensors viewing light emitted from the beam region. Tomographic reconstructions of both spatial-density distributions and of transverse-emittance distributions are performed throughout a quadrupole focusing section. Beam bunches passing through capacitive probes produce bipolar waveforms whose zero crossing corresponds to the bunch's longitudinal centroid. By measuring the time required for a bunch to travel the known distance between two probes, velocity and energy are determined. A toroidal transformer measures the average ac beam current. Beam spill is measured by a set of movable jaws that intercept the beam edges. Each jaw contains a water flow channel whose flow rate and differential temperature are measured to derive a transverse power distribution. Beam centroid position is measured by a four-lobe, magnetic-loop pickup.
Social theory: Past and present

Smelser distinguishes three hegemonious stages: ( 1 ) evolutionary theory, reach ing from the beginnings of sociology until around 1900, (2) positivism, dominat ing the first third of this century, and (3) structural-functionalism, rising in the "1940s and 1950s" and declining in the "1960s and 1970s." He also distinguishes (4) a pluralist, nonhegemonious stage, extending from the decline of functional ism into the present. Evolution. It is perhaps too uncritical to call the evolutionism of the late nineteenth century a sociological theory, even though people who called them selves sociologists were using these ideas. Evolution had several distinct theoret ical premises: (a) natural selection, (b) inheritance and (c) instinct. Sociology liberated itself from natural selection rather early, then from inheritance and only much later (with Thomas and Znaniecki's Polish Peasant in Europe and America 1918-1920), from instinct. In addition, there was not a clearly sui generis discipline of sociology during the heyday of evolutionism. To the extent that social theory was evolutionary, the disciplinary emergence of sociology was blocked. Evolution restricted sociology to being a colony of biology. Positivism. There are also some difficulties with Smelser's second stage, the
The neuropathology of phenylketonuria: human and animal studies.

Pathologic changes in the brain of untreated phenylketonuria (PKU) patients occur in structures that develop post-natally, i.e. in myelination of subcortical white matter and spinal cord and in the growth of axons, dendrites and synapses in cerebral cortex. In addition, a small minority of brains show evidence of progressive white matter degeneration (leucodystrophy). The pathologic changes are thought to be due to toxic effects of phenylalanine and/or its metabolites. It is assumed that they can be prevented by dietary therapy during infancy and childhood, but direct confirmation by neuropathologic studies is lacking. The recently discovered genetic mouse mutant Pahenu2 provides an excellent animal model in which effects of PKU on brain development, including dendritic and synaptic development in cerebral cortex, can be assessed. In human PKU, there needs to be neuropathologic study of the brains from PKU patients, particularly adults, with a history of dietary therapy. Special attention needs to be paid to the study of white matter in such cases, in view of recent reports of white matter lesions on MRI despite dietary treatment. Conclusion Careful correlation is needed between neuropathology, magnetic resonance imaging white matter changes, dietary history and clinical findings. Finally, neuropathologic investigation is needed to determine whether progressive degeneration of the white matter (leucodystrophy) poses a risk to adults in whom dietary therapy has been discontinued.
Distribution of norepinephrine in the heart.

THE concentrations of norepinephrine found by various investigators in the hearts of different animal species are summarized in the 1956 monograph by von Euler1. These values range from 0.3 to 1.0 µgm. per gm. of heart tissue.
Laparoscopic radical cystectomy for cancer: oncological outcomes at up to 5 years.

To report the oncological outcomes at ≤5 years after laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC), as open RC is the reference standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but interest in LRC is increasing at selected centres worldwide and as yet there are no long-term follow-up data. Between December 1999 and January 2005, 37 patients (mean age 66 years) had LRC with urinary diversion for invasive bladder cancer; 26 patients (70%) also had an extended pelvic lymphadenectomy. Overall and cancer-specific survival data were obtained from patient charts, radiographic reports, telephone contact, and a check of the Social Security Death Index. Most tumours were transitional cell carcinoma (32, 86%), high-grade (grade III in 29, 78%) and high-stage (>pT2 in 26, 70%). Two patients had a positive surgical margin. The median (range) number of lymph nodes excised was 14 (2-24); seven patients (17%) had node-positive disease (pN1). Follow-up data were available for 35 patients (95%); eight (22%) completed ≥5 years of follow-up, and the mean (range) follow-up was 31 (1-66) months. At the last follow-up, 24 patients (65%( were alive with no evidence of disease and 11 (30%) were dead, two (5%) from metastasis and nine (24%) from unrelated causes. The 5-year actuarial overall, cancer-specific and recurrence-free survival was 63%, 92% and 92%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ≤5-year follow-up after LRC; the data suggest that LRC provides oncological outcomes comparable to contemporary series of open RC.
Fatty Acid Expert Roundtable: Key Statements about Fatty Acids

On September 18, 2008, a multidisciplinary panel of nutrition and clinical experts was convened to review the science regarding possible trans-fat replacement options and to discuss the implication...
Rural interhospital helicopter transport of motor vehicle trauma victims: Causes for delays and recommendations

One hundred twenty-six consecutive ACS Category 1 motor vehicle trauma patients transported by helicopter from 25 hospitals to a regional trauma center in rural Pennsylvania during a 14-month period were reviewed retrospectively. The overall mortality was 13%. Average round-trip distance was 79 miles. Interventions by the medical flight team (emergency physician/nurse) included endotracheal intubation, tube thoracostomy, and/or central venous access in 42 patients (33%) prior to lift-off. Ground time at the referring facility, from landing to lift-off, when no interventions were required of the flight team, averaged 31.2 minutes (baseline). Ground time when major therapeutic interventions were required (principally airway management), however, averaged 57.4 minutes, an 84% increase over baseline ( P
The serine protease inhibitor elafin maintains normal growth control by opposing the mitogenic effects of neutrophil elastase

The serine protease inhibitor, elafin, is a critical component of the epithelial barrier against neutrophil elastase (NE). Elafin is downregulated in the majority of breast cancer cell lines compared with normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs). Here, we evaluated the role of elafin and NE on proliferation and tumorigenesis. Elafin is induced in growth factor-deprived HMECs as they enter a quiescent (G0) state, suggesting that elafin is a counterbalance against the mitogenic effects of NE in G0 HMECs. Stable knockdown of elafin compromises the ability of HMECs to maintain G0 arrest during long-term growth factor deprivation; this effect can be reversed by re-expression of wild-type elafin but not elafin-M25G lacking protease inhibitory function. These results suggest that NE, which is largely contributed by activated neutrophils in the tumor microenvironment, may be negatively regulating the ability of elafin to arrest cells in G0. In fact when purified NE was added to elafin-knocked down HMECs, these cells demonstrated greater sensitivity to the growth-promoting effects of purified NE. Activation of ERK signaling, downstream of toll-like receptor 4, was essential to the mitogenic effect of NE on HMECs. These findings were next translated to patient samples. Immunohistochemical analysis of normal breast tissue revealed robust elafin expression in the mammary epithelium; however, elafin expression was dramatically downregulated in a significant proportion of human breast tumor specimens. The loss of elafin expression during breast cancer progression may promote tumor growth as a consequence of increased NE activity. To address the role of NE in mammary tumorigenesis, we next examined whether deregulated NE activity enhances mammary tumor growth. NE knockout in the C3(1)TAg mouse model of mammary tumorigenesis suppressed proliferation and reduced the kinetics of tumor growth. Overall, the imbalance between NE and its inhibitors, such as elafin, presents an important therapeutic target in breast cancer.
The importance of lymphovascular invasion in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

The importance of lymphovascular invasion in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer
Limit strength of locally loaded spherical domes: Radial load at a circular cut-out

Abstract The strength of a thin spherical dome loaded radially along the edge of a circular cutout is determined by using the theorems of plastic limit analysis. Complete solution of the problem comprising of the collapse mode and the associated stress resultant field is obtained. It is shown to be valid for a wide range of values of the shell thickness as well as the sizes of the cut-out and dome. The problem also serves to illustrate how advantage can be taken of the interrelation between the dual static and kinematic problems in constructing a complete solution.
Transverse Jet Mixing and Combustion Experiments in Hypervelocity Flows

Transverse jet mixing and combustion experiments at a freestream velocity of 5 km/s have been conducted in the T5 free-piston shock tunnel at GALCIT. The experiments were performed in a 50 by 25 mm combustor model using a flush-mounted, Mach 1.7 single injector introducing the fuel at an angle of 15 deg relative to the main flow. The test conditions cover a range of freestream pressures from low values chosen to match previous experiments with the same duct in the HYPULSE expansion tube facility at GASL, to high pressures corresponding to the conditions closer to those in a real scramjet combustor. Tests with cold and hot hydrogen fuel were performed, the latter to better reproduce the fuel conditions of a scramjet propulsion system where the hydrogen will have to be used first as a cooling fluid. A small combustion-driven shock tunnel was used simultaneously with T5 to supply the hot fuel.
A novel glucocorticoid regulatory unit mediates the hormone responsiveness of the β1-adrenergic receptor gene

The effects of glucocorticoids on expression of the beta1-adrenergic receptor (beta1AR) gene have been varied. To study the mechanism underling hormonal regulation of the beta1AR, transient transfection of progressively deleted ovine beta1AR promoter fragments was used to identify a 43-bp region (-1274 to -1232 from the translation start site) that contains a novel glucocorticoid regulatory unit (GRU) and confers glucocorticoid responsiveness. Using DNase I footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), we demonstrated the GRU was composed of a palindrome, 5'-TAATTA-3', which is a core binding motif for the homeodomain proteins, an E-box (5'-CACGTG-3'), binding site for the Myc/Max family proteins, and an overlapping glucocorticoid response element (GRE) half-site (5'-TGTTCT-3'). EMSA demonstrated that the GRE half-site is critical for GRU-protein interactions, which also require binding of proteins to the E-box and the homeodomain region. Co-transfection of a plasmid expressing a c-myc antisense construct significantly reduced glucocorticoid responsiveness of the ovine beta1AR promoter. Furthermore, expression of proteins binding to the GRU was shown to be developmentally regulated, being high in embryonic, reduced in newborn and not detectable in adult heart. We conclude that the ovine beta1AR promoter contains a novel, functional GRU and that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the Myc/Max family proteins are involved in the cell-specific nuclear factor binding and transactivation via this element. The results suggest an alternative pathway through which glucocorticoids may exert their effects on genes lacking a full consensus GRE.
Contextualizing learning in a reflective conversational tutor

Contextualizing learning in an intelligent tutoring system is difficult for many reasons. Goals such as presenting material in an understandable manner, minimizing confusion and frustration, and helping the student reason about their actions all need to be balanced. Previous research has shown reflective discussions (with human tutors) occurring after problem-solving to be effective in helping students reason about their own actions (S. Katz et. al, 2003). However, leading a reflective discussion makes it difficult to present information in an understandable manner, and without contextualization, it is easy to create student confusion and frustration. This raises the question: how can intelligent tutoring systems effectively contextualize learning in a reflective discussion? In this paper, we describe the tutorial architecture of SCoT, a spoken conversational tutor that uses flexible, adaptive planning and multi-modal task modeling to support the contextualization of learning in reflective dialogues.
Ultrasound-modulated optical tomography with intense acoustic bursts

Ultrasound-modulated optical tomography (UOT) detects ultrasonically modulated light to spatially localize multiply scattered photons in turbid media with the ultimate goal of imaging the optical properties in living subjects. A principal challenge of the technique is weak modulated signal strength. We discuss ways to push the limits of signal enhancement with intense acoustic bursts while conforming to optical and ultrasonic safety standards. A CCD-based speckle-contrast detection scheme is used to detect acoustically modulated light by measuring changes in speckle statistics between ultrasound-on and ultrasound-off states. The CCD image capture is synchronized with the ultrasound burst pulse sequence. Transient acoustic radiation force, a consequence of bursts, is seen to produce slight signal enhancement over pure ultrasonic-modulation mechanisms for bursts and CCD exposure times of the order of milliseconds. However, acoustic radiation-force-induced shear waves are launched away from the acoustic sample volume, which degrade UOT spatial resolution. By time gating the CCD camera to capture modulated light before radiation force has an opportunity to accumulate significant tissue displacement, we reduce the effects of shear-wave image degradation, while enabling very high signal-to-noise ratios. Additionally, we maintain high-resolution images representative of optical and not mechanical contrast. Signal-to-noise levels are sufficiently high so as to enable acquisition of 2D images of phantoms with one acoustic burst per pixel.
Investigation of seasonal variability of vestibular neuronitis.

OBJECTIVE To determine if the incidence of vestibular neuronitis displays seasonal variation. METHODS A retrospective case review was performed to determine the monthly and quarterly incidence of vestibular neuronitis over a 36-month period. Incidence values were compiled, and the chi-square test and Rayleigh test for circular means were used to assess for uneven distribution and seasonality, respectively. RESULTS Fifty-two patients were diagnosed with vestibular neuronitis during the study period. The 2009-2010 study year showed uneven distribution and evidence of seasonality (R = 7.211, p < 0.001). However, the other two study years did not show statistical significance using either the chi-square test or Rayleigh test. In addition, when incidence values were aggregated across all three years of the study, neither the chi-square test nor Rayleigh test showed statistical significance. CONCLUSION The present study found minimal evidence of seasonality in the incidence of vestibular neuronitis. These findings are consistent with studies of seasonality observed for other inner-ear disorders thought to be virally mediated.
Controlling accumulation of fermentation inhibitors in biorefinery recycle water using microbial fuel cells

Background: Microbial fuel cells (MFC) and microbial electrolysis cells are electrical devices that treat water using microorganisms and convert soluble organic matter into electricity and hydrogen, respectively. Emerging cellulosic biorefineries are expected to use large amounts of water during production of ethanol. Pretreatment of cellulosic biomass results in production of fermentation inhibitors which accumulate in process water and make the water recycle process difficult. Use of MFCs to remove the inhibitory sugar and lignin degradation products from recycle water is investigated in this study. Results: Use of an MFC to reduce the levels of furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, vanillic acid, 4hydroxybenzaldehyde and 4-hydroxyacetophenone while simultaneously producing electricity is demonstrated here. An integrated MFC design approach was used which resulted in high power densities for the MFC, reaching up to 3700 mW/m 2 (356 W/m 3 net anode volume) and a coulombic efficiency of 69%. The exoelectrogenic microbial consortium enriched in the anode was characterized using a 16S rRNA clone library method. A unique exoelectrogenic microbial consortium dominated by δ-Proteobacteria (50%), along with β-Proteobacteria (28%), αProteobacteria (14%), γ-Proteobacteria (6%) and others was identified. The consortium demonstrated broad substrate specificity, ability to handle high inhibitor concentrations (5 to 20 mM) with near complete removal, while maintaining long-term stability with respect to power production. Conclusion: Use of MFCs for removing fermentation inhibitors has implications for: 1) enabling higher ethanol yields at high biomass loading in cellulosic ethanol biorefineries, 2) improved water recycle and 3) electricity production up to 25% of total biorefinery power needs.
Efficient resource management on template-based web servers

The most commonly used request processing model in multithreaded web servers is thread-per-request, in which an individual thread is bound to serve each web request. However, with the prevalence of using template techniques for generating dynamic contents in modern web servers, this conventional request processing model lags behind and cannot provide efficient resource management support for template-based web applications. More precisely, although content code and presentation code of a template-based dynamic web page can be separated into different files, they are still processed by the same thread. As a result, web server resources, especially database connection resources, cannot be efficiently shared and utilized. In this paper, we propose a new request scheduling method, in which a single web request is served by different threads in multiple thread pools for parsing request headers, performing database queries, and rendering templates. The proposed scheme ensures the high utilization of the precious database connections, while templates are being rendered or static contents are being served. We implemented the proposed scheme in CherryPy, a representative template-enabled multithreaded web server, and we evaluated its performance using the standard TPC-W benchmark implemented with the Django web templates. Our evaluation demonstrates that the proposed scheme reduces the average response times of most web pages by two orders of magnitude and increases the overall web server throughput by 31.3%under heavy loads.
Plastocyanin Controls the Stabilization of the Thylakoid Cu-transporting P-type ATPase PAA2/HMA8 in Response to Low Copper in Arabidopsis

PAA2/HMA8 (P-type ATPase of Arabidopsis/Heavy-metal-associated 8) is a thylakoid located copper (Cu)-transporter in Arabidopsis thaliana. In tandem with PAA1/HMA6, which is located in the inner chloroplast envelope, it supplies Cu to plastocyanin (PC), an essential cuproenzyme of the photosynthetic machinery. We investigated whether the chloroplast Cu transporters are affected by Cu addition to the growth media. Immunoblots showed that PAA2 protein abundance decreased significantly and specifically when Cu in the media was increased, while PAA1 remained unaffected. The function of SPL7, the transcriptional regulator of Cu homeostasis, was not required for this regulation of PAA2 protein abundance and Cu addition did not affect PAA2 transcript levels, as determined by qRT-PCR. We used the translational inhibitor cycloheximide to analyze turnover and observed that the stability of the PAA2 protein was decreased in plants grown with elevated Cu. Interestingly, PAA2 protein abundance was significantly increased in paa1 mutants, in which the Cu content in the chloroplast is half of that of the wild-type, due to impaired Cu import into the organelle. In contrast in a pc2 insertion mutant, which has strongly reduced plastocyanin expression, the PAA2 protein levels were low regardless of Cu addition to the growth media. Together, these data indicate that plastid Cu levels control PAA2 stability and that plastocyanin, which is the target of PAA2 mediated Cu delivery in thylakoids, is a major determinant of this regulatory mechanism.
Light-Induced Variability in Development of Forensically Important Blow Fly Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The use of the postmortem interval (PMI) in practical applications of forensic entomology is based upon developmental data of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) generated under controlled environmental conditions. Careful review of the published forensic entomology data sets showed that experimental (environmental) parameters differed between studies. Despite the differences in study design, there are no empirical data on the effect of photoperiod on blow fly development; yet, photoperiod has been shown to alter some insect development and behavior among noncalliphorids. Consequently, will differences in photoperiod alter the developmental times of calliphorids, and thereby alter PMI estimates? To answer this question, we used a replicated design with precise temperature measurement to examine the effects of photoperiod on the forensically important blow fly Phormia regina (Meigen). We concluded that inaccurate temperature recordings by using set-chamber temperatures over rearing-container temperatures would have overshadowed any affect light had on development. Second, constant light increased variation in overall adult developmental time and significantly delayed development compared with cyclic light. Finally, not accounting for delayed development induced by photoperiod underestimated the initial empirical estimate of the PMI. These sources of variation need to be included in forensic estimates because this variation can compromise predictions of PMI based upon current data sets. Without pinpointing optimal photoperiods with which to test development, we must assume that potentially large sources of variability exist within current estimates of the PMI.
Stormwater runoff and export changes with development in a traditional and low impact subdivision.

Development continues at a rapid pace throughout the country. Runoff from the impervious surfaces in these watersheds continues to be a major cause of degradation to freshwater bodies and estuaries. Low impact development techniques have been recommended to reduce these impacts. In this study, stormwater runoff and pollutant concentrations were measured as development progressed in both a traditional development, and a development that used low impact development techniques. Increases in total impervious area in each watershed were also measured. Regression relationships were developed between total impervious area and stormwater runoff/pollutant export. Significant, logarithmic increases in stormwater runoff and nitrogen and phosphorus export were found as development occurred in the traditional subdivision. The increases in stormwater runoff and pollutant export were more than two orders of magnitude. TN and TP export after development was 10 and 1 kg ha � 1 yr � 1 , respectively, which was consistent with export from other urban/developed areas. In contrast, stormwater runoff and pollutant export from the low impact subdivision remained unchanged from pre-development levels. TN and TP export from the low impact subdivision were consistent with export values from forested watersheds. The results of this study indicate that the use of low impact development techniques on a watershed scale can greatly reduce the impacts of development on local waterways. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Towards Modeling the Performance of a Fast Connected Components Algorithm on Parallel Machines

We present and analyze a portable, high-performance algorithm for finding connected components on modern distributed memory multiprocessors. The algorithm is a hybrid of the classic DFS on the subgraph local to each processor and a variant of the Shiloach-Vishkin PRAM algorithm on the global collection of subgraphs. We implement the algorithm in Split-C and measure performance on the the Cray T3D, the Meiko CS-2, and the Thinking Machines CM-5 using a class of graphs derived from cluster dynamics methods in computational physics. On a 256 processor Cray T3D, the implementation outperforms all previous solutions by an order of magnitude. A characterization of graph parameters allows us to select graphs that highlight key performance features. We study the effects of these parameters and machine characteristics on the balance of time between the local and global phases of the algorithm and find that edge density, surface-to-volume ratio, and relative communication cost dominate performance. By understanding the effect of machine characteristics on performance, the study sheds light on the impact of improvements in computational and/or communication performance on this challenging problem.
A bit-level pipelined implementation of a CMOS multiplier-accumulator using a new pipelined full-adder cell design

A bit-level pipelined 12*12-bit two's-complement multiplier with a 27-bit accumulator has been designed for applications in high-speed digital communication systems. A new quasi n-p domino logic structure has been investigated and adopted in this multiplier-accumulator design. When used in fully-pipelined circuits, this logic structure results in a much shorter propagation delay in comparison with conventional CMOS logic, pseudo-NMOS logic, and even standard n-p domino (NORA) logic. The chip complexity is approximately 10000 transistors, and the die area is 9.3 mm/sup 2/ in a 1.25- mu p-well CMOS technology. Based on SPICE simulations using conservative device parameters, the clock speed is projected to be over 150 MHz (i.e. >150 million multiply-accumulate operations per second), and the estimated power-speed ratio is 16 mW/MHz. >
Mutual Information Optimal Constellations for the Low SNR Noncoherent MIMO Rayleigh Fading Channel

Reliable communication over the discrete input and continuous output noncoherent multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) Rayleigh fading channel is considered when the SNR per degree of freedom is low. The input constellations are required to satisfy peak and average power constraints. When the peak-to- average power ratio of the input constellation is limited (PAPR- limited) and in the low SNR regime, the mutual information up to second order in SNR is maximized jointly over input signal matrices and their respective probabilities, over all T + 1 point constellations (where T is the coherence length). Even though the problem considered is a finite dimensional non-convex optimization, it admits an elegant solution in closed form. The constellation obtained is referred to as Space Time Orthogonal Rank one Modulation (STORM), and it provides new insights into noncoherent MIMO comunications in the low SNR regime. By deriving an appropriate upper bound, it is shown that in most cases with even moderate values for PAPR and T, STORM is near-optimal with respect to the maximum mutual information achievable with unconstrained cardinality. For the case when the peak-power constraint is a fixed constant (peak-constrained), STORM achieves the capacity per unit energy, while having a wideband slope T times that of the conventional approach of MIMO ON-OFF signaling. This translates to increased bandwidth efficiency or PAPR reduction by a factor of T in the wideband regime.