cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nondestructive neutron activation analysis of marine organisms collected from ocean dump sites of the middle eastern United States

The concentrations of eight metals were determined by a nondestructive neutron activation technique for eleven species of fish and shellfish. The marine organisms were collected from ocean dump sites off New York City, off New Haven, Connecticut, and off Delaware Bay. Antimony was not detected in most of the organisms examined in thid study; the detection limit was about 0.02 to 0.05 ppm. Antimony levels ranged from 0.01 to 0.129 ppm in fish that had detectable levels. Cobalt levels were low in all samples with most levels in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 ppm. Chromium concentrations at 0.3 to 1.0 ppm were only roughly quantitated by the procedure employed. Most marine organisms examined had chromium levels at or below these values. Nickel was not detected in any of the organisms examined; the detection limit was in the 3 to 6 ppm range. Rubidium concentrations were 0.6 to 1.5 ppm for most organisms; only rough quantitative measurement was possible at these levels. Selenium levels ranged from about 0.3 to 3.8 ppm in all samples. Silver concentrations were below 0.3 ppm in most organisms. Silver concentrations as high as 10 to 30 ppm, however, were found in the digestive gland of rock crab. Zinc levels in windowpane flounder liver were about 6 to 9 times greater than the 4 to 10 ppm levels found in muscle. Zinc concentrations in rock crab muscle, on the other hand, were only slightly higher than the 15 to 32 ppm concentration found in the digestive gland. Fish other than windowpane flounder had zinc levels that ranged from 4 to 9 ppm in the muscle and 14 to 42 ppm in the liver. Shellfish other than rock crab had zinc levels of 15 to 30 ppm in muscle and 17 to 40 ppm in the digestive gland.
A SHEATH FLOW CELL-BASED LASER INDUCED FLUORESCENCE DETECTION SYSTEM WITH PRE-IMAGING SPATIAL FILTERING FOR REDUCED DIMENSION SEPARATION TECHNIQUES

The construction, performance, and practical implementation of a rugged device for laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection in capillary electrophoresis (CE) and liquid chromatography (LC) techniques is described. This device is based on a sheath flow cell (SFC) arrangement with attributes that include ruggedness, simplicity, ease of use, low cost, intra-day reproducibility, and small size. With this design, a pre-imaging mode of spatial filtering is employed to effectively reduce the contributions of both wall scatter and wall fluorescence to the background signal levels. A comparison of the pre-imaging spatial filtering and traditional methods of far-field spatial filtering is performed. This SFC system has been designed specifically for use in the UV spectral region, which can be very advantageous since it broadens the scope of the possible applications of LIF; however, fluorescence of the flow cell walls is particularly problematic in the UV region. The effect of flow cell geometry, slit widths, and...
Dexmedetomidine supplemented with local anesthesia for awake laryngoplasty

Certain laryngeal procedures require a sedated patient who is responsive to allow for the assessment of vocalization. Dexmedetomidine as a single agent for sedation and anxiolysis for awake laryngoplasty in a patient with unilateral vocal fold paralysis is presented.
Comparison of Pleural Pressure Measuring Instruments

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of a handheld digital manometer (DM) and U-tube (UT) manometer with an electronic transducer (ET) manometer during thoracentesis. METHODS Thirty-three consecutive patients undergoing thoracentesis were enrolled in the study. Pleural pressure (Ppl) measurements were made using a handheld DM (Compass; Mirador Biomedical), a UT water manometer, and an ET (reference instrument). End-expiratory Ppl was recorded after catheter insertion, after each aspiration of 240 mL, and prior to catheter removal. Volume of fluid removed, symptoms during thoracentesis, pleural elastance, and pleural fluid chemistry were also evaluated. RESULTS A total of 594 Ppl measurements were made in 30 patients during their thoracenteses. There was a strong linear correlation coefficient between elastance for the DM and ET ( r = 0.9582, P r = 0.0448, P = .84). Among the 15 patients who developed cough, recorded ET pressures ranged from −9 to +9 cm H 2 O at the time of symptom development, with a mean (SD) of −2.93 (4.89) cm H 2 O. ET and DM measurements among those patients with cough had a low correlation between these measurements ( R 2 = 0.104, P = .24). Nine patients developed chest discomfort and had ET pressures that ranged from −26 to +6 cm H 2 O, with a mean (SD) of −7.89 (9.97) cm H 2 O. CONCLUSIONS The handheld DM provided a valid and easy-to-use method to measure Ppl during thoracentesis. Future studies are needed to investigate its usefulness in predicting clinically meaningful outcomes.
Abstract 2623: Snail 1 regulates invasion through uPA-uPAR signaling using the MAPK pathway in prostate cancer cells.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which cancer cells acquire mesenchymal properties, such as induction of N-cadherin, while epithelial-associated genes like E-cadherin are lost. This enables the cells to be more invasive, migratory and metastatic. Factors that can induce EMT include growth factors like transforming growth factor -β (TGF-β) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), and transcription factors like Snail1. Snail1-induced EMT promotes migration and invasion and we hypothesized that this may be mediated by urokinase (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) activities. uPA, a serine protease, may be activated by integrin engagement to bind to its receptor, uPAR, and initiate a signaling cascade that regulates a variety of biological pathways including invasion. Androgen-dependent LNCaP and 22Rv1 and androgen-independent ARCaP human prostate cancer (PC) cells were stably transfected with empty vector control (Neo) or constitutively active Snail1 which led to increased cell migration and invasion. Superarray analysis revealed an upregulation in uPAR expression in Snail-transfected cells as compared to Neo control. Next, the protein expression levels of Snail1, uPA, and uPAR were measured by Western Blot analysis. uPA activity in conditioned media was measured using the Elisa uPA activity assay kit. Also, uPAR was transiently silenced in ARCaP Snail-overexpressing cells using uPAR siRNA. Additionally, cells were treated with MAPK inhibitor, UO126, at set time points. The data suggests that overexpression of Snail1 increased uPA and uPAR protein levels, and uPA activity was elevated in conditioned media from LNCaP, 22Rv1 and ARCaP Snail-overexpressing cells, as compared to Neo controls. Additionally, the silencing of uPAR decreased cell invasion in ARCaP Snail-overexpressing cells. Finally, MAPK inhibitor, UO126, inhibited cell invasion and decreased uPA activity. Therefore, Snail-mediated cell invasion in human prostate cancer cells may occur via the regulation of the MAPK and uPA/ uPAR signaling pathway. Acknowledgements: These studies were supported by the: NIH/NCRR/RCMI grant G12RR03062 and NIH P20 grant 1P20MD002285. Citation Format: Diandra D. Randle, Valerie Marah. Snail 1 regulates invasion through uPA-uPAR signaling using the MAPK pathway in prostate cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2623. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2623
Post-transcription cleavage generates the 3' end of F17R transcripts in vaccinia virus.

Most vaccinia virus intermediate and late mRNAs possess 3Vends that are extremely heterogeneous in sequence. However, late mRNAs encoding the cowpox A-type inclusion protein (ATI), the second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase, and the late telomeric transcripts possess homogeneous 3Vends. In the case of the ATI mRNA, it has been shown that the homogeneous 3Vend is generated by a posttranscriptional endoribonucleolytic cleavage event. We have determined that the F17R gene also produces homogeneous transcripts generated by a post-transcriptional cleavage event. Mapping of in vivo mRNA shows that the major 3Vend of the F17R transcript maps 1262 nt downstream of the F17R translational start site. In vitro transcripts spanning the in vivo 3Vend are cleaved in an in vitro reaction using extracts from virus infected cells, and the site of cleavage is the same both in vivo and in vitro. Cleavage is not observed using extract from cells infected in the presence of hydroxyurea; therefore, the cleavage factor is either virus-coded or virus-induced during the post-replicative phase of virus replication. The cis-acting sequence responsible for cleavage is orientation specific and the factor responsible for cleavage activity has biochemical properties similar to the factor required for cleavage of ATI transcripts. Partially purified cleavage factor generates cleavage products of expected size when either the ATI or F17R substrates are used in vitro, strongly suggesting that cleavage of both transcripts is mediated by the same factor. D 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The “Eve” Hypotheses: A Genetic Critique and Reanalysis

Ext d'A.: The simplest hypothesis is that all the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation found in present-day humans is derived from a single common female ancestor. There is no controversy concerning this hypothesis from a population-genetic perspective. All homologus DNA copies in a population must ultimately be traceable to a common ancestor under the theory of evolution. Since mtDNA is maternally inherited in primates, this implies that all copies of human mitochondrial DNA must trace backward to a common femal ancestor.
Toxicology of Frequently Encountered Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Dogs and Cats

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of heterogeneous compounds extensively used in both human and veterinary medicine for their antipyretic, anti-inflammation, and analgesic properties. NSAIDs consist of a wide range of pharmacologically active agents with different chemical structures, with similar therapeutic and adverse effects. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center received 22,206 NSAID incidents in dogs and cats (3% of total cases; dogs [15,823] and cats [1244]) during 2005 to 2010. This is roughly equivalent to 4% NSAID incidents reported in humans. The most common NSAID involved was ibuprofen, followed by aspirin, naproxen, deracoxib, meloxicam, diclofenac, piroxicam, indomethacin, nabumetone, and etodolac. This article provides a brief overview of classification, mechanism of action, pharmacologic and toxicologic properties, and treatment information involving frequently encountered human and veterinary NSAIDs in dogs and cats.
Reported trade figure discrepancy, regulatory arbitrage, and round-tripping: Evidence from the China–Hong Kong trade data

This study uses reported trade figures from China and Hong Kong to examine the relationships among market impediments, trade figure irregularities, and tax-induced regulatory arbitrage. The empirical findings, consistent with our tax-induced regulatory arbitrage models and the round-tripping phenomenon in China (that is, moving funds across the Mainland Chinese border through trade, typically to Hong Kong or an offshore tax haven, before re-entering China as foreign direct investment), provide support for several conclusions. First, the spurious flows of funds to and from China, via the underreporting of exports and the overreporting of imports, closely follow the preferential tax incentives accorded to foreign investors. Second, the underreporting of exports is negatively related to export tax rebates. Third, the overreporting of imports is negatively related to import tariffs. Finally, both of these two appear to be most prevalent in state-owned enterprises.
Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization. 1. General Properties for LC/MS

In this work, we describe the performance of an atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) source for sampling liquid flows. The results presented here primarily focus on the mechanism of direct photoionization (PI), as compared to the dopant mechanism of PI. Measured detection limits for direct APPI were comparable to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI; e.g., 1 pg for reserpine). The ion signal is linear up to 10 ng injected quantity, with a useful dynamic range exceeding 100 ng. Evidence is presented indicating that APPI achieves significantly better sensitivity than APCI at flow rates below 200 μL/min, making it a useful source for capillary liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. Results are presented indicating that APPI is less susceptible to ion suppression and salt buffer effects than APCI and electrospray ionization (ESI). The principal benefit of APPI, as compared to other ionization sources, is in efficiently ionizing broad classes of nonpolar compounds. Thus, APPI is ...
Digoxin and metabolites in urine: a derivatization―high-performance liquid chromatographic method capable of quantitating individual epimers of dihydrodigoxin

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of digoxigenin, digoxigenin monodigitoxoside, digoxigenin bis-digitoxoside, digoxin, and dihydrodigoxin as the 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl esters. The method is applied to a 10 ml urine sample by adding digitoxigenin as internal standard, extracting with methylene chloride, derivatizing with 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride in pyridine, chromatographing with a normal- phase system and detecting at 254 nm. Derivatized digoxigenin, digoxigenin mono- and bis- digitoxoside, and digoxin each yielded one symmetrical peak with the limit of sensitivity of the method being approximately 100 ng/ml. Analysis of a commercially obtained sample of dihydrodigoxin resulted in two well-separated, symmetrical peaks that represent the two epimers of derivatized dihydrodigoxin. Data indicate rapid and complete esterification of all primary and secondary alcohol moieties in the various molecules and the derivatives are shown to be stable in chloroform for at least four days. The procedure appears to be suitable for metabolic investigations and as a prototype for future analytical developments.
Word frequency modulates the Basic Orthographic Syllabic Structure (BOSS) effect in English polysyllable word recognition

Do native readers segment polysyllabic words based on orthographic/ morphological criteria or phonological criteria? Research by Taft (1979, 2001) argues in support of the former, as readers were faster in split-word lexical decision tasks when the words were segmented by orthographic/ morphological principles based on Basic Orthographic Syllable Structure (or BOSS) units than when they were phonologically segmented following the Maximum Onset Principle (MOP). However, a BOSS-based preference has been difficult to replicate. The present research examined three factors potentially modulating a BOSS-based segmentation preference: whether a given BOSS unit is or is not present in other words, reading experience, and word frequency. The results showed that across higher and lower ability readers, and across words with shared or unique BOSSes, a BOSS preference was reliably obtained in low but not in high frequency words. Thus, word frequency appears to modulate the segmentation strategy of polysyllabic English words.
The effects of activation procedures on regional cerebral blood flow in humans

Regional cerebral blood flow (r-CBF) can be measured using 133XE and collimated detectors. The radionuclide can be administered either by inhalation or intracarotid injection. Comparison of blood flow determinations at rest and during performance of an activity identifies those brain regions that become active during the performance of the activity. Relatively specific patterns of r-CBF are observed during hand movements, sensory stimulation, eye movements, speech, listening, and reading. Regional CBF changes during reasoning and memorization are less specific and less well characterized. It is clear that brain lesions affect r-CBF responses to various activities, but this effect has not been well correlated with functional deficits or recovery of function. Regional CBF measurement gives information about brain activity and the functional response to experimental manipulation. This approach may well add to our understanding of normal, as well as pathologic, brain functioning.
A concise route to d-erythro-sphingosine from N-Boc-l-serine derivatives via sulfoxide or sulfone intermediates

Sulfoxide and sulfone intermediates 7 and 15, respectively, were employed to synthesize synthons 3 and 4, which are readily converted to the naturally occurring (2S,3R,4(E))-sphingosine 1 and (2S,3R)-sphinganine 2.
Palindromic Resolutions of Simple Modules

For a finite dimensional hereditary k-algebra H of Dynkin type, it is known that the trivial extension T(H) has the property that minimal projective resolutions of T(H)-modules are periodic. We examine conditions in which T(H)-modules have additional symmetry in their resolutions—namely, their resolutions are “palindromic.” A more general framework in which “palindromic” resolutions occur is also presented.
Geoarchaeological investigations of St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica: The search for the Columbus Caravels and an assessment of 1000 years of human land use

A complex interbedded sequence of shallow bay, alluvial fan, and lagoon/marsh facies was revealed during geoarchaeological investigations of St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica. Eighteen radiocarbon ages and time-diagnostic artifacts were obtained from these sediments. From these data, the landscape evolution of St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica, during the last 4800 years is reconstructed. The landscape reconstructions for St. Ann's Bay are used to identify areas where the two caravels abandoned by Christopher Columbus in A. D. 1504 might be located. In addition, two periods of rapid sedimentation, one from A. D. 1000 to 1300 (lagoon filling) and the other between A. D. 1700 and modern times (bay filling), are attributed to human land use around St. Ann's Bay. The earlier period of increased sedimentation corresponds to the introduction and expansion of native peoples to the north side of the island, who brought with them slash-and-burn agriculture. The later period of increased sedimentation in the bay corresponds to the intensification of agricultural use of the area by the Spanish and British. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Satellite data analysis and numerical simulation of tropical cyclone formation

[1] Forecast of tropical cyclone (TC) formation has long been a great challenge owing to lack of reliable observations over vast open oceans. Recent satellite products provide a unique opportunity to reveal detailed atmospheric wave structures prior to TC formation. Using the QuikSCAT surface wind and the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission Microwave Image data, we document temporal and spatial structures of Rossby wave trains induced by energy dispersion from a pre-existing TC and easterly wave propagation characteristics prior to cyclogenesis in the western North Pacific. Using a baroclinic model, we further simulate cyclogenesis processes associated with the TC energy dispersion and easterly waves.
The Sympathetic Nervous System and the Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System in Cardiovascular Disease

Both the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) have central roles in vascular adaptive processes. Stimulation of the 2 systems has been demonstrated in a range of cardiovascular disorders, including congestive heart failure and hypertension. However, elucidation regarding the interactions of the many factors involved in these 2 systems is lacking. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have been used to reveal the contribution of some elements in the RAAS. Until relatively recently, little was known about the specific disturbances of the sympathetic nervous system in cardiovascular disease. Plasma norepinephrine levels, an indicator of sympathetic activity, have limited value because they are affected by various physiologic processes in addition to sympathetic activation. Newer approaches to the assessment of neurohormonal activity include the determination of the power content of heart-rate variability. More specific probes may lead to a better comprehension of neurohormonal physiology in health and disease and underlie future therapeutic advances targeted to prevention and treatment of specific syndromes.
Use of monitoring levels of soluble forms of cytokeratin 18 in the urine of patients with superficial bladder cancer following intravesical Ad-IFNα/Syn3 treatment in a phase l study

A phase l study using intravesical Ad-IFNαSyn3 for patients with bacillus Calmette-Guerin-resistant superficial bladder cancer showed a complete remission (CR) of 43% at 90 days after treatment with high levels of interferon-α (IFNα) being produced. Ad-IFNα kills bladder cancer cells by two apoptotic and one necrotic mechanism that can be measured by soluble forms of cytokeratin 18 (CK18) using M30 and M65 ELISAs, assays for caspase-cleaved (apoptotic) and uncleaved (necrotic) cell death, respectively. Therefore, we determined whether M30 and M65 levels in the urine after treatment could document all three mechanisms of cancer cell kill and also predict having a CR. High levels of both M30 and M65 were found in all patients within 24 h after treatment with all three types of cancer cell death occurring. Moreover, the return of both M30 and M65 levels in the urine to normal levels within 5 days or more after treatment was strongly associated with obtaining a CR (P=0.003). This is the first time that such assays have been used to study response to therapy in the urine of patients with bladder cancer and in the future may prove valuable in predicting clinical outcome.
Multiple Organ Failure, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome, and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome: Why No Magic Bullets?

The concept of multiple organ failure and related abnormalities was first developed in the 1970s. Multiple organ failure became evident when the support systems in intensive care units were able to keep patients alive long enough for multiple organ problems to develop in them. The high mortality of patients with multiple organ failure provided a focus for the problems that ultimately led to death for many patients in the intensive care unit. The frequency of infection, sepsis, or inflammation in producing multiple organ failure led to clinical trials of so-called magic bullets for the treatment of patients with sepsis. These trials have had either limited success or negative results, despite considerable evidence for efficacy or protection by such agents in experimental animals and in studies of normal human volunteers. I believe a major reason for these negative results has been the use of general entry criteria for the trials rather than the treatment of specific diseases or injuries. Arch Surg. 1997;132:703-707
OBJECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT AND ALCOHOLISM: SURVEY OF THE LITERATURE 1974

68 This article is the third in a series of surveys designed to provide a concise statement of objective findings on alcoholism as a stimulus for research and an aid in clinical practice. The survey of the literature in 1974 is less detailed and has been divided into different topical sections than used previously (58, 59). This change was dictated by the nature of objective information about alcoholic Americans located in U.S. journals. Many of the 133 articles surveyed could be considered demographic in nature, and fewer articles contained tests of statistical - significance. Objective information has been divided into two major categories: treatment orientation and behavior and attitudes of alcoholics. Treatment orientation includes: identification, admission to treatment, treatment, treatment outcome, morbidity, and attitudes toward alcoholics. Behavior and attitudes of alcoholics includes: response bias, women, minority groups, behavioral studies, verbal learning and interrelationships among variables. References and cross-references follow each sub-title. Differences reported in the text were significant at the .05 level of confidence or better. When statistical differences were not calculated by the authors, differences reported were of sufficient magnitude to warrant consideration by those interested in the given topic. Two appendices give references to reviews of the literature in 1974 and to objective information about student
Levosimendan and Calcium Sensitization of the Contractile Proteins in Cardiac Muscle: Impact on Heart Failure

Levosimendan increases the sensitivity of the cardiac fibrils to calcium, favorably affects hemodynamics in patients with heart failure. It is a positive inotrope and a peripheral vasodilator. The elimination half-life of the compound is about 1 hour. The drug decreases pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, increases cardiac output with the improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction leading to symptomatic improvement which includes decreased dyspnea and fatigue. Levosimendan can be used safely with diuretics, nitrates, beta-blockers, digoxin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The most common adverse effects of levosimendan are headache and hypotension. Prolongation of the QTc interval does not appear to increase the incidence of arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and torsades de pointes. Levosimendan is a novel agent in the treatment of decompensated heart failure, representing a newer class of medications aimed at increasing calcium sensitivity. Its properties holds promise for the treatment of heart failure but further large-scale studies will be needed to determine its precise efficacy, safety, as well as the compound's long-term impact on mortality.
A versatile buffered scintillation system

Studies on the measurement of intra- and extracellular C14-pantothenate in growing bacterial cultures showed that the addition of 5 ml of a buffered culture medium to 15 ml of Bray fluid provides a scintillation system in which the specific quenching effect of alkali is abolished by phosphate buffer. The quenching effect of sodium hydroxide was shown to be proportional to hydroxyl ion concentration and to be negligible below pH 10 or 11. The quenching effect of acidity (HCl) was also found to be subject to diminution by neutralization with buffer, but NaCl showed a high specific quenching effect of its own. However, beyond 0.5 M (aqueous concentration) the NaCl effect approaches constancy. It is suggested that these observations provide means for the creation of flexible systems of constant counting efficiency, and thus make determinations of absolute efficiency unnecessary in many cases. A procedure for the establishment of a complete balance sheet between intra- and extracellular C14-pantothenate in a growing bacterial culture is also presented.
Emerging Control and Disruptive Behavior Disorders During Early Childhood

The current study evaluates associations between control processes and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during early childhood. Participants were 98 children between ages 3 and 6 and their primary caregivers. Diagnostic information on ODD and ADHD symptoms was available from parents and teachers/caregivers via standardized rating forms. Affective, effortful, and cognitive control processes were measured using parent and examiner ratings via standardized questionnaires, observational ratings, and child performance on laboratory tasks of cognitive control. Affective control, but not effortful control, was significantly associated with cognitive control. A latent factor of control was significantly associated with ADHD, but not ODD, symptoms.
Policies Regarding Health and Social Care of Mothers and Children in the United States

Modifications in federal planning and budgeting for health care programs for mothers and children are reviewed. The potential effects on the affected populations are evaluated, and recommendations for response by the health care professions are presented.
Range/velocity limitations for time-domain blood velocity estimation

The traditional range/velocity limitation for blood velocity estimation systems using ultrasound is elucidated. It is stated that the equation is a property of the estimator used, not the actual physical measurement situation, as higher velocities can be estimated by the time domain cross-correlation approach. It is demonstrated that the time domain technique under certain measurement conditions will yield unsatisfactory results, when trying to estimate high velocities. Various methods to avoid these artifacts using temporal and spatial clustering techniques are suggested. The improvement in probability of correct detection is derived, and several examples of simulations are shown.
Performance counters and state sharing annotations: a unified approach to thread locality

This paper describes a combined approach for improving thread locality that uses the bardware performance monitors of modem processors and program-centric code annotations to guide thread scheduling on SMPs. The approach relies on a shared state cache model to compute expected thread footprints in the cache on-line. The accuracy of the model has been analyzed by simmations involving a set of parallel applications. We demonstrate how the cache model can be used to implement several practical locality-based thread scheduling policies with little overhead. Active Threads, a portable, high-performance thread system, has been built and used to investigate the performance impact of locality scheduling for several applications.
Biomechanical and molecular characteristics of hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia in Quarter Horses

Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) is an autosomal recessive skin disorder that has yet to be fully characterized. HERDA is predominately expressed in Quarter Horses, with the majority of these disseminating from elite cutting horse bloodlines, leading to the increased incidence of HERDA in recent years. Affected horses have loose, hyper-extensible, fragile skin and are frequently euthanized due to poor wound healing and disfiguring scars. This study sought to better characterize HERDA by analysis of the biomechanical parameters of tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, energy to failure and thickness of skin from 10 affected and 6 unaffected horses using an Instron Universal Testing Instrument. In addition, total soluble collagen and glycosaminoglycan concentrations of skin were analysed from 13 affected and 12 unaffected horses using Sircol Soluble Collagen and Blyscan Sulfated Glycosaminoglycan assays respectively. Affected horses exhibited a two to threefold reduction in tensile strength versus unaffected horses with statistically significant differences at six of seven sample locations (P < or = 0.05). The modulus of elasticity proved to be significantly different at six of seven sample locations, energy to failure at six of seven sample locations, and skin thickness at one of seven sample locations (P < or = 0.05). Affected horses exhibited significantly higher amounts of total soluble collagen than unaffected horses (P < or = 0.05). No significant difference was demonstrated between groups for glycosaminoglycan concentration. Affected horses demonstrated uniformly weaker skin across sample locations, indicating the biomechanical properties of HERDA are not regionally confined to specific areas of the horses' skin.
Random fluctuations in first-order waveguide grating filters

A simple method is proposed for studying the spectral response of a first-order waveguide grating filter with random fluctuations in the period of the grating. The method can be applied to any grating groove shape, and it can be used to study the effect of both random and systematic variations in other grating filter parameters. The numerical calculations using this model are simple to carry out, but may be time-consuming in some cases. Results are presented for grating filters with rectangular and triangular grooves.
AVOIDING TRAGEDY IN POWER POLITICS

Formed by the victors of the Napoleonic Wars, the Concert of Europe was the first peacetime multilateral crisis management forum. Its influence waned by the 1830s, but its example still exerts a po...
Separation criterion and scaling law for long-range beam-beam interactions in the Tevatron

Starting with the third (1992) run, closed orbits of protons and antiprotons will be helically separated everywhere in the Tevatron except at interaction regions B0 and D0. Helical separation makes it possible to improve the initial luminosity greatly, but also brings the problem of long-range beam-beam interactions. What is the contribution of long-range interactions to beam lifetime, to emittance growth, and to background noise in the detectors? How much separation will be sufficient? What are the scaling laws relevant to long-range interactions? The authors address these questions. >
Microdomain Organization and the Role of Second Messengers

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is essential for native cells, and recent discoveries resulted in the molecular identification of STIM1 as a Ca2+ sensor in endoplasmic reticulum, and Orai1 as a plasma membrane channel that is activated by the store-operated pathway. Molecular interactions of over-expressed Orai1 and STIM1 have been extensively studied in the model heterologous systems, but the mechanism of the endogenous signal transduction in native cells is yet to be established. Here we will focus on endogenous messengers and mediators that can be essential for signal transduction from endoplasmic reticulum-resident STIM1 to plasma membrane Orai1 channels. Particularly, we will look at Calcium Influx Factor (CIF) and Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β, or PLA2G6), the role of STIM1 as a trigger for CIF production, iPLA2β -mediated effects of CIF on endogenous SOC channels and SOCE, and complex relationship between STIM1 and Orai1 expression, puncta formation and SOCE activation. We will highlight some of the findings that may challenge direct conformational coupling models in native cells, and will offer some new perspectives on the complex relationships between endogenous Orai1, STIM1 and iPLA2β in SOCE pathway.
Effect of Verapamil on the Normal Action Potential and on a Calcium Dependent Slow Response of Canine Cardiac Purkinje Fibers

The effect of verapamil on normal sodium (Na)-dependent and slow calcium (Ca)-dependent action potentials recorded from canine cardiac Purkinje fibers was studied. The Ca-dependent slow response was obtained in fibers exposed to solutions in which all NaCl was replaced by tetraethylammonium chloride and in which Ca ranged from 4 mM to 16.2 mM. Verapamil (0.25-2 mg/liter) had little or no effect on the upstroke of the normal action potential, but such concentrations of verapamil suppressed rhythmic activity and depressed excitability in fibers that showed Ca-dependent slow responses. Spontaneous activity and rhythmic activity evoked by long depolarizing pulses were depressed. Verapamil decreased the amplitude and the upstroke velocity and shifted the threshold potential toward zero in fibers that showed Ca-dependent slow responses. The effectiveness of verapamil varied with the level of Ca; 0.25 mg/liter of verapamil was as effective in suppressing activity in fibers exposed to 4 mM Ca as was 2 mg/liter of verapamil in fibers exposed to 16.2 mM Ca. Although verapamil did not alter the upstroke of the normal Nadependent action potential, it did depress the plateau and prolong the action potential of fibers exposed to normal Tyrode's solution.
Attitude control for a pectoral fin actuated bio-inspired robotic fish

In this work we present a dynamic model for a pectoral fin driven robotic fish, simple yet precise enough to be successfully implemented on a Bio-inspired Underwater Vehicle with multiple fins, modeled after the Ostracion Meleagris, a coral reef dweller well known for its surprising maneuverability and dynamic stability. The control algorithm relies on a robust and computationally efficient sensory feedback, based on a complementary filter fusing data from different Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors. The almost global stability of the attitude estimator guarantees convergency and robustness to noise and parameters uncertainties, showing good performance of the vehicle in steering plane maneuvering. First, the controller was implemented to do point-to-point tracking of a desired roll angle while the robot was tethered. It was then implemented in a freely swimming robot to do trajectory tracking of a desired sinusoidal roll angle. Finally, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the combined roll/yaw coupling on the maneuveribility of the robot, the freely swimming robot was controlled to perform banked turns to circle the tank in loops.
Last Chance on Death Row

How can it be an open question whether it is constitutional to execute the innocent? But the issue of "actual innocence" is more complex than our intuition suggests.
3D visualization and imaging in distributed collaborative environments

The Optical Diagnostics and Applications Laboratory (ODALab) is investigating methods and technology for 3D visualization and imaging. Specifically, we're integrating and assessing systems driven by real-world applications that can benefit from or enhance distributed collaborative environments. Although optics is at the core of the research program, the research involves extensive knowledge from various science and engineering fields. Students in the ODALab can pursue graduate degrees in optics, engineering, physics, computer science, or modeling and simulation. The article surveys the research the ODALab program is doing in optical system design, fabrication, and assessment of innovative head-mounted displays (HMDs); the design of optical tracking probes for integration in HMDs; the development of mathematical methods and applications for augmented reality (AR); the physics-based modeling of anatomical joint motion and optical special effects for augmented environments; and 3D biomedical optical imaging.
THE APPLICATION OF GAME THEORY TO THERMOECONOMICS

Last year, we proposed a relationship between physical entropy, S and abstract , yet quantifiable information, I, where entropy has units of J K−1 and information has units of bits (Layton, 2010). Therein, we proposed the relation ΔS = αI, where ΔS = Smax – Smin , with Smax representing the maximum entropy generation rate of a given system, Smin representing the reduction of internal entropy of the system for a given cycle or process, and I representing the information required to perform the cycle or process. The newly introduced coefficient, α with units of J K−1 b−1 was introduced to relate a system’s ability to partition entropy via its inherent information processing capabilities (Turing, 1948). Herein we further develop this equation in an engineering context and explore the social implications of energy conservation through a lens of game theory, concluding that “sustainable” practices, rather than extending the horizon when we will consume the last of the exhaustible fuels, actually have no effect on the point in time at which fossil fuels become exhausted.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Word Intelligibility and Age Predict Visual Cortex Activity during Word Listening

The distractibility that older adults experience when listening to speech in challenging conditions has been attributed in part to reduced inhibition of irrelevant information within and across sensory systems. Whereas neuroimaging studies have shown that younger adults readily suppress visual cortex activation when listening to auditory stimuli, it is unclear the extent to which declining inhibition in older adults results in reduced suppression or compensatory engagement of other sensory cortices. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging study examined the effects of age and stimulus intelligibility in a word listening task. Across all participants, auditory cortex was engaged when listening to words. However, increasing age and declining word intelligibility had independent and spatially similar effects: both were associated with increasing engagement of visual cortex. Visual cortex activation was not explained by age-related differences in vascular reactivity but rather auditory and visual cortices were functionally connected across word listening conditions. The nature of this correlation changed with age: younger adults deactivated visual cortex when activating auditory cortex, middle-aged adults showed no relation, and older adults synchronously activated both cortices. These results suggest that age and stimulus integrity are additive modulators of crossmodal suppression and activation.
Changes in the cost and management of emergency department on-call coverage: evidence from a longitudinal statewide survey.

Study objective We measure changes in the prevalence and magnitude of stipends and other payments for taking emergency call during a 2-year period for hospitals in Oregon and evaluate the ways in which hospitals are limiting services and assessing policy options. Methods This was a longitudinal, standardized, e-mail-based survey of chief executive officers from all hospitals with emergency departments (EDs) in Oregon (N=56). The first wave was conducted in the summer of 2005; a follow-up survey was conducted in summer 2006. Hospitals reported on-call payments made to 8 selected specialties. Results Among 56 Oregon hospitals with EDs, 43 responded to our survey in both 2005 and 2006, representing a 77% response rate. Among 54 specialties receiving stipends in 2006, the average stipend was $18,324. Total annual stipend payments increased by 84%, from an average of $227,000 per hospital in 2005 to $487,000 per hospital in 2006. In Oregon, between 2004 and 2006, 67% of hospitals lost the ability to provide coverage for at least 1 specialty on a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week basis. Approximately half of hospitals (49%) manage this lack of coverage by transferring patients to other hospitals on a case-by-case, ad hoc basis. Conclusion The cost of maintaining on-call coverage is increasing in Oregon, raising concerns about hospital financing and a degradation of the emergency services. There has not been a systematic response to on-call shortages, with patient transfers primarily managed in an ad hoc, case-by-case basis.
Output Feedback Controller for Operation of Spark Ignition Engines at Lean Conditions Using Neural Networks

Spark ignition (SI) engines operating at very lean conditions demonstrate significant nonlinear behavior by exhibiting cycle-to-cycle bifurcation of heat release. Past literature suggests that operating an engine under such lean conditions can significantly reduce NO emissions by as much as 30% and improve fuel efficiency by as much as 5%-10%. At lean conditions, the heat release per engine cycle is not close to constant, as it is when these engines operate under stoichiometric conditions where the equivalence ratio is 1.0. A neural network controller employing output feedback has shown ability in simulation to reduce the nonlinear cyclic dispersion observed under lean operating conditions. This neural network (NN) output controller consists of three NNs: a) an NN observer to estimate the states of the engine such as total fuel and air; b) a second NN for generating virtual input; and c) a third NN for generating actual control input. The uniform ultimate boundedness of all closed-loop signals is demonstrated by using the Lyapunov analysis without using the separation principle. Persistency of the excitation condition, the certainty equivalence principle, and the linearity in the unknown parameter assumptions are also relaxed. The controller is implemented for a research engine as a program running on an embeddable PC that communicates with the engine through a custom hardware interface, and the results are similar to those observed in simulation. Experimental results at an equivalence ratio of 0.77 show a drop in NO emissions by around 98% from stoichiometric levels with an improvement of fuel efficiency by 5%. A 30% drop in unburned hydrocarbons from uncontrolled case is observed at this equivalence ratio of 0.77. Similar performance was observed with the controller on a different engine.
Process Analysis: Estimating Mediation in Treatment Evaluations

This article presents the rationale and procedures for conducting a process analysis in evaluation research. Such an analysis attempts to identify the process that mediates the effects of some treatment, by estimating the parameters of a causal chain between the treatment and some outcome variable. Two different procedures for estimating mediation are discussed. In addition we present procedures for examining whether a treatment exerts its effects, in part, by altering the mediating process that produces the outcome. Finally, the benefits of process analysis in evaluation research are underlined.
The response of Helmholtz resonators to external excitation. I - Single resonators

The response of single two- and three-dimensional Helmholtz resonators subject to external excitation by a plane acoustic wave is studied. The inviscid linearized problem is solved by the matched-asymptotic-expansion technique in the low-frequency limit, i.e. when the characteristic neck dimension is small compared with the acoustic wavelength. The scale of the cavity is chosen such as to tune the system to the lowest Helmholtz mode. The results are compared with the classical lumped-element model, and refined expressions are derived for the effective mass (added length) and stiffness (effective cavity volume) of the resonator.
Natural birth-induced UCP2 in brain development

The prevalence of convenience-driven delivery via Caesarian-section (C-section) has been steadily increasing in Western as well as in developing societies. Today, significantly more deliveries occur via surgical means than medical necessity mandates. Despite tremendous advances in surgical techniques and pre- and post-operative surgical care, there remains to be limited understanding on the physiological influence of vaginal birth with particular emphasis on long term outcome on the offspring. Serendipitously, we recently uncovered in mice that vaginal birth induces significantly higher level of Ucp2 mRNA expression in the hippocampus than experimental C-section. We showed that during the early postnatal period, UCP2 expression promotes neuronal differentiation, axonal outgrowth and synapse formation in the hippocampus. We also observed that Ucp2 knockout animals show adult behaviors associated with the hippocampal formation that is different from wild type littermates. Taken together these observations suggest that vaginal birth may play a crucial role in determining adult brain structure and function that is different from that of the effect of surgically assisted birth.
Headspace Gas Sampling/GC Method for the Quantitative Analysis of Volatile Compounds in Cheese

Headspace gas sampling along with a fused silica capillary Carbowax 20 M column was examined for the quantitative analysis of some volatile compounds in cheese. Slurries prepared from natural cheeses were steam-distilled to isolate and concentrate volatile materials. The GC peak areas increased almost linearly as the solid concentrations in slurries were increased from 10 to 40%. However, a 30% solid slurry was used because the 40% slurry was too viscous to handle and distill. The maximum concentrations of volatile compounds were observed with 5.0 mL distillates collected. The relationships between chromatographic peak areas and added volatile compounds were linear between 0 and 80 ppb. Examination of a Cheddar cheese with different ages indicated that a few volatile compounds consistently increased or decreased in concentration with the age cheese.