cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solution Structure Model of Residues 1−28 of the Amyloid β-Peptide When Bound to Micelles

The major protein constituent of amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease is the β-peptide, which in solution can fold as a random coil, monomeric α-helix, or oligomeric β-sheet structure, the latte...
Two mechanical devices for prophylaxis of thromboembolism after total knee arthroplasty A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMISED STUDY

The optimal characteristics of pneumatic compression for mechanical prophylaxis of thromboembolism after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are not known. Our study compared two methods of calf compression, with the hypothesis that the device which provided a larger increase in peak venous velocity would produce a lower rate of thromboembolism. We performed a prospective, randomised study on 423 patients (472 knees). Duplex ultrasonography was carried out by experienced technicians who were blinded to the device used. Overall, 206 patients (232 knees) used a rapid inflation, asymmetrical compression (RIAC) device and 217 (240 knees) a sequential circumferential compression device (SCD). The rate of venous thromboembolism was 6.9% with the RIAC device compared with 15% for the SCD device (p = 0.007). The incidence of thrombi with unilateral primary TKA was 8.4% for the RIAC compared with 16.8% for the SCD device (p = 0.03). In 47 patients with a bilateral TKA, the incidence of thrombi was 4% for the RIAC compared with 22.7% for the SCD device (p = 0.05 per knee). There was a low rate of mortality and pulmonary embolism when using mechanical prophylaxis for thromboembolism after TKA. Our findings show that the use of rapid inflation, asymmetrical calf compression gave a significantly lower rate of thromboembolism.
Modeling of Sleeved Taylor Impact Specimens

Recently experimental studies have been conducted using a novel form of the Taylor impact test consisting of sleeved cylinders. A soft material of known properties (OFHC Cu) was used for the core and the tight fitting sleeve was fabricated from the material of interest (AF1410 steel). On impact the mushrooming and sliding core places the sleeve in a stress state not normally found in Taylor impact testing. This paper describes a study conducted to evaluate the feasibility of backing out Johnson-Cook strength model coefficients from measured (post-test) deformed geometries of sleeved specimens using an explicit impact code (EPIC). In addition, modifications to the sleeved concept geometry (tapered and capped core) are also explored numerically as well as the sleeve/core sliding friction coefficient.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Synthesis of Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors in subatmospheric oxygen

Abstract The YBa2Cu3O7−x and YBa2Cu4O8 phases were made from micron-size CuO, Y2O3, and BaCO3 by a process that included conversion at 50 to 1000 Pa O2 absolute. Thermogravimetric and X-ray analyses were used to characterize the conversion process. The process parameters included batch size, oxygen pressure, heating rate, final temperature, Y:Ba:Cu ratio, and CuO particle size. BaCuO2 was generally the only detectable intermediate phase. Friable powders with 150- to 600-ppm carbon were produced without the intermediate grinding and firing common to atmospheric processes.
Fathers' Knowledge of Development and Involvement with Preschool Children

Knowledge of development and parental involvement of 11 fathers of 3-yr.-olds were studied. Knowledge, particularly knowledge of normal development, was related to social involvement, but involvement in routine care was not related to either measure. The direction and cause are indeterminate.
Interpretation of the Atmospheric Absorption Bands of Oxygen

It is shown that the atmospheric oxygen absorption bands can be attributed to a $^{3}S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{1}S$ transition from the normal ($^{3}S$) to a metastable $^{1}S$ excited state of ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$. This accounts for all the strong lines, and explains missing lines, without conflict with existing theory. Certain very weak series such as the ${A}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ band are, however, not yet explained. Of the three rotational levels for each value of ${j}_{k}$ in the $^{3}S$ normal state, the two for which $j={j}_{k}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$ show only a very small separation, which increases slowly with ${j}_{k}$, while the third is separated from the other two by an interval of about 2 wavenumbers which does not change with ${j}_{k}$ (cf. Fig. 2 and Table I). The $^{3}S$ and $^{1}S$ states involved in the atmospheric bands may perhaps be attributed both to the same electron configuration, in agreement with a suggestion made in a previous paper. If this is the case, it is likely that a metastable $^{1}D$ state derived from the same configuration also exists, and that infra-red atmospheric bands corresponding to the transition $^{3}S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{1}D$ should be found.
The Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative: methodology.

The Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative is a collaborative effort of intensivists and nephrologists from around the world. The methodology developed for this initiative is a combination of evidence appraisal and review by expert jury. The system involves preconference, conference, and postconference activities designed to classify existing consensus, identify areas of controversy, summarize existing evidence, and outline future research objectives.
Quantum Repeater for Spectrally Entangled Photons

We describe a quantum repeater architecture for spectrally entangled photons based on sum frequency. The repeater, which does not require a conventional quantum memory, includes a novel scheme for re-using unconverted photons.
Evolution of low-altitude and ring current ENA emissions from a moderate magnetospheric storm: Continuous and simultaneous TWINS observations

[1] The moderate storm of 22 July 2009 is the largest measured during the extended solar minimum between December 2006 and March 2010. We present observations of this storm made by the two wide-angle imaging neutral-atom spectrometers (TWINS) mission. The TWINS mission measures energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) using sensors mounted on two separate spacecrafts. Because the two spacecrafts' orbital planes are significantly offset, the pair provides a nearly optimal combination of continuous magnetospheric observations from at least one of the TWINS platforms with several hours of simultaneous, dual-platform viewing over each orbit. The ENA imaging study presented in this paper is the first reported magnetospheric storm for which both continuous coverage and stereoscopic imaging were available. Two populations of ENAs are observed during this storm. The first are emissions from the ring current and come from a parent population of trapped ions in the inner magnetosphere. The second, low-altitude emissions (LAEs), are the result of precipitating ions which undergo multiple charge exchange and stripping collisions with the oxygen exosphere. The temporal evolution of this storm shows that the LAEs begin earlier and are the brightest emissions seen during the main phase, while later, during the recovery, the LAE is only as bright as the bulk ring current emissions.
Electronic structure of polyenes and polyacetylene

Abstract The CNDO/S2 model is applied to evaluate the molecular orbitals and ultraviolet absorption spectra of the series of polyenes C 4 n H 4 n +2 , n = 1, 2, 3, 4; extended to encompass the infinite polyene chain, i.e., polyacetylene; and utilized to interpret the photoemission and absorption spectra of polyacetylene.
Management of component accumulation in small-lot assembly systems

Abstract Recent emphasis on just-in-time production and reduction of in-process inventory highlights the need for more effective approaches to manage material flow at accumulation (kitting) stages in assembly operations. This paper presents a conceptual model of component accumulation in small-lot assembly systems and mathematica; models that describe kit earliness, kit tardiness and in-process time for component inventory. Understanding of the accumulation process is promoted by a sensitivity analysis which describes the relationships between accumulation time and important parameters such as the number of components required in the accumulation. Fundamental relationships are used in an approach for managing the accumulation process by selecting safety lead times which give a minimum cost trade-off between early and late delivery of components.
Challenges Facing Mobile Free-Space Optical Communications

Significant research efforts are underway to investigate the application of Free-Space Optics (FSO) for the provision of high-bandwidth communications links between mobile platforms. The use of FSO between mobile platforms introduces several interesting challenges in addition to those found in traditional fixed link FSO systems. In this paper, some of the major hurdles facing fixed FSO communications that carry over into links between mobile platforms are analyzed. These topics include: issues with alignment and tracking, an investigation into the weather and its affect on the link, and a study of the feasibility of having uninterrupted communications links. Other topics presented unique to mobile applications include: the security risks during link alignment, maintaining the link while tracking and optical power and beam divergence variations that are introduced into the system. In this paper the results from simulation work performed on some of these issues along with proposed solutions to the challenges are presented.
Enzymes of glutathione synthesis in patients with myeloproliferative disorders

Abstract The concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) and activities of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase have been measured in red cells from normal donors and from patients suffering from those hematological diseases which are sometimes associated with increased GSH levels. The activity of glutathione synthetase was strongly correlated with red cell GSH levels. In contrast, the level of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase was unrelated to the concentration of GSH. These findings suggest that the increased level of glutathione in red cells of patients with myeloproliferative syndromes may be due, at least in part, to increase in the activity of glutathione synthetase.
Participation, interaction, and academic achievement in an online discussion environment

Though online writing can be beneficial for diverse students in out-of-school environments, there is little consensus on the value of its use in schools. This study examined the online discussion of 48 fifth-grade students and their teachers over the 2009-2010 school year in a public school with large numbers of English learners. We collected students' statewide standardized writing and reading test scores, as well as an archive of all participants' discussion threads during the school year. Students' participation and interaction pattern in the online discussion environment over a school year was examined using growth model analysis and social network analysis. The effect of students' participation on their academic achievement was analyzed using multiple regressions. The results suggest that well-designed online discussions among linguistically diverse upper elementary students can result in increased participation and interaction, leading to language and literacy development. We examine students' participation and interaction pattern change in a synchronous online discussion environment.Students' participation increased over time, with English learners experiencing more significant growth.A student-centered online learning community is established.Writing and reading pre-test scores significantly predicted students' overall participation.Students' participation significantly predicted their writing and reading post-test scores, especially for English learners.
Aging Phenomena in Spermatozoa. III. Effect of Season and Storage at −79 to −88 C on Fertility and Prenatal Losses

Abstract Two designed experiments were conducted to test the effect of freezing diluted bull semen to −79 to −88 C on spermatozoan aging, as indicated by a decrease with the passage of time in their fertility, accompanied by an increase in the incidence of embryonic and early fetal death of the zygotes. Experiment I was designed to test the influence of month of the year (season) on reproductive efficiency of cows, and Experiment II, the influence of season on bulls. At approximately 38 to 40 degrees north latitude, the bulls are responsible for the seasonal variations in fertility observed. Aging of frozen spermatozoa occurs more rapidly in summer-collected semen than in semen collected from November to April. The manifestations of spermatozoan aging appear more rapidly in frozen semen than anticipated from their occurrence after use of liquid semen and the assumption of a metabolic temperature coefficient of about 2.
Modeling and initialization of a segmented telescope

The closely integrated design effort entailed by such prospective NASA-JPL project hardware as the Large Deployable Reflector, encompassing controls, dynamics, structures, optics, and thermal considerations, has prompted the development of the Figure Control Simulation, or 'FCSim' simulation program. This code is presently demonstrated for the case of a 7-segment, 3.65-m diameter primary mirror designed for 100-800 micron wavelengths. The optical component of the analysis can handle multispectral images, extended sources, image smear due to structural jitter, and mirror segment surface irregularities.
3—THE MECHANICS OF THE BENDING OF NON-WOVEN FABRICS PART III: PRINT-BONDED FABRIC (MASSLINN)

A study is reported of a commercial print-bonded non-woven fabric (Masslinn), with a combination of staple viscose and polyester fibres and incorporating latex as binder in printed bond spots. A combined experimental approach together with analytical modelling involving the use of the specific geometrical features of the fabric microstructures and their fibre connectivity indicates that fabric-bending flexibility requires: (a) as much freedom of relative fibre motion as possible and (b) an optimum binder application not greater than what is necessary to keep the tensile properties within the desired range.
Self-administration of cocaine-pentobarbital mixtures by rhesus monkeys.

Abstract A number of experiments have evaluated self-administration of the combination of a stimulant and an opioid. Less is known about the combination of a stimulant and a CNS depressant. The present experiment was designed to examine self-administration of the mixture of cocaine and pentobarbital (PB). Rhesus monkeys ( n = 4) prepared with i.v. catheters were allowed to self-administer cocaine or saline under a progressive-ratio schedule. When responding was stable, doses of cocaine and PB, alone or in combination, were made available in test sessions. Cocaine functioned as a positive reinforcer in a dose-related manner in all monkeys. PB functioned as a relatively weaker reinforcer in one of four monkeys. Self-administration of intermediate doses of cocaine (0.025–0.1 mg/kg per injection) was decreased when mixed with PB (0.05–0.2 mg/kg per injection); full maximum responding was re-established when cocaine dose was increased. The magnitude of the shift to the right in the cocaine dose–response function was directly related to PB dose. When PB was given as an i.v. pretreatment there was no effect on cocaine self-administration up to a sedative dose of PB (5.6 mg/kg), suggesting that responding was not non-specifically suppressed by PB. Thus, simultaneous self-administration of PB diminished the potency but not the strength of cocaine as a reinforcer, potentially encouraging self-administration of larger doses of cocaine.
Revisiting Anomalous Outcome Data from the “Breaking the Cycle” Program in Jacksonville

Abstract Results from the national evaluation of the Breaking the Cycle program indicated that the participants in the program re-offended less frequently than comparison group defendants in Birmingham, Alabama, and Tacoma, Washington, but not in Jacksonville, Florida. This paper seeks to re-examine the same BTC program in Jacksonville, using different samples, methodology, data and analysis. The study employs T-tests, logistic regression and CHAID to examine differences in re-offending among contemporaneous random samples of program participants and comparable untreated defendants (n = 100 for each group). Using State Attorney and BTC data, both samples were drawn from the population of program-eligible cases from October 1999-April 2001, the complete period of operation for BTC Jacksonville. Similar to the national evaluation, results indicate that BTC did not produce significantly lower rates of re-offending among its participants. The authors explore possible explanations for the no-difference finding...
The Movement Perception Produced Without Actual Target Displacement

Presenting target stimuli at the proper spacing, duration, and time interval produces movement perception in human observers. The observer sees a single target stimulus moving continuously across the physically empty space, from its first location to its second. The optimum movement perception depends mainly on such physical variables as duration of light flashes, time between flashes, intensity of flashes, and distance between flashes. The present research explores the condition under which optimum move-ment perception occurs when the distances between two stimulus flashes are 2, 5, 8, 11 and 15 centimeters. In the research average duration of flashes, p, occurred when the optimum movement perception was measured as a function of the time between flashes, t, and expressed by the rational function, μ = 1/At4 + Bt3 + Ct2 + Dt + E The results may help one to understand one of the aspects of operator performance and to aid in improving man-machine systems.© (1975) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Iron overload in patients with chronic hepatitis C: A clinicopathologic study

Recent studies suggest that increased hepatic iron may impair the response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We reviewed the records and liver biopsies of 72 patients with chronic hepatitis C to determine the prevalence of iron overload and to evaluate whether there is a correlation between serum and hepatic iron concentrations and activity of liver disease. Patients with other causes of liver disease or iron overload were excluded. Necroinflammatory activity and fibrosis were evaluated using modified Knodell score. Hepatic iron was assessed using Brissot's grading system. Increased serum iron and ferritin levels were found in 29% and 43% patients, respectively. Hepatic iron grades 0, I, II, III, and IV were present in 37%, 35%, 25%, 3%, and 0% of patients, respectively. A significant correlation was found between hepatic iron grade and serum ferritin (P = .0001). There was no correlation between hepatic iron grade and histological activity index or fibrosis score. In summary, we found a high proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis C had mild to moderate increase in hepatic iron content even when patients with alcoholism and recurrent transfusions were excluded. However, very few patients had severely increased iron load.
Factorial study of motivational self-ratings by male subjects.

An iterative factor analysis was performed on the scores obtained from a Motivational Adjective Check List (MACL) (N = 102 undergraduate female students). The initial matrix of significant factors was rotated according to the quartimax, varimax, and equamax procedures. The promax rotation was then performed on each of the three orthogonal solutions obtaining the promax-quartimax, promax-varimax, and promax-equamax solutions. Interpretation of factors was based on the promax-equamax solution and the factors obtained were: dedication, persistence, self-confidence, assertion, striving, individuality, and pursuance.
Inert gas elimination studies without mixed venous partial pressures

Abstract In theoretical studies of steady state inert gas elimination in parallel ventilation and perfusion lung models with intravenous administration of dissolved test gas, the ratio of arterial partial pressure to expired partial pressure when known for a range of solubilities gives valuable information, which includes the fraction of total ventilation going to unperfused areas, the presence or absence of shunt and the number of compartments. If the total ventilation to total perfusion ratio ( V T Q T ) is known, the test is equivalent to a retention-solubility study. Simple procedures exist for giving the distribution of fractional perfusions over the ventilation-perfusion ( V A Q ) scale as a function of V T Q T . The fractional shunt is expressed as a simple function of V T Q T .
Damsinic acid and ambrosanolides from vegetative ambrosia hispida

Abstract Ambrosia hispida in the vegetative state furnished large quantities of damsinic acid and smaller amounts of ambrosin and damsin. Also isolated were anhydrocoronopilin, hispidulin and the new compounds 3-hydroxyambrosin damsinate and ent -12-oxokaura-9(11),16-dien-19-oic acid.
Angular momentum transports in tropical cyclones

Angular momentum budget equations are developed for Eulerian and Lagrangian cylindrical coordinate systems centred on a tropical cyclone. All non-friction terms are reduced to boundary transports and the effects of cyclone motion in the Eulerian coordinate system are isolated. A number of intensifying and weakening composite northwest Pacific cyclones are used to illustrate the physical role and relative importance of each process in the maintenance or destruction of tropical cyclones at various intensity stages.
One Viewpoint Concerning Unit Size in the Development of Wind Turbines

The size of wind machines best adopted for early penetration toward large-scale use is affected by the size of the national interim windpower goal (170 GW average power by 2000 AD) and the experience rate coupling cost of power to number of machines produced. Windpower mission studies made in 1976 are modified in the light of various goal-size and experience-rate assumptions, resulting in a rather flat cost minimum near 0.3-0.6 MW, suggesting that other considerations may be decisive. 18 refs.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Iridium Clusters Formed Inside and Outside the Pores of Zeolite NaY

Zeolite NaY-supported Ir4(CO)12 was prepared by direct deposition onto the outside surface of the zeolite crystals and by reductive carbonylation of Ir(CO)2(acac) sorbed in its pores. These samples and the products of their decarbonylation and subsequent recarbonylation were characterized by infrared and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopies. The data show that the clusters in the zeolite pores were molecularly dispersed and could be reversibly decarbonylated and recarbonylated, whereas those on the outer surface outside the pores were aggregated under decarbonylation condition (300 °C in He) and could not be reversibly recarbonylated. The results demonstrate stabilization of the molecular clusters entrapped in the pores.
Selective adaptation to linear frequency-modulated sweeps: Evidence for direction-specific FM channels?

Psychometric functions were obtained for detection of linear frequency‐modulated pure tones which were preceded by either a pure tone or a linear FM pure‐tone adaptor. The results of Gardner and Wilson [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 66, 704–709 (1979)] were generally confirmed: Thresholds were larger by about a factor of 1.7 when the adaptor and test sweeps rose in frequency. This increase in threshold corresponds to a change in performance from 75% to 65% correct. As an alternative to feature‐selective channels, we propose that this small effect is due to nonsensory factors, specifically, the use of an adaptor‐like reference in the ‘‘adapted’’ condition. Performance similar to that obtained in humans is shown by an ideal receiver that uses an inappropriate reference to match the signal in the detection task.
Inversion of pulsed thermal-wave images for defect sizing and shape recovery

An outstanding problem of thermal wave imaging has been the blurring of the images caused by lateral diffusion of heat in the sample. In this paper we describe a technique for removing this blurring in images of planar subsurface features such as delaminations. This technique is based on a model which allows us to develop an algorithm which performs a mathematical inversion of the scattering process when it is applied to experimental data. The result is a theoretical and experimental demonstration that the blurring of thermal wave images is not due to any inherent loss of information in the diffusion process, but that it can, in fact, be removed by appropriate processing of the image. The result is a very significant improvement of the resolution of the imaging process.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Characteristics of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin induced endotoxin hypersensitivity: association with hepatotoxicity.

Abstract Hepatic clearance is a major route of endotoxin detoxification. In the present study, the potential relationship between TCDD-induced endotoxin hypersensitivity and hepatotoxicity was examined. Acute doses of 50, 100, o 200 μg TCDD/kg body weight induced an endotoxin hypersensitive state in B6C3F 1 mice as demontrated by increased mortality 24–48 h following i.v. injection of endotoxin. This hypersensitive state occurred when endotoxin was administered 7 days following TCDD exposure, but not 1 day post-TCDD exposure. TCDD did not affect endogenous serum endotoxin levels. However, clearance of injected endotoxin was significantly inhibited following exposure to TCDD. Six hours post endotoxin treatment serum triglycerides were significantly increased in TCDD/endotoxin-treated mice compared to either treatment alone. Methylprednisolone and uridine were both examined in this model due to their roles in inflammation and RNA synthesis, respectively. Both compounds significantly reversed the mortality associated with the combined exposure. [ 3 H]Uridine incorporation into liver was decreased following TCDD treatment alone, further suggesting impaired RNA synthesis. Studies performed on congenic mice indicate that the observed effects segregate with the Ah locus. The ability of methylprednisolone and uridine to reverse the mortality associated with TCDD/endotoxin treatment is consistent with an inflammatory response and impaired hepatic detoxification mechanisms. Thus, changes in hepatic handling of endotoxin, caused by progressive TCDD-induced liver dysfunction, may be responsible for the endotoxin hypersensitivity.
Child and adolescent obesity.

tomic, psychological, and social alterations. 7 Although it is tempting to conclude that overweight and obesity are caused by genetic or physiologic differences, this has not been shown to be the usual scenario. The biochemical, metabolic, and anatomic findings associated with obesity may be caused by obesity rather than the converse. Similarly, there are “chicken-and-egg” arguments about the psychological and social associations with the overweight condition. Do psychological problems lead to overeating and decreased activity? Or, does being overweight lead to psychological distress? It is plausible that these relationships are bidirectional.
The Sabbath on the Overland Trail to California

The westward movement carried Americans to the banks of the Mississippi River by 1840, and in the following decade hardy pioneers began crossing the plains and mountains to settle on the Pacific coast. Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill near present-day Sacramento on 24 January 1848, and the ensuing gold rush created a spectacle such as the world had never seen before. People live under the influence of established customs and carry familiar practices with them when they migrate. Sabbatarianism is an example of such cultural baggage. The Protestant Reformation inspired a new doctrine of the Sabbath. It was the product of various forces that combined to transform England in late Elizabethan times. A Calvinistic approach to the Bible, the doctrine of covenant theology, the Protestant work ethic, with its injunction to labor six days a week and rest the seventh, and the censure of idleness, especially on the rest day, all contributed to a new reverence for the Sabbath which became identified with Puritanism. According to Puritan theologians, God instituted the Sabbath at the Creation, the Patriarchs from Abraham to Moses kept the day, and the Fourth Commandment reenacted it. The Sabbath was so deeply engraved on the human heart that its obligation was a matter of natural or moral law. Since "the seventh day" and "one day in seven" obviously mean the same thing, humankind was fairly entitled to transfer to the first day of the week whatever Scripture says of the seventh day. Hence the Lord's Day was to be observed as strictly as the Jewish Sabbath. Sabbatarianism struck deep roots in England on the eve of American colonization. Emigrants carried Sabbatarian theory and practice to America, where it found its best expression in New England while spreading to all the colonies. By about 1740 a pattern of observance had arisen which was remarkably similar from colony to colony. Traditional Sabbath-keeping remained highly stable for another century and more. Christianity was understood to be the national religion if not the legally established religion. Many foreign visitors commented on the profound solitude that reigned in
Reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress in osteoclastogenesis, skeletal aging and bone diseases

Osteoclasts are cells derived from bone marrow macrophages and are important in regulating bone resorption during bone homeostasis. Understanding what drives osteoclast differentiation and activity is important when studying diseases characterized by heightened bone resorption relative to formation, such as osteoporosis. In the last decade, studies have indicated that reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, are crucial components that regulate the differentiation process of osteoclasts. However, there are still many unanswered questions that remain. This review will examine the mechanisms by which ROS can be produced in osteoclasts as well as how it may affect osteoclast differentiation and activity through its actions on osteoclastogenesis signaling pathways. In addition, the contribution of ROS to the aging-associated disease of osteoporosis will be addressed and how targeting ROS may lead to the development of novel therapeutic treatment options.
Mentoring to degree completion: expanding the horizons of doctoral protégés

The authors of this discussion identify one of the most pressing issues facing American universities: the number of graduate students who fail to graduate. We review the literature and further analyze the student and institutional factors most significant in predicting the degree completion rates of graduate students in education. Based on the literature and our many years of advising and mentoring graduate students, the most significant factor in predicting degree completion is the student‐faculty mentoring relationship. We develop a theoretical and conceptual base from which to examine university‐based doctoral mentoring programs by first distinguishing between advising and mentoring.
Laser induced multi-scale textured zirconia coating on Ti-6Al-4V.

A textured coating of zirconia on Ti-6Al-4V alloy was produced using pulsed laser based processing technique. Scanning electron microscope observations coupled with fractal analysis revealed the multi-scale nature of the textured coating. Both stylus based profilometric measurements and fractal analysis indicated non-linear nature of the relationship between laser processing speed at constant pulse frequency (10 kHz) and roughness of the textured coating. The textured coatings produced with all the three processing speeds (40, 160, 290 cm/min) were fractal over certain length scales. Processing at 40 cm/min resulted in structures that are fractal across a large number of length scales where as higher processing speeds resulted in fractality over fewer length scales. The processing speed influenced the zirconia content in the coating and the phase transformation within Ti-matrix of the coating. Within the coating, while zirconia content decreased the amount of retained β-Ti increased with increase in processing speed. Such physical and chemical transformations are desired in a titanium bio-implant for effective contact with protein, cells and tissues at various length scales and its effective chemical performance in bio-environment.
Pulse Picking of High Repetition Rate Frequency Combs for Generation of Octave-Spanning Spectra

We discuss pulse-picking as a tool for generating octave-spanning spectra from high repetition-rate frequency combs, and demonstrate the technique with a 250 MHz comb. We analyze the noise properties important for maintaining coherent supercontinuum.
Interpretation of anatomic variations of computed tomography scans of the sinuses : A surgeon's perspective

Four hundred computed tomography (CT) scans of patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery were studied with particular attention to anatomic variations. Six specific variations were identified that may predispose the surgeon to inadvertent penetration of the orbit or anterior cranial cavity. These anatomic variants are: 1. lamina papyracea lies medial to the maxillary sinus ostium; 2. maxillary sinus hypoplasia; 3. fovea ethmoidalis abnormalities, such as low or sloping fovea and encephaloceles; 4. lamina papyracea dehiscence resulting in herniation of orbital content into the ethmoids; 5. sphenoid sinus wall variations such as septa attached to the carotid covering, and penetration of the sphenoid by the internal carotid artery or optic nerve; 6. sphenoethmoid cells (Onodi cells), the most posterior ethmoid cells pneumatizing lateral and superior to the sphenoid and intimately associated with the optic nerve.
Distribution of Nitellopsis obtusa (Characeae) in New York, U.S.A.

The charophytic green alga Nitellopsis obtusa was first reported in the New World in the St. Lawrence River in 1978. Since that time, N. obtusa has been reported from inland lakes throughout Michigan, northern Indiana, and western New York and has been listed as an aggressive invasive species by the United States Geological Survey. This study addresses the distribution of N. obtusa by surveying 390 waterbodies throughout New York. Previous reports are confirmed and new localities are presented, including new reports from five counties (Franklin, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates). In total, N. obtusa was found in 17 counties at 31 sites, including 16 inland lakes, seven sites in the St. Lawrence River, and eight sites in Lake Ontario.
Quantification of benzoic, phenylacetic, and phenylbutyric acids from filter-paper blood spots by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry with stable isotope dilution.

An important treatment of hyperammonemia in urea cycle disorders is the stimulation of alternative pathways for nitrogen excretion (1). Salts of benzoic acid (BA), phenylacetic acid (PAA), and phenylbutyric acid (PBA) have been found to be useful vehicles for the elimination of nitrogen by alternative pathways (2)(3)(4). BA is conjugated with glycine to form hippurate, which is efficiently excreted in the urine. PBA is metabolized in the liver to phenylacetyl-CoA, which is then conjugated with glutamine to form phenylacetylglutamine and subsequently excreted in the urine. Furthermore, benzoate has been used to treat nonketotic hyperglycinemia (5), salts of PBA and PAA are used in clinical trials as anticancer agents (6)(7)(8)(9), and PBA has been found to stimulate fetal hemoglobin production and can potentially be used for treatment of hemoglobinopathies (10)(11). However, two patients have died in the US after being given the wrong doses of sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate (12), documenting the risk of toxicity, which could potentially be reduced by drug concentration monitoring. HPLC assays for PAA and PBA in plasma have limited sensitivity (4). A gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric method had improved sensitivity (13), but the method did not use stable isotopes as internal standards and the clinical utility of the method was not documented. Here, we describe a rapid, precise, and convenient method to measure blood concentrations of these drugs using dried filter-paper blood spots. BA, PAA, and PBA were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Co. [ring- d 5]-BA, [ring- d 5]-PAA, and [2,2,3,3- d 4]-4-PBA were purchased from Cambridge Isotope Laboratories. Regisil RC-3 [ N , O -bis-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide containing trimethylchlorosilane (10:1 by volume; BSTFA-TMCS)] was purchased from Regis Chemical Co. Blood collection cards (cat. no. 10538414) were purchased from Schleicher & Schuell. Blood was …
The Ethics of Organ Donation by Living Donors

Today, almost half of all kidney donors in the United States are living. Dr. Robert Truog explains that organ donation by living donors presents a unique ethical dilemma, in that physicians must risk the life of a healthy person to save or improve the life of a patient.
Bounds for the probability of failure resulting from stress/strength interference

The failure probability in static stress-strength models is determined by the interference region. Methods have been devised which determine the bounds on this unreliability based only upon the independent probabilities in this region; no distribution identification or knowledge of the means or variances is required. Unfortunately, empirical evidence demonstrates that existing methods can provide inaccurate bounds on the unreliability. An alternate method is developed which bounds the unreliability with certainty. >
PREPARATION OF OVINE FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE HAVING A HIGH DEGREE OF BIOLOGICAL PURITY.

A simple method for preparation of partially purified ovine follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is described. The 2 principal fractions prepared are 0.8 and 1.4 times as potent as NIH-FSH-Sl. The luteinizing hormone (LH, ICSH) activity of these fractions, determined by the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion assay of Parlow, is unusually low, being 1.0 × 1O-4 and 2.2 × lO-4 times as potent as NIH-LH-S1. Their biological purity, expressed in terms of their ratio of FSH:LH activity, is higher than for any ovine FSH preparation reported heretofore.
Intracellular calcium concentration in equine spermatozoa attached to oviductal epithelial cells in vitro.

Interaction of spermatozoa with oviductal epithelial cells (OEC) in the oviductal isthmus prolongs the life span of spermatozoa. The hypothesis that the interaction of equine spermatozoa with OEC affects their intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) was tested in a sperm-OEC coculture model. Changes in [Ca 2+ ] i in spermatozoa loaded with the fluorescent calcium indicator indo-1 acetoxymethylester (AM) were determined for spermatozoa attached to OEC or to Matrigel, as well as for free-swimming spermatozoa incubated without oviductal epithelium. [Ca 2+ ] i was determined before incubation and at 0.5, 2, 4, and 6 h of incubation by ratio image analysis of fluorescent images captured at 405 nm and 490 nm. At each time point, [Ca 2+ ] i was lower in motile spermatozoa attached to OEC than in free-swimming spermatozoa. [Ca 2+ ] i in spermatozoa attached to Matrigel was lower than in free-swimming spermatozoa and was comparable to [Ca 2+ ] i in spermatozoa attached to OEC only at 0.5 h of incubation. Beyond 0.5 h of incubation, [Ca 2+ ] i was higher in spermatozoa attached to Matrigel than in spermatozoa attached to OEC. These results indicate that spermatozoa with low [Ca 2+ ] i might preferentially attach to OEC and to Matrigel, but that [Ca 2+ ] i is maintained at this basal level only in spermatozoa attached to OEC. The reduced [Ca 2+ ] i in spermatozoa associated with OEC may prevent premature capacitation and acrosomal exocytosis of spermatozoa stored in the isthmic sperm reservoir.
Towards Model-Based Integration of Tools and Techniques for Embedded Control System Design, Verification, and Implementation

While design automation for hardware systems is quite advanced, this is not the case for practical embedded systems. The current state-of-the-art is to use a software modeling environment and integrated development environment for code development and debugging, but these rarely include the sort of automatic synthesis and verification capabilities available in the VLSI domain. We present a model-based integration environment which uses a graphical architecture description language (EsMoL) to pull together control design, code and configuration generation, platform-specific simulation, and a number of other features useful for taming the heterogeneity inherent in safety-critical embedded control system designs. We describe concepts, elements, and development status for this suite of tools.
Schein und Sein der Zeichenkette

Die Spannung zwischen Form und Inhalt ist ein Grundthema der Informationsverarbeitung, das sich in zahllosen Varianten immer wieder als Ursache fur kleine und grose Probleme erweist. Denn der gleiche Inhalt kann im Computer die verschiedensten Formen annehmen, und gleiche Formen konnen die verschiedenartigsten Inhalte reprasentieren. Es ist gerade diese Vielfaltigkeit der Erscheinungen und Bedeutungen, die den Unterschied zwischen der Rechenmaschine und der herkommlichen Maschine ausmacht.
Analysis of the Interactions of Preproteins with the Import Machinery over the Course of Protein Import into Chloroplasts

We have investigated the interactions of two nuclear-encoded preproteins with the chloroplast protein import machinery at three stages in import using a label-transfer crosslinking approach. During energy-independent binding at the outer envelope membrane, preproteins interact with three known components of the outer membrane translocon complex, Toc34, Toc75, and Toc86. Although Toc75 and Toc86 are known to associate with preproteins during import, a role for Toc34 in preprotein binding previously had not been observed. The interaction of Toc34 with preproteins is regulated by the binding, but not hydrolysis of GTP. These data provide the first evidence for a direct role for Toc34 in import, and provide insights into the function of GTP as a regulator of preprotein recognition. Toc75 and Toc86 are the major targets of cross-linking upon insertion of preproteins across the outer envelope membrane, supporting the proposal that both proteins function in translocation at the outer membrane as well as preprotein recognition. The inner membrane proteins, Tic(21) and Tic22, and a previously unidentified protein of 14 kD are the major targets of crosslinking during the late stages in import. These data provide additional support for the roles of these components during protein translocation across the inner membrane. Our results suggest a defined sequence of molecular interactions that result in the transport of nuclear-encoded preproteins from the cytoplasm into the stroma of chloroplasts.
Helping by Hurting: The Paradox of Suffering in Social Justice Education.

Suffering has a complex role in social justice education. The alleviation or eradication of suffering is a goal of social justice education while, simultaneously, students suffer in the process of learning about the suffering of others. Educational theorists have attempted to resolve this paradox in various ways and the author of this article identifies and discusses four distinct resolutions. First, student suffering is permissible because it is self-inflicted (rather than inflicted by the teacher). Second, the students’ pain, compassion, is desirable and distinct from the pain experienced by victims of injustice. Third, students should experience the same kind of suffering as the victims of injustice in order to inoculate them against racist, discriminatory, and oppressive attitudes. Fourth, the suffering of marginalized and oppressed students is a distinct form of suffering that empowers students by enabling them to recognize their own suffering.
ExPro-an expert system based process management system

The design, development and preliminary testing of ExPro, an expert-system-based process management system, is reported. This system is designed to provide process setup, monitoring, and supervisory control capabilities for applications in a real-time semiconductor manufacturing environment. ExPro is a rule-based system developed using the OPS-83 expert system language in a personal computer environment. It features a modular structure and includes an integrated analytical process simulator. The simulator is used to predict process parameters prior to processing and provide wafer state information from real-time (measured) process information when direct measurement of the state is impractical. The process selected for development and demonstration purposes was rapid thermal oxidation (RTO). Testing revealed that the accuracy of the system was within 1% of goal for the case of Si
Flow Filed Simulation Analysis and Structural Optimization of Automotive Catalytic Converter

Catalytic converter is an important device of automobile engine exhaust system. Based on Hydromechanics, the relational mathematical models of catalytic converter simulation are established and the parameters are calculated. Making use of CFD numerical simulation method, a simulation is set up for the internal flow field of catalytic converter original model using fluent software. From the simulation, the internal flow characteristic is understood. On the basis of this, through the optimization idea adding a guiding device in inlet cone of catalytic converter, the uniformity of velocity of flow is improved. The simulation analysis show that the flow uniformity for internal flow field can be improved observably in the structural optimization, the increasing degree of pressure loss is with little range. A new idea and reference may be offered for improving flow uniformity of a catalytic converter.