cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elemental moment variation of bcc FexMn1−x on MgO(001)

Abstract We report the growth, structural characterization, and electronic structure evolution of epitaxially grown bcc FexMn1−x on MgO(001). It is observed that the 20 nm thick FexMn1−x alloy films remained bcc from 0.65≤x≤1, much beyond the bulk stability range of 0.88≤x≤1. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism show that both the Fe and Mn L3 binding energies slightly increase with Mn incorporation and that the elemental moment of Fe in the 20 nm crystalline bcc alloy film remain nearly constant, then shows a dramatic collapse near x~0.84. The Mn MCD intensity is found to be small at all compositions that exhibit ferromagnetism
Scaling of Device Variability and Subthreshold Swing in Ballistic Carbon Nanotube Transistors

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) present very appealing electronic properties, but are susceptible to uncontrolled effects that cause significant device-to-device variability---a critical issue for practical technology. The authors' calculations show that fixed charges on the gate-oxide surface are responsible for the variation in threshold voltage of SWNT transistors, and also limit their turn-on sharpness. This predictive understanding offers guidance for improving nanotube devices.
Existence Puzzles and Probabilistic Explanations

Why is there something rather than nothing? Robert Nozick and Peter van Inwagen have proposed a probabilistic answer: there are more ways there could have been something than ways there could have been nothing; each has an equal intrinsic probability of obtaining; and so there being something is intrinsically more probable. The author presents a few original objections to this line of thinking, focusing especially on the kinds of probability it invokes. The author also sketches a more promising probabilistic answer, one that makes relevant scientific and theological considerations that are usually quickly dismissed in this context.
Fazit und Diskussion

Die Dissertation leistet mit ihrem Mixed-Methods-Ansatz einen sowohl methodologischen als auch phanomenologischen bedeutenden Beitrag zur Konkretisierung der Ausloser und Funktionen von personlicher und historischer Nostalgie. Zum einen wird durch das qualitative Vorgehen in Studie 1 ein tiefgehender, retrospektivischer Einblick in Nostalgie in und durch die Unterhaltungsmedien Filme, Musik und Computerspiele erlangt, aus dem wertvolle Implikationen und Forschungsansatze resultieren.
Global convergence strategies for a spectral-element space-time discontinuous-Galerkin discretization of the Navier Stokes–equations

ABSTRACTThis paper presents two global convergence strategies for a spectral-element, space-time discretisation of the Navier–Stokes equations. The first employs a hierarchical temporal mesh subdivision and polynomial order reduction to approximate the high-order solution. The second generalises Pseudo-Transient Continuation for steady problems to a space-time system.
On the Learning Curve Attrition Bias in Additive Factor Modeling

Learning curves are a crucial tool to accurately measure learners skills and give meaningful feedback in intelligent tutoring systems. Here we discuss various ways of building learning curves from empirical data for the Additive Factor model (AFM) and highlight their limitations. We focus on the impact of student attrition, a.k.a. attrition bias. We propose a new way to build learning curves, by combining empirical observations and AFM predictions. We validate this proposition on simulated data, and test it on real datasets.
Cancer and Leukemia Group B Studies in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Progress in the cure of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has lagged behind the success achieved with childhood ALL. This appears due in part to a higher proportion of adult patients with poor prognostic features, especially the Philadelphia chromosome, as well as to the inability of older patients to tolerate the intensive therapy routinely employed in children.
Osmoregulation in freshwaters: Gene expression in the gills of a Neotropical cichlid in contrasting pH and ionic environments

Abstract Freshwater habitats of the Neotropics exhibit a gradient from relatively neutral, ion-rich whitewater to acidic, ion-poor blackwater. Closely related species often show complementary distributions among ionic habitats, suggesting that adaptation to divergent osmoregulatory environments may be an important driver of Neotropical fish diversity. However, little is known about the evolutionary tradeoffs involved in ionoregulation across distinct freshwater environments. Here, we surveyed gill mRNA expression of Cichla ocellaris var. monoculus, a Neotropical cichlid, to examine cellular and physiological responses to experimental conditions mimicking whitewater and blackwater. Gene ontology enrichment of expressed genes indicated that the gills were remodeled during both forms of environmental challenge, with changes biased towards the cellular membrane. We observed expression of signaling pathways from both the acute and extended response phases, including evidence that growth hormone (GH) may mediate osmoregulation in whitewater through paracrine expression of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), but not through the GH receptor, which instead showed correlated up-regulation with the prolactin receptor and insulin-like growth factor II in blackwater. Differential expression of genes related to paracellular tight junctions and transcellular ion transport showed responses similar to euryhaline fishes in fresh versus seawater, with some exceptions, suggesting that relaxed ion retention via the gills, possibly mediated by the GH/IGF-I axis, is a strong candidate for evolutionary modification in whitewater and blackwater endemic populations. In each osmoregulatory domain, we saw examples of contrasting differential expression of paralogs of genes that are single copy in most terrestrial vertebrates, indicating that adaption by fishes to diverse physicochemcial environments has capitalized on diversification of osmoregulatory gene families.
Testing deviations from GR at cosmological scales including dynamical dark energy, massive neutrinos, functional or binned parametrizations, and spatial curvature

We introduce a new version of the Integrated Software in Testing General Relativity (ISiTGR) which is a patch to the software camb and cosmomc. ISiTGR is intended to test deviations from GR at cosmological scales using cosmological datasets. While doing so, it allows for various extensions to the standard flat $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ cold dark matter model. In this new release, we have support for the following: (1) dynamical dark energy parametrizations with a constant or time-dependant equation of state; (2) a consistent implementation of anisotropic shear to model massive neutrinos throughout the full formalism; (3) multiple commonly used parametrizations of modified growth (MG) parameters; (4) functional, binned and hybrid time and scale dependencies for all MG parameters; (5) spatially flat or curved backgrounds. ISiTGR is designed to allow cosmological analyses to take full advantage of ongoing and future surveys to test simultaneously or separately various extensions to the standard model. We describe here the formalism and its implementation in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) code, the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect, and the $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ point statistics. Next, we apply ISiTGR to current datasets from Planck-2018, Planck-2015, Dark Energy Survey YR1 release, baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO), redshift space distortions (BAO/RSD) from the BOSS Data Release 12, the 6DF Galaxy Survey and the SDSS Data Release 7 Main Galaxy Sample, and Supernova from the Pantheon compilation, joint SNLS/SDSS data analysis and the Hubble Space Telescope. We derive constraints on MG parameters for various combinations of the five features above and find that general relativity is consistent with current datasets in all cases.
Surgical and radiosurgical treatment strategies for Cushing's disease.

Cushing’s disease (CD) is rare disorder that should be adequately managed to optimize long-term prognosis. Treatment of CD is multidisciplinary and often includes surgical resection, adjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and medical treatment. Here we review surgical and radiosurgical treatment strategies for ACTH producing pituitary adenomas. A comprehensive literature review was carried out to review remission and recurrence rates, and complications of surgical and SRS treatments of ACTH producing pituitary adenomas. Surgical resection plays a central role in the management of ACTH secreting pituitary adenomas and usually allows rapid endocrine remission that ranges from 69 to 90%. The most common complications after resection include some degree of new hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus and CSF leak. Devastating complications, such as injury of vascular and neural structures, are very rare. Surgeon experience and adequate pre-operative imaging are important for safe and successful surgery. Endocrine recurrence rates after resection range from 9 to 30%. SRS is often employed for incompletely resected adenomas. Endocrine remission after SRS ranges from 35 to 72%. The most common complication of SRS is new anterior pituitary gland deficiency. Recurrence rates after GKRS range from 18 to 24%. Transsphenoidal resection of ACTH producing pituitary adenoma is a safe and highly effective procedure for CD in experienced hands. Radiosurgery is more frequently used as treatment of residual and recurrent adenoma and persistent CD. Long-term endocrine and imaging follow-up is important as delayed recurrences and hypopituitarism are not infrequent.
Spinal cord injury alters microRNA and CD81+ exosome levels in plasma extracellular nanoparticles with neuroinflammatory potential.

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been implicated mechanistically in the pathobiology of neurodegenerative disorders, including central nervous system injury. However, the role of EVs in spinal cord injury (SCI) has received limited attention to date. Moreover, technical limitations related to EV isolation and characterization methods can lead to misleading or contradictory findings. Here, we examined changes in plasma EVs after mouse SCI at multiple timepoints (1d, 3d, 7d, 14d) using complementary measurement techniques. Plasma EVs isolated by ultracentrifugation (UC) were decreased at 1d post-injury, as shown by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and paralleled an overall reduction in total plasma extracellular nanoparticles. Western blot (WB) analysis of UC-derived plasma EVs revealed increased expression of the tetraspanin exosome marker, CD81, between 1d and 7d post-injury. To substantiate these findings, we performed interferometric and fluorescence imaging of single, tetraspanin EVs captured directly from plasma with ExoView®. Consistent with WB, we observed significantly increased plasma CD81+ EV count and cargo at 1d post-injury. The majority of these tetraspanin EVs were smaller than 50 nm based on interferometry and were insufficiently resolved by flow cytometry-based detection. At the injury site, there was enhanced expression of EV biogenesis proteins that were also detected in EVs directly isolated from spinal cord tissue by WB. Surface expression of tetraspanins CD9 and CD63 increased in multiple cell types at the injury site; however, astrocyte CD81 expression uniquely decreased, as demonstrated by flow cytometry. UC-isolated plasma EV microRNA cargo was also significantly altered at 1d post-injury with changes similar to that reported in EVs released by astrocytes after inflammatory stimulation. When injected into the lateral ventricle, plasma EVs from SCI mice increased both pro- and anti-inflammatory gene as well as reactive astrocyte gene expression in the brain cortex. These studies provide the first detailed characterization of plasma EV dynamics after SCI and suggest that plasma EVs may be involved in posttraumatic brain inflammation.
Sodium dichloroacetate stimulates cardiac mitochondrial metabolism and improves cardiac conduction in the ovine fetus during labor.

Previous studies in our laboratory have suggested that the increase in stillbirth in pregnancies complicated by chronic maternal stress or hypercortisolemia is associated with cardiac dysfunction in late stages of labor and delivery. Transcriptomics analysis of the overly represented differentially expressed genes in the fetal heart of hypercortisolemic ewes indicated involvement of mitochondrial function. Sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) has been used to improve mitochondrial function in several disease states. We hypothesized that administration of DCA to laboring ewes would improve both cardiac mitochondrial activity and cardiac function in their fetuses. Four groups of ewes and their fetuses were studied: control, cortisol-infused (1 g/kg/d from 115 to term; CORT), DCA-treated (over 24h) or DCA+CORT-treated; oxytocin was delivered starting 48h before the DCA treatment. DCA significantly decreased cardiac lactate, alanine and glucose/glucose-6-phosphate and increased acylcarnitine/isobutyryl-carnitine. DCA increased mitochondrial activity, increasing oxidative phosphorylation (PCI, PCI+II)) per tissue weight or per unit of citrate synthase. DCA also decreased the duration of the QRS, attenuating the prolongation of the QRS observed in CORT fetuses. The effect to reduce QRS duration with DCA treatment correlated with increased glycerophosphocholine and serine and decreased phophocholine after DCA treatment. There were negative correlations of acylcarnitine/isobutyryl-carnitine to both HR and MAP. These results suggest that improvements in mitochondrial respiration with DCA produced changes in the cardiac lipid metabolism that favor improved conduction in the heart. DCA may therefore be an effective treatment of fetal cardiac metabolic disturbances in labor that can contribute to impairments of fetal cardiac conduction.
The effect of protonation site and conformation on surface-induced dissociation in a small, lysine containing peptide

Abstract Simulations of surface induced dissociation (SID) of protonated peptides have provided significant insight into the energy transfer and mechanism of SID; however, they have been limited to glycine and alanine containing peptides. The chemical simplicity of these systems forces N-terminus protonation. Here we present results from simulations involving a lysine containing peptide that allowed for multiple protonation sites and conformations. We found that when the excess proton is located on the basic lysine side chain, fragmentation dynamics are typically slower and occur through a ‘charge-remote’ pathway. Additionally, conformation alone has a significant effect on the observed proton transfer pathways.
In vitro sensitization of human lymphoid cells to antigens on cultured melanoma cells. I. Culture conditions resulting in augmented cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Abstract Culture conditions have been established that result in the sensitization of normal human peripheral blood lymphoid cells on allogeneic melanoma monolayers. Optimal culture conditions require 2 to 8 × 106 mitomycin C treated stimulator melanoma cells to sensitize 5 to 10 × 106 responder lymphoid cells. Neither rocking nor refeeding of the culture is necessary for the sensitization procedure. Stimulator cells grown in either fetal calf serum or human serum will serve as effective stimulator or target cells. Peak cytotoxic activity was detected at 44 hr in a microcytotoxicity assay, although some cytotoxic activity was detectable at 24 hr.
Association between the metabolic syndrome and its components and gait speed among U.S. adults aged 50 years and older: a cross-sectional analysis

To examine the relationship between the metabolic syndrome and its components and gait speed among older U.S. men and women. Whether these associations are independent of physical activity was also explored. Eight hundred and thirty-five men and 850 women aged ≥50 years from the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002 were examined. We used the definition of the metabolic syndrome developed by the U.S. National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Gait speed was measured with a 6.10-meter timed walk examination. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 40.2% in men and 45.6% in women (P = .127). The prevalence of gait speed impairment was 29.3% in men and 12.5% in women (P < .001). No association was found between the metabolic syndrome and gait speed impairment. After including the individual components of the metabolic syndrome in a logistic model adjusted for age and leisure-time physical activity, abdominal obesity, low HDL cholesterol, and high fasting glucose were significantly associated with gait speed impairment among women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.26 to 0.89; AOR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.08 to 4.75; and AOR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.12 to 3.74, respectively). Further adjustment for race/ethnicity, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, arthritis status, and use of an assistive device attenuated these associations; among women, abdominal obesity and low HDL cholesterol remained significantly associated with gait speed impairment (AOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.18 to 0.76 and AOR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.07 to 5.63, respectively) while the association between hyperglycemia and impaired gait speed attenuated to nonsignificance. Among women, gait speed impairment is associated with low HDL cholesterol and inversely with abdominal obesity. These associations may be sex-dependent and warrant further research.
Sensitivity of the ocean's deep overturning circulation to easterly Antarctic winds

We investigate the sensitivity of the deep meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the Southern Ocean to changes in the easterly wind stress over the Antarctic continental slope. The deep MOC is driven by export of dense Antarctic Bottom Water from the Antarctic continental shelf, and exerts a strong influence on climate by ventilating the deep ocean with oxygen and storing carbon dioxide. The possibility that inter-climatic modifications of the deep overturning may have been driven by changes in the atmospheric circulation has motivated the recent interest in evaluating the sensitivity of the Southern Ocean MOC to modifications of the mid-latitude westerlies. Using a high-resolution eddy-resolving model of a sector of the Southern Ocean, we show that the deep cell of the MOC is highly sensitive to the strength of the polar easterlies, and relatively insensitive to the strength of the mid-latitude westerlies. Our results highlight that determining the deep ocean ventilation in past and future climates demands an accurate evaluation of the concurrent surface wind stress throughout the Southern Ocean.
Energy use and emissions impact measurement in TSM

An equilibrium traffic assignment model is linked to a modal choice model to estimate the route and mode shifting implications of a bus-only lane on Chicago's North Lake Shore Drive. These models are in turn linked to equations for calculating the energy usage and emissions implications of such Transportation System Management (TSM) tactics. The energy equations are based upon General Motors Laboratory figures. The hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide impacts are derived.
Continuous servo motor integration of the electrical activity of the brain and its application to the control of cyclopropane anesthesia

Abstract A mechanism for controlling gaseous anesthetic agents in response to varying electroencephalographic patterns related to depth of anesthesia has been described. The servo mechanism has three parts — a discriminator stage, a plate detector and a balanced modulator. The push pull output feeds into a servo motor with two phase windings 90° out of phase. The motor is geared to a “Helipot” and also to the cyclopropane valve of a Heidbrink “Cabinet Kinet-o-meter”. The depth of anesthesia can be adjusted by either gain control; when there is an increase in energy output from the cortex there is an increase in the DC voltage and the tube conduct more current, causing the servo motor to turn, increasing the flow of the anesthetic agent, and balance of the system occurs through the “Helipot” at a new point. This system will compensate if another anesthetic agent is added and will maintain the level of anesthetic constant.
Live-Cell Imaging of Caspase Activation for High-Content Screening

Caspases are central to the execution of programmed cell death, and their activation constitutes the biochemical hallmark of apoptosis. In this article, the authors report the successful adaptation of a high-content assay method using the DEVDNucView488 fluorogenic substrate, and for the first time, they show caspase activation in live cells induced by either drugs or siRNA. The fluorogenic substrate was found to be nontoxic over an exposure period of several days, during which the authors demonstrate automated imaging and quantification of caspase activation of the same cell population as a function of time. Overexpression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-XL, alone or in combination with the inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, attenuated caspase activation in HeLa cells exposed to doxorubicin, etoposide, or cell death siRNA. This method was further validated against 2 well-characterized NSCLC cell lines reported to be sensitive (H3255) or refractory (H2030) to erlotinib, where the authors show a differential time-dependent activation was observed for H3255 and no significant changes in H2030, consistent with their respective chemosensitivity profile. In summary, the results demonstrate the feasibility of using this newly adapted and validated high-content assay to screen chemical or RNAi libraries for the identification of previously uncovered enhancers and suppressors of the apoptotic machinery in live cells.
An inner product and orthonormalization inl p -spaces and solution of infinite systems of infinite linear equations

Let the rows of an infinite square matrixM be elements ofl p -space (p>1) andX be an infinite column vector of unknowns andC an infinite column vector of real numbers. To our knowledge the solvability ofMX=C has nowhere been satisfactorily studied in the literature. This is also true of Riesz’classical work [2]. A reason for this is that not until recently [1] an appropriate inner product and the corresponding orthonormalization forp≠2 has been introduced. In this paper, based on [1], it is shown thatMX=C has a solution which is an element ofl q if and only if upon our process of orthonormalization of the rows ofM the system yields an equivalent systemAX=K where the rows ofA form an orthonormal sequence (in our sense) of elements ofl p andK becomes an element ofl q withp −1+q −1=1. A solution is then given byX=(A (q) (AA (q) )−1)K whereA (q) is ourq-transpose ofA. This solution is the solution of the minimall q -norm. Otherwise, the obvious dual concept of the best approximating solution inl q -norm is introduced and obtained.
Differential physiological responses to prey availability by the great egret and white Ibis

In long-lived species, the balance between the benefits of reproduction and the costs from reduced survival or productivity is particularly challenging in dynamic environments like wetlands, where food levels vary greatly year to year. Some wetland species exhibit changes in reproductive strategies in response to food availability but whether physiological responses function in a similar manner is unclear. We compared the pre-breeding physiological responses (fecal corticosterone [FCORT], heat shock protein 60 [HSP60], and mass) of 2 species of wading birds with contrasting foraging strategies (great egret [Ardea alba], an exploiter, and white ibis [Eudocimus albus], a searcher) during years with contrasting levels of prey availability. Both species were in good physiological condition, with low levels of HSP60 and FCORT, during a year with high prey availability (2006). In a contrasting year with lesser prey availability (2007), HSP60 and FCORT concentrations indicated that ibis physiological condition was reduced, whereas egrets showed little change. Egrets and male ibis increased body mass, whereas female ibis decreased mass, in the year with low prey availability. Although poorly understood, we hypothesize that the differential response between female ibis and the others is associated with differential investment strategies based on long-term costs of reproduction. Model results identified prey availability and the 2-week water recession rate as the primary habitat variables that were associated with the physiological condition of white ibises, whereas great egret physiological condition was influenced mostly by 2-week water recession rate. Our results support the hypothesis that prey availability and hydrological factors play crucial roles in regulating populations of wading birds in the Florida Everglades. The results of this study show a more complete pathway by which hydrologic patterns affect wading birds, and it suggests that ibis are more sensitive to habitat conditions than are egrets. This information can be used to refine species models designed to evaluate water management scenarios and will improve our ability to manage and restore wetland ecosystems © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
The Bilingual Education Act: Language Minority Students and Equal Educational Opportunity.

Abstract This paper traces the Bilingual Education Act (BEA) from its inception in 1968 through its most recent reauthorization in 1994 as the primary federal legislative effort to provide equal educational opportunity to language minority students. Federal legislative initiatives which provide the foundation for the BEA are discussed. The polemic between two philosophical positions, assimilation and multiculturalism, is introduced along with the need for further colloquy. The evolution of the BEA from its inception in 1968 through its reauthorization in 1994 is analyzed. Finally, the authors comment on the current proposed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the future of Title VII.
Shallow Magnetic Induction Measurements for Delineating Near-Surface Hot Groundwater Sources in Alaskan Geothermal Areas

Variations in the electrical conductivity of a soil and water system with temperature and salt concentration suggest that a soil containing hot and/or saline groundwater may be expected to have a higher conductivity compared to a cooler and/or less saline system. Temperature and conductivity surveys were carried out at Pilgrim Springs, on the Seward Peninsula, and at Chena Hot Springs, near Fairbanks, to test the use of a magnetic induction method (which measures electrical conductivity) for delineating near-surface hot groundwater sources in geothermal areas surrounded by permafrost. Comparison of the temperature data and conductivity data from these surveys demonstrates that the conductivity anomalies, as measured by the magnetic induction method, can be used to define the precise location of hot groundwater sources in these geothermal areas with the higher temperatures correlating with higher values of conductivity. Magnetic induction measurements of conductivity can also be used to define the lateral extent of the thawed geothermal areas (used for calculating the stored energy) in permafrost terrain. The utility of these magnetic induction measurements of conductivity for reconnaissance geophysical surveys of geothermal areas is that a much greater density of data can be obtained in a shorter time in comparison with shallow temperature measurements. In addition, it is simpler, cheaper and easier (physically) to obtain the data. While conductivity anomalies can result from other than hot and/or saline groundwater, these conductivity data, when coupled with a few measured temperature profiles and groundwater samples, should result in reliable reconnaissance level geophysical surveys in Alaskan geothermal areas.
The crystal structure and stability of molybdenum at ultrahigh pressures

Crystal structures and their stabilities for molybdenum under increasing hydrostatic pressures are investigated by first-principles calculations of the Gibbs free energy. Three structures are considered: body-centred cubic (bcc, the ground state at zero pressure), hexagonal close-packed (hcp) and face-centred cubic (fcc). For each structure and each pressure (up to 8 Mbar) the equilibrium states are found from minima of the Gibbs free energy at zero temperature. The stability is tested by calculating the elastic constants and checking whether they satisfy the appropriate stability conditions. The bcc structure is confirmed to be stable at zero pressure and at 6 Mbar. At and above 6.2 Mbar the ground-state structure changes to hcp, which is found to be stable at 7 Mbar. At 7.7 Mbar another transition occurs, and the ground-state structure changes from hcp to fcc. The fcc structure, which is unstable at zero pressure, becomes metastable over the range from 3 to 7.7 Mbar and becomes the ground state at higher pressures (at least up to 8 Mbar). Direct confirmation of these calculated transition pressures with experiment is not now possible, as the maximum static pressure currently reached experimentally is 5.6 Mbar, where Mo is found to be still in the bcc phase.
Space transportation main engines for single-stage vehicles

Studies are currently being conducted that could lead to the development of new hydrocarbon booster and hydrogen upper-stage engines. More advanced engines are also being considered which could be developed instead of the baseline designs if the vehicle programs allow time. This paper describes results of the analyses of the advanced engines on single-stage-to-orbit vehicles. The results show that the vehicle dry mass can be reduced about 20 percent with advanced engines when compared to the baseline engines. Some of the advanced engines may not require much extra development time.
Neurobiology of prenatal cocaine exposure effect on developing monoamine systems

Cocaine and crack belong to a broad category of agents that act primarily as central nervous system stimulants at the level of the monoaminergic neurotransmitter system (dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin). These neurotransmitters are involved in the regulation of a number of basic psychological functions including attention and arousal and play a crucial role in the defining of brain structure and neuronal formation. This paper outlines what is currently known about the direct effects of cocaine on the mature and developing central nervous system. Three general points are reviewed: (1) Cocaine has differing effects on structural and functional brain development throughout gestation (e.g., there is not a single, all or none effect); (2) No one area of the brain is singularly affected. Areas related by the monoaminergic system are differentially influenced and affecting one area may result in a functional change in another; and (3) Because substantial brain growth, synaptic formation, and remodeling occur in the first months after birth, ongoing postnatal exposure to cocaine also carries risk for direct effects on brain function. Understanding the developmental neurobiological effects of cocaine provides data to guide studies in infants and young children of how prenatal cocaine exposure may contribute to specific, biologically based areas of neurological vulnerability that will be expressed behaviorally and developmentally in the first 3 to 5 years of life.
Effects of glycine supplement on protein production and release in recombinant Escherichia coli

The effect of glycine supplement to growth media on protein expression and release in a recombinant strain RR1 of E. coli was investigated. Addition of glycine to the growth media in moderate amount (up to 1%) was observed to enhance significantly the release of periplasmic proteins from the cell to the broth. The extracellular activities of the model enzymes α-amylase and β-lactamase were increased by a factor of 16.3 and 3.8 respectively in the presence of glycine. These activities corresponded to about 50% of the total production for each protein. Furthermore, with glycine supplement the total enzyme activity of both α-amylase, β-lactamase as well as β-galactosidase were increased by a factor of about 2.5. Cell growth characteristics and low extracellular activity of the cytoplasmic protein β-galactosidase are indicative that glycine does not cause significant cell-lysis for a concentration below 0.7%.
Moisture-Induced Aggregation of Lyophilized DNA and its Prevention

To investigate the moisture-induced aggregation (i.e., a loss of solubility in water) of DNA in a solid state and to develop rational strategies for its prevention. Lyophilized calf thymus DNA was exposed to relative humidity (RH) levels from 11% to 96% at 55°C. Following a 24-h incubation under these stressed conditions, the solubility of DNA in different aqueous solutions and the water uptake of DNA were determined. The effects of solution pH and NaCl concentration and the presence of excipients (dextran and sucrose) on the subsequent moisture-induced aggregation of DNA were examined. The extent of this aggregation was compared with that of a supercoiled plasmid DNA. Upon a 24-h incubation at 55°C, calf thymus DNA underwent a major moisture-induced aggregation reaching a maximum at a 60% RH; in contrast, the single-stranded DNA exhibited the maximal aggregation at a 96% RH. Moisture uptake and aqueous solubility studies revealed that the aggregation was primarily due to formation of inter-strand hydrogen bonds. Aggregation of DNA also proceeded at 37°C, albeit at a slower rate. Solution pH and NaCl concentration affected DNA aggregation only at higher RH levels. This aggregation was markedly reduced by co-lyophilization with dextran or sucrose (but not with PEG). The aggregation pattern of a supercoiled plasmid DNA was similar to that of its linear calf thymus counterpart. The moisture-induced aggregation of lyophilized DNA is caused mainly by non-covalent cross-links between disordered, single-stranded regions of DNA. At high RH levels, renaturation and aggregation of DNA compete with each other. The aggregation is minimized at low RH levels, at optimal solution pH and salt concentration prior to lyophilization, and by co-lyophilizing with excipients capable of forming multiple hydrogen bonds, e.g., dextran and sucrose.
Dopaminergic function in the neostriatum and nucleus accumbens of young and aged Fischer 344 rats.

Abstract Age-dependent alterations in behavioral and neuronal functioning were assessed in young (2–3 month), middle-aged (12 month), and aged (24 month) Fischer 344 rats treated with the indirect dopamine agonist amphetamine (2.25 or 5 mg/kg), the D 1 agonist SKF 38393 (7.5, 15, 30 mg/kg), or the D 2 agonist quinpirole (0.3, 1.0, 3.0 mg/kg). Drug-induced changes in activity and stereotypy were measured during a 90-min testing session, with Fos immunohistochemistry being used to assess the neuronal response to dopamine agonist treatment. As expected, aged rats given amphetamine (5 mg/kg) had fewer activity counts and higher stereotypy scores than young rats. Middle-aged rats also had fewer activity counts but were similar in stereotypy scores to young rats. Amphetamine also induced different patterns of Fos immunoreactivity in the neostriatum and nucleus accumbens of young and aged rats, as Fos expression in aged rats exhibited a distinctive dorsal to ventral pattern of decline. In general, SKF 38393 had few age-related actions, although aged rats did show a slight relative increase in stereotypy. In contrast, the D 2 agonist quinpirole substantially enhanced the motor activity and Fos expression of young rats, while only modestly affecting aged rats. Hence, these results suggest that the D 2 receptor is more vulnerable to the effects of aging than the D 1 receptor.
Chronic ethanol consumption disrupts diurnal rhythms of hepatic glycogen metabolism in mice.

Chronic ethanol consumption has been shown to significantly decrease hepatic glycogen content; however, the mechanisms responsible for this adverse metabolic effect are unknown. In this study, we e...
Pleomorphic adenoma of the submandibular gland

Pleomorphic adenomas of the submandibular glands are exceedingly rare tumors in the pediatric practice. Patients usually present with a painless and mobile mass without any other associated symptoms. Radiologic studies are usually unable to differentiate benign from malignant tumors in most cases. Recurrences are rare with complete en bloc excision of the tumor and the submandibular gland. Except for the rare cases of malignant transformation, the prognosis is excellent.
Graphical interactive simulation input modeling with bivariate Bézier distributions

A graphical interactive technique for modeling bivariate simulation inputs is based on a family of continuous univariate and bivariate probability distributions with bounded support that are described by Be´zier curves and surfaces, respectively. This family of distributions has a natural, extensible parameterization so that all parameters have a meaningful interpretation; and the complete family is capable of accurately representing an unlimited variety of shapes for marginal distributions together with many common types of bivariate stochastic dependence. This approach to simulation input modeling is implemented in a Windows-based software system called PRIME-PRobabilistic Input Modeling Environment. Several examples illustrate the application of PRIME to subjective and data-driven estimation of bivariate distributions representing simulation inputs.
Formation of Isoindole Derivatives of Sulfidopeptide Leukotrienes by Reaction with O-Phthalaldehyde and Separation by Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract A method is described for the formation of fluorescent conjugates of the sulfidopeptide leukotrienes (LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4) by reaction of the primary amine moiety of these metabolites with o-phthalaldehyde. Separation of the fluorescent derivatives was achieved by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography in less than 30 minutes using a convex gradient of methanol-50 mM Na Acetate-5% Tetrahydrofuran pH 5.5. Detection limits realized under the conditions described were 0.35 ng, 3.8 ng and 3.7 ng for LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4, respectively. This represents an Increased sensitivity over detection of these metabolites by ultra-violet spectroscopy. The leukotriene-OPA derivatives are fully stable for 50 minutes at 23°C and for at least 4 hours at 0°C. The method is applied to the detection of LTC4 generated by zymosan stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages.
Determinants of the competitive share in Wisconsin counties, 1962–1972: The role of government policy

The research premise is that shift-share analysis can provide some useful policy information. The question addressed is: do governmental policies influence the competitive share of a county. Ordinary least squares regression is used to test the relationship between selected state and local government policy choices and the county's competitive share for the time periods of 1962–72, 1962–67, and 1967–72. The policy variables proved to have limited predictive power. The number of cities over 10,000 population, distance to Milwaukee/Minneapolis, percent employed in trade and service activities, and median family income were the strongest influences on county competitive share. The conclusion is that the proxies for state and local economic policy choices are either inadequate or county competitive share is not influenced by governmental action.
Contemporary frontiers in insect semiochemical research

Recent advances in analytical chemistry coupled with more definitive behavioral analyses have allowed more rigorous identification of many insect pheromones. This, in turn, has increased our understanding of the roles of pheromones in mediating insect behavior. Other semiochemicals that mediate insect behavior include those that enable parasitic and predatory insects to locate their hosts or prey. These may be produced by the host insects or by the plant on which they feed. Additionally, there are pheromones and plant-produced seminochemicals that regulate insect oviposition, a critical phase in the life cycle of insects. The challenge to chemists and biologists is to explore these areas to find new environmentally safe methods to control insect pests. One of the newer strategies used to investigate these semiochemicals is the study of the biochemistry of pheromone production and semiochemical perception in insects. These types of studies may reveal weak links in these systems that can be exploited to develop new, more effective and environmentally safe control methods.
The effects of wait expectations and store atmosphere evaluations on patronage intentions in service-intensive retail stores

Abstract Many factors, both obvious and subtle, influence customers’ store patronage intentions. Using videotape technology that enabled us to experimentally manipulate the number of visible store employees, number of customers, and music, we test the relative importance of wait expectations and store atmosphere evaluations on patronage intentions. These constructs are found to be critical antecedents of store patronage intentions in the context of the service-intensive retail store at which the model was tested. We also find support for the direct effects of gender on wait expectations and store atmosphere evaluations. We discuss some implications for retailing research and practice.
Constraints for toroidal cosmology

We discuss the constraints for a universe with the spatial topology of a ({ital d}{minus}1)-dimensional torus and metric {ital G}{sub {ital i}{ital j}}. We argue that if dynamical duality exists it should lead to an O({ital d}{minus}1,{ital d}{minus}1,{ital Z})-invariant metric on superspace. We give an example of an indefinite O({ital d}{minus}1,{ital d}{minus}1,{ital Z})-invariant metric on the superspace ({ital G}{sub {ital i}{ital j}},{ital B}{sub {ital i}{ital j}}) where {ital B}{sub {ital i}{ital j}} is the antisymmetric tensor field. On the hypersurface {ital B}{sub {ital i}{ital j}}=0 duality represents a parity time-reversal transformation of superspace.
Failure to Respond Autonomically to Anticipated Future Outcomes Following Damage to Prefrontal Cortex

Following damage to specific sectors of the prefrontal cortex, humans develop a defect in real-life decision making, in spite of otherwise normal intellectual performance. The patients so affected may even realize the consequences of their actions but fail to act accordingly, thus appearing oblivious to the future. The neural basis of this defect has resisted explanation. Here we identify a physiological correlate for the defect and discuss its possible significance. We measured the skin conductance responses (SCRs) of 7 patients with prefrontal damage, and 12 normal controls, during the performance of a novel task, a card game that simulates real-life decision making in the way it factors uncertainty, rewards, and penalties. Both patients and controls generated SCRs after selecting cards that were followed by penalties or by reward. However, after a number of trials, controls also began to generate SCRs prior to their selection of a card, while they pondered from which deck to choose, but no patients showed such anticipatory SCRs. The absence of anticipatory SCRs in patients with prefrontal damage is a correlate of their insensitivity to future outcomes. It is compatible with the idea that these patients fail to activate biasing signals that would serve as value markers in the distinction between choices with good or bad future outcomes; that these signals also participate in the enhancement of attention and working memory relative to representations pertinent to the decision process; and that the signals hail from the bioregulatory machinery that sustains somatic homeostasis and can be expressed in emotion and feeling.
On the mechanisms of heat transport across vacuum gaps

Heat exchange between closely positioned bodies has become an important issue for many areas of modern technology including, but not limited to, integrated circuits, atomic force microscopy, and high-density magnetic recording, which deal with bodies separated by gaps as narrow as a few nanometers. It is now recognized that heat transport across a gap of sub-micron width does not follow the Stefan–Boltzmann law, which is based on a conventional theory developed for sufficiently wide gaps. This paper describes the structure of thermally excited electromagnetic fields in arbitrarily narrow gaps, and it also shows that heat can be carried across narrow vacuum gaps by acoustic waves. The structure of the acoustic wave fields is also described, and it is shown that they become the dominant heat carriers in gaps narrower than a certain critical width, which is estimated to be a few nanometers. For example, consider a vacuum gap between silicon half-spaces. When the gap’s width is below a critical value, which is about 7.5 nm, the contribution of acoustic waves must be taken into account. Assuming that the wavelength of thermally excited acoustic waves is of order 1 nm, it may be possible to estimate the contribution of acoustic waves to heat transport across gaps with 4 nm < h < 7.5 nm by the kinetic theory, but for narrower gaps with h < 4 nm, this approximation is not valid, and then the full wave theory must be used. Also for gaps narrower than about 2.5 nm, there is no need to take into account electromagnetic radiation because its contribution is negligible compared to that of acoustic waves.
Multispectral imaging microscope with millisecond time resolution.

A new multispectral imaging microscope with micrometer spatial resolution and millisecond temporal resolution has been developed. The imaging microscope is based on the use of an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) for spectral tuning and a progressive scan camera capable of snapshot operation for recording. It can operate in two modes: images are recorded as a function of time or wavelength. When operated as a function of time, the microscope is configured so that as many images as possible are recorded, grabbed, and stored per one wavelength. Upon completion, the AOTF is scanned to a new wavelength, and a new set of images are recorded. Up to 33 images/second (i.e., 30 ms/image) can be recorded in this mode. In the other configuration, the recording wavelength is rapidly scanned (by means of the AOTF) and only one image is rapidly recorded, grabbed, and stored for each wavelength. Because additional time is needed to scan the AOTF, the maximum number of images can be grabbed in this case is 16 frames/s...