cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Involvement of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase in NFAT Activation in T Cells

Abstract Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) has been implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation in many cell types. We have previously shown that in T cells the PI3-K inhibitor, wortmannin, interferes with activation of the mitogen-activated kinase, Erk2, after T cell receptor (TcR) stimulation. To further explore the involvement of PI3-K in T cell activation, we created a set of potentially dominant negative PI3-K constructs comprising individual or tandem domains of the regulatory p85 subunit and tested their effect on downstream signaling events like Erk2 activation and transcription from an NFAT (nuclear factor ofactivated T cells) element taken from the interleukin-2 promoter. Following TcR stimulation, activation of Erk2 was only inhibited by a previously described truncated form of p85 that cannot bind the catalytic subunit, but not by other constructs of p85. In contrast, several mutant p85 alleles had dramatic effects on NFAT activation. Most interestingly, the N-terminal SH2 domain had an inhibitory effect, whereas a mutant p85 containing only the two SH2 domains enhanced basal NFAT activity in a Ras-dependent manner. Ionomycin induced synergistic activation of NFAT in cells expressing p85 mutants that contained the C-terminal SH2 domain. Analysis of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins bound to truncated p85 constructs revealed cooperative binding of the two SH2 domains but no apparent differences between the N- and C-terminal SH2 domains. Wortmannin did not interfere with NFAT activation, although it inhibited PI3-K and Erk2 activation in the same experiment. These results suggest that PI3-K is involved in NFAT activation through a complex adaptor function of its regulatory subunit and that its lipid kinase activity is dispensable for this effect.
Finite temperature structure and properties of ∑ = 5 (310) tilt grain boundaries in nacl a molecular dynamics study

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations at constant temperature and stress were employed to study structure and excess properties of [Sgrave] = 5 (310) tilt grain boundaries in NaCl from low temperatures up to bulk melting. Several metastable grain boundary core structures were found. The differences in free energies of these structures, especially at high temperatures, were found to be small. Indeed two of these different core structures related by small displacement shift complete vectors were observed to coexist at high temperatures due to their small free energy differences. The temperature at which the boundary becomes mobile can be very different for different core structures. In all cases, grain boundary migration is coupled with grain boundary sliding. Melting of the system always starts from the grain boundaries at a temperature of approximately 0·98 Tm, where Tm is the bulk melting temperature. Excess enthalpies and volumes are almost constant as a function of temperature and diverge close to th...
Assessment of double- burst monitoring at 10 mA above threshold current

We compared fade measurements in response to double-burst stimulation (DBS) at 10 mA above the threshold for the second response (D2) to that for DBS at 60 mA in order to determine the utility of low-current DBS testing. In 20 healthy adults undergoing general endotracheal anaesthesia with isoflurane 0.5– 1% end-tidal, a vecuronium infusion (0.25–1.5 μg · kg−1 · min−1) was delivered until a stable train-of-four (TOF) response to ulnar nerve stimulation was documented with an adductor pollicis force transducer. Then DBS responses were recorded, and the D2/D1 ratios were determined at 60 mA and at 10 mA above the D2 threshold current (TS + 10 mA). The mean difference (bias) between D2/D1 @TS+10 mA and D2/D1 @ 60 mA was −0.02 (P < 0.05); the 95% limits of agreement were from −0.12 to +0.08. The bias and limits of agreement were similar to those for T4/T1 of train-of-four. A strong correlation was noted between the degrees of fade determined at the low and high currents (r = 0.95). We conclude that, although stimulation at 10 mA above the D2 threshold is associated with a slight negative bias, it is virtually inter-changeable with testing at higher current in the clinical setting. This technique thus may be used effectively to monitor neuromuscular fade in settings where neurostimulation with low current is deemed desirable.
Motion of a Sphere in a Viscous Fluid

This problem was originally attacked by Stokes, and the formula obtained by Stokes for the case of steady motion (given at the end of § 1 below) is now generally used in experimental work. However, this formula throws no light on the way in which the velocity of the sphere approaches its steady value: and the only known discussion of this problem was given by Boggio (his results will be found in § 2 below). Unfortunately, when the specific gravity of the sphere exceeds ⅝ (or the constant σ, defined later, is less than 4) the solution so obtained cannot be converted into numerical results, because the constants α, β become complex numbers; and even when α, β are real, the formula is not very convenient for large values of t (as the velocity approaches the steady value).
Why is it taking so long to secure internet routing

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is the glue that sticks the Internet together, enabling data communications between large networks operated by different organizations. BGP makes Internet communicatio...
Effect of barrier layer thickness on the performance of thin film transistors on glass substrates

Top-gated poly-Si thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated on Corning COde 1737 glass substrates coated with SiO2 barrier layers of varying thickness. The leakage current, or minimum current in the off state of the transistor, was measured and analyzed to evaluate the influence of barrier layer thickness on the TFT characteristics. Our results indicate that using a thick barrier layer may results in higher TFT leakage currents. Control devices on oxidized silicon have higher leakage currents than TFTs on barrier coated Code 1737 glass. Those on glass substrates show the effect of barrier layer thickness. As the barrier layer thickness increases the leakage current also increase. One possible explanation for this is the nature of the glass substrate. Even a thin SiO2 layer can suppress diffusion of electrically active impurities from the substrate to the device. However, aluminoborosilicate glasses such as Corning Code 1737 are also known to act as sinks for sodium and other process impurities. Thick barrier layers separate the TFT from the gettering effects of the substrate and limit the removal of impurities from the device region.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
NMDA receptors modulate morphine-induced hyperthermia.

An accumulating body of evidence indicates that activation of NMDA receptor complexes modulates a number of morphine-induced responses. Because a single injection of morphine increases extracellular glutamate levels and downregulates NMDA receptors, acute morphine appears to increase glutamatergic transmission. On the basis of those data and the fact that morphine and glutamate induce hyperthermia, we investigated whether NMDA receptors modulate the hyperthermic effects of acute morphine in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Subcutaneous injection of morphine (0.1-15 mg/kg) evoked dose-dependent hyperthermia, which was rapid in onset and peaked 45-60 min post-injection. Pretreatment with LY 235959 (0.1-1 mg/kg, s.c.), a highly selective and competitive NMDA antagonist, or dextromethorphan (5-15 mg/kg, s.c.), a noncompetitive NMDA antagonist, attenuated the hyperthermic effect of morphine (4 mg/kg). In contrast, administration of LY 235959 (1 mg/kg) 15 min after morphine (4 mg/kg) did not reverse the hyperthermia. LY 235959 (1 mg/kg) depressed the hyperthermia caused by DAMGO (1 micro g/rat, i.c.v.), a selective mu agonist, confirming that NMDA receptor activation maximizes mu receptor-induced hyperthermia. Neither LY 2359595 nor dextromethorphan by itself significantly altered body temperature. These data indicate that NMDA receptors modulate morphine-induced hyperthermia and suggest that increases in glutamatergic transmission maximize the hyperthermia evoked by morphine.
A glimpse of coated vesicle creation? Well almost!

The budding of a cargo-laden clathrin-coated pit (CP) from the plasma membrane (PM) during receptor-mediated endocytosis is a paradigm of vesicular transport. A recent study published in Nature Cell Biology helps us visualize the creation of the clathrin-coated vesicle, and the involvement of dynamin and actin as potential 'midwives' in the process. Still, it remains a matter of faith as to exactly when life begins for the coated vesicle.
Overexpression of Erg11p by the Regulatable GAL1 Promoter Confers Fluconazole Resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The contribution of the dosage of target enzyme P-450 14α-demethylase (14αDM) to fluconazole resistance in both Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae remains unclear. Here, we show that overexpression of Saccharomyces P-450 14αDM in S. cerevisiae, under the control of the regulatable promoter GAL1, results in azole resistance.
Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use and reduced risk of large bowel carcinoma

BACKGROUND Animal experiments and epidemiologic data have suggested that the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may decrease the incidence of large bowel carcinoma. Our purpose was to assess the relation of the use of aspirin and nonaspirin NSAIDs with the risk of large bowel carcinoma. METHODS A population-based case-control study of colon and rectal carcinoma was conducted in Massachusetts from 1992 to 1994. Data on NSAID use and risk factors for large bowel carcinoma were collected by interview from 1201 incident cases of large bowel carcinoma and 1201 controls matched by age, gender, and area of residence. RESULTS Regular NSAID use that continued into the year before diagnosis was associated with a significantly decreased relative risk estimate overall (0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5-0.8) and among Stage II-IV tumors (0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7). There was no reduction in risk for discontinued use. The inverse association with regular continuing use was present across age and gender and for both colon and rectal carcinoma. Similar inverse associations were present for regular continuing use of aspirin and nonaspirin NSAIDs. There was no significant evidence of a trend for the relative risk to decrease as the duration of use increased, nor was there a trend across the dose of aspirin, which ranged from less than one-half of a 325 mg tablet per day to ≥ 2 tablets per day. Discontinuation of use in response to symptoms of carcinoma did not appear to explain the inverse association, nor did bias related to diagnosis of the carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS These data add to the growing body of evidence that suggests a protective effect of NSAIDs against large bowel carcinoma. Cancer 1998;82:2326-2333. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Taste responses of neurons in the hamster solitary nucleus are modulated by the central nucleus of the amygdala.

Previous studies have shown a modulatory influence of forebrain gustatory areas, such as the gustatory cortex and lateral hypothalamus, on the activity of taste-responsive cells in the nucleus of t...
Seeing is not believing: visual verifications through liveness analysis using mobile devices

The visual information captured with camera-equipped mobile devices has greatly appreciated in value and importance as a result of their ubiquitous and connected nature. Today, banking customers expect to be able to deposit checks using mobile devices, and broadcasting videos from camera phones uploaded by unknown users is admissible on news networks. We present Movee, a system that addresses the fundamental question of whether the visual stream coming into a mobile app from the camera of the device can be trusted to be un-tampered with, live data, before it can be used for a variety of purposes. Movee is a novel approach to video liveness analysis for mobile devices. It is based on measuring the consistency between the data from the accelerometer sensor and the inferred motion from the captured video. Contrary to existing algorithms, Movee has the unique strength of not depending on the audio track. Our experiments on real user data have shown that Movee achieves 8% Equal Error Rate.
Intraoperative Prostate Volume Change During Permanent Low-Dose-Rate I-125 Prostate Brachytherapy: Implications for Final Implant Dosimetry

Purpose: To evaluate the magnitude of real-time intra-operative change in prostatic volume during low-dose-rate I-125 prostate brachytherapy, to determine dosimetric implications to the target of this volume change, and to evaluate the associations between pre-procedural prostate volume, real-time intraoperative prostate volume change and day 30 prostate volume change. Materials and Methods: The prostatewas retrospectively contoured on the pre-procedural and day 30 CT scans as well as on the intraoperative realtime preand postoperative transrectal ultrasound generated images of 37 patients treated with low-dose-rate I-125 permanent prostatic seed implant at UC Davis Medical Center. Real-time TRUS images were obtained just prior to initiation of the implant, and immediately following placement of the final seed. The average elapsed time between the preand postoperative TRUS image was 124 minutes. For TRUS images, SPOT-PRO was used to delineate preand post-procedural target volumes using serial 2.5 mm axial images. For CT images, Pinnacle was used to generate preand day 30 post-procedural target volumes using serial 3mm axial images. The resultant dosimetry based on these volumes was compared. Pre-procedural CT derived prostate volumes were evaluated as prognosticator of intraoperative volume change. Intraoperative volume change was evaluated as a prognosticator of Day 30 volume change. Results: The volume of the prostate increased by an average of 22% between the time of the initial and final real-time intraoperative TRUS image acquisitions. There was a wide range of volume change (846%). No significant correlation between pre-procedural CT or TRUS derived prostate volume and the magnitude of intraoperative TRUS derived volume change was noted. There was a non-significant correlation between the magnitude of intraoperative volume change and the magnitude of the CT derived day 30 prostate volume change. The absolute volume change was comparable between smaller and larger prostate glands, but the resultant change in dosimetry attributable to the volume change was more significant for smaller prostate glands. Conclusions: For patients with smaller prostate glands (!35cc) exhibiting higher than average volume change on post-implant intraoperative realtime TRUS, dose to the target (D90, V100) may be lower than desired. The impact of this dose reduction on clinical outcome is not known, but may merit consideration when tumor is known to involve those areas most prone to volume expansion. Neither CT derived pre-procedural nor initial real-time intra operative, TRUS-derived prostate volume are prognostic for post-procedural volume change. The magnitude of realtime intraoperative prostate volume change between initiation and completion of the implant may be associated with the day 30 prostate volume change.
Improving the imaging diagnosis of cervical spine injury in the very elderly: implications of the epidemiology of injury

Purpose: To enumerate host and vector factors that affect each phase of cervical spine injury (CSI) among the elderly, and to attribute specific pathoanatomic characteristics of CSI to host and/or vector factors. Methods: Structured review of English literature references selected from MEDLINE keyword search using PUBMED and OVID search engines. Only articles addressing the role of “aging” or being “elderly” (using a variety of definitions) in CSI were included. The following information was abstracted: journal; year of publication; authors' specialty or departmental affiliation; study design; inclusion and exclusion criteria; year(s) of data collection; number of CSI vs. controls; summary findings, including rate estimates, obvious study weaknesses. Results: Seven of 13 articles were medical-record-based case series, most derived from institutional trauma registries. Four were population-based surveys. One was an assessment of Medicare claims data for all-cause trauma and one a review paper. Blunt-force CSI was most commonly related to domestic falls, then to vehicular-pedestrian collisions and finally to vehicular crashes. More than two-thirds of fractures involved CO-C3, especially in individuals with cervical spondylosis and/or osteoporosis. In 15 to 40 % of CO-C3 fractures there is a delay in diagnosis. An adult forme fruste of SCIWORA (spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality) was a relatively common cause of central and anterior cord syndromes in the absence of observable fractures or dislocations. Conclusions: The epidemiology of CSI in elderly patients should inform triage and imaging decisions. Since most CSI diagnostic errors involve the upper cervical spine, additional attention to the radiographic anatomy of the craniocervical junction and diligent search for abnormalities in this region are warranted.
Near quantitative production of molecular nitrogen from metabolism of dimethylnitrosamine.

Abstract Molecular nitrogen is produced stoichiometrically from the spontaneous decomposition of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea in phosphate buffer and is readily detected by gas chromatography. It is also generated in high yield from the oxidation of dimethylnitrosamine by mouse or rat liver microsomes. Gas chromatographic analysis for nitrogen generated from dimethylnitrosamine was more difficult because the amount of nitrogen generated was similar to that produced in control tubes which contained no dimethylnitrosamine.
Abdominal pain in a patient using warfarin

A 32 year-old man presented with complaints of nose bleeding and mild postprandial abdominal pain for 3 days. The patient had prior history of rheumatic heart disease. Four weeks prior to the onset of symptoms the patient had undergone a double mechanical valve replacement using a number 21 Masters St Jude valve in the aortic position and a number 29 Masters St Jude valve in the mitral position. He was started on warfarin at that time. A few days prior to admission, the patient developed an upper respiratory infection and was placed on a 4-day course of azithromycin. Physical examination was unremarkable. Rectal examination revealed no gross blood, however occult blood test was positive. At the time of this visit the …
Nectophotometer : An infrared motility monitor used to rapidly identify toxicity in effluents and receiving waters

A change in the motility pattern of fish and aquatic invertebrates when initially exposed to a toxin has long been used in tests designed to signal the presence of toxins in effluents and receiving waters. We have discovered that the level of motility change occurring within 2.5 hours of exposure to all concentrations of a test toxicant correlates well with mortality observed after three days exposure to the toxin, but that the first 30 minutes of exposure is a poor predictor of mortality. Defining this 'best to use exposure time' can increase the sensitivity of toxicity monitoring systems to a weak toxin, one that causes a motility change so minor that it may otherwise go unnoticed. Motility is monitored and automatically recorded using a Nectophotometer, an automated bio-monitor with computer interface that senses interruptions of infrared beams when organisms separately exposed to multiple concentrations of a toxin move through the beams. In our tests changes in the motility of Artemia salina within the first 2.5 hours of exposure predict 3 day mortality with an average accuracy of 89%. The Nectophotometer has promise for allowing rapid assessment of the toxicity to invertebrates and fish, and may also be used to assess airborne toxicity if motile insects respond in a similar manner.
Influence of Temperature on Associative Growth of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus

Compatibility of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus during associative growth as dependent on optimum growth temperature was determined. Optimum growth temperatures for 9 strains of S. thermophilus and 10 strains of L. bulgaricus ranged from 35 to 42 degrees C for S. thermophilus and 43 to 46 degrees C for L. bulgaricus. Streptococcus thermophilus and L. bulgaricus strains exhibiting similar to divergent optimum growth temperatures were combined (1:1 vol/vol) and incubated in milk at 37, 42, and 45 degrees C until pH 4.2 was reached. Initial and postincubation cell numbers were determined by plate count method. Streptococcus thermophilus strains reached greater cell numbers than L. bulgaricus at 37, 42, and 45 degrees C in 93.3% of the mixed culture trials. Average rod-coccus ratios obtained at 37, 42, and 45 degrees C were 1:2.2, 1:8, and 1:2.4, respectively. Optimum growth temperatures had no influence on growth of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus in mixed culture. Rather, temperature appeared to influence compatibility by determining the concentration or type of stimulatory factor(s) produced by L. bulgaricus. All strains of S. thermophilus exhibited an uncoupling of growth from acid production. Optimum temperature for acid production ranged from 2 to 8 degrees C above optimum growth temperature. These findings warrant consideration in the manufacture of yogurt and other fermented milk products.
Near zero, a frontier of physics

Abstract By reducing several of the variables of physics, such as temperature, electric field, magnetic field, gravitational field, and electric charge, very nearly to zero, new regions of physics can be explored. This makes possible the investigation of many fundamental problems in physics such as the dragging of inertial frames in general relativity; the search for gravitational waves from collapsing stars; the search for fraction electric charge on matter; the search for monopoles; the force of gravity on electrons and positrons; the electric dipole moment on 3 He; the equivalence principle; a more accurate determination of the λ transition in zero gravitational field; the search for a new gravitational particle by checking the inverse square law of gravity; and the measurement of fundamental constants h/m , α.
Seawater‐acclimation and the thyroidal response to thyrotropin in juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) were acclimated to seawater beginning at one of two stages of development. The first group was seawater-acclimated before the 1- to 2-month period of elevated plasma thyroxine (T4) concentration associated with the parr to smolt transformation (smoltification). The second group was seawater-acclimated midway through the period of elevated T4 levels. Two measures of thyroid activity were used to compare seawater-acclimated salmon with their controls remaining in fresh water. The baseline concentrations of thyroid hormones were assayed throughout a 9- or 10-week period, and at the end of 9 or 10 weeks the responsiveness to a single injection of 0.2 IU bovine thyrotropin was measured. Transfer to seawater before the smoltification-associated T4 elevation prevented the rise in thyroid hormone concentrations and reduced the response to bovine thyrotropin. Transfer of salmon during the period of elevated T4 levels did not change thyroid hormone concentrations; however, the response to thyrotropin was greater in seawater-acclimated fish than in fish still in fresh water. We conclude that the longterm response of the thyroid to seawater acclimation is partly a function of the stage of development at the time of transfer.
Microwave conductance of aligned multiwall carbon nanotube textile sheets

Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT) sheets are a class of nanomaterial-based multifunctional textile with potentially useful microwave properties. To understand better the microwave electrodynamics, complex AC conductance measurements from 0.01 to 50 GHz were made on sheets of highly aligned MWNTs with the alignment texture both parallel and perpendicular to the microwave electric field polarization. In both orientations, the AC conductance is modeled to first order by a parallel frequency-independent conductance and capacitance with no inductive contribution. This is consistent with low-frequency diffusive Drude AC conduction up to 50 GHz, in contrast to the “universal disorder” AC conduction reported in many types of single-wall nanotube materials.
The PM distribution: A model for interpreting LD isoenzyme patterns

We present a method for inferring from the lactate dehydrogenase (LD) isoenzyme pattern in serum or interstitial fluid the estimated distribution of a cellular parameter PM in the cell population from which LD was released. PM is defined as the fraction of M monomer (one of two gene products which may serve as subunits of the LD tetramer) available in a particular cell. The distribution of PM represents a more fundamental characterization of cellular biochemistry than the serum LD pattern. We apply the method to LD patterns from the literature and illustrate the advantage of this approach over simple inspection or piece-by-piece statistical analysis of LD patterns.
The performance of PEM fuel cells fed with oxygen through the free-convection mode

The feasibility and restrictions of feeding oxygen to a PEM fuel cell through free-convection mass transfer were studied through theoretical analysis and experimental testing. It was understood through the theoretical analysis that the free-convection mass-transfer coefficient strongly depends on the difference in mass fraction or concentration of oxygen at the cathode surface and in the quiescent air. Thus, the mass-transfer rate has a strong dependence on the oxygen concentration at the cathode surface, which can be viewed in terms of the relationship of the fuel cell current density and the fuel cell voltage. Through this analysis, the maximum applicable current density was derived, beyond which there will be an abrupt drop in the output voltage, which results in excessively low power in the fuel cell. Experimental tests were conducted for one PEM fuel cell stack and two single PEM fuel cell units. An excessive drop in output voltage was observed when the free-convection mass-transfer mode was utilized. It was also found that the orientation of the cathode surface affects the performance of the fuel cell, which is mainly due to the fact that the free-convection mass-transfer coefficient depends on the orientation of the involved mass-transfer surface, which is analogous to free-convection heat transfer.
The Impact of Dry Midlevel Air on Hurricane Intensity in Idealized Simulations with No Mean Flow

This study examines the potential negative influences of dry midlevel air on the development of tropical cyclones (specifically, its role in enhancing cold downdraft activity and suppressing storm development). The Weather Research and Forecasting model is used to construct two sets of idealized simulations of hurricane development in environments with different configurations of dry air. The first set of simulations begins with dry air located north of the vortex center by distances ranging from 0 to 270 km, whereas the second set of simulations begins with dry air completely surrounding the vortex, but with moist envelopes in the vortex core ranging in size from 0 to 150 km in radius. No impact of the dry air is seen for dry layers located more than 270 km north of the initial vortex center (approximately 3 times the initial radius of maximum wind). When the dry air is initially closer to the vortex center, it suppresses convective development where it entrains into the storm circulation, leading to increasingly asymmetric convection and slower storm development. The presence of dry air throughout the domain, including the vortex center, substantially slows storm development. However, the presence of a moist envelope around the vortex center eliminates the deleterious impact on storm intensity. Instead, storm size is significantly reduced. The simulations suggest that dry air slows intensification only when it is located very close to the vortex core at early times. When it does slow storm development, it does so primarily by inducing outward- moving convective asymmetries that temporarily shift latent heating radially outward away from the high-vorticity inner core.
Student Interest in Studying and Engaging in Public Relations Entrepreneurship

Abstract To assess the interest of public relations students regarding studying and engaging in public relations entrepreneurship, a survey was conducted in spring 2007. Results from the 436 respondents revealed that the majority of current public relations students have a strong interest in obtaining the keys for success in this area, and, even at this early stage in their professional lives, many have a desire to be public relations entrepreneurs at some point in their careers. Six in 10 students surveyed (60.5%) expressed a moderate to high interest in taking courses in public relations entrepreneurship, and almost one in three (29.6%) see themselves engaging in some type of public relations entrepreneurship at some point in their careers. Running a small agency (less than 50 people) was the role most of the potential entrepreneurs saw themselves in (52.1%).
Computation of Flow and Heat Transfer in Rotating Rectangular Channels (AR=4:1) With Pin-Fins by a Reynolds Stress Turbulence Model

Computations with multi-block chimera grids were performed to study the three-dimensional turbulent flow and heat transfer in a rotating rectangular channel with staggered arrays of pin-fins. The channel aspect ratio (AR) is 4:1, the pin length to diameter ratio (HID) is 2.0, and the pin spacing to diameter ratio is 2.0 in both the stream-wise (S 1 /D) and span-wise (S 2 /D) directions. A total of six calculations have been performed with various combinations of rotation number, Reynolds number, and coolant-to-wall density ratio. The rotation number and inlet coolant-to-wall density ratio varied from 0.0 to 0.28 and from 0.122 to 0.20, respectively, while the Reynolds number varied from 10,000 to 100,000. For the rotating cases, the rectangular channel was oriented at 150 deg with respect to the plane of rotation to be consistent with the configuration of the gas turbine blade. A Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method was employed in conjunction with a near-wall second-moment turbulence closure for detailed predictions of mean velocity, mean temperature, and heat transfer coefficient distributions.
Selected aspects of strangeness and heavy flavours in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC

The LHC will collide lead beams at the energy of 5.5 TeV per nucleon pair and proton beams at the energy of 14 TeV, starting in 2007. This will open a new chapter of heavy-ion physics, where abundantly produced heavy flavours and other hard probes will allow characterization of the newly created quark–gluon plasma phase. The particular role of charm, and to some degree strangeness, in the physics programme is discussed.
Highly resolved pulsatile flows through prosthetic heart valves using the entropic lattice-Boltzmann method

Prosthetic heart valves have been widely used to replace diseased or defective native heart valves. Flow through bileaflet mechanical heart valves (BMHVs) have previously demonstrated complex phenomena in the vicinity of the valve owing to the presence of two rigid leaflets. This study aims to accurately capture the complex flow dynamics for pulsatile flow through a 23 mm St Jude Medical (SJM) Regent™ BMHV. The lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) is used to simulate pulsatile flow through the valve with the inclusion of reverse leakage flow at very high spatiotemporal resolution that can capture fine details in the pulsatile BMHV flow field. For higher-Reynolds-number flows, this high spatiotemporal resolution captures features that have not been observed in previous coarse resolution studies. In addition, the simulations are able to capture with detail the features of leaflet closing and the asymmetric b-datum leakage jet during mid-diastole. Novel flow physics are visualized and discussed along with quantification of turbulent features of this flow, which is made possible by this parallelized numerical method.
A comparative study of hydraulic fracturing with various boreholes in coal seam

Comparative numerical study on hydraulic fracturing with various boreholes in coal seam combined with in situ experiments was carried out to investigate the fracturing mechanism and loosening effect of hydraulic fracturing in coal seam. Hydraulic fracturing models with single-borehole, three-borehole and fiveborehole were built based on in situ tests in Chengshan coalmine, Jixi city, Heilongjiang province, China and the changes of water pressure and shear stress around boreholes during hydraulic fracturing were analyzed. The influence of hydraulic fracturing with controlling borehole on crack initiation and propagation was discussed. According to the in situ testing results, it is found that controlling boreholes in hydraulic fracturing not only can control the direction of crack propagation, but also can judge the effect of crack initiation and breakdown. The work in this paper is of great importance for the design of hydraulic fracturing technology and the alternative of the parameters in theory and practice.
Bottom-up education

People who discover the power and beauty of high-level, abstract ideas often make the mistake of believing that concrete ideas at lower levels are relatively worthless and might as well be forgotten. The speaker will argue that, on the contrary, the best computer scientists are thoroughly grounded in basic concepts of how computers actually work, and indeed that the essence of computer science is an ability to understand many levels of abstraction simultaneously. Therefore he has put considerable effort into the design of a RISC machine called MMIX, as an aid to computer science educators. MMIX is intended to be simple and clean yet realistic. Many tools have been built to simulate the MMIX architecture, and more are under development.
Rhesus monkey platelet kinetics and storage.

Rhesus monkey platelets that are separated, 51Cr labeled, and transfused provide yields, 1/2; time and survivals similar to those obtained in man. Rhesus platelets prepared and stored at room temperature for three days have 93 per cent of the yield of fresh platelets. When prepared and stored at 4C, the yield is only 54 per cent of fresh platelets. Rhesus repeatedly transfused with platelets from random unmatched donors always have a significant decrease in the platelet 1/2; time and survival. This was observed after the second homologous transfusion in one and after the third in others. The rhesus provides an excellent platelet model with thrombocyte responses mimicking those of man.
Does use of a PACS increase the number of images per study? A case study in ultrasound.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of a picture archiving and communications system (PACS) in ultrasonography increased the number of images acquired per examination. The hypothesis that such an increase does occur was based on anecdotal information; this study sought to test the hypothesis. A random sample of all ultrasound examination types was drawn from the period 1998 through 1999. The ultrasound PACS in use (ACCESS; Kodak Health Information Systems, Dallas, TX) records the number of grayscale and color images saved as part of each study. Each examination in the sample was checked in the ultrasound PACS database,.and the number of grayscale and color images was recorded. The comparison film-based sample was drawn from the period 1994 through 1995. The number of examinations of each type selected was based on the overall statistics of the section; that is, the sample was designed to represent the approximate frequency with which the various examination types are done. For film-based image counts, the jackets were retrieved, and the number of grayscale and color images were counted. The number of images obtained per examination (for most examinations) in ultrasound increased with PACS use. This was more evident with some examination types (eg, pelvis). This result, however, has to be examined for possible systematic biases because ultrasound practice has changed over the time since the authors stopped using film routinely. The use of PACS in ultrasonography was not associated with an increase in the number of images per examination based solely on the use of PACS, with the exception of neonatal head studies. Increases in the number of images per study was otherwise associated with examinations for which changes in protocols resulted in the increased image counts.
An efficient advancing front algorithm for Delaunay triangulation

There has been some recent interest in fluid dynamics calculations on unstructured meshes. One method of unstructured mesh generation involves Delaunay triangulation. This method has certain advantages but it can be expensive to implement. Furthermore, there can be problems with crossing grid lines near boundaries. A method shown here avoids many of the robustness and efficiency problems previously associated with Delaunay triangulation. As an added feature, a simple algorithm is shown which allows removal of diagonal edges from cells that are nearly rectangular. This can result in significant savings in the cost per iteration of a flow solver using this grid.
A practical automatic patching system for a time-shared hybrid computer

This paper describes a digitally controlled MOSFET switching array capable of programming a module of 37 analog computer components for a hybrid compu ter system. Using the patching scheme to program the analog portion of a hybrid computer has allowed full time-sharing of the system. A time- sharing monitor has been developed allowing remote access to the system.
Structure and kinematics of the Livingstone Mountains border fault zone, Nyasa (Malawi) Rift, southwestern Tanzania

Abstract Reconnaissance mapping of the Livingstone Mountains border fault zone (LMBFZ) at the northern end of the Nyasa (Malawi) Rift in SW Tanzania constrains the geometry and movement history of this typical rift border fault. The fault is a narrow zone of complex brittle deformation, striking 320°, that overprints and reactivates an older ductile shear zone. Long, straight, NW-trending border fault segments are offset by minor NE-trending faults. These two orthogonal fault sets integrate along strike to produce an overall curved fault trace that is concave towards a major depositional basin in the rift. A typical section through the fault zone shows an E to W progression from gneissic country rock through ductilely deformed country rock, into a zone overprinted by closely spaced fractures and grading into an intensely fractured, massive, flinty, aphanitic mylonite band at the lakeshore. Pseudotachylite veins, probably generated during seismic movement on the border fault, are common within and near the aphanitic mylonite. Slickensides indicate dextral oblique-slip, whereas shear belts and rolled porphyroclasts with complex tails in the older ductile shear zone indicate sub-horizontal sinistral motion. The adjacent rift basin is typical of other East African Rift Basins, and contains at least 4 km of Recent to perhaps Mesozoic sediment. Whereas the minimum net slip on the LMBFZ, in the dominant slickenside direction, is on the order of 10 km, regional geologic considerations suggest that dominantly strike-slip motion preceded the oblique-slip phase that produced the LMBFZ and the adjacent rift basin.
The latitudinal species richness gradient in New World woody angiosperms is consistent with the tropical conservatism hypothesis

Plant diversity, like that of most other taxonomic groups, peaks in the tropics, where climatic conditions are warm and wet, and it declines toward the temperate and polar zones as conditions become colder and drier, with more seasonally variable temperatures. Climate and evolutionary history are often considered competing explanations for the latitudinal gradient, but they are linked by the evolutionarily conserved environmental adaptations of species and the history of Earth’s climate system. The tropical conservatism hypothesis (TCH) invokes niche conservatism, climatic limitations on establishment and survival, and paleoclimatic history to explain the latitudinal diversity gradient. Here, we use latitudinal distributions for over 12,500 woody angiosperm species, a fossil-calibrated supertree, and null modeling to test predictions of the TCH. Regional assemblages in the northern and southern temperate zones are less phylogenetically diverse than expected based on their species richness, because temperate taxa are clustered into relatively few clades. Moreover, lineages with temperate affinities are generally younger and nested within older, more tropical lineages. As predicted by the TCH, the vast majority of temperate lineages have arisen since global cooling began at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary (34 Mya). By linking physiological tolerances of species to evolutionary and biogeographic processes, phylogenetic niche conservatism may provide a theoretical framework for a generalized explanation for Earth’s predominant pattern of biodiversity.
Epicuticular wax of Juniperus scopulorum

Abstract Epicuticular wax from Juniperus scopulorum contains hydrocarbons (16%), esters (11%), free acids (1%), nonacosan-10-ol (27%), nonacosane-diols (7%) and estolides (16%). The major hydrocarbon is tritriacontane; the principal esters are C 34 –C 46 , mainly octyl and decyl esters of C 28 -C 36 acids; and the diols consist of nonacosane-4,10-diol (57%),5,10-diol (28%), 7,10-diol (11%) and 10,13-diol (4%). Hydrolysis of the estolides gave a mixture of acids, ω-hydroxy acids, α, ω-diols, alcohols and hydroxy acids. The hydroxy acids are a new class of C 28 –C 36 acids with the OH attached to either the eighteenth or twentieth carbon from the terminal methyl end; the major component is 13-hydroxydotriacontanoic acid. Syntheses of this acid and of nonacosane-4,10-dione and nonacosane-4,10-diol are described.
Instrumental carbon monoxide dosimetry

Modern technology for the ambient monitoring of carbon monoxide has been developed to produce a portable electrochemical instrument capable of the measurement of personal exposures to carbon monoxide. The performance characteristics of this device have been studied so that the unambiguous interpretation of field data could be performed. A study of the carbon monoxide exposure in a light manufacturing facility illustrate that effective dosimetry can be performed with expectations of accuracy typically better than ±15%, and that voluntary carbon monoxide exposures such as smoking were a significant contribution to the individual's exposure. Significant definition of the carbon monoxide exposure profile can be achieved with an instrument approach to the collection of the dosimetric data.
Retroviral Gene Therapy in ApoE-Deficient Mice ApoE Expression in the Artery Wall Reduces Early Foam Cell Lesion Formation

Background—Apolipoprotein E (apoE) has long been known to play an important role in the clearance of plasma lipoproteins. More recently, a direct role for apoE in delaying atherogenesis has been proposed. Macrophage production of apoE in the artery wall has been demonstrated to provide protection against atherosclerotic lesion development independently from its role in lipoprotein clearance. However, whether macrophage apoE can affect lesion growth at all stages of atherogenesis remains to be established. Methods and Results—To evaluate the role of macrophage apoE in different stages of atherogenesis, as well as to establish a novel gene therapy approach to atherosclerotic vascular disease, we used an apoE-expressing retrovirus to transduce apoE-deficient (−/−) bone marrow for transplantation into apoE(−/−) recipient mice. Three weeks after bone marrow transplantation, apoE was expressed from arterial macrophages and was detectable in plasma associated with lipoproteins at 0.5% to 1% of normal levels but ...
X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism of Fe-Ni Alloys on Cu(111)

Abstract : We have prepared Fe(x)Ni(1-x) multilayers on Cu(111) in order to learn how to control the structure and magnetism of these thin alloy films, which are relevant to the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect used in magnetic disk drive beads. Using the Spectromicroscopy Facility (7.0.1.2) on Undulator Beamline 7.0 at the Advanced Light Source, we have measured X-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD) signals from both Fe and Ni 3p lines for fourteen different thin Ni-Fe alloy films on Cu(111), with Fe concentration ranging from 9% to 84% and for a variety of film thicknesses. The Curie temperature for all of these samples was in the range 200 K to 500 K. For many of these films, the Curie temperature was considerably lower than was previously seen for similar films deposited on Cu(100). For a particular Fe concentration x, the Curie temperature increases with alloy film thickness. For a specific film thickness, the Curie temperature has a maximum near x approx. 0.4.
Fabrication of gold and platinum single crystal ultramicroelectrodes

Recent work in this laboratory involving the fabrication of single crystal ultramicroelectrodes (SCUMES) of gold and platinum is summarized in this paper. The method for growing the gold and platinum single crystals of micron dimensions is discussed in detail and the technique for incorporating these crystals into ultramicroelectrodes is described. The electrochemical response of these ultramicroelectrodes is shown with cyclic voltammograms recorded in selected electrolytes. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the platinum and gold crystals, which were used to make the ultramicroelectrodes, are also presented.
Entropy of Small Black Holes

I will describe the relation between the entropy of extremal black holes and the topological string partition function.
The influence of community capital toward a community's capacity to respond to food insecurity

For many Americans, purchasing or acquiring food is a minor inconvenience rather than a major obstacle that must be overcome. In the United States, 17 million households (14.6%) were food insecure in 2008. Confronted with this vulnerability, some communities are attempting to re-localize many food system activities in an attempt to provide for healthier and more sustainable (socially, economically, and environmentally) food alternatives. Despite this rising movement, little research exists that examines which community-level characteristics are associated with a community's capacity to respond to food insecurity. Using data collected on 540 communities in the Northwest and Midwest, I examine the relationship between community capitals and food options available to residents of small to mid-sized communities. Findings show that communities with values and beliefs conducive for community betterment (cultural capital) coupled with acting on those beliefs through participation in civic groups and networking w...