cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near-field Spectroscopy of Surface Plasmons in Flat Gold Nanoparticles

We use near-field interference spectroscopy with a broadband femtosecond, white-light probe to study local surface plasmon resonances in flat gold nanoparticles (FGNPs). Depending on nanoparticle dimensions, local near-field extinction spectra exhibit none, one, or two resonances in the range of visible wavelengths (1.6-2.6 eV). The measured spectra can be accurately described in terms of interference between the field emitted by the probe aperture and the field reradiated by driven FGNP surface plasmon oscillations. The measured resonances are in good agreement with those predicted by calculations using discrete dipole approximation. We observe that the amplitudes of these resonances are dependent upon the spatial position of the near-field probe, which indicates the possibility of spatially selective excitation of specific plasmon modes.
A comparison of the lipolytic activities in liver perfusates and liver plasma membranes from rats.

Abstract We have undertaken a study to resolve the conflicting reports on the substrate specificity of the lipolytic enzyme(s) released by heparin from liver and report the following:(1) Heparin perfusates from liver contain an enzyme(s) capable of degrading triacylglycerol, diacylglycerophosphoryl-ethanolamine and monoacylglycerol, whereas a heparin-solubilized fraction from liver plasma membranes hydrolyzes diacylglycerophosphorylethanolamine and monoacylglycerol only; (2) The lipolytic activities for the two sources behave differently on gel filtration but have the same behavior on heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography; (3) Treatment of the preparation from the plasma membrane with Triton X-100 followed by heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography produces forms of the enzyme(s) that now have activity on triacylglycerol. This study suggests that the enzyme(s) from the two sources may be the same and that some change occurs when the enzyme is released from the intact liver.
An efficient MILP model for the short-term scheduling of single stage batch plants

This paper presents a multiple time grid continuous time MILP model for the short-term scheduling of single stage, multiproduct batch plants. It can handle both release and due dates and the objective can be either the minimization of total cost or total earliness. This formulation is compared to other mixed-integer linear programming approaches that have appeared in the literature, to a constraint programming model, and to a hybrid mixed-integer linear/constraint programming algorithm. The results show that the proposed formulation is significantly more efficient than the MILP and CP models and comparable to the hybrid model. For one large instance, both methods exceeded the time limit but the hybrid method failed to find a feasible solution. The results also show that a discrete-time formulation performs very efficiently even when a large number of time intervals are used.
The stream of speech.

The use of sinusoidal replicas of speech signals reveals that listeners can perceive speech solely from temporally coherent spectral variation of nonspeech acoustic elements. This sensitivity to coherent change in acoustic stimulation is analogous to the sensitivity to change in configurations of visual stimuli, as detailed by Johansson. The similarities and potential differences between these two kinds of perceptual functions are described.
Peptide inhibitor of interleukin-8 (IL-8) reduces staphylococcal enterotoxin-A (SEA) induced neutrophil trafficking to the lung

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is a superantigen, produced by some strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which can cause a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from food poisoning to shock. SEA can also stimulate human alveolar macrophages to produce interleukin-8 (IL-8), a member of the alpha-chemokine subfamily that activates and is chemotactic for neutrophils. In these studies we showed that in rabbits, intravenous SEA significantly decreased the circulating white blood cell population from a baseline value of 6409 +/- 2027 x 10(3) cells/ml to 1943 +/- 862 x 10(3) cells/ml in 7 h. There was a concommitent increase in IL-8 in the circulating plasma (baseline: 60 +/- 34 pg/ml, 7 h post SEA: 109 +/- 64 pg/ml). The increase in circulating IL-8 was accompanied by a much greater increase in the IL-8 concentration of the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) where the IL-8 increased from 0.05 +/- 0.08 ng/ml (control) to 13.8 +/- 9.3 ng/ml (SEA treated). The increase in IL-8 concentration in the alveolar spaces was paralleled by an increase in both the percentage of neutrophils (1.4 +/- 0.9% (control) to 26.0 +/- 10.8% (SEA treated)) and total number of neutrophils (0.04 +/- 0.02 x 10(6)/ml (control) to 4.8 +/- 3.3 10(6)/ml (SEA treated) in the airspaces, and the numbers of neutrophils in the ELF correlated with the IL-8 concentration r = 0.62, p = 0.006). When antileukinate, a hexapeptide which inhibits the binding of IL-8 to neutrophils, was administered to animals receiving SEA, the IL-8 concentration in the ELF (14.8 +/- 10.7 ng/ml) was not significantly different from the concentration of IL-8 in those animals receiving SEA alone). However, both the percentage of neutrophils (9.5 +/- 3.2%), and the total number of neutrophils (1.3 +/- 1.0 x 10(6)/ml) in the ELF following SEA and antileukinate administration was significantly lower than in animals which only received SEA (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that SEA released into the circulation during a Staphylococcal infection can cause an inflammatory reaction in the lung. Since this reaction is at least partially mediated by IL-8, antileukinate may have pharmacologic potential in reducing the inflammatory reaction.
An orthotropic laminate composite containing a layer with a crack

A laminate composite containing an orthotropic layer with a crack situated normal to the interfaces, and bonded to two orthotropic half-planes of dissimilar materials, is considered. The solutions for two different classes of orthotropic materials are presented separately. In each case, the problem is first reduced to a system of dual integral equations, then to a singular integral equation which is subsequently solved numerically for the stress intensity factors at the tip of the crack. The effect of the material properties on the stress intensity factor is investigated. Two cases, the generalized plane stress and the plane strain, are treated simultaneously.
The pathophysiology of spasticity

Spasticity is only one of several components of the upper motor neurone (UMN) syndrome, known collectively as the 'positive' phenomena, that are characterized by muscle overactivity. Other components include tendon hyper-reflexia, clonus, the clasp-knife phenomenon, flexor and extensor spasms, a Babinski sign, and spastic dystonia. Spasticity is a form of hypertonia due to hyperexcitable tonic stretch reflexes. It is distinguished from rigidity by its dependence upon the speed of the muscle stretch and by the presence of other positive UMN signs. Hyperactive spinal reflexes mediate most of these positive phenomena, while others are due to disordered control of voluntary movement or abnormal efferent drive. An UMN lesion disturbs the balance of supraspinal inhibitory and excitatory inputs, producing a state of net disinhibition of the spinal reflexes. These include proprioceptive (stretch) and nociceptive (flexor withdrawal and extensor) reflexes. The clinical syndrome resulting from an UMN lesion depends more upon its location and extent, and the time since it occurred, than on the pathology of the lesion. However, the change in spinal reflex excitability cannot simply be due to an imbalance in supraspinal control. The delayed onset after the lesion and the frequent reduction in reflex excitability over time, suggests plasticity in the central nervous system. Knowledge of the electrophysiology and neurochemistry of spinal reflexes, together with the action of antispasticity drugs, helps us to understand the pathophysiology of spasticity.
Stable Recovery of Sparse Signals Via Regularized Minimization

Suppose we want to recover a vector x0isinRm from incomplete and contaminated measurements y=Ax0+e, where A is a p by m matrix, p<m and e is an error term, parepar2=epsiv. In previous work, Donoho et al. (1998), Candes et al. (Commun. Pure Appl.) have shown that if the signal x0 is sufficiently sparse, it can be recovered stably by lscr1-minimization. More precisely, the vector x# with minimal lscr1 norm, constrained by parAx#-ypar2lesepsiv, satisfies parx#-x0par2lesCepsiv. In the present correspondence it is shown that one can also choose a regularization approach, in which one minimizes the functional parAx-ypar2 2+muparxpar1, without additional constraints; its minimizer x* is likewise a good estimate for x0, with a bound on parx*-x0par2 proportional to epsiv.
Identifying Magnitudes and Locations of Loads on Slender Beams With Welded and Bolted Joints Using a Strain Gage Based Force Transducer With Application to a Portable Army Bridge

A strain gauge-based force transducer methodology has been developed to identify magnitudes and locations of loads on noncontinuous, nonhomogeneous, slender beams with welded and bolted joints. Slopes of bending moment curves on two sides of a load are calculated from measured strains on a beam. Four uniaxial strain gauges are mounted to the bottom surface of the beam, with two strain gauges oneachsideoftheload,toformaforcetransducer.Apreviouslydevelopedcalibrationmethodcanbeusedtoaccountfordiscrepanciesbetween theoreticalandactualscalingfactors.Fourormoreforcetransducersareneededforcalibrationinthiswork.Theforcetransducermethodologyis experimentallyvalidatedonacontinuouslytaperedaluminumbeamwithaseriesofweldedjoints,ahalf-aluminumandhalf-steelbeamwithtwo differentcrosssectionsandaboltedjoint,andafull-scaleportableArmybridgeattheU.S.ArmyAberdeenTestCenter.DOI:10.1061/(ASCE) BE.1943-5592.0000507. © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers. Authorkeywords:Loadidentification;Magnitude;Location;Slenderbeam;Weldedjoint;Boltedjoint;Straingauge-basedforcetransducer; Portable Army bridge.
Inward Rectification (Ih) in Immunocytochemically‐ldentified Vasopressin and Oxytocin Neurons of Guinea‐Pig Supraoptic Nucleus

Intracellular recordings of magnocellular neurons from the supraoptic nucleus of guinea-pigs were made with KCI/K citrate- and biocytin-filled electrodes. Fifty of 99 cells exhibited a time-dependent inward rectification (TDR). The TDR was activated during hyperpolarizing current pulses to membrane potentials more hyperpolarized than -75 mV. In voltage-clamp recordings, an inward current appeared at voltage steps more hyperpolarized than -75 mV, with properties similar to the slow inward rectifier (I(h)) described in other tissues. The I(h) was blocked by 2 mM CsCI. BaCI(2) (100 to 500 muM) did not block the I(h). Immunocytochemical identification of the recorded cells revealed that both vasopressin (AVP)- and oxytocin (OT)- containing neurons exhibited an I(h).
Implications of modern consciousness research for psychology: Holotropic experiences and their healing and heuristic potential

Abstract This paper focuses on an important subcategory of non‐ordinary states of consciousness that the author calls “holotropic” ("moving toward wholeness"). In all pre‐industrial cultures, these states have been held in high esteem as vehicles for ritual and spiritual life. They have played a crucial role in shamanism, rites of passage, the ancient mysteries of death and rebirth, Eastern spiritual practices, and the mystical traditions of the world. They have also been widely used for diagnosing and healing various disorders, for cultivation of intuition and extrasensory perception, as a source of artistic inspiration, and for various practical purposes. In the Western industrial civilization, holotropic states have been pathologized and their value denied; the means and contexts for inducing them have been discarded and some of them even outlawed. Modern consciousness research and experiential psychotherapies have rediscovered the healing and transformative potential of these states. They have also re...
Activity Measures in Rhesus Monkeys on Long-Term Calorie Restriction

Calorie restriction (CR), undernutrition without malnutrition, extends the mean and maximal lifespan of several ecologically diverse species. Rodents on CR demonstrate increased activity measured as spontaneous locomotion, wheel running, open field behavior or movement. Activity measures were recorded from 19 male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) as either controls (C) which were fed a nutritious diet to approximate ad libitum levels, or as experimentals (E) which were fed 30% less than age- and weight-matched controls. Within each diet group, some monkeys (n = 10) began CR at 2.3 years of age (range 2.2-2.4 yrs, J Group) while another group (n = 9) began CR at approximately 4.6 years of age (range 4-5.25, A group). Beginning about 6 years after initiation of the study, behavioral activity was measured via ultrasonic motion detectors and recorded on videotape. Diurnal and circadian activity was clearly discernible. Peaks in activity were associated with mealtime and colony husbandry. Compared to Group A, Group J monkeys exhibited higher overall activity as measured by sensors, and also significantly more circling. Compared to AC monkeys, group AE monkeys demonstrated higher rates of gross motor behavior, pacing, stereotypies and grooming. The increases in motor activity observed in one group of monkeys were consistent with results obtained from rodent studies of CR and aging. CR did not significantly inhibit or negatively influence the display of behavior of rhesus monkeys in the laboratory environment. We report here, for the first time, increases in activity due to CR in a model other than the rodent.
The wind-elicited escape response of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) is influenced by lesions rostral to the escape circuit

When the escape response of the cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is triggered by wind, it is mediated by the cercal-to-giant interneuron pathway and leg motor circuitry, within the abdominal and thoracic portions of the ventral nerve cord. We have found that a lesion rostral to the thorax (transection of a cervical connective) produces specific changes in wind-evoked escape. Lesioned animals reliably displayed short-latency responses to wind. However, the orientation of the initial turning component of escape was altered and the duration of subsequent running was reduced. Preliminary physiological study suggests that changes in the orientation of escape reflect changes in the integration of wind-sensory signals by thoracic circuitry. These findings imply that rostral centers influence sensorimotor integration underlying wind-evoked escape.
Observation of complex thermal transitions for mixed micelle solutions containing alkyldimethylphosphine oxides and phospholipids and the accompanying cloud points.

Abstract The thermal properties of various mixtures of two nonionic surfactants, decyldimethylphosphine oxide (APO10) and dodecyldimethylphosphine oxide (APO12) and two phospholipids, dimyristoylphosphatidyl choline (DMPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidyl choline (DPPC), were examined by differential scanning calorimetry at various mole fractions. The addition of APO12 to DMPC multilamellar vesicles lowered the temperature of the main transition, produced considerable broadening, and eliminated the pre-transition. Phase separation, as evidenced by the existence of a cloud point, Tcp, occurred when the mole fraction of APO12, with respect to DMPC was 0.58 and above. A small abrupt increase in heat capacity was observed at, or slightly above, the cloud point of APO12 and all mixed micelle solutions. It appeared that mixed micelles coexisted with mixed bilayers when the mole fraction was between 0.58 and 0.75 and perhaps as low as a mole ratio of 0.32. All of the mixtures, except APO12/DMPC, exhibited a clear endotherm below the temperature corresponding to the cloud point, which likely reflects the growth in micellar size. Overlapping chain length dependent endothermic peaks, perhaps resulting from reorganization and/or continued association of the micelles, were observed above the cloud point for all of the mixtures except for APO10/DMPC solutions. However, solutions of mixed micelles consisting of APO10/DMPC with mole fractions of surfactant between 0.81 and 0.93 portrayed a broad unidentified exotherm of about 2±1 kcal/mol, which was centered nearly 10–20 °C above the cloud point.
Properties of a multicountry econometric model

Abstract A general description of my multicountry econometric model is presented in this paper. A two-country theoretical model is presented first. This model is then used to motivate the specification of the econometric model, especially the specification of the interest rate and exchange rate equations. The properties of the econometric model are then examined by performing a number of numerical experiments.
Passive Avoidance in the California Harvester Ant Pogonmyrmex Californicus

Summary Passive avoidance behavior in the California harvester ant (Pogonmyrmex californicus) was studied. In Experiment 1 Ss (N = 8) could escape mechanical vibration by entering a safety zone which restricted movement; remaining in this zone postponed stimulation for the duration of that response. Experiment 2 (N = 6) examined passive avoidance in a shuttlebox situation where the safety zone allowed free movement within the confines of the zone. Experiment 1 demonstrates that ants could make escape responses but could not passively avoid the onset of vibration by remaining relatively stationary. When escape responses did not restrict excess movement (Experiment 2) passive avoidance was demonstrated.
Feedback control of chemical processes using on-line optimization techniques

Abstract The objective of this research is to develop tools for feedback control and sensitivity analysis of systems modelled by nonlinear differential-algebraic equations. Features of this novel approach include: direct use of nonlinear models without linearization, the ability to handle multiple inputs and outputs without pairing, and the ability to handle input and output constraints without complicated anti-reset windup logic. In the model-predictive control framework, an optimal control policy for the nominal plant is determined using a simultaneous optimization and model solution approach. The sensitivity of the optimal solution with respect to the model parameters is also computed. The feedback from the measurements is used to update the important process model parameters and output disturbances. The optimal profile is then recomputed for the updated model. Confidence intervals can also be placed on the optimal control profiles by considering second-order variations in the Lagrangian. This approach will be illustrated with several examples including: batch and continuous chemical reactors, and a batch crystallizer, which demonstrates the method on a nonlinear, distributed parameter system.
The far reaches of enzymology

The scope of enzymology has expanded rapidly over the last century, from an early focus on the chemical and catalytic mechanisms of individual enzymes to more recent efforts to understand enzyme action in the context of dynamic, functional biological systems consisting of many interacting enzymes and proteins. Continuing progress in probing the link between molecular structure and function now promises to pave the way for a deeper understanding of the evolution and behavior of the complex biological systems that govern cellular behavior.
The blue-light receptor cryptochrome 1 shows functional dependence on phytochrome A or phytochrome B in Arabidopsis thaliana

Blue-light responses in higher plants are mediated by specific photoreceptors, which are thought to be flavoproteins; one such flavin-type blue-light receptor, CRY1 (for cryptochrome), which mediates inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and anthocyanin biosynthesis, has recently been characterized. Prompted by classical photobiological studies suggesting possible co-action of the red/far-red absorbing photoreceptor phytochrome with blue-light photoreceptors in certain plant species, the role of phytochrome in CRY1 action in Arabidopsis was investigated. The activity of the CRY1 photoreceptor can be substantially altered by manipulating the levels of active phytochrome (Pfr) with red or far-red light pulses subsequent to blue-light treatments. Furthermore, analysis of severely phytochrome-deficient mutants showed that CRY1-mediated blue-light responses were considerably reduced, even though Western blots confirmed that levels of CRY1 photoreceptor are unaffected in these phytochrome-deficient mutant backgrounds. It was concluded that CRY1-mediated inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and anthocyanin production requires active phytochrome for full expression, and that this requirement can be supplied by low levels of either phyA or phyB.
Spatial correlations of one dimensional driven-dissipative systems of Rydberg atoms

We consider a one-dimensional lattice of atoms with laser excitation to a Rydberg state and spontaneous emission. The atoms are coupled due to the dipole-dipole interaction of the Rydberg states. This driven-dissipative system has a broad range of nonequilibrium phases, such as antiferromagnetic ordering and bistability. Using the quantum trajectory method, we calculate the spatial correlation function throughout the parameter space for up to 18 lattice sites. We show that bistability significantly strengthens the spatial correlations and the entanglement.
Heat treatment-microstructure-mechanical property relationships in U-Cr castings

Abstract The microstructures of cast near-eutectic uranium-chromium alloys consist of dendrites of proeutectic uranium or chromium, plus eutectic colonies of parallel chromium fibers in a uranium matrix. Provided the post-solidification cooling rates are 1°C/s cooling from the spheroidizing temperature results in retention of brittle beta-uranium. The much larger proeutectic chromium dendrites are more resistant to spheroidization than the eutectic chromium fibers, and restrict the ductilities which can be obtained in hypereutectic alloys.
A mathematical framework for the linear reconstructor problem in adaptive optics

Abstract The wave front field aberrations induced by atmospheric turbulence can severely degrade the performance of an optical imaging system. Adaptive optics refers to the process of removing unwanted wave front distortions in real time, i.e., before the image is formed, with the use of a phase corrector. The basic idea in adaptive optics is to control the position of the surface of a deformable mirror in such a way as to approximately cancel the atmospheric turbulence effects on the phase of the incoming light wave front. A phase computation system, referred to as a reconstructor, transforms the output of a wave front sensor into a set of drive signals that control the shape of a deformable mirror. The control of a deformable mirror is often based on a linear wave front reconstruction algorithm that is equivalent to a matrix–vector multiply. The matrix associated with the reconstruction algorithm is called the reconstructor matrix. Since the entire process, from the acquisition of wave front measurements to the positioning of the surface of the deformable mirror, must be performed at speeds commensurate with the atmospheric changes, the adaptive optics control imposes several challenging computational problems. The goal of this paper is twofold: (i) to describe a simplified yet feasible mathematical framework that accounts for the interactions among main components involved in an adaptive optics imaging system, and (ii) to present several ways to estimate the reconstructor matrix based on this framework. The performances of these various reconstruction techniques are illustrated using some simple computer simulations.
Organizational Illegality: Theoretical Integration and Illustrative Application

Research on organizational illegality coming from several disciplines converges on three central explanatory variables; environment (pressure, need, or distress); structure (corporate, industrial, or legal); and inner-directed choice processes (pathology, intent, or proactive exploitation). This paper briefly uses such a framework to identify and categorize a few of the theories of organizational illegality. A research strategy is then presented using the instances of prosecution for misrepresentation (deceptive advertising) as an example.
Generation and Structural Analysis of Reactive Empty Particles Derived from an Icosahedral Virus.

Chemical and genetic modifications on the surface of viral protein cages confer unique properties to the virus particles with potential nano and biotechnological applications. The enclosed space in the interior of the virus particles further increases its versatility as a nanomaterial. In this paper, we report a simple method to generate a high yield of stable cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) empty capsids from their native nucleoprotein counterparts by removing the encapsidated viral genome without compromising the integrity of the protein coat. Biochemical and structural comparison of artificially generated empty particles did not reveal any distinguishable differences from CPMV particles containing viral RNA. Preliminary results on the use of artificially produced empty CPMV capsids as a carrier capsule are described.
Prenatal predisposition and the clinical management of some pediatric conditions

Theoretical understanding of psychosexual development, particularly in regard to sexual identity, has undergone several historical changes. Most notable has been the transition away from a learning paradigm, which held that individuals are psychosexually neutral at birth and that they develop their sexual identity due to rearing. This has shifted to contemporary acceptance that an interaction of both nature and nurture is responsible for psychosexual development. That there probably exists an inherent predisposition or bias toward a male or female identity, which is inferred by prenatal influences, is also current theory. However, while this shift has occurred in the theoretical understanding of the phenomenon, a comparable shift has not occurred in the clinical management of individuals where sex assignment or reassignment is a real issue. The theoretical change and real case management should be concordant.
High-altitude supersonic gas releases

Vapours released at high altitudes from rockets or the Space Shuttle may travel many hundreds of kilometres before coming to rest. An understanding of the effects produced by these releases requires a knowledge of the vapour flow. In the tenuous upper atmosphere, the injected gases expand from a collisionless to a collision—dominated state. In this paper, this process is described by the Boltzmann equation with the Krook collision integral • The theory is applied to supersonic releases into a non-uniform atmosphere. The model predicts elongation and heating of the vapour trails due to collisions. The theory may be applied to a wide range of experiments whose objectives include the formation of ionospheric depletions, the triggering of instabilities, the generation of gravity waves, and the injection of neutrals as luminous tracers.
Defining functional requirements for acquisitions records: Vendor metadata

Abstract Vendor records are one of the key components underpinning the acquisitions record in the integrated library system. Acquisitions and collection development practitioners increasingly need to record, access, and manipulate acquisitions vendor metadata for purposes not foreseen by the architects of current generation ILSs. The authors posit that vendor records can serve as an appropriate metaphor for the entire acquisitions record in the development of standards. The analysis of data elements and proposed grouping into fields, records, and metarecords suggests a direction for further development and enhanced functionality. The authors call on librarians, systems vendors, and materials vendors to engage in a dialog aimed at creating an accepted standard for vendor records that will meet the needs of all parties.
Coupled vibrations of a varying length flexible cable transporter system with arbitrary axial velocity

Modeling for coupled vibrations of a varying length flexible cable transporter system with arbitrary axial velocity is presented using the extended Hamilton's principle. Both transverse and longitudinal vibrations are considered simultaneously in the derivation. The inertia and damping of the pulleys and actuators are included in the model. The derived governing equations provide guidelines for future research on cable systems. Numerical solution of the derived nonlinear coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) is obtained using Galerkin's method. Simulation results show that increase in damping of the system can reduce the longitudinal vibration dramatically, but has little effect on the transverse vibration.
The medicalization of female fertility - Points of significance for the study of menopause

This paper illustrates the need for human biologists to take into account the far-reaching influences of biomedicine in the study of reproductive aging. Data were drawn from western Massachusetts and Puebla, Mexico, to illustrate the effects of hysterectomy rates, tubal ligations and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on studies of age and symptom experience at menopause. First, in examining age at natural menopause in relation to level of education, a country-specific, non-random pattern of participant exclusion due to hysterectomies was encountered. Second, in examining symptom frequency in relation to late childbearing, sample sizes were very small in part due to a high frequency of tubal ligations (43%) in Puebla, Mexico. Third, hot flash frequency during the two weeks prior to interview was, unexpectedly, not lower among women who used HRT. Human biologists who study the biological process of reproductive aging must also attend to the cultural influences of biomedicine.
A Transport-Friendly NIC for Multicore/Multiprocessor Systems

Receive side scaling (RSS) is an NIC technology that provides the benefits of parallel receive processing in multiprocessing environments. However, RSS lacks a critical data steering mechanism that would automatically steer incoming network data to the same core on which its application thread resides. This absence causes inefficient cache usage if an application thread is not running on the core on which RSS has scheduled the received traffic to be processed and results in degraded performance. To remedy the RSS limitation, Intel's Ethernet Flow Director technology has been introduced. However, our analysis shows that Flow Director can cause significant packet reordering. Packet reordering causes various negative impacts in high-speed networks. We propose an NIC data steering mechanism to remedy the RSS and Flow Director limitations. This data steering mechanism is mainly targeted at TCP. We term an NIC with such a data steering mechanism “A Transport-Friendly NIC” (A-TFN). Experimental results have proven the effectiveness of A-TFN in accelerating TCP/IP performance.
DISC ELECTROPHORESIS – II METHOD AND APPLICATION TO HUMAN SERUM PROTEINS*

Summary The technique of disc electrophoresis has been presented, including a discussion of the technical variables with special reference to the separation of protein fractions of normal human serum.
A comparison of anticipated pain before and pain rating after the procedure in patients who undergo cystourethroscopy.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare anticipated pain before the procedure and actual pain rating after the procedure in female patients who undergo cystourethroscopy. Study Design: Eighty-seven consecutive female patients completed a 10-cm visual analog pain scale before and after cystourethroscopy. A 24F urethroscope was used initially to inspect the urethra and was followed by a systematic survey of the bladder with a 17F cystoscope that was lubricated with 2% lidocaine gel. The visual analog pain scale scores were evaluated for significance with the use of the Student t test and the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Visual analog pain scale analysis demonstrated a mean anticipated pain score of 3.75 cm before the procedure versus a mean pain rating score of 2.83 cm after the procedure ( P P =.18) nor talking with someone about the procedure beforehand (visual analog pain scale score, 2.74 vs 2.89 cm; P =.76) influenced the lower pain rating after the procedure. There was no significant correlation between age, parity, body mass index, or presence of pelvic organ prolapse and anticipated or realized pain perception. Conclusion: Patients who undergo cystourethroscopy consistently anticipate higher degrees of discomfort than they actually perceive during the procedure. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;189:66-9.)
The Multiplicity of Serotonin Receptors: Uselessly Diverse Molecules or an Embarrassment of Riches?

A large number of 5-HT receptors (>15) have been identified by molecular cloning technology over the past 10 years. This review briefly summarizes available information regarding the functional and therapeutic implications of serotonin receptor diversity for neurology and psychiatry. 5-HT receptors are divided into seven main families: 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, 5-HT5, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7. Several families (e.g., 5-HT1 family) have many members (e.g., 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT1E, 5-HT1F), each of which is encoded by a distinct gene product. In addition to the genomic diversity of 5-HT receptors, splice variants and editing isoforms exist for many of the 5-HT receptors, making the family even more diverse. Evidence that is summarized in this review suggests that 5-HT receptors represent novel therapeutic targets for a number of neurologic and psychiatric diseases including migraine headaches, chronic pain conditions, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, perv...
Using Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) Survey Results as a Catalyst for Change

Results from the US federally sponsored Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) Survey were leveraged to bring together facility leaders who influence hospital breastfeeding practices to improve adherence to the standard of care. Eighty Massachusetts hospital and birth center maternity care decision makers, representing 34 of the state’s 50 facilities (covering 74% of births), participated. Active engagement in problem solving generated a sense of enthusiasm and accomplishment. The collaborative spirit across traditionally competing hospitals demonstrated that these leaders clearly were committed to quality and to improving their facilities’ practices. An important aspect of the summit was to foster transformational leadership by supporting participants in their envisioning, energizing, and enabling roles within their organizations. Cooperation from a broad array of stakeholders is important to drive change.
Human centric data fusion in Vehicular Cyber-Physical Systems

Building effective Vehicular Cyber-Physical Systems (VCPS) to improve road safety is a non-trivial challenge, especially when we examine how the driver benefits from the existing and proposed technologies in the presence of Human Factors (HF) related negative factors such as information overload, confusion, and distraction. In this paper, we address a human-centric data fusion problem in VCPS. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to apply HF to the data fusion problem, which has both theoretical value and practical implications. In particular, we present a new architecture by defining a distinct High-Level (HL) data fusion layer with HF considerations, that is placed between the safety applications on the VCPS and the human driver. A data fusion algorithm is proposed to fuse multiple messages (based on reaction time, message type, preferred evasive actions, severity of the hazards, etc) and to maximize the total utility of the messages. The algorithm is tested with real human drivers to demonstrate the potential benefit of incorporating such human-centric fusion in existing warning systems.
Bioavailability of phosphorus in corn gluten feed derived from conventional and low-phytate maize

Abstract Young chicks were used to determine phosphorus (P) bioavailability in corn gluten feed (CGF) derived from a conventional maize hybrid (CCGF) or one containing higher protein, higher oil, and lower phytate content (LPCGF). The nutritionally-enhanced maize used to produce LPCGF contained higher CP, total P, available P, and oil concentrations but less starch content compared to the hybrid used to produce CCGF. Similarly, LPCGF contained slightly higher CP and total P compared to CCGF. From 8 to 22 days of age, female chicks were fed a cornstarch–dextrose–soybean meal basal diet containing 1 g available P/kg, or the basal diet supplemented with two concentrations of P (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) from KH 2 PO 4 or two concentrations of the CGF samples (75 and 150 g/kg). Bioavailability of P based on tibia bone ash was much higher for LPCGF than for CCGF. Bioavailability of P relative to the KH 2 PO 4 standard was 0.464±0.13 for CCGF and 0.898±0.12 for LPCGF based on slope-ratio methodology. The results indicated that P bioavailability in CGF is about twice as high as that in maize, and also that LPCGF has roughly twice as much bioavailable P as CCGF.
Genetics, Genomics and Breeding of Late Blight and Early Blight Resistance in Tomato

Late blight (LB), caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, and early blight (EB), caused by the fungi Alternaria solani and A. tomatophila, are two common and destructive foliar diseases of the cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and potato (Solanum tuberosum) in the United States and elsewhere in the world. While LB can infect and devastate tomato plants at any developmental stages, EB infection is usually associated with plant physiological maturity and fruit load where older senescing plants exhibit greater susceptibility and a heavy fruit set enhances the disease. At present, cultural practices and heavy use of fungicides are the most common measures for controlling LB and EB. Genetic resources for resistance have been identified for both diseases, largely within the tomato wild species, in particular the red-fruited species S. pimpinellifolium and the green-fruited species S. habrochaites. A few race-specific major resistance genes (e.g., Ph-1, Ph-2 and Ph-3) and several race-nonspecific r...
HIV, African American women, and high risk in heterosexual relationships

The Centers for Disease Control reports that African-American women have the highest rates of new HIV infections. This paper discusses the cultural meaning of using condoms and proposes examining the social construction of trust and “stability” in heterosexual relationships. The paper reviews the scientific literature on how cultural expectations shape the social context in which sexual relations occur among high-risk for HIV African-American women and men. The paper also makes recommendations for interventions that are culturally sensitive to African-American women who are at risk of HIV.
Theoretical study of electron-phonon interaction in β-phase NiTi and Ni-Al alloys

A nesting feature in the Fermi surface of ordered, equiatomic NiTi is reported, and related to observed "premartensitic" phenomena. The shape-memory effect exhibited by NiTi alloys is associated with the marten­ sitic transformation which occurs near room temperature. The high temperature phase has the CsCl (B2) structure, while the low-temperature martensitic phase is thought to be mono clinic.^ As temperature is lowered, the martensitic transformation in the equiatomic alloy is preceded by a "premartensitic" or "intermediate", R phase.^ X-ray, electron, and neutron scattering^ indicate the development of superlattice peaks near Qg = (^, j,0)27r/a in the R phase.Earlier inelastic-neutron-scattering results suggested an anomaly near this wave vector,and more recent results^""® indicate that a transverse phonon with wave vector Qq in the CsCl structure goes soft continuously as the temperature is lowered. A calculation of the phonon spectrum^®
Fluorination of Uranium Metal to UF 3 and UF 4 by Nitrogen Trifluoride: Evidence for Elusive UF 2

We have recently found that uranium and plutonium metals will react with nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) at temperatures below 120°C. These are the first reported instances of such low temperature fluorination reactions using NF3 and implicate metal catalyzed dissociation of the NF3 bond. We additionally present preliminary evidences for a surface mediated product distribution. Reaction of uranium metal with NF3 promotes products that are apparently determined by the concentration of the fluorinating reagent between temperatures of 60 to 120°C.
Plasticity-Mediated Competitive Learning

Differentiation between the nodes of a competitive learning network is conventionally achieved through competition on the basis of neural activity. Simple inhibitory mechanisms are limited to sparse representations, while decorrelation and factorization schemes that support distributed representations are computationally unattractive. By letting neural plasticity mediate the competitive interaction instead, we obtain diffuse, nonadaptive alternatives for fully distributed representations. We use this technique to Simplify and improve our binary information gain optimization algorithm for feature extraction (Schraudolph and Sejnowski, 1993); the same approach could be used to improve other learning algorithms.
Compositional dependence of the formation of calcium phosphate films on bioglass

Bioglass, which has a composition of sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, phosphorous pentoxide and silica, has been shown to bond to living bone. This ability is dependent on controlled surface reactions. Investigators with 45S5 bioglass have demonstrated that the formation of a SiO2-rich layer and a calcium phosphate film on its surface in an aqueous environment is associated with the film bonding the bioglass to bone. The objects of this research were: 1. To study SiO2 dependence on the formation of a silica-rich layer and calcium phosphate films on a bioglass surface in a simulated physiological solution, and 2. To establish a correlation between in vitro surface reactions and in vivo bonding ability. It was discovered that three types of reactions occur in a simulated physiological solution depending on bioglass composition: 1. A calcium phosphate film and SiO2-rich layer form simultaneously and the reaction rate is fast for bioglasses which have a lower content of SiO2 (approximately 46 mol% SiO2). 2. A SiO2-rich layer forms first and a calcium phosphate film develops later between the aqueous environment and the SiO2-rich layer for bioglasses whose SiO2 content is between 46--55 mol %. 3. A calcium phosphate film does not form for glasses whose SiO2 content is more than 60 mol %.
Differential Effects of Sphingosine 1–Phosphate Receptors on Airway and Vascular Barrier Function in the Murine Lung

The therapeutic options for ameliorating the profound vascular permeability, alveolar flooding, and organ dysfunction that accompanies acute inflammatory lung injury (ALI) remain limited. Extending our previous finding that the intravenous administration of the sphingolipid angiogenic factor, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), attenuates inflammatory lung injury and vascular permeability via ligation of S1PR(1), we determine that a direct intratracheal or intravenous administration of S1P, or a selective S1P receptor (S1PR(1)) agonist (SEW-2871), produces highly concentration-dependent barrier-regulatory responses in the murine lung. The intratracheal or intravenous administration of S1P or SEW-2871 at < 0.3 mg/kg was protective against LPS-induced murine lung inflammation and permeability. However, intratracheal delivery of S1P at 0.5 mg/kg (for 2 h) resulted in significant alveolar-capillary barrier disruption (with a 42% increase in bronchoalveolar lavage protein), and produced rapid lethality when delivered at 2 mg/kg. Despite the greater selectivity for S1PR(1), intratracheally delivered SEW-2871 at 0.5 mg/kg also resulted in significant alveolar-capillary barrier disruption, but was not lethal at 2 mg/kg. Consistent with the S1PR(1) regulation of alveolar/vascular barrier function, wild-type mice pretreated with the S1PR(1) inverse agonist, SB-649146, or S1PR(1)(+/-) mice exhibited reduced S1P/SEW-2871-mediated barrier protection after challenge with LPS. In contrast, S1PR(2)(-/-) knockout mice as well as mice with reduced S1PR(3) expression (via silencing S1PR3-containing nanocarriers) were protected against LPS-induced barrier disruption compared with control mice. These studies underscore the potential therapeutic effects of highly selective S1PR(1) receptor agonists in reducing inflammatory lung injury, and highlight the critical role of the S1P delivery route, S1PR(1) agonist concentration, and S1PR(1) expression in target tissues.
Cerebral Blood Flow During Hemodilution and Hypoxia in Rats: Role of ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channels

Background and Purpose—Hypoxia and hemodilution both reduce arterial oxygen content (Cao2) and increase cerebral blood flow (CBF), but the mechanisms by which hemodilution increases CBF are largely unknown. ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are activated by intravascular hypoxia, and contribute to hypoxia-mediated cerebrovasodilatation. Although Cao2 can be reduced to equal levels by hypoxia or hemodilution, intravascular Po2 is reduced only during hypoxia. We therefore tested the hypothesis that KATP channels would be unlikely to contribute to cerebrovasodilatation during hemodilution. Methods—Glibenclamide (19.8 μg) or vehicle was injected into the cisterna magna of barbiturate-anesthetized rats. The dose of glibenclamide was chosen to yield an estimated CSF concentration of 10−4 M. Thirty minutes later, some animals underwent either progressive isovolumic hemodilution or hypoxia (over 30 minutes) to achieve a Cao2 of ≈7.5 mL O2/dL. Other animals did not undergo hypoxia or hemodilution and served ...
Effect of Structural Phase Transitions on the Superconductivity of PdHx(Dx)

We have examined how the order-disorder structural transitions associated with the “50 K anomaly” in palladium hydride (deuteride) affect the superconducting transition temperature. In PdD0.817 and PdHO.837 samples, the long-range ordering of vacancies in the H(D) sublattice leads to a 7–9% reduction in Tc. While no long range ordering occurs in a PdD0.742 sample, the enhancement of short-range order results in a 7.5% increase in Tc. In all cases the changes in Tc are reversible, the transition temperatures reverting to their original values after the samples are again disordered.
Effects of the Surface Floating Potential on Sputtering, Backscattering, and Implantation by Fusion Plasma Ions

A Monte Carlo program for simulating plasma ions incident on a surface with a floating potential is presented. This program is used for calculating sputtering, backscattering, and implantation valu...