cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo measurement of regional brain tissue pH using positron emission tomography

Carbon-11-labeled dimethyloxazolidinedione ([11C]DMO) was injected intravenously into human subjects, and serial positron emission tomographic (PET) scans were obtained until brain-blood equilibration was achieved or could be accurately predicted from dynamic PET and 11C blood data. Knowledge of regional brain-blood partition coefficients for DMO, together with measurements of arterial blood hematocrit and pH, permitted the calculation of regional brain tissue and tumor pH (rpH). [11C]DMO PET rpH values were similar to rpH values derived from quantitative autoradiographic measurements of [14C]DMO concentrations in rat brain slices.
A Multipotent Progenitor Domain Guides Pancreatic Organogenesis

SUMMARY The mammalian pancreas is constructed during embryogenesis by multipotent progenitors, the identity and function of which remain poorly understood. We performed genome-wide transcription factor expression analysis of the developing pancreas to identify gene expression domains that may represent distinct progenitor cell populations. Five discrete domains were discovered. Genetic lineage-tracing experiments demonstrate that one specific domain, located at the tip of the branching pancreatic tree, contains multipotent progenitors that produce exocrine, endocrine, and duct cells in vivo. These multipotent progenitors are Pdx1 + Ptf1a + cMyc High Cpa1 + and negative for differentiated lineage markers. The outgrowth of multipotent tip cells leaves behind differentiated progeny that form the trunk of the branches. These findings define a multipotent compartment within the developing pancreas and suggest a model of how branching is coordinated with cell type specification. In addition, this comprehensive analysis of >1,100 transcription factors identified genes that are likely to control critical decisions in pancreas development and disease.
Beyond Mere Symptom Relief in Deep Brain Stimulation: An Ethical Obligation for Multifaceted Assessment of Outcome

Assessment of outcome following deep brain stimulation (DBS) has traditionally focused on symptom-specific and quality-of-life measures. Greater attention needs to be paid to the diversity of patient goals and values, as well as recognition of the shifting nature of those goals over the course of DBS therapy. We report preliminary data from an empirical study examining patients’ goals with respect to DBS in the treatment of Parkinson disease. We argue that a multifaceted assessment of outcome over time, including well-validated symptom measures, quality of life, and functional and patient specific metrics, is ethically necessary in order to fulfill fiduciary and professional responsibilities. These assessments should be augmented with a deliberative multidisciplinary process of review and evaluation. Such an approach will lead to improved inform consent, promote better clinical research, and facilitate good patient care by providing a systematic mechanism for capturing and acting on important patient insi...
Bis (vinylbenzyl) ether and bis (vinylbenzyl) thioether: synthesis, cure studies and evaluation of carbon fiber composites

Abstract Bis (vinylbenzyl) ether (BVE) and bis (vinylbenzyl) thioether (BVT) were synthesized from vinylbenzyl chloride in yields greater than 90%. The onset and peak temperatures for thermal cure observed by first-run differential scanning calorimetry scans were 80 °C and 110 °C for BVE and 120 °C and 190 °C for BVT respectively, with no T g in the second run. Fourier transform IR and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance data indicated that cure occured mainly through vinyl addition polymerization with high conversions. Composites formed from these resins had flexural modulus values at room temperature comparable with, or better than, traditional epoxy resins. More importantly, however, the BVE and BVT samples maintained much higher moduli than epoxy samples at temperatures above 200 °C and up to 300 °C. In addition, thermal cycling to 250 °C caused ca. 50% loss in epoxy composite properties, while BVE and BVT composites maintained their ambient temperature properties. Thermal decomposition of BVT in air occured at higher temperatures than BVE, but once degradation began, it was much faster for BVT than BVE as confirmed by dynamic mechanical analsis and thermogravimetric analysis. Overall, these new resins offer improvements in processing and ultimate composite properties compared with epoxies.
Learning by canonical smooth estimation. I. Simultaneous estimation

This paper examines the problem of learning from examples in a framework that is based on, but more general than, Valiant's probably approximately correct (PAC) model for learning. In our framework, the learner observes examples that consist of sample points drawn and labeled according to a fixed, unknown probability distribution. Based on this empirical data, the learner must select, from a set of candidate functions, a particular function or "hypothesis" that will accurately predict the labels of future sample points. The expected mismatch between a hypothesis prediction and the label of a new sample point is called the hypothesis "generalization error". Following the pioneering work of Vapnik and Chervonenkis, others have attacked this sort of learning problem by finding hypotheses that minimize the relative frequency-based empirical error estimate. We generalize this approach by examining the "simultaneous estimation" problem. We demonstrate how one can learn from such a simultaneous error estimate and propose a new class of estimators called "smooth estimators". We characterize the class of simultaneous estimation problems solvable by a smooth estimator.
Ultrasensitive chromatic dispersion monitoring for 10 GHz pulse train by quasi-phase-matched LiNbO3 waveguides

Chromatic dispersion monitoring is demonstrated for a 10 GHz train of 3 ps pulses at −45 dBm coupled average power and 100 ms sampling period by using a chirped quasi-phase-matched LiNbO3 waveguide with 625 GHz active bandwidth. The feasibility of monitoring 10 GHz, 24 ps pulses at −40 dBm power is verified by intensity autocorrelation measurements.
Information needs of public policy lobbyists

Our poster analyzes the information needs and processes of information seeking used by a particular set of professionals---public interest lobbyists, focusing on those dealing with public health policy. The research for this project focused on public health policy advocates in United Way organizations. We emphasize criteria for resource selection, focusing on the credibility of resources in supporting persuasive communication with legislators and other target audiences. Our poster establishes a particular information Context, as described in the theme of the iConference program.
A Predictor/CAD Model for Buried-Channel MOS Transistors

An analytical predictor/CAD model for a short-channel buried-channel MOSFET is reported. The proposed model can be used to predict the anomalous threshold voltage shift associated with the short-channel buried-channel MOSFET. The characteristic is shown to be caused by the shifting of the operational mode from the surface to the buried channel. Current equations which are applicable to the short-channel buried-channel device are derived. For the purpose of circuit simulations, a computationally efficient CAD current model is also developed. The current characteristics calculated from the model equation are found to be in good agreement with experimental results. By using the CAD current equations, a charge model for the intrinsic buried-channel device is formulated. The charge model equations can be used to model the intrinsic capacitances for SPICE simulations.
Platelets and Cardiovascular Disease

Platelets are specialized disk-shaped cells in the blood stream that are involved in the formation of blood clots that play an important role in heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease. In most people, the more than 200 million platelets in a milliliter of blood act as tiny building blocks to form the basis of a clot to stop bleeding from cuts or injuries. Platelets can detect a disruption in the lining of a blood vessel and react to build a wall to stop bleeding (Figure 1). Figure 1. Platelets form a platelet plug to stop bleeding from an injured blood vessel. In cardiovascular disease, abnormal clotting occurs that can result in heart attacks or stroke. Blood vessels injured by smoking, cholesterol, or high blood pressure develop cholesterol-rich build-ups (plaques) that line the blood vessel; these plaques can rupture and cause the platelets to form a clot. Even though no bleeding is occurring, platelets sense the plaque rupture and are confused, thinking that an injury has taken place that will cause bleeding. Instead of sealing the vessel to prevent bleeding as would occur with a cut, a clot forms in an intact blood vessel, causing a blockage of blood flow (Figure 2). Without …
The Usefulness of the Web in Obtaining Global Economic Information: North America

One concern of international or emerging alternative investment managers and investors is the accessibility of information of various countries worldwide. One traditional source is the central banks of the respective countries. In this quarterly review, the web sites of several such central bank sources are reviewed.
1H13C polarization transfer via the nuclear solid effect

1H13C polarization transfer via the nuclear solid effect (NSE) is investigated. Polarization transfer is obtained via irradiation at a frequency equal to the difference or sum of the proton and carbon Larmor frequencies, the “forbidden” transitions. 13C spectra of polyethylene, polypropylene, and hexamethylbenzene obtained by NSE, conventional cross-polarization, and thermal polarization are shown. It is found that for direct CH bonds the intensities of the 13C NSE spectra are often considerably larger than those of the spectra obtained by the cross-polarization method, and also provide more quantitative information. The 13C signals due to indirect CH bonds are suppressed in the NSE case, mainly due to the technological problem of the heating due to the finite high-power irradiation time at the forbidden transition. Experiments to alleviate these problems are proposed.
Caltrans use of scrap tires in asphalt rubber products: a comprehensive review

Abstract: The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has been using scrap tire rubber in asphalt pavements since the 1970s in chip seals and the 1980s in rubberized hot mix asphalt(RHMA). Both the wet (field blend) and dry processes were used in early trials. Caltrans has also used rubber modified binders containing both crumb rubber modifier and polymer modifier that could be manufactured at a refinery facility, a terminal blend wet process. Since the beginning of this century, Caltrans increased the use of scrap tire rubber in paving projects and invested considerable resources in developing technically sound, cost effective, and environmentally friendly strategies for using scrap tire rubber in roadway applications. By the end of year 2010, approximately 31 % of all hot mix asphalt (HMA) placed by Caltrans was rubberized HMA, roughly 1.2 million tons. Caltrans efforts in using asphalt rubber products were also demonstrated in its research and technology development. These included the construction of two full-scale field experiments, five warranty projects, and an accelerated pavement study using a heavy vehicle simulator. Additionally, terminal blend asphalt rubber and rubberized warm mix asphalts began to be experimented on trial basis. This paper provides a comprehensive review of Caltrans experience over four decades with asphalt rubber products. Current practices and future outlook are also discussed.
When does science become 'junk'? An examination of junk science claims in mainstream print media

This paper examines the definitional content of junk science claims in the newsprint media, finding the term evoked for multiple ends. This paper begins by briefly examining some of the more prominent attempts by 20th century philosophers of science to establish criteria to differentiate science from non-science, each of which has failed. This failure has lead to a sociological turn in how science is defined and demarcated from other ways of knowing - what is known as 'boundary work'. To highlight how the term junk science is involved in this boundary making process, I examine its use in mainstream US print media. Drawing from the Lexis-Nexis database, ten years (1995-2005) of newspaper articles containing the term 'junk science' in the headline are systematically analysed and coded according to how the term is used. A total of 11 definitions of 'junk science' are identified through this analysis. Understanding how the term junk science is used will enhance debates surrounding the science of sustainability. For by better understanding what science is, we will be better positioned to use it optimally and accurately as we seek to plot a sustainable path forward.
Planning as a factor in school achievement

Abstract This investigation addressed the question of whether planning ability predicts for school grades in third graders when scholastic aptitude is statistically controlled. In the analysis, IQ was entered first into the regression equations followed by three types of planning tasks: two standard planning tasks (Trail-Making and the Tower of Hanoi) and a teacher designed planning task (the Classroom-Based Planning task). Traditional scoring methods (outcome and latency scores) and a new process-based scoring system were applied to each of the three tasks and individual regressions were performed for each scoring method. Neither of the two standard planning tasks predicted for school performance for any of the scoring methods. In contrast, the Classroom-based Planning task predicted for a grade index beyond the effects of IQ, but only when the planning process scoring system was used to assess planning. Teacher ratings of planning were also investigated as predictors of grades in a separate regression. Teacher ratings of students' ability to use their time wisely predicted for grades even when IQ was controlled. In a final analysis, the teacher rating, the Classroom-Based Planning task, and IQ were included in the same regression. Each of these variables contributed significantly to the equation, and together they accounted for almost half the variance in school achievement.
Rdiotoxicity of intracellular 67Ga, 125I and 3H. Nuclear versus cytoplasmic radiation effects in murine L1210 leukaemia.

SummaryL1210 leukaemia cells were labelled with various doses of 67Ga-citrate, 3H-thymidine, or 125I-iododeoxyuridine to evaluate the cytocidal effects of the intracellular decay of the three radionuclides. Based on radioisotope incorporation data, cellular dimensions, and intracellular radioisotope distributions (3H and 125I intranuclear, 67Ga cytoplasmic) the rates of deposition of cellular, nuclear, and cytoplasmic energy were calculated.In terms of energy absorption/cell, 67Ga (LD50: 2250 keV/hr; 69 rad/hr) was much less toxic than either 3H (LD50: 325 keV/hr; 10 rad/hr) or 125I (LD50: 50 keV/hr; 1·5 rad/hr). In terms of energy absorption/nucleus, 67Ga and 3H produced almost identical effects (LD50: 230 versus 255 keV/hr; 22·2 versus 24·6 rad/hr), but 125I remained much more toxic (LD50: 40 keV/hr; 3·9 rad/hr).These findings indicate that, although decay by electron capture in the cell nucleus (125I) is highly destructive, the same type of decay occurring in the cytoplasm (67Ga) is ineffective in kill...
Consensus + Innovations Approach for Distributed Multiagent Coordination in a Microgrid

Distributed energy resources and demand-side management are expected to become more prevalent in the future electric power system. Coordinating the increased number of grid participants in an efficient and reliable way is going to be a major challenge. A potential solution is the employment of a distributed energy management approach, which uses intelligence distributed over the grid to balance supply and demand. In this paper, we specifically consider the situation in which distributed resources and loads form microgrids within the bulk power system in which the load is supplied by local generation. A distributed energy management approach based on the consensus + innovations method is presented and used to coordinate local generation, flexible load, and storage devices within the microgrid. The approach takes advantage of the fact that, at the optimal allocation settings, the marginal costs given as a function of the power output/consumption need to be equal for all nonbinding network resources. Solutions for single time step, as well as multitime step optimization including intertemporal constraints, are presented.
A First and Second Order Moment Approach to Probabilistic Control Synthesis

This paper presents a robust control design methodology based on the estimation of the first two order moments of the random variables and processes that describe the controlled response. Synthesis is performed by solving an multi-objective optimization problem where stability and performance requirements in time- and frequency domains are integrated. The use of the first two order moments allows for the efficient estimation of the cost function thus for a faster synthesis algorithm. While reliability requirements are taken into account by using bounds to failure probabilities, requirements related to undesirable variability are implemented by quantifying the concentration of the random outcome about a deterministic target. The Hammersley Sequence Sampling and the First- and Second-Moment- Second-Order approximations are used to estimate the moments, whose accuracy and associated computational complexity are compared numerically. Examples using output-feedback and full-state feedback with state estimation are used to demonstrate the ideas proposed.
The Mentor Study on Contour Profile Gel Silicone MemoryGel Breast Implants.

Background: Two-year safety and efficacy data were presented to the Canadian Therapeutic Products Directorate Scientific Advisory Panel, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Methods: The 955 women enrolled in the 10-year, multicenter, Mentor MemoryGel study were distributed into four cohorts: 572 augmentation patients, 123 revision-augmentation patients, 191 reconstruction patients, and 69 revision-reconstruction patients. The surgeons in the study received an intensive clinical educational program in addition to the protocol. Results: Mentor’s 2-year study results indicate that the risk of any complication or reoperation at some point through 2 years after implant surgery is 24.5 percent for primary augmentation patients, 30.2 percent for revision-augmentation patients, 42.9 percent for primary reconstruction patients, and 41.8 percent for revision-reconstruction patients. The rupture rates reported from the magnetic resonance imaging cohort were 0 percent for all groups. Patients reoperated on at least one time were as follows: 9.4 percent for primary augmentation, 12.8 percent for revision-augmentation, 27.3 percent for primary reconstruction, and 19.4 percent for revision-reconstruction. Also, 2.4 percent of primary augmentation patients, 7.3 percent of revision-augmentation patients, 8.9 percent of primary, and 11.6 percent of reconstruction patients had their implants removed, with patient choice and capsular contracture being the most common reasons. Conclusions: The data from the Mentor CPG Gel Study resulted in approval of these implants for general use on October 20, 2006. The educational program resulted in improved clinical outcomes and probably should be required for all surgeons using the devices.
Meaning and Truth‐Conditions: A Reply to Kemp

In his ‘Meaning and Truth-Conditions’, Gary Kemp offers a reconstruction of Frege’s infamous ‘regress argument’, which purports to rely only upon the premises that the meaning of a sentence is its truth-condition and that each sentence expresses a unique proposition. If cogent, the argument would show that only someone who accepts a form of semantic holism can use the notion of truth to explain that of meaning. I respond that Kemp relies heavily upon what he himself styles ‘a literal, rather wooden’ understanding of truth-conditions. I explore alternatives, and say a few words about how Frege’s regress argument might best be understood.
Recent Alcohol Use and Episodic Heavy Drinking Among American Indian Youths

A total of 366 American Indian students in grades 7 through 12 completed the PRIDE questionnaire. Recent alcohol use was reported by 31.9% of students, whereas 26.7% reported frequent episodic heavy drinking. One in three students felt it was harmful/very harmful to use alcohol and less than half felt alcohol was easy/very easy to obtain. A series of odds ratios found perceiving alcohol as harmful and having parents and peers who disapproved of any alcohol use reduced the odds of alcohol use. Findings may be beneficial to health professionals in developing effective prevention and intervention programs for American Indian youths.
Temperature as a dependent variable in the study of cholinergic mechanisms

1. Change in core temperature over time can be used as a dependent variable when studying the effects of manipulations on neurotransmitter systems. This article focuses on the measurement of core temperature as a strategy for detecting changes in the status of cholinergic systems. 2. Cholinergic neurons participate in the process of thermoregulation and interventions affecting them alter the thermal response to cholinomimetics. For example, chronic treatment with amitriptyline, chronic swim stress and inescapable footshock supersensitize rats to the hypothermic effects of oxotremorine. 3. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the pathophysiologies of tricyclic antidepressant withdrawal phenomena and stress involve supersensitivity of muscarinic mechanisms. 4. Uses of thermoregulation paradigms for investigating the actions of lithium ion, electroconvulsive shock and substances of abuse on muscarinic mechanisms are discussed. Applications to problems in the arena of clinical research are highlighted.
Obesity, Health, and Physical Activity: Discourses from the United States.

This article examines the obesity, health, and physical activity discourses of the past 35 years in the context of the United States with particular reference to five social sectors: the biomedical domain; the popular media; nonprofit foundations, centers and agencies; various national and multinational corporations; and government at all levels. These categories were identified as relevant for this project based on their various roles in crafting messages related to health generally, and obesity specifically. These are the domains from which the most influential rhetoric, decisions, and policies originate. Our analysis includes an examination of the ways in which the rhetoric within these domains produces a discourse that supports the view that a public health crisis and epidemic actually exist. In addition, this specific health discourse provides the basis upon which a variety of health agendas and interventions have been developed and implemented. Although there is considerable evidence of the influenc...
The Telescope Array Middle Drum fluorescence detector simulation on GPUs

In recent years, the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) has been recognized and widely used as an accelerator for many scientific calculations. In general, problems amenable to parallelization are ones that benefit most from the use of GPUs. The Monte Carlo simulation of fluorescence detector response to air showers presents many opportunities for parallelization. In this paper we report on a Monte Carlo program used for the simulation of the Telescope Array Fluorescence Detector located at the Middle Drum site which uses GPU acceleration. All of the physics simulation from shower development, light production and atmospheric attenuation, as well as, the realistic detector optics and electronics simulations are done on the GPU. A detailed description of the code implementation is given, and results on the accuracy and performance of the simulation are presented as well. Improvements in computational throughput in excess of 50× are reported and the accuracy of the results is on par with the CPU implementation of the simulation.
HCO quantum yields in the photolysis of HC(O)C(O)H (glyoxal) between 290 and 420 nm.

Quantum yields, Φ, for the production of the formyl radical, HCO, in the photolysis of glyoxal were determined at 85 wavelengths, λ, in the range of 290−420 nm at pressures between 50 and 550 Torr (N2) at 298 K using pulsed-laser photolysis combined with cavity ring-down spectroscopy detection of HCO. HCO quantum yields were parametrized using a Stern−Volmer analysis to obtain extrapolated zero-pressure HCO quantum yields, Φ0(λ), and values for the ratio of the rate coefficients for quenching and dissociation, kq/kd(λ), at each wavelength. Φ0(λ) varied smoothly with wavelength with a maximum value of ∼1.8 in the range 300−385 nm with values decreasing to near 0 at 420 nm and 0.4 at 290 nm. kq/kd(λ) was measurable at nearly all photolysis wavelengths and is well-represented by the relationship kq/kd(λ) = (2.3 × 10−20) + (1.5 × 10−19) exp(−0.4ΔE) (cm3 molecule −1) where ΔE = ((28 571/λ) − 72.5) (kcal mol−1), λ is the photolysis wavelength (nm), and 72.5 kcal mol−1 is the threshold for glyoxal photodissociat...
Picosecond nondegenerate waveguide modulation in a conjugated polymer

Abstract The technique of time-resolved waveguide modulation is applied to an optical waveguide of the conjugated polymer poly (3-hexylthiophene). This method yields values of the sign and magnitude of the complex intensity-dependent refractive index, n2, for a guided beam at 1.06 μm (1.17 eV), upon pumping into the tail of the absorption. We find that the picosecond electronic contribution to n2 has a negative real part, and a positive imaginary part, with ¦n2¦ ⋍ 1 × 10-4 (MW/cm2)-1, for a pump photon energy of 2.06 eV. The positive imaginary part correlates with the photoinduced absorption at 1.06 μm measured on the same sample, and consistent with earlier results on the same material, which indicate a shift of oscillator strength from the interband transition to localized absorptions in the infrared. The negative real part implies that the observed photoinduced absorption peaks at an energy below 1.17 eV. The time-resolved component of n2 is accompanied by a slow component (> 12 ns) with positive real and imaginary parts and comparable magnitude, indicating a thermal increase in n (or equivalently the film thickness) and a long-lived photoinduced absorption.
Responses of spinal cord neurons following stimulation of Aβ femoral-saphenous venous afferent fibers

A population of large (A beta) afferents is known to have endings in the wall of the femoral-saphenous vein. These afferents project to the lower lumbar spinal cord. The purpose of the present study was to identify, localize, and characterize spinal neurons that receive inputs from such afferents. Responses of 50 neurons in the L6 spinal cord segment of decerebrate-spinal cats or intact cats anesthetized using alpha-chloralose were recorded following electrical stimulation of these afferents. Observations were also made on the convergence of muscle and cutaneous afferent inputs onto neurons driven by stimulation of afferents terminating in the femoral-saphenous vein. All recording sites were marked either by intracellularly staining the element characterized with HRP or by extracellularly iontophoresing a small quantity of this tracer. The cells were driven for long durations (mean of 51.5 ms, S.E.M. of 10.0) by single-shock stimulation of femoral-saphenous venous afferents. The recording sites were located in Rexed's laminae IV-VIII and X. Eight of the 50 neurons were activated by venous afferent stimulation at latencies equal to or shorter than that of the first negative wave of the cord dorsum potential; these units were driven at a mean latency of 1.4 ms (S.E.M. of 0.25) following the arrival of the afferent volley at the cord and were assumed to receive monosynaptic, or at least relatively direct, inputs from the primary afferents. Most of these cells (6 of 8) were located in lamina V. The majority of the neurons studied (37 of 50) were activated at latencies longer than 3 ms following the arrival of the afferent volley at the cord; about half (19 of 37) of those activated at longer latencies were located in lamina VII, and the rest were scattered among the other laminae. Twenty-eight of 40 venous afferent-driven cells tested could also be activated by electrical stimulation of either the posterior tibial or sural nerve. In general, the stimulation intensities necessary to activate the neurons were only sufficient to excite large (A alpha or A beta) muscle and cutaneous afferents. Neurons receiving the shortest latency inputs from the femoral-saphenous vein were less likely to receive convergent inputs from muscle or skin than were neurons activated by venous afferents at longer latency.
Structure and Dynamics of Network Glasses at Large Positive and Negative Pressures - a Molecular Dynamics Study

Using the molecular dynamics (MD) method, the nature of crystalline fragments in SiSe2 glass (a-SiSe2) at normal pressure, structural transformation and the loss of intermediate range order in SiO2 glass at very large positive pressures, and the modification of SiO2 glass network at very large negative pressures have been investigated. Implementations of the MD algorithm on the Connection Machine and Intel iPSC/860 machine are discussed. We investigate the nature of tetrahedral-molecular fragments in a-SiSe2. MD simulations reveal that the glass consists of both edge-sharing and corner-sharing tetrahedra. Edge-sharing tetrahedra are the building blocks of 10–15 A long tetrahedral fragments where two-edge-sharing tetrahedra are the nucleus and comer-sharing configurations provide the connecting hinges between the molecular fragments. Pressure-induced structural transformation in a-SiO2 is investigated with the MD method. At high densities, the height of the first sharp diffraction peak in the static structure factor is considerably diminished, its position shifts to larger wave vectors, and a new peak appears at ~2.85 A−1. At twice the normal density, Si-O bond length increases, Si-O coordination changes from 4 to 6, and O-Si-O band-angle changes from 109° to 90°. This is clearly a tetrahedral to octahedral transformation, which is observed recently by Meade, Hemley, and Mao in their diffraction experiments using synchrotron radiation. MD simulations of porous silica are carried out in the density range 2.2 - 0.1 g/cm3. Internal surface area, pore surface-to-volume ratio, gyration radius, and fractal dimension are studied as a function of density. Simulation results are in good agreement with experimental results obtained by x-ray scattering experiments. The result reveals a crossover of the structural correlations between short- to intermediate-range (< 8 A) and fractal- to large- scale-regime (10 ~ 100 A). MD is a numerical approach which involves the solution of Newton’s equations for particles in the system. The multiple-time-step (MTS) approach reduces this computation significantly by exploiting the different time scales for short-range and intermediate-range interactions. Using the linked-list scheme, parallel algorithms are designed to implement on the in-house 8-node iPSC/860 machine.
Bridgman-solution crystal growth and characterization of the skutterudite compounds CoSb3 and RhSb3

Abstract Compounds with the skutterudite structure have recently been identified as advanced thermoelectric materials. We report on the crystal growth and characterization of the skutterudite compounds CoSb 3 and RhSb 3 which form peritectically at 873 and 900°C, respectively. Large single crystals were obtained by the vertical gradient freeze technique from solutions rich in antimony. The samples were characterized by high-temperature Hall-effect and electrical resistivity measurements. Bandgaps of 0.56 and 0.80 eV were estimated from these measurements for CoSb 3 and RhSb 3 , respectively. N-type CoSb 3 samples were obtained by doping with Te. Exceptionally high p-type Hall-mobility values have been measured and a room-temperature value of 3445 cm 2 V −1 s −1 was obtained for CoSb 3 at a carrier concentration of 4 × 10 17 cm −3 and 8000 cm 2 V −1 s −1 was obtained for RhSb 3 at a carrier concentration of 3.5 × 10 18 cm −3 .
Modular Biological Complexity

It has been argued that the technological capability to fully simulate the human brain on digital computers will exist within a decade. This is taken to imply that we will comprehend its functioning, eliminate all diseases, and “upload” ourselves to computers (1). Although such predictions excite the imagination, they are not based on a sound assessment of the complexity of living systems. Such systems are characterized by large numbers of highly heterogeneous components, be they genes, proteins, or cells. These components interact causally in myriad ways across a very large spectrum of space-time, from nanometers to meters and from microseconds to years. A complete understanding of these systems demands that a large fraction of these interactions be experimentally or computationally probed. This is very difficult.
Synthesis of 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles

A novel and efficient two-step synthetic sequence for the preparation of 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles was developed starting from arylhydrazines and α-branched aldehydes via Fischer indole type synthesis followed by imine oxidation.
Glia and immune cell signaling in bipolar disorder: Insights from neuropharmacology and molecular imaging to clinical application

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating mental illness characterized by severe fluctuations in mood, sleep, energy and executive functioning. Pharmacological studies of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and the monoamine system have helped us to clinically understand bipolar depression. Mood stabilizers such as lithium and valproic acid, the first-line treatments for bipolar mania and depression, inhibit glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) and regulate the Wnt pathway. Recent investigations suggest that microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, provide a physiological link between the serotonin system and the GSK-3β/Wnt pathway through neuroinflammation. We review the pharmacological, translational and brain imaging studies that support a role for microglia in regulating neurotransmitter synthesis and immune cell activation. These investigations provide a model for microglia involvement in the pathophysiology and phenotype of BD that may translate into improved therapies.
Delaying sheep grazing after wildfire in sagebrush steppe may not affect vegetation recovery

Although many land managers prohibit grazing for 2 years after a fire, little research has been conducted to determine the interaction of grazing with vegetation recovery after fire. In a study conducted in sagebrush steppe rangelands after a 2000 wildfire at the United States Sheep Experiment Station in Idaho, the influence of delay and season of sheep grazing on vegetation recovery was measured. A moderate level of sheep grazing was started 1, 2, or 3 years after fire in the autumn or 2 or 3 years after fire in the spring. Pseudoroegneria spicata, the dominant perennial grass, and Crepis acuminata increased in the autumn and non-grazed treatments, whereas perennial forb and Crepis acuminata cover declined in the spring grazing treatments beginning the second year after fire. There was no impact of sheep grazing on cover of Bromus tectorum, an important exotic winter annual grass, probably owing to the lack of autumn germination. In this study, moderate sheep grazing had subtle impacts on vegetation recovery after fire, with spring grazing having more negative consequences. Management decisions on when to start grazing livestock after fire should consider pre-fire ecological conditions, post-fire climatic conditions, and current knowledge of impacts of grazing on plant recovery.
The scheikunaff-friis dipole: the simplest antenna of all

The quasistatic electrical properties of what may be the simplest of all antennas, suggested initially by Schelkunoff and Friis (S.A. Schelkunoff and H.T. Friis, 1952), are derived. Following a brief review of the advantages of this antenna - i.e., that the capacitance and effective height may be specified precisely and independently in terms of physical dimensions - the equivalent circuit is completed by including the inductance and loss resistance. With an emphasis on simplicity, electrostatic and magnetostatic theory are applied to the determination of each component of a complete low-frequency equivalent circuit. The results of this analysis were validated with a commercially available finite-element method (FEM) program, applied to three examples that covered a wide range of antenna shapes. From another standpoint, since it has been verified that the electrical properties may be accurately determined with a minimum of calculation, this antenna should also be useful in the opposite sense, as a validation standard for other numerical programs
UV-radiation-induced degradation of fluorinated polyimide films

Abstract Fully cured fluorinated polyimide (FPI) films with low dielectric constants (⩽3.0) have been found to be chemically altered when exposed to UV radiation during a process integration study. This chemical modification is manifested in the loss of film thickness after it is subjected to UV radiation followed by photoresist stripping. The UV-radiation-induced surface modifications of the FPI film have been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS data show the presence of C=0 and COO-sites in the FPI molecule following UV exposure. Under prolonged UV exposure in a stepper, the FPI film acts as positive working photoresist. However, a 2kA plasma enhanced chemically vapor-deposited oxide mask and/or a typical 12 kA photoresit mask effectively shields the FPI from UV-radiation-induced degradation. The effects of FPI on UV radiation present during other normal wafer processing steps such as plasma deposition and reactive ion-etching were also studied and found to be negligible.
Reproductive phenology in Megalonaias nervosa (Bivalvia: Unionidae) in Wheeler Reservoir, Tennessee River, Alabama, USA

Two hundred and sixty-nine specimens of Megalonaias nervosa (Rafinesque, 1820) were collected approximately monthly from the Wheeler Reservoir (Tennessee River mile 298), Alabama, USA, between July 1995 and June 1997. Microscopic and gross examinations of gonadal tissue and marsupia were used to determine the phenology of gamete production, spawning, brooding, and glochidia discharge. In addition, 11 females were collected in October 2001 to obtain estimates of brood size. Little reproductive activity was observed through most of the year, culminating in a bout of activity in late summer and early autumn. In males, spermatozoa were seen only in individuals collected in August and September. In females, oocytes developed and grew quickly during the same period and all oocytes were released to the marsupia over a relatively short period, showing a high degree of spawning synchronicity with males. Glochidia quickly matured and were present in both inner and outer demibranchs until December. The average number of glochidia per female was 740,379 ± 72,854 (95% CI). The reproductive cycle observed differed from those reported for other members of the Ambleminae and was more similar to members of Lampsilinae. This suggests that the lengths of the gametogenic and spawning periods may be related to the timing of fertilization, rather than to the length of the brooding period or to the species phylogeny.
Analysis of current events: “towards the rule of law in Kosovo: EULEX should go”

Following Kosovo's declaration of independence in February 2008, the European Union deployed a rule of law mission in Kosovo (EULEX). While EULEX and its supporters have argued that the mission has the potential to succeed, critics claim that the mission has failed to significantly improve Kosovo's rule of law institutions, to address the rule of law vacuum in the north of Kosovo, and to prosecute high-level organized crime and corruption. I argue that the critics are correct, and explain that the mission is fundamentally flawed due to its neutrality about Kosovo's independence, its rejection of conditionality and capacity building, and its difficulty investigating politicized crimes. Consequently, the mission cannot overcome the inherent challenges of building the rule of law in Kosovo, namely the desire of the Kosovo Albanian majority for independence and the connection between politics and criminality. The paper concludes that EULEX should not be renewed, since the mission's main functions could be bet...
Genome-wide association studies in diverse populations

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified a large number of SNPs associated with disease phenotypes. As most GWA studies have been performed in populations of European descent, this Review examines the issues involved in extending the consideration of GWA studies to diverse worldwide populations. Although challenges exist with issues such as imputation, admixture and replication, investigation of a greater diversity of populations could make substantial contributions to the goal of mapping the genetic determinants of complex diseases for the human population as a whole.
The effect of salts on hydrolysis in supercritical and near-critical water: Reactivity and availability☆

Abstract The effect of salt concentration on the rate of hydrolysis of dibenzyl ether (DBE) and benzyl phenyl amine (BPA) in supercritical (SC) and near-critical water was examined. The addition of salts to the reaction mixture increased the hydrolysis rate at low salt concentration, while having no effect on a back ground pyrolysis reaction rate. This is consistent with a polar hydrolysis reaction mechanism wherein the rate constant would be increased with increases in the solvent polarity. At higher salt concentrations, the hydrolysis rate reached a maximum then decreased, approaching the rate observed in the absence of salts. This is interpreted in terms of the solution phase behavior. Two extremes were considered — a macroscopic two-phase limit and a molecular, local concentration model.
YouTube-ification of Political Talk: An Examination of Persuasion Appeals in Viral Video

In 2008, U.S. Internet users watched 14 billion videos on YouTube. During the 2008 presidential campaign, voters rated watching YouTube political videos as one of the top three most popular online political activities. But to what degree are YouTube political videos influential of viewers’ perceptions, and to what degree does the source of the video make an impact? Similar to all other new forms of online communication, the effects of YouTube clips on consumers of political information, and the credibility of these messages, have yet to be understood. This study takes a step into that direction through a three-cell posttest-only experimental design that exposed participants to three YouTube clips about health care, each clip containing a different persuasive appeal (source or ethos, logic or logos, and emotion or pathos). Results revealed that the ethos appeal ranked as the most credible appeal, followed by logos and pathos, a somewhat promising finding that users resist being swayed by emotion or hard nu...
Afferent neurourology: A novel paradigm†‡

The term “afferent neurourology” is introduced to describe the study of sensory processing related to the genitourinary tract. Urologic disorders that are characterized by abnormal sensory processing are reviewed, and unique challenges to our understanding of these disorders are described. A paradigm which separates afferent urologic disorders from efferent disorders and structural abnormalities is presented. Neurourol. Urodynam. 29:S29–S31, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Thermodynamic properties of TmFe2 hydrides

Abstract Hydrogen desorption isotherms were measured in the system TmFe2Hx for 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 4.4 at temperatures of 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 °C. Pressure plateaux on the isotherms indicate the existence of three hydride phases in addition to the terminal hydrogen-saturated metal α phase. An isopleth of TmFe2H1.03 was measured in the temperature range 20–95 °C. From the temperature dependence of the isotherms, the partial molar heats and entropies of absorption and the heats and entropies of formation were calculated as a function of x.
A CHEMICAL GROUP GRAPH REPRESENTATION FOR EFFICIENT HIGH-THROUGHPUT ANALYSIS OF ATOMISTIC PROTEIN SIMULATIONS

Graphs are rapidly becoming a powerful and ubiquitous tool for the analysis of protein structure and for event detection in dynamical protein systems. Despite their rise in popularity, however, the graph representations employed to date have shared certain features and parameters that have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we examine and compare variations on the construction of graph nodes and graph edges. We propose a graph representation based on chemical groups of similar atoms within a protein rather than residues or secondary structure and find that even very simple analyses using this representation form a powerful event detection system with significant advantages over residue-based graph representations. We additionally compare graph edges based on probability of contact to graph edges based on contact strength and analyses of the entire graph structure to an alternative and more computationally tractable node-based analysis. We develop the simplest useful technique for analyzing protein simulations based on these comparisons and use it to shed light on the speed with which static protein structures adjust to a solvated environment at room temperature in simulation.
Long-Life Fatigue of Type 316 Stainless Steel at Temperatures up to 593°C

Some energy-system structural components may be subjected to 107 or more cycles of small-amplitude, strain-controlled vibrations. In such cases, information on the elevated-temperature, long-life (>106 cycles to failure) fatigue resistance of the austenitic steels often used in these components is needed. Present design guidelines provide fatigue curves for these steels only up to 106 cycles to failure. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the long-life fatigue resistance of one such steel, namely Type 316 stainless steel. Strain-controlled long-life (> 106 cycles to failure) fatigue experiments were conducted on solution-annealed Type 316 stainless steel in air at temperatures from 21 to 593° C. These were all for continuous cycling of smooth specimens under fully reversed straining (no mean stress). Results of this work provided a major advance in understanding the fatigue behavior of this steel. Tentative best-fit fatigue curves have been developed, but more data are needed to establish needed statistical confidence in them. At 21°C, strain and load-controlled experiments gave similar fatigue-resistance values at 108 cycles when inelastic straining was taken into account. However, at 427°C and above, strain-controlled cycling yielded fatigue-resistance levels at 108 cycles about 15 to 25 percent above those for load-controlled cycling. This difference is related to the continually increasing stress levels observed under strain cycling at the higher temperatures. That is, cyclic hardening continues to occur for 105 or more cycles of straining with accompanying two- to threefold increases in strength. This increased strength gives the increased fatigue resistance at long lives. Under load-controlled conditions, such cyclic hardening cannot occur, and the fatigue resistance is lower. Results of this work emphasize the need for considering the intended service conditions in carrying out laboratory experiments. The impact of these results on recommended experimental procedures for long-life fatigue testing of such alloys is discussed. Finally, considerations for application of these data in fatigue design are addressed.