cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental and numerical studies of small-scale rainfall measurements and variability

A high-resolution rainfall observatory was established at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research to support studies of small scale rainfall variability. It includes a vertically pointing X-band radar, a two-dimensional video disdrometer, an optical rain gauge, a standard tipping bucket raingauge, and high temporal resolution sensors for measurements of wind velocity and direction, temperature, humidity, and pressure. All the instruments are collocated. The observatory is being upgraded to include a Doppler processor for the radar, a mobile platform to enable participation in community-organized hydrometeorological experiments, and a network of about 15 high-resolution raingauges to be installed at a nearby airport. The airport network design includes innovative concepts of dual sensors constituting a single observational point, connected to the same data logger. The observational points are separated with distances ranging from 10-1000 metres. We present comparisons of data collected by the various sensors and discuss implications for radar-rainfall estimation. The capabilities of the experimental setup at IIHR will facilitate numerical studies of rainfall measurements. In particular, we present results of computational fluid dynamics calculations of the measurement error of the video disdrometer based on the high resolution observations of drop size distribution and wind velocity.
Reproductive Response of Geese to a Cool Environment

Abstract Geese kept at 4.5° C. trended toward greater fertility than geese housed but subjected to natural temperature variations. This trend became highly significant after April 3.
Neuronal localization of m1 muscarinic receptor immunoreactivity in the rat basolateral amygdala

Muscarinic cholinergic neurotransmission in the basolateral nuclear complex (BLC) of the amygdala is critical for memory consolidation in emotional/motivational learning tasks. Although knowledge of the localization of muscarinic receptor subtypes in the BLC would contribute to an understanding of the actions of acetylcholine in mnemonic function, previous receptor binding and in situ hybridization studies lacked the resolution necessary to identify which neurons in the BLC express different receptor subtypes. In the present study immunohistochemistry was used to study the neuronal localization of the m1 receptor. The intensity of m1 immunoreactivity varied in different nuclei of the amygdala, and was most robust in the BLC, and in the adjacent posterolateral cortical nucleus. The density and morphology of labeled neurons in the BLC suggested that the m1+ neuronal population included pyramidal cells, the principal neurons in this amygdalar region. In addition, there was dense punctate m1 immunoreactivity in the neuropil of the BLC. Dual labeling immunofluorescence studies of the BLC using antibodies to cell type specific markers were performed to more definitively determine the phenotype of m1-positive (m1+) neurons. An antibody to calcium/calmodulin protein kinase II (CaMK) was used to label pyramidal cells, whereas an antibody to glutamic acid decarboxylase was used to label interneurons. Virtually all of the intensely labeled m1+ neurons of the BLC were CaMK+ pyramidal cells. These data suggest that the ability of M1 receptor antagonists to impair memory consolidation in the BLC is mainly due to blockade of cholinergic influences on the activity of pyramidal neurons.
Making Buddhism work @ work: the transformation of a religion into a seasoned ethical system

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review Buddhism as a potential reform instrument in the workplace and discuss some obstacles in making that happen.Design/methodology/approach – By the use of literature review and interviews, Buddhism's establishment in the USA is reviewed, a brief overview of Buddhism in general is provided, Buddhism is considered within the light of the spirit at work discourse, and the current discourse on implementing Buddhist practices in the workplace is reviewed.Findings – It is found that Buddhist practices are becoming more widely accepted but the fact that they are called “Buddhist” practices may be a barrier in massive acceptance.Research limitations/implications – The information was gathered from literature and disputed by pro‐Buddhist individuals (monks and lay persons), which may leave room for some bias in view sharing.Practical implications – Buddhist practices, when perceived as ethical values, make perfect sense, and could help instigate a positive turnaround i...
Tetrakis-azaaromatic quaternary ammonium salts: novel subtype-selective antagonists at neuronal nicotinic receptors that mediate nicotine-evoked dopamine release.

A series of tetrakis-azaaromatic quaternary ammonium salts was synthesized to identify compounds with higher affinity and selectivity as antagonists at neuronal nicotinic receptor subtypes (nAChR) that mediate nicotine-evoked DA release. A high hit rate was achieved in identifying potent analogs that inhibit these nAChRs. Three tetrakis analogs, 11j, 11f, and 11g, were identified as potent (IC50 = 3, 28 and 56 nM, respectively) antagonists at these receptors. These compounds represent a novel structural class of nicotinic receptor antagonists.
Structural Basis of Udp-Galactose Binding by Alpha- 1,3-Galactosyltransferase (Alpha3Gt): Role of Negative Charge on Aspartic Acid 316 in Structure and Activity.

alpha-1,3-Galactosyltransferase (alpha3GT) catalyzes the transfer of galactose from UDP-galactose to form an alpha 1-3 link with beta-linked galactosides; it is part of a family of homologous retaining glycosyltransferases that includes the histo-blood group A and B glycosyltransferases, Forssman glycolipid synthase, iGb3 synthase, and some uncharacterized prokaryotic glycosyltransferases. In mammals, the presence or absence of active forms of these enzymes results in antigenic differences between individuals and species that modulate the interplay between the immune system and pathogens. The catalytic mechanism of alpha3GT is controversial, but the structure of an enzyme complex with the donor substrate could illuminate both this and the basis of donor substrate specificity. We report here the structure of the complex of a low-activity mutant alpha3GT with UDP-galactose (UDP-gal) exhibiting a bent configuration stabilized by interactions of the galactose with multiple residues in the enzyme including those in a highly conserved region (His315 to Ser318). Analysis of the properties of mutants containing substitutions for these residues shows that catalytic activity is strongly affected by His315 and Asp316. The negative charge of Asp316 is crucial for catalytic activity, and structural studies of two mutants show that its interaction with Arg202 is needed for an active site structure that facilitates the binding of UDP-gal in a catalytically competent conformation.
A molecular dynamics study of aggregation phenomena in aqueous n-propanol

Low-frequency Raman studies of various concentrations of aqueous n-propanol at room temperature indicate that both water and n-propanol form single-component aggregates in solution. Small-angle X-r...
System for projection of a three-dimensional, moving virtual target for studies of eye-hand coordination

Eye-hand tracking of moving visual objects in three-dimensional (3D) space is common in the behavioral repertoire of primates. However, behavioral and/or neurophysiological studies of this function are lacking mainly because devices do not exist that allow its investigation. We describe a device by which a spot of light can be presented in the immediate extrapersonal space of a subject and can be moved in various trajectories in 3D space. The target is a real image of a circular aperture produced by a system consisting of a light source, aperture, filters, several lenses and fold mirrors, and a large concave mirror to focus the final real image. Rapid, computer-controlled movement of the image is obtained by tilting a gimbal-mounted guide mirror (for x and y motion) and by translating a lens (for motion in the z direction). A second configuration of the system allows movement of a 3D image in the 3D space. Hand motion is monitored by means of a sonic, 3D, position-measurement system.
The Frequency of Sarcocystis spp. and Its Effect on Winter Carcass Composition of Mottled Ducks

Macrocysts of the protozoan parasite Sarcocystis spp. occurred in 34 of 241 (14%) adult and 6 of 70 (8.6%) immature mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula) that were collected in southwestern Louisiana from 1987 to 1989. The prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. among immature ducks was higher than previously reported, possibly because of a longer exposure period. No differences in carcass composition variables were found between heavily infected and uninfected adult mottled ducks during the winter period of the annual cycle. We concluded that macrocysts of Sarcocystis spp. did not influence carcass composition and probably exert negligible effects on survival of parasitized mottled ducks during winter.
Hybrid merge/overlap execution technique for parallel array processing

Whether in business or science, multi-dimensional arrays are a common abstraction in data analytics and many systems exist for efficiently processing arrays. As dataset grow in size, it is becoming increasingly important to process these arrays in parallel. In this paper, we discuss different types of array operations and review how they can be processed in parallel using two different existing techniques. The first technique, which we call merge, consists in partitioning an array, processing the partitions in parallel, then merging the results to reconcile computations that span partition boundaries. The second technique, which we call overlap, consists in partitioning an array into subarrays that overlap by a given number of cells along each dimension. Thanks to this overlap, the array partitions can be processed in parallel without any merge phase. We discuss when each technique can be applied to an array operation. We show that even for a single array operation, a different approach may yield the best performance for different regions of an array. Following this observation, we introduce a new parallel array processing technique that combines the merge and overlap approaches. Our technique enables a parallel array processing system to mix-and-match the merge and overlap techniques within a single operation on an array. Through experiments on real, scientific data, we show that this hybrid approach outperforms the other two techniques.
A Descriptive Analysis of Pharmacy Continuing Education Offerings in 1985.

This study reports the results of a national survey of ACPE-approved provider continuing education offerings during 1985. The study was designed to identify frequently-presented topics, characterize types of programs offered, describe the providers offering programs and detail continuing education activities on a regional basis. Data were requested through the mail and the ACPE "program description form" was used as the source of the study data. Two hundred and one (84.1%) ACPE-approved providers from eight regions of the country and Puerto Rico participated and data from 2,461 programs were analyzed. Differences and similarities among programs offered and characteristics of providers were reported. Additional information was generated on when programs were offered, methods of presentation, average tuition charged and average credit hours offered. Significant differences were noted. Comparisons with previous national studies were made where possible. Among the findings was: an impact by mandatory continuing education requirements on the number of programs available; an increase in average program tuition charges; a decrease in the average number of credit hours per program; and an increase in competition among providers. Programs provided a rich variety of offerings, required a moderate tuition charge, were offered in every month, and used many different formats and delivery methods.
Operant-level lever pressing by a monkey as a function of interest interval.

Subject and Apparatus A 3-pound, experimentally naive, cinnamon Cebus was used. This species does not have food pouches, and is described by Kltlver (1933) as being especially manipulative. Apparatus consisted of a large cage (54 by 26 by 36 inches), in which S was both housed and tested, and of the lever on which S was tested. A lever, built of 0.5-inch aluminum stock, was introduced through a normally closed port in the side of the cage; it projected about 3.5 inches into the cage, at a distance of about 18 inches from the base of the cage. The lever responded to a force of about 55 grams. When moved through an arc of about 5 inches, it operated an electric counter.
Longitudinal Modeling of Developmental Changes in Psychological Research

In this article we provide a review of recent advances in longitudinal models for multivariate change. We first claim the need for dynamic modeling approaches as a way to evaluate psychological theories. We then describe one such approach, latent change score (LCS) models, and illustrate their utility with a summary of research findings in various areas of psychological science. We then highlight the most prominent features of LCS models. We conclude the article with suggestions for future research on multivariate models of change that can enhance our understanding of psychological science.
Effect of nonlinear modal interaction on control performance: use of normal forms technique in control design. I. General theory and procedure

This is Part I of a two part paper dealing with control design in power systems using the method of normal forms. In stressed power systems, due to the presence of increased nonlinearity and the existence of nonlinear modal interactions, there exist some limitations to the use of conventional linear control design techniques. The objective of this work is to understand the effect of the nonlinear modal interaction on control performance and to develop a procedure to design controls incorporating the nonlinear information.
Samuel Ruben's Contributions to Research on Photosynthesis and Bacterial Metabolism with Radioactive Carbon.

The earliest experiments on the pathways of carbon in photosynthetic and heterotrophic metabolism using radioactive carbon, 11C, as a tracer were performed by Samuel (Sam) Ruben, Martin Kamen, and their colleagues. The short half-life of 11C (20 min), however, posed severe limitations on identification of metabolic intermediates, and this was a major stimulus to search for a radioactive carbon isotope of longer half-life. 14C was discovered by Ruben and Kamen in 1940, but circumstances prevented continuation of their research using the long-lived isotope. Because of the untimely accidental death of Ruben in 1943, there are very few published accounts on the life and work of this extraordinary scientist. This paper summarizes highlights of Ruben's outstanding accomplishments.
Immune Responses to Adenovirus and Adeno-Associated Vectors Used for Gene Therapy of Brain Diseases: The Role of Immunological Synapses in Understanding the Cell Biology of Neuroimmune Interactions

Researchers have conducted numerous pre-clinical and clinical gene transfer studies using recombinant viral vectors derived from a wide range of pathogenic viruses such as adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, and lentivirus. As viral vectors are derived from pathogenic viruses, they have an inherent ability to induce a vector specific immune response when used in vivo. The role of the immune response against the viral vector has been implicated in the inconsistent and unpredictable translation of pre-clinical success into therapeutic efficacy in human clinical trials using gene therapy to treat neurological disorders. Herein we thoroughly examine the effects of the innate and adaptive immune responses on therapeutic gene expression mediated by adenoviral, AAV, and lentiviral vectors systems in both pre-clinical and clinical experiments. Furthermore, the immune responses against gene therapy vectors and the resulting loss of therapeutic gene expression are examined in the context of the architecture and neuroanatomy of the brain immune system. The chapter closes with a discussion of the relationship between the elimination of transgene expression and the in vivo immunological synapses between immune cells and target virally infected brain cells. Importantly, although systemic immune responses against viral vectors injected systemically has thought to be deleterious in a number of trials, results from brain gene therapy clinical trials do not support this general conclusion suggesting brain gene therapy may be safer from an immunological standpoint.
A reverse engineering toolkit for design recovery

Migration of code from an imperative paradigm to other paradigms, including the parallel/distributed paradigm, is often done in an ad hoc manner. In order to systematically approach this problem, we first need the design of the original system. In this paper we describe a reverse engineering toolkit that we developed to extract the design of a system. An object-oriented design and implementation were used in the development of the toolkit. By using the toolkit, we can comprehend a program's modules and how they interact with each other. The information extracted is amenable for an abstraction of a parallel design. Also, the design of the toolkit facilitates object extraction from imperative code.
Film thickness and pvc effects on color properties

Pigment volume concentration (PVC) has very important effects on coating properties. This study explores the PVC effects on the color properties of the coatings. the color of the film is found to change according to the PVC changes even at a constant ratio of colored pigments to white pigments. A comprehensive description and explanation is given from appearance and theory. A detail study in film thickness effects on color properties is also included.
Effect of ouabain on sodium pump alpha-isoform expression in an animal model of mania.

While the pathophysiologic mechanisms of bipolar illness are unknown, a dysregulation of electrolytes, particularly intracellular sodium (Na) and calcium (Ca), are thought to contribute to the illness. Ouabain, a potent Na pump inhibitor, administered intracerebroventricularly (ICV), has been used previously to model mania. The current study evaluates the effect of ICV ouabain on Na pump isoform expression in rat brain. Animals received 5 µl ICV of either 10− 3 M ouabain or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF). They were then sacrificed 7 days after the ICV injection and specific brain areas were dissected and frozen until the assay (frontal cortex, hippocampus, and basal ganglia). The three isoforms of the alpha subunit of the Na pump that are expressed in the brain were quantified with immunoblot analysis with actin serving as internal control. The behavioral hyperactivity seen in rats receiving ICV ouabain is associated with an increase of expression of the glial-specific alpha2 isoform in the basal ganglia, and the neuron-specific alpha3 isoforms in the frontal cortex. These findings, in association with human post mortem studies finding that alpha2 is underexpressed in the temporal cortex of bipolar subjects, suggest that Na pump isoform expression may be of interest in the pathophysiology of mania.
Distance-Learning and Converging Mobile Devices

This paper reports on the use, effectiveness, and acceptance of graduate computer science course lectures recorded and formatted for mobile devices, including Video iPods, PDAs, and Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPC). Technology convergence is trending toward that allows students to participate live in class discussion from anywhere that they have connectivity over Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, or wired LAN. Students were allowed to attend each class in-person, or remote using laptop or mobile devices including Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPC), PDA, Video iPod, iPhone, or cell-phone. Students found a conventional laptop to be most effective for both synchronous and asynchronous distance learning.
Organizing Data in Tables and Charts: Different Criteria for Different Tasks.

Summary Tables and charts are efficient tools for organizing numbers, but many people give little consideration to the order in which they present the data. This article illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of four criteria for organizing data – empirical, theoretical, alphabetical and a standardized reporting scheme.
Harijan religion: consensus at the bottom of caste

The religion of Indian Untouchables (Harijans) is often described and analyzed variationally, suggesting that Untouchables differ significantly in religion from those above them because of their lowermost position in the caste system. This paper challenges this variational emphasis. It examines the conceptualizations and ritual actions of a group of South Indian Harijans in their worship of “divine beings” and concludes that Harijan religion is characterized by deep, tacit consensus with higher-caste religion. The variations that do exist are different from those previously proposed; they must be evaluated in relation to the deep framework of cultural unity, and they do not imply a change in collective consciousness at the bottom of the system.
A note on the complexity of rooted trees and hierarchies with possible applications to organization design and system architectures

We define a complexity function over all rooted trees (i.e., Tree Hierarchies). The purpose of this note is to minimize this function, over all rooted trees on a fixed number of vertices. The results may be useful in the study of organization design and system architectures.
Approximate Theory of Thermal Stress Resistance of Brittle Ceramics Involving Creep

The effect of stress relaxation by creep on the thermal stress fracture of brittle ceramics at high temperature under conditions of quasi-static heat flow is discussed. It is shown that, to a good approximation, thermal stress relaxation rates can be calculated on the basis of creep rates which correspond to the minimum temperature of the ceramic workpiece. For materials exhibiting linear stress-creep rate dependence, expressions for the relaxation time and maximum temperature difference or heat flux to which ceramic bodies can be subjected are derived in terms of the material variables affecting thermal stress fracture and stress relaxation by creep. A numerical example shows that high-temperature creep can materially affect the thermal stress behavior of brittle ceramics. Appropriate thermal stress parameters are proposed to form the basis of proper material selection for high-temperature environments involving thermal stress and stress relaxation by creep. Conditions for which thermal stress calculations should be based on an elastic or viscoelastic analysis are outlined.
Impact of soil texture on air-water interfacial areas in unsaturated sandy porous media

[1] The gas phase partitioning tracer method was used to measure air-water interfacial area as a function of water content for eight sandy porous media. The porous media comprised a series of sands with narrow particle size ranges, a sand with a wider particle size distribution, a sandy soil, and a loamy sandy soil. The measurement range was extended to very low water contents in an attempt to determine upper limits for air-water interfacial areas. The measured values were compared to the normalized surface areas of the porous media. The results of the experiments showed that the magnitude of the air-water interfacial areas increased with decreasing water saturation and approached that of the normalized surface areas. Generally, air-water interfacial areas were larger for media with larger specific surface areas. The change in air-water interfacial area with changing water saturation was less near saturated water contents and greater at smaller values. In addition, the change was greater for the poorly sorted media than the well-sorted media. An empirical equation was developed to describe the observed relationship between air-water interfacial area and water saturation. The coefficients of the equation were found to correlate to the porous medium uniformity coefficient. With this equation and associated correlations, only bulk density, specific surface area, and uniformity coefficient are needed to estimate air-water interfacial area for a given water saturation. The equation was shown to provide a reasonable description of a literature data set.
How to monitor internal controls

Internal controls are critical for any organization to function effectively. And with an effective system of controls in place, you minimize risk. But how should you monitor controls to ensure their quality and performance? © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Feedback release control of Bernoulli production lines

Performance analysis, improvement, and design of production systems have been studied extensively for over 60 years. In contrast, feedback control of production systems has received significantly less attention. This paper is devoted to one of the problems in this area: feedback control of parts release in production systems. This problem is of considerable practical importance for both push- and pull-systems. In push-systems, this problem arises when it is necessary to limit the residence time of parts within the production line. In pull-systems, feedback control of release is often imposed by kanbans; to ensure that the varying customer demand is satisfied in an efficient manner, the number of kanbans must be selected dynamically so that the desired performance is achieved with the smallest possible level of finished goods inventory. Few analytical methods for solving these problems are available in the current literature. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to develop a theory for analysis and design of feedback release control in push- and pull production lines with Bernoulli machines.
Activation of nuclear factor-κB during orthotopic liver transplantation in rats is protective and does not require kupffer cells

Reperfusion after liver transplantation results in the induction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) as well as activation of the stress-associated signaling proteins, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), activating protein-1 (AP-1), and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). To test the hypothesis that Kupffer cells are involved in the activation of signal transduction cascades during rat liver transplantation, Kupffer cells were depleted from donor liver using gadolinium chloride (GdCl3), and then the activation of JNK, AP-1, and NF-kappaB were assessed after transplantation. The results showed that GdCl3 treatment did not inhibit the activation of these stress signals, although transplanted livers were depleted of Kupffer cells and partially protected from reperfusion injury. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were induced by transplantation, and the induction was suppressed by Kupffer cell depletion. The induction of TNFalpha mRNA and serum protein during liver transplantation was unaffected by GdCl3. These results show that Kupffer cells are not a major source of TNFalpha production after liver transplantation and that stress-signaling protein activation occurs independently of Kupffer cells. Transplantation strongly activates the transcription factor NF-kappaB, which blocks TNFalpha-mediated apoptosis in hepatocytes in vitro. To assess the role of NF-kappaB activation during liver transplantation, the IkappaBalpha superrepressor was expressed in donor livers using adenoviral-mediated gene transfer. Inhibition of NF-kappaB resulted in increased serum alanine aminotransferase levels after 3 hours of transplantation. In addition, the blockade of NF-kappaB resulted in increased histological tissue injury and increased hepatic terminal deoxyribonucleotide transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, indicating apoptosis. These results show that NF-kappaB activation has a protective role in the transplanted liver.
Dose–response study of myo-inositol as an inhibitor of lung tumorigenesis induced in A/J mice by benzo[a]pyrene and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone

Dietary myo-inositol is an effective inhibitor of lung tumor induction in mice, but no dose-response studies have been reported. We assessed the ability of various doses of dietary myo-inositol to inhibit lung tumor induction in female A/J mice treated with eight weekly doses of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) plus 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) (3 micromol of each by gavage), then killed 18 weeks later. In Expt. 1, groups of 20 mice each were treated with myo-inositol at concentrations of 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.0625, 0.03125, and 0% in AIN-93 diet for 1 week prior to, during, and for 1 week after the carcinogen administration period. In Expt. 2, groups of 20 mice each were treated with the same concentrations of myo-inositol in the diet as in Expt. 1, except this diet was administered from 1 week after carcinogen administration until termination. There were no effects of myo-inositol on lung tumor incidence, which was 100% in all groups treated with BaP plus NNK. However, myo-inositol significantly decreased lung tumor multiplicity in both experiments. In Expt. 1, significant reductions of 28.9 and 33.0% were observed at the 1 and 0.5% doses of myo-inositol, but not at the lower doses. In Expt. 2, a significant reduction of 48.4% was observed at the 1% dose. In both Expts. 1 and 2, there was a significant dose trend for inhibition (P<0.0001). No toxicity was observed at any dose. These results firmly establish myo-inositol as a chemopreventive agent against lung tumor induction in A/J mice, at doses that can be envisioned for human use.
Normal electrographic-polysomnographic patterns in preterm and fullterm infants

Maturational changes occur in electroencephalogram (EEG)-sleep patterns for the neonate from preterm to fullterm postconceptional age. Electrical maturity of the neonatal brain is correlated within 1 to 2 weeks of other criteria for gestational maturity. Proper recording techniques of EEG-sleep studies in neonates will ensure accurate documentation of both cerebral and noncerebral parameters. Before 36 weeks postconceptional age (PCA), ecognition of specific electrographic patterns are used to identify neonates of different PCAs. Following 36 weeks PCA, concordance between cerebral and noncerebral physiological behaviors are more predictable of neonatal EEG-sleep segments; this phenomena is independent of intrauterine or extrauterine development. Computerassisted analyses of EEG sleep complement visual inspection by better characterizing relationships among EEG-sleep behaviors. Such analyses have documented group differences between preterm and fullterm infants of comparable postconceptional ages, suggesting adaptation of brain function to conditions of prematurity. Recognition of neonatal EEG-sleep patterns facilitate both an understanding of functional brain ontogeny and a recognition of pattern disturbances that underlie pathological or stressful conditions.
Enhancement of Tumor Oxygenation and Radiation Response by the Allosteric Effector of Hemoglobin, RSR13

Abstract Amorino, G. P., Lee, H., Holburn, G. E., Paschal, C. B., Hercules, S. K., Shyr, Y., Steffen, R. P. and Choy, H. Enhancement of Tumor Oxygenation and Radiation Response by the Allosteric Effector of Hemoglobin, RSR13. Radiat. Res. 156, 294–300 (2001). Prior studies using pO2 microelectrodes have shown that RSR13, an allosteric modifier of hemoglobin, increases tissue oxygenation in vivo. Recently, measurements of tissue oxygenation have been performed by many investigators using blood oxygen level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD MRI). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the BOLD MRI signal ratio in tumors will change after administration of RSR13. NCI-H460 human lung carcinoma cells were used as a xenograft in athymic nude mice. Mice with 1-cm3 tumors in the flank were anesthetized and mounted on the MRI apparatus, and various doses of RSR13 were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.). MR images were then acquired at 10-min intervals for up to 60 min after injection. The effect ...
Thermal management improvement of an air-cooled high-power lithium-ion battery by embedding metal foam

Abstract Effect of embedding aluminum porous metal foam inside the flow channels of an air-cooled Li-ion battery module was studied to improve its thermal management. Four different cases of metal foam insert were examined using three-dimensional transient numerical simulations. The effects of permeability and porosity of the porous medium as well as state of charge were investigated on the standard deviation of the temperature field and maximum temperature inside the battery in all four cases. Compared to the case of no porous insert, embedding aluminum metal foam in the air flow channel significantly improved the thermal management of Li-ion battery cell. The results also indicated that, decreasing the porosity of the porous structure decreases both standard deviation of the temperature field and maximum temperature inside the battery. Moreover, increasing the permeability of the metal foam drops the maximum temperature inside the battery while decreasing this property leads to improving the temperature uniformity. Our results suggested that, among the all studied cases, desirable temperature uniformity and maximum temperature were achieved when two-third and the entire air flow channel is filled with aluminum metal foam, respectively.
Transformation of Japanese Elementary Mathematics Textbooks: 1958–2012

Quality of teaching is a major factor in students’ mathematics learning. Stigler and Hiebert (1999) showed that mathematics teaching in Japanese schools is significantly different from what is typically observed in US classrooms. However, Japanese mathematics educators claim that Japanese mathematics teaching has transformed significantly over the last 50 years. Although teaching is influenced by a variety of factors, textbooks play a significant role in what mathematics is taught and how it is taught. In other words, textbooks may significantly influence students’ opportunities to learn. Thus, six editions of a Japanese elementary school mathematics series since 1958 were analyzed to identify any change that might indicate the transformation of mathematics instruction in Japan. The analysis revealed that the features included in the series have changed over the years to support more explicitly the problem-solving-based mathematics instruction described by Stigler and Hiebert (1999).
Orbitofrontal Cholesterol Granuloma: Four Case Reports and a Systematic Review of the English Literature.

Introduction Primary orbitofrontal cholesterol granuloma (OFCG) is rare. We present 4 cases of OFCG and a systematic literature review to examine patient characteristics, presentation, treatment, and outcome. Methodology Our institutional records were reviewed for OFCG cases. A systematic literature review was performed using PubMed. Inclusion criteria were English-language studies with pathology-proven OFCG. Exclusion criteria were OFCG in a craniofacial sinus. The search-string yielded 172 results. Fifty studies met inclusion criteria (39 primary and 11 secondary), and relevant data were reviewed. Results Four patients underwent surgery for OFCG at our institution (ages 53, 43, 34, and 43; 3 females, 1 male). All patients were treated with surgery using a tailored frontal-orbital craniotomy with complete resection. There was no recurrence at 12-month, 4-year, 10-year, and 22-year follow-up for each patient, respectively. Systematic review of the literature identified 172 patients. Follow-up was available in 93 patients (54.1%) with a mean follow-up of 43.3 months. Seven patients demonstrated recurrence at a median of 36 months following surgery. Combining our 4 cases with the 93 patients with reported follow-up gives a recurrence rate of 7% (7/97). Recurrence was associated with incomplete resection and an orbital approach. Conclusion Thorough removal of the lesion with curettage of the boney cavity is recommended for OFCG. Recurrence following complete removal of OFCG is rare.
Polycrystalline anatase titanium dioxide microring resonators with negative thermo-optic coefficient

We fabricate polycrystalline anatase TiO2 microring resonators with loaded quality factors as high as 25,000 and average losses of 0.58 dB/mm in the telecommunications band. Additionally, we measure a negative thermo-optic coefficient dn/dT of −4.9±0.5×10−5 K−1. The presented fabrication uses CMOS-compatible lithographic techniques that take advantage of substrate-independent, non-epitaxial growth. These properties make polycrystalline anatase a promising candidate for the implementation of athermal, vertically integrated, CMOS-compatible nanophotonic devices for nonlinear applications.
Sometimes, Money Does Grow On Trees: Data-Driven Demand Response with DR-Advisor

Real-time electricity pricing and demand response has become a clean, reliable and cost-effective way of mitigating peak demand on the electricity grid. We consider the problem of end-user demand response (DR) for large commercial buildings which involves predicting the demand response baseline, evaluating fixed DR strategies and synthesizing DR control actions for load curtailment in return for a financial reward. Using historical data from the building, we build a family of regression trees and learn data-driven models for predicting the power consumption of the building in real-time. We present a method called DR-Advisor called DR-Advisor, which acts as a recommender system for the building's facilities manager and provides suitable control actions to meet the desired load curtailment while maintaining operations and maximizing the economic reward. We evaluate the performance of DR-Advisor for demand response using data from a real office building and a virtual test-bed.
Invention is a Process, or Why the Electronics and Pharmaceutical Industries are at Loggerheads over Patents

The Federal Trade Commission's 2003 innovation report revealed an interesting fact: the pharmaceutical industry is largely satisfied with today's patent system while the electronics, software and Internet industries are not. This article suggests that a difference in governing law accounts for the difference in satisfaction. The federal Food and Drug Act requires pharmaceutical inventions to be proven safe and effective before they can be sold. It thus requires completion of the entire inventive process for pharmaceuticals. Our patent system, however, has no analogous requirement for the other fields. In them, applicants may stake a claim to rivals' later inventive effort after completing only the very first step - conceptualizing - of a lengthy inventive process. The result is patents on abstractions that hold up real inventors, as in Blackberry, eBay and countless other cases to come. Unfortunately, developments in biotechnology, including patenting gene segments, suggest that the biotech industry may be closing the gap in early-stage patenting. This article suggests two ways to improve our patent system and reduce the difference in industry satisfaction. The first is to abolish the doctrine of constructive reduction to practice. A statutory amendment would require inventors, before receiving a patent, to invest reasonably in making, building, testing or at least simulating something concrete, in order both to demonstrate feasibility and to attract real seed capital. A second amendment would convert Section 103's nonobviousness criterion from an abstract test of cognitive difficulty to an economically meaningful test. The new test would encourage review of concrete economic factors such as investment of risk capital, real progress in bringing an invention to market, the assumption of technological risk, i.e., risk of total failure for nonmarket reasons, and a proven need for protection from free riders. Unlike current Section 103, the new test would consider how the invention was made and would permit hindsight. It would do so on the theory that patents protect not cognitive brilliance, but investment of risk capital in the entire process of invention, in which conceptualization is only a first step. The test would also recognize that investment, concrete progress, and risk are susceptible to proof in retrospect. The article outlines how, if adopted, these changes could help rationalize our patent system economically and eliminate the difference in satisfaction between pharmaceuticals and other fields of industry, whose own participants now see patents as impeding progress as often as promoting it.
Perceptions of Partner Violence: How Aggressor Gender, Masculinity/Femininity, and Victim Gender Influence Criminal Justice Decisions

ABSTRACTThis study examines the extent to which perceptions of partner violence are influenced by aggressor gender and masculinity/femininity, and victim gender. Participants evaluated a case scenario depicting domestic assault. Results found charges were significantly higher and sentences significantly longer when the victim was female. Masculine aggressors were more likely to be perceived as having threatened bodily injury and as having initiated the assault compared to feminine aggressors. Masculine aggressors in heterosexual relationships were more likely to be identified as having initiated an assault compared to feminine aggressors in heterosexual relationships or individuals in same-sex relationships.
Establishment of a 900 telephone number at a university-based drug information service

Effects of converting a free drug information service at a university medical center to a 900 telephone number are described. Calls to a university medical center drug information service had increased beyond the capacity of staff. A telephone survey to recent users of the service indicated that callers outside the institution would be willing to pay a fee for the service, so a 900 number was instituted for outside calls in January 1993. Staff recorded data on all questions they answered; data for 1993 were compared with those from 1992. Question volume decreased by 48% after the 900 number was instituted, with questions from outside the institution dropping by 55%, questions from outside health care professionals dropping by 72%, and questions from the lay public increasing slightly. One severe impediment to callers from local hospitals was that many hospitals block access to 900 numbers from their telephone systems. The average length of a call was three minutes and the average cost per call was $6. Net income during the first year of operation was $6698. The 900 number provided some income, but it did not completely offset operating costs. A 900 telephone number is a workable, but imperfect, method of providing drug information to outside callers. Early notification of users before implementing a 900 number is essential to allow time for them to arrange telephone access.
Chemisorption of HF on Silicon Surfaces

We have investigated the interaction of gaseous hydrofluoric acid (HF) with single crystal silicon surfaces using soft x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and Electron Stimulated Desorption Ion Angular Distributions (ESDIAD). Examination of the Si(2p) core level for surfaces saturated with HF shows the formation of silicon-fluoride bonds indicating the dissociative chemisorption of HF on both Si(111) and Si(100) surfaces. Inspection of the F(2s) and F(2p) valence levels at saturation coverage indicate that only one-half monolayer of fluorine bonds to the silicon. The primary ion desorbed by electron bombardment of these surfaces is F+ with only a minor contribution from H+. ESDIAD images from a saturation coverage of HF on stepped Si(100) surfaces reveal F+ desorption primarily along the direction of the terrace dimers. The ESDIAD patterns from HF adsorbed on Si(111) are characterized by strong normal F+ emission with a weak background component of off-normal emission. These results are consistent with the dissociative chemisorption of HF where the ion emission direction is determined by the Si-F bond directions.
Earth Abundant Element Cu2Zn(Sn1−xGex)S4 Nanocrystals for Tunable Band Gap Solar Cells: 6.8% Efficient Device Fabrication

Cu2Zn(Sn1−xGex)S4 nanocrystals have been synthesized via batch reaction in oleylamine with no additional surfactants present. The nanocrystals are knife-coated on molybdenum substrates and then selenized to form a dense layer of Cu2Zn(Sn1−xGex)(S,Se)4, which is then used as the photoabsorbing layer in a thin film solar cell. The band gaps of the nanocrystals and the resulting solar cells are demonstrated to be controlled by adjusting the Ge/(Ge+Sn) ratio of the nanocrystal synthesis precursors. Solar cells fabricated from Cu2ZnGeS4 nanocrystal films yielded a power conversion efficiency of 0.51%. However, Cu2Zn(SnxGe1−x)S4 nanocrystals with a Ge/(Ge+Sn) ratio 0.7 yielded devices with an efficiency of 6.8% when synthesized to be Cu-poor and Zn-rich. This result opens the possibility of forming Ge gradients to direct minority carriers away from high recombination interfaces and significantly improve the device efficiency of CZTSSe-based solar cells.
Formal Methods for Fault-Tolerant, Real-Time System Design

Fault-tolerant design for real-time systems may be necessary when the cost of failure and doubts about the perfection of a system’s components are sufficiently high. Unfortunately, experience has shown that fault-tolerance functionality is itself a significant source of design error. This is not surprising considering the subtle, time-sensitive impact of faults on component functions and interactions. The complexity of fault effects and the need for very high confidence in designs of critical systems place fault-tolerant, real-time designs beyond the power of informal design verification techniques.
Resistance of the Euonymus Anthracnose Pathogen, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, to Selected Fungicides

Fifty-five isolates of C. gloeosporioides recovered from euonymus leaf spot and stem lesions from four nurseries in Connecticut were tested in vitro for fungicide resistance. Commercially formulated fungicides were added to potato dextrose agar at 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 µg ai/ml, and the regression of normalized growth rate was used to determine the EC 50 . Isolates exhibited a range of sensitivity to benzimidazoles, chlorothalonil, and iprodione. Resistance to multiple fungicides was common, and fungicide resistant isolates w ere recovered from all nurseries. Forty-four of forty-eight isolates were resistant to thiophanate-methyl; twenty-nine had EC 50 values over 1,000 µg ai/ml. Thirty-four isolates had EC 50 values greater than 1,000 µg ai/ml chlorothalonil; only eight were less than 100 µg ai/ml. Only two isolates of C. gloeosporioides were sensitive to 10 µg ai/ml iprodione. Over 91% of isolates had EC 50 values of less than 500 µg ai/ml for copper hydroxide, but the growth of four was not totally inhibited by concentrations of 1,000 µg ai/ml. All isolat es tested had EC 50 values less than 500 µg ai/ml ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate (EBDC), and 94.5% were sensitive to less than 100 µg ai/ml of this fungicide. Inhibition zones developed only around disks amended with 10,000 µg ai/ml EBDC. Conidia in contact with disks amende d with 10,000 µg ai/ml EBDC for 48 hr did not germinate. After transfer to unamended media, fungal growth was inhibited after con tact with 10,000 µg ai/ml thiophanate-methyl or iprodione, but not with copper hydroxide. Management programs for euonymus anthracno se need to be developed to control both the disease and the selection of fungicide resistant isolates of C. gloeosporioides. Index words: benzimidazoles, Chipco 26019, chlorothalonil, copper hydroxide, Daconil, Dithane, Domain, ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate, iprodione, Kocide. Fungicides used in this study: Chipco 26019 (iprodione); Daconil 2787 (chlorothalonil); Dithane (ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate); Domain FL (thiophanate-methyl); Kocide 101 (copper hydroxide).