cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring the site-specific reactivity of impurities: The pronounced effect of dissolved oxygen on silicon etching

The reactivity of dissolved O 2 , a ubiquitous impurity in aqueous solutions, with H-terminated Si(111) surfaces was quantified using a new technique that exploits kinetic competition between an impurity and an etchant to produce impurity-concentration-dependent changes in the steady-state etch morphology. This method is applicable to any impurity that alters the etch morphology. The impurity-induced changes are quantified using scanning tunneling microscopy measurements and atomistic, concentration-dependent kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. The site-specific reactivity of O 2 (aq) is surprisingly anisotropic. Oxidation of the highly strained dihydride step site is 4 times faster than oxidation of the relatively unstrained monohydride step site. Both steps are 10 4 times more reactive than terrace sites. The observed site-specific reaction rates are highly correlated to local strain. FTIR measurements of the Si-H stretch vibration showed that dissolved O 2 inserts O atoms into surface Si-Si back-bonds without removing the H-termination. Dissolved O 2 does not attack Si-H bonds, because neither Si-H consumption nor silanol production is observed.
Time course of the defective α-cell response to hypoglycemia in diabetic BB rats

Abstract Although it is understood that patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) lose the ability to release glucagon during a hypoglycemic challenge, the relationship of this defect to the disease onset and loss of β-cell function is not well defined. To address this issue, we measured the counterregulatory response in three groups of BB/wor rats during sequential 90-minute euglycemic (7 mmol/L) and hypoglycemic (3 mmol/L) insulin clamps (180 pmol/kg · min). Group 1 (n = 8) consisted of nondiabetic BB rats (aged 84 ± 3 days), and groups 2 and 3 were rats studied 1 day (n = 7) or 7 days (n = 6) after diabetes onset. Plasma glucagon concentrations were similar in all groups during euglycemia (244 ± 47 ng/L for nondiabetic, 308 ± 38 for 1 day of diabetes, and 277 ± 30 for 7 days of diabetes). Moreover, after 1 day of diabetes, the increase in plasma glucagon during hypoglycemia was similar to that seen in controls (to 581 ± 94 and 650 ± 118 ng/L, respectively) even though insulin production by the pancreas was virtually absent. However, after 7 days of diabetes, plasma glucagon only increased to 339 ± 59 ng/L during hypoglycemia ( P = nonsignificant v basal), despite normal pancreatic glucagon content (11.5 ± 1.2 v 10.8 ± 0.6 μ/g in nondiabetic controls). In conclusion, the hypoglycemia-associated defect in glucagon release occurs early in the course of diabetes in BB rats and is not associated with decreased baseline plasma or pancreatic glucagon levels. This impairtment, although not immediately linked to the decrease in pancreatic insulin content, occurs soon afterward, implying that the two events are related.
Axial alkyl ligand reactivity in five-coordinate gallium(III) porphyrin complexes

Abstract Photochemical reactions of alkylgallium(III) complexes of tetraphenyl porphyrin dianion (TPP) have been monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Red-purple (TPP)GaIII(cyclopentylmethyl)·C6H5CH3, C57H47N4Ga, crystallizes in triclinic space group P 1 with a=10.877(3), b=11.389(2), c=18.786(3) A, α=81.02(2),β=11.389(2), γ=74.36(2)° at 130 K with Z=2. Refinement of 477 parameters and 4616 reflections yielded R=0.069, Rw=0.072. The structure shows that the gallium ion is five-coordinate with the gallium 0.58 A out of the N4 plane. The GaC bond distance is 1.992(6) A and the GaN distances span a narrow range from 2.095(4) to 2.110(3) A. Photolysis of (TPP)GaIII((CH2)4CHCH2) in benzene solution results in isomerization to form (TPP)GaIII(CH2CH(CH2)4) as a result of homolysis of the GaC bond and cyclization of the 5-hexenyl radical. In the presence of dioxygen photolysis of (TPP)GaIIIC2H5 produces (TPP)GaIII(OOC2H5) and photolysis of (TPP)GapIII((CH2)4CHCH2) yields TPPGapIII(OO(CH2)4CHCH2). In the latter case no isomerization (cyclization) to form TPPGaIII((CH2CH(CH2)4) occurs because the 5-hexenyl radical is intercepted by dioxygen before it can cyclize. Nitrosobenzene (a radical trap) also inhibits isomerization (cyclization) of (TPP)GaIII((CH2)4CHCH2).
Entropy of a spin-glass model with long-range interaction

The entropy at low temperatures of a long-ranged Ising spin-glass model is calculated from numerical simulation by the coincidence-counting method. The model is a truncated Sherrington-Kirkpatrick (SK) model. Results show strong evidence that the entropy is independent of the applied field. This independence has recently been conjectured by Parisi and Toulouse for the SK model.
Structural Developments in Tall Buildings: Current Trends and Future Prospects

Abstract Tall building developments have been rapidly increasing worldwide. This paper reviews the evolution of tall building's structural systems and the technological driving force behind tall building developments. For the primary structural systems, a new classification—interior structures and exterior structures—is presented. While most representative structural systems for tall buildings are discussed, the emphasis in this review paper is on current trends such as outrigger systems and diagrid structures. Auxiliary damping systems controlling building motion are also discussed. Further, contemporary “out-of-the-box” architectural design trends, such as aerodynamic and twisted forms, which directly or indirectly affect the structural performance of tall buildings, are reviewed. Finally, the future of structural developments in tall buildings is envisioned briefly.
Nucleation kinetics of the α→γM massive transformation in a Ti-47.5 at.% Al alloy

Abstract Continuous cooling experiments, utilizing in situ, high-speed computer-controlled temperature and electrical resistivity measurements and quantitative stereological analysis of microstructures, coupled with calculations based on the classical theory of nucleation, were performed to study the nucleation kinetics of the α→γM massive transformation in a Ti-47.5 at.% Al alloy. Using previously determined thermodynamic data on the reaction temperature, time, undercooling and driving force for the massive transformation, the free energies for critical nucleus formation and the nucleation rates were computed for different nucleus shape models, including incoherent grain face, edge and corner nuclei and faceted grain face nuclei, and compared with experimentally determined nucleation rates. The results indicate that nucleation of singly faceted grain face nuclei and incoherent grain corner and grain edge nuclei are highly likely. Good agreement was also obtained between the calculated and experimental nucleation rates at these various sites. Based on these results, possible nucleation mechanisms during the massive transformation are discussed in light of current thinking on the nature of this transformation.
A cylindrical shell with an axial crack under skew-symmetric loading.

The skew-symmetric problem for a cylindrical shell containing an axial crack is considered. It is assumed that the material has a special orthotropy - namely, that the shear modulus may be evaluated from the measured Young's moduli and Poisson ratios and is not an independent material constant. The problem is solved within the confines of an eighth-order linearized shallow shell theory. As numerical examples, the torsion of an isotropic cylinder and that of a specially orthotropic cylinder (titanium) are considered. The membrane and bending components of the stress intensity factor are calculated and are given as functions of a dimensionless shell parameter. In the torsion problem for the axially cracked cylinder the bending effects appear to be much more significant than that found for the circumferentially cracked cylindrical shell. Also, as the shell parameter increases, unlike the results found in the pressurized shell, the bending stresses around crack ends do not change sign.
Detection of heterozygotes for galactokinase deficiency in a human population.

A simple method for assaying galactokinase in red blood cells has been described. The assay is proportional with respect to time and enzyme concentration within the limits studied. The pH optimum of the enzyme is between pH 7.8 and 8.2. In whole blood kept at 4 C, the enzyme is stable for at least 8 days, but activity is rapidly lost when the cells are washed and frozen. Employing this method, blood samples from 642 individuals were assayed for galactokinase activity. Six individuals had activity about one-half the normal value and were considered to be heterozygotes for galactokinase deficiency. Family studies on four of the individuals further substantiated this conclusion. The calculated gene frequency indicates that approximately 1 in 46,000 individuals would be expected to have galactokinase deficiency.
Effect of nonlinear response of concrete on its elastic modulus and strength

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of nonlinear response of concrete on the relationship between modulus of elasticity at static and dynamic loading as well as on its strength. The obtained relationships are based on the thermofluctuation strength theory coupled with a nonlinear stress–strain material model. From the corresponding equations it was found that the ratio of the static to the dynamic modulus of elasticity depends on the strength of concrete, its temperature, rate of loading. Also it was confirmed that the dynamic modulus is greater than static modulus of elasticity. These equations explain the influence of the value of applied stress on the value of the static or dynamic modulus of elasticity. Comparative study shows substantial agreement with existing experimental results and the general equations given in standard BS 8110, Part 2:1985, and ACI documents. Based on the obtained relationships new methods for evaluating the static modulus of concrete and its strength from the results of dynamic tests are described subsequently.
Etiology of Severe Malnutrition: Results of an International Cross-Sectional Study in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

In an international cross-sectional study of 224 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, 59% were well nourished but 8% had severe malnutrition. To investigate factors that might underlie the severe malnutrition, we analyzed these data further. Forty-one percent of well-nourished patients had no residual renal function (RRF). Compared with well-nourished patients who had RRF, patients with no RRF received more dialysis, but not enough to compensate completely for loss of RRF. In addition, well-nourished patients with no RRF had a lower protein catabolic rate (PCR) than patients with RRF, although somatic and visceral protein stores were similar in the two groups. Compared with well-nourished patients with no RRF, severely malnourished patients, 94% of whom had no RRF, were prescribed and were receiving a lower total volume of dialysate. The latter had actual body weights (ABWs) that were considerably less than their desirable body weights (DBWs) due to recent losses of somatic protein and fat stores, whereas well-nourished patients were at or near their DBWs. Urea clearance, normalized to 0.58 X ABW, was similar in well-nourished and severely malnourished patients with no RRF, but was significantly decreased in severely malnourished patients when normalized to 0.58 X DBW. This suggests that in severely malnourished patients no compensation had been made for their loss of RRF, and they may have been chronically underdialyzed. The PCR, normalized to ABW, was similar in well-nourished and severely malnourished patients. Thus, the severely malnourished patients were not eating the additional protein that would have been required to restore good protein status. Other factors such as diabetes, frequency of peritonitis, and peritoneal protein losses were similar in well-nourished and severely malnourished groups. The results suggest that the failure to compensate for loss of RRF can lead to malnutrition, whereas increasing the dialysis dose as RRF decreases can help to maintain good nutritional status.
Biogenic silica and phosphorus accumulation in sediments as indices of eutrophication in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Biogenic silica (BSi), total phosphorus (TP), and biologically available phosphorus (AVP) were measured in short cores from Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. Peaks in BSi concentration and peaks in BSi:TP or BSi:AVP ratios provided stratigraphic signals of water column silica (Si) depletion as a response of increased diatom production to P enrichment and decreased diatom production resulting from silica depletion. By contrast the stratigraphic record of P accumulation provided very weak signals of the historical nutrient enrichment in the water column. These results indicate that system P recycling has a higher rate constant than Si recycling and, as a consequence, that relatively small levels of P enrichment can increase diatom production and sedimentation eventually causing Si depletion and Si-limited diatom production in the water mass.
An Ascending Seizure-Controlling Pathway in the Medial Brainstem and Thalamus

This study demonstrated that an ascending pathway from the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDTg) of the pontomesencephalic tegmentum to the thalamic central medial intralaminar nucleus (CeM) controls the thresholds of experimental seizures. Electrolytic and excitotoxic lesions of the CeM and adjacent thalamus facilitated myoclonic, facial-forelimb clonic, and tonic pentylenetetrazol seizures. Microinjections of the GABAB agonist (-)baclofen in the LDTg facilitated myoclonic and facial-forelimb clonic but not tonic seizures. When LDTg injections of (-)baclofen were performed in animals with prior electrolytic lesions of the midline thalamus, the thresholds of myoclonic and facial-forelimb clonic seizures were unchanged compared to similarly lesioned rats with control vehicle LDTg injections. In addition, the lowering of tonic seizure threshold observed with thalamic lesions was reversed by these (-)baclofen injections. Taken together with past studies, these results imply that the LDTg controls myoclonic and facial-forelimb clonic seizures via ascending projections to the CeM and possibly other medial thalamic nuclei. We also postulate that the LDTg affects tonic seizures by two different, opposing pathways. Although the LDTg-CeM pathway is part of the "ascending reticular activating system," lesions of the midline thalamus did not affect spontaneous sleep, implying that the CeM does not have an essential role in sleep regulation.
Effects of blood glucose levels on [14C]2-deoxyglucose uptake in rat brain tissue

Brain uptake of [14C]2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) was measured in fasted and fed rats. Enhanced uptake was observed in fasted rats. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between blood glucose levels and 2-DG uptake. The use of fasted, hypoglycemic animals and lower doses of 2-DG in 2-DG research is suggested in order to economize, to reduce variability, and to reduce attendant exposure to toxicity and radiation.
The desire for sexual variety as a key to understanding basic human mating strategies

authors have proposed competing evolutionary theories of human mating. Some argue that both sexes are designed to pursue a singular long-term mating strategy. Others contend that both sexes are designed to function as essentially multiple maters. Sexual Strategies Theory (SST; D.M. Buss & D.P. Schmitt, 1993), in contrast, proposes that men and women have evolved short-term and long-term mating strategies that are pursued differently by each sex depending on theoretically derived dimensions of context. According to SST, the sexes tend to differ in the nature and prominence of the short-term component of human mating-particularly the short-term desire for sexual variety. The current research was designed to test competing empirical predictions from these contrasting theories by focusing on sex differences in the desire for sexual variety. Study 1 (N = 1,049), consisting of five separate samples, found large and consistent sex differences in the desire for short-term sexual variety, even after employing statistical methods to control for skewed distributions and statistical outliers. Study 2 (N = 192) confirmed the results of Study 1 using an older, more mature sample. Study 3 (N = SO) again replicated these sex differences using an observer-based method of inquiry. Study 4 (N = 167) found evidence that short-term mating was unrelated generally to psychological dysfunction and may be related to mentally healthy personality characteristics in men. Discussion focuses on the viability of pluralistic compared with monomorphic evolutionary theories of human mating strategies.
Change in Pressor Responsiveness to Angiotensin II as a Determinant of Blood Pressure After Unclipping in Two-Kidney, One Clip Hypertensive Rats

The hypotensive effect of correction of renal artery stenosis in humans or experimental animals with renovascular hypertension is commonly attributed to decreasing renin secretion from the formerly stenotic kidney. However, plasma renin activity is normal in 50% of individuals with renovascular hypertension. We studied conscious, chronically instrumented two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) rats. The renal artery clip was removed and mean arterial pressure measured for 3 days. The majority of the fall in blood pressure occurred between 2 and 48 hours after unclipping. Measurement of water balance and urinary sodium excretion revealed no effect of unclipping. In another experiment, 2K1C hypertensive rats were chronically treated with enalapril and concomitant infusion of angiotensin II (3.8 pmol/min [4 ng/min] IV) to maintain blood pressure at hypertensive levels and prevent a fall in angiotensin II levels on unclipping. After 5 days, the clip was removed or sham removed, and treatment was continued. Blood pressure was recorded for 7 days. Blood pressure remained elevated in the sham unclipped rats. Unclipped rats exhibited a dichotomous response: blood pressure fell significantly within 48 hours in the majority of rats (responders) but remained elevated in a minority (nonresponders). All treatment was then withdrawn for 2 days. Sham unclipped rats remained hypertensive, and responders exhibited a further small decline in blood pressure. Blood pressure fell to normal in the nonresponders. Blood pressure falls after correction of renal artery stenosis in renovascular hypertension in part because of a decrease in pressor responsiveness to angiotensin II.
Same‐Race Friendships and School Attachment: Demonstrating the Interaction Between Personal Network and School Composition1

Previous research has demonstrated that students are strongly attached to school when many samerace peers are present. This study extends the literature by considering students' immediate social environment at school - egocentric friendship networks. I hypothesized that same-race friendships contribute to school attachment by increasing the amount of support that students receive for their racial backgrounds in direct interactions. Further, the association between same-race friendships and school attachment should be stronger when the school includes many same-race peers because the organizational condition increases the ability of same-race friendships to connect students to the major components of school-wide networks and reduces perceived racial contrast between friends and nonfriend peers. Statistical analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) provided some support for these hypotheses, but white, black, Hispanic, and Asian students showed somewhat different patterns, suggesting group differences in how students develop and view same-race friendships. The study highlights the importance of individual agency in navigating the multileveled social environment as well as the ability of organizational contexts to shift emotional consequences of personal relationships.
Domestic Impact of the Korean War

Book reviewed in this article: Paul G. Pierpaoli, Truman and Korea: The Political Culture of the Early Cold War
INFLUENCE OF IONIC MOBILE PHASE ADDITIVES WITH LOW CHARGE DELOCALIZATION ON THE RETENTION OF IONIC ANALYTES IN REVERSED-PHASE HPLC

The retention behavior of different ionic and ionizable probe analytes was studied as a function of added anionic counterion concentration and different types of counterions. The original goal was to verify if the influence of particular counterion on the retention of ionic analyte corresponds to its position in Hofmeister series with special attention paid to so-called “kosmotropic” ions. We did not find any correlation in the magnitude of observed effect with Hofmeister series sequence of ions. All kosmotropic ions demonstrated significant increase in retention of all probe analytes, the behavior generally called “chaotropic.” Practically all ions with significant charge localization demonstrated fast increase of analyte retention as a function of counterion concentration, usually within the 5 mmol range, while ions with significant charge delocalization (so-called liophilic ions) demonstrated prolonged analyte retention increase affect ranging up to 20 or 50 mmol counterion concentration.
Kalman meets neuron: The emerging intersection of control theory with neuroscience

Since the 1950s, we have developed mature theories of modern control theory and computational neuroscience with almost no interaction between these disciplines. With the advent of computationally efficient nonlinear Kalman filtering techniques, along with improved neuroscience models that provide increasingly accurate reconstruction of dynamics in a variety of important normal and disease states in the brain, the prospects for a synergistic interaction between these fields are now strong. I show recent examples of the use of nonlinear control theory for the assimilation and control of single neuron dynamics, the modulation of oscillatory wave dynamics in brain cortex, a control framework for Parkinsonian dynamics and seizures, and the use of optimized parameter model networks to assimilate complex network data – the ‘consensus set’.
Benchmark tests for the DARPA Spoken Language Program

This paper documents benchmark tests implemented within the DARPA Spoken Language Program during the period November, 1992 - January, 1993. Tests were conducted using the Wall Street Journal-based Continuous Speech Recognition (WSJ-CSR) corpus and the Air Travel Information System (ATIS) corpus collected by the Multi-site ATIS Data COllection Working (MADCOW) Group. The WSJ-CSR tests consist of tests of large vocabulary (lexicons of 5,000 to more than 20,000 words) continuous speech recognition systems. The ATIS tests consist of tests of (1) ATIS-domain spontaneous speech (lexicons typically less than 2,000 words), (2) natural language understanding, and (3) spoken language understanding. These tests were reported on and discussed in detail at the Spoken Language Systems Technology Workshop held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, January 20-22, 1993.
Finding Commonalities: Social Information Processing and Domain Theory in the Study of Aggression

The Arsenio and Lemerise (this issue) proposal integrating social information processing (SIP) and domain theory to study children's aggression is evaluated from a domain theory perspective. Basic tenets of domain theory rendering it compatible with SIP are discussed as well as points of divergence. Focus is directed to the proposition that domains constitute latent structures of SIP. Latent structures are described as cogenerative elements of online processing rather than cumulative stores of social information. Microgenetic studies of the reciprocal role of productive systems described within SIP and latent structures attributed to domain theory are proposed as important to the study of children' aggression. Domain theory studies of social exclusion and bullying are proposed as rich contexts for future research.
Invited Review: Functional genomics in the mouse: powerful techniques for unraveling the basis of human development and disease

Now that near-complete DNA sequences of both the mouse and human genomes are available, the next major challenge will be to determine how each of these genes functions, both alone and in combination with other genes in the genome. The mouse has a long and rich history in biological research, and many consider it a model organism for the study of human development and disease. Over the past few years, exciting progress has been made in developing techniques for chromosome engineering, mutagenesis, mapping and maintenance of mutations, and identification of mutant genes in the mouse. In this mini-review, many of these powerful techniques will be presented along with their application to the study of development, physiology, and disease.
EFFECTS OF EXTERNAL POTASSIUM AND STROPHANTHIDIN ON SODIUM FLUXES IN FROG STRIATED MUSCLE.

Unidirectional Na fluxes in isolated fibers from the frog's semitendinosus muscle were measured in the presence of strophanthidin and increased external potassium ion concentrations. Strophanthidin at a concentration of 10-5 M inhibited about 80 per cent of the resting Na efflux without having any detectable effect on the resting Na influx. From this it is concluded that the major portion of the resting Na efflux is caused by active transport processes. External potassium concentrations from 2.5 to 7.5 mM had little effect on resting Na efflux. Above 7.5 mM and up to 15 mM external K, the Na efflux was markedly stimulated; with 15 mM K the Na influx was 250 to 300 per cent greater than normal. On the other hand, Na influx was unchanged with 15 mM K. The stimulated Na efflux with the higher concentrations was not appreciably reduced when choline or Li was substituted for external Na, but was completely inhibited by 10-5 M strophanthidin. From these findings it is concluded that the active transport of Na is stimulated by the higher concentrations of K. It is postulated that this effect on the Na "pump" is produced as a result of the depolarization of the muscle membranes and is related to the increased metabolism and heat production found under conditions of high external K.
Quantum noise in pure third-order fiber parametric amplifiers

We discuss the potential for third-order parametric amplifiers, which utilize the inverse of the pure third harmonic process. We discuss fundamental limitations for novel quantum and classical devices, and discuss the design and construction of such a parametric amplifier in a novel waveguide design.
Familial Non-Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: An Update

Familial thyroid cancer can arise from follicular cells (familial non-medullary thyroid carcinoma (FNMTC)) or from the calcitonin-producing C-cell (familial medullary thyroid carcinoma). This is usually a component of multiple endocrine neoplasias (MEN) IIA or IIB, or as pure familial medullary thyroid carcinoma syndrome. The genetic events in the familial C-cell-derived tumors are known and genotype-phenotype correlations are well established. In contrast, the case for a familial predisposition of non-medullary thyroid carcinoma is only now beginning to emerge. Although the majority of papillary (PTC) and follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTC) are sporadic, familial tumors account for over 5% of cases. The presence of multifocal papillary carcinoma is a common feature of FNMTC. The familial follicular cell-derived tumors or non-medullary thyroid carcinomas encompass a heterogeneous group of diseases, including diverse syndromic-associated tumors and non-syndromic tumors. Based on clinico-pathologic findings, FNMTC is divided into two groups. The first includes familial syndromes characterized by a predominance of non-thyroidal tumors, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), Carney complex type 1, and Werner syndrome. The second group includes familial syndromes characterized by a predominance of NMTC, such as pure familial (f) PTC with or without oxyphilia, fPTC with papillary renal cell carcinoma, and fPTC with multinodular goiter. Some characteristic morphologic findings should alert the pathologist of a possible familial cancer syndrome, which may lead to further molecular genetic evaluation.
Render brokering for volume visualization

Volumetric data rendering is CPU- and memory-intensive. Technological innovations in data acquisition and data generation will probably continue to grow at a rate such that the data produced are orders of magnitude too large to be handled, analyzed, or projected (rendered) on an affordable desktop computer. In addressing these demands, the San Diego Supercomputer Center Networked Volume Renderer efficiently manages and provides access to several direct volume rendering algorithms running on advanced computing rendering engines. SDSC-NetV's most innovative aspects are its easy to use graphical interface, which hides all notion of a network, and the server manager, which assigns advanced computing servers based on the user's rendering request and on the set of currently available resources. The server manager, acting as a render broker for big rendering jobs, works in unison with the graphical interface to give the user several of the most effective features from turnkey, application builder, and advanced architecture volume rendering systems.
Niacin Increases Adiponectin and Decreases Adipose Tissue Inflammation in High Fat Diet-Fed Mice

Aims To determine the effects of niacin on adiponectin and markers of adipose tissue inflammation in a mouse model of obesity. Materials and Methods Male C57BL/6 mice were placed on a control or high-fat diet (HFD) and were maintained on such diets for the duration of the study. After 6 weeks on the control or high fat diets, vehicle or niacin treatments were initiated and maintained for 5 weeks. Identical studies were conducted concurrently in HCA2−/− (niacin receptor−/−) mice. Results Niacin increased serum concentrations of the anti-inflammatory adipokine, adiponectin by 21% in HFD-fed wild-type mice, but had no effect on lean wild-type or lean or HFD-fed HCA2−/− mice. Niacin increased adiponectin gene and protein expression in the HFD-fed wild-type mice only. The increases in adiponectin serum concentrations, gene and protein expression occurred independently of changes in expression of PPARγ C/EBPα or SREBP-1c (key transcription factors known to positively regulate adiponectin gene transcription) in the adipose tissue. Further, niacin had no effect on adipose tissue expression of ERp44, Ero1-Lα, or DsbA-L (key ER chaperones involved in adiponectin production and secretion). However, niacin treatment attenuated HFD-induced increases in adipose tissue gene expression of MCP-1 and IL-1β in the wild-type HFD-fed mice. Niacin also reduced the expression of the pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage marker CD11c in HFD-fed wild-type mice. Conclusions Niacin treatment attenuates obesity-induced adipose tissue inflammation through increased adiponectin and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in a niacin receptor-dependent manner.
Root counting, phase unwrapping, stability and stabilization of discrete time systems

In this paper, we develop a procedure for determining the phase unwrapping of a real polynomial or rational function along the unit circle. By representing the unit circle image in terms of Tchebyshev polynomials, a formula for the unwrapped phase is determined in terms of the zeros and signs of these polynomials. The root distribution with respect to the unit circle can thus be determined in terms of the Tchebyshev representation. This result is applied to the problem of feedback stabilization of a digital control system by constant gain or by a two-parameter controller. The solution results in a determination of the entire set of stabilizing gains as a solution of sets of linear inequalities. This is in sharp contrast to the solution via classical conditions which result in nonlinear inequalities. The result also gives a new characterization of Schur stability in terms of the Tchebyshev representation which may be of independent interest.
Influence of Particle Size on the Effectiveness of the Fiber in Alfalfa Silage

This experiment evaluated the influence of particle size on the effectiveness of fiber in corn silage relative to that in hay crop, which consisted of mostly alfalfa silage. Fifteen multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to five treatments in each of 2 yr. The design was replicated but truncated 5 x 5 Latin squares with three 21-d periods in 1994 and four 21-d periods in 1995. The five diets (2-yr average, dry basis) were a basal, low fiber control with 12% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from hay crop forage (60% of total diet NDF); a high fiber control with 22% NDF from hay crop forage (82% of total diet NDF); and three diets each containing 12% NDF from hay crop forage and 9% NDF from coarse corn silage, fine corn silage, or an equal mixture of the two. An increase in the forage content above the basal amount with either hay crop or corn silage increased rumination and total chewing time. No detectable differences in rumination, total chewing time, or milk fat concentration were detected among the corn silage diets. In yr 1, yield of milk components and dry matter intake were greater for cows fed the four low alfalfa diets, but there was no effect due to particle size of the corn silage. In yr 2, linear increases in milk, fat, and protein yields were observed as the mean particle size of the corn silage decreased. Reduction of corn silage particle size did not affect chewing behavior.
Immunoglobulin M Antibody Test To Detect Genogroup II Norwalk-Like Virus Infection

Sera obtained from adult volunteers inoculated with genogroup II Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs), Hawaii virus, and Snow Mountain virus and from patients involved in outbreaks of gastroenteritis were tested for genogroup II NLV Mexico virus-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) by use of a monoclonal antibody, recombinant Mexico virus antigen (rMXV)-based IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sera from genogroup I Norwalk virus (NV)-inoculated volunteers and from patients involved in a genogroup I NLV outbreak were also tested. In sera from those infected with genogroup I NV or NLVs in volunteer and outbreak studies, only 3 of 25 were rMXV IgM positive; in contrast, 24 of 25 were IgM positive for recombinant NV (rNV). In sera from those infected with genogroup II NLVs in volunteer and outbreak studies, 28 of 47 were rMXV IgM positive and none were IgM positive for rNV, showing the specificity of each IgM test for its respective genogroup. In an outbreak of gastroenteritis not characterized as being of viral etiology but suspected to be due to NV, 7 of 13 persons had IgM responses to rMXV, whereas none had IgM responses to rNV, thus establishing the diagnosis as genogroup II NLV infection. The rMXV-based IgM capture ELISA developed is specific for the diagnosis of genogroup II NLV infections.
Effects of Groundwater Velocity and Permanganate Concentration on DNAPL Mass Depletion Rates during In Situ Oxidation

In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) using permanganate has been increasingly applied to deplete mass from dense nonaqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL) source zones. However, uncertainty in the performance of ISCO on DNAPL contaminants is partially attributable to a limited understanding of interactions between the oxidant, subsurface hydrology, and DNAPL mass transfer, resulting in failure to optimize ISCO applications. To investigate these interactions, a factorial design experiment was conducted using one-dimensional flow through tube reactors to determine how groundwater velocity, permanganate concentration, and DNAPL type affected DNAPL mass depletion rates. DNAPL mass depletion rates were found to increase with increasing groundwater velocity, or increasing oxidant concentration. An interaction occurred between the two factors, where high oxidant concentrations had little impact on mass depletion rates at high velocities. High oxidant concentration systems experienced gas generation. Mass depletion rates were...
Design and mechanical evaluation of a novel fiber-reinforced scaffold for meniscus replacement†

A fiber-reinforced degradable scaffold for replacement of meniscal tissue was designed, fabricated, and mechanically evaluated. The hypotheses were that (1) the fiber network design would share a portion of compressive loads via the generation of circumferential tensile loads, and (2) the scaffold tensile properties would be similar to those of the meniscus. Two meniscus scaffold designs varying in fiber content (1000 or 500 fibers: MS1000, MS500) underwent cyclic compressive loading up to 100 and 250N, with resultant tensile loads measured at the anterior and posterior anchors. Standard tensile testing was also performed on each device and ovine menisci. Both scaffolds generated tensile loads directly proportional to the applied compressive loads, with MS1000 scaffolds generating approximately twice the tensile loads of MS500 scaffolds. The tensile strength of MS1000 scaffolds was significantly higher than that of the medial and lateral ovine menisci, and approximately twice that of the MS500 scaffolds. The stiffness of MS1000 scaffolds was lower than that of the lateral meniscus, but not statistically different from that of the medial meniscus. These results support our hypotheses that this novel fiber-reinforced scaffold can mimic the tensile and hoop stress behavior of normal meniscal tissue under compressive loading. The circumferential tensile strength and stiffness are appropriate for a meniscus replacement device.
Functions and Architectures for LDPC Decoding

Implementation of belief propagation for low-density parity-check codes involves selection of functions possessing manageable dynamic range, topologic considerations for aggregation of these functions such that nodes of varying degree can be efficiently realized, and message passing architectures that offer various alternatives for flexibility and throughput. This paper discusses each of these topics and contrasts optimal and sub-optimal techniques where appropriate. In particular, optimal functions for producing extrinsic messages in the absence of an inverse function are described and compared to sub-optimal approaches that do not compute a full set of extrinsic messages. In addition we describe structured and universal message passing architectures and discuss scenarios where application of each may be appropriate.
NUMERICAL DISCRIMINATION BY WILD NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS

Abstract ABSTRACT Optimal foraging theory predicts that birds, when faced with alternative foraging options, will choose the one that provides the greatest rate of return. We tested if wild, free-living Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) could solve a novel foraging problem to attain food rewards with the least amount of effort. We introduced five subjects to experimental feeders in their winter territories in an urban habitat. Feeders contained different numbers of bamboo sticks at each of two ends. Birds could access a food reward (Tenebrio larvae) by removing all sticks from either end; therefore, the optimal choice was to remove sticks from the end with fewer sticks. Each subject was tested in repeated trials to determine if it preferentially chose the end with fewer sticks. All five birds successfully discriminated between one stick and six sticks as well as between two sticks and five sticks. However, all five birds failed to discriminate between three sticks and four sticks. Wild Northern Mo...
Archaeology for the Anthropocene: Scale, soil, and the settlement of Iceland

Abstract Archaeologists have devised numerous methods for measuring and describing past human-environmental interactions, but connecting historic case studies with present-day global concerns often proves challenging. New ways of considering scale are needed to bring case studies of past communities into productive conversation with the global Anthropocene. Iceland, one of the last land masses colonized by humans, was transformed by the agricultural practices of the first generations of Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, including a significant reduction in forest cover and soil loss to erosion. However, the large-scale, island-wide process of erosion manifested in different ways that become clear when changes in soil cover are investigated at the regional scale. These changes were beneficial in some places and detrimental in others, and the development of inequality was contingent on both social and environmental contexts. Scholars of the contemporary Anthropocene must likewise connect local effects, including landscape degradation and social inequality, to anthropogenic processes that operate beyond the scale of everyday experience. Social landscapes, including infrastructure and environmental degradation, act in concert with ecological processes to reconstitute the ‘natural’ into new, taken-for-granted landscapes of inequality. Studying the way past communities experienced relatively larger-scale anthropogenic environmental change leads to new ways of thinking about, and perhaps managing, human responses to contemporary global-scale change.
Organizational Change – Technology Transfer Processes: A Review of the Literature

Over the last two decades, researchers from various disciplines have developed models for examining how to best import innovations in organizations. Such technology transfer (TT) models provide a conceptual framework for identifying and measuring the key components of the innovation diffusion process. In this chapter, the emphasis is on studies that have assessed the models and/or factors that affect the success of TT models in criminal justice and substance abuse treatment agencies as well as other human and social service agencies. Each model emphasizes slightly different components, but together they represent pathways for organizations to contemplate. Lessons from these conceptual frameworks are the building blocks for a new conceptual model that will expedite and facilitate the transfer of evidence to practice in dynamic settings that are characterized by multilayered processes involving an organization and the systems in which they thrive.
Nitric Oxide Synthesis in Sponge Matrix Allografts Coincides with the Initiation of the Allogeneic Response

The investigation of the biological effects of nitric oxide (∙N = O) has been of increasing interest in the recent past. Nitric oxide is a product of oxidative L-arginine metabolism, in which L-arginine is metabolized to L-citrulline and ∙N = O by the yet not fully characterized enzyme ∙N = O synthase.
Abstract 17301: AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Regulates Mitochondrial Reprogramming and Differentiation Potential of Cardiac Progenitor Cells

Activation and participation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) in regeneration are critical for effective repair in the wake of pathologic injury. The process of stem cell activation and commitment involves increased energy demand and mitochondrial biogenesis. However, significant gaps exist in our knowledge of CPC differentiation, and little attention has been paid to alterations in mitochondria during differentiation. In this study, we have investigated the mechanisms of mitochondrial maturation integral to the execution of a cardiac differentiation program. We found that uncommitted c-kit+ CPCs contain an under-developed network of few mitochondria that localize in the perinuclear region. In contrast, after incubation in differentiation medium, mitochondria displayed a dramatic change with increased mitochondrial mass and formation of a large network as the CPCs grew in size. Expansion of the mitochondrial network correlated with cardiac lineage commitment as detected by real time PCR for GATA4, MEF2C and Actinin. Moreover, differentiation induced expression of mitochondrial biogenesis proteins PGC-1α, NRF-1 and Tfam, which correlated with an increase in the number of mitochondria as well as enhanced oxidative capacity and cellular ATP levels. AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor that is activated in response to increased energy demand in cells. Since differentiation requires energy and PGC-1α is a known downstream target of AMPK, we examined the role of AMPK in regulating mitochondrial expansion and differentiation in CPCs in vivo and in vitro. We found that AMPK protein levels and phosphorylation drastically increased during differentiation of CPCs in vitro. Moreover, CPCs are known to migrate to the border zone after myocardial infarction (MI), where they proliferate and differentiate into distinct cardiac lineages. We found that a majority of the c-kit+ cells in the border zone were positive for p-AMPK after MI. Inhibiting AMPK with Compound C prevented both expansion of the mitochondrial network and differentiation in CPCs in vitro. These data suggest that mitochondrial expansion by AMPK and PGC-1α play an essential role in CPC differentiation and defects in this process will impair their repair capacity.
A 14 dBm 110–130 GHz power amplifier and doubler chain in 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology

A D-Band x2 frequency multiplier-amplifier chain implemented in an advanced 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology is presented. The chain achieves a peak output power of 14 dBm and consists of input balun and push-push frequency doubler which drives a single-ended three stages Power Amplifier (PA). It operates from 110 GHz to 130 GHz (3 dB power bandwidth) with 5 dBm input power at V-Band and consumes a total DC power of 200 mW from a 1.6 V supply. The stand-alone doubler achieves output power >5 dBm at 110–130 GHz and occupies area of only 0.15 mm2.
Crystallization and Solid-State Characterization of the Hemihydrate of Albuterol Hemisulfate

Comprehensive solid-state characterization and development of a controlled crystallization process of the recently discovered hemihydrate of albuterol hemisulfate (ASH) are presented. The ASH is physically stable when stored at ambient conditions for at least 3 months and at 0% relative humidity for at least 2 months. The thermal dehydration of the hydrate occurs at ∼100 °C and proceeds without a loss of crystallinity. The dehydrated crystal structure persists up to decomposition temperature (∼160–185 °C). An inspection of the single-crystal X-ray structure revealed an isolated-site (class A) hydrate with a complex three-dimensional supramolecular network sustained via multiple strong hydrogen bonds. Thermodynamic stability studies established that the hydrate is more-stable relative to the nonsolvated form at aw > 0.63 at 5 °C, aw > 0.65 at 20 °C, and aw > 0.80 at 40 °C. The constructed phase diagram for the anhydrate–hydrate system guided the development of a controlled crystallization process at a 0.5 ...
Clinical course outcomes for store and forward teledermatology versus conventional consultation: a randomized trial

We assessed the clinical course of patients after store and forward teledermatology in comparison with conventional consultations. Patients being referred from primary care to dermatology clinics were randomly assigned to teledermatology or a conventional consultation. A total of 392 patients were randomized; 261 patients completed the study and were included in the analysis. Their clinical course was rated on a five-point scale by a panel of three dermatologists, blinded to study assignment, who reviewed serial digital image sets. The clinical course was assessed by comparing images sets between baseline and first clinic visit (if one occurred) and between baseline and nine months. There was no evidence to suggest a difference between the two groups in either clinical course between baseline and nine months post-referral (P = 0.88) or between baseline and the first dermatology clinic visit (P = 0.65). Among teledermatology referrals, subsequent presentation for an in-person dermatology clinic visit was significantly correlated with clinical course (P = 0.023). Store and forward teledermatology did not result in a significant difference in clinical course at either of two post-referral time periods.