cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for a secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase in sea urchin spermatozoa.

Plasma membrane, sarco-endoplasmic reticulum and secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPases (designated PMCA, SERCA and SPCA) regulate intracellular Ca2+ in animal cells. The presence of PMCA, and the absence of SERCA, in sea urchin sperm is known. By using inhibitors of Ca2+-ATPases, we now show the presence of SPCA and Ca2+ store in sea urchin sperm, which refills by SPCA-type pumps. Immunofluorescence shows SPCA localizes to the mitochondrion. Ca2+ measurements reveal that ∼75% of Ca2+ extrusion is by Ca2+ ATPases and 25% by Na+ dependent Ca2+ exchanger/s. Bisphenol, a Ca2+ ATPase inhibitor, completely blocks the acrosome reaction, indicating the importance of Ca2+-ATPases in fertilization.
A Microtechnique for Radioisotopic Determination of Glomerular Filtration Rate in Infants and Children

Our experience with a microtechnique using 99mTc-DTPA for determination of glomerular filtration rate in 172 children is presented. It is a simple finger-stick method carried out in a four-hour time period by trained nuclear medical per sonnel. The procedure meets all criteria for precise measurement of glomerular filtration rate, and the radiation dose is low. Proof of accuracy was obtained by comparison of this technique with concomitant 24-hour urinary creatinine clear ance in a subset of children.
Inhibition of epidermal adenyl cyclase by lithium carbonate.

An in vitro floating system was used to investigate the effect of lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) on the activity of adenyl cyclase in normal pig epidermis. Li 2 CO 3 decreased the responsiveness of adenyl cyclase to stimulation by histamine, adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and epinephrine. This abnormality is similar but not identical to the previously described impaired responsiveness of adenyl cyclase to epinephrine and PGE 2 in psoriatic plaques compared to normal adjacent skin. Involved and uninvolved skin from a psoriatic on lithium therapy demonstrated decreased responsiveness to in vitro stimulation by epinephrine, histamine and adenosine when compared to skin from psoriatics who were not on lithium therapy. These results are consistent with the observation that lithium therapy worsens psoriatic lesions.
Second Language Assessment and Morphosyntactic Development.

The purpose of this study is to begin work toward a grammatical assessment measure that could bridge the gap between theoretical work on grammatical development, on the one hand, and tools such as the Michigan Test (which uses multiple-choice questions on vocabulary and grammar) or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages scale (which uses holistic descriptions of grammar use), on the other hand. Such a measure would need to be practical to administer with large groups. Two proposals of grammatical development (processability theory, Pienemann, 1998, 2005; and organic grammar, Vainikka & Young-Scholten, 2006) were applied to short samples of spontaneous production data from 48 adult second-language learners of English from mixed first-language backgrounds. The rapid profile scale successfully accounted for the learners’ development but is of somewhat limited use with short samples of data. The organic grammar placement scale may need to be further refined, but it includes important indicators of grammatical development. A preliminary proposal for using a combined measure with a rubric is presented.
The comorosan effect: Toward a perspective

Comorosan has reported that exposure of crystalline enzyme substrates to radiation at 546 nm can lead to altered enzymatic reaction rates as a periodic, almost discontinuous function of irradiation time. A number of the reported characteristics of this phenomenon lie rather far from common experience and have raised questions concerning the validity of the effect. These questions have now been addressed in a series of single- and double-blind experiments using the urea/urease system. The results are entirely consistent with the gross features of the phenomenon. Further study is justified and recommended.
Estimation of moisture and oil content of in-shell nuts with a capacitance sensor using discrete wavelet analysis

Moisture and oil contents are important quality factors often measured and monitored in the processing and storage of food products such as corn and peanuts. For estimating these parameters for peanuts nondestructively a parallel-plate capacitance sensor was used in conjunction with an impedance analyzer. Impedance, phase angle and dissipation factor were measured for the parallel-plate system, holding the in-shell peanut samples between its plates, at frequencies ranging between 1MHz and 30 MHz in intervals of 0.5 MHz. The acquired signals were analyzed with discrete wavelet analysis. The signals were decomposed to 6 levels using Daubechies mother wavelet. The decomposition coefficients of the sixth level were passed onto a stepwise variable selection routine to select significant variables. A linear regression was developed using only the significant variables to predict the moisture and oil content of peanut pods (inshell peanuts) from the impedance measurements. The wavelet analysis yielded similar R 2 values with fewer variables as compared to multiple linear and partial least squares regressions. The estimated values were found to be in good agreement with the standard values for the samples tested. Ability to estimate the moisture and oil contents in peanuts without shelling them will be of considerable help to the peanut industry.
Sorption of manganese and silica by clay and carbonate

Abstract The interaction between silica, manganese, clay minerals and carbonate was investigated experimentally at 25°C and 70°C using commercial silica gel, manganese monohydrosulfate, smectite, aragonite oolites and calcite foraminifera. The calcium carbonate polymorph, aragonite, altered to manganese carbonate within 6 months at both 25°C and 70°C. Calcite conversion to manganese carbonate occurred at 70°C but not at 25°C over the same time period, and much less rapidly than aragonite even at the higher temperature. Excess calcium released into solution by the carbonate conversion precipitated as gypsum. The mechanism for conversion of calcium carbonate to manganese carbonate appears to consist of initial sorption of manganese onto the surface of calcium carbonate phases, followed by dissolution of these phases and subsequent precipitation of manganese carbonate. The manganese oxyhydroxides, hausmannite and manganite, formed at 70°C within 6 months apparently by direct nucleation on smectite and through oxidation of previously formed manganese carbonate. At 25°C, only trace amounts of hausmannite were detected after 6 months, and no manganite was found. These results follow the logical progression of phase stability in oxygenated aqueous systems predicted from Eh—pH diagrams for the manganese system, where manganese carbonate is unstable relative to hausmannite, which is in turn unstable relative to manganite.
1.54 lm GaSb/AlGaSb multi-quantum-well monolithic laser at 77 K grown on miscut Si substrate using interfacial misfit arrays

Growth and fabrication: In this Letter, we present a GaSb quantumwell (QW) laser diode monolithically grown on a 5 miscut Si (100) substrate. The device operates at a wavelength of 1.54 m mu nder pulsed conditions at 77 K. The 13% lattice mismatch at AlSb=Si interface is spontaneously relieved by an interfacial misfit array (IMF), resulting in low-defect density, single-domain III-Sb bulk material, on which the laser is grown. The schematic of the device is shown in Fig. 1. The entire epi-structure is grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) at 400C. The epitaxy is initiated with a 50 nm AlSb nucleation layer that is optimised for simultaneous IMF formation and APD suppression on Si. The AlSb layer is followed by a 2 mm n-GaSb contact layer, a 2.3 m mA l0.55Ga0.45Sb lower n-type clad, a 0.3 mm undoped Al0.3Ga0.7Sb waveguide layer surrounding the QW active region, a 1.5 m mA l0.55Ga0.45Sb upper p-type clad and a highly doped 50 nm GaSb p-type contact layer. The active region comprises six GaSb (10 nm) QWs separated by Al 0.3Ga0.7Sb (10 nm) barrier layers. The samples are processed such that they form gain-guided stripe lasers with widths ranging from 25 to 100 mm. The process involves an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etch (ICP-RIE) into the n-GaSb contact layer using boron trichloride (BCl3 )c hemistry, Ti=Pt=Au metal evaporations to both the n-GaSb and p-GaSb contact layers. The Si substrate is thinned to 70 m ma nd cleaved to bar lengths of 1 mm. Poor facet quality along with the low gain of the
Characteristics of tephra from cinder cone, Lassen volcanic National Park, California

Cinder Cone, an undissected, 200 m high Holocene cone in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, is mantled by basaltic blocks and bombs, including abundant large spherical accretionary bombs. Types of pyroclasts, ranging from light brown sideromelane droplets to blocky, crystalline tachylite fragments, appear to reflect the vent history; when the vent was clear, an abundance of lava was erupted at higher temperature and lower viscosity, producing predominantly rapidly chilled sideromelane droplets. When the vent was blocked by pooling of lava or by slumping of talus from crater walls, intermittent Strombolian eruptions ejected more viscous, crystalline to tachylitic fragments and comminuted talus. Such activity has been observed at Mt. Etna, Italy and Heimaey, Iceland. Avalanching of debris into the crater and down outer slopes, one of the main processes in cinder cone formation, isalso responsible for thevarieties of pyroclast types formed during Strombolian eruptions.
Silicon Carbide Platelet/Silicon Carbide Composites

{alpha}-Silicon carbide platelet/{beta}-silicon carbide composites have been produced in which the individual platelets were coated with an aluminum oxide layer. Hot-pressed composites showed a fracture toughness as high as 7.2 MPa{center_dot}m{sup 1/2}. The experiments indicated that the significant increase in fracture toughness is mainly the result of crack deflection and accompanying platelet pullout. The coating on the platelets also served to prevent the platelets from acting as nucleation sites for the {alpha}- to {beta}-phase transformation, so that the advantageous microstructure remains preserved during high-temperature processing.
Interrogating Protein Conformational Mobility by Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry

It is often postulated that protein conformational mobility underlies enzyme activation, however our knowledge about how this occurs is still incomplete. To study this, we are measuring protein hydrogen/deuterium exchange by mass spectrometry (HX-MS) which reports internal motions of the folded state, where exchange predominantly occurs through low energy fluctuations in protein structure that enable transient solvent accessibility. Such fluctuations, represented by free energy differences (ααG) on the order of 1 kcal/mol, lead to changes in protein function even where structural differences are absent. HX-MS analysis of the mitogen-activated protein kinase, ERK2, reveals altered conformational mobility within localized regions of the enzyme upon catalytic activation. HX changes can be ascribed to enhanced backbone flexibility at the hinge between the conserved N- and C-terminal domains, predicting that interdomain closure may occur following ERK2 activation. This is corroborated by evidence that ERK2 binds nucleotide in two modes, where the active kinase adopts a closed conformation, whereas inactive ERK2 is constrained in an open conformation. Thus, phosphorylation of ERK2 releases constraints to interdomain closure needed for catalytic turnover, by regulating protein flexibility. Importantly, patterns of activation-induced HX differ between ERK2 and its paralog ERK1, despite their similarities in overall deuteration. Furthermore, ERK1 lacks constraints to domain closure prior to activation. Therefore, although MAP kinases are closely related with respect to primary sequence and tertiary structure, they utilize distinct mechanisms for dynamic control of enzyme function.
Biometric Evaluation on the Cloud: A Case Study with HumanID Gait Challenge

Biometric datasets are growing in size with time. Procurement of such datasets and resources for development and evaluation of biometric algorithms is expensive, time consuming and often requires expertise in systems software. Our goal in this project is to build a cloud-based evaluation system, which can host a common dataset and allow the submission of algorithms either as source code or Linux x-86 executable, to enforce a standard experimental protocol, and to provide results in a standard format. This facilitates comparing algorithms with each other and benchmarking progress. In order to efficiently service these algorithms, we need expensive computers with lot of storage and processing power. Having such systems eliminates the need for procurement of datasets and resources for experimentation, thus lowering the barrier for engaging in biometrics research. This style of cloud-based online evaluation system will encourage other biometric and research communities to build similar systems. The preferred solution to deploy this web-app is using Amazon Web Services, which provides computing power as well as storage capacity. In this paper, we share our experience with transitioning the HumanID Gait Challenge from traditional data+code type structure to a cloud based solution. It is available at http://marathon.csee.usf.edu/GaitBaseline/gaitcloud.
Isomorphism in Information Carrying Systems

: For the information theorist, the lawful generalizations that subsume instantiations of properties in the environment and instantiations of properties of perceptual representations determine the latter's content. Perceptual representations are also commonly thought to be isomorphic to what they represent, which presents the information theorist with a puzzle. What role could isomorphism play in perceptual representation when lawful generalizations determine content? I show that in order for the information that they carry to be available to cognition, perceptual representations must be isomorphic with respect to the constituent structure of the properties that they represent. Isomorphism therefore plays an important role in the information theorist's account of perceptual representation, even though it plays no role in determining content.
Transmission Line Resistance Compression Networks and Applications to Wireless Power Transfer

Microwave-to-dc rectification is valuable in many applications, including RF energy recovery, dc–dc conversion, and wireless power transfer. In such applications, it is desired for the microwave rectifier system to provide a constant RF input impedance. Consequently, variation in rectifier input impedance over varying incident power levels can hurt system performance. To address this challenge, we introduce multiway transmission line resistance compression networks (TLRCNs) for maintaining near-constant input impedance in RF-to-dc rectifier systems. A development of TLRCNs is presented, along with their application to RF-to-dc conversion and wireless power transfer. We derive analytical expressions for the behavior of TLRCNs, and describe two design methodologies applicable to both single and multistage implementations. A 2.45-GHz four-way TLRCN network is implemented and applied to create a 4-W resistance compressed rectifier system that has narrow-range resistive input characteristics over a 10-dB power range. It is demonstrated to improve the impedance match to mostly resistive but variable input impedance class-E rectifiers over a 10-dB power range. The resulting TLRCN plus rectifier system has >50% RF-to-dc conversion efficiency over a >10-dB input power range at 2.45 GHz (peak efficiency 70%), and standing wave ratio <1.1 over a 7.7-dB range, despite a nonnegligible reactive component in the rectifier loads.
The absence of tightly bound copper, iron, and flavin nucleotide in crystalline ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase from tobacco.

Abstract Crystalline ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39) was isolated from tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaf homogenates and analyzed for several characteristic oxygenase prosthetic groups. Analyses by atomic absorption and emission spectroscopy and neutron activation indicated that the crystalline protein contains less than 0.2 g-atoms of tightly bound copper or iron per mole (550,000 g) of enzyme. In addition, the absorption and fluorescence spectra of concentrated solutions of the crystalline protein gave no indication of the presence of a flavin nucleotide. Thus, the enzymatic oxygenation of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate to yield P-glycolate, which is believed to comprise the initial reaction in the photorespiratory metabolism of higher plants, appears not to involve these cofactors in the catalytic mechanism.
The scope of duty hour-associated residency structure modifications

Objective The purpose of this study was to characterize the duty hours–associated modifications made to the educational and patient care structure of obstetrics and gynecology residency programs, and the relationship of these modifications to residency program setting and size. Study design A survey of accredited obstetrics and gynecology residency programs in the United States (excluding New York State) was performed between June 21st and July 16th, 2004. Program representatives were queried on the difficulty encountered in complying with each of the 6 components of the ACGME common duty hour requirements and the prevalence of residency modifications affecting the educational and patient care structure. Results Fifty-eight percent (123/211) of the study population completed the questionnaire. Ensuring a minimum 10-hour rest period between shifts was rated the most difficult requirement. Ninety-eight percent of respondents reported various types of modifications to program structure, including modification of on-call structure (94%), redistribution of responsibilities among resident levels (85%), modification of resident participation in patient care processes (80%), and modification of resident assignments to clinical services (75%). A minimum of 38% of programs reported reductions in resident participation in patient care, regardless of clinical service type or care setting. The prevalence of hiring attending physicians was significantly higher among non–university-based programs (18%), compared to university-based programs (3%, P = .007). Conclusion Duty hour–related changes have resulted in near universal program modifications. One third of programs have made modifications that have resulted in a decrease in the available clinical experiences for residents.
Simultaneous plasma and genital pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of atazanavir and efavirenz in HIV-infected women starting therapy

Few studies have characterized longitudinal female plasma and genital antiretroviral pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Among 20 regimen-naive HIV-infected adult women initiating atazanavir-based therapy (n = 9) or efavirenz-based therapy (n = 11), we measured blood CD4+ T lymphocytes, and paired plasma and genital HIV RNA and atazanavir or efavirenz 2 days before starting therapy and 2, 4, 7, 10, 21, 28, 60, 120, and 180 days after. The mean (range) log10 baseline plasma viral load was 4.89 copies/mL (2.64-6.09 copies/mL), and genital was3.30 (1.60-5.00). In the atazanavir and efavirenz groups, mean (SD) days to a 50% decrease in plasma viral load was 8.2 (4.9) versus 9.3 (7.4), P = .7, and in the genital tract it was 7.3 (3.5) versus 9.3 (7.7), P = .5. The median (interquartile range) plasma:genital concentration ratio for atazanavir was 0.11 (0.001-0.46) versus 0.34 (0.05-1.30) for efavirenz, P = .5. Average plasma efavirenz or atazanavir concentrations over time did not affect virologic response. Blood CD4+ percentages increased by +2.3 (P = .06) and +3.0 (P = .003) for every 1 mg/L increase in average plasma and genital drug concentration, respectively. Plasma and genital viral pharmacodynamics were similar between the groups and independent of average concentrations, but blood CD4+ response was related in particular to genital extravascular drug concentrations.
Screening test for detection of metallic foreign objects in the orbit before magnetic resonance imaging.

Rationale and objectives A study was designed to determine whether plain films, used as a screening modality for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), could reliably detect intraorbital metallic foreign objects. Methods In the first experiment, 20 metal particles were placed in five human cadaver orbits. Routine orbital plain film series and computed tomography (CT) were obtained, randomized, and interpreted blinded by three experienced radiologists. Results The threshold size of particle detection for CT (0.07 mm3) was lower than for plain films (0.12 mm3). Placing metal particles in artificial and true vitreous demonstrated that all particles moved under a magnetic field at 1.5 T. When human globes were exposed to industrial tools (grinder, bandsaw, air hose, etc.), no metal objects penetrated the sclera. Conclusions Plain films can be used as a low-cost, low-radiation screening procedure for high-risk patients with occupations involving metal work. CT should be used for patients with a history of eye trauma from other causes.
Pharmacokinetics in the Rat and the Dog of a Nonionic Nitroxide Contrast Agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Nitroxides are paramagnetic stable free radicals that have demonstrated effectiveness as contrast agents in proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The pharmacokinetics and metabolic fate, determinants of the time course of MRI contrast enhancement, of a new nonionic pyrrolidine nitroxide derivative, TAP (2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-l-oxyl-3-carbonic acid-(2,3-dihydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl)-amide), were evaluated in the rat and the dog. A biexponential decline of the blood concentration of TAP was observed in both species after intravenous administration of 0.1- and 2.5-mmol/kg doses. The clearances in the rat, estimated after the low and high doses (15.4 ± 2.0 and 15.3 ± 1.4 mL/min.kg, respectively), were about twofold higher than those observed in two beagles (7.4 and 7.1 mL/min.kg for Dog #1 and 6.3 and 6.0 mL/min.kg for Dog #2). The hydroxylamine of TAP, formed by a one-electron reduction of the nitroxide moiety, was the only metabolite observed. This bioreduction of TAP has implications for its use as a MRI contrast agent because the diamagnetic hydroxylamine lacks contrast enhancing activity. In both animal species, the urinary recoveries of the dose as unchanged TAP and its hydroxylamine were essentially complete for the 24-h urine collections (92 to 98% and 83 to 95% for the rats and the dogs, respectively). Anticipated conjugative metabolism of the hydroxyl-containing side chain of TAP was not observed. Renal excretion of unchanged TAP was the predominant route of elimination, as renal clearance was estimated to be between 47 and 89% of total clearance in the dogs. Bioreduction in vivo was slower than that expected from the observed reduction of TAP in vitro in ascorbic acid solution and in rat liver and kidney homogenates. However, penetration of the erythrocyte membrane was observed to be slow for TAP (no penetration observed within 60 min). These observations suggest that the majority of the bioreduction occurs intracellularly and that reduction of TAP in vivo may be rate limited by cell membrane penetration.
Enhanced antitumor efficacy of a herpes simplex virus mutant isolated by genetic selection in cancer cells.

Replication-competent, attenuated herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) derivatives that contain engineered mutations into the viral γ34.5 virulence gene have been used as oncolytic agents. However, as attenuated mutants often grow poorly, they may not completely destroy some tumors and surviving cancer cells simply regrow. Thus, although HSV-1 γ34.5 mutants can reduce the growth of human tumor xenografts in mice and have passed phase I safety studies, their efficacy is limited because they replicate poorly in many human tumor cells. Previously, we selected for a γ34.5 deletion mutant variant that regained the ability to replicate efficiently in tumor cells. Although this virus contains an extragenic suppressor mutation that confers enhanced growth in tumor cells, it remains attenuated. Here, we demonstrate that the suppressor virus replicates to greater levels in prostate carcinoma cells and, importantly, is a more potent inhibitor of tumor growth in an animal model of human prostate cancer than the γ34.5 parent virus. Thus, genetic selection in cancer cells can be used as a tool to enhance the antitumor activity of a replication-competent virus. The increased therapeutic potency of this oncolytic virus may be useful in the treatment of a wide variety of cancers.
Effect of thermotransport on directionally solidified aluminium-copper eutectic

Abstract Samples of liquid aluminum-copper eutectic alloy (Al-CuAl2) were directionally solidified in a Bridgman apparatus. The amount of thermotransport was controlled by holding the samples in the temperature gradient for different periods of time. Solidification was interrupted in some samples to study the segregation at solid-liquid interface. The coefficients of thermal diffusion D, and ordinary diffusion D were determined and their values were found to be 6.21×10-8 cm2/sec °C and 3.57×10-5 cm2/sec respectively. Thermotransport was observed to cause segregation in the directionally solidified eutectic. The amount of segregation was a function of process variable such as the time required to start the crystal growth, the temperature gradient and the rate of solidification.
Glomerular basement membrane changes in aging nondiabetic and diabetic guinea pigs

Abstract Glomerular hyperplasia and thickening or the glomerular basement membrane increase with age in humans and animals. This glomerulopathy can be enhanced by hyperglycemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus. When diabetic guinea pigs were examined by fluorescent microscopy, deposits of a substance similar to immunoglobulin G (IgG) were seen. Comparison with nondiabetic age-matched control animals suggest that glomerulopathy is related to aging, and can be further enhanced by hyperglycemia.
Some properties of a scaled Burr type X distribution

Properties of a scaled Burr type X distribution are given. Closed-form expressions for the moments only exist for certain special cases, so upper and lower bounds for the first moment are given, as well as an approximation based on these bounds. Maximum likelihood estimation is considered, and the asymptotic properties of these estimators are discussed for i.i.d. samples, as well as for Types I and II censoring. Finally, an extension to a multivariate Burr type X distribution is introduced.
Giant meteoroid impacts can cause volcanism

We present a model to assess the viability of the creation of volcanic eruptions of up to flood-basalt size from a giant impactor striking a relatively thin lithosphere. A 300-km-radius crater in 75-km-thick lithosphere can create 10 6 km 3 of magma from instantaneous in situ decompression of mantle material with a potential temperature of 1300 8C. For a range of lithospheric thicknesses and potential temperatures, subsequent adiabatic melting caused by mantle convection beneath the lithosphere at the site of the impact can create additional magma. Though the evidence that a giant impactor has struck at the location of any terrestrial flood-basalt province is equivocal, there are possible age coincidences between evidence for impacts and occurrences of flood basalts. Our model demonstrates that a giant impactor could cause a flood basalt, and this process may have been significant early in Earth history when impactors were more frequent and mantle temperatures likely higher, though other processes are required for at least the majority of flood-basalt provinces today. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A particle-fluid numerical model for liquid sprays

Abstract A numerical technique has been developed for computing the behavior of atomized non-evaporating liquid sprays injected into a gaseous environment. The same technique, however, is applicable to general incompressible flows containing particles or droplets. The method consists of a fully-interacting combination of Eulerian fluid and Lagrangian particle calculations. The interaction calculations are performed simultaneously and noniteratively. A Lagrangian description of the particles avoids numerical diffusion, and allows individual attributes, such as particle size, composition, etc., to be statistically assigned for each particle. Numerical calculations and comparisons with experimental data are given for some sprays typical of diesel engine fuel injection.
Numerical Prediction of the Interference Drag of a Streamlined Strut Intersecting a Surface in Transonic Flow

This paper presents the numerical evaluation of the interference drag produced by a streamlined strut intersecting a flat wall in transonic flow. The calculations were performed on unstructured grids using the FUN2D and FUNBD codes and the SpalartAllmaras turbulence model. The grids were generated with AFLR2 and VCRIDns. The impact of the thickness to chord ratio of the strut, the Reynolds number, and the effect of the angle made by the strut with the wall are studied for both inviscid and viscous flows. The interference drag is calculated as the drag increment of the arrangement compared to an equivalent two-dimensional strut of the same crosssection. The interference drag coefficient is based on a conveniently chosen reference area. The results show a rapid increase of the interference drag as the angle of the strut deviates from a position perpendicular to the wall. Separation regions appear for low intersection angles, but the viscosity generally provides a positive effect in alleviating the strength of the shock near the junction and thus the drag penalty. When the thickness-to-chord ratio of the strut is reduced, the flowfield is disturbed only locally at the intersection of the strut with the wall. This study provides an equation to estimate the int,erference drag of simple intersections in transonic flow. To better understand the Abw in the region where the strut and the wall intersect, the flowfield is analyzed in a detailed fashion for the thickest strut with contours plots and streamtraces.
The Acting Person: Social Capital and Sustainable Development

Ron Stanfield has had a long and distinguished career as a social economist and commentator on the social economy. Of special concern to us in this article are Stanfield’s interests in social capital, sustainable development, and nurturance which we refer to as caring. We also take up several other virtues including sympathy, benevolence, and generosity that have been part of the economics literature from the time of Smith’s Moral Sentiments along with the associated vices of heartlessness, insensitivity, meanness, greediness, and others. This article attempts to show that (1) adding social capital to the machine-like individual of mainstream economics results in the acting person of personalist economics who becomes more fully a human person through social interactions that foster the development of several virtues or less fully a human person through other interactions that instill certain vices; and that (2) in matters relating to sustainability, becoming more fully a human person calls especially for the practice of the virtues of justice and moderation. In addition we have suggested a framework for thinking about sustainable development in terms of actuating and limiting principles and for developing critical values or performance standards for sustainable development that are person-centered.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of propafenone in patients with ventricular arrhythmia

Propafenone, a class IC antiarrhythmic agent, is metabolized into two active metabolites: 5-hydroxypropafenone (5-OHP) and JV-depropylpropafenone (NDPP). In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study, we examined trough plasma concentrations of propafenone and its two metabolites in 169 subjects. Patients were randomized to one of five parallel treatment groups: placebo and 337.5,450, 675, or 900 mg/day propafenone with 24-hour ambulatory ECG monitorings, 12-lead ECGs, and plasma samples obtained at frequent intervals. Nonlinear kinetics were noted for propafenone and NDPP but not for 5-OHP. The ratio of NDPP to propafenone was about 10% at all doses, but the ratio of 5-OHP to propafenone decreased from 33% at 337.5 mg/day to 18% at 900 mg/day. Propafenone suppression of ventricular ectopy was dependent on concentration, with pairs and VT beats selectively suppressed at lower concentrations than VPBs. The PR interval and QRS duration increased significantly at propafenone concentrations above 100 ng/ml, while minimal heart rate slowing was noted at concentrations above 1000 ng/ml. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1989) 45, 535–541; doi:10.1038/clpt.1989.69
Use-Based Register Caching with Decoupled Indexing

Wide, deep pipelines need many physical registersto hold the results of in-flight instructions. Simultaneously,high clock frequencies prohibit using largeregister files and bypass networks without a significantperformance penalty. Previously proposed techniquesusing register caching to reduce this penalty sufferfrom several problems including poor insertion andreplacement decisions and the need for a fully-associativecache for good performance. We present novelmechanisms for managing and indexing register cachesthat address these problems using knowledge of thenumber of consumers of each register value.The insertion policy reduces pollution by not cachinga register value when all of its predicted consumersare satisfied by the bypass network. The replacementpolicy selects register cache entries with the fewestremaining uses (often zero), lowering the miss rate. Wealso introduce a new, general method of mapping physicalregisters to register cache sets that improves theperformance of set-associative cache organizations byreducing conflicts. Our results indicate that a 64-entry,two-way set associative cache using these techniquesoutperforms multi-cycle monolithic register files andpreviously proposed hierarchical register files.
Science and Power in Global Food Regulation: The Rise of the Codex Alimentarius

The emergence of the global administrative sector and its new forms of knowledge production, expert rationality, and standardization, remains an understudied topic in science studies. Using a coproductionist theoretical framework, we argue that the mutual construction of epistemic and legal authority across international organizations has been critical for constituting and stabilizing a global regime for the regulation of food safety. The authors demonstrate how this process has also given rise to an authoritative framework for risk analysis touted as ‘‘scientifically rigorous’’ but embodying particular value choices regarding health, environment, and the dispensation of regulatory power. Finally, the authors trace how enrollment of the Codex Alimentarius in World Trade Law has heightened institutional dilemmas around legitimacy and credibility in science advice at the global level. Taken together, the case illustrates the importance of attending to the iterative construction of law and science in the constitution of new global administrative regimes.
Pre-Indexing for Fast Partial Shape Matching of Vertebrae Images

Fast retrieval of images from large databases especially from large medical image databases is of great interest to researchers. We have developed shape-based image retrieval system for spine X-ray images that applies Dynamic Programming (DP) in Partial Shape Matching (PSM) techniques to vertebral boundary data. As we enable Internet access to this system with an aim to enable CBIR access to the entire NHANES II spine X-ray image collection, retrieval efficiency has become critical. In this paper, we present enhancements to our existing sequential retrieval model to provide faster partialshape- based vertebrae retrieval. Based on the characteristics of vertebral osteophyte pathology, anterior superior and anterior inferior parts are the areas with the most interest to the users and are indexed for each shape. Pair-wise distances between indexed parts are pre-calculated and used by agglomerative clustering algorithm to index the whole database. To increase the retrieval speed, PSM with DP is therefore conducted only on a small selected set of shapes by the pre-indexing retrieval.
Measurement of sin(2α) at BaBar

Abstract We present updated measurements of branching fractions and CP-violating asymmetries for neutral B meson decays to two-body final states of charged pions and kaons. The results are obtained from a data sample of about 60 million ϒ(4S) → B B decays collected between 1999 and 2001 by the B a B ar detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at SLAG. The sample contains 124−02+16 ππ, 403 ± 24 Kπ, and 0.6−7.4+8.0 KK candidates, from which we measure the following quantities: B(B0 → π+π−) = (5.4 ± 0.7 ± 0.4) × 10−6, B(B) → K+π−) = (17.8 ± 1.1 ± 0.8) × 10−6, B(B0 → K+K−)
Supporting high performance bioinformatics flat-file data processing using indices

As an essential part of in vitro analysis, biological database query has become more and more important in the research process. A few challenges that are specific to bioinformatics applications are data heterogeneity, large data volume and exponential data growth, constant appearance of new data types and data formats. We have developed an integration system that processes data in their flat file formats. Its advantages include the reduction of overhead and programming efforts. In the paper, we discuss the usage of indicing techniques on top of this flat file query system. Besides the advantage of processing flat files directly, the system also improves its performance and functionality by using indexes. Experiments based on real life queries are used to test the integration system.
Determination of zeros and zero directions of linear time-invariant systems by matrix generalized inverses

Consider the linear control system whose state-space equations are dx/dl = Ax + Bu, y = Cx + Du where x, u and y are, respectively, the state, input and output vectors, and A, B, C, D are constant matrices. Problem : find constant scalars r and constant vectors v, w such that an input of the form v exp (rt) 1(t) will yield a state of the form x = w exp (rt) and output y ≡ 0, t ≥ 0. The method developed is this: the output equation is solved for x and the solution is substituted into the state equation. The resulting equation must satisfy a consistency condition involving r, in order for a solution of the problem to exist. Matrix generalized inverses are employed both to derive consistency conditions and to obtain solutions. Several examples illustrate a variety of conditions.
Participation in a novel treatment component during residential substance use treatment is associated with improved outcome: a pilot study

A person-centered substance use treatment component, the Natural Recovery Program, was developed. The Natural Recovery Program is comprised of small group therapy combined with pursuit of hobbies. This was a pilot study of the program and was not randomized. A retrospective record review of 643 veterans in an inpatient mental health recovery and rehabilitation program was analyzed to determine if participants of Natural Recovery had a different rate of treatment completion than those who elected to participate in the core program alone. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted on: participation in the Natural Recovery Program; co-morbid psychiatric disorders; and legal, medical, and psychiatric issues. Participation in Natural Recovery was significantly associated with successful treatment completion when analyzed by univariate analysis (p = 0.01). Other significant variables associated with successful completion included: no co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis, fewer prior suicide attempts, and no homelessness prior to admission. Binary logistic regression demonstrated that participation in Natural Recovery was associated with improved treatment completion, even when other variables were considered (p = 0.01). Treatment retention was longer for patients who participated in Natural Recovery, even if they did not complete treatment. The Natural Recovery Program was associated with improved outcomes, as measured by treatment retention in the first 60 days and by treatment completion. Participants of Natural Recovery with co-morbid psychiatric disorders completed treatment at a higher rate than those with co-morbid psychiatric disorders who participated in the core program. Patients reported high satisfaction with the program. This program may be a valuable adjunct to residential treatment.
Flow in a differentially rotated cylindrical drop at moderate Reynolds number

Galerkin finite-element approximations are combined with computer-implemented perturbation methods for tracking families of solutions to calculate the steady axisymmetric flows in a differentially rotated cylindrical drop as a function of Reynolds number Re, drop aspect ratio and the rotation ratio between the two end disks. The flows for Reynolds numbers below 100 are primarily viscous and reasonably described by an asymptotic analysis. When the disks are exactly counter-rotated, multiple steady flows are calculated that bifurcate to higher values of Re from the expected solution with two identical secondary cells stacked symmetrically about the axial midplane. The new flows have two cells of different size and are stable beyond the critical value Re sub c. The slope of the locus of Re sub c for drops with aspect ratio up to 3 disagrees with the result for two disks of infinite radius computed assuming the similarity form of the velocity field. Changing the rotation ratio for exact counter-rotation ruptures the junction of the multiple flow fields into two separated flow families.
NMR spectroscopy and kinetic studies of the quadruplex forming RNA r(UGGAGGU)

It is well documented that G-rich DNA or RNA sequences are able to fold into inter- and/or intramolecular G quadruplex structures. The repertoire of the canonical G quadruplex structures comprised entirely of G tetrads has been expanded to include non-G tetrads, mixed purine tetrads, as well as purine hexads. RNA/DNA sequences containing the GGAGG repeat have received special attention as they are widely spread throughout the eukaryotic genome, and it has been proposed that they might be linked to various biological functions, either directly, or through protein-mediated interactions. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies have shown that such sequences form unique G quadruplex structures containing A:(G:G:G:G):A hexads. However, despite the fact that several high resolution structural studies of these unique structures are available, information about their kinetics and thermodynamics is limited to a single DNA sequence. In general, kinetics and energetics data about RNAG quadruplexes is even more scarce, being limited to the sequences r(UnGGGGUn) with n = 1, 2. In this study we have analyzed the RNA sequence r(UGGAGGU), which contains a single GGAGG repeat. Our NMR spectroscopy results strongly suggest that this RNA folds into a dimeric structure containing G:G:G:G tetrads and A:(G:G:G:G):A hexads and our UV spectroscopy studies provide for the first time information about the kinetics and energetics of this unique structure.
Evaluation of Streptococcus pneumoniae type XIV opsonins by phagocytosis-associated chemiluminescence and a bactericidal assay.

The relative roles of serum factors required for opsonization of type XIV Streptococcus pneumoniae were investigated by means of luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL), bactericidal, and immunofluorescence assays employing adult sera containing high (>1,000 ng of antibody nitrogen per ml) or low (<200 ng of antibody nitrogen per ml) antibody concentrations as determined by radioimmunoassay. Specific antibody concentration correlated directly with both total and heat-labile CL activity (P < 0.005) and with the bactericidal index (P < 0.05) at a serum concentration of 10%. The importance of specific antibody as an opsonin was confirmed by the abolition of CL activity and immunoglobulin immunofluorescence observed after absorption of heated sera with type XIV pneumococcal cells and by the dose response in CL and bactericidal activity observed with the addition of immunoglobulin G to hypogammaglobulinemic serum. A role for the classical complement pathway in opsonization was indicated by significantly greater CL integrals for high-antibody sera than for low-antibody sera depleted of factor D and by the bactericidal activity noted for untreated, but not magnesium ethylene glycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N-tetraacetic acid-chelated low-antibody sera. The alternative pathway contributed more than half of the CL activity of both high- and low-antibody sera. However, after magnesium ethylene glycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N-tetraacetic acid chelation, only sera with high antibody concentrations or agammaglobulinemic serum reconstituted with immunoglobulin G with high specific antibody levels supported significant bactericidal activity. Therefore, type-specific antibody and complement promote opsonization of type XIV S. pneumoniae, and this may occur via either complement pathway. These results suggest that CL is a suitable tool to delineate serum factors and their contribution to opsonization, but results must be related to other functional assays.
Subcellular distribution of the long and short isoforms of the growth hormone (GH) receptor in rat adipocytes: both isoforms participate in specific binding of GH.

In rodents the GH receptor gene encodes long and short isoforms of the receptor that arise from alternate splicing of the mRNA transcript. To determine whether the long and short isoforms reside on the plasma membrane, we compared their sensitivity to mild digestion of adipocytes with trypsin. Immunofunctional assays were used to measure each isoform in adipocyte extracts. The GH-binding capacity of the short isoform in cell extracts was more than 5 times that of the long. Digestion of freshly isolated adipocytes with trypsin decreased the specific binding of [125I]human GH by 77%. The GH-binding capacities of the long and short isoforms in cell extracts were diminished by 68% and 18%, respectively. The relative insensitivity of the short isoform to digestion with trypsin suggests that much of it may be inaccessible to trypsin because it is located within the cell. When cells were allowed to recover for 2 h after digestion with trypsin, GH binding was restored. Analysis of cell extracts indicated net synt...
Breeding biology of high-latitude Antarctic fulmarine petrels (Procellariidae)

This paper provides basic information about the breeding biology of four species of Antarctic fulmarine petrels breeding in the Rauer Islands, East Antarctica: Antarctic fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides, Antarctic petrel Thalassoica antarctica, Cape petrel Daption capense, and snow petrel Pagodroma nivea. Timing and duration of the nesting cycle, incubation and nestling periods, and timing of breeding were determined over three consecutive breeding cycles. Comparing these data with those of other populations revealed that the duration of breeding showed little interannual and spatial variation within the four species. The length of the breeding period varied between the species, with incubation period and nesting cycle length positively related to adult body mass. Nestling period length also differed between the species but was unrelated to adult body mass. Breeding period lengths for these fulmarine petrels were shorter than those for other procellarids and albatrosses. Compressed and invariant breeding cycles of Antarctic fulmarine petrels may have evolved in response to a short season which limits breeding and to opportunities presented by highly abundant food sources.