cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Momentum-Impulse Balance and Parachute Inflation: Rocket-Propelled Payloads

T HISNote is the fifth and last of a series dedicated to the analysis of parachute inflation using the momentum-impulse (MI) theorem [1–4]. Much insight has been gained, in particular, with regards to specific examples such as parachute drops from fixed points [2], parachute cluster inflation [3], and parachute disreefing [4]. This Note shall focus on a lesser-known application, namely that of parachutes inflating while being attached to payloads generating thrust of their own. Examples include drogue parachutes inflating behind ejection seats that are being rocketed away from disabled aircraft, or braking chutes deployed behind aircraft whose engine is being throttled up. The use of the MI theorem shall yield new results that incorporate explicitly the effects caused by the impulses contributed by gravity and by thrust. Some conceptual clarification will be discussed as well, in relation to the mass ratio concept. This will result in a prescription that defines how to use the opening shock data of free-falling payloads [5–7] for the study of “motored” inflation.
Beam quality degradation in broadband noncollinear Raman amplifiers

In a Raman amplifier having a broadband pump beam which is not exactly collinear with the Stokes seed beam, the Stokes output spectrum will be "fanned", i.e., angularly dispersed, because the direction of maximum gain differs for growth of each component of the Stokes spectrum. The spectral fanning produces transverse phase and intensity variations which degrade the Stokes output. Approximate analytic expressions are given for beam quality degradation in cases where the Stokes seed is narrowband, broadband and temporally correlated to the pump beam, -or broadband and uncorrelated. The effect is predicted to be usually negligible, but can be significant for cases of very large beam aperture sizes, bandwidths and/or angles. Use of a diffraction grating in the output Stokes beam or a stepped mirror in the input pump beam are proposed for reducing the effect.
Impairment of osteophyte formation in hyperglycemic patients with type II diabetes mellitus and knee osteoarthritis.

Objective. Since insulin is a potent growth factor for connective tissue, the present study was designed to investigate whether radiographic features of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in patients with poorly controlled, insulin-resistant type II diabetes mellitus differ from those in nondiabetic controls with knee OA. Methods. Radiographs from 25 female patients with diabetes and knee OA were compared with those from 48 female controls who were similar with respect to age, weight, and duration of OA symptoms. Results. Although the 2 groups were similar with respect to the frequency and severity of joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis, and geodes, osteophytes were less common in the patients with diabetes (P = 0.044), and spurring, when present, tended to be ‘marked’ less often in the diabetic patients than in the controls. Conclusion. The data suggest that diminished availability of insulin at the cellular level or diabetic microvascular disease attenuates the chondro- and osteogenesis required for osteophyte formation in the joints of patients with OA.
222Rn concentrations in deep formation waters and the geohydrology of the Cajon Pass Borehole

Measurements of 222Rn, 226Ra, and 238U in formation waters derived from granitic rocks surrounding the Cajon Pass borehole indicate concentrations of about 700, 1, and 0.01 dpm/1, respectively. The radon profile in the borehole indicates that inputs are localized and that several fracture zones must contribute significant amounts of inflow. Radon concentrations in fracture fluids indicate a minimum fracture width of 0.3 µm, and this width may be combined with the measured permeability to show that fracture porosity does not exceed 1.5 × 10−3. It is likely that the calculated fracture width is too small because incongruent weathering enriches fracture walls in 238U and 226Ra relative to the bulk rock. However, radon concentrations are lower than those in formation waters from other crystalline rocks, suggesting that the wall enrichments here are less pronounced and that fractures have experienced relatively limited fluid flow.
Literacy Development in Successful Men and Women with Dyslexia.

To investigate how, when, and under what conditions individuals with dyslexia manage to develop high literacy levels, an interview and literacy assessment study was conducted with 60 highly successful men and women with dyslexia and 10 peers without dyslexia. The sample with dyslexia included a Nobel laureate, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and leaders in a variety of fields requiring extensive reading (i.e., medicine, law, business, and the arts and sciences). For both males and females with dyslexia, interest-driven reading was key to the development of high literacy levels. Results showed distinct groups of successful professionals with dyslexia: a compensated group and two partially compensated groups. In each group, literacy development was augmented by avid reading in a content area of passionate personal interest, along with systematic phonics instruction. Through avid reading on a specific topic, the individuals with dyslexia developed knowledge of the specialized vocabulary, typical text structures, concepts, themes, and issues of a particular field. Extensive reading about a favorite subject enhanced the background knowledge of these individuals and enabled them to gain reading practice, which in turn, fostered the development of reading fluency and increasingly sophisticated skills. Although topics and genres of personal interest varied, fascination with a subject area was a common theme among those interviewed. In the literacy assessment, the 60 men and women with dyslexia demonstrated most of the salient characteristics of Chall’s (1983) Stage 5, the highest level of reading development. All participants comprehended sophisticated text, but some, with partially compensated dyslexia, showed continuing lags in basic, lower level “print” skills. Individuals with partially compensated dyslexia fell into two groups: one group showed specific deficits only in spelling, whereas the other group had difficulty in spelling, word recognition, and oral reading. Many, but not all, of the participants with dyslexia showed ongoing lags in reading rate. Gender differences were most apparent in topics of personal interest reading and in mentoring patterns. The study explores how adults with dyslexia, who may continue to lack strong integration of lower level “print” skills, succeed in constructing higher order “meaning” skills. This analysis underscores the need for a balanced approach to literacy instruction that includes both “print” and “meaning” aspects. It emphasizes the need to integrate solid interest-based approaches as a centerpiece of instruction.
Predictors of academic performance during early adolescence: A contextual view

Utilising the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS: 88), this study examined some of the frequently used indicators of social capital and resource capital as predictors of academic performance of 24,599 middle school adolescents (12,111 males and 12,244 females) ranging in age from 13–16 years. Sixty-eight per cent were White, 12.2% were Black, and 12.9% were Hispanic. The participants were drawn from a stratified national sample of over 1000 public and private schools in the United States. Data from NELS: 88 were analysed using indicators of social capital and resource capital. Preliminarily modelling indicated the need to separate social capital into two components: parental networks and student networks. Resource capital, including parent education, parent income, and educational items in the home, was most predictive of academic performance. In addition, student reported misbehaviour (behaviour) in school was included as a mediating variable. The findings indicated that both indicators ...
Radiative lifetimes for some 5p levels of Kr

Using a Kr+ ion beam from a small positive-ion accelerator, we have measured the radiative lifetimes of six 5p levels of Kr+ by means of the time-of-flight technique. These levels along with their measured lifetimes and estimated uncertainties in nanoseconds are: 5p4P52, 7.7 ± 0.6; 5p4D32, 7.96 ± 0.37; 5p4D52, 9.48 ± 0.50; The uncertainties are sums of the computed statistical errors and estimated maximum systematic errors in beam velocity and position.
Seepage analysis in a zoned anisotropic medium by the boundary element method

A simple and effective extension to the boundary element method for solving Laplace'S equation (∇2u = 0) for boundary value problems is presented to solve steady confined and (or) steady unconfined seepage problems in zoned anisotropic mediums. Sample problems indicating the accuracy of results are given.
Neural Network-Based Sensor Validation for Turboshaft Engines

Sensor failure detection, isolation, and accommodation using a neural network approach is described. An auto-associative neural network is configured to perform dimensionality reduction on the sensor measurement vector and provide estimated sensor values. The sensor validation scheme is applied in a simulation of the T700 turboshaft engine in closed loop operation. Performance is evaluated based on the ability to detect faults correctly and maintain stable and responsive engine operation. The set of sensor outputs used for engine control forms the network input vector. Analytical redundancy is verified by training networks of successively smaller bottleneck layer sizes. Training data generation and strategy are discussed. The engine maintained stable behavior in the presence of sensor hard failures. With proper selection of fault determination thresholds, stability was maintained in the presence of sensor soft failures.
Isolation and transcriptome analysis of adult zebrafish cells enriched for skeletal muscle progenitors.

Introduction: Over the past 10 years, the use of zebrafish for scientific research in the area of muscle development has increased dramatically. Although several protocols exist for the isolation of adult myoblast progenitors from larger fish, no standardized protocol exists for the isolation of myogenic progenitors from adult zebrafish muscle. Methods: Using a variant of a mammalian myoblast isolation protocol, zebrafish muscle progenitors have been isolated from the total dorsal myotome. These zebrafish myoblast progenitors can be cultured for several passages and then differentiated into multinucleated, mature myotubes. Results: Transcriptome analysis of these cells during myogenic differentiation revealed a strong downregulation of pluripotency genes, while, conversely, showing an upregulation of myogenic signaling and structural genes. Conclusions: Together these studies provide a simple, yet detailed method for the isolation and culture of myogenic progenitors from adult zebrafish, while further promoting their therapeutic potential for the study of muscle disease and drug screening. Muscle Nerve 43: 741–750, 2011
On the asymptotic behavior of solutions of nonlinear differential systems

We obtain constructive conditions for the unique solvability of the singular problem dx/dt = f(t, x), x∞ = 0, where f ∈ C(0,1)([0, ∞) × ℝn, ℝn).
Optimizing zonal advection of the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) dynamics for Intel MIC

The Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model is the most widely used community weather forecast and research model in the world. There are two distinct varieties of WRF. The Advanced Research WRF (ARW) is an experimental, advanced research version featuring very high resolution. The WRF Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model (WRF-NMM) has been designed for forecasting operations. WRF consists of dynamics code and several physics modules. The WRF-ARW core is based on an Eulerian solver for the fully compressible nonhydrostatic equations. In the paper, we will use Intel Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture to substantially increase the performance of a zonal advection subroutine for optimization. It is of the most time consuming routines in the ARW dynamics core. Advection advances the explicit perturbation horizontal momentum equations by adding in the large-timestep tendency along with the small timestep pressure gradient tendency. We will describe the challenges we met during the development of a high-speed dynamics code subroutine for MIC architecture. Furthermore, lessons learned from the code optimization process will be discussed. The results show that the optimizations improved performance of the original code on Xeon Phi 5110P by a factor of 2.4x.
Response suppression induced with selective 5-HT agonists can be differentially blocked with LY53857 in an animal model of depression

Studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that administration of the selective 5-HT2/1C antagonist LY53857 can block 5-HTP-induced response suppression. To further investigate the serotonergic mechanisms involved in this effect, we decided to test the capacity of LY53857 to block response suppression induced with two selective 5-HT agonists. After a 15 minute baseline period, rats trained to press a lever for milk reinforcement on a VI 1′ schedule were given IP injections of 1.0 mg/kg DOI, or 1.0 mg/kg 8-OH-DPAT to induce response suppression. Subsequently, rats were injected with 1.0 mg/kg LY53857 1 hour prior to DOI- or 8-OH-DPAT-induced response suppression. Preinjections with LY53857 resulted in a 100% blockade of DOI-induced response suppression whereas the same dose did not block response suppression induced with 8-OH-DPAT. These results indicate that the 5-HTP-induced response suppression shows some pharmacological similarity to DOI-induced response suppression and may be mediated through 5-HT2 and/or 5-HT1C receptors.
Robot-assisted hindlimb extension increases the probability of swing initiation during treadmill walking by spinal cord contused rats.

Abstract Training and evaluation of locomotion in animals with spinal cord injury will likely be improved with the development of techniques that increase stepping activity. We hypothesized that robot-assisted extension of the hindlimbs of spinal cord injured rats during stance would increase the probability that the swing phase of gait would be initiated. Thirty-three adult, Sprague–Dawley rats received a contusion injury to the mid-thoracic spinal cord. The animals’ hindlimbs were pulled into extension using small robotic arms to pull at the ankle, as the rat stepped on either a reciprocating, robotic paw platform or a conventional treadmill belt. The animals demonstrated an increase in the probability of swing initiation with spontaneous recovery during the first 4 weeks following injury ( p p
The taxonomic impediment overcome: NSF's Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET) as a model.

For comments on this work, I thank David Cannatella, David Hillis, Jim Bull, Robert Dudley, Tim Rowe, and members of the David Wake lab: Maatin Jiikel, Shawn Kuchta, Rachel Mueller, Erica Rosenblum, Vance Vredenburg, Leslie Rissler, Javier Rodriguez, Adam Summers, Arie van der Meijden, and David Wake. Thanks to Jack Sullivan and anonymous reviewers for helpful comments. For financial assistance, I thank the Miller Institute.
On the validation of high enthalpy wind tunnel simulations

Abstract In the frame of the Ground-to-Flight Transposition methodology for reentry vehicles, Europe has built high enthalpy facilities, the ONERA hot shot wind tunnel F4 and the DLR piston driven shock tube wind tunnel HEG. Both facilities can provide flows at high velocity (5 to 6 km/s) and at high reservoir pressure (several hundreds atmospheres). These facilities are operational since a few years. Despite technological difficulties attached to high thermal loads, they have allowed to study topics of great importance in hypersonics, such as the influence of real gas (i.e. high temperature gas with thermochemistry) on flare-induced boundary layer separation. After discussing on the Ground-to-Flight Transposition methodology in hypersonics, the F4 wind tunnel is presented. Finally, the problem of the validation of high enthalpy wind tunnel experiments is discussed through the analysis of typical experimental results and of the related rebuilding computations.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and chromosome 16: confirmation of linkage to 16q12–13 and evidence for genetic heterogeneity

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease with significant morbidity and mortality, characterized by remarkable clinical variability with unknown etiology. Genetic contribution to the development of SLE is well established. Recently, we found evidence (P<0.004) of linkage at 16p13 and 16q12–13 in a genome scan based on 37 Hispanic families. The main objective of this study is to replicate and confirm the linkage at these two genomic locations in two large independent replication data sets designated as, group-1 and group-2, consisting of 172 and 120 multiplex SLE families, respectively. We have found a significant evidence of linkage with high heterogeneity (HLOD=4.85, α=35%) at 16q12–13 in group-2. Other independent research groups also reported the SLE susceptibility at or close to 16q12–13 previously. Therefore, independent published reports, together with our initial linkage with Hispanics and followed by significant evidence from group-2, provide a strong and confirmed evidence for an SLE susceptibility locus at 16q12–13.
Germination of unstratified pecans is affected by exposute to high temperature and by soaking

Abstract The feasibility of using unstratified nuts of pecan ( Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) C. Koch) direct from refrigerated storage as a seed source was evaluated. Water at various temperatures was poured over seeds, then seeds were allowed to remain in the water for various lengths of time before they were planted. At temperatures between 20 and 70°C, percentage germination, when averaged over five soaking durations, was highest when initial temperature of water in which seed were soaked was 50°C. Soaking duration did not affect percentage germination, but longer soaking times (to 64 h) resulted in faster germination. The temperature-soaking time combination which gave best results was 64 h of soaking with an initial water temperature of 20°C. None of the treatments produced results comparable to those that would be expected from stratification or from planting nuts fresh from the tree, thus these methods should only be used when conventional methods for improving germination are unavailable.
Global cloud cover trends inferred from two decades of HIRS observations

Cloud cover information and the frequency of upper tropospheric clouds have been extracted from NOAA/HIRS polar orbiting satellite data from 1979 to 2001. The HIRS/2 sensor was flown on nine satellites from TIROS-N through NOAA 14 during this time forming a consistent 22-year record. CO2 slicing was used to infer cloud amount and height. Trends in cloud cover and high cloud frequency are small in these data. High clouds show small but statistically significant increasing trends in the tropics and northern hemisphere. The HIRS analysis contrasts with that from the ISCCP which shows decreasing trends in both total cloud cover and high clouds during most of this period. The HIRS detection of upper tropospheric thin cirrus creates most of the difference with respect to ISCCP; GLAS observations of high thin clouds are largely in agreement with the HIRS.
The chromaffin and interrenal cells of Acanthobrama terrae-sanctae (Cyprinidae, Teleostei)

Abstract The interrenal and the chromaffin cells of Acanthobrama terrae-sanctae are situated around the veins passing through the head kidney. 3β- and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases were demonstrated in the interrenal cells. Using Wood's method, norepinephrine was detected in the chromaffin cells of the head kidney. Reserpine treatment caused the depletion of stained material from the chromaffin cells. Dexamethasone treatment caused degenerative changes in the interrenal cells. Accordingly, this steroid may be used for experimental induction of interrenal hypofunction. Annual changes in histological features of the interrenal cells were studied. The highest mean diameter of cells and nuclei was found to coincide with vitellogenic activity in the ovary. The possible interactions between the ovary and the interrenal cells are discussed.
N-Alpha-Acetylation of α-Synuclein Increases Its Helical Folding Propensity, GM1 Binding Specificity and Resistance to Aggregation

A switch in the conformational properties of α-synuclein (αS) is hypothesized to be a key step in the pathogenic mechanism of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Whereas the beta-sheet-rich state of αS has long been associated with its pathological aggregation in PD, a partially alpha-helical state was found to be related to physiological lipid binding; this suggests a potential role of the alpha-helical state in controlling synaptic vesicle cycling and resistance to β-sheet rich aggregation. N-terminal acetylation is the predominant post-translational modification of mammalian αS. Using circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry, and fluorescence spectroscopy, we have analyzed the effects of N-terminal acetylation on the propensity of recombinant human αS to form the two conformational states in interaction with lipid membranes. Small unilamellar vesicles of negatively charged lipids served as model membranes. Consistent with previous NMR studies using phosphatidylserine, we found that membrane-induced α-helical folding was enhanced by N-terminal acetylation and that greater exothermic heat could be measured upon vesicle binding of the modified protein. Interestingly, the folding and lipid binding enhancements with phosphatidylserine in vitro were weak when compared to that of αS with GM1, a lipid enriched in presynaptic membranes. The resultant increase in helical folding propensity of N-acetylated αS enhanced its resistance to aggregation. Our findings demonstrate the significance of the extreme N-terminus for folding nucleation, for relative GM1 specificity of αS-membrane interaction, and for a protective function of N-terminal-acetylation against αS aggregation mediated by GM1.
Factor X/Xa Elicits Protective Signaling Responses in Endothelial Cells Directly via PAR-2 and Indirectly via Endothelial Protein C Receptor-dependent Recruitment of PAR-1

We recently demonstrated that the Gla domain-dependent interaction of protein C with endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) leads to dissociation of the receptor from caveolin-1 and recruitment of PAR-1 to a protective signaling pathway. Thus, the activation of PAR-1 by either thrombin or PAR-1 agonist peptide elicited a barrier-protective response if endothelial cells were preincubated with protein C. In this study, we examined whether other vitamin K-dependent coagulation protease zymogens can modulate PAR-dependent signaling responses in endothelial cells. We discovered that the activation of both PAR-1 and PAR-2 in endothelial cells pretreated with factor FX (FX)-S195A, but not other procoagulant protease zymogens, also results in initiation of protective intracellular responses. Interestingly, similar to protein C, FX interaction with endothelial cells leads to dissociation of EPCR from caveolin-1 and recruitment of PAR-1 to a protective pathway. Further studies revealed that, FX activated by factor VIIa on tissue factor bearing endothelial cells also initiates protective signaling responses through the activation of PAR-2 independent of EPCR mobilization. All results could be recapitulated by the receptor agonist peptides to both PAR-1 and PAR-2. These results suggest that a cross-talk between EPCR and an unknown FX/FXa receptor, which does not require interaction with the Gla domain of FX, recruits PAR-1 to protective signaling pathways in endothelial cells.
Quantitative Model Formulation

One way to understand a complex, mathematical model is to stare at it until it is obvious. This advice can be less than helpful if you do not know what you are looking for. The approach we follow here exploits the fact that biological models are composed of a relatively few, recurring algebraic constructs. Once these patterns are assimilated, building and reading models becomes a matter of knowing when to use the appropriate component.
Experimental modification of photocarcinogenesis. II. Fluorescent whitening agents and simulated solar UVR.

Abstract Skin tumours were produced in hairless mice after several months of daily exposure to ultraviolet radiation from a solar simulator. The carcinogenic effect was enhanced by pretreating mice with 8-methoxypsoralen (tumours appearing sooner and in larger numbers). Other mice were pretreated with one of two substituted-stilbene fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs). Neither FWA produced phototoxicity or enhanced photocarcinogenesis.
Effect of Boundary Conditions and Initial Concentrations on the Solidification of Binary Mixture in Trapezoidal Cavity

The solidification of binary mixture (NH4 Cl–H2 O) inside a trapezoidal cavity is investigated experimentally in this study. The experiments are carried out in a trapezoidal cavity measuring 65 mm × 130 mm × 150 mm with inclined angle of 69°. Solidification of ammonium chloride occurs on the left inclined copper wall held under constant heat rate condition while the other walls are maintained at adiabatic conditions. Particle image velocimetry was used in this study for visualization of the dynamic field during the solidification process. The temperatures of the solution inside the cavity and the boundary walls were measured by 32 thermocouples during the solidification process. Convective flow field, temperature distribution and frozen layer thickness were obtained for different initial concentrations of ammonium chloride varying from 0 to 19.8 % (sub-eutectic and near-eutectic growth) and various boundary conditions (Tcold = −30 °C to 0 °C). The results obtained in the course of study reveal that (1) the solidification rate is higher during initial stages of the solidification process, (2) the process of solidification is slower with increase in the initial concentration levels of the ammonium chloride and (3) the initial concentration play a significant role in the evolution of convection flow patterns.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Phase retrieval for high-numerical-aperture optical systems.

We describe a phase retrieval approach for intensity point-spread functions of high-numerical-aperture optical systems such as light microscopes. The method calculates a generalized pupil function defined on a spherical shell, using measured images at several defocus levels. The resultant pupil functions reproduce measured point-source images significantly better than does an ideal imaging model. Availability of pupil function information will facilitate new approaches to aberration correction in such systems.
Differences in the Abilities of Estrogen Receptors to Integrate Activation Functions Are Critical for Subtype-Specific Transcriptional Responses

Estrogen receptors (ER) alpha and beta are members of a superfamily of nuclear receptors and mediate estrogen [17beta-estradiol (E2)] signaling. ERbeta has considerably less transcription potency than ERalpha in heterologous expression systems that use E2 response elements (ERE) in tandem as the trans-acting unit. We show here that despite similar intracellular characteristics, ERbeta, in contrast to ERalpha, fails to induce gene transcription synergistically in response to E2 from tandem EREs. Moreover, our results indicate that ERalpha-specific partial agonistic activity of antagonists occurs additively. Although synergy contributes, it is not sufficient for differences in the transcription potencies between the ER subtypes. We demonstrate here that differences in the abilities of ERs to integrate activation functions through functional interactions between amino and carboxyl termini are critical for the transcriptional strength of ER subtypes.
Chronic treatment of mitochondrial disease patients with dichloroacetate.

Abstract Clinical features are reported for 37 patients with various mitochondrial disorders, treated with sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) for 3 weeks to 7 years (mean 3.25 years) at 11–50 mg/kg/day (34.6 ± 13.1) in an open-label format. DCA pharmacokinetics showed half-times approximately 86 min for the first intravenous dose of 50 mg/kg, 3.2 h for a subsequent intravenous dose 4–6 h later, and 11 h after continued oral dosing of 12.5–25 mg/kg twice daily. Basal blood and CSF lactate (mean values at entry 29.6 and 46.8 mg/dL, respectively) decreased at 3 months (to 18.1 and 34.2, respectively) and 12 months (to 17.7 and 33.1, respectively). There was some attenuation of the blood lactate response to oral fructose but not glucose, although the baseline lactate was lower with DCA. A standardized neurologic inventory showed stabilization or improvement over one year. The subjective impression of overall disease course was worsening in 21.6%, improvement in 48.6%, and no discernable effect in 29.7%. Among 8 patients who had 17 stroke-like events in 0.25–5 years prior to study entry, there were a total of 2 events over 3–6 years of treatment. In two cases institution of DCA resulted in dramatic relief of severe headaches which had been refractory to narcotics. Given variability of symptoms and limited understanding of natural history of mitochondrial disease, it is difficult to determine the efficacy of DCA in this open-label study, but there did appear to be some cases in which there were at least temporary benefits.
A modeling study of idiopathic intracranial hypertension: etiology and diagnosis.

Abstract Objective: To investigate the relationship between idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and transverse sinus stenosis through experiments performed on a validated mathematical model. Methods: A mathematical model of intracranial pressure (ICP) dynamics has been extended to accommodate venous sinus compression through the introduction of a Starling-like resistor between the sagittal and transverse sinuses. Results: In the absence of this type of resistor, the sinuses are rigid, and the model has only a unique, stable steady state with normal pressures. With resistance a function of the external pressure on the sinus, a second stable steady state may exist. This state is characterized by elevated ICP concurrent with a compressed transverse sinus. Simulations predict that a temporary perturbation that causes a transient elevation of ICP can induce a permanent transition from the normal to the higher steady state. Comparisons to clinical data from IIH patients provide supporting evidence for th...
MEMS based force sensors for the study of indentation response of single living cells

This paper presents bio-microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) force sensors, consisting of a probe and flexible beams, to study mechanobiological response of single living cells subjected to mechanical injury. Mechanical injuries are simulated by the application of large indentation on the cells by the sensor probe. The green fluorescent protein (GFP) technique is used to visualize the evolution of the actin network in the cells. The lateral indentation force response measurement capability of the sensors is shown. The cell force response is strongly linear for the initial indentation stage and the cells become yielded due to further indentation, which were not observed before. Two new types of remodeling, large buckling of stress fibers and actin agglomeration, in the actin network in a cell due to mechanical stimuli are also reported.
Niobium(V)-N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine coordination complexes

Abstract The complex niobium (V) species present in 5 M hydrochloric acid solution will react with N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine to produce a soluble, greenish-yellow coordination complex ion wherein the metal-to-ligand ratio is 1:1 as evidenced from applying the method of continuous variation to spectrophotometric data measured at 400 mμ. A formation constant of 1.0 · 103 for this species was calculated. A solid niobium(V)-N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine complex was isolated and its formula postulated to be [NbO(OH)2(C13H10NO2)2].
Where Keywords Fail: Using Metadata to Facilitate Digital Humanities Scholarship

ABSTRACT Primary sources are foundational to digital humanities research. Their study is a valuable part of developing critical thinking skills in students. Enhancing access to these “hidden” resources through digitization is a valuable service to scholars, students, and educators. However, merely scanning and providing full-text keyword searchability may not fully meet the needs of digital humanities scholars. Abbreviations, obsolete and regional word usage, idioms, misspellings and alternate spellings, and omissions in primary sources make keyword searching difficult. The addition of metadata in the form of normalized name headings and topics greatly enhances the research experience and saves the time of users.
Flanking and Intragenic Sequences Regulating the Expression of the Rabbit α-Globin Gene

Despite their descent from a common ancestral gene and the requirement for coordinated, tissue-specific regulation, the α- and β-globin genes in many mammals are regulated in distinctly different ways. Unlike the β-globin gene, the rabbit α-globin gene is transiently expressed at a high level without an added enhancer in transfected erythroid and non-erythroid cells. By examining a series of α/β fusion genes, we show that internal sequences of the rabbit α-globin gene (within the first two exons and introns) are required along with the 5′ flank for this enhancer-independent expression. Furthermore, deletion of the introns of the α-globin gene, or replacement by introns of the β-globin gene, results in severely decreased expression of the transfecting genes. Hybrid constructs between segments of the α-globin gene and a luciferase gene confirm that internal α-globin sequences are needed for high level production of RNA in transfected cells. The flanking and internal sequences implicated in regulation of the rabbit α-globin gene coincide with a prominent CpG-rich island and may comprise an extended promoter (including both flanking and intragenic sequences) that is active in transfected cells without an enhancer.
Monitoring Polymer Properties Using Shear Horizontal Surface Acoustic Waves

Real-time, nondestructive methods for monitoring polymer film properties are increasingly important in the development and fabrication of modern polymer-containing products. Online testing of industrial polymer films during preparation and conditioning is required to minimize material and energy consumption, improve the product quality, increase the production rate, and reduce the number of product rejects. It is well-known that shear horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) propagation is sensitive to mass changes as well as to the mechanical properties of attached materials. In this work, the SH-SAW was used to monitor polymer property changes primarily dictated by variations in the viscoelasticity. The viscoelastic properties of a negative photoresist film were monitored throughout the ultraviolet (UV) light-induced polymer cross-linking process using SH-SAW delay line devices. Changes in the polymer film mass and viscoelasticity caused by UV exposure produced variations in the phase velocity and atte...
Developing a Reproducible Non-Line-of-Sight Experimental Setup for Testing Wireless Medical Device Coexistence Utilizing ZigBee

The integration of heterogeneous wireless technologies is believed to aid revolutionary healthcare delivery in hospitals and residential care. Wireless medical device coexistence is a growing concern given the ubiquity of wireless technology. In spite of this, a consensus standard that addresses risks associated with wireless heterogeneous networks has not been adopted. This paper serves as a starting point by recommending a practice for assessing the coexistence of a wireless medical device in a non-line-of-sight environment utilizing 802.15.4 in a practical, versatile, and reproducible test setup. This paper provides an extensive survey of other coexistence studies concerning 802.15.4 and 802.11 and reports on the authors' coexistence testing inside and outside an anechoic chamber. Results are compared against a non-line-of-sight test setup. Findings relative to co-channel and adjacent channel interference were consistent with results reported in the literature.
Disposition of intravenous radioactive acyclovir

The kinetic and metabolic disposition of (8-14C)acyclovir (ACV) was investigated in five subjects with advanced malignancy. The drug was administered by 1-hr intravenous infusion at doses of 0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg. Plasma and blood radioactivity-time, and plasma concentration-time data were defined by a two-compartment open kinetic model. There was nearly equivalent distribution of radioactivity in blood and plasma. The overall mean plasma half-life and total body clearance +/- SD of ACV were 2.1 +/- 0.5 hr and 297 +/- 53 ml/min/1.73 m2. Binding of ACV to plasma proteins was 15.4 +/- 4.4%. Most of the radioactive dose excreted was recovered in the urine (71% to 99%) with less than 2% excretion in the feces and only trace amounts in the expired Co2. Analyses by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography indicated that 9-(carboxymethoxymethyl)guanine was the only significant urinary metabolite of ACV, accounting for 8.5% to 14.1% of the dose. A minor metabolite (less than 0.2% of dose) had the retention time of 8-hydroxy-9-((2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl)guanine. Unchanged urinary ACV ranged from 62% to 91% of the dose. There was no indication of ACV cleavage to guanine. Renal clearance of ACV was approximately three times the corresponding creatinine clearances.
On the usefulness of the SPICE simulation program in the prediction of anomalous behavior in complex nonlinear circuits

It is shown that, in addition to its obvious merits in demonstrating and confirming theoretically tractable properties of electronic circuits and circuit models of physical systems, the SPICE simulation program can lead to unforeseen aspects of circuit behavior. Two specific examples are taken to illustrate this feature. In the first, it is shown how SPICE correctly predicted instability in a nonlinear capacitor model due to a physically incorrect choice of a parameter, later confirmed by a closer investigation of the theory. In the second, RF pulse experiments in an ensemble of nonlinear resonator circuits are shown to indicate temporal splitting of normal nonlinear echoes into multiple humps, which was not anticipated under approximate theory. >
Distributed training of Large-scale Logistic models

Regularized Multinomial Logistic regression has emerged as one of the most common methods for performing data classification and analysis. With the advent of large-scale data it is common to find scenarios where the number of possible multinomial outcomes is large (in the order of thousands to tens of thousands) and the dimensionality is high. In such cases, the computational cost of training logistic models or even simply iterating through all the model parameters is prohibitively expensive. In this paper, we propose a training method for large-scale multinomial logistic models that breaks this bottleneck by enabling parallel optimization of the likelihood objective. Our experiments on large-scale datasets showed an order of magnitude reduction in training time.
The transition to organic agriculture: A multi-year simulation model of a Pennsylvania farm

Prior research has shown that an established organic farm can be as profitable as a conventional farm under certain circumstances. However, organic farming systems often require a transition period before they are fully established after a changeover from conventional farming. Yields may decrease and recover only slowly during this transition period and less profitable crop rotations may be required to establish an organic system. Previous studies have ignored the income trend during the transition phase, and comparisons of organic and conventional farms have been faulted for lack of similarity in management and other resources. The study reported here used a multi-year simulation model to investigate the trend in income of a 117-hectare crop-livestock farm in Pennsylvania (called the Kutztown farm) during this transition process. A baseline model of the Kutztown farm under conventional management (CONB) was found to earn an income (returns over cash operating cost) of $1,300), but with a larger operation (213 head) the income sacrifice increased tenfold.
CD4 function in thymocyte differentiation and T cell activation

The ectodomains of the T cell surface glycoproteins CD4 and CD8 bind to membrane-proximal domains of MHC class II and class I molecules, respectively, while both cytoplasmic domains interact with the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) p56lck (lck) through a shared cysteine-containing motif. Function of CD4 and CD8 requires their binding to the same MHC molecule as that recognized by the T cell antigen receptor (TCR). In vitro studies indicate that CD4-associated lck functions even in the absence of kinase activity. In vivo experiments show that, whereas helper T cell development is impaired in CD4-deficient mice, high level expression of a transgenic CD4 that cannot bind lck rescues development of this T cell subset. These studies suggest that CD4 is an adhesion molecule whose localization is regulated through protein-protein interactions of the associated PTK and whose function is to increase the stability of the TCR signalling complex by binding to the relevant MHC. The function of CD4 in development has been further studied in the context of how double positive (CD4+CD8+) thymocytes mature into either CD4+ T cells with helper function and TCR specificity for class II or into CD8+ T cells with cytotoxic function and specificity for class I. Studies using CD4-transgenic mice indicate that development of single positive T cells involves stochastic downregulation of either CD4 or CD8, coupled to activation of a cytotoxic or helper program, respectively, and subsequent selection based on the ability of the TCR and remaining co-receptor to engage the same MHC molecule.
TUMOR STAGE, VASCULAR INVASION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF POORLY DIFFERENTIATED CANCER: INDEPENDENT PROGNOSTICATORS FOR INGUINAL LYMPH NODE METASTASIS IN PENILE SQUAMOUS CANCER

Purpose: We determine if histopathological factors of the primary penile tumor can stratify the risk of the development of inguinal lymph node metastases.Materials and Methods: Clinical records of 48 consecutive patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis who underwent resection of the primary lesion and either inguinal lymph node dissection or were observed for signs of recurrence (median followup 59 months) were reviewed. Parameters examined included pathological tumor stage, quantified depth of invasion and tumor thickness, histological and nuclear grade, percentage of poorly differentiated cancer in the primary tumor, number of mitoses and presence or absence of vascular invasion. Variables were compared in 18 lymph node positive and 30 lymph node negative cases.Results: Pathological tumor stage, vascular invasion and presence of greater than 50% poorly differentiated cancer were the strongest predictors of nodal metastasis on univariate and multivariate regression analyses. None of 15 pT1 tumo...
Networks and nonprofits: Opportunities and challenges in an era of federal devolution

Abstract Community development corporations and other nonprofit organizations are increasingly responsible for producing and managing low‐income housing in urban America. This article examines the network of governmental, philanthropic, educational, and other institutions that channel financial, technical, and political support to nonprofit housing sponsors. We analyze the relationships among these institutions and propose an explanation for their success. We then consider challenges the network must confront if the reinvention of federal housing policy is to succeed. Block grants and rental vouchers, the dominant emphases of federal policy, present opportunities and constraints for nonprofit housing groups and their institutional networks. While states and municipalities are likely to continue to use block grants for nonprofit housing, the viability of this housing will be severely tested as project‐based operating subsidies are replaced by tenant‐based vouchers. We recommend ways that the federal, state...
Isomeric Structural Characterization of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS) with Styryl and Epoxy Phenyl Capping Agents

Ion mobility and molecular modeling methods were used to examine the gas-phase structures of sodiated POSS capped with styryl and epoxy phenyl substituents (Na+StyxEp8-xT8). Results were obtained for x = 5−7 and indicated that three distinct isomers with different collision cross-sections were present for each value of x. Theoretical modeling also yielded three different families of structures for each POSS system, and their calculated cross-sections agreed very well with experimental values (<1% difference). For Na+Sty7EpT8, the three families differ in the number of “paired” Sty groups. For Na+Sty6Ep2T8 and Na+Sty5Ep3T8, the three isomers correspond to the three different ways the Ep groups can be positioned on the POSS cage.
Novel role for the nuclear phosphoprotein SET in transcriptional activation of P450c17 and initiation of neurosteroidogenesis.

Neurosteroids are important endogenous regulators of g-aminobutryic acid (GABAA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and also influence neuronal morphology and function. Neurosteroids are produced in the brain using many of the same enzymes found in the adrenal and gonad. The crucial enzyme for the synthesis of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) in the brain is cytochrome P450c17. The transcriptional strategy for the expression of P450c17 is clearly different in the brain from that in the adrenal or gonad. We previously characterized a novel transcriptional regulator from Leydig MA-10 cells, termed StF-IT-1, that binds at bases 2447/2399 of the rat P450c17 promoter, along with the known transcription factors COUP-TF (chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor), NGF-IB (nerve growth factor inducible protein B), and SF-1 (steroidogenic factor-1). We have now purified and sequenced this protein from immature porcine testes, identifying it as the nuclear phosphoprotein SET; a role for SET in transcription was not established previously. Binding of bacterially expressed human and rat SET to the DNA site at 2418/2399 of the rat P450c17 gene transactivates P450c17 in neuronal and in testicular Leydig cells. We also found SET expressed in human NT2 neuronal precursor cells, implicating a role in neurosteroidogenesis. Immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization in the mouse fetus show that the ontogeny and distribution of SET in the developing nervous system are consistent with SET being crucial for initiating P450c17 transcription. SET’s developmental pattern of expression suggests it may participate in the early ontogenesis of the nervous, as well as the skeletal and hematopoietic, systems. These studies delineate an important new factor in the transcriptional regulation of P450c17 and consequently, in the production of DHEA and sex steroids. (Molecular Endocrinology 14: 875‐888, 2000)