cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Matrix reservoir quality of the Upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk Group and evaluation of reservoir-quality analysis methods; northern onshore Gulf of Mexico, U.S.A.

Abstract Production from the argillaceous Austin Chalk reservoirs from the Gulf of Mexico Basin is predominately from natural fractures, with some production from tight matrix. To understand Austin Chalk matrix reservoir quality, a database containing 1492 porosity and permeability analyses from 21 wells ranging from South Texas to central Louisiana was constructed. The depositional environment of the chalk is interpreted to have been a deeper-water (below storm wave base) setting on a drowned shelf where bottom waters and sediments varied between oxic and anoxic. Five lithofacies were reviewed where the in-place lithofacies are shown to have a strong effect on reservoir quality. Burrowed marly chalk (lithofacies 1) has the best reservoir quality, with a mean porosity of 6.2% and a geometric mean permeability of 351 nd. Burrowed chalky marl to marly chalk (lithofacies 2) has the second-best reservoir quality, with mean porosity being 5.5% and geometric mean permeability being 214 nd. Slightly burrowed laminated marly chalk (lithofacies 3) has a mean porosity of 4.5% and a geometric mean permeability of 101 nd. Well-laminated chalky marl to marly chalk (lithofacies 4) has the poorest reservoir quality, with a mean porosity of 3.5% and geometric mean permeability of 25 nd. Three measurement methods were used to calculate porosity and permeability: (1) routine core plug (RCP) analysis, (2) Gas Research Institute crushed rock (GRI) analysis, and (3) modified gas expansion (MGE) analysis. Comparison among these methods showed that the RCP method provided anomalously high permeabilities and relatively low porosities. The GRI method yielded moderately high permeabilities but expected porosity measurements. The MGE method appears to produce the best results, giving permeabilities measured down to low-single-digit nanodarcy values and the expected range of porosity. The MGE method also displayed the best correlation between porosity and permeability. The concepts from this study can be applied to other chalks worldwide.
Microstructure-based appearance rendering for feathers

Abstract The appearance of a real-world feather is the result of light interactions with complex, patterned structures of varying scale; however, these have not yet been modeled for accurate rendering of feathers in computer graphics. Previously published works related to production and research have presented simplified curve models to represent the appearance of feathers. In this work we present why these approaches are not sufficient using imaging from real feathers along with motivation for a specific appearance model for feathers. We also propose and compare a new technique that takes into account the detailed substructures of feathers and their role in rendering an accurate far-field appearance. Our proposed method lends a high degree of photorealism for rendering feathers in visual-effects and content-creation applications.
The Influence of Anovulatory Compounds on Cholesterol Metabolism

During the last five years a number of products consisting of various progestogen-estrogen combinations have been developed and used as oral contraceptives. It is generally agreed that these compounds act primarily by inhibiting ovulation through interference with the hypothalamic-pituitary mechanism concerned with the secretion of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones. However, in addition to their activity as antifertility agents, these hormone mixtures affect other metabolic processes.
Thomas Kuhn's Influence on Astronomers

An e-mail survey of two samples of the world's astronomers was conducted in order to determine the familiarity of the astronomical community with the work of Thomas Kuhn. As anticipated, only a minority of a representative sample of the astronomical community had more than a vague familiarity with Kuhn and his work. An unanticipated result of this investigation was the extent and type of influence of Kuhn on the research and teaching lives of the minority of astronomers who were familiar with his work. The depth and thoughtfulness of the responses indicated that for some astronomers at least, Kuhn's thought resonated well with their picture of how science is done and provided some useful perspectives on their scientific careers. These responses may be of value in encouraging scientists to become more familiar with the history and philosophy of science.
Cerebral Vasoactivity and Oxygenation with Oxygen Carrier M101 in Rats

Abstract The severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be reduced if oxygen can be rapidly provided to the injured brain. This study evaluated if the oxygen-carrier M101 causes vasoconstricton of pial vasculature in healthy rats (Experiment 1) and if M101 improves brain tissue oxygen (PbtO2) in rats with controlled cortical impact (CCI)-TBI (Experiment 2). M101 (12.5 mL/kg intravenous [IV] over 2 h) caused a mild (9 mm Hg) increase in the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of healthy rats without constriction of cerebral pial arterioles. M101 (12 mL/kg IV over 1 h) caused a modest (27 mm Hg) increase in MAP (peak, 123 ± 5 mm Hg [mean ± standard error of the mean]) of CCI-TBI rats and restored PbtO2 to near pre-injury levels. In both M101 and untreated control (NON) groups, PbtO2 was ∼30 ± 2 mm Hg pre-injury and decreased (p ≤ 0.05) to ∼16 ± 2 mm Hg 15 min after CCI. In NON, PbtO2 remained ∼50% of baseline but M101 administration resulted in a sustained increase in PbtO2 (peak, 25 ± 5 mm Hg), which was ...
R&D, productivity and market value

Measuring the private returns to R&D requires knowledge of its private depreciation or obsolescence rate, which is inherently variable and responds to competitive pressure. Nevertheless, most of the previous literature has used a constant depreciation rate to construct R&D capital stocks and measure the returns to R&D, a rate usually equal to 15 per cent. In this paper I review the implications of this assumption for the measurement of returns using two different methodologies: one based on the production function and another that uses firm market value to infer returns. Under the assumption that firms choose their R&D investment optimally, that is, marginal expected benefit equals marginal cost, I show that both estimates of returns can be inverted to derive an implied depreciation rate for R&D capital. I then test these ideas on a large unbalanced panel of US manufacturing firms for the years 1974 to 2003. The two methods do not agree, in that the production function approach suggests depreciation rates near zero (or even appreciation) whereas the market value approach implies depreciation rates ranging from 20 to 50 per cent, depending on the period. The concluding section discusses the possible reasons why this is true.
Scan-based testability for fault-tolerant architectures

The acceptance and use of standard scan-based test access ports (TAPs), such as the IEEE-1149.1-1990 standard, have begun to ease the task of system testability and in-circuit diagnostics. The typical singular nature of these TAPs along with the all-or-nothing manner in which test facilities are accessed make such standard TAPs inappropriate for use in fault-tolerant architectures. The authors propose three simple additions to standard scan practices which allow scan techniques to be effectively utilized in fault-tolerant environments. Specifically, they advocate the incorporation of multiple-TAPs, port-by-port selection control, and partial external scan. Multi-TAP construction offers tolerance to faults in the scan path or circuitry. Port-by-port selection and partial external scan allow fault-diagnostics which are minimally intrusive and in-operation reconfiguration for fault-masking and repair. >
Childhood Identification and Prophylaxis of Antisocial Personality Disorder

Physiological and psychological characteristics show considerable similarity between children with Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADDH) and adults with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Prospective studies of ADDH children, with or without Conduct Disorder (CD), show a high outcome of ASPD. Recently, other forms of treatment have been added to the traditional psychopharmacological agents used for ADDH. If medication and new treatment modalities are administered for a period of 3 years, a recent controlled study indicates that the mean number of arrests for felony offenses and the mean number of institutionalizations are reduced at a p < 0.0001 level (1.32 vs. 0.19 and 0.49 vs. 0.00, respectively).
Some Results of the Self-Similarity Model

The self-similarity model of expanding laser produced plasma is derived from the hydrodynamic equations. An analytical iterative solution taking into account the varying plasma diameter results in remarkably higher electron temperatures. Numerical iteration with the condition of total transfer of the radiation to the plasma in overdense states shows a good agreement with measurements of Engelhardt et. al. at large spherical suspended targets and agreement with measurements of Sigel et. al. at hydrogen foils. On the basis of detailed numerical calculations of Mulser et. el., either heating by self focusing, or higher thermal conductivity than Spitzer’s values are concluded due to collective effects at conditions of high density, if conditions of degeneration and Coulomb logarithms less than unity are present.
Au@Void@TiO2 yolk–shell nanostructures as catalysts for the promotion of oxidation reactions at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract A new gold–titania catalyst has been developed for cryogenic oxidations based on a yolk–shell nanoarchitecture. The synthesis of those structures involves the sequential deposition of a sacrificial silica layer and a titania shell around well-defined gold nanoparticles followed by removal of the silica via NaOH etching. The resulting catalyst contains an amorphous titania shell with sodium titanate and silicon impurities that proved critical for the cryogenic activity; removal of those via HCl treatment kills most of the catalytic conversion. Oxidation of carbon monoxide is possible with this Au@Void@TiO 2 catalyst at temperatures as low as 120 K, by a mechanism different than the one operative at room temperature that involves a weakly-adsorbed CO species with a C O stretching frequency of 2162 cm − 1 , possibly at Au–TiO 2 interfacial sites.
Fluorescence polarization as a means for determination of fumonisins in maize.

Fumonisins, mycotoxins produced by certain species of Fusaria, are commonly found worldwide as contaminants in maize. This paper reports the development of a rapid, portable fluorescence polarization-based assay for fumonisins in maize. The assay was based on the competition of unlabeled fumonisin, from a sample, with a fluorescently tagged fumonisin (FB1-FL) for a fumonisin-specific monoclonal antibody in solution. The fluorescence polarization (FP) of the tagged fumonisin was increased upon binding with the antibody. In the presence of free toxin, less of the FB1-FL was bound and the polarization signal was decreased. The assays were very simple to perform, requiring only mixing of an aqueous extract of maize with the tagged fumonisin and antibody, and required <2 min per sample, excluding extraction time. Two permutations of the assay were tested, one with each sample matrix serving as its own blank, and the other with all of the samples compared relative to a PBS blank with normalization of the data s...
Evidence of magnon-electron interaction from transport measurements†

We have measured the thermoelectric power of pure iron and two dilute iron-platinum alloys between 10 and 1200°K, and of pure nickel and two dilute iron–nickel alloys between 10 and 300°K. The results strongly suggest that magnon-drag is dominant in iron over a wide temperature range, and constitute the first indication of this mechanism in a ferromagnetic metal.
A knowledge-based system for nondestructive testing of polymeric composite components

This paper presents a formalization of the knowledge domain of nondestructive quality control of polymeric composite components. The formalization scheme presented in this paper has been implemented in a prototype knowledge-based expert system (KBES), called NICC for nondestructive inspection of composite components, to help in the quality assurance of these parts. Geometric and bonding characteristics of individual and assembled components are taken into account, as opposed to the better understood evaluation of well-behaved test specimens. The use of nondestructive techniques in the inspection of plastic and polymeric composites is fairly recent and hence, the knowledge required to develop a KBES is still very scattered and not yet fully covered in the literature. This study demonstrates both the feasibility of compiling and representing this knowledge domain and the possibility of translating it into an efficient automated tool capable of giving reliable expert-like advice at low cost. The reasoning process is divided into three stages. In the first stage, a polymetric composite component is completely defined according to features that are relevant for nondestructive inspection. In the second stage, all the discontinuities that may be present in the component are determined. Finally, in the third stage, appropriate nondestructive testing procedures are identified to detect each of the possible discontinuities.
Minireview Current methodologies for the study of pineal morphophysiology

Welsh MG. Current methodologies for the study of pineal morphophysiology. J Pineal Res 1994; 16: 113–120. Abstract Light and electron microscopes, with or without the use of immunohistochemical techniques, have been the instruments of choice for study of the pineal complex even up to recent times. Other morphological technologies have become available during the past decade that, if applied to current questions concerning pineal morphophysiology, could add considerably to our understanding of this complex system. Those technologies discussed include confocal scanning laser microscopy (in conjunction with other techniques including immunohistochemistry and three-dimensional reconstruction), tissue culture methodologies, carbocyanine dyes (i. e., DiI), in situ hybridization, and application of microinjection methodologies. It is suggested that these technologies will be necessary for morphophysiolo-gists to not only collaborate with molecular biologists and biochemists who study the pineal complex, but to corroborate the molecular and biochemical results of our colleagues.
Loss of a tumor suppressor gene function is correlated with downregulation of chondrocyte-specific collagen expression in syrian hamster embryo cells

We previously described the isolation of closely related, preneoplastic Syrian hamster cell lines that have retained (supB+) or lost (supB-) the ability to suppress the anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenicity of a sarcoma cell line (BP6T) in cell hybrids. In this report, we have used differential cDNA screening to clone several genes that are expressed in supB+ cells and downregulated in supB- cells. The nontumorigenic supB+ and supB- variants are advantageous for differential cDNA cloning because multiple independent cell lines differing in their tumor suppressor activity have been isolated. Differentially expressed cDNAs were isolated and placed into one of four groups based on DNA cross-hybridization. Representative cDNAs from Groups I and II, which were expressed at relatively high levels in two independently derived supB+ cell lines (DES4 and 10W) and downregulated in the supB- and tumor cell lines, were sequenced. The DNA and predicted amino acid sequences of these genes were found to be highly homologous to the chondrocyte-specific collagens type II and type IX. In contrast to the chondrocyte-specific collagens, another collagen isoform, collagen type I, was expressed at similar levels in both supB+ and supB- cells. These results suggest that carcinogen-induced immortalization selected for chondrocyte-like cell lines from the mixed embryo cell population. As these cells progressed toward tumorigenicity, the ability to express the chondrocyte differentiation markers was lost concomitantly with the ability to suppress the tumorigenicity of the BP6T sarcoma cell line. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the supB+ tumor suppressor gene is involved in the regulation of differentiation. The identification of genes regulated by this suppressor gene may aid in its isolation.
A New High Resolution Holographic Contouring Method

We report a new holographic meth-od for producing contours on diffuse-ly reflecting surfaces. The contour spacing can be continuously varied from 2.5 μm (the lower limit so far) up to 1 mm or larger. The holographic emulsion is placed close to the object and a single beam of laser light (in our case, a 1 mw He-Ne laser) is used to supply both the object and reference beams. To produce contours, a double exposure hologram is recorded with the refer-ence beam incident from two different angles. The observed contour spacing is determined by the angular separation of the incident beams as well as the viewing angle. The contours may be viewed in white light and the contour intervals were verified using calibrated wedges. The method is realized through the use of a new holographic processing technique employing a spray developer and a very short development time which greatly enhances the brightness of the holo-gram image.© (1974) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A comparison of Internet usage between two residency programs in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Abstract Study Objective: To survey the pattern of use and availability of the Internet among anesthesia residents. Design: Survey questionnaire. Setting: University hospital. Measurements: A postal questionnaire of Internet attitudes and usage was sent to trainees in Anesthesiology in two training programs: the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (UNM) and the North West Regional Health Authority, Manchester, UK (NWR). A repeat questionnaire was sent to nonresponders after 4 weeks. Telephone interviews were conducted with hospital administration to determine availability and cost of the Internet. Main Results: Response rates were 67% (82/122) from the NWR and 83% (25/31) from UNM. Compared with NWR, residents at UNM used the Internet longer for general (median 3 vs . 2 yrs; p vs . 1.2 yrs; p p p = 0.046). Approximately 75% of all trainees access web sites of the Association of Anesthetists and Royal College of Anesthetists (in the NWR) the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and American Board of Anesthesiology (in UNM) and online journals. The most popular sites were GASNET (Global Anesthesiology Server Network; NWR) and ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists; UNM). Both UNM and NWR trainees perceived the Internet as supplying useful and accurate information. Conclusions: If the reported survey results are representative of Internet use among anesthesia residents in the United States and UK, Internet access at work is associated with greater Internet use for medical purposes, perhaps in part because residents perceive it to be a convenient and accurate resource.
Thermochemical Generation of Hydrogen from Switchgrass

Thermochemical production of hydrogen is anticipated to be one of the most cost-effective means of producing hydrogen fuel. Switchgrass, a warm-season, perennial grass that is native to many areas of the United States, is an attractive feedstock for this purpose. The goal of this study is to convert switchgrass into hydrogen by the sequential processes of thermal gasification in a fluidized bed reactor, catalytic steam reforming of tars, and the use of water-gas shift catalysts to enhance the concentration of hydrogen. Air-blown gasification of switchgrass produced relatively low concentrations of hydrogen (about 8.5 vol-%). Steam reforming of tars and light hydrocarbons and reacting steam with carbon monoxide via the water-gas shift reaction increased the hydrogen content in the producer gas to 27.1 vol-%. The catalysts used in the steam reformer and water-gas shift reactors were examined at the end of the trials using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and BET analysis. These analyses showed changes in po...
Characterization of hotspots in a highly enhancing SERS substrate

Vapor deposition of silver and gold onto a porous anodized aluminum oxide template is shown to produce a SERS substrate with an average surface enhancement factor of 107–108. The high level of enhancement is explored using a combination of dark-field Rayleigh scattering and Raman spectroscopy and imaging. The scattering spectrum of the surface indicates a Plasmon resonance at 633 nm and dark-field imaging shows a relatively uniform scattering intensity at this wavelength. These measurements are consistent with the uniform enhanced Raman intensity observed in Raman maps of the substrate. Scanning electron microscopy shows the surface exhibits heterogeneous nanostructures with diameters of approximately 100 nm, the size of the pores in the template. Our measurements indicate that interactions between adjacent structures forming junctions and crevices likely give rise to a high density of hotspots, which provide the extraordinary SERS enhancement. The advantage of substrates prepared in this way is the reproducibly dense distribution of hotspots across the surface, increasing the likelihood that an analyte will experience the largest enhancement.
Fluorescence Lifetime Cross Correlation Spectroscopy Resolves EGFR and Antagonist Interaction in Live Cells

Fluorescence correlation or cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCS or FCCS), a single molecule technique, has the ability to provide highly sensitive information on interaction and dynamics of biomolecules both in vitro and in vivo. However, the inherent drawback of FCS is that species with similar molecular weight could not be differentiated. Although FCCS could resolve this through cross-correlation, it suffers from nonideal confocal volume overlap and spectral cross-talk which limits its application. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the applicability of fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy (FLCS) to monitor the interaction of an antagonist antibody with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in live cells. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the interaction of Cy5 labeled IgG and Alexa633 labeled anti-IgG using a single laser source (636 nm excitation) in vitro. The autocorrelation functions were separated based on their respective lifetime with a single detector and their ...
Identification and Categorization of Inducible Mast Cell Genes in a Subtraction Library

Abstract Mast cells play an important role in allergic inflammation by releasing inducible proinflammatory cytokines. While many inducible genes have been identified, we hypothesized that a significant number remain to be identified. We thus constructed an activation-specific mast cell subtraction library to establish a profile of induced genes in mast cells following allergic stimulation. To date, we have sequenced 150 cDNA clones. Among them, we have isolated 22 known genes whose expression has not been reported in mast cells, and an additional 26 cDNA clones which do not have significant homology to known genes in the Genbank database. We next selected 10 cDNA clones with strong signals by differential plaque hybridization. Of these cDNA clones, five genes were induced in mast cells upon FcϵRI-mediated stimulation. They are cofilin, annexinVI, interferon (IFN)-β, serglycin, and a novel inducible mast cell (IMC) gene, IMC-415. Characterization and relevant studies of this novel gene and other inducible known genes in mast cells will provide insight into the functions of mast cells in mammalian biology.
European green crabs (Carcinus maenas) in the northeastern Pacific: genetic evidence for high population connectivity and current-mediated expansion from a single introduced source population.

Aim The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) expanded dramatically after its introduction to the west coast of North America, spreading over 1000 km in < 10 years. We use samples of Carcinus maenas collected over time and space to investigate the genetic patterns underlying the species' initial establishment and spread, and discuss our findings in the context of the species' life history characteristics and demography. Location The central west coast of North America, encompassing California, Oregon, and Washington (USA) and British Columbia (Canada). Methods We collected 1040 total samples from 21 sites representing the major episodes of population establishment and expansion along the west coast of North America. Microsatellite markers were used to assess genetic diversity and structure at different time points in the species' spread, to investigate connectivity between embayments and to estimate both short-term effective population sizes and the number of original founders. Assignment testing was performed to determine the likely source of the introduction. Results Carcinus maenas in western North America likely derived from a single introduction of a small number of founders to San Francisco Bay, CA from the east coast of North America. Throughout its western North American range, the species experiences periodic migration between embayments, resulting in a minor loss of genetic diversity in more recently established populations versus the populations in the area of initial establishment. Main conclusions Low genetic diversity has not precluded the ability of C. maenas to successfully establish and spread on the west coast of North America. An efficient oceanographic transport mechanism combined with highly conducive life history traits are likely the major drivers of C. maenas spread. Evidence for a single introduction underscores the potential utility of early detection and eradication of high-risk invasive species.
Microstructural evolution of the nickel platinum-aluminide bond coat on electron-beam physical-vapor deposition thermal-barrier coatings during high-temperature service

The microstructural evolution of a (Ni,Pt)-aluminide bond coat underneath the ZrO2-based thermal-barrier coating (TBC) topcoat system on a Rene N5 Ni-based superalloy turbine blade during prolonged high-temperature service has been characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The as-deposited bond coat has a spatially varying microstructure, which consists of an outer layer of single-phase β-(Ni,Pt)Al, a middle layer of a β-(Ni,Pt)Al matrix containing a high number density of μ-phase precipitates, and an inner layer containing a γ/γ′ matrix and numerous μ- and σ-phase precipitates. During service, microstructural changes in the hotter sections of the blade are more extensive than those in the cooler parts, as expected. As a result of interdiffusion, the inner layer grows into the γ/γ′ substrate, with the formation of some M23C6 precipitates, and the β matrix in the middle layer is transformed into a two-phase mixture of β and γ′. Corresponding changes occur in the morphologies and volume fractions of the various precipitate phases present in the bond coat. The single-phase β material in the outer layer retains its basic structure, except that the compositional changes due to diffusion between the bond coat and turbine blade cause a martensitic transformation to occur in the hottest sections during the final cooling of the blade. The distribution of various elements in the different layers has also been analyzed, as has growth of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) at the bond coat/TBC interface.
Mission applications of electric propulsion

This paper reviews the mission applications of electric propulsion. The energy requirements of candidate high-energy missions gaining in NASA priority are used to highlight the potential of electric propulsion. Mission-propulsion interfaces are examined to point out differences between chemical and electric applications. Brief comparisons between ballistic requirements and capabilities and those of electric propulsion show that electric propulsion is presently the most practical and perhaps the only technology which can accomplish missions with these energy requirements.
Exact collision detection using virtual objects in virtual reality modeling of a manufacturing process

Collision detection is a key issue for modeling interactions between general, nonconvex objects in virtual reality applications in the manufacturing process domain. Despite significant progress in developing efficient, exact collision detection algorithms for convex objects, only limited progress has been made in developing collision detection algorithms for general, nonconvex objects. A concept of virtual objects is introduced to extend the applicability of exact collision detection algorithms to nonconvex objects. A methodology is presented to encapsulate into virtual objects the features of interest for collision detection. Automatic procedures are presented for the creation of virtual objects and for partitioning them into convex pieces. The methodology is best suited for interactive simulation and animation applications where high accuracy of object contact modeling is required. Examples include virtual assembly; mobile robot simulation; and manufacturing processes where accurate modeling of near-miss detection is essential, such as robotic painting, robotic welding, and NC machining operations.
Terence W. Deacon. Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged from Matter

Terrence Deacon's Incomplete Nature defies easy review. This is a long, wide-ranging, and carefully argued book. The ideas are also highly networked, so it is difficult to convey them in a brief, l...
Regulation of cardiac output with controlled heart rate in newborn lambs.

ABSTRACT: To determine the factors regulating cardiac output in newborn lambs and to examine the effects of age after birth, we altered heart rate, afterload, preload, and myocardial contractility in eight younger lambs, 5 to 13 days old, and seven older lambs, 15 to 36 days old. To control heart rate, we ablated the atrioventricular node by injecting formalin into the region of the node, and paced the right ventricle at a baseline heart rate of 200 beats/min. After the lambs recovered from surgery, we performed two protocols. In the first protocol we assessed the effects of changing heart rate by pacing the ventricle at various rates. We also examined the effect of altering afterload and preload at a fixed heart rate: afterload was increased by infusing phenylephrine and decreased by infusing nitroprusside. Preload was increased by infusing blood or 0.9% NaCl solution over 2 min. In the second protocol, we increased myocardial contractility by infusing isoproterenol at a fixed heart rate. Increasing heart rate above baseline levels caused no significant increase in cardiac output in the younger lambs (3.9 ± 4.0%, mean ± SD), and only small increases in the older lambs (11.4 ± 6.7%). Decreasing heart rate, however, resulted in a progressive decrease in cardiac output in both groups of lambs. Decreasing afterload caused no significant increase in cardiac output in the younger lambs (1.4 ± 14.0%) and only a small increase in the older Iambs (11.1 ± 1.9%). However, increasing afterload resulted in a fall in cardiac output in both groups of lambs, but this was significant only in the younger group (-14.4 ± 8.2%). Volume infusion caused a modest increase in cardiac output in the younger lambs (19.9 ± 13.8%) and a more variable but not significant response in the older lambs (15.8 ± 18.2%). Isoproterenol infusion caused the largest increases in cardiac output of 33.5 ± 10.8% in the younger lambs and 64.0 ± 20.0% in the older lambs at a dose of 0.3 μg/kg/min. We conclude that 1) resting heart rates are near optimal in lambs such that increasing heart rate by ventricular pacing does not markedly increase cardiac output, whereas decreasing heart rate significantly decreases output; 2) afterload is near optimal as well since decreasing afterload minimally increases cardiac output, whereas increasing it markedly reduces output; 3) the response to volume loading is limited in the lamb during ventricular pacing; and 4) there is a significant response to β-adrenoreceptor stimulation with out changes in heart rate, and this response is more pronounced in the older lamb. This supports the concept that there is a postnatal change in β-adrenoreceptor stimulation of myocardial performance.
Dowry or Inheritance? Kinship, Property, And Women's Agency in Lisbon, Venice, and Florence (1572)

The marital property regimes, inheritance practices, and kinship structures of Renaissance Italy and early modern Portugal were at opposite ends of a spectrum. In Italy, the legitimacy of marriage was defined as the outcome of dowry exchange governed by exclusio propter dotem , thus conceptually linked to the disinheritance of daughters and wives. In Portugal, where the Roman principle of equal inheritance was never abolished, domestic unions qualified as marriages insofar as joint ownership was established. Kinship structures were rigidly agnatic in Italy, but cognatic, even residually matrilineal, in Portugal. An investigation of notarial records from Lisbon, Venice, and Florence shows how women's capacity for full legal agency as property owners in both societies differed. Female legal agency, however, whether measured by women's capacity to engage in property transactions independently of their marital status (Portugal), or as the manipulation of limited legal resources, even resistance against a system of dispossession (Italy), always unfolded within the context of larger agendas that were beyond women's control, such as the processes of state formation in medieval Italy and empire-building in Portugal.
Evaluation of superficial dosimetry between treatment planning system and measurement for several breast cancer treatment techniques.

Purpose: Dosimetric accuracy in radiation treatment of breast cancer is critical for the evaluation of cosmetic outcomes and survival. It is often considered that treatment planning systems (TPS) may not be able to provide accurate dosimetry in the buildup region. This was investigated in various treatment techniques such as tangential wedges, field-in-field (FF), electronic compensator (eComp), and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods: Under Institutional Review Board (IRB) exemption, radiotherapy treatment plans of 111 cases were retrospectively analyzed. The distance between skin surface and 95% isodose line was measured. For measurements, Gafchromic EBT2 films were used on a humanoid unsliced phantom. Multiple layers of variable thickness of superflab bolus were placed on the breast phantom and CT scanned for planning. Treatment plans were generated using four techniques with two different grid sizes (1 Multiplication-Sign 1 and 2.5 Multiplication-Sign 2.5 mm{sup 2}) to provide optimum dose distribution. Films were placed at different depths and exposed with the selected techniques. A calibration curve for dose versus pixel values was also generated on the same day as the phantom measurement was conducted. The DICOM RT image, dose, and plan data were imported to the in-house software. On axial plane of CT slices, curves were drawnmore » at the position where EBT2 films were placed, and the dose profiles on the lines were acquired. The calculated and measured dose profiles were separated by check points which were marked on the films before irradiation. The segments of calculated profiles were stretched to match their resolutions to that of film dosimetry. Results: On review of treatment plans, the distance between skin and 95% prescribed dose was up to 8 mm for plans of 27 patients. The film measurement revealed that the medial region of phantom surface received a mere 45%-50% of prescribed dose. For wedges, FF, and eComp techniques, region around the nipple received approximately 80% of prescribed dose, although only IMRT showed inhomogeneous dose profile. At deeper depths mainly (6-11 mm depths), film dosimetry showed good agreement with the TPS calculation. In contrast, the measured dose at a 3-mm depth was higher than TPS calculation by 15%-30% for all techniques. For the tangential and IMRT techniques, 1 Multiplication-Sign 1 mm{sup 2} grid size showed a smaller difference than that with a 2.5 Multiplication-Sign 2.5 mm{sup 2} grid size compared to the measurements. Conclusions: In general, TPS even with advanced algorithms do not provide accurate dosimetry in the buildup region, as verified by EBT2 film for all treatment techniques. For all cases, TPS and measured doses were in agreement from 6 mm in depth but differed at shallower depths. Grid size plays an important role in dose calculation. For accurate dosimetry small grid size should be used where differences are lower between TPS and measurements.« less
Ultrafast carrier relaxation in group-III nitride multiple quantum wells

In this study, stimulated emission (SE) and ultrafast carrier relaxation are explored in InGaN and AlGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs). The SE threshold densities (Ith) in InGaN MQWs increase with increasing QW depth. By contrast, no significant variation is observed in AlGaN/GaN MQWs with varying barrier height and growth conditions (Ga-rich and N-rich). Wavelength non-degenerate time-resolved differential transmission (TRDT) measurements reveal that increased non-radiative recombination and fast capture of carriers to the localized states below the SE energy in deeper InGaN MQWs are responsible for the increased Ith. At high excitation densities SE is shown to remove carriers efficiently from the QWs with a time constant of a few picoseconds, causing carriers at higher energies to cascade down and refill these SE-emptied states. The strength and decay times of the SE feature, which are resolved from the spectrally integrated TRDT data, are seen to vary as a function of excitation energy and density. The fast, SE-accelerated decay in AlGaN MQWs occurs more than twice as fast as in InGaN MQWs for similar excitation densities. More importantly, recombination times are an order of magnitude faster in AlGaN MQWs than in InGaN MQWs.
The reinforcement of short interresponse times

Five contingencies were superimposed successively on a variable-interval schedule of reinforcement. In each of the resulting conditions, a different short, interresponse time was reinforced and an interresponse-time distribution was obtained from each of three pigeons. The lower bound of the reinforced interresponse times ranged from 0.3 to 2.4 sec. The resulting distributions were combined, according to a rationale based upon concurrent operants, induction, and a property of variable-interval schedules, to describe the interresponse-time distributions from a variable-interval schedule.
The general low-frequency prediction for asymptotically nonlinear material functions in oscillatory shear

We use a fourth-order fluid expansion to make general predictions for asymptotically nonlinear material functions in oscillatory shear, a characterization protocol sometimes known as medium-amplitude oscillatory shear. The calculation applies to any viscoelastic fluid in the terminal regime defined by the limit of Deborah number much less than one. Two viscous nonlinearities appear at third order, with shear stress scaling as ω3, and are interrelated by a constant multiplicative factor. Two elastic nonlinearities appear at fourth order, with shear stress scaling as ω4, and are also interrelated by a constant multiplicative factor. These nonlinear measures are decoupled from the linear material functions G′ and G″ because they depend on different expansion coefficients. Experimental measurements are presented for all four asymptotic shear material functions using a linear and well-entangled homopolymer of polyisoprene. The experimental observations are consistent with both the predicted frequency scaling ...
Hypoxic upregulation of arginase II in human lung endothelial cells

Activated arginase has been implicated in many diseases including cancer, immune cell dysfunction, infections, and vascular disease. Enhanced arginase activity has been reported in lungs of patients with pulmonary artery hypertension. We used hypoxia as a model for pulmonary hypertension and studied the effect of exposure to hypoxia on arginase activity in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC). Hypoxia induces upregulation of arginase activity as well as mRNA and protein levels of arginase II (Arg II), the only arginase isoform we were able to identify in HMVEC. In endothelial cells, arginase shares and competes for the substrate l-arginine with nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS). Through regulation of substrate availability for NOS, arginase is able to modulate NO production. To evaluate the role of Arg II in regulation of NO production under hypoxia, we compared NO output (RFL-6 reporter assay) in cells with normal and silenced Arg II. Exposure to hypoxia led to an increase in NO levels produced by HMVEC. Inhibition of Arg II by specific small interfering RNA or by the pharmacological inhibitor BEC additionally enhanced the levels of NO. Another possible role for activated arginase is involvement in regulation of cell proliferation. However, we showed that hypoxia decreased cell proliferation and upregulated Arg II did not have an effect on cell proliferation. Since hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) are a family of transcriptional factors activated by hypoxia, we tested the possibility of involvement of HIF-1 and HIF-2 in regulation of Arg II under hypoxia. The silencing of HIF-2 but not HIF-1 prevented the activation of Arg II by hypoxia.
Technology Disruption in the Simulation Industry

The military simulation industry has been transformed by technological advances multiple times in its history. In some cases those changes have come from within the industry, and in others they have been introduced from outside of the mainstream and have disrupted the established status quo. These external disruptions have traditionally made significant contributions to the state of the art in the field. However, in doing so they have negated millions of dollars in government funding that could have been more valuably applied had the sponsors understood the disruptive forces that were at work. These events have also overturned a number of leading companies in the field and replaced them with upstarts whose technology contained the seeds for future advances.In this paper, we explore the impact that computer game technologies are having on the simulation industry. These technologies initially provided low-end capabilities for a small niche of the industry. However, over time they have improved to the point ...
The real-time producer/consumer paradigm: a paradigm for the construction of efficient, predictable real-time systems

Abstract: A concurrent programming system forconstructing hard-real-time applications is described. Thesystem is based on a novel semantics of inter-processcommunication called the real-time producer/consumer ( RTP/C ) paradigm . Process interactions are modeled asproducer/ consumer systems with a timing constraint onthe rate at which the consumer must service the producer.The RTP/C paradigm provides a framework both forexpressing processor-time-dependent computations and forreasoning about the real-time behavior of programs. Aformal model of processor and resource allocation is used todetermine necessary and sufficient conditions for realizingthe RTP/C semantics of a program. The design of aninteractive graphics system illustrates the use of thesystem. Introduction Real-time computer systems are loosely defined as the classof computer systems that must perform computations andI/O operations in a time-frame defined by processes in theenvironment external to the computer. Real-time systemsdiffer from more traditional multiprogrammed systems inthat real-time systems have a dual notion of correctness. Inaddition to being logically correct,
Rhenium Alloys as Ductile Substrates for Diamond Thin-Film Electrodes.

Abstract Molybdenum–rhenium (Mo/Re) and tungsten–rhenium (W/Re) alloys were investigated as substrates for thin-film, polycrystalline boron-doped diamond electrodes. Traditional, carbide-forming metal substrates adhere strongly to diamond but lose their ductility during exposure to the high-temperature (1000 °C) diamond, chemical vapor deposition environment. Boron-doped semi-metallic diamond was selectively deposited for up to 20 h on one end of Mo/Re (47.5/52.5 wt.%) and W/Re (75/25 wt.%) alloy wires. Conformal diamond films on the alloys displayed grain sizes and Raman signatures similar to films grown on tungsten; in all cases, the morphology and Raman spectra were consistent with well-faceted, microcrystalline diamond with minimal sp 2 carbon content. Cyclic voltammograms of dopamine in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) showed the wide window and low baseline current of high-quality diamond electrodes. In addition, the films showed consistently well-defined, dopamine electrochemical redox activity. The Mo/Re substrate regions that were uncoated but still exposed to the diamond-growth environment remained substantially more flexible than tungsten in a bend-to-fracture rotation test, bending to the test maximum of 90° and not fracturing. The W/Re substrates fractured after a 27° bend, and the tungsten fractured after a 21° bend. Brittle, transgranular cleavage fracture surfaces were observed for tungsten and W/Re. A tension-induced fracture of the Mo/Re after the prior bend test showed a dimple fracture with a visible ductile core. Overall, the Mo/Re and W/Re alloys were suitable substrates for diamond growth. The Mo/Re alloy remained significantly more ductile than traditional tungsten substrates after diamond growth, and thus may be an attractive metal substrate for more ductile, thin-film diamond electrodes.
Experience with cyclosporine

Cyclosporine ended the azathioprine-prednisone era of transplantation. For years prior to cyclosporine, regimens in transplant centers were relatively fixed and all patients received the same two drugs in nearly the same doses with adjustments made primarily for toxicities. Transplant physicians became expert in the side effects of steroids and azathioprine. Cyclosporine changed everything. Change is never easy, however, and initial resistance to changing protocols (especially for a new nephrotoxic drug) was only overcome by randomized, controlled trials. Cyclosporine increased allograft and patient survival rates without increasing opportunistic infections. However, as important were the changes in thinking that came about. It can be argued that cyclosporine contributed to expanding multicenter controlled trials in the transplant community. It also helped bring about concepts such as tailoring drugs to individual patients, drug minimization or elimination, use of polypharmacy, and focus on the first few weeks after transplant. Understanding of T-cell function and causes of renal dysfunction were brought into clearer focus by this exciting new agent.