cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insight into the Mechanism of Substrate Selectivity and Proton-Coupled Transport in BetP

Sodium coupled betaine transporter BetP is a representative member of the BCCT transporter family. Its major function is to accumulate osmolytes in order to prevent cell death upon change in cytoplasmic osmotic pressure. BetP is one of the key models for understanding how the generalized LeuT-fold transporters function, due to the availability of its crystal structure in multiple conformational states. Recent experimental studies have shown that BetP-G153D can transport choline, instead of betaine, under pH gradient across the cellular membrane. Currently no satisfactory explanation exists for the substrate transport mechanism in the context of this dramatic single-site mutation. Aiming to gain better insight into this phenomenon, we have performed several microseconds of molecular dynamics simulations of the BetP-G153D mutant based on an inward-facing crystal structure. The results indicate that the protonation state of the mutation site Asp153 is closely coupled to large-scale gating motion of the entire transporter. Specifically, changing in the protonation state of Asp153 leads to distinct substrate release kinetics via control over conformation fluctuation in transmembrane helix TM6 and rearrangement of interaction network of charged residues at the intracellular side. These results suggest a novel mechanism for substrate transport control in transporters like BetP.
Study of ( p , pn ) Reactions in Medium Weight Nuclei at 370 MeV

Cross sections for the ($p, \mathrm{pn}$) reaction at a proton energy of 370 MeV have been measured with ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{45}$, ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{50}$, ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{52}$, ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{55}$, ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{56}$, ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{58}$, ${\mathrm{Co}}^{59}$, ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{65}$, ${\mathrm{Ga}}^{69}$, and ${\mathrm{Ga}}^{71}$ targets. All of the ($p, \mathrm{pn}$) cross sections, except those for ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{45}$, ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{50}$, and ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{58}$, were found to be about 60 mb. No quantitative explanation could be found for these three divergent cross sections, all of which are lower than the others. Cross sections for ($p, 2n$) reactions on ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{52}$ and ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{56}$ were also measured. Calculations based on the $(p, 2n)\ensuremath{-}(p, pn)$ ratio show that at least 85% of the ($p, \mathrm{pn}$) reactions proceed by a pure knock-on mechanism.
Boning up on Ephrin Signaling

The activities of osteoclasts, which degrade bone, and osteoblasts, which form bone, are coordinated to maintain bone homeostasis. Zhao et al. (2006) now demonstrate bidirectional signaling between these two cell populations via the transmembrane ligand ephrinB2 expressed by osteoclasts and its receptor EphB4 expressed by osteoblasts. Such bidirectional signaling limits osteoclast activity while stimulating osteoblast differentiation.
The photolysis of chlorofluoromethanes in the presence of O2 or O3 at 213.9 nm and their reactions with O(1D)

Abstract The photolysis of CFCl 3 at 213.9 nm and 25 °C in the presence of O 2 or O 3 gives CFClO and Cl 2 as products with Φ{CFClO} = 0.90 ± 0.15 and Φ{Cl 2 } = 0.50 – 0.63. In the O 3 system, −Φ {O 3 } increases from 2.75 at high total pressures to 4.6 at low total pressures. With CF 2 Cl 2 the photolysis was done only in the presence of O 2 ; Φ{CF 2 O} = 1.0 ± 0.2 and Φ{Cl 2 } = 0.52 – 0.66. These results indicate that the dominant photochemical process is chlorine atom ejection with a quantum yield near 1.0. For the reactions of the chlorofluoromethanes with O( 1 D), prepared from the photolysis of O 3 at 253.7 nm and 25 °C, the same products are obtained as in the photo-oxidation, and with the same yields. The quantum yields of O 3 removal are 5.7 ± 1 and 6.3 ± 1, respectively for the CFCl 3 and CF 2 Cl 2 systems. Thus the indicated dominant reaction path is chlorine atom abstraction by O( 1 D), with other paths (O 1 D deactivation or direct molecular formation of products) being negligible. Rate coefficients were obtained for the O( 1 D) reactions with O 3 , CO 2 , CFCl 3 , CF 2 Cl 2 , CF 3 Cl, and CCl 4 relative to N 2 O. The relative rate coefficients are: O 3 , 2.5; CO 2 , 0.65; CFCl 3 , 1.5; CF 2 Cl 2 , 1.2; CF 3 Cl, 0.52; CCl 4 , 2.1. The rate coefficients were also measured for the first five gases in the presence of He to remove the excess translational energy of the O( 1 D) atom. Except for O 3 , the same results were obtained in the presence and absence of He. However, for O 3 in the presence of He, the relative rate coefficient was 1.6. As a check on the reactivities of O( 1 D) with the chlorofluoromethanes, the competition with O 2 , rather than N 2 O, was studied in the O 3 O 2 —chlorofluoromethane system. By monitoring O 3 decay the relative rate coefficients for CFCl 3 , CF 2 Cl 2 , and CCl 4 relative to O 2 were found to be 4.04, 2.78, and 5.3 respectively. These results are consistent with those obtained from the N 2 O competition.
Response to Porch (2007)

Purpose To respond to B. E. Porch’s (2007) comments regarding “Comparison of Alternatives to Multidimensional Scoring in the Assessment of Language Comprehension in Aphasia” by A. Odekar and B. Hallowell (2005). Method In this response letter, we address all of Porch’s main criticisms by clarifying certain statements made in the original article, explaining our choice of methods, and providing a clear idea regarding the main purpose, significance, and conclusions of the study. Conclusion In his letter, Porch calls attention to the fact that one should consider all aspects of a scoring method before making procedural decisions and emphasize quality of services for people with aphasia over economy of services. We made a legitimate suggestion that one consider alternatives rather than merely shying away from use of tests that incorporate multidimensional scoring methods.
Fungal diseases of reptiles

Fungal infections affecting the integumentary system, the upper and lower respiratory system and the gastro-intestinal tract have been reported in many species of captive reptiles. Systemic mycoses are diagnosed rarely in reptiles, and in most cases, they are a postmortem finding. Commonly, immunocompromised reptiles, kept in suboptimal environmental conditions are affected. In many cases, mixed bacterial and fungal infections of opportunistic organisms may be present. A diagnosis of a primary fungal infection is based on proper selection and collection of diagnostic specimens such as biopsies of infected tissues. Treatment of fungal infections in reptiles includes administration of effective antifungal agents and correction of inappropriate environmental conditions such as poor hygiene, too high or too low temperature and humidity, inadequate diet, and stress from overcrowding. Few studies have investigated effective dosages and dosage intervals of antifungal agents in reptiles.
Characterization of von willebrand factor in factor VIII concentrates

Commercial concentrates of factor VIII (FVIII) were analyzed in order to 1) determine the effects of viral inactivation on von Willebrand factor (vWF); 2) evaluate the vWF content of the new, immunopurified concentrates; and 3) assess their potential for correcting the long bleeding time of von Willebrand disease (vWD). Included in our study were products that had been treated to inactivate viruses; older, untreated products; and the new, immunopurified concentrates. We measured von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag), ristocetin cofactor activity (RCoF), and vWF multimeric and subunit composition. A newly developed radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to quantitate vWF:Ag. The vWF:Ag content varied from 0.083 micrograms/IU FVIII:C for Hemofil M to 32.2 micrograms/IU FVIII:C for Humate-P, whereas pooled normal human plasma (NHP) contained 6.3 micrograms/IU FVIII:C. The RCoF varied from 0.0007 to 2.09 U/IU FVIII:C, with the immunopurified concentrates having the lowest values and Humate-P the highest. The ratio of RCoF to vWF:Ag ranged from 11 to 96 U/mg, as compared to a ratio of 160 for NHP. All of the concentrates lacked the largest vWF multimers, and all had abnormal triplet patterns. Modest differences between some untreated concentrates and their treated counterparts were noted. As expected, the immunopurified concentrates had much lower levels of all vWF activities than the conventionally prepared products. Our data suggest that none of the concentrates have as great a capacity as NHP to correct the prolonged bleeding time of von Willebrand disease.
Modification of the Schricker Nonheme Iron Method to Minimize Pigment Effects for Red Meats

A calorimetric nonheme iron assay procedure for meat was modified to avoid pigment effects in determining the nonheme iron content of red meats. The modification consisted of mixing the red meat sample with NaNO2 before incubation with an acid mixture to minimize the breakdown of heme pigments into nonheme iron, and inclusion of a second blank for the brownish color of the incubated liquid phase, in addition to the reagent blank.
Tension-torsion experiments on superelastic shape memory alloy tubes

Shape memory alloys have been studied extensively in pure tension, but careful studies of multi-axial behavior are far less common in the published literature. Here, we present room temperature tension-torsion experiments on superelastic NiTi tubes, using stereo digital image correlation (DIC) for the first time to measure the strain on the tube surface. DIC can accurately measure large strains, which permitted us to capture the mechanical response at the beginning and end of the phase transformation. These responses were then used to generate the first measurements of the saturation stress and strain surfaces in the published literature. The full field nature of DIC was also important in this work. The strain fields revealed propagating transformation fronts in pure tension, no propagating fronts in pure torsion, and a progression of behaviors in between, similar to the optical microscopy observations of Sun and Li [1]. By quantitatively measuring the strain fields with DIC, however, we found new features. In tension-dominated tests, the transformation front appeared as a near discontinuity in not only the axial strain field, but also the shear strain field. Also, the shear strain fields in pure torsion were not uniform. Although there were no propagating fronts, torsion caused vertical columns of shear strain to gradually appear and disappear during phase transformation.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Analysis and optimal design of layered composites with high stiffness and high damping

In this paper we investigate the design of composite materials with simultaneously high stiffness and high damping. We consider layered composite materials with parallel plane layers made of a stiff constituent and a lossy polymer. We analyze the response of these composites to a dynamic load with an arbitrary direction. Using the viscoelastic correspondence principle and linear frequency domain viscoelastic models, we derive an expression for the effective complex modulus of layered composites of infinite size at infinitesimal strains. The dependence of the effective dynamic modulus and loss factor on the geometrical parameters and on the tensile and bulk loss factors of the lossy constituent is analyzed. Moreover we determine the magnitude of the strains in the lossy constituent and demonstrate that the combination of high stiffness and high damping of these composites is due to the high normal and/or shear strains in the lossy material. We use nonlinear constrained optimization to design layered composites with simultaneously high stiffness and high damping while constraining the strains in the polymer. To determine the range of validity of the linear viscoelastic model, simulations using finite deformations models are compared to the theoretical results. Finally, we compute the effective properties of composites of finite size using finite element methods and determine the minimum size required to approach the formulae derived for composites of infinite size.
Demonstrated 4×4 Gbps Silicon Photonic Integrated Parallel Electronic to WDM Interface

A 4x4 Gbps microring modulator cascade with the ability to directly convert parallel electrical bus data into multiple-wavelength optical signals in a single silicon-on-insulator waveguide interface is demonstrated with < 10-12bit error rates.copy2006 Optical Society of America
A continuum theory of rigid suspensions

Abstract A continuum theory of rigid suspension is presented. The theory modifies and extends the Batchelor 1,2 theory of fiber suspensions to heat conducting thermo-viscous Newtonian solvents carrying rigid suspensions.
Technical efficiency and region The U.S. manufacturing sector 1972–1977

Abstract In this paper we estimate the extent of technological bias in an interregional context for U.S. manufacturing during the period 1972–1977 using a factor augmenting production function approach. We present estimates of the elasticity of factor substitution for each of the 48 states in the sample using a variable elasticity of substitution production function. Next, we use these estimates to generate estimates of the rates of change in the efficiencies of capital and labor inputs and compare these estimates across states and census regions. We also examine and compare estimates of total factor productivity across states and regions. We ,find that the average annual rates of growth of capital efficiency during the period are 5.5 percent in the Northeast, 5.3 percent in the Northcentral, 5.6 percent in the West and 3.1 percent in the South. The rates of change of the efficiencies of labor are found to be negative across all regions except the South. The rates of change of total factor productivity are found to be 1.7 percent in the Northeast, 2.3 percent in the Northcentral, 2.4 percent in the West and 1.7 percent in the South. We also find that between 33 percent and 56 percent of the growth of output across regions is due to technical progress.
Propranolol reduces ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage in portal hypertensive rats.

In a standardized rat model of portal hypertension, we investigated the effects of propranolol on alcohol-induced gastric mucosal damage. Portal hypertensive rats pretreated with 2 mg propranolol, compared with those receiving saline, had significantly reduced portal pressures (24±1 vs 32±1 cm saline), macroscopic mucosal damage (24 ±1 vs 39±4% of mucosa), and histologic deep necrosis (36±2 vs 61±4% of mucosal length). Increased dosage of propranolol to 4 mg did not produce any further reduction of portal pressure or mucosal damage. Central venous and systemic arterial pressures were not significantly altered by propranolol. The extent of mucosal damage correlated with levels of portal pressure (P<0.01) in portal hypertensive rats. Sham-operated normotensive rats had less macroscopic mucosal damage (26±4%) than portal hypertensive rats, and propranolol did not affect the extent of ethanol-induced damage or portal pressures in these animals. We conclude: (1) Propranolol is effective in reducing extent of ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage in portal hypertensive rats, but not in shamoperated controls; (2) this effect correlates with reduction of portal pressure; and (3) our study supports the clinical impression that reducing portal pressure may be one approach for the prevention and therapy of gastric mucosal damage in portal hypertension.
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Conjunctival Surfaces in Patients With Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid

The conjunctival surfaces of ten patients with active, ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, three patients with drug-controlled ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, and six patients with normal conjunctivas were studied using scanning electron microscopy. A homogeneous granular sheet of amorphous mucin-like material was observed covering extensive areas of the conjunctiva in eight of ten patients with active ocular cicatricial pemphigoid. This sheet of amorphous material was absent on drug-controlled ocular cicatricial pemphigoid and normal conjunctival specimens. Our study demonstrates that patients with active ocular cicatricial pemphigoid possess ocular surface mucus that appears thicker and more continuous than normal ocular mucus when observed with scanning electron microscopy. This observation is in agreement with clinical observations of thick mucus strands in the inferior fornix of patients with active ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.
Noncovalent intermolecular crosslinks are produced by bleomycin reaction with duplex DNA

Reaction of covalently closed circular PM2 bacteriophage DNA with the anticancer drug bleomycin produces nicked circular (form II) and linear duplex (form III) DNA [Lloyd, R.S., Haidle, C.W. & Robberson, D.L. (1978) Biochemistry 17, 1890-1896]. As the reaction proceeds, the frequencies of both form II and form III DNA increase and, concomitantly, an increasing fraction of the DNA mass is found to be in crosslinked structures. Approximately 16% of the PM2 DNA mass is found to be crosslinked after 30 min of reaction with bleomycin at 0.5 microgram/ml. The proportion of each form found in any given crosslinked structure is directly related to the concentration of uncrosslinked (monomeric) forms. Multiple sites of crosslinking occur, and these frequently extend over a region of approximately 500 nucleotide pairs. The intermolecular crosslinked bonds are dissociated by extensive dialysis or by the addition of salt at high concentration (0.8 M NaCl), as would be expected if the bonds were noncovalent. Because intramolecular covalent crosslinks between complementary strands are not detected, it is suggested that intermolecular crosslinks are formed by noncovalent association of bleomycin molecules bound to each of the forms of DNA.
Effects of bioremediation on residues, activity and toxicity in soil contaminated by fuel spills

Triplicate outdoor lysimeters were contaminated by 2.3 ml cm−2 spills of jet fuel, heating oil and diesel oil, respectively. One of each set of triplicates was left untreated, one was tilled only, and one received complete bioremediation treatment consisting of liming, fertilization and weekly tilling. For 20 weeks during summer, hydrocarbon residues were monitored by quantitative gas chromatography. Microbial activity was measured by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis. Toxicity was assessed by Microtox measurements, seed germination and plant growth bioassays. Persistence and toxicity of the fuels increased in the order of jet fuel < heating oil < diesel oil. In each case, bioremediation treatment strongly decreased fuel persistence and toxicity and increased microbial activity as compared to contaminated but untreated soil. Tilling alone had a favorable but more limited effect. Good correlations were found between residue decline, microbial activity and toxicity reduction. Persistence and toxicity also correlated with the hydrocarbon composition of these three fuels. Our findings indicate that bioremediation treatment can restore fuel spill contaminated soils in 4–6 weeks to a degree that they can support plant cover. Recovery of the soil is complete in 20 weeks.
A spatially detailed myofilament model as a basis for large-scale biological simulations

The availability of increased computing power will make possible new classes of biological models that include detailed representations of proteins and protein complexes with spatial interactions. We develop such a model of the interaction of actin and myosin within one pair of thick and thin filaments in the cardiac sarcomere. The model includes explicit representations of actin, myosin, and regulatory proteins. Although this is not an atomic-scale model, as would be the case for molecular dynamics simulations, the model seeks to represent spatial interactions between protein complexes that are thought to produce characteristic cardiac muscle responses at larger scales. While the model simulates the microscopic scale, when model results are extrapolated to larger structures, the model recapitulates complex, nonlinear behavior such as the steep calcium sensitivity of developed force in muscle structures. By bridging spatial scales, the model provides a plausible and quantitative explanation for several unexplained phenomena observed at the tissue level in cardiac muscles. Model execution entails Monte-Carlo-based simulations of Markov representations of calcium regulation and actin-myosin interactions. While most of the results presented here are preliminary, we suggest that this model will be suitable to serve as a basis for larger-scale simulations of multiple fibers assembled into larger sarcomere structures.
H theorem for telegrapher-type master equations

Abstract The asymptotic behavior of the solutions of telegrapher-type master equations is analyzed. If the microscopic time scale attached to the relaxation of intrinsic degrees of freedom is much smaller than the macroscopic time scale, then a Markovian description of the system is possible by using the age of a fluctuation state as an additional random variable. A generalized H function is defined in terms of the age-state joint probability density. We prove a generalized H theorem which shows that a stationary probability distribution eventually emerges. The proof does not make use of potential or detailed balance conditions. The H theorem may serve as a basis for the derivation of a thermodynamic formalism for nonequilibrium systems with memory. Our approach shows the existence of a contribution in the expression of the entropy variation due to the microscopic relaxation processes. A comparison is made with the approach of Camacho and Jou [Phys. Lett. A 171 (1992) 26]. Although the telegrapher-type master equation considered here is a generalization of the equation discussed by Camacho and Jou our approach is entirely different. Their H function is constructed by means of an expansion procedure which is approximately valid only for systems obeying a potential condition. Our H function is exact and independent of detailed balance or potential conditions; it may be extended for more general systems obeying a generalized master equation with non-exponential memory.
The Development and Testing of the Codependency-Overeating Model in Undergraduate Social Science Students in a Mississippi College

1. Denise Bynum[1][1] 2. Barbara J. Boss[2][2] 3. Savina Schoenhofer[2][2] 4. Donna Martsolf[3][3] 1. 1Northwest Mississippi Community College, Senatobia, USA 2. 2University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA 3. 3University of Cincinnati, OH, USA 1. Denise Bynum, 100 Rosewood Drive, Senatobia, MS 38668, USA Email: dtbynum{at}northwestms.edu Overeating is a common eating disorder and often leads to obesity and to significant physical, emotional, and social problems often warranting nursing care. Codependency has expanded beyond the chemical dependency field and describes the dysfunctional pattern of behavior of an individual in a relationship with another person or from survival in a dysfunctional family of origin. The psychological and behavioral factors surrounding overeating are noted frequently in the literature but are not emphasized in most overeating treatment programs. Anxiety, depression, anger, and compulsivity are the psychological problems often linked with overeating and codependency. The purpose of this study was to test the Codependency-Overeating Model (COM) by examining the relationship between overeating and codependency, anxiety, depression, anger, and compulsivity. The variables were measured with the Overeating Questionnaire, Codependency Assessment Tool, and Symptom Checklist-90-R. This study used a model-testing correlational design with 567 students recruited from a Mississippi community college. Pearson’s product–moment correlations noted weak correlations between age and anxiety ( r = .12), age and depression ( r = .20), age and compulsivity ( r = .20), codependency and anxiety ( r = .12), and codependency and anger ( r = .16). No significant correlations were noted between overeating and codependency, anxiety, depression, anger, or compulsivity. Although the predictive relationships were not verified in the model, several important ways to minimize limitations in future studies were identified. The development and testing of the COM was the beginning step in pursuing a solid understanding of overeating and codependency and a catalyst for worthwhile future research. [1]: #aff-1 [2]: #aff-2 [3]: #aff-3
Direct percutaneous embolization of a postembolectomy pseudoaneurysm

A case of direct percutaneous embolization of a large pseudoaneurysm of the posterior tibial artery is presented. The pseudoaneurysm developed following thrombectomy of an occluded femoropopliteal bypass graft with a Fogarty balloon catheter. Two needles were used: a 19 gauge needle to perform embolization and a 22 gauge needle for contrast injection. The two needle technique allowed rapid, safe embolization with precise angiographic control of the embolization procedure.
EXISTENCE OF XI RESONANCES ABOVE 2-GEV

${{\ensuremath{\Xi}}^{*}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ production was studied in the reaction ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{{K}^{+}}_{\mathrm{slow}}+{X}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ at 5 GeV/c. The slow ${K}^{+}$ was electronically detected, while the ${X}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ was observed as a missing mass, thus allowing for observation of all ${\ensuremath{\Xi}}^{*}$ independent of decay mode. The observed $\ensuremath{\Xi}$ states were $\ensuremath{\Xi}(1320)$, $\ensuremath{\Xi}(1530)$, $\ensuremath{\Xi}(1820)$, $\ensuremath{\Xi}(2030)$, $\ensuremath{\Xi}(2250)$, $\ensuremath{\Xi}(2370)$, and $\ensuremath{\Xi}(2500)$. These data establish and confirm the existence of $\ensuremath{\Xi}(2250)$ and indicate a peculiar production-cross-section behavior for the ${\ensuremath{\Xi}}^{*}(2370)$.
High-speed wavefront control using MEMS micromirrors

Over the past decade, a number of electrostatically-actuated MEMS deformable mirror devices have been used for adaptive control in beam-forming and imaging applications. One architecture that has been widely used is the silicon device developed by Boston University, consisting of a continuous or segmented mirror supported by post attachments to an array of parallel plate electrostatic actuators. MEMS deformable mirrors and segmented mirrors with up to 1024 of these actuators have been used in open loop and closed loop control systems to control wavefront errors. Frame rates as high as 11kHz have been demonstrated. Mechanically, the actuators used in this device exhibit a first-mode resonant frequency that is in the range of many tens of kilohertz up to a few hundred kilohertz. Viscous air damping has been found to limit operation at such high frequencies in air at standard pressure. Some applications in high-speed tracking and beam-forming could benefit from increased speed. In this paper, several approaches to achieving critically-damped performance with such MEMS DMs are detailed, and theoretical and experimental results are presented. One approach is to seal the MEMS DM in a full or partial vacuum environment, thereby affecting air damping. After vacuum sealing the device's predicted resonant behavior at tens of kilohertz was observed. In vacuum, the actuator's intrinsic material damping is quite small, resulting in considerable oscillation in step response. To alleviate this problem, a two-step actuation algorithm was employed. Precise control of a single actuator frequencies up to 100kHz without overshoot was demonstrated using this approach. Another approach to increasing actuation speed was to design actuators that reduce air damping effects. This is also demonstrated in the paper.
Co-ordinated planning for competitive products and their manufacturing operations

Historically, product design has been a joint venture between the marketing and manufacturing functions of a company. Marketing attempts to identify key attributes which are desired by customers and bundles them into product designs. Manufacturing translates these new product concepts into manufacturing operations to be realized as economically as possible. However, goals of maximizing market revenues and minimizing production cost may often be in conflict. In this paper we develop an approach to minimize the above conflicts by identifying product groups which possess manufacturing commonalities
Scanning lidar measurements of surf-zone aerosol generation

William P. HooperNaval Research LaboratoryRemote Sensing DivisionCode 72214555 Overlook AvenueWashington, DC 20375-5000E-mail: hooper@ccf.nrl.navy.milLee U. MartinNaval Research LaboratoryRadar Division4555 Overlook AvenueWashington, DC 20375-5000Abstract. A scanning lidar was used at Wallops Island, Virginia, to lo-cate regions where aerosols are generated by breaking waves and tocharacterize the resultant aerosol plumes. False-color lidar images showviews of both the horizontal and the vertical extent of the plumes abovethe surf zone. A 30-min-average location of aerosol generation is shownas a contour overlay on the lidar images. The strength of the backscatteris separated into three regions: the land side of the surf zone, the surfzone, and the ocean side of the surf zone.
A generalized mechanical model for suture interfaces of arbitrary geometry

Abstract Suture interfaces with a triangular wave form commonly found in nature have recently been shown to exhibit exceptional mechanical behavior, where geometric parameters such as amplitude, frequency, and hierarchy can be used to nonlinearly tailor and amplify mechanical properties. In this study, using the principle of complementary virtual work, we formulate a generalized, composite mechanical model for arbitrarily-shaped interdigitating suture interfaces in order to more broadly investigate the influence of wave-form geometry on load transmission, deformation mechanisms, anisotropy, and stiffness, strength, and toughness of the suture interface for tensile and shear loading conditions. The application of this suture interface model is exemplified for the case of the general trapezoidal wave-form. Expressions for the in-plane stiffness, strength and fracture toughness and failure mechanisms are derived as nonlinear functions of shape factor β (which characterizes the general trapezoidal shape as triangular, trapezoidal, rectangular or anti-trapezoidal), the wavelength/amplitude ratio, the interface width/wavelength ratio, and the stiffness and strength ratios of the skeletal/interfacial phases. These results provide guidelines for choosing and tailoring interface geometry to optimize the mechanical performance in resisting different loads. The presented model provides insights into the relation between the mechanical function and the morphological diversity of suture interface geometries observed in natural systems.
Fine‐tuning Corrective Feedback

Abstract: This paper explores the notion of “fine-tuning” in connection with the corrective feedback process. The underlying argument is that the absence of fine-tuning can be a potent source of ineffective feedback. Fine-tuning is herein defined as a process whereby the provider of corrective feedback tunes in to the causal factors of an error and successfully brings the learner's attention to the learning problem. A longitudinal case study, conducted in the context of Norwegian as a second language, is presented to show how fine-tuning and lack thereof in the provision of written corrective feedback differentially affects an L2 learner's restructuring of an interlanguage construction.
The structures of the branched fatty acids in the wax esters of vernix caseosa.

By combined gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry a series of monomethyl branched fatty acids was found in the fatty acid moiety of the wax esters of vernix caseosa. The methyl branch occurred on the even C-atoms of chains ranging from C11 to C17 (some 43 compounds in all). Except for the iso acids and possibly some of the anteiso acids, these could be formed by replacement of malonyl CoA with a molecule of methyl malonyl CoA at the point of the branch. Smaller amounts of fatty acids also were found with two methyl branches occurring on the even C-atoms of chains ranging from C9 to C15.
The Effect of Atmosphere and ZnO Morphology on the Performance of Hybrid Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/ZnO Nanofiber Photovoltaic Devices

We present detailed investigations of the fabrication and characterization of photovoltaic devices consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) intercalated into a mesoporous structure of ZnO nanofibers. ZnO nanofibers were grown via a low-temperature hydrothermal route from a solution of zinc nitrate precursor. P3HT was spin-coated on top of the structure, and intercalation into the voids between the nanofibers was induced with annealing. A silver electrode was used as the top contact. Spin-coating, storage, and testing of the device were performed in air. We discuss the effects of atmosphere and ZnO nanofiber morphology on device performance. Optimized nanofiber devices exhibited a 4-fold increase in the short circuit current (2.17 mA/ cm 2 ) as compared to that of a planar ZnO-P3HT bilayer device (0.52 mA/cm 2 ) as a result of the increased donor-acceptor interfacial area. The efficiency of the nanofiber based device under 1 sun-simulated solar illumination was 0.53% and was found to increase at higher incident light intensities, reaching a value of 0.61% at 2.5 suns. Additionally, we found that for these devices fabrication in and exposure to air is required to obtain good diode characteristics. We also show that the morphology of the ZnO nanostructures in the nanocomposite directly impacts device performance. Treatment of the ZnO surface using surfactants increased the open circuit voltage at the expense of the short circuit current; however, there was little effect on overall device efficiency. Because of the inverted geometry of this device that allowed for the use of a silver top contact, the device was not susceptible to oxidative degradation when stored in the dark.
Socioeconomic status and coronary heart disease risk factor trends. The Minnesota Heart Survey.

BACKGROUND Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators including education, income, and occupation are associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, morbidity, and mortality. In most industrialized nations, individuals with less education, lower income, and blue collar occupations have the highest CHD rates. It is suggested by some that these differences by SES are increasing even as age-adjusted CHD mortality declines. METHODS AND RESULTS The Minnesota Heart Survey includes measurement of CHD risk factors and behaviors in population-based samples of Minneapolis-St. Paul adults aged 25 to 74 years in 1980 to 1982 (N = 3243) and 1985 to 1987 (N = 4538). Education was significantly and inversely related to blood pressure, cigarette smoking, body mass index, and a summary risk score for both men and women. Serum cholesterol was inversely related to education in women but not in men. Education was positively associated with leisure physical activity and health knowledge. Associations with household income were less consistent in magnitude and direction. Risk characteristics improved significantly between the 1980 to 1982 and 1985 to 1987 surveys. These changes were similar across education and household income levels. CONCLUSIONS Improvement in CHD risk factors over time unrelated to education or income suggests that population-wide factors such as improved health knowledge, availability of healthy food items, hypertension treatment, and restrictions on cigarette smoking are operating beneficially in all SES groups. Although the SES gradient in risk factors is not increasing, it remains substantial and indicates directions for future prevention efforts.
Masculinity and undocumented labor migration: injured latino day laborers in San Francisco

Drawing on data collected through clinical practice and ethnographic fieldwork, this study examines the experience of injury, illness and disability among undocumented Latino day laborers in San Francisco. We demonstrate how constructions of masculine identity organize the experience of embodied social suffering among workers who are rendered vulnerable by the structural conditions of undocumented immigrant status. Theoretical concepts from critical medical anthropology and gender studies extend the scholarly analysis of structural violence beyond the primarily economic to uncover how it is embodied at the intimate level as a gendered experience of personal and familial crisis, involving love, respect, betrayal and patriarchal failure. A clinical ethnographic focus on socially structured patriarchal suffering elucidates the causal relationship between macro-forces and individual action with a fuller appreciation of the impact of culture and everyday lived experience.
Preservice Music Teacher Electronic Portfolios Integrating Reflection and Technology

Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in the use of teaching portfolios inteacher education. Teacher educators have reported that the process of developing portfolios canhelp preservice teachers better understand the complexities of teaching, make connectionsbetween classroom learning and field experiences, and develop into flexible and reflectivepractitioners (Carroll, Potthoff, & Huber, 1996; Krause, 1996; McKinney, 1998). The research specific to electronic forms of portfolio development is just beginning to appear;however, there seems to be a great deal of promise in the digital format (McKinney, 1998;Milman, 1999; Polonoli, 2000). Many of the same benefits are reported with electronicportfolios as with the more traditional hard-copy format. Students reflect about themselves, theirwork as students, and their future in the teaching profession through their work in developingelectronic teaching portfolios (Milman, 1999; Polonoli, 2000). In addition, there are specificadvantages to using a digital format. McKinney (1998) reported that the “nonlinear nature ofmultimedia software allowed [students] to more easily show connections, and technologysupported the ability to personalize the way they showed their learning” (p. 94). Polonoli (2000)echoed McKinney’s findings and stated that the digital portfolio was a “unique vehicle” thatallowed students to express themselves and show what they could do. These early reports alsoindicate that the electronic medium can facilitate storage and makes it easier for students andfaculty to access the information (McKinney, 1998). One component of electronic portfolios thatDownloaded from jmt.sagepub.com
Reducing Cost of Yield Enhancement in 3-D Stacked Memories Via Asymmetric Layer Repair Capability

One way to organize 3-D memories is cell arrays stacked on logic where the upper die layers contain the cell arrays and the bottom layer implements the peripheral logic. A new degree of freedom exists when constructing 3-D memories, which is that the order of the die in the stack can be selected. This paper proposes a new idea that exploits this additional degree of freedom to reduce the cost of yield enhancement. In the proposed approach, the cell array die with the most defective cells is placed in the lowest layer, followed by the next most defective cells in the second lowest layer, and so forth finishing with the die with the fewest defective cells on the top layer. The bottommost layer (peripheral logic) is designed such that it costs less to tolerate the defects on the lower layers than it does on higher layers of the cell arrays. This is done by limiting the domain over which some spares can be used thereby reducing the number of fuses needed for configuring the spare. Results show that the asymmetric repair capability created by fine tuning the domain of spares in a 3-D integrated circuit allows yield enhancement at a lower cost in terms of number of spares and fuses.
Catastrophic middle Pleistocene jökulhlaups in the upper Susquehanna River: Distinctive landforms from breakout floods in the central Appalachians

Abstract Widespread till and moraines record excursions of middle-Pleistocene ice that flowed up-slope into several watersheds of the Valley and Ridge Province along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. A unique landform assemblage was created by ice-damming and jokulhlaups emanating from high gradient mountain watersheds. This combination of topography formed by multiple eastward-plunging anticlinal ridges, and the upvalley advance of glaciers resulted in an ideal geomorphic condition for the formation of temporary ice-dammed lakes. Extensive low gradient (1°–2° slope) gravel surfaces dominate the mountain front geomorphology in this region and defy simple explanation. The geomorphic circumstances that occurred in tributaries to the West Branch Susquehanna River during middle Pleistocene glaciation are extremely rare and may be unique in the world. Failure of ice dams released sediment-rich water from lakes, entraining cobbles and boulders, and depositing them in elongated debris fans extending up to 9 km downstream from their mountain-front breakout points. Poorly developed imbrication is rare, but occasionally present in matrix-supported sediments resembling debris flow deposits. Clast weathering and soils are consistent with a middle Pleistocene age for the most recent flows, circa the 880-ka paleomagnetic date for glacial lake sediments north of the region on the West Branch Susquehanna River. Post-glacial stream incision has focused along the margins of fan surfaces, resulting in topographic inversion, leaving bouldery jokulhlaup surfaces up to 15 m above Holocene channels. Because of their coarse nature and high water tables, jokulhlaup surfaces are generally forested in contrast to agricultural land use in the valleys and, thus, are readily apparent from orbital imagery.
Synthesis and transporter binding properties of 2,3-diphenyltropane stereoisomers. Comparison to 3beta-phenyltropane-2beta-carboxylic acid esters.

2β,3β-Diphenyl-(5), 2α,3α-diphenyl-(6), and 2α,3β-diphenyltropane (3) as well as 2,3-diphenyltrop-2-ene (4) were prepared in racemic form and assayed for inhibition of radioligand binding at the do...
Toys in the Classroom: LEGO MindStorms as an Educational Haptics Platform

Haptics has the potential to be: a powerful tool in science and engineering education of college and pre-college students. This paper proposes teaching engineering and programming concepts using haptic interfaces created with LEGO MindStorms, a popular system for developing robotic devices. A general overview of the MindStorms system is presented, followed by the results of experiments that characterize the performance of the MindStorms components and establish the suitability of MindStorms for constructing haptic interfaces. Two prototype haptic interfaces are created and interfaced with a PC-based graphics display. Initial results show that MindStorms provides an excellent platform for designing, constructing, programming, and interfacing simple haptic devices,. Potential uses in college and pre-college curricula are discussed.
Experimental evaluation of a coarse-grained switch scheduler

Modern high performance routers rely on sophisticated interconnection networks to meet ever increasing demands on capacity. Previous studies have used a combination of analysis and idealized simulations to show that coarse-grained scheduling of traffic flows can be effective in preventing interconnect congestion while ensuring high utilization. In this work, we study the performance of a coarse-grained scheduler in a real router with a scalable architecture similar to those found in high performance commercial systems. Our results are obtained by taking fine-grained measurements within the router that provide a detailed picture of the scheduler's behavior under a variety of conditions, giving a more complete and realistic understanding of the short time-scale dynamics than previous studies could provide.
Robotic applications of VAM-based invariant representation for active vision

Active vision refers to a purposeful change in the camera setup to aid the processing of visual information. An important issue in using active vision is the need to represent the 3D environment in a manner that is invariant to changing camera configurations. Conventional methods require precise knowledge of various camera parameters in order to build this representation. However, these parameters are prone to calibration errors. This motivates us to explore a neural network based approach using Vector Associative Map to learn the invariant representation of 3D point targets for active vision. An efficient learning scheme is developed that is suitable for robotic implementation. The representation thus learned is also independent of the intrinsic parameters of the imaging system, making it immune to systematic calibration errors. To evaluate the effectiveness of this scheme, computer simulations were first performed using a detailed model of the University of Illinois Active Vision System (UIAVS). This is followed by an experimental verification on the actual UIAVS. Several robotic applications are then explored that utilize the invariance property of the learned representation. These applications include motion detection, active vision based robot control, robot motion planning, and saccade sequence planning.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter in disorders other than achalasia.

Nine patients, all with symptoms of dysphagia and/or substernal chest pain, are described. In 5, radiologic studies of the esophagus were normal, and in none was there an increase in esophageal caliber. Each patient had dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter, as assessed by manometry, the chief abnormality being impairment of relaxation in 7, and derangement of contraction in 2. All showed peristaltic activity in the esophageal body during manometric studies. One patient had the classic manometric pattern of diffuse esophageal spasm. In the remainder, some but not all of the manometric features of this disorder were present. These observations serve to emphasize that the boundaries between achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, and other less well-characterized disorders of esophageal motility are blurred; and they are consistent with the view that such disorders represent parts of a continuous spectrum.
Disruption of endoplasmic reticulum structure and integrity in lipotoxic cell death

Cell dysfunction and death induced by lipid accumulation in nonadipose tissues, or lipotoxicity, may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 dia- betes. However, the mechanisms leading to lipotoxic cell death are poorly understood. We recently reported that, in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and in H9c2 cardiomyo- blasts, lipid overload induced by incubation with 500 mM palmitate leads to intracellular accumulation of reactive oxy- gen species, which subsequently induce endoplasmic re- ticulum (ER) stress and cell death. Here, we show that palmitate also impairs ER function through a more direct mechanism. Palmitate was rapidly incorporated into satu- rated phospholipid and triglyceride species in microsomal membranes of CHO cells. The resulting membrane re- modeling was associated with dramatic dilatation of the ER and redistribution of protein-folding chaperones to the cy- tosol within 5 h, indicating compromised ER membrane integrity. Increasing b-oxidation, through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase, decreased palmitate incor- poration into microsomes, decreased the escape of chap- erones to the cytosol, and decreased subsequent caspase activation and cell death. Thus, palmitate rapidly increases the saturated lipid content of the ER, leading to compro- mised ER morphology and integrity, suggesting that impairment of the structure and function of this organelle is involved in the cellular response to fatty acid overload.— Borradaile, N. M., X. Han, J. D. Harp, S. E. Gale, D. S. Ory, and J. E. Schaffer. Disruption of endoplasmic reticulum structure and integrity in lipotoxic cell death. J. Lipid Res. 2006. 47: 2726-2737.