cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laminar mixing of heterogeneous axisymmetric coaxial confined jets

Dissimilar coaxial axisymmetric jets confined laminar mixing obtained from numerical solution of boundary layer equations, considering binary, isothermal and nonreacting system
ADRENOCORTICAL STEROID METABOLISM IN NEWBORN INFANTS. III. URINARY EXCRETION OF 17-HYDROXYCORTICOSTEROIDS FOLLOWING MAJOR SURGERY AND STIMULATION WITH ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN

ABSTRACT The excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OH-CS) extractable from urine with methylene dichloride both before and after incubation with β-glucuronidase was measured in a group of 9 newborn infants undergoing major surgery and in another group of 4 infants with hyperbilirubinemia who received single or multiple injections of adrencorticotropin (ACTH). In the infants operated upon during the first four days of life, there was no rise in corticoid excretion in association with the operative procedure. Stimulation with ACTH in 1 of these infants resulted in an increased excretion of 17-OH-CS during the second week of life. In the infants operated upon after the first week of life, the operative procedure was associated with a rise in corticoid excretion similar to that seen in the adult and older child; excretion decreased in the days following surgery. In 1 of these infants, stimulation with ACTH induced an increase in the excretion of corticoids, but to a level no greater than that induced by ...
10 μm polarimetry of ceres

Abstract Linear polarimetry of Ceres at 10 μm is presented. These data represent the first published polarization measurements of an asteroid in the thermal infrared. It is found that Ceres is polarized at the 0.2-0.6% level. This data set is compared with theoretical models of the linear polarization of emitted radiation from a spherical plane. These models are used to derive the pole position and thermal inertia of Ceres. Ceres is best fit with a thermal inertia of 0.0010±0.0003 cal cm −2 ° K −1 sec 1 2 and a pole orientation of βp = 36° ± 5°, λp = 270° ± 3°. It is concluded that 10μm polarimetry is a potentially powerful technique for remotely sensing the pole orientation and thermal inertia of asteroids.
Auditory assembly of CVCs by children with normal and defective articulation

Abstract Meaningful and meaningless CVC stimuli were employed in an attempt to determine whether normal children differ from children with articulation disorders in their proficiency at assembling separated phonemes to form whole syllabic units. A total of 120 subjects listened to a tape of 20 CVC units which had been constructed so as to provide inter-phonemic intervals (IPI) of either 100, 200, 300, or 400 msec. The results revealed that all children performed better under the 100 and 200 msec IPI conditions than under the 300 and 400 msec conditions. Meaningful CVC units were synthesized more accurately than meaningless stimuli at all interphonemic interval levels. Also, the normal children performed better on the meaningful stimuli than the misarticulating children, but no significant difference between the two groups was observed for the meaningless stimuli. The results are discussed relative to their applications in speech and language therapy.
To Level or Not to Level: Laser Scanner Inclination Sensor Stability and Application

AbstractMany modern terrestrial laser scanners (TLSs) are equipped with inclination/tilt sensors—also referred to as level compensators—that can correct out-of-level imperfections in an instrument setup. Some users elect to disable the inclination sensor when their scanner is equipped with one. Those who use an inclination sensor may override its leveling data by linking to external control that defines the level plane. Our case study shows that inclination sensor data can be a valuable quality check for the control data and overall point cloud alignment. Quality inclination sensor data requires careful scan planning. Specifically, laboratory tests indicate that scanner rotation speed influences the reliability of inclination sensor readings recorded during rotation. These inertial effects can be canceled to a limited extent by measuring during both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations. A scan duration within a “stability threshold” can also minimize the inertial effects and variability in inclination...
A polymerase activity forming 5S and pre-4S RNA in isolated HeLa cell nuclei

Abstract Isolated HeLa cell nuclei are capable of synthesizing 5S and pre-4S RNA. The labeling of these low molecular weight species has been compared with the labeling of nucleolar RNA and nuclear heterogeneous RNA. The 5S and pre-4S RNA molecules made in vitro were identified by their mobility on SDS acrylamide gels and by the sensitivity of pre-4S RNA to enzymes which cleave it in vitro to 4S RNA. Their mobilities and cleavage properties are similar to the RNA made in vivo. Unlike the nuclear heterogeneous RNA, the synthesis of the two small molecular weight RNAs is resistant to α-amanitin. A large proportion of 4S RNA labeled in vitro appears to be formed de novo. The ratio of the terminal uridine to the internal uridine 3′-monophosphate remains constant with time, even though there is linear incorporation into the pre-4S RNA in the isolated nuclei. Production of the nucleolar RNA and pre-4S RNA has been compared in the presence of various ions. The pre-4S RNA synthesis has a sharper maximum for (NH 4 )SO 4 and MgCl 2 than does the synthesis of nucleolar RNA. The in vitro synthesis of pre-4S is more sensitive to ellipticine and pCMB than the production of nucleolar RNA. These differences between the production of pre-4S RNA and nucleolar RNA are discussed with respect to in vitro reinitiation and the possibility that different polymerases are involved in their synthesis.
Role reversal within the mentoring dyad: collaborative mentoring on the effective instruction of English language learners

Two purposes guided this mixed‐methods investigation of the collaborative mentoring of teachers in a large school system in the south‐eastern United States. The first was to examine collaborative mentoring as unstructured peer‐to‐peer coaching that emerged spontaneously as teachers shared experiences about effectively teaching English language learners (ELLs). The second was to examine how licensure courses contributed to the emergence of collaborative mentoring. Data collection consisted of questionnaires, mentoring stories, phone interviews, and electronic surveys. After completing courses, 84 teachers reported significant increases in frequency and duration of interactions for sharing best practices with colleagues. The data analysts identified course components, causal links, and catalysts as having created conditions for mentoring. Of 33 novice teachers recently trained in teaching ELLs, most found themselves mentoring veteran teachers yet untrained in teaching this student group. This unexpected rev...
Applications of mass spectrometry in the steroid field

Among the various physical methods enjoying wide use by organic chemists, mass spectrometry is the most recent and probably also the most spectacular addition. It is not surprising, therefore, that it has also found rapid acceptance in the steroid field. Indeed, many of the recent generalisations about mass spectral fragmentation mechanisms of organic molecules were first established by model studies in the steroid series.
Identification of qRT-PCR reference genes for analysis of opioid gene expression in a hibernator

Previous work has suggested that central and peripheral opioid signaling are involved in regulating torpor behavior and tissue protection associated with the hibernation phenotype. We used quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to measure mRNA levels of opioid peptide precursors and receptors in the brain and heart of summer ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) and winter hibernating squirrels in the torpid or interbout arousal states. The use of appropriate reference genes for normalization of qRT-PCR gene expression data can have profound effects on the analysis and interpretation of results. This may be particularly important when experimental subjects, such as hibernating animals, undergo significant morphological and/or functional changes during the study. Therefore, an additional goal of this study was to identify stable reference genes for use in qRT-PCR studies of the 13-lined ground squirrel. Expression levels of 10 potential reference genes were measured in the small intestine, liver, brain, and heart, and the optimal combinations of the most stable reference genes were identified by the GeNorm Excel applet. Based on this analysis, we provide recommendations for reference genes to use in each tissue that would be suitable for comparative studies among different activity states. When appropriate normalization of mRNA levels was used, there were no changes in opioid-related genes in heart among the three activity states; in brain, DOR expression was highest during torpor, lowest in interbout arousal and intermediate in summer. The results support the idea that changes in DOR expression may regulate the level of neuronal activity in brain during the annual hibernation cycle and may contribute to hibernation-associated tissue protection.
Vernon B. Mountcastle (1918–2015)

Vernon Mountcastle, born in 1918 in Shelbyville, Kentucky, was one of the giants of modern systems neuroscience who will be remembered for his ground-breaking research centered on the topics of perception and cognition. His impact on the field of neuroscience has been profound, not only for the discoveries he has made but also for the key role he has played in the founding, promoting, and nurturing of the field through training and service. He has been referred to by some as the father of neuroscience, and long-time Hopkins professor Sol Snyder credits him with producing “the first functional map of the neocortex” (NY Times, Jan. 17, 2015, B. Carey).
Migration of pollutants in groundwater. VI. Flushing of DNAPL droplets/ganglia

Models for describing the flushing of DNAPL from contaminated aquifers are developed, and the dependence of the calculated cleanup times on the model parameters is explored. Diffusion transport from isolated DNAPL droplets, from low-permeability porous spherical domains containing distributed DNAPL droplets, and from low-permeability porous planar lamellae containing distributed DNAPL is analyzed, and the resulting expressions then coupled with the equations for advective transport of dissolved VOC by means of natural uniform flow and a system of injection and recovery wells generating a two-dimensional flow field. The models are readily run on currently available microcomputers. The results of computations with the models are consistent with the severe tailing and slow rates of remediation which are generally observed when DNAPLs are removed by flushing.
Negativity in Impressions of Presidential Candidates Revisited: The 1992 Election

This research tests the hypothesis that the negativity effect characterized impressions of Bill Clinton and George Bush in the 1992 presidential election. Both aggregate-level and idiographic-level analyses revealed negativity: Personality weaknesses were more important than personality strengths in the American public's evaluations of the candidates and in voting decisions. The 1992 campaign provided an important test of the negativity effect in that Clinton's greatest perceived shortcoming-integrit was one of the most positive aspects of Bush's personality. As the negativity effect predicts, integrity was of greater importance in appraisals of Clinton than Bush. A second study showed that people view political leaders positively, supporting the figure-ground explanation for negativity, which proposes that negative candidate characteristics are weighted heavily in contrast to generally positive views of leaders.
On theCv toCp conversion for solid linear macromolecules

TheCv toCp conversion for solid linear macromolecules via the Nernst-Lindemann equationCp-Cv=A0,Cp2T/Tm is discussed on hand of data for 10 crystals and seven glasses. An average value ofA0=(5.11±2.41) · 10−3 mol K J−1 was calculated if the mole is assumed to refer to heavy atoms only. ThisA0 is numerically equal to the original Nernst—Lindemann constant.
Inhalation and ingestion of phthalate compounds from use of synthetic modeling clays.

Phthalate esters, including di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), are plasticizers used to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This PVC is used for many household items such as flooring, shower curtains, medical devices, food packaging, and toys. Phthalates have been the focus of numerous studies that aim to assess their potential to cause birth defects and/or reproductive abnormalities. Animal experiments have indicated that low exposures to phthalates have the potential to alter the organs that produce and deliver sperm, and phthalates also exhibit adverse effects on other organs and systems (Raloff 2000b). Ema and Miyawaki (2002) demonstrated that the phthalate, BBP, causes adverse effects on the development of the reproductive system in male rats. Phthalates have also been shown to cause thelarche, premature breast development, in young girls aged 6 to 24 months. In a study conducted in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 41 girls with thelarche and 35 girls with normal development were tested to find possible reasons for the premature development. About 68% of the girls with thelarche had detectable phthalate levels, opposed to only 17% of the girls with normal development (Raloff 2000a). The results of studies like these prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a drinking water standard for the phthalate, DEHP, of6.0 ppb in 1994 (USEPA 2002), and DEHP has been labeled as a "probable human carcinogen" for over a decade (USEPA 1993). Children and infants are likely to experience phthalate exposure when mouthing, sucking, or chewing on toys or other objects that contain phthalates (Shea 2003). When children suck on teethers or old pacifiers made of soft PVC, the phthalates are released from the PVC and into the child's saliva. Although the European Union put a temporary ban on phthalate softeners in baby toys, so far, no limits have been put in place for phthalate content in toys or other products in the United States (Christen
Fullerenic carbon in combustion-generated soot

Soot samples collected as bulk solids and by thermophoretic sampling at different residence times in a fullerene-forming premixed benzene/oxygen flat flame (C/O=0.96, P=5.34 kPa, 10% argon, v=25 cm/s) were analyzed by high resolution electron microscopy. The samples contained soot particles that were composed to some extent of amorphous and fullerenic carbon (e.g., curved layers and fullerene-molecule-sized closed-shell structures). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of residence time-resolved samples showed that the length of curved layers increases and their radius of curvature decreases with increasing residence time in the flame. The number of closed-shell structures in the soot as well as the concentration of fullerene molecules in the gas phase increase with increasing residence time, consistent with fullerenes concentration increasing with residence time and with the consumption of fullerenes by reaction with soot. The data suggest that the formation of amorphous and fullerenic carbon occurs in milliseconds, with the fullerenic carbon becoming more curved as a soot particle traverses the length of the flame. Conversely, the formation of highly ordered carbon nanostructures, such as tubes and onions, appears to require much longer residence times, perhaps seconds or minutes depending on the temperature, in the flame environment.
Taxonomic implications of the flavonoids of Cymophyllus fraseri (Cyperaceae)

Abstract A phytochemical survey of Cymophyllus fraseri revealed a flavonoid profile of 21 foliar and eight inflorescence compounds. The foliar profile was dominated by C -glycosylfiavones, the floral profile by flavone- O -glycosides. The apparent lack of flavonols and elaboration of glycoflavones suggests an advanced phylogenetic position for Cymophyllus within the Cyperaceae. Cymophyllus phytochemistry appears to reflect the phylogenetic status of its reduced inflorescence, which a number of sedge taxonomists consider advanced.
Computational and Experimental Study of Enhanced Laminar Flow Heat Transfer in Three-Dimensional Sinusoidal Wavy-Plate-Fin Channels

Enhanced heat transfer characteristics of low Reynolds number airflows in three-dimensional sinusoidal wavy plate-fin channels are investigated. For the computational simulation, steady state, constant property, periodically developed, laminar forced convection is considered with the channel surface at the uniform heat flux condition; the wavy-fin is modeled by its two asymptotic limits of 100% and zero fin efficiency. The governing equations are solved numerically using finite-volume techniques for a non-orthogonal, non-staggered grid. Computational results for velocity and temperature distribution, isothermal Fanning friction factor f and Colburn factor j are presented for airflow rates in the range of 10 ≤ Re ≤ 1500. The numerical results are further compared with experimental data, with excellent agreement, for two different wavy-fin geometries. The influence of fin density on the flow behavior and the enhanced convection heat transfer are highlighted. Depending on the flow rate, a complex flow structure is observed, which is characterized by the generation, spatial growth and dissipation of vortices in the trough region of the wavy channel. The thermal boundary layers on the fin surface are periodically disrupted, resulting in high local heat fluxes. The overall heat transfer performance is improved considerably, compared to the straight channel with the same cross-section, with a relatively smaller increase in the associated pressure drop penalty.© 2003 ASME
The Regulation of Technology-Assisted Distance Counseling and Supervision in the United States: An Analysis of Current Extent, Trends, and Implications

Counseling licensure boards report emerging needs to regulate technology-assisted distance counseling and supervision. An analysis of published regulations and telephone interviews with board administrators nationwide suggests that boards agree generally on 7 aspects of technology-assisted distance practice that need to be regulated. Nevertheless, boards are disparate and often polarized in their views regarding the extent and type of regulation needed for each aspect. Current trends may have important implications for counselor education, supervision, and practice.
Comparison of standards in the karl fischer method for water determination

Abstract An accurate method for Karl Fischer titrations of water is presented. It involves continuous flushing of the titration cell with rigorously dried carbon dioxide and careful amperometric end-point determination. The water content of sodium tartrate dihydrate was determined, both by titration and drying at 150 °C, and is close to the theoretical value. This work does not support the contention that the dihydrate contains occluded water. Sodium tartrate dihydrate is a good primary standard for the Karl Fischer reagent.
Regulating Navigation through the Turkish Straits: A Challenge for Modern International Environmental Law

The Turkish Straits occupy a strategic position in international commerce, as they form a vital link between the states of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the world beyond. This important waterway is the subject of considerable international disagreement over whether Turkey possesses the lawful right to regulate vessels carrying goods and petroleum through the straits. Turkey, whose heavily populated coastline borders both shores of the entire strait, asserts the authority to govern vessel navigation through the passageway on grounds of national sovereignty and international treaty rights. It adopted in 1994 and 1998 two special sets of shipping regulations aimed at minimising shipping accidents, avoiding collisions, and protecting the local marine environment. Russia and the other Black Sea states contend that Turkey's action contravenes the 1936 Montreux Convention, which guarantees free passage through the straits. Turkey is concerned for the safety of the local population, who might be injured by a huge maritime disaster in the strait. Russia's perspectives turn on its need to export oil by tankers through the straits. This article discusses recent relevant instruments of environmental and ocean law as they relate to straits.
Determinants of myocardial perfusion reserve measured from coronary sinus phase-contrast imaging during regadenoson stress CMR

Background Measurement of myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) can potentially extend the scope of conventional myocardial perfusion imaging from detection of flow limiting epicardial stenosis to assessment of coronary microvascular function. Recent studies have suggested that MPR may improve risk stratification of patients with known or suspected CAD. MPR has traditionally been measured using PET or CMR time-intensity curves. However, these techniques are cumbersome, require radiation (for PET) and are not practical for routine clinical practice. Measurement of coronary sinus (CS) flow with phase-contrast MRI is an alternative, simple method for assessing MPR. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical determinants of MPR using this method in patients with symptoms of possible myocardial ischemia presenting for CMR stress testing.
Comparative mathematical analyses of freezing in lung and solid tissue.

In contrast to most organs of the body, the lung is composed 80% of air and 20% of tissue. Because freezing of the lung is fundamental to cryomicroscopy, cryopreservation, and cryosurgery, mathematical analyses of freezing in lung and solid tissue were performed to determine differences in freezing behavior resulting from differences in tissue composition. A comparison of the cooling rates of these tissues is presented. At the microscopic level ultrarapid solidification is more rapid in the subpleural region of the lung than in the same region of solid tissue. In this region, the air insulates the lung tissue and prevents transfer of heat from surrounding regions. Cooling rates on the order of 106 K/s can be achieved in the pleura and outermost alveolar wall because their aggregate thickness is less than 5 μm in the rat. At the macroscopic level and after steady state freezing has occurred, one-dimensional analyses show that freezing front propagation in the lung and solid tissue differs by less than 10%. This occurs even though the lung is less conductive than solid tissue; however, by having less heat storage capacity, the thermal diffusive property of lung is similar to that of solid tissue.
Reply by author to discussion by Robert P. Meyer and Keith McCamy

In answer, I think it is sufficient to point out that our paper is not a review or survey paper. In consequence, we have cited only those references which we personally consulted in preparation of the paper.
IRON AND ALUMINUM OXIDE CHARACTERIZATION FOR HIGHLY-WEATHERED ALABAMA ULTISOLS

Characterization of oxide and oxyhydroxide iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) forms in highly-weathered Ultisols of the southeastern United States is necessary to develop further understanding of colloidal-facilitated transport of pollutants, sorption of contaminants, erosion, and soil genesis. The objective of this study was to examine Fe and Al oxides from several highly-weathered Ultisols and evaluate their relationships with particle size fractions and other soil chemical and physical properties. Samples contained in the argillic horizon of 13 highly-weathered pedons were examined. These pedons either contained kandic horizons, were in a kaolinitic mineralogical family, or were in a siliceous mineralogical family with a subactive cation exchange capacity activity (CEC) class. Standard characterization analyses were performed on all pedons. Samples were fractionated into a coarse (2 to 2000 μm) and fine (< 2 μm) fraction, and ammonium oxalate (Feo and Alo) and dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (Fed and Ald) extr...
Molecular design and biological activity of potent and selective protein kinase inhibitors related to balanol

Abstract Background: The protein kinase C (PKC) family of serine/threonine-specific protein kinases is involved in many cellular processes, and the -unregulated activation of PKC has been implicated in carcinogenesis. PKC inhibitors thus have significant potential as chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, the fungal metabolite balanol was shown to be an exceptionally potent inhibitor of PKC. We previously developed a practical and efficient total synthesis of balanol. We set out to use this synthetic molecule, and several synthetic analogs, to probe the mechanism of PKC inhibition and to determine the effect of balanol on the activity of other protein kinases. Results: As well as inhibiting PKC, balanol is a potent inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), another protein serine/threonine kinase. Balanol does not, however, inhibit the Src or epidermal growth factor receptor protein tyrosine kinases. The inhibition of both PKC and PKA by balanol can be overcome by high concentrations of ATP, and molecular modeling studies suggest that balanol may function as an ATP structural analog. Although balanol discriminates rather poorly between PKC and PKA, only minor modifications to its molecular structure are required to furnish compounds that are highly specific inhibitors of PKA. Conclusions: A number of balanol analogs have been designed and synthesized that, unlike balanol itself, exhibit dramatic selectivity between PKA and PKC. Thus, despite the substantial homology between the catalytic domains of PKA and PKC, there is enough difference to allow for the development of potent and selective inhibitors acting in this region. These inhibitors should be useful tools for analyzing signal transduction pathways and may also aid in the development of drugs with significant therapeutic potential.
Prognostic significance of vacuoles in L1 lymphoblasts in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a report from Children's Cancer Study Group

Summary. From February 1975 to February 1977, 880 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were enrolled on Children's Cancer Study Group protocol 141 designed to evaluate prognostic factors and more intensive therapy for patients with poor prognosis. 765 diagnostic bone marrow aspirates from 23 institutions were available for classification using the French-American-British system. 60 of 615 patients with L1 morphology had vacuolated lymphoblasts. Patients with vacuolated lymphoblasts had a better disease-free survival (P= 0.14) and a significantly better survival (P= 0.03) but the presence of vacuoles was associated with a low initial WBC and an age range associated with improved prognosis for disease-free and over-all survival.
Surgical treatment of hyperparathyroidism

A dramatic rise in the number of diagnosed cases of hyperparathyroidism has been accompanied by significant progress in diagnostic and management techniques. Indications for parathyroid surgical exploration have been established for cases presenting with hypercalcemia and any of several clinical syndromes. Asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with the disease can be followed for longer intervals prior to surgery, but surgical treatment is recommended. Normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism with repeated renal stones exists as a disease entity and further investigation is needed to determine guidelines for operative treatment. Surgery is reserved for medically intractable cases in secondary hyperparathyroidism. The surgical strategy should be based on the identification of all glands and, with few exceptions, only abnormal tissue should be resected. Mediastinal explorations are rarely needed and should always be preceded by careful localization studies. Surgical results are generally good, with low recurrence rates if definitive surgery is possible. Mortality and morbidity rates are also very low and, while the most common postoperative complication is temporary hypocalcemia, vocal cord paralysis is a rare but debilitating one.
Quantitation of Bone Mass in Osteoporosis: Recent Advances

Knowledge of the pathophysiology and treatment of osteoporosis and other metabolic bone disease is enhanced by accurate measurement of bone mineral mass and precise estimation of bone mass change. Ideally, a non-invasive measurement of bone mass in the osteoporotic patient would precisely quantitate both regional bone mass at selected sites and total skeletal bone mass, since it may be that some skeletal sites change more rapidly than others when bone loss or gain occurs; consequently, regional measurements of one site may not reflect the state of other sites or of the entire skeleton.
Using Social Learning Theory to Assess the Exercise Related Health Education Needs of Post-Retirement Adults:

The purpose of this study was to determine the exercise related health education needs of post-retirement adults. Social Learning Theory (SLT) was used as the conceptual framework. The target population for this study was post-retirement adults aged sixty years and over living in Columbus, Ohio. Results revealed a serious lack of knowledge regarding the benefits and attributes of exercise. Overall it appeared that few older adults received social support for exercise. Approximately one-half of the sample reported high levels of exercise self-efficacy. Over 50 percent of the sample reported to exercise for health-related benefits. Based on the results, specific recommendations for the promotion of exercise in post-retirement adults are offered.
Distinctive signaling pathways in the induction of airway MUC5B and -AC expression by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and their implication in lung diseases

Elevated expression of gel-forming MUC5AC and -5B genes is a major pathological feature of various airway diseases. Normally, MUC5B is expressed predominantly by submucosal gland mucous cells. However, trans-differentiation of MUC5B expression by surface airway epithelial cells occurs in various lung-diseased tissues. The nature of this phenomenon is not known. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was found to be a potent stimulator of MUC5B gene expression under air–liquid interface conditions in three airway epithelial cell systems: primary cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial cells; an immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cell line, HBE1; and a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, A549. Stimulation was time- and dose-dependent, could be demonstrated by promoter–reporter gene transfection, and was sensitive to mithramycin A, suggesting the involvement of a specificity protein 1-based transcriptional mechanism in the stimulation. Both PMA-induced MUC5B message and promoter–reporter ge...
Circuit-Level Design Approaches for Radiation-Hard Digital Electronics

In this paper, we present a novel circuit design approach for radiation hardened digital electronics. Our approach is based on the use of shadow gates, whose task it is to protect the primary gate in case it is struck by a heavy cosmic ion. We locally duplicate the gate to be protected, and connect a pair of diode-connected transistors (or diodes) between the outputs of the original and shadow gates. These transistors turn on when the voltages of the two gates deviate during a radiation strike. Our experiments show that at the level of a single gate, our circuit structure has a delay overhead about 1.76% on average, and an area overhead of 277%. At the circuit level, however, we do not need to protect all gates. We present a methodology to selectively protect specific gates of the circuit in a manner that guarantees radiation tolerance for the entire circuit. With this methodology, we demonstrate that at the circuit level, the average delay overhead is about 3% and the average placed-and-routed area overhead is 28%, compared to an unprotected circuit (for delay mapped designs). We also propose an improved circuit protection algorithm to reduce the area overhead associated with our approach. With this approach for circuit protection, the area and delay overheads are further lowered.
Polybrominated diphenyl ether serum concentrations in a Californian population of children, their parents, and older adults: an exposure assessment study

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in many household items. Given concerns over their potential adverse health effects, we identified predictors and evaluated temporal changes of PBDE serum concentrations. PBDE serum concentrations were measured in young children (2-8 years old; N = 67), parents of young children (<55 years old; N = 90), and older adults (≥55 years old; N = 59) in California, with concurrent floor wipe samples collected in participants’ homes in 2008-2009. We also measured serum concentrations one year later in a subset of children (N = 19) and parents (N = 42). PBDE serum concentrations in children were significantly higher than in adults. Floor wipe concentration is a significant predictor of serum BDE-47, 99, 100 and 154. Positive associations were observed between the intake frequency of canned meat and serum concentrations of BDE-47, 99 and 154, between canned meat entrees and BDE-154 and 209, as well as between tuna and white fish and BDE-153. The model with the floor wipe concentration and food intake frequencies explained up to 40% of the mean square prediction error of some congeners. Lower home values and renting (vs. owning) a home were associated with higher serum concentrations of BDE-47, 99 and 100. Serum concentrations measured one year apart were strongly correlated as expected (r = 0.70-0.97) with a slight decreasing trend. Floor wipe concentration, food intake frequency, and housing characteristics can explain 12-40% of the prediction error of PBDE serum concentrations. Decreasing temporal trends should be considered when characterizing long-term exposure.
The transition from invasive species control to native species promotion and its dependence on seed density thresholds

ABSTRACT Question: Does the seed density of invasive species affect establishment by native species in a bare ground context (following invasive species control efforts), and is it possible to promote transition to a native species dominated state by manipulating sowing density of the native community? Location: Experimental wetland basin in Chanhassen, Minnesota, USA. Methods: A mesocosm experiment investigated the influence of Phalaris arundinacea (invasive species) propagule pressure on establishment of native wet meadow species in the context of a newly restored wetland. Mesocosms were sown with P. arundinacea (0, 10, 50, 100, or 500 seeds/m2) and a mix of native species (3000 or 15000 seeds/m2). Results: When planted at densities > 100 seeds/m2, P. arundinacea increased suppression of native species. Also, high native seed density suppressed P. arundinacea biomass production. This effect was more pronounced when P. arundinacea seed density was high (> 100 seeds/m2), but high native seed density (1500...
Applications and implications of nanoceria reactivity: measurement tools and environmental impact

Cerium oxide nanoparticles or nanoceria have a unique structure and interesting and unusual redox and catalytic properties that vary with the size, shape, charge, surface coating and chemical reactivity. This paper highlights applications and environmental implications of nanoceria, and describes methodologies for the assessment of the reactivity and potential toxicological effects of these particles. The physical and chemical properties in the particle design that are responsible for their reactivity and transformation in environmental and biological conditions are described. Processes such as surface oxidation, formation of surface complexes and potential interaction with redox active components of the environment are discussed. An overview of analytical characterization methods for study of nanoceria properties, reactivity and impact, highlighting methodological challenges and limitations is presented. Examples discussed include strategies to determine physicochemical properties, cytotoxicity and antioxidant or pro-oxidant activity in various exposure environments. Development of new measurement tools to facilitate rapid assessment and accelerate screening of these particles for their reactivity and effects is discussed. Future research needs for environmental assessment of benefits and potential risks associated with the use of nanoceria are also provided.
Vision-based spacecraft relative navigation using the sparse Gauss-Hermite quadrature filter

In this paper, vision-based relative navigation of two spacecraft is addressed using the sparse Gauss-Hermite quadrature filter. The relative navigation provides the estimation of the relative attitude and relative orbit between spacecraft, which is a challenging filtering problem since it is a highly nonlinear and high dimensional estimation problem. Many filters have been used to solve this problem, such as, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) and the unscented Kalman filter (UKF). However, these filters are not accurate enough when the initial uncertainty is large or the nonlinearity is significant. Moreover, although the conventional Gauss-Hermite quadrature filter is more accurate than the UKF, it cannot be used since a huge number of points is required. It is shown in this paper that the sparse Gauss-Hermite quadrature filter can achieve better estimation accuracy than the EKF, the UKF, and the cubature Kalman filter without excessive computation load.
Hadronization scheme dependence of long-range azimuthal harmonics in high energy p + A reactions

We compare the distortion e ects of three popular final-state hadronization schemes. We show how hadronization modifies the initial-state gluon correlations in high energy p+A collisions. The three models considered are (1) LPH: local parton-hadron duality, (2) CPR: collinear partonhadron resonance independent fragmentation, and (3) LUND: color string hadronization. The strong initial-state azimuthal asymmetries are generated using the GLVB model for non-abelian gluon bremsstrahlung, assuming a saturation scale Qsat = 2 GeV. Long-range elliptic and triangular harmonics for the final hadron pairs are compared based on the three hadronization schemes. Our analysis shows that the process of hadronization causes major distortions of the partonic azimuthal harmonics for transverse momenta at least up to pT = 3 GeV. In particular, they appear to be greatly reduced for pT < 1 2 GeV.
Outpatient reduction mammaplasty: an eleven-year experience

Background In the last 15 years, reduction mammaplasty has been increasingly performed on an outpatient basis. Despite this evolution, few outcome studies have been published regarding outpatient breast reduction surgery. Objective The authors documented clinical outcomes of reduction mammaplasty performed in an outpatient setting over an 11-year period and compared these results with published normative values in the plastic surgery literature. Methods A retrospective review was undertaken of 884 reduction mammaplasties in 444 patients at a single outpatient surgical center performed by the senior author (W.G.S.) from 1995 through 2006. In all cases, a laser-assisted, inferior pedicle, Wise pattern, reduction mammaplasty was performed. In addition to demographic and surgical data, complication frequency and type were recorded. Complication data were further stratified into minor and major categories. Potential minor complications included seroma, hematoma, soft tissue infection, dog-ears requiring revision, and small incisional breakdowns or delayed healing of less than 2 cm. Potential major complications included large incisional breakdowns or delayed healing of greater than 2 cm, nipple/areolar necrosis, need for blood transfusion, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, myocardial infarction, and death. Results The mean patient age was 38 years (range, 16 to 73 years). Mean body-mass index was 27 (range 17 to 47). The reported preoperative brassiere cup sizes ranged from a 34 C to a 38 K, with a DD being the most common size. The mean preoperative sternal notch-to-nipple distance was 29 cm (range 22 to 54 cm). Forty patients smoked (9%). Mean clinical follow-up was 13 months. Mean total resection weight of breast tissue was 1228 g (range 100 to 5295 g). Mean operative time for reduction mammaplasty was 115 minutes (range 50 to 195 minutes). Nineteen percent of patients underwent multiple procedures, including abdominoplasty, lipoplasty, and facial procedures, with a mean operative time of 132 minutes (range 75 to 345 minutes). The overall complication rate was 14%, with 70 minor complications occurring in 62 patients. Specific minor complications included one seroma, four hematomas, eight soft tissue infections, two of which required a short course of intravenous antibiotics, one patient with dog-ears requiring surgical revision, and 56 small incisional wound breakdowns ( Conclusions This retrospective series is the largest to date involving outpatient reduction mammaplasty. Complication data derived from this series are comparable to previously published studies and thus support the safety and efficacy of outpatient reduction mammaplasty performed in an accredited facility.
Multi-hour, multi-traffic class network design for virtual path-based dynamically reconfigurable wide-area ATM networks

The virtual path (VP) concept has been gaining attention in terms of effective deployment of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks in recent years. In a recent paper, we outlined a framework and models for network design and management of dynamically reconfigurable ATM networks based on the virtual path concept from a network planning and management perspective. Our approach has been based on statistical multiplexing of traffic within a traffic class by using a virtual path for the class and deterministic multiplexing of different virtual paths, and on providing dynamic bandwidth and reconfigurability through virtual path concept depending on traffic load during the course of the day. In this paper, we discuss in detail, a multi-hour, multi-traffic class network (capacity) design model for providing specified quality-of-service in such dynamically reconfigurable networks. This is done based on the observation that statistical multiplexing of virtual circuits for a traffic class in a virtual path, and the deterministic multiplexing of different virtual paths leads to decoupling of the network dimensioning problem into the bandwidth estimation problem and the combined virtual path routing and capacity design problem. We discuss how bandwidth estimation can be done, then how the design problem can be solved by a decomposition algorithm by looking at the dual problem and using subgradient optimization. We provide computational results for realistic network traffic data to show the effectiveness of our approach. We show for the test problems considered, our approach does between 6% to 20% better than a local shortest-path heuristic. We also show that considering network dynamism through variation of traffic during the course of a day by doing dynamic bandwidth and virtual path reconfiguration can save between 10% and 14% in network design costs compared to a static network based on maximum busy hour traffic.
The nuclear pore complex–associated protein, Mlp2p, binds to the yeast spindle pole body and promotes its efficient assembly

The two yeast proteins Mlp1p and Mlp2p (homologues of the vertebrate protein Tpr) are filamentous proteins attached to the nuclear face of nuclear pore complexes. Here we perform a proteomic analysis, which reveals that the two Mlps have strikingly different interacting partners, testifying to their different roles within the cell. We find that Mlp2p binds directly to Spc110p, Spc42p, and Spc29p, which are three core components of the spindle pole body (SPB), the nuclear envelope–associated yeast spindle organizer. We further show that SPB function is compromised in mlp2 mutants. Cells lacking Mlp2p form significantly smaller SPBs, accumulate aberrant SPB component-containing structures inside the nucleus, and have stochastic failures of cell division. In addition, depletion of Mlp2p is synthetically lethal with mutants impaired in SPB assembly. Based on these data, we propose that Mlp2p links the SPB to the peripheral Mlp assembly, and that this linkage is required for efficient incorporation of components into the SPB.
Tracheocutaneous fistula closure in the pediatric population: should secondary closure be the standard of care?

ObjectiveTracheocutaneous fistula (TCF) closure is achieved by excision followed either by primary closure or healing by secondary intention. Although primary closure provides immediate resolution of the fistula, it is associated with more severe potential complications. Healing by secondary intention minimizes these potential complications; however, it is inconvenient for the patient and may be more likely to require revision surgery. We have had 2 life-threatening complications after primary closure, and as a result, we largely changed our practice pattern. We compared complication and success rates of the 2 methods since this change to determine its ramifications.Study DesignHistorical cohort study.SettingAcademic tertiary care pediatric otolaryngology practice.Subjects and MethodsTwo hundred sixteen patients who underwent TCF closure between January 2004 and August 2012.ResultsForty-six (21.3%) fistulae were addressed by primary closure, and 170 (78.7%) were addressed by secondary intention. The compl...
Simultaneous retrieval of oceanic and atmospheric parameters for ocean color imagery by spectral optimization: a validation

We report application and validation of a spectral optimization algorithm for processing SeaWiFS data in Case 1 waters. The algorithm couples a simplified aerosol model with a sophisticated water-reflectance model to simultaneously retrieve both atmospheric and ocean parameters. Two of the retrieved ocean properties—the absorption coefficient of colored detrital material and the chlorophyll a concentration—are validated by comparison with ‘‘surface’’ truth obtained with airborne and space-borne sensors. We show that employing a more complete water reflectance model significantly improves the decoupling between the oceanic and atmospheric optical signals. Methodologies for applying the algorithm to Case 2 waters and for delineating terrestrial vs. marine chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) are suggested. D 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.