cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GLP-1 receptor stimulation preserves primary cortical and dopaminergic neurons in cellular and rodent models of stroke and Parkinsonism

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an endogenous insulinotropic peptide secreted from the gastrointestinal tract in response to food intake. It enhances pancreatic islet beta-cell proliferation and glucose-dependent insulin secretion, and lowers blood glucose and food intake in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A long-acting GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist, exendin-4 (Ex-4), is the first of this new class of antihyperglycemia drugs approved to treat T2DM. GLP-1Rs are coupled to the cAMP second messenger pathway and, along with pancreatic cells, are expressed within the nervous system of rodents and humans, where receptor activation elicits neurotrophic actions. We detected GLP-1R mRNA expression in both cultured embryonic primary cerebral cortical and ventral mesencephalic (dopaminergic) neurons. These cells are vulnerable to hypoxia- and 6-hydroxydopamine-induced cell death, respectively. We found that GLP-1 and Ex-4 conferred protection in these cells, but not in cells from Glp1r knockout (-/-) mice. Administration of Ex-4 reduced brain damage and improved functional outcome in a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model. Ex-4 treatment also protected dopaminergic neurons against degeneration, preserved dopamine levels, and improved motor function in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD). Our findings demonstrate that Ex-4 can protect neurons against metabolic and oxidative insults, and they provide preclinical support for the therapeutic potential for Ex-4 in the treatment of stroke and PD.
Spectroscopic studies of ionic solvation—XVII. Studies of preferential solvation of the sodium ion in nonaqueous mixed solvents by sodium-23 nuclear magnetic resonance

Abstract Preferential solvation of the Na+ ion was studied by determining the 23Na chemical shifts for sodium tetraphenylborate solutions in all possible binary solvent mixtures of nitromethane, acetonitrile, hexamethylphosphoramide, dimethylsulfoxide, pyridine and tetramethylurea. Generally, these studies reflected the relative donicity of each solvent in a given solvent pair where the solvent of higher donicity was preferentially contained in the inner solvation shell of the Na+ ion. The enhanced donicity of tetramethylurea and dimethylsulfoxide in binary mixtures was rationalized in terms of strong solvent—solvent dipole interactions which disrupt the structure of these solvents. Finally, the results are treated quantitatively to yield a geometric equilibrium constant, K1/n the free energy of preferential salvation, ΔGp.s./n, as outlined by Covington.
Multicultural Issues in Perinatal Loss

Infant loss is frequently invisible to the rest of society. Parents may become frustrated when they are denied mourning time or asked why they are not “over it” yet. Nurses’ demonstration of cultural sensitivity during perinatal loss facilitates grieving by validating each family's “right” way to mourn their infant's death.
Cyclin-dependent kinases are regulators and effectors of oscillations driven by a transcription factor network

During embryonic cell cycles, B-cyclin-CDKs function as the core component of an autonomous oscillator. Current models for the cell-cycle oscillator in nonembryonic cells are slightly more complex, incorporating multiple G1, S phase, and mitotic cyclin-CDK complexes. However, periodic events persist in yeast cells lacking all S phase and mitotic B-cyclin genes, challenging the assertion that cyclin-CDK complexes are essential for oscillations. These and other results led to the proposal that a network of sequentially activated transcription factors functions as an underlying cell-cycle oscillator. Here we examine the individual contributions of a transcription factor network and cyclin-CDKs to the maintenance of cell-cycle oscillations. Our findings suggest that while cyclin-CDKs are not required for oscillations, they do contribute to oscillation robustness. A model emerges in which cyclin expression (thereby, CDK activity) is entrained to an autonomous transcriptional oscillator. CDKs then modulate oscillator function and serve as effectors of the oscillator.
Stability of CZTS thin film solar cells upon accelerated thermal cycling and damp heat exposure

Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) thin film solar cells have attracted scientific and economic interest in the last decade. In this study, accelerated thermal cycling and damp heat tests are used to examine the stability of CZTS thin film solar cells, which are coated with two TCO materials. From the results, the CZTS solar cells with ZnO and ITO perform better durability than the one with ZnO and AZO under the accelerated thermal cycling test. The result also indicates that the ZnO and AZO deposited by using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique does not improve the stability for CZTS solar cells comparing to the sputtering technique. In the damp heat experiment, the results show that the bare ITO thin films and AZO thin films deposited by the ALD technique have a good durability with regard to the moisture ingress. The AZO thin films deposited by RF sputtering without annealing have a worse performance with regard to electrical properties after the damp heat test. However, the cells with an ITO layer do not sustain a good performance after the damp heat test, which could be attributed smaller thickness of the ITO thin films. Although the AZO thin films using the ALD technique have better durability than the ones using the RF sputtering, the cells coated with the ZnO and AZO by the ALD technique are not much better than the cells coated with the ZnO and AZO by the RF sputtering.
Loyalty: Cross‐organisational Comparisons and Patterns

Organisational commitment research has developed some well‐established paradigms that may be enriched by seeking experimental interventions directed at increasing employee commitment. The three major categories of commitment variables are described. Implications suggested through interviews of organisational members at different levels are discussed and a need for increased experimental intervention and measurement is identified.
TIL from renal-cell carcinoma: restimulation with tumor influences proliferation and cytolytic activity.

TIL were cultured from human renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) in 1,000 U/ml rIL2 and restimulated with autologous tumor in efforts to establish which conditions would best expand the number of lymphocytes cytotoxic for autologous tumor. Greater cell yields resulted from multiple restimulations of TIL with autologous tumor. In most instances, these TIL lysed autologous tumor better than TIL grown in rIL2 alone. Enhanced proliferation was seen also after restimulation of TIL with allogeneic RCC as well as with tumor cells of non-renal origin. Although in some instances lysis of autologous tumor appeared to be specific, restimulation with autologous tumor did not consistently result in the generation of specific cytolytic T cells. Attempts to culture more specific cytolytic T cells by using 50 U/ml rIL2 were successful in expanding TIL with enhanced lytic activity; however, this activity was not specific for autologous tumor. The phenotype of the tumorrestimulated TIL generally did not change. In most of the TIL cultures, CD3+ CD4+ cells were predominant with low numbers of CD3+ Leu19+ cells and minimal numbers of CD3-Leu 19+ cells. Thus, the cytotoxic response to tumor was mediated by T cells and not NK cells. Overall, our data indicate that restimulation of TIL with autologous tumor may be beneficial for growing larger numbers of cells which have increased lytic activity and for prolonging the presence of lytic activity among the expanded TIL.
Does Good Governance Matter to Institutional Investors? Evidence from the Enactment of Corporate Governance Guidelines

Corporate governance guidelines are a mechanism that a firm can enact which should reduce agency costs and better align the interests of boards and the suppliers of capital. This study examines stock price reactions primarily attributable to institutional investors occurring when corporations announce the enactment of corporate governance guidelines. A final sample of 77 firms was derived from the first announcement of corporate governance guidelines exclusive to the SEC-EDGAR database. The results indicate that good governance does matter. Firms that announced the enactment of corporate governance guidelines experienced increased stock prices following the announcements. There was an immediate (days 1–4) reaction for firms that provided all or part of the guidelines’ substance; a delayed (days 8–10) reaction occurred for those firms that only referenced the guidelines’ enactment. Additionally, firms with either a potentially greater following or that had a previous history of acrimonious relations with stakeholders were rewarded by the announcement of the enactment of guidelines.
Improvement through Importing Best Practices and Internal Problem Solving? Evidence from Health Care

This paper examines the interaction of two qualitatively different approaches to learning: importing best practices (an externally-oriented approach rooted in learning by imitating others’ best practices) and internal problem solving (an internally-oriented approach rooted in learning by investigating one’s deficiencies). We propose competing hypotheses about their interactive effect, which we test in a study of hospital improvement in treatment time for patients with heart attack. We find a significant interaction in the shorter term (two years). Importing best practices was positively associated with improvement among hospitals that did not use internal problem solving, but had no effect among hospitals that used problem solving. Over a longer, four-year period, the interaction was non-significant; both approaches independently added to improvement. These results suggest that combining independently effective approaches does not multiply shorter-term improvement, but using both approaches helps to maxim...
Mutagenesis of apobec-1 complementation factor reveals distinct domains that modulate RNA binding, protein-protein interaction with apobec-1, and complementation of C to U RNA-editing activity.

C to U editing of apolipoprotein B (apoB) RNA requires a multicomponent holoenzyme complex in which minimal constituents include apobec-1 and apobec-1 complementation factor (ACF). We have examined the predicted functional domains in ACF in binding apoB RNA, interaction with apobec-1, and complementation of RNA editing. We demonstrate that apoB RNA binding and apobec-1-interacting domains are defined by two partially overlapping regions containing the NH2-terminal RNA recognition motifs of ACF. Both apoB RNA binding and apobec-1 interaction are required for editing complementation activity. ACF is a nuclear protein that upon cotransfection with apobec-1 results in nuclear colocalization and redistribution of apobec-1 from the cytoplasm. ACF constructs with deletions or mutations in the putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) still localize in the nucleus of transfected cells but do not colocalize with apobec-1, the latter remaining predominantly cytoplasmic. These observations suggest that the putative NLS motif in ACF is not responsible for its nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking. By contrast, protein-protein interaction is important for the nuclear import of apobec-1. Taken together, these data suggest that functional complementation of C to U RNA editing by apobec-1 involves the NH2-terminal 380 residues of ACF.
The Phosphatase Activity of Tissues and Plasma in Tumors of Bone

Robison, in 1923 (22), suggested that phosphatase plays an important role in the formation of bone in the human body. He found a very active phosphatase in preparatory areas of ossification, and held that this enzyme hydrolyzed the phosphoric esters in the blood to bring about a local increase in the concentration of the phosphate ions. It was his theory that the solubility product of tertiary calcium phosphate was thereby exceeded, and that deposition of this salt therefore occurred in the ossifying zone. Evidence has since accumulated, chiefly through the work of Robison and Kay and their associates, to strengthen this hypothesis and to make it the most satisfactory modern theory of the deposition of calcium salts in zones of ossification. It has been demonstrated: ( a ) that, in bones, deposition of calcium salts occurs in vitro in zones of preparatory ossification, in the periosteum, and in the regions occupied by the enlarged cartilage cells (23); ( b ) that small amounts of phosphoric esters, hydrolyzable by bone phosphatase, are present both in red blood corpuscles (15) and in blood plasma (18); ( c ) that membrane-bone as well as cartilage-bone synthesizes phosphatase while growing in tissue culture (7); ( d ) that phosphatase is not present in any cartilage prior to the appearance of a center of ossification (17); ( e ) that it fails to appear in non-ossifying cartilages such as Meckel's cartilage, rib cartilage, and tracheal cartilage (6, 7); ( f ) that the enzyme is found wherever active ossification is taking place, and is present in greatest amounts in bone at the time when the deposition of calcium salts is most active (17); ( g ) that the periosteum and the enlarged cartilage cells of the metaphysis of embryo and infant bones are very rich in phosphatase, while the epiphysis beyond the zone of active ossification is comparatively deficient in the enzyme (16, 17, 19).
The effects of oppositely sloping boundaries with Ekman dissipation in a nonlinear baroclinic system

The present analytical and numerical examination of the effect of the slope Delta with dissipation delta on baroclinic flows in linear and nonlinear systems uses a modified Eady channel model with oppositely sloping top and bottom Ekman layers, and truncates the spectral wave solution up to six components. Comparisons are made wherever possible with results from beta-plane dissipative systems. In the linear system, the combined effect of Delta and delta strongly stabilizes long waves. In a nonlinear system without wave-wave interaction, Delta stabilizes the flow even for small delta and reduces the domain of vacillation while enlarging the domain of single-wave steady state.
Optimal Income Taxation for Transfer Payments Under Different Social Welfare Criteria

I. Introduction, 656. — II. Formulating the problem, 657. — III. Two-person case, 660. — IV. Simulation of U. S. data, 662. — V. Conclusion, 668. — Appendix: data on distribution of abilities, 668.
Effects of organic solvents on the barrier properties of human nail

The effects of organic solvent systems on nail hydration and permeability have not been well studied. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of binary aqueous organic solvent systems of ethanol (EtOH), propylene glycol (PPG), and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG) on the barrier properties of nail plates. 3H–water, 14C–urea, and 14C–tetraethylammonium ions were the probes in the nail uptake and transport experiments to study the effect(s) of organic solvents on nail hydration and permeability. Gravimetric studies were also performed as a secondary method to study nail hydration and the reversibility of the nail after organic solvent treatments. Both ungual uptake and transport were directly related to the concentration of the organic solvent in the binary systems. Partitioning of the probes into and transport across the nail decreased with an increase in the organic solvent concentration. These changes corresponded to the changes in solution viscosity and the barrier properties of the nail. In general, the effects for PPG and PEG were more pronounced than those for EtOH. Practically, these results suggest that organic solvents in formulations can increase nail barrier resistivity. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 100:4244–4257, 2011
Lens antenna concepts for land mobile satellite communications

The Mobile Satellite Program is being developed to provide needed communication links to rural areas. A critical component in the system is the antenna for the vehicle. This paper addresses the issue of reducing the cost of phased array vehicle antennas through the use of a lens feeding arrangement instead of through the use of phase shifters at each element. Theoretical performance of these lens fed arrays will be presented.
Circulating Adiponectin Levels Are Associated with Better Glycemic Control, More Favorable Lipid Profile, and Reduced Inflammation in Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Context: Low adiponectin levels, by regulating insulin resistance and metabolic profile, may contribute to the markedly increased risk of atherosclerosis in diabetic subjects. Objective: The complex interrelationships between adiponectin and metabolic abnormalities have not yet been fully assessed in diabetic women. Design/Setting/Patients: We performed a cross-sectional evaluation of the association between circulating adiponectin and glycemia, lipid-lipoprotein levels, and inflammatory markers in 925 women with type 2 diabetes enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study. Results: Circulating adiponectin levels were significantly and positively associated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and physical activity levels, and inversely with body mass index and plasma concentrations of hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c), triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B-100, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, soluble E-selectin, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1. The above associations were not apprec...
Effects of Gonadotropic Hormone in the Fish, Xiphophorus helleri Heckel

Summary(1) This paper reports for the first time the possibility of complete sex-reversal in the adult female Xiphophorus helleri by administration of gonadotropic (human chorionic) hormone from pregnancy urine. (2) Gonadotropin when administered to the adult males of this species increases not only the amount of interstitial stroma (Berkowitz), but hastens spermatogenesis and brings about an exhaustion effect simulating a condition of sterility. (3) There were no significant effects on the secondary sex characters of the adult males and unaffected females under this treatment.
Experimental transmission of Bartonella henselae by the cat flea.

Bartonella henselae is an emerging bacterial pathogen, causing cat scratch disease and bacillary angiomatosis. Cats bacteremic with B. henselae constitute a large reservoir from which humans become infected. Prevention of human infection depends on elucidation of the natural history and means of feline infection. We studied 47 cattery cats in a private home for 12 months to determine the longitudinal prevalence of B. henselae bacteremia, the prevalence of B. henselae in the fleas infesting these cats, and whether B. henselae is transmitted experimentally to cats via fleas. Vector-mediated transmission of B.henselae isolates was evaluated by removing fleas from the naturally bacteremic, flea-infested cattery cats and transferring these fleas to specific-pathogen-free (SPF) kittens housed in a controlled, arthropod-free University Animal Facility. B. henselae bacteremia was detected in 89% of the 47 naturally infected cattery cats. A total of 132 fleas were removed from cats whose blood was simultaneously cultured during different seasons and were tested individually for the presence of B. henselae DNA by PCR. B. henselae DNA was detected in 34% of 132 fleas, with seasonal variation, but without an association between the presence or the level of bacteremia in the corresponding cat. Cat fleas removed from bacteremic cattery cats transmitted B. henselae to five SPF kittens in two separate experiments; however, control SPF kittens housed with highly bacteremic kittens in the absence of fleas did not become infected. These data demonstrate that the cat flea readily transmits B. henselae to cats. Control of feline infestation with this arthropod vector may provide an important strategy for the prevention of infection of both humans and cats.
Regenerative Growth in Drosophila Imaginal Discs Is Regulated by Wingless and Myc

The study of regeneration would be aided greatly by systems that support large-scale genetic screens. Here we describe a nonsurgical method for inducing tissue damage and regeneration in Drosophila larvae by inducing apoptosis in the wing imaginal disc in a spatially and temporally regulated manner. Tissue damage results in localized regenerative proliferation characterized by altered expression of patterning genes and growth regulators as well as a temporary loss of markers of cell fate commitment. Wingless and Myc are induced by tissue damage and are important for regenerative growth. Furthermore, ectopic Myc enhances regeneration when other growth drivers tested do not. As the animal matures, the ability to regenerate is lost and cannot be restored by activation of Wingless or Myc. This system is conducive to forward genetic screens, enabling an unbiased search for genes that regulate both the extent of and the capacity for regeneration.
Comparison of CO2 Photoreduction Systems: A Review

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are a major contributor to the climate change equation, and thus strategies need to be developed in order to reduce increases in CO2 levels in the atmosphere. One of the most promising approaches is to convert CO2 into useful products in engineered processes. The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels is a promising way to recycle CO2 as a fuel feedstock by taking advantage of the readily available solar energy. This article reviews the basics of CO2 photoreduction mechanisms, limiting steps, possible strategies to enhance photoreduction efficiency, and the state-of-the-art photocatalytic systems for CO2 reduction. In particular, a comparison between different catalytic systems, including biological (plants and algae), inorganics (semiconductors), organics (molecular complexes), and hybrid (enzyme/semiconductors) systems is provided.
Analytic solution to leading order coupled DGLAP evolution equations: A new perturbative QCD tool

We have analytically solved the LO perturbative QCD singlet DGLAP equations [V. N. Gribov and L. N. Lipatov, Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. 15, 438 (1972)][G. Altarelli and G. Parisi, Nucl. Phys. B126, 298 (1977)][Y. L. Dokshitzer, Sov. Phys. JETP 46, 641 (1977)] using Laplace transform techniques. Newly developed, highly accurate, numerical inverse Laplace transform algorithms [M. M. Block, Eur. Phys. J. C 65, 1 (2010)][M. M. Block, Eur. Phys. J. C 68, 683 (2010)] allow us to write fully decoupled solutions for the singlet structure function ${F}_{s}(x,{Q}^{2})$ and $G(x,{Q}^{2})$ as ${F}_{s}(x,{Q}^{2})={\mathcal{F}}_{s}({F}_{s0}({x}_{0}),{G}_{0}({x}_{0}))$ and $G(x,{Q}^{2})=\mathcal{G}({F}_{s0}({x}_{0}),{G}_{0}({x}_{0}))$, where the ${x}_{0}$ are the Bjorken $x$ values at ${Q}_{0}^{2}$. Here ${\mathcal{F}}_{s}$ and $\mathcal{G}$ are known functions---found using LO DGLAP splitting functions---of the initial boundary conditions ${F}_{s0}(x)\ensuremath{\equiv}{F}_{s}(x,{Q}_{0}^{2})$ and ${G}_{0}(x)\ensuremath{\equiv}G(x,{Q}_{0}^{2})$, i.e., the chosen starting functions at the virtuality ${Q}_{0}^{2}$. For both $G(x)$ and ${F}_{s}(x)$, we are able to either devolve or evolve each separately and rapidly, with very high numerical accuracy---a computational fractional precision of $O({10}^{\ensuremath{-}9})$. Armed with this powerful new tool in the perturbative QCD arsenal, we compare our numerical results from the above equations with the published MSTW2008 and CTEQ6L LO gluon and singlet ${F}_{s}$ distributions [A. D. Martin, W. J. Stirling, R. S. Thorne, and G. Watt, Eur. Phys. J. C 63, 189 (2009)], starting from their initial values at ${Q}_{0}^{2}=1\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$ and $1.69\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$, respectively, using their choice of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}({Q}^{2})$. This allows an important independent check on the accuracies of their evolution codes and, therefore, the computational accuracies of their published parton distributions. Our method completely decouples the two LO distributions, at the same time guaranteeing that both $G$ and ${F}_{s}$ satisfy the singlet coupled DGLAP equations. It also allows one to easily obtain the effects of the starting functions on the evolved gluon and singlet structure functions, as functions of both ${Q}^{2}$ and ${Q}_{0}^{2}$, being equally accurate in devolution (${Q}^{2}l{Q}_{0}^{2}$) as in evolution (${Q}^{2}g{Q}_{0}^{2}$). Further, it can also be used for nonsinglet distributions, thus giving LO analytic solutions for individual quark and gluon distributions at a given $x$ and ${Q}^{2}$, rather than the numerical solutions of the coupled integral-differential equations on a large, but fixed, two-dimensional grid that are currently available.
Novel diagnostic approaches in Bing-Neel syndrome.

The central nervous system (CNS) manifestations of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) are known as the Bing-Neel syndrome (BNS). Patients with BNS can be classified into Group A and Group B based on the presence of lymphoplasmacytoid (LMP) cells within the brain parenchyma, leptomeninges, dura, and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To identify characteristic imaging findings for both Group A and Group B patients, we reviewed all 36 cases (26 referenced, 10 unreported) of proven WM with CNS symptoms, CSF analysis and/or biopsy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and/or spinal cord. Enhancement on MRI suggests invasion of the central neuraxis by LMP cells, and can help distinguish between Group A and Group B patients. In addition to differentiating true WM lesions in the CNS from ischemia, hyperviscosity events, and demyelinating lesions, evaluation of brain and spinal cord with gadolinium-enhanced MRI has the potential to guide management.
Resonance phenomenon in double-bend-point contact structures

Quantum wires with double bend discontinuities have been fabricated in modulation-doped field-effect transistors. The low temperature conductance shows resonant peaks in the lowest quantized conductance plateau. The double bend constitutes an electron cavity where the number of peaks is directly related to the cavity length. This view is supported by comparison to the theoretical conductance calculated from a generalized mode-matching theory. The experimental peak conductivity decreases with cavity length, which is consistent with elastic scattering due to random disorder in the quantum wire. Magnetic field studies show quenching of the resonance structure when the cyclotron radius approaches the one-dimensional channel width.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effect of early nutrition on deaths due to severe traumatic brain injury.

Object Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a serious public health crisis requiring continuous improvement in pre-hospital and inhospital care. This condition results in a hypermetabolic state that increases systemic and cerebral energy requirements, but achieving adequate nutrition to meet this demand has not been a priority in reducing death due to TBI. The effect of timing and quantity of nutrition on death within the first 2 weeks of injury was analyzed in a large prospective database of adult patients with severe TBI in New York State. Methods The study is based on 797 patients with severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score < 9) treated at 22 trauma centers enrolled in a New York State quality improvement program between 2000 and 2006. The inhospital section of the prospectively collected database includes information on age, initial GCS score, weight and height, results of CT scanning, and daily parameters such as pupillary status, arterial hypotension, GCS score, and number of calories fed per da...
Leveraging flight heritage to new compactPCI space systems: a fusion of architectures

The advent of NASA-JPL's X2000 architecture has brought CompactPCI (cPCI) to the forefront as the system bus of choice for space data processing. This paper presents a hybrid architecture allowing the inclusion of new, high performance cPCI modules with heritage VME based modules. The hybrid system yields a cost effective, performance optimized processing solution for space.
A composite high-voltage device using low-voltage SOI MOSFETs

A circuit is described that uses low-voltage transistors to form a high-voltage composite device. The circuit is a series string of SOI (silicon-on-insulator) MOSFETs and associated biasing elements fabricated using a modified nMOS process on a SIMOX (separation by implantation of oxygen) substrate. The circuit voltages higher than the breakdown voltage of a single transistor by dividing the applied voltage among the transistors in the string. MOSFET-like characteristics with breakdown voltage up to 60 V are demonstrated using a string of 25 SOI MOSFETs, each with a breakdown voltage of 6-7 V. >
Bilateral Retropharyngeal Parathyroid Hyperplasia Detected with 4D Multidetector Row CT

SUMMARY: We present a case of bilateral retropharyngeal parathyroid hyperplasia detected with 4D-CT in a patient with persistent primary hyperparathyroidism and failed neck exploration. We discuss the embryologic basis of ectopic retropharyngeal parathyroid adenomas and hyperplasia and the utility of 4D-CT in their localization for surgical planning.
The Position of Static and on-off Banners in WWW Displays on Subsequent Recognition

With the growing popularity of the World &de Web (WWW), more companies are advertising on the Internet with the intention of influencing purchasing decisions. While companies would like to capture people’s attention every time a banner ad appears on a viewer’s computer screen, there is some research that suggests that they do not. In Experiment 1, static display of banners at each of the four corners of the screen was investigated using a subsequent recognition test. Experiment 2 examined more locations on the screen with on-off banners. The results of both experiments showed that participants better recognized the content of banners positioned on the top left and bottom right corners than the top right and bottom left corners. Experiment 2 showed that participants were. more likely to recognize the content of on-off banners that positioned closer to the center of the screen than those at the edges of the screen. Implications for attention capture and distraction are discussed with respect to producing more effective advertisements and communic&ng priority information are discussed
REEMERGENCE AND EXTINCTION OF SELF-INJURIOUS ESCAPE BEHAVIOR DURING STIMULUS (INSTRUCTIONAL) FADING

Based on results of a functional analysis indicating that the self-injurious behavior (SIB) of 3 individuals was maintained by negative reinforcement (escape from instructional situations), the effects of stimulus (instructional) fading were evaluated in a multiple baseline design across subjects. The rate of instructions was reduced to zero at the beginning of treatment and was gradually increased (faded in) across sessions as long as SIB remained low. However, if SIB remained high for 10 consecutive sessions, extinction was implemented until SIB decreased, at which point extinction was withdrawn and fading was resumed. Treatment was completed when the rate of instructions was the same as in baseline (two per minute), and SIB remained below 0.5 responses per minute for two consecutive sessions. Results showed that instructional fading (without extinction) virtually eliminated SIB initially, but these effects were not maintained. All 3 subjects required multiple exposures to extinction and over 150 treatment sessions in order to meet the end-of-treatment criteria. Advantages and limitations of fading procedures without an extinction component, as well as extensions of both interventions to other clinical problems, are discussed.
Enhanced Type 1 Immunity After Secondary Viral Challenge in Mice Primed as Neonates

The goal of infant immunization against viral infection is to develop protective long term memory responses. Priming neonatal mice with a low dose of Cas-Br-E murine leukemia virus (Cas) results in adult-like, type 1 protective responses. However, other studies suggest that Ag priming of neonates leads to an increase in type 2 secondary responses even when primary responses were type 1. We assessed whether type 1 CD8+ T cell-mediated responses developed in murine neonates are maintained after secondary challenge with Cas in adulthood. Despite the induction of significant anti-viral CD8+-mediated cytotoxic T lymphocyte and IFN-gamma responses, initial neonatal priming led to a lower frequency of virus-specific T cells compared with adult priming. Adult frequencies were reached in mice primed as neonates only after secondary challenge in adulthood. A nonspecific and transient CD4+-mediated IL-4 response was present in all groups after secondary challenge with Cas or medium, indicating that this rise in type 2 cytokine production was not unique to mice that had been primed as neonates. Rather, type 1 anti-viral memory CD8+ T cell responses developed in neonatal mice are stable, protective, and enhanced after secondary challenge.
Amphibian oocyte maturation induced by extracts of Physarum polycephalum in mitosis

The orderly progression of eukaryotic cells from interphase to mitosis requires the close coordination of various nuclear and cytoplasmic events. Studies from our laboratory and others on animal cells indicate that two activities, one present mainly in mitotic cells and the other exclusively in G1-phase cells, play a pivotal role in the regulation of initiation and completion of mitosis, respectively. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether these activities are expressed in the slime mold Physarum polycephalum in which all the nuclei traverse the cell cycle in natural synchrony. Extracts were prepared from plasmodia in various phases of the cell cycle and tested for their ability to induce germinal vesicle breakdown and chromosome condensation after microinjection into Xenopus laevis oocytes. We found that extract of cells at 10-20 min before metaphase consistently induced germinal vesicle breakdown in oocytes. Preliminary characterization, including purification on a DNA-cellulose affinity column, indicated that the mitotic factors from Physarum were functionally very similar to HeLa mitotic factors. We also identified a number of mitosis-specific antigens in extracts from Physarum plasmodia, similar to those of HeLa cells, using the mitosis-specific monoclonal antibodies MPM-2 and MPM-7. Interestingly, we also observed an activity in Physarum at 45 min after metaphase (i.e., in early S phase since it has no G1) that is usually present in HeLa cells only during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. These are the first studies to show that maturation-promoting factor activity is present in Physarum during mitosis and is replaced by the G1 factor (or anti-maturation-promoting factor) activity in a postmitotic stage. A comparative study of these factors in this slime mold and in mammalian cells would be extremely valuable in further understanding their function in the regulation of eukaryotic cell cycle and their evolutionary relationship to one another.
On the use of Laguerre polynomials in treating the envelope and phase components of narrow-band Gaussian noise

The joint probability density of the envelope of a Gaussian process at two different times is expanded by the use of Hardy's identity into a series involving Laguerre polynomials. It is shown how this result may be used to estimate the cross-correlation function of the output of two quite general envelope-distorting filters. A generalization of this result, involving the use of the associated Laguerre polynomials, is obtained and applied to the calculation of a cross-correlation function which involves both the phase and envelope of the process at two points in time.
Vacuum compatability of welded joints for NSTX-U

The high vacuum environment of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) cannot tolerate a leak rate of greater than 1×10−5 Torr-liters per second or an out-gassing rate of more than 2×10−12 Torr-liters per second per cm2. This is maintained with an austenitic 316 stainless steel vacuum vessel. The NSTX Upgrade (NSTX-U) will require large weldments attached to the current vacuum vessel that will become the new vacuum boundary. Due to the lack of superstructure, all loads are passed through the vacuum vessel. This means the welds must carry a substantial load as well as provide vacuum integrity. Distortion of the vessel must also be minimized in order to accommodate precisely-aligned diagnostics as well as to mate to the new second neutral beam. The ideal candidate for these welds is Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW). FCAW can deposit a great amount of weld material quickly with minimal heat input. This paper will discuss the vacuum compatibility of FCAW and compare it to other standard welding processes used on NSTX.
Prediction of simulated battlefield physical performance from field-expedient tests.

ABSTRACT Predictive models of battlefield physical performance can benefit the military. To develop models, 32 physically trained men (mean ± SD: 28.0 ± 4.7 years, 82.1 ± 11.3 kg, 176.3 ± 7.5 cm) underwent (1) anthropometric measures: height and body mass; (2) fitness tests: push-ups, sit-ups, 3.2-km run, vertical jump, horizontal jump; (3) simulated battlefield physical performance in fighting load: five 30-m sprints prone to prone, 400-m run, obstacle course, and casualty recovery. Although greater body mass was positively associated with better casualty recovery performance, it showed trends toward poorer performance on all the other fitness and military performance tests. Regression equations well predicted the simulated battlefield performance from the anthropometric measures and physical fitness tests (r = 0.77–0.82). The vertical jump entered all four prediction equations and the horizontal jump entered one of them. The equations, using input from easy to administer tests, effectively predict simul...
COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY OF PROGESTATIONAL AGENTS ON THE HUMAN ENDOMETRIUM AND VAGINAL EPITHELIUM OF SURGICAL CASTRATES

The response of the endometrium the vaginal epithelium the cervical muscus and the basal body temperature of surgical castrates to progestational agents was observed. Throughout the test cycles all patients received orally 1 mg diethylstilbestrol daily. 14 days after onset of estrogen therapy progestational agents were administered orally or parenterally. Results showed that 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17alpha-OHP) caproate and 17alpha-OHP acetate when administered parenterally are more potent and longer lasting than the chemically pure progesterone in oil. 17-ethynyl-19-nortestosterone enanthate was at least twice as potent and long acting as the caproate and the acetate of 17alpha-OHP. 17alpha-OHP acetate and 9alpha-brono-11-ketoprogesterone given orally seemed to be considerably more active than the commonly used oral anhydro-OHP. The cyclopentylpropionates of 4-pregnene-3one-20alpha and beta-ol were active but rather weak. The ineffective minimal effective and replacement dosage deduced for each substance was determined in a group of 4-7 surgical castrates.
Dynamic layout strategies for flexible manufacturing systems

SUMMARY In this paper we are concerned with a key element for the effective utilization of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), namely the design of the physical layout. This problem involves finding which processing modules should be adjacent to each other and how they should be connected with the transfer links of the material handling system to minimize the material handling requirements. These requirements also impact on in-process storage space, work-in-process inventories, the cost of control, and throughput time. We first characterize mathematically the static problem where all part attributes are constant over time. We then proceed to analyse the dynamic problem, where changes in system characteristics (such as the part mix manufactured by the FMS), can cause a substantial increase in material handling requirements, thereby indicating a need to consider a relayout. We examine the influence of a number of system parameters on several relayout strategies and derive guidelines for FMS relayout based...
Single tree grammars

Abstract A context-free grammar is a single-tree grammar (STG) if every nonterminal symbol has at most one production rule whose right hand side contains nonterminal symbols. Various properties of this class of grammars are studied. Although most properties of STG's are undecidable, every linear STG generates a bounded language and a deterministic context-free language, so most properties of linear STG's are decidable. Finally, we show that STG grammars have natural applications for logic database query languages.
Segregation of “isotope” particles within colloidal molecules

Clusters of spherical particles are called “colloidal molecules” because they adopt structures that resemble those of true molecules. In this analogy, the particles are the atoms, the attractive interactions between them are bonds, and the different structures that appear in equilibrium are isomers. We take this analogy a step further by doping colloidal molecules with colloidal “isotopes,” particles that have the same size but different bonding energies from the other particles in the system. Our molecules are two-dimensional clusters consisting of polystyrene and silica microspheres held together by depletion interactions. Using a combination of optical microscopy and particle tracking, we examine an ensemble of 4- and 5-particle molecules at different isotope ratios. We find that the isotopes tend to segregate to particular positions in the various isomers. We explain these findings using a statistical mechanical model that accounts for the rotational entropy of the isomers and the different interaction potentials between the different types of particles. The model shows how to optimize the yield of any particular isomer, so as to put the isotopes in desired locations. Our experiments and models show that even in systems of particles with isotropic interactions, the structures of self-assembled molecules can in principle be controlled to a surprisingly high extent.
Introduction to Information Systems with MISource 2007

O’Brien’s Introduction to Information Systems 14e continues to reflect the movement toward enterprise-wide business applications. George Marakas from the University of Kansas joins as a co-author on this new edition. New real world case studies correspond with this curriculum shift. The text’s focus is on teaching the general business manager how to use and manage the most current IT technologies such as the Internet, Intranets, and Extranets for enterprise collaboration, and how IT contributes to competitive advantage, reengineering business processes, problem solving, and decision-making. Table of contents Module IChapter 1 FOUNDATIONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN BUSINESSChapter 2 COMPETING WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Module IIChapter 3 COMPUTER HARDWAREChapter 4 COMPUTER SOFTWAREChapter 5 DATA RESOURCE MANAGEMENTChapter 6 TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKS Module IIIChapter 7 ELECTRONIC BUSINESS SYSTEMSChapter 8 ELECTRONIC COMMERCE SYSTEMSChapter 9 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS Module IVChapter 10 DEVELOPING BUSINESS/IT SOLUTIONS Module VChapter 11 SECURITY AND ETHICAL CHALLENGESChapter 12 ENTERPRISE AND GLOBAL MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Life-Cycle Assessment of Advanced Nutrient Removal Technologies for Wastewater Treatment

Advanced nutrient removal processes, while improving the water quality of the receiving water body, can also produce indirect environmental and health impacts associated with increases in usage of energy, chemicals, and other material resources. The present study evaluated three levels of treatment for nutrient removal (N and P) using 27 representative treatment process configurations. Impacts were assessed across multiple environmental and health impacts using life-cycle assessment (LCA) following the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) impact-assessment method. Results show that advanced technologies that achieve high-level nutrient removal significantly decreased local eutrophication potential, while chemicals and electricity use for these advanced treatments, particularly multistage enhanced tertiary processes and reverse osmosis, simultaneously increased eutrophication indirectly and contributed to other potential environmental and health impacts ...
Advanced Photon Source

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory is preparing for a major upgrade, centered on installation of a multibend achromat (MBA) lattice that will dramatically improve the brightness, coherence, and stability of the X-ray beams.
Applying inter-layer conflict resolution to hybrid robot control architectures

In this document, we propose and examine the novel use of a learning mechanism between the reactive and deliberative layers of a hybrid robot control architecture. Balancing the need to achieve complex goals and meet real-time constraints, many modern mobile robot navigation control systems make use of a hybrid deliberative-reactive architecture. In this paradigm, a high-level deliberative layer plans routes or actions toward a known goal, based on accumulated world knowledge. A low-level reactive layer selects motor commands based on current sensor data and the deliberative layer’s plan. The desired system-level effect of this architecture is that the robot is able to combine complex reasoning toward global objectives with quick reaction to local constraints. Implicit in this type of architecture, is the assumption that both layers are using the same model of the robot’s capabilities and constraints. It may happen, for example, due to differences in representation of the robot’s kinematic constraints, that the deliberative layer creates a plan that the reactive layer cannot follow. This sort of conflict may cause a degradation in system-level performance, if not complete navigational deadlock. Traditionally, it has been the task of the robot designer to ensure that the layers operate in a compatible manner. However, this is a complex, empirical task. Working to improve system-level performance and navigational robustness, we propose introducing a learning mechanism between the reactive layer and the deliberative layer, allowing the deliberative layer to learn a model of the reactive layer’s execution of its plans. First, we focus on detecting this inter-layer conflict, and acting based on a corrected model. This is demonstrated on a physical robotic platform in an unstructured outdoor environment. Next, we focus on learning a model to predict instances of inter-layer conflict, and planning to act with respect to this model. This is demonstrated using supervised learning in a physics-based simulation environment. Results and algorithms are presented.
The Stadschilder and the Serment: Rogier van der Weyden's ‘Deposition’ and the Crossbowmen of Louvain

ABSTRACTThe fame of Rogier van der Weyden's Deposition grew immediately after its completion, sometime in the mid-1430s. This may have been due, in part, to its patron, Louvain's military serment, the Greater Crossbowmen's Guild. This group, the most important militia company in the Duchy of Brabant, also enjoyed great notoriety. This investigation into its status and activities, especially surrounding Louvain's annual dramatized Kermis Ommegang, helps clarify the connection between guild and artist, who was then city-painter (stadschilder) for nearby Brussels. It also suggests a possible motivation behind, and more precise date for, the Crossbowmen's commission of Rogier's Deposition, which itself seems related to tableaux vivants in Louvain's procession.