cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tennessee valley authority hydroelectric stations-electrical design

THE Tennessee Valley Authority, since its establishment in 1933, has, among its many other activities, developed an electric generating and transmission system which now has a generating capacity of 1,050,200 kilowatts in 69 generating units, a one-hour peak load of about 907,200 kilowatts, and a monthly output of 520,000,000 kilowatt hours. The original generating facilities taken over by the Authority in the fall of 1933 consisted of the Wilson Hydro and Steam Plants both built at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, by the United States Government during the years 1918 to 1925 and totaling 244,000 kilowatts in generating capacity. During subsequent years the Authority has acquired and leased from private utilities previously operating in the Tennessee Valley area 5 hydro plants and 4 steam plants, totaling 292,300 kw in generating capacity, with transmission lines. Up to the present time the Authority has built and put into operation 6 new hydro plants and extensions to existing hydro plants, totaling 513,900 kilowatts in 15 generating units, with transmission lines. The Authority now has under construction 6 new hydro plants, 1 new steam plant and extensions to 2 existing hydro plants, totaling 969,200 kilowatts in 29 generating units, with transmission lines. The system as now operating and under construction, including the future generating units definitely provided for, will have a total capacity of 2,584,700 kilowatts in 115 generating units. This paper discusses the principal electrical design features of the ten hydroelectric stations designed and constructed or under construction by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Ocoee No. 3 and Apalachia, authorized in July 1941, are now in the early stages of design and are not described herein.
Can strong electric dipole transitions in deformed rare earth nuclei be explained by the macroscopic behavior of the octupole phonon

StrongE1 transitions of greater than 10−3 Weisskopf units occur in many octupole states in the deformed rare earth region. It is shown using the droplet model that the electric dipole moment resulting from the macroscopic behaviour of the octupole phonon cannot by itself account for the observedE1 strengths, and it is observed that this result is consistent with the proposal of Donner and Greiner and of Zilges von Brentano and Richter that admixtures of the giant dipole resonance into the low energy octupole states are responsible for the fastE1 transitions. It is also suggested that calculations similar to those performed by Egido and Robledo forN ≦92 nuclei may be able to reproduceE1 transitions inN=94–104 nuclei.
Effects of strychnine on ECS-induced amnesia in the rat

Rats that received one-trial passive avoidance training followed 15 sec later by electroconvulsive shock displayed extensive memory deficits on a 24-h retention test. Intraperitoneal injection of strychnine sulfate at various dosages up to 2.0 mg/kg body weight 1 min after ECS failed to/attenuate amnesia.
Robotic distal ureterectomy with psoas hitch and ureteroneocystostomy: Surgical technique and outcomes.

Abstract Use of the da Vinci ® surgical robotic system has expanded to numerous upper and lower urinary tract procedures. We describe our surgical technique and perioperative outcome of robotic distal ureterectomy with psoas hitch and ureteroneocystostomy for distal ureteral pathologies. Eight patients with a median age of 69.5 years old underwent robotic distal ureterectomy with psoas hitch and ureteroneocystostomy between April 2009 and August 2014. The entirety of all cases was performed robotically by a single surgeon at a tertiary academic medical center. Median operative time was 285 min (range: 210–360 min), estimated blood loss was 50 mL (range: 50–75 mL) and median length of hospital stay was 2.5 days (range: 1–6 days). There was one post-operative complication, a readmission for dehydration (Clavien I). It suggests that robotic distal ureterectomy with psoas hitch and ureteroneocystostomy is a safe and effective minimally invasive alternative for patients with distal ureteral pathology.
Marital Commitment and Religiosity in a Religiously Homogenous Population

Statewide surveys of marriage and divorce in Oklahoma and Utah point to the need to better understand the importance of commitment to marriage in a religiously homogenous population. The components of commitment—to their spouse, to marriage as an institution, and constraints to stay in the relationship—were explored in relation to religious values and attendance in an organized religion. Results indicate significant associations between these variables, with higher levels of values and attendance having a positive relationship with commitment to spouse and marriage. Constraint commitment was associated with lower religious values and attendance.
Alar base resection for wide flaring nostrils.

Abstract The technique described produces inrolling and narrowing of the alar base by a predetermined amount, depending upon the width of the resected tissue and reestablishes the ala-cheek fold by contraction of the non-sutured wound.
Software protection of micro computer software (abstract only)

The software pirate is ubiquitous. There is no way of estimating the quantity of stolen software. The suggestion has been made that part of the solution to this problem be through the teaching of ethics, and of the law. This reminds the writer of the effects the same approach which was taken during prohibition, and is now being taken to suppress drug traffic. Which cured neither problem. This author believes that human nature is reasonably constant, that this “new” problem isn't new but can be considered as a combination of human greed combined with the almost certainty of a lack of punishment, either legally, or of community disapproval. The combination of greed + no punishment can only be stopped by the removal of one or both of the reason for software theft. The chance of actual punishment is very low — much less than that of getting a parking ticket. This is only one solution the author can see — remove the profit factor. Bootlegging wasn't stopped by the revenuers — the author lived in north Georgia for a time, where corn was measured in gallons per acre. It wasn't stopped by a lack of greed. It simply became unprofitable. The argument the author presents is that the only way the problem can be attached successfully is for the software vendors to charge a low enough price that theft isn't worth the trouble — at least a few software houses are taking this approach, with some success.
AUTOKINETIC MOVEMENT AS A FUNCTION OF THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION IN A TARGET SHAPE

Amount of information was manipulated in four different target shapes; an additional target shape, a ring, was used as a control stimulus. Two levels of information were established, high and low. Information increased by simply adding detail and adding elements that suggested altered meaning. It was predicted that (1) highly informative targets would show some increase in autokinetic movement in the direction suggested by the target shape compared to the low-information form of the target and (2) that the magnitude of increase would be greater for "elements that altered meaning" than for "simple addition of detail." The first hypothesis was supported but the second was not.
Cigarette Smoking Cessation Services in Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Programs in the United States

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and determinants of cigarette smoking cessation treatment in U.S. outpatient substance abuse treatment (OSAT) units. Methods Program directors and clinical supervisors from a national sample of 550 OSAT units in the United States were surveyed in 2004–2005. Supervisors reported the availability of cigarette smoking assessment, and individual or group counseling and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. This analysis examines whether institutional and resource factors influence the delivery of these services. Results Of OSAT programs in the United States, 41% offer smoking cessation counseling or pharmacotherapy, 38% offer individual/group counseling, and 17% provide quit-smoking medication. In multivariate models, hospital affiliation, service breadth, the priority given to physical health, the availability of medication to treat addictive problems, assessment of cigarette smoking, and a greater perception of the proportion of patients who smoke were associated with the delivery of smoking cessation services. Program size and medical staffing also influenced the availability of quit-smoking medication. Conclusions Of U.S. OSAT programs, two in five offer behavioral treatment for smoking cessation, but fewer than one in five provide access to pharmacotherapy. Substance abuse treatment programs that are medically oriented, provide more comprehensive services, and recognize the burden of tobacco smoking among their patients are more likely to deliver evidence-based smoking cessation services.
Effects of bacterial contamination on development and blood chemistry of Heliothis virescens

Abstract 1. 1. The age of Heliothis virescens (F.) larvae at the time of bacterial contamination of their diet, as well as contaminant species, had a significant influence on yield of the pupae. 2. 2. Pupae produced on contaminated diet weighed less than normal. 3. 3. All species of contaminating bacteria studied had detrimental effects on egg hatch. 4. 4. The carbohydrate level in larvae contaminated by Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn was significantly less than that of the control and that of larvae exposed to Escherichia coli (Migula) Castellani and Chalmers, and Staphylococcus epidermidis (Winslow and Winslow) Evans. 5. 5. The significant decrease of uric acid detected in the blood of H. virescens contaminated with B. subtilis and S. epidermidis may be indicative of increased excretion of water in the feces. 6. 6. There was an unexplained significant increase of cholesterol in the blood of S. epidermidis treated larvae.
Evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations regarding routine testing for human immunodeficiency virus by an inpatient service: who are we missing?

OBJECTIVE To assess the proportion of hospitalized patients who tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by a routine inpatient testing service, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who might not have been identified had routine testing not been offered. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, the medical records of patients who tested HIV positive by the inpatient testing service between 1999 and 2003 were compared with the medical records of inpatients who tested HIV negative by the inpatient testing service and the medical records of patients who tested HIV positive in ambulatory settings. We compared HIV risk factors, discharge diagnoses, CD4 cell counts, and HIV RNA concentrations. RESULTS A total of 243 patients participated in this study: 81 patients who tested HIV positive and 81 who tested HIV negative by the inpatient testing service, and 81 patients who tested HIV positive in ambulatory settings. Both HIV-positive inpatients and HIV-positive outpatients had similar frequencies of HIV risk factors (46% vs 43%; P =.75). Both groups differed significantly from HIV-negative inpatients (4%; P 3 ; P 10 HIV RNA; P =.001). At diagnosis, 64 HIV-positive inpatients (79%) met criteria for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome compared with 21 HIV-positive outpatients (26%) ( P CONCLUSION Patients who tested HIV positive through inpatient testing have more advanced disease than those identified as outpatients. Half of these patients would not have been identified had testing not been routinely offered. Routine inpatient HIV testing offers an important opportunity to identify patients with HIV infection.
Ethnobotany and horticulture: Two fields with more in common than plants

Flagler, Joel and Raymond P. Poincelot, eds. People‐Plant Relationships: Setting Research Priorities. Binghampton, NY: Haworth Press, 1994. xix + 444 pp. including index. $49.95 cloth. Etkin, Nina ...
Biomechanics of injury in lateral impacts

Fourteen anesthetized swine were subjected to blunt lateral impact at velocities of 4.3, 6.7, or 8.2 m/s with a 15 cm flat pendulum weighing 23.4 kg accelerated to impact speed by a power-assisted pneumatic impactor. Injuries consisted of laceration of the liver and spleen resulting in severe hemoperitoneum and death by ventricular fibrillation and respiratory arrest in the highest severity impacts. Logist analysis of the biomechanical responses and serious or fatal injury indicated that the maximum Viscous response (VC) had the best correlation with injury risk. A tolerance level of VC = 0.89 m/s was determined for a 25% probability of serious injury. In contrast, maximum chest compression did not correlate with injury. The experiments indicate that internal organ and soft tissue injury may occur by a Viscous mechanism during the rapid phase of compression of the body. The Viscous response is an effective measure of injury risk in side impacts.
DNQX in the nucleus accumbens inhibits cocaine-induced conditioned place preference

Several lines of evidence suggest that activation of both AMPA/kainate receptors and dopaminergic receptors in the nucleus accumbens may be required for psychostimulant drug induced reward. However, it has been reported that dopaminergic antagonists fail to block acquisition of conditioned place preference to cocaine. The goal of these experiments was to determine whether AMPA receptor antagonist injected into the nucleus accumbens could block conditioned place preference elicited by cocaine under conditions where dopaminergic antagonists do not inhibit acquisition of place preference. DNQX (1 microgram/0.5 microliter), injected into the nucleus accumbens just before systemic injections of cocaine (20 mg/kg i.p.) during the training sessions, attenuated the acquisition of place preference. This suggests that AMPA receptors are involved in acquisition of place preference to cocaine. By contrast, fluphenazine (2.5 micrograms/0.5 microliter), injected into the nucleus accumbens during training, did not alter cocaine-induced place preference. Analysis of locomotor activity showed that the ability of flyphenazine to inhibit cocaine-induced hyperactivity progressively decreased with each training session. These observations suggest that the failure of dopaminergic antagonists to block cocaine-induced place preference may be related to adaptations occurring following repeated exposure to these drugs. Both DNQX and fluphenazine blocked the expression of conditioned place preference in rats that had been previously trained with cocaine alone. This result suggests that both AMPA and dopaminergic receptors are involved in the expression of a conditioned place preference to cocaine.
Transient stability of a NbTi cable-in-conduit superconductor

The transient stability of a NbTi cable-in-conduit conductor cooled by supercritical helium was experimentally investigated by inductively heating the conductor for short time durations. The analysis was carried out by deriving a heat-transfer coefficient, having transient and quasi-steady state components, which is shown to be consistent with heat-transfer data. >
Autoimmune diatheses and T lymphocyte immunoincompetences in BB rats

BB rats were found to have autoantibodies to gastric parietal cells, thyroid colloid antigens, smooth muscle, and thymocytes. No autoantibodies reactive with pancreatic islet cells (cytoplasmic), thyroid epithelial cells, adrenal cortex, testes, or anterior pituitary sections were identified. BB rats with gastric parietel autoantibodies had modest degrees of lymphocytic gastritis, but none developed iron or vitamin B 12 deficiencies. These results suggest that BB rats have an underlying autoimmune diathesis. In addition, reports of peripheral T lymphopenia in such rats were confirmed, and markedly reduced helper T cell and cytotoxic-suppressor T cell subsets were demonstrated. Histological studies also revealed depletions of the T cell areas of spleen and lymph nodes. Furthermore, BB rats exhibited a profound inability to reject skin grafts across major and minor histocompatibility barriers. This was confirmed by mixed lymphocyte culture studies in vitro. BB-rat lymphocytes from either spleen or peripheral blood also showed profoundly reduced responses to T cell mitogens. Although BB-rat lymphocytes could produce normal levels of interleukin-2, they were unable to respond to this T cell growth factor. However, examination of thymuses from BB rats showed largely normal histologies, normal numbers of thymocyte subsets, and good mitogenic responses to con A. Thus, it appears that BB rats may have a thymic or post thymic defect in T lymphocyte maturation. The relevance of the immunologic lesion to the etiology of IDD in BB rats remains to be shown.
OPTIMAL SCHEDULING FOR INVESTMENT OF EXCESS CASH

A method is presented for the scheduling of a company's investments of its predictable, short-term, excess cash. The problem is structured in a way that leads to a fairly simple dynamic programming algorithm. The method is very flexible with regard to the type of investments considered; no structural properties of rates of return or availability are made except that they are predictable. The method allows the choice of holding to maturity or not and the choice can differ for different types of investments. A bank constraint, which fixes the average bank balance over the planning period, is added and the method of solution obtained.
High voltage solid state switches for space applications

A considerable saving in satellite weight is available if loads such as ion thrusters can be operated directly from high voltage solar cell supplies. Such operation raises the need for a high voltage switch for changing loads and reconfiguring the array at different stages of the mission, Silicon p-n junctions can theoretically be made with very high breakdown voltages but processing technology limits switching devices to a few thousand volts. It is shown that increasing the blocking voltage leads to a corresponding increase in the on state conduction loss for a given current density and that the most efficient use of silicon is made by blocking the voltage over several reverse-biased junctions in series. For off-on d.c switching capability series transistor configurations are superior to series thyristor configurations. Control electrodes of the series transistors will be at widely separated potentials when the switch ie off leading to the selection of optoelectronic triggering methods. A conceptual switch design based on the study uses thyristors in the transistor bias supply to minimize the number of power supplies required.
Gray blood magnetic resonance for carotid wall imaging and visualization of deep-seated and superficial vascular calcifications.

White blood and black blood magnetic resonance imaging methods are often used for lumenography and visualization of the arterial wall, respectively. However, the use of white blood imaging invariably obscures arterial wall boundaries, and thus, impedes precise measurement of arterial wall area. Conversely, black blood imaging imposes strict limits on sequence timing to suppress the arterial lumen, and by itself, precludes separation of superficial calcification from the hypointense arterial lumen. In this work, a three-dimensional arterial wall imaging methodology providing gray blood image contrast is described that remedies the above limitations. When applied to the carotid arteries, the described gray blood imaging method is found to clearly depict the inner and outer arterial wall boundaries as well as superficial and deep-seated vascular calcifications. A tailored phase-encoding schedule is also presented that enables concurrent gray and black blood, or “dual contrast,” imaging of the arterial wall with no increase in the acquisition time. Taken together, presented data demonstrate that gray and dual blood contrast magnetic resonance imaging provide an efficient means for viewing and characterizing the composition of atherosclerotic plaques. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Are quarks and leptons dynamically confined in four flat extra dimensions

Rubakov and Shaposhnikov have shown that the domain wall generated by real one-component φ4 theory extended to five flat (non-compact) dimensions can trap a massive bosonic excitation on the wall M4; adding LD = i Σμ=04 ψγμ∂μψ + gψφψ likewise traps a massless left-chiral Dirac particle on the wall. Independently, Kaplan has proposed this same mechanism to generate a massless chiral fermion to circumvent no-go theorems in lattice gauge theories. We show that if the Dirac field equation is extended to (7+1) flat dimensions and the classical domain wall replaced in the four extra dimensions R4 by a harmonic-oscillator potential plus a large constant, then “orbital” times “spin” solutions are generated in R4 which exhibit approximate SU(4) × SU(2) symmetry. In an SU(4) = SU(3) × U(1) decomposition, the 1 and 3 irreps of SU(3) resemble singlet and triplet color, respectively, while the U(1) symmetry yields replications suggesting generation number. Doublet representations of SU(2) resemble weak isospin. Thus these representations bear some resemblance to quarks and leptons. We indicate an SU(3)-invariant coupling of gluons to these “quarks”, and a left-right symmetric coupling of the proposed quarks and “leptons” to electroweak bosons. We suggest looking for an alternate mechanism to the HO well, perhaps a (Euclidean) instanton.
Combined FDG-positron emission tomography and computed tomography for the detection of ovarian cancer recurrence in an inguinal hernia sac

Abstract Background. Ovarian cancer recurrence presenting in an inguinal hernia sac is rare. Only 1 case of malignant ovarian cancer growing into an inguinal hernia sac has been reported in the English literature. Combined positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) may have a potential role in the early detection and anatomical localization of recurrent ovarian cancer. Case report. This is the first case of occult metastasis from ovarian cancer recurrence growing in a right inguinal hernia sac identified using combined FDG-PET/CT. Conclusion. Preoperative combined FDG-PET/CT imaging may have utility in the detection and anatomic localization of occult ovarian cancer recurrence, which may increase the likelihood of complete resection.
Coatings formed at the interface of glass and plumbite-treated cotton

Abstract Novel thin glassy films formed by heating plumbite-treated cotton in contact with a silicate material were examined by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, electron transmission and electron scanning microscopy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, energy-dispersive analysis by X-rays, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, X-ray fluorescence and atomic absorption. The films were formed by an unusual mechanism which was dubbed “element migration”.
Alterations in sarcoplasmic reticulum cakcium uptake, relaxation parameters and their responses to β-adrenergic agonists in the developing rabbit heart

Abstract Developmental changes in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum function, which may reflect alterations in the myocardial rate of relaxation and its responses to β-adrenergic stimulation, were assessed using fetal, 4-day-old, 21-day-old and adult rabbit hearts. The fetal hearts exhibited the slowest rate of relaxation ( −dP/dt) and the lowest Vmax and EC550 of the Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-pump for Ca2+ compared to the other age groups. These parameters were similar among the 4-day-old, 21-day-old and adult hearts. The low physiological and biochemical parameters in the fetal hearts reflected reduced levels of expression of the Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-pump and its inhibitor, phospholamban, assessed by quantitative immunoblotting. lsoproterenol perfusion of fetal hearts had no significant effect on their relaxation parameters or on the ECS50 of the Ca2+-pump for Ca 2+ consistent with the low relative levels of phospholamban expressed in these hearts. However. perfusion of the 4-day-old, 21-day-old and adult hearts with isoproterenol resulted in significant increases in the rates of relaxation of each group. The increases in relaxation parameters were associated with decreases in the EC50 of the cardiac Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-pump for Ca2+, suggesting a phosphorylation-mediated relief of the phospholamban inhibitory effects. These findings indicate that developmental regulation of the levels of the activity of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-pump may reflect alterations in cardiac relaxation parameters and their modulation by β-adrenergic agonists.
Engaging the vascular component of the tumor response

Recent research has shed new light on the critical role of tissue microvasculature in regulating the tumor response to radiation and drugs. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Moeller et al.(2005) demonstrate that HIF-1 activation during the course of fractionated radiotherapy initiates pleiotropic adaptive responses in both tumor cells and the microvascular network, radiosensitizing tumor cells but concomitantly conferring tumor radioresistance due to protection of the microvascular endothelium. HIF-1 thus serves as a legitimate target for differential modulation of tissue response to radiation.
Abstract 4932: Genistein Can Induce Demethylation Of Wnt Negative Regulatory Genes In Prostate Cancer Cells

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Among American men, prostate cancer is a prevalent malignancy that accounts for an estimated 192,280 new cases and 27,360 deaths in 2009. Previous work has determined that the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene that negatively regulates the Wnt pathway is hypermethylated in a high proportion of prostate cancers. We hypothesized that methylation of additional Wnt negative regulatory genes may also play a role in prostate cancer progression such as SRY box 7 (SOX7), Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1), secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) and dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK3). To test this hypothesis, the basal level methylation status was tested in several prostate cancer patient tumor and adjacent normal samples by methylation specific PCR. When the methylation status of some of these genes was explored, there was variation in the methylation of some of these genes, particularly DKK3 among different patients. This preliminary finding may suggest that the methylation status of some of these genes may play a role in the progression of prostate cancer. In this study, we propose that demethylation of these Wnt negative regulatory genes may allow for a decrease activity of the Wnt signaling pathway. Genistein is a soy isoflavone that has many potentially therapeutic activities, including demethylation of DNA. We hypothesized that treatment of prostate cancer cells could lead to demethylation and re-expression of these genes. To test our hypothesis, prostate cancer cell lines LNCAP and DU145 were treated with for 6 days with concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 µM genistein. We observed a dose-dependent reduction in methylation of SOX7, DKK3, WIF1, and SFRP1. Taken together, these data indicate that genistein may have therapeutic value for patients with prostate cancer. As a therapeutic agent, genistein treatment has potential solely or in combination with other compounds to demethylate Wnt negative regulatory genes and possibly impact patient outcomes. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4932.
Aerosol measurement by laser doppler spectroscopy—II. Operational limits, effects of polydispersity, and applications

Abstract The theoretical basis and the results of a computer simulation are presented which describe the operational limits of size and concentration for aerosol sizing by laser Doppler spectroscopy LDS,. This analysis suggests that a state of the art LDS system has the capability of sizing 0·03 μm diameter particles when the number concentration is 108 cm−3 or greater and 0·2 μm diameter for coocentrations as low as 100 particles cm−3. An evaluation of the effect on the laser Doppler spectroscopy measurements of a polydisperse aerosol having a log normal size distribution is presented and methods for combining these measurements with other averaged measurements to determine both count median diameter (CMD) and geometric standard deviation (δg) are proposed. For aerosols having log normal distributions with 0·3
Increased Life for Gas Turbine Combustion Systems Burning Residual Fuel

ASME Paper 48-A-109 described combustion liners and fuel nozzles which were originally used in General Electric gas turbines. Operating experience has shown certain shortcomings of these, particularly in regard to liner life and frequency of changing required by the fuel nozzles. This paper describes a new type of liner and fuel nozzle which, on the basis of limited field experience, have shown considerable improvement in these respects. It also gives a brief review of test data and operating experience on combustion liners and fuel nozzles.Copyright © 1956 by ASME
Shell-model studies of statistical approximations to model interactions

Abstract Statistical nuclear spectroscopy points to the importance of traces of bilinear products of operators acting in a model space. This leads to an algorithm for expanding any interaction in terms of simpler operators, which takes on special significance when the space is first partitioned by symmetries and the approximation is required to reproduce subspace centroids. Here, in anticipation of applications in statistical spectroscopy where the use of trace-equivalent forms for operators can lead to major simplifications, we report on detailed shell-model comparisons of excitation spectra, eigenstate overlaps and B(E2) transition strengths in 20Ne and 22Ne with a realistic interaction and its configuration-isospin and SU(3) trace-equivalent approximations. SU(3) symmetry breaking by single-particle shell effects is studied and renormalization procedures for trace-equivalent approximations are investigated.
Quantitative determinations of normal horse, cat, and dog haptoglobins

Abstract A haptoglobin assay method, based on the principle that cyanmet-hemoglobin is protected from acid denaturation when bound to haptoglobin, was evaluated and found to be well suited for haptoglobin determinations in horses, cats and dogs. Wide haptoglobin ranges were observed in each species. Inasmuch as no significant differences were observed between species, a normal range of 20 to 190 mg cyanmethemoglobin binding capacity/dl serum or plasma is recommended for use in all 3 species.
Polyphosphazenes: effect of molecular motions on thrombogenesis

The effect and interrelationship between primary (segmental backbone) and secondary (side chain) molecular motions on thrombogenesis, independent of morphological order/disorder, crystallinity, and/or associated water is elucidated using an amorphous hydrophobic polymer of poly-[(trifluoroethoxy) (fluoroalkoxy)phosphazene], PNF. The results indicate that thrombogenesis for an amorphous hydrophobic polymer is sensitive and dependent on the degrees and types of primary and secondary molecular motions at the polymer interface.
Large dynamic range beam profile measurements

Large dynamic range (peak/noise>10/sup 5/) beam profile measurements are routinely performed in the Hall-B beamline at Jefferson Lab. These measurements are made with a 1 to 10 nA electron beam current with energies between 1 to 6 GeV. The electron beam scatters off of a thin (25 /spl mu/m) W or Fe wire and the scattered particle/shower is detected via scintillation or Cerenkov light several meters downstream of the wire. This light is converted to an electrical pulse via photomultiplier tubes (PMT). The PMT readout and wire motion are controlled and synchronized by VME electronics. This report describes results on increasing the dynamic range by using multiple wires of varying diameters. Profile measurements with this large dynamic range can be of use for machines with very large beam currents (e.g. energy recovering linacs) where any fractional beam loss represents a significant amount of beam power.
Low complexity demodulator for M-ary QAM

In this paper, a simple hard decision method for demodulating M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is presented. Traditionally, the M-ary QAM demodulator employs the maximum likelihood algorithm as the decision rule. It assumes equally likely message symbols. Accordingly, a maximum likelihood decoder computes the log-likelihood functions as metrics for all possible M message symbols, compares them, and then decides in favor of the maximum. When M is larger, the number of multiplications, additions, subtractions, and comparisons are significantly increased. As opposed to decode the received symbol, a new bit level decoding scheme is proposed based on the signal constellation. This bit decoding scheme is significantly simpler and faster than the conventional method. Simulation results show it presents the same bit error rate (BER) performance as the conventional method.
HCV IRES manipulates the ribosome to promote the switch from translation initiation to elongation

The internal ribosome entry site (IRES) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) drives noncanonical initiation of protein synthesis necessary for viral replication. Functional studies of the HCV IRES have focused on 80S ribosome formation but have not explored its role after the 80S ribosome is poised at the start codon. Here, we report that mutations of an IRES domain that docks in the 40S subunit's decoding groove cause only a local perturbation in IRES structure and result in conformational changes in the IRES-rabbit 40S subunit complex. Functionally, the mutations decrease IRES activity by inhibiting the first ribosomal translocation event, and modeling results suggest that this effect occurs through an interaction with a single ribosomal protein. The ability of the HCV IRES to manipulate the ribosome provides insight into how the ribosome's structure and function can be altered by bound RNAs, including those derived from cellular invaders.
Optimizing binary translation of dynamically generated code

Dynamic binary translation serves as a core technology that enables a wide range of important tools such as profiling, bug detection, program analysis, and security. Many of the target applications often include large amounts of dynamically generated code, which poses a special performance challenge in maintaining consistency between the source application and the translated application. This paper introduces two approaches for optimizing binary translation of JITs and other dynamic code generators. First we present a system of efficient source code annotations that allow developers to demarcate dynamic code regions and identify code changes within those regions. The second technique avoids the annotation and source code requirements by automatically inferring the presence of a JIT and instrumenting its write instructions with translation consistency operations. We implemented these techniques in DynamoRIO and demonstrate performance improvements over the state-of-the-art DBT systems on JIT applications as high as 7.3× over base DynamoRIO and Pin.
Science and Policy to Meet at 2013 AGU Conference

On 24–26 June, hundreds of leading scientists, policy makers, industry professionals, and other interested stakeholders will join together at AGU's second annual Science Policy Conference in Washington, D. C. The theme for the 2013 conference, “Preparing for Our Future,” serves as a discussion point on how the Earth and space sciences can better prepare communities for a changing climate, support the national economy through innovative science, and protect the health and safety of humans and the environment around the globe.
Why is Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus not ubiquitous in the human population?

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), a γ-herpesvirus, is the causative agent of Kaposi's sarcoma. While the incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma may be explained by the differences in the prevalence of KSHV, there is currently no explanation for the variation of KSHV prevalence in different geographic locations and populations. This review summarizes the current understanding of KSHV transmission and aims to provide insight into how KHSV may be transmitted and maintained in the human population.
3D description and inversion of reflection moveout of PS-waves in anisotropic media

Common-midpoint moveout of converted waves is generally asymmetric with respect to zero offset and cannot be described by the traveltime series t2(x2) conventionally used for pure modes. Here, we present concise parametric expressions for both common-midpoint (CMP) and common-conversion-point (CCP) gathers of PS-waves for arbitrary anisotropic, horizontally layered media above a plane dipping reflector. This analytic representation can be used to model 3D (multi-azimuth) CMP gathers without time-consuming two-point ray tracing and to compute attributes of PS moveout such as the slope of the traveltime surface at zero offset and the coordinates of the moveout minimum. In addition to providing an efficient tool for forward modelling, our formalism helps to carry out joint inversion of P and PS data for transverse isotropy with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI media). If the medium above the reflector is laterally homogeneous, P-wave reflection moveout cannot constrain the depth scale of the model needed for depth migration. Extending our previous results for a single VTI layer, we show that the interval vertical velocities of the P- and S-waves (VP0 and VS0) and the Thomsen parameters e and δ can be found from surface data alone by combining P-wave moveout with the traveltimes of the converted PS(PSV)-wave. If the data are acquired only on the dip line (i.e. in 2D), stable parameter estimation requires including the moveout of P- and PS-waves from both a horizontal and a dipping interface. At the first stage of the velocity-analysis procedure, we build an initial anisotropic model by applying a layer-stripping algorithm to CMP moveout of P- and PS-waves. To overcome the distorting influence of conversion-point dispersal on CMP gathers, the interval VTI parameters are refined by collecting the PS data into CCP gathers and repeating the inversion. For 3D surveys with a sufficiently wide range of source–receiver azimuths, it is possible to estimate all four relevant parameters (VP0, VS0, e and δ) using reflections from a single mildly dipping interface. In this case, the P-wave NMO ellipse determined by 3D (azimuthal) velocity analysis is combined with azimuthally dependent traveltimes of the PS-wave. On the whole, the joint inversion of P and PS data yields a VTI model suitable for depth migration of P-waves, as well as processing (e.g. transformation to zero offset) of converted waves.
Chemoprevention of Breast Cancer

The development of pharmacologic agents for the prevention of breast cancer is a significant milestone in medical and laboratory research. Despite these advances, the endorsement of preventive options has become challenging and complex, as physicians are expected to counsel and tailor their recommendations using a personalized approach taking into account medical comorbidities, degree of risk and patient preferences. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the major breast cancer prevention trials, review of the pharmacologic options available for breast cancer prevention, and strategies for integrating chemoprevention of breast cancer in high-risk women into clinical practice.
Increased aggregation propensity of IgG2 subclass over IgG1: Role of conformational changes and covalent character in isolated aggregates

Aggregation of human therapeutic antibodies represents a significant hurdle to product development. In a test across multiple antibodies, it was observed that IgG1 antibodies aggregated less, on average, than IgG2 antibodies under physiological pH and mildly elevated temperature. This phenomenon was also observed for IgG1 and IgG2 subclasses of anti-streptavidin, which shared 95% sequence identity but varied in interchain disulfide connectivity. To investigate the structural and covalent changes associated with greater aggregation in IgG2 subclasses, soluble aggregates from the two forms of anti-streptavidin were isolated and characterized. Sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC) measurements confirmed that the aggregates were present in solution, and revealed that the IgG1 aggregate was composed of a predominant species, whereas the IgG2 aggregate was heterogeneous. Tertiary structural changes accompanied antibody aggregation as evidenced by greater ANS (8-Anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid) binding to the aggregates over monomer, and differences in disulfide character and tryptophan environments between monomer, oligomer and aggregate species, as observed by near-UV circular dichroism (CD). Differences between subclasses were observed in the secondary structural changes that accompanied aggregation, particularly in the intermolecular β-sheet and turn structures between the monomer and aggregate species. Free thiol determination showed ∼2.4-fold lower quantity of free cysteines in the IgG1 subclass, consistent with the 2.4-fold reduction in aggregation of the IgG1 form when compared with IgG2 under these conditions. These observations suggested an important role for disulfide bond formation, as well as secondary and tertiary structural transitions, during antibody aggregation. Such degradations may be minimized using appropriate formulation conditions.
Donor kidney recovery methods and the incidence of lymphatic complications in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Lymphatic leak and lymphocele are well-known complications after kidney transplantation. Objective: To determine the incidence of lymphatic complications in recipients of living donor kidneys. Methods: Among 642 kidney transplants performed between 1999 and 2007, the incidence of lymphatic complications was retrospectively analyzed in recipients of living donor kidneys procured by laparoscopic nephrectomy (LP, n=218) or by open nephrectomy (OP, n=127) and deceased donor kidneys (DD, n=297). A Jackson-Pratt drain was placed in the retroperitoneal space in all recipients and was maintained until the output became less than 30 mL/day. Results: Although the incidence of symptomatic lymphocele, which required therapeutic intervention, was comparable in all groups, the duration of mean±SD drain placement was significantly longer in the LP group—8.6±2.7 days compared to 5.6±1.2 days in the OP group and 5.4±0.7 days in the DD group (p<0.001). Higher output of lymphatic drainage in recipients of LP kidneys could lead to a higher incidence of lymphocele if wound drainage is not provided. Conclusion: More meticulous back table preparation may be required in LP kidneys to decrease lymphatic complications after kidney transplantation. These observations also support the suggestion that the major source of persistent lymphatic drainage following renal transplantation is severed lymphatics of the allograft rather than those of the recipient’s iliac space.
Modeling Low-k Dielectric Breakdown to Determine Lifetime Requirements

Low-k dielectric breakdown and stress migration have emerged as new sources of wearout for on-chip interconnect. This article analyzes statistical data from a 45-nm test chip and constructs a methodology to determine the lifetime of low-k materials under process variations.
Low energy compact power modulators for transient plasma ignition

In this paper recent studies of compact power modulators, used to produce nonequilibrium plasma in the transient, formative phase of an arc, and applied to ignition of a quiescent fuel-air mixture in a constant-volume reactor, are reported. In this work, ignition delays produced by transient plasma were measured and compared in pre-mixed C2H4-air at atmospheric pressure. Two compact power modulators studied included; 1) a 54 ns pseudospark switched line-type power modulator that delivered 365 mJ per pulse, and 2) a 12 ns SCR-switched magnetic compression based power modulator that delivered 75 mJ per pulse. Despite the difference in energy delivered, both systems achieved similar ignition delays across a broad range of fuel-air equivalence ratios, and produced ignition delays up to two times shorter than those produced using traditional spark ignition. The results indicate that lower energy and therefore more compact power modulators may be used for this application.
Synthesis of novel basic head-to-side-chain cyclic dynorphin A analogs: strategies and side reactions.

Novel N-terminus-to-side-chain cyclic analogs of the opioid peptide dynorphin (Dyn) A-(1-11)NH(2) were prepared that retain the basicity of the N-terminal amine and restrict the backbone conformation around the important Tyr(1) residue. Cyclic peptides were synthesized in which the N-terminal amine and the N(epsilon)-amine of a Lys at position 3 or 5 were attached to the alpha-carbon and carbonyl of an acetyl group, respectively. Several synthetic strategies were explored with detailed analysis of the side reactions in order to obtain the desired cyclic peptides. One of the side reactions observed involved premature loss of the N-terminal 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) group during the neutralization step following deprotection of the Mtt (4-methyltrityl) protecting group from the side chain of Lys. The successful strategy involved the synthesis of the linear peptide up through Gly(2) and functionalization through the N(epsilon)-amine of Lys. A linear N-terminal alkylated analog was prepared by alkylation of the peptide on the resin with an equimolar amount of bromoacetamide, followed by treatment of the peptide with Fmoc-OSu prior to cleavage from the resin to facilitate separation by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography of unreacted peptide from the desired alkylated product. The novel N-terminal cyclic Dyn A analogs and the linear analog were evaluated for their opioid receptor affinities. These peptides exhibited large losses in affinity for opioid receptors; the low affinity of the linear N-terminal alkylated peptide suggested that the alpha-acetamide group on the N-terminal amine resulted in unfavorable interactions with opioid receptors.
A NAP-AAO3 Regulatory Module Promotes Chlorophyll Degradation via ABA Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis Leaves

Chlorophyll degradation is an important part of leaf senescence, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms are largely unknown. Excised leaves of an Arabidopsis thaliana NAC-LIKE, ACTIVATED BY AP3/PI (NAP) transcription factor mutant (nap) exhibited lower transcript levels of known chlorophyll degradation genes, STAY-GREEN1 (SGR1), NON-YELLOW COLORING1 (NYC1), PHEOPHYTINASE (PPH), and PHEIDE a OXYGENASE (PaO), and higher chlorophyll retention than the wild type during dark-induced senescence. Transcriptome coexpression analysis revealed that abscisic acid (ABA) metabolism/signaling genes were disproportionately represented among those positively correlated with NAP expression. ABA levels were abnormally low in nap leaves during extended darkness. The ABA biosynthetic genes 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE2, ABA DEFICIENT3, and ABSCISIC ALDEHYDE OXIDASE3 (AAO3) exhibited abnormally low transcript levels in dark-treated nap leaves. NAP transactivated the promoter of AAO3 in mesophyll cell protoplasts, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that NAP can bind directly to a segment (−196 to −162 relative to the ATG start codon) of the AAO3 promoter. Exogenous application of ABA increased the transcript levels of SGR1, NYC1, PPH, and PaO and suppressed the stay-green phenotype of nap leaves during extended darkness. Overexpression of AAO3 in nap leaves also suppressed the stay-green phenotype under extended darkness. Collectively, the results show that NAP promotes chlorophyll degradation by enhancing transcription of AAO3, which leads to increased levels of the senescence-inducing hormone ABA.