cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbon-oxygen isotopic composition of Flagstaff carbonate rocks and its bearing on the history of Paleocene-Eocene Lake Flagstaff of central Utah

Abstract The carbon and oxygen isotopic composition of freshwater dolomitic and calcitic carbonate rocks and of calcitic molluscs from the Flagstaff formation (Paleocene-Eocene) of central Utah is consistent with the three-phase depositional history proposed by Spieker (1949) on the basis of stratigraphic relations and lithology. The isotopic data are also consistent with the hypothesis that the middle Flagstaff unit derived its “evaporitic” nature from the influx of soluble material from Jurassic salt beds. Penecontemporaneous, or very early diagenetic dolomitization of the fine-grained calcitic ooze with probable oxygen isotopic equilibration between calcite and dolomite is indicated. Carbon isotope ratios suggest increasing influx of stream-borne sediments in the last stage of Lake Flagstaff.
Wavelet packet denoising robust regression applied to estimation of equivalent circuit parameters for thickness-shear-mode acoustic wave sensor

An Erratum has been published for this article in Journal of Chemometrics 14(1) 2000, 47. Fluctuation in characteristic parameters of the equivalent circuit for a thickness-shear-mode (TSM) acoustic wave sensor is a troublesome problem encountered in their practical applications. This fluctuation is due to interference from normal and non-normal noise of the impedance analyser. In this paper, a novel robust non-linear fitting method, namely complex least trimmed squares regression via wavelet packet denoising (WPD-CLTSR), is proposed and utilized for robust parameter estimation to alleviate this fluctuation. The generalized simulated annealing (GSA) algorithm is adopted as an optimization procedure in the process of WPD-CLTSR to guarantee convergence to the global optimum. The results for both simulated and experimental data sets show a significant improvement in the fluctuation compared with a conventional least squares method and a robust regression method, i.e. the ordinary complex least squares regression (OCLSR) method and the complex least trimmed squares regression (CLTSR) method. Therefore the WPD-CLTSR method provides a safe alternative to the other widely used methods, no matter whether the noise is normal or non-normal. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Symbiotic Audio Communication on Interactive Transport

Congestion control for compressed audio is a nontrivial pursuit. Audio perception is highly susceptible to disturbance in temporal quality. We recently proposed and implemented a novel symbiotic perceptual audio streaming mechanism, which receives fast feedback from network and responds to impending congestion with advanced auditory perception based adaptation techniques and supports near flawless sound. The design is based on recently proposed iTCP. It enables a new principle where encoder trade-off fidelity for accurate audio temporal quality using fast network event feedback. We have tested it live over the Internet. In this paper, we share the performance of this system and report observed improvements in time-bounded streaming audio.
Operation Dynamics in Phase-Change Memory Cells and the Role of Access Devices

A detailed physical model of the heating and amorphization profiles in phase-change memory elements is applied to illustrate the effects of loads and pulse rise times on the reset operation of phase-change memory cells. Finite element modeling of the electrical and thermal transport is used for a mushroom phase-change memory element -- including temperature dependent materials parameters, thermoelectric terms and thermal boundary resistance between different materials - and integrated idealized circuit models are used for the access devices (MOSFET and diode, with a separate series resistance). The results show certain windows of loads and transient times that lead to successful reset operation without excessive wasted power, for the particular PCM cells and programming conditions simulated.
The Nyama of the Blacksmith: The Metaphysical Significance of Metallurgy in Africa

To begin with, the universe is conceived as a spiritual whole. This conception creates a "cosmos" in the true sense of the term: a universe in which all beings are interrelated, in which they become an organic whole. "Being" is perceived in terms of its relationship to the whole, which gives it meaning or ontological reality. To have being is to be a "force." Reciprocity becomes important in this view. We are part of web of relationships. Because "I am" I affect you. Because "you are" you affect me. The real is perceived as Unity, or, put another way, reality, significance, and meaning are unifying principles.
Unfavorable expression of pharmacologic markers in mucinous colorectal cancer (CRC)

Abstract Introduction: Patients with mucinous CRC generally have worse prognoses than those with the non-mucinous variety. The reason for this disparity is unclear but may result from a differential response to adjuvant chemotherapy. We examined known molecular markers for response to common chemotherapy in these two histologic subtypes. Methods: Medical records of surgically-treated patients with stage III CRC were reviewed for demographic data and outcome. Twenty-one patients with mucinous and thirty with non-mucinous tumors were matched for age, gender, tumor size, grade and location, and number of lymph node metastases. Total RNA from the tumors and adjacent normal mucosa was isolated and reverse transcribed. Quantitative expression levels of drug pathway genes were determined using TaqMan RT-PCR (5-FU: TYMS, DPYD, ECGF1; oxaliplatin: GSTP1, ERCC1 & 2; irinotecan: ABCB1, ABCG2, CYP3A4, UGT1A1, CES2, TOP1). Results: Mucinous tumors significantly overexpressed both TYMS and GSTP1 relative to non-mucinous tumors and patient-matched normal mucosa. No significant differences in expression of the remaining markers were found. Mean follow-up was 20 months; 17 patients had recurrent disease. Among patients receiving 5-FU, those with mucinous CRC experienced shorter disease-free survival than those with non-mucinous tumors (median DFS 13.8 vs. 46.5 months, p = 0.053). ∗ . Mucinous Non-mucinous Mucosa Tumor Mucosa Tumor TYMS 4.1 ± 0.4 17.7 ± 5.8 ∗† 4.9 ± 0.7 9.6 ± 2.3 ∗ GSTP1 60 ± 9.6 193 ± 40.4 ∗† 51 ± 7.1 139 ± 32.7 ∗ ∗ Denotes p † Denotes p Conclusions: Mucinous tumors overexpressed markers of resistance to 5-FU and oxaliplatin. Additionally, DFS was decreased in patients with mucinous CRC who were given 5-FU. Expression differences in genes influencing chemotherapeutic response may contribute to shorter times to recurrence in patients with mucinous tumors, suggesting that mucin staining should be evaluated in developmental trials for novel CRC treatments.
Growth in a Turing Model of Cortical Folding

The brain's cerebral cortex is folded into many gyri (hills) and sulci (valleys). Little is known about how the cortex folds or why the folds are located where they are. We have developed a spatio-temporal mathematical model of cortical folding to address this question. Our model utilizes a Turing reaction-diffusion system on an exponentially growing prolate spheroidal domain. This domain approximates the shape of the lateral ventricle (LV) during cortical development. The Intermediate Progenitor Model (IPM) of cortical folding states that regional patterning of self-amplication of intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs) in the subventricular zone of the LV corresponds with the formation of cortical folding. As self-amplication of IPCs is genetically controlled via chemical gradients, a Turing system is a logical choice to create a mathematical representation of the IPM. A growing domain model of cortical folding may be more realistic than previous static domain models of cortical folding since it incorporates the growth that naturally occurs as the brain develops. By comparing patterns generated by our growing prolate spheroid Turing system with those generated by a static prolate spheroid Turing system, we show that the addition of growth causes a significant change in system behavior; the system produces transient patterns instead of converging to one final pattern. Our model illustrates the importance of including growth in a model of cortical folding and can be utilized to explain certain human diseases of cortical folding.
Abuse of Inhalants: Motivation and Consequences

188 inhalant users, 157 heavy polydrug users, and 157 light polydrug users were interviewed concerning their reasons for drug abuse and the consequences they saw. Inhalant users were consistently more negatively affected by drug abuse and more strongly motivated toward drug abuse. The negative effects included factors of personal behavior, interpersonal adjustment, impulsivity, bad and distal consequences, and general drug-related trouble. Motivational factors implicated by inhalers were equally diverse, including internal, interpersonal, positive, and negative factors. These results are consistent with many current theories of drug addiction in general, suggesting that these theories may also be valid for the more specific, although less frequently addressed problem of inhalant abuse.
A SEASONAL COMPARISON OF CARBON, NITROGEN, AND PIGMENT CONTENT IN LAMINARIA SOLIDUNGULA AND L. SACCHARINA (PHAEOPHYTA) IN THE ALASKAN ARCTIC1

Laminaria solidungula and L. saccharina inhabit the Beaufort Sea in the Alaskan High Arctic. Laminaria solidungula is an Arctic endemic, whereas L. saccharina extends from north temperate Pacific and Atlantic waters to the Arctic. Previous studies have shown that the two species have different seasonal timing of growth, but little comparative physiological information exists. As a first step in characterizing these two species from a mixed Arctic population, we measured variations in carbon, nitrogen, and photosynthetic pigment content in blade tissue from plants collected under the fast ice in April and during the open water Period in late July, Both species exhibited seasonal differences in many measured variables; seasonal differences in L. solidungula were most pronounced in growing basal blades. For example, the molar CIN ratio of basal blades averaged 11 in April and 21 in July for L. solidungula and 11.5 in April and 28 in July for L. saccharina. Basal and mature second blades differed in pigment content in April but not in July: chlorophyll a + c in L. solidungula basal and mature second blades averaged 19 and 27 nmol.cm−2 in April and 30 and 29 nmol. cm−2 in July, respectively. The corresponding values for L. saccharina were 17 and 29 nmol.cm−2 in April and 16 and 16 nmol.cm−2 in July (95% confidence intervals approximately 1–3 nmol. cm −2). Carotenoids exhibited similar patterns. Species differences in pigments, carbon, and nitrogen were minor and were probably effects rather than causes of the different seasonal patterns of growth and development. The primary difference between the two species may be the ability of L. solidungula to retain multiple metabolically active blades and to fuel areal growth with stored carbohydrates during winter near-darkness, whereas L. saccharina growth is more closely tied to active photosynthesis in the growing basal blade. The cause of old blade retention in L. solidungula and the possibility of other physiological differences between the two species, including gametophytes, remain to be determined.
Post-tetanic potentiation in ganglia which are blocked with hexamethonium.

1 Post-tetanic potentiation (p.t.p.) of the compound action potential in the presence of hexamethonium was observed in the isolated stellate ganglion of the hamster using extracellular postganglionic recordings. 2 The magnitude of the p.t.p. was small (less than a 20% increase) in the control solution, but increased as the depth of blockade with hexamethonium was increased. 3 The magnitude of the p.t.p. was frequency-dependent between 1 and 40 Hz. 4 Atropine partially blocked the p.t.p. 5 McN-A-343, a muscarinic agonist, potentiated ganglionic transmission which had been partially blocked by hexamethonium. 6 Repetitive stimulation in the presence of hexamethonium potentiated the discharges induced by DMPP, a nicotonic agonist. The potentiation was blocked by atropine. 7 It was concluded that the p.t.p. in the presence of hexamethonium has the same characteristics as p.t.p. in the control solution. There appears to be both a muscarinic component and a presynaptic component of the p.t.p.
Unrecognized foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract of developmentally delayed children: A case series

Foreign body ingestion is very common in the pediatric population. Children with developmental delay are at an increased risk of foreign body ingestion for several reasons, including poor gross and fine motor control, prolonged oral phase, oral and pharyngeal dysphagia, impaired protective mechanisms, and difficulty communicating. Four patients between the ages of 3 and 18 years old with developmental delay presented with nonspecific gastrointestinal and pulmonary symptoms. Foreign bodies along the upper gastrointestinal tract were identified as the cause of these symptoms, and all four patients improved after endoscopic retrieval. A high index of suspicion should be had even in the absence of findings on routine imaging. Once symptoms are displayed, clinicians should aim to endoscopically or surgically remove the foreign body, depending on the location along the gastrointestinal tract.
The manner in which calories are restricted impacts mammary tumor cancer prevention

Although treatments for breast cancer have improved and long-term survival after diagnosis is now common, prevention of the disease is the ultimate goal. Weight loss or weight maintenance is one approach that has been recommended to reduce the risk of breast cancer, particularly for peri/postmenopausal women. This approach is supported by decades of data indicating that calorie restriction prevents spontaneous and chemically induced mammary tumor development in rodents. In most cases, calorie restriction was implemented by a consistent daily reduction of calories, i.e. chronic calorie restriction (CCR). There have also been several studies where periods of reduced caloric intake were followed by periods of refeeding, i.e. intermittent calorie restriction (ICR), resulting in the prevention of spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis. In most of the early studies, there were no direct comparisons of CCR to ICR. One study using moderate calorie restriction in a chemically induced breast cancer rat model found a slight increase in mammary tumor incidence compared with ad libitum fed and CCR rats. However, recently, it has been demonstrated in several transgenic mouse models of breast cancer that ICR consistently provided a greater degree of protection than CCR. This review will provide a detailed comparison of ICR and CCR for breast cancer prevention. It will also examine potential mechanisms of action that may include periods of reduced IGF-I and leptin as well as an increase in the adiponectin:leptin ratio. Application of this approach to at-risk women may provide an approach to lower the risk of breast cancer in overweight/obese women.
Comparing robust regression lines associated with two dependent groups when there is heteroscedasticity

The paper deals with three approaches to comparing the regression lines corresponding to two dependent groups when using a robust estimator. The focus is on the Theil---Sen estimator with some comments about alternative estimators that might be used. The first approach is to test the global hypothesis that the two groups have equal intercepts and slopes in a manner that allows a heteroscedastic error term. The second approach is to test the hypothesis of equal intercepts, ignoring the slopes, and testing the hypothesis of equal slopes, ignoring the intercepts. The third approach is to test the hypothesis that the regression lines differ at a specified design point. This last goal corresponds to the classic Johnson and Neyman method when dealing with independent groups and when using the ordinary least squares regression estimator. Based on extant studies, there are guesses about how to proceed in a manner that will provide reasonably accurate control over the Type I error probability: Use some type of percentile bootstrap method. (Methods that assume the regression estimator is asymptotically normal were not considered for reasons reviewed in the paper.) But there are no simulation results providing some sense of how well they perform when dealing with a relatively small sample size. Data from the Well Elderly II study are used to illustrate that the choice between the ordinary least squares estimator and the Theil---Sen estimator can make a practical difference.
An Application of the Investment Model to Buyer-Seller Relationships: A Dyadic Perspective

Relationships between buying and selling firms have been characterized by many scholars as being conceptually similar to marriages, or committed relationships between two people. Prior research has explored the question of how relationships between buyers and sellers are formed and maintained. This paper takes a well-tested model of interpersonal attraction, the Investment Model, and applies it to the relationships between organizational buyers and salespeople in an attempt to understand their decisions to either remain in a business relationship or to terminate that relationship.
The fight for ‘how to think’: Traditional media, social networks, and issue interpretation:

This study tested social influence theories against traditional media attribute agenda setting theory within 18 ideologically diverse political blogs, two elite traditional media entities, and the latter’s 11 political newsroom blogs across three issues in 2007. Results reveal significant correlations in left-leaning network agendas ranging from 0.64 to 0.91 through all issue periods. Social influence did not homogenize interpretative agendas within the right-leaning network through two of the three issue periods. As predicted, partisan blog networks showed insignificant correlations in attribute agendas, and unlike the left-leaning and moderate blog networks, the right-leaning blog network bore little similarity to traditional media’s issue interpretation across two of the three issues.These findings point to two significant trends: the growing power of social influence among partisan blog networks and the weakening influence of elite, traditional media as a singular power in influencing issue interpreta...
Nb-Nb interactions define the charge density wave structure of 2H-NbSe2.

2H-NbSe2 is a canonical Charge-Density-Wave (CDW) layered material the structural details of which remained elusive. We report the detailed structure of 2H-NbSe2 below the CDW transition using a (3 + 2)-dimensional crystallographic approach on single crystal X-ray diffraction data collected at 15 K. Intensities of main reflections as well as CDW satellites of first order were measured. Quantitative information about the magnitude of the structural distortions and clustering of Nb atoms were extracted from the refined model. The Nb–Nb distances were found to distort between 3.4102(8) and 3.4928(8) A in the CDW phase from the average undistorted distance of 3.4583(4) A.
CD/DVD technology.

For storage of large amounts of data, there are many options to consider, including both CD and DVD methods. Given that these are now becoming very cheap alternatives, and that we work in a specialty which generates large volumes of digital data, it is now obvious why CD and DVD burning is of interest to radiologists. These technologies can most assuredly be of great benefit to both our professional and personal lives.
Planning and design models for construction industry: A critical survey

Abstract Large construction engineering projects involve various types of resources, such as labor, equipment and materials, which require planning and design for efficient operations and economic benefits. Any component of these types of resources demand initial investment, costs, logistics operations, scheduling and many other associated aspects of planning, design and operations of the projects. This paper studies different planning and design models developed for various aspects of construction industry. Most of these studies incorporated mathematical models and simulation based on some real life data. Applications of basic principles of operations research and industrial engineering relating to logistics and procurement have been incorporated for an effective planning and operations of these projects. A critical survey of different important aspects of planning and designing used in construction operations has been pursued here. The general behaviors of design variables and evaluative measures have been presented and discussed in general fashion.
P-Net: A Representation for Partially-Sequenced, Multi-stream Activity

In this paper, we devise a Propagation Net (P-Net) as a new mechanism for the representation and recognition of multi-stream activity. Most of daily activities can be represented by temporally partial ordered intervals where each interval has not only temporal constraint, i.e., before/after/duration, but also a logical relationship such as a and b both must happen. P-Net associates a node for each interval that is probabilistically triggered function dependent upon the state of its parent nodes. Each node is also associated with an observation distribution function that associates perceptual evidence. This evidence, generated by lower level vision modules, is a positive indicator of the elemental action. Using this architecture, we devise an iterative temporal sequencing algorithm that interprets a multi-dimensional observation sequence of visual evidence as a multi-stream propagation through the P-Net. Simple vision and motion-capture data experiments demonstrate the capabilities of our algorithm.
Phototherapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Online survey and literature review

Background Phototherapy modalities are frequently used in the treatment of patch and plaque mycosis fungoides (MF), but consensus recommendations on treatment regimens are variable. Objective We sought to investigate current practice variation in patch and plaque MF phototherapy treatment and review the relevant literature. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of International Society of Cutaneous Lymphomas members and literature review. Results Survey response rate was 29%. Psoralen plus ultraviolet (UV) A (PUVA) and narrowband UVB were the most common phototherapy modalities used for patch and plaque MF treatment, with a predilection for PUVA in cases of more extensive disease and increasing skin phototype. For phototherapy treatment regimens, survey and literature results support: (1) narrowband UVB 3 times per week in the initial clearing regimen continued until clearance; and (2) PUVA 2 to 3 times per week in the initial clearing regimen, continued until clearance. Maintenance therapy regimens for narrowband UVB and PUVA varied widely from no additional treatment to one treatment per week for 5 years or more. There is not evidence to show whether phototherapy can prevent relapse or prolong disease-free interval. Limitations Small survey size of specialty interest group and limited response rate are limitations. Conclusions Although phototherapy initial clearing regimens for MF are generally consistent, variability and lack of consensus remain in the duration and frequency of maintenance therapy.
Regulation of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L) morphogenesis by growth retardants and exogenous ethylene

A three-year field study was conducted to compare effects of the growth retardants after three application dates representing spring reproductive, summer vegetative, and fall reproduction-inductive growth phases. Amidochlor and mefluidide were most effective in spring, flurprimidol in summer, while ethephon and paclobutrazol had similar effectiveness across seasons. Seasonal changes in growth phase sensitivity of plants to growth retardants is seen as the reason for inconsistent results with general use. Amidochlor and mefluidide were fast-acting with nearly complete growth restriction during the first two to three weeks after spring application. Mefluidide was also very effective in summer and fall while amidochlor was not. Paclobutrazol and flurprimidol were slowacting with an average of 16/J growth reduction which peaked at 5 and 10 weeks after treatment, respectively. Ethephon effects were strong and continuous throughout the ten-week measurement periods, restricting growth an average of 30%. Mefluidide was the only chemical to reduce turf quality severely. It was also the only chemical to completely prevent heading after both spring and fall treatments. Amidochlor reduced heading by 61% after spring application. Ethephon was the only chemical to stimulate tiller internode elongation. Measurement of individual phytomers within shoots from one sampling provided a continuous record of plant response to treatment over a four-week period. Blade growth was found to be affected more strongly than sheath
Direct and Indirect Interactions between Calcineurin-NFAT and MEK1-Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Signaling Pathways Regulate Cardiac Gene Expression and Cellular Growth

MEK1, a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade that directly activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), induces cardiac hypertrophy in transgenic mice. Calcineurin is a calcium-regulated protein phosphatase that also functions as a positive regulator of cardiac hypertrophic growth through a direct mechanism involving activation of nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NFAT) transcription factors. Here we determined that calcineurin-NFAT and MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling pathways are interdependent in cardiomyocytes, where they directly coregulate the hypertrophic growth response. For example, genetic deletion of the calcineurin Aβ gene reduced the hypertrophic response elicited by an activated MEK1 transgene in the heart, while inhibition of calcineurin or NFAT in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes also blunted the hypertrophic response driven by activated MEK1. Conversely, targeted inhibition of MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling in cultured cardiomyocytes attenuated the hypertrophic growth response directed by activated calcineurin. However, targeted inhibition of MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling did not directly affect calcineurin-NFAT activation, nor was MEK1-ERK1/2 activation altered by targeted inhibition of calcineurin-NFAT. Mechanistically, we show that MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling augments NFAT transcriptional activity independent of calcineurin, independent of changes in NFAT nuclear localization, and independent of alterations in NFAT transactivation potential. In contrast, MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling enhances NFAT-dependent gene expression through an indirect mechanism involving induction of cardiac AP-1 activity, which functions as a necessary NFAT-interacting partner. As a second mechanism, MEK1-ERK1/2 and calcineurin-NFAT proteins form a complex in cardiac myocytes, resulting in direct phosphorylation of NFATc3 within its C terminus. MEK1-ERK1/2-mediated phosphorylation of NFATc3 directly augmented its DNA binding activity, while inhibition of MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling reduced NFATc3 DNA binding activity. Collectively, these results indicate that calcineurin-NFAT and MEK1-ERK1/2 pathways constitute a codependent signaling module in cardiomyocytes that coordinately regulates the growth response through two distinct mechanisms.
The inherent biases in environmental research and their effects on public policy

Abstract Three types of bias: personal, institutional, and socio-cultural, will be examined together with their effects on public policy. Personal bias exists whenever a scientist, instead of being solely motivated by the search for empirical truth, tries to gain a personal benefit or advantage from research results or is unduly influenced by ideological commitments. Institutional bias occurs because “every institution directs its activities to the perpetuation of its own power and to a narrow range of objectives and missions” (Barbour IG, Technology, environment, and human values. New York: Praeger, 1980) . Socio-cultural bias in Western industrialized society is reflected by the fact that most research is narrowly focused only on the mechanistic understanding of natural phenomena, a bias which arose from the discovery that mechanistic knowledge enhances the ‘control’ and exploitation of nature. Based on a detailed analysis of each kind of bias, it will be shown that self-interest, whether that of an individual scientist, a funding institution, or an entire society, is the primary cause of bias in environmental research. In general, the greater the stakes, the greater the distortion of objectivity, and the greater the likelihood that environmental policies are biased in favor of the entity that is afflicted by the excessive self-interest. Finally, a number of recommendations are given on how to minimize each type of bias and thereby maximize the effectiveness of environmental policies.
Adaptive waveforms for target class discrimination

This paper compares the performance of two matched-illumination waveform design techniques for distinguishing between M target hypotheses. The waveforms are implemented within a closed-loop, sequential-testing framework. In contrast to our earlier work, in this paper the target hypotheses are statistically characterized by power spectral densities. Thus, the waveforms are matched to the target class rather than to individual target realizations. As the class probabilities change in response to received data, the waveforms are adapted, which leads to faster decisions.
SC-MOSFET Structure

As discussed in Chap. 2, the first power MOSFET structure commercially introduced by the power semiconductor industry was the D-MOSFET structure with the planar gate architecture. The fast switching speed and ruggedness of the D-MOSFET structure were significant advantages compared with the performance of the available bipolar power transistor. In order to reduce the specific on-resistance of the structure, the planar gate topology was replaced with a trench gate topology in the 1990s by creating the power U-MOSFET structure. The significant reduction of the specific on-resistance achieved using this approach has been described in Chap. 3. It has been found that the high input capacitance and large gate transfer charge for the power U-MOSFET structure offsets the benefits of the low specific on-resistance in high frequency applications such as the voltage-regulator-modules (VRMs) used to provide power to microprocessors.
Steroidogenic acute regulatory-related lipid transfer domain protein 5 localization and regulation in renal tubules

STARD5 is a cytosolic sterol transport protein that is predominantly expressed in liver and kidney. This study provides the first report on STARD5 protein expression and distribution in mouse kidney. Immunohistochemical analysis of C57BL/6J mouse kidney sections revealed that STARD5 is expressed in tubular cells within the renal cortex and medullar regions with no detectable staining within the glomeruli. Within the epithelial cells of proximal renal tubules, STARD5 is present in the cytoplasm with high staining intensity along the apical brush-border membrane. Transmission electronmicroscopy of a renal proximal tubule revealed STARD5 is abundant at the basal domain of the microvilli and localizes mainly in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with undetectable staining in the Golgi apparatus and mitochondria. Confocal microscopy of STARD5 distribution in HK-2 human proximal tubule cells showed a diffuse punctuate pattern that is distinct from the early endosome marker EEA1 but similar to the ER membrane marker GRP78. Treatment of HK-2 cells with inducers of ER stress increased STARD5 mRNA expression and resulted in redistribution of STARD5 protein to the perinuclear and cell periphery regions. Since recent reports show elevated ER stress response gene expression and increased lipid levels in kidneys from diabetic rodent models, we tested STARD5 and cholesterol levels in kidneys from the OVE26 type I diabetic mouse model. Stard5 mRNA and protein levels are increased 2.8- and 1.5-fold, respectively, in OVE26 diabetic kidneys relative to FVB control kidneys. Renal free cholesterol levels are 44% elevated in the OVE26 mice. Together, our data support STARD5 functioning in kidney, specifically within proximal tubule cells, and suggest a role in ER-associated cholesterol transport.
Effects of winter temperatures on gypsy moth egg masses in the Great Lakes region of the United States.

Accurate prediction of winter survival of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) eggs and phenology of egg hatch in spring are strongly dependent on temperature and are critical aspects of gypsy moth management programs. We monitored internal temperatures of egg masses at three heights aboveground level and at the four cardinal aspects on oak tree stems at two different locations in Michigan during the winter seasons of 1997/1998, 1998/1999 and 1999/2000. Effects of aspect were more strongly associated with observed egg mass temperatures than height above the ground surface. Instantaneous differences between egg mass temperatures on sunny days were as high as 30 ◦ C greater on the southern aspect vs. egg mass temperatures on other aspects, resulting in substantial differences in pre-hatch growing degree accumulations for egg masses on a single tree. Egg masses on southern and western aspects, where solar loading and temperatures were greatest, experienced substantial mortality. Mean survival of eggs averaged across the three seasons was less than 25% on southern and western aspects, compared with averages of 53 and 73% on eastern and northern aspects, respectively. Linear regression of mean monthly egg mass–air temperature differences (between north and south aspects) and mean daily solar flux density resulted in slope coefficient estimates of 0.13 and 0.21 ◦ CM J m −2 , and correlation coefficients of 0.81 and 0.82 at the two field locations, respectively. Using a simple egg mass hatch phenological model, such dissimilarities in temperature and growing degree day accumulation resulted in differences in estimated egg hatch dates of up to 25 days. Snow cover moderated egg mass temperature, with extreme seasonal minimum winter temperatures under snow cover as much as 7.1 ◦ C warmer than those
Monitoring the effects of forestry on streams: Variable selection and the development of an expert system.

An expert system, PASSSFA, has been developed to help select the most appropriate variables for monitoring the effects of extensive land use activities, particularly forestry, on streams. PASSSFA was initially developed for headwater streams in the northwestern U.S. and Alaska, but the consistency of the underlying principles make it much more broadly applicable. The selection process is based on the designated beneficial uses of concern, the type of management activity, accessibility during high flows, frequency of sampling, and the costs for equipment, data collection, and sample analysis. A total of thirty potential monitoring variables are considered, and these were selected because of their sensitivity to land management activities and their effects on key designated uses. Problems in developing PASSSFA and the use of expert systems are discussed.
Transactions with isolation and cooperation

We present the TIC (Transactions with Isolation and Cooperation) model for concurrent programming. TIC adds to standard transactional memory the ability for a transaction to observe the effects of other threads at selected points. This allows transactions to cooperate, as well as to invoke nonrepeatable or irreversible operations, such as I/O. Cooperating transactions run the danger of exposing intermediate state and of having other threads change the transaction's state. The TIC model protects against unanticipated interference by having the type system keep track of all operations that may (transitively) violate the atomicity of a transaction and require the programmer to establish consistency at appropriate points. The result is a programming model that is both general and simple. We have used the TIC model to re-engineer existing lock-based applications including a substantial multi-threaded web mail server and a memory allocator with coarse-grained locking. Our experience confirms the features of the TIC model: It is convenient for the programmer, while maintaining the benefits of transactional memory.
The Dimerization Domain in DapE Enzymes Is required for Catalysis

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains underscores the importance of identifying new drug targets and developing new antimicrobial compounds. Lysine and meso-diaminopimelic acid are essential for protein production and bacterial peptidoglycan cell wall remodeling and are synthesized in bacteria by enzymes encoded within dap operon. Therefore dap enzymes may serve as excellent targets for developing a new class of antimicrobial agents. The dapE-encoded N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase (DapE) converts N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid to L,L-diaminopimelic acid and succinate. The enzyme is composed of catalytic and dimerization domains, and belongs to the M20 peptidase family. To understand the specific role of each domain of the enzyme we engineered dimerization domain deletion mutants of DapEs from Haemophilus influenzae and Vibrio cholerae, and characterized these proteins structurally and biochemically. No activity was observed for all deletion mutants. Structural comparisons of wild-type, inactive monomeric DapE enzymes with other M20 peptidases suggest that the dimerization domain is essential for DapE enzymatic activity. Structural analysis and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that removal of the dimerization domain increased the flexibility of a conserved active site loop that may provide critical interactions with the substrate.
Polymer syntheses via aromatic nitro displacement reaction

Nucleophilic displacement of activated aromatic nitro groups with aryloxy anion is a versatile and useful reaction for the synthesis of aromatic ethers. Preparation of various aromatic monomers and polymers containing ether linkages is described.
Hyperspectral band selection for detecting different blueberry fruit maturity stages

Outdoor hyperspectral images of blueberry bushes were taken and analyzed.Hyperspectral image was shown to be able to separate fruit stages and background.PWCD, HDR and NG measure were used for band selection.Selected bands performed well in classifying fruit stages and background. Hyperspectral imagery divides spectrum into many bands with very narrow bandwidth. It is more capable to detect or classify objects, where visible information is not sufficient for the task. However, hyperspectral image contains a large amount of redundant information, which eliminates its discriminability. Band selection is used to both reduce the dimensionality of hyperspectral images and save useful bands for further application. This study explores the feasibility of hyperspectral imaging for the task of classifying blueberry fruit growth stages and background. Three information theory based band selection methods using Kullback-Leibler divergence: pair-wise class discriminability, hierarchical dimensionality reduction and non-Gaussianity measures were applied. Three classifiers, K-nearest neighbor, support vector machine and AdaBoost were used to test the performance of the selected bands by the three methods. The selected bands achieved classification accuracies of 88% and higher. Therefore, the band selection methods are very useful in reducing the volume of the hyperspectral data, and constructing a multispectral imaging system for detecting blueberry fruit maturity stages.
Plasma somatomedin-binding proteins in hypopituitarism: Changes during growth hormone therapy

The somatomedin (SM) peptides are carried in plasma complexed to specific SM-binding proteins (SMBPs). In addition to the SMBP in the complex, there is an unsaturated SMBP in plasma in which the SMBP is not occupied by SMs. We have compared levels of unsaturated SMBP in 7 normal adults to those in 21 children with GH deficiency before and during treatment with hGH (0.1 U/kg.day) for 4 days. In addition, the SM-C/insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) content of each plasma was measured by RIA. There was a significant (P less than 0.01) difference in unsaturated SMBP levels between normal controls (17.8 +/- 0.8% bound/20 microliters) and untreated hypopituitary patients (27.8 +/- 2.2% bound/20 microliters). Thus, a lower SM-C/IGF-I content was associated with a higher unsaturated SMBP level. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between SM-C/IGF-I content and unsaturated SMBP in untreated hypopituitary patients (r = 0.73; P less than 0.0001). Treatment with hGH normalized the mean unsaturated SMBP level in hypopituitary patients within 2 days. Full displacement curves and Scatchard analysis showed that the increased unsaturated SMBP level in hypopituitary plasma was entirely due to an increased affinity (8.4 X 0.9 X 10(-10) M) compared to normal (2.3 X 0.2 X 10(-9) M). A higher affinity form of unsaturated SMBP is uniquely present in hypopituitarism and disappears with hGH treatment. The measurement of this unsaturated SMBP mirrors the SM peptide content.
Workshop on Drilling of Lake Junin, Peru: Potential for Development of a Continuous Tropical Climate Record

58 Scientific Drilling, No. 13, April 2012 Lake Junin (11.0°S, 76.2°W; Fig. 1) is one of the few lakes in the tropical Andes that predates the last glacial maximum. Located at 4000 masl, it covers approximately 300 km2 between the eastern and western cordillera of the central Peruvian Andes. Moraines from alpine glaciers that emanated from the eastern cordillera reach the eastern margin of the lake, but at no time in at least the last several hundred thousand years has the lake been overridden by ice.
Fibromuscular Dysplasia in a Normotensive Patient Presented With Renal Infarct: Case Report and Endovascular Technique

Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a well-known disease, but its diagnosis can be challenging. Typically, the symptomatic FMD are reported by young and middle aged people with high blood pressure refractory to medical treatment. We present a rare case of a young, healthy, and normotensive patient who presented with pain secondary to renal infarction, without any prior signs or symptoms or history of hypertension. This presentation of FMD has not been previously described. The typical but subtle angiographic findings of the macro-aneurysmal FMD as well as the successful endovascular treatment are discussed herein. The macro-aneurysmal form of FMD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute renal infarction in young and middle aged patients even if they do not have a history of hypertension.
On the generalisation of the mixture fraction to a monotonic mixing-describing variable for the flamelet formulation of spray flames

Spray flames are complex combustion configurations that require the consideration of competing processes between evaporation, mixing and chemical reactions. The classical mixture-fraction formulation, commonly employed for the representation of gaseous diffusion flames, cannot be used for spray flames owing to its non-monotonicity. This is a consequence of the presence of an evaporation source term in the corresponding conservation equation. By addressing this issue, a new mixing-describing variable, called the effective composition variable η, is introduced to enable the general analysis of spray-flame structures in composition space. This quantity combines the gaseous mixture fraction Zg and the liquid-to-gas mass ratio Zl, and is defined as . This new expression reduces to the classical mixture-fraction definition for gaseous systems, thereby ensuring consistency. The versatility of this new expression is demonstrated in application to the analysis of counterflow spray flames. Following this analysis, ...
Applicability of Industrial Sampling Techniques to Epidemiologic Investigations: Examination of an Underutilized Resource

In carrying out surveys to estimate disease prevalence or health services coverage in a region, investigators are often interested in identifying communities or other subareas in which the problem of interest is especially severe. In view of the large number of subareas to be examined, the investigator seeks rapid methods of assessment that require minimum sampling in each. Lot quality assurance sampling, developed more than 60 years ago to meet industrial quality control needs, has been found to serve public health purposes as well. Curiously, other more recent and more powerful industrial techniques have not received the recognition they deserve. Several of them are discussed in this paper and likely applications are cited. They fall into two categories: 1) lot acceptance methods to depict static conditions in a population and 2) more dynamic process monitoring methods for continuous surveillance. Under the first category, techniques of double sampling and sequential sampling are described. Reduced and tightened scrutiny, control charts, and exponential smoothing are highlighted as especially promising approaches under the process control category.
Microsporidia and Isospora Belli infections in humans

Microsporidial infections in humans are generally caused by four genera, Nosema, Enterocytozoon, Pleistophora , and EncephalHozoon . Infection is through ingestion of the infective spores, either from stool or urine or in tissues. These organisms have been associated with diarrhea and malabsorption, blindness, muscle weakness and contractures, and hepatitis in the liver. The host cells are damaged and often rupture with granulomatous foci in the tissues. In the intestine, there may be flattening of the villi, elongation of the crypts, and an increase in inflammatory cells in the lamina propria. Diagnosis is usually based on demonstration of the spores in tissue biopsy specimens (PAS positive granule, methenamine silver positive, Gram and acid fast variable) or the presence of polar tubules in transmission electron micrographs. Spores have not yet been demonstrated in stool; the development and use of monoclonal reagents are still experimental and not commercially available. Treatment is not well defined and very little has been done on prevention and/or control. With documented diagnosis of these infections in patients with AIDS and other immune deficiencies, the clinician needs to consider microsporidia as possible etiologtc agents of disease in all compromised patients, particularly with symptoms of diarrhea or myositis. Isospora belli is transmitted through ingestion of the infective oocysts. Symptoms may range from mild gastrointestinal symptoms to severe diarrhea. Immunosuppressed patients often present with profuse diarrhea, weakness, anorexia, and weight loss. The disease is usually sell-limiting in the immunocompetent patient. Changes range from broadening of the villus tips to a flat mucosal surface and crypt elongation. There may also be inflammatory infiltrates in the lamina propria. Diagnosis is usually made by finding the oocysts in concentrated stool material (wet preparation examination). Multiple stools are recommended and biopsy material may be positive while the stool examinations are negative. These organisms are found worldwide and are probably more common in the tropics. The drug of choice is trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole; however, there may be side effects, particularly in patients with AIDS. Although deaths have been reported, the prognosis is usually good with early diagnosis and treatment. Good personal hygiene and proper disposal of human fecal material should help decrease this infection.
Prognosis of Childhood Epilepsy

A cohort of 453 children, aged 1 month to 15 years, with newly diagnosed epilepsy was studied prospectively for 5 years at the Erasmus MC/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam and three other hospitals in the Netherlands, and the data analyzed to determine the prognosis, course, and response to treatment.