cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Noncommutative geometry and twisted little-string theories

In this thesis we will discuss various aspects of noncommutative geometry and compactified Little-String theories. First we will give an introduction to the use of noncommutative geometry in string theory. Thereafter we will present a proof of the connection between D-brane dynamics and noncommutative geometry. Then we will explain the concept of instantons in noncommutative gauge theories. The last chapters shift the focus to Little-String- and $(2,0)$-theories. We study compactifications of these theories on tori with twists. First we study the case of two coinciding branes in detail. Afterwards we study the case of an arbitrary number of coinciding branes. The main result here is that the moduli spaces of vacua for the twisted compactifications are equal to moduli spaces of instantons on a noncommutative torus. A special case of this is that a large class of gauge theories with $\SUSY{2}$ supersymmetry in D=4 or $\SUSY{4}$ in D=3 has moduli spaces which are moduli spaces of instantons on noncommutative tori.
Variable Structure Discrete Time Position Control

A robust, nonlinear controller is proposed for point to point positioning of a single degree of freedom system. This controller is developed for discrete time implementation and is based upon the discrete time input to state relations of a second order positioning system with bounded parametric uncertainties. The controller's robustness properties are derived from a variable structure control law that is adapted from continuous time sliding mode control to discrete time. The sliding surface is chosen to be parabolic in order to produce fast convergence to the desired position and to minimise the effect of stiction with a high velocity approach to the position setpoint. To establish the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme, it is implemented on a single axis direct drive robot. Simulations are also conducted for comparison purposes.
The reference librarian and the business professor : A strategic alliance that works

Abstract Strategic alliances are proliferating in the corporate world. They offer the participants an opportunity to pool limited resources, skills and capabilities to achieve common objectives that the partners may well be unable to achieve working alone. Strategic alliances can exist among a variety of partners, but making them work requires an understanding of common objectives, a commitment to those objectives and flexibility. The development of a successful strategic alliance between a university reference librarian and a business school professor is described.
Urinary retention in acute lymphoblastic leukemia induction therapy: Two distinct pathologies

Intrathecal chemotherapy and systemic chemotherapy are used for both prophylaxis and treatment of central nervous system disease in hematologic malignancies. We presented two children with urinary retention due to neurotoxicity with two distinct drugs and reasons. The main presenting complaints were urinary retention and incontinence in both patients. Before the adverse clinical event, the patients had received vincristine intravenously and triple therapy with hydrocortisone, cytosine arabinoside, and methotrexate intrathecally. The clinical event resolved, and vincristine and intrathecal chemotherapy were deleted from the patients subsequent therapy until recovery was achieved.
Experimental exergy analysis of the solar thermal system in the Off-Grid Zero Emissions Building

This paper presents an experimental exergy analysis of the solar thermal system in the Off-Grid Zero Emissions Building (OGZEB) at the Florida State University in efforts to identify components with major irreversibilities, i.e., exergy destruction. The solar thermal system comprises a series of flat-plate solar thermal collectors and 250-gal sensible thermal energy storage tank, and it is an essential constituent of the OGZEB heating system. In this study, exergy flow and destruction rates throughout the solar thermal system were evaluated using the experimental data obtained on two different days. According to the analysis, the greatest exergy destruction rate was observed in the solar thermal collector as expected, and its average exergetic efficiencies were 7.9% and 6.5% on each respective day. In the thermal energy storage tank, most of the exergy destruction was attributed to the mixing of hot water from the collector with the reservoir. This work serves as an initial step to the integrative thermodynamic optimization of the HVAC system in an off-grid residential building, where most energy is consumed for air-conditioning and heating.
Functional morphology of the head of the inertial suction feeding butterflyfish, Chaetodon miliaris (perciformes, chaetodontidae).

The structure and mechanism involved in jaw movements are described for an inertial high-speed suction feeding fish, Chaetodon miliaris. Jaw biomechanics were studied by (1) manipulation of live and fresh-killed specimens, (2) electrical muscle stimulation of anesthetized live specimens, (3) connective tissue severance experiments of fresh-killed and live anesthetized specimens, and (4) cine photography of live unimpaired and surgically impaired specimens. Three couplings appear to be involved in jaw opening: a levator operculi-opercular-interopercular-mandible coupling; and epaxial complex and/or hypaxial/sternohyoideus complex-hyoid apparatus-uncontracted protractor hyoideus-mandible coupling. Jaw opening, protrusion, closing of the protruded mouth, and jaw retraction occur in 60–110 msec. Jaw protrusion coincides with mandible depression during opening of the mouth. Closure of the protruded mouth is apparently the result of contractions of pars A1 and A2 of the adductor mandibulae muscle. Pars A3 and Aw may induce retraction of the jaws in the closed-protruded state. Jaw closure in the retracted, nonprotruded state may involve all branches of the adductor mandibulae. The importance of these findings is discussed in light of previous studies as are some proposed functions of jaw protrusion in this species.
Nucleosomal arrangement of HIV-1 DNA: maps generated from an integrated genome and an EBV-based episomal model.

Abstract ACH-2 cells, an immortalized human T-cell line, contain a single integrated copy of the HIV-1 provirus. Here, the structure of HIV-1 chromatin was probed using a DNA cleavage reagent. Nuclei were isolated from ACH-2 cells and treated with methidiumpropyl-EDTA (MPE)- iron(II) to produce limited DNA cleavage. Primers were selected at ∼300 bp intervals along the HIV-1 DNA, and sites of preferential cleavage were mapped by carrying out 50 cycles of primer extension using a thermo-stable DNA polymerase in the presence of [ 32 P]dATP. By comparing the resulting cleavage pattern with patterns derived from human cell lines not containing HIV-1 sequences, it was possible to map the arrangement of nucleosomes across the integrated HIV-1 genome. Particularly regular spacing was seen in the 3′ end of the pol and env coding regions, and several extended blocks spared of nucleosomes were found in gag and pol, the largest being a |similar|450 bp region in gag. For comparison, and to examine nucleosome placement on HIV-1 DNA when it is not integrated, overlapping segments of HIV-1 DNA were cloned into an EBV-oriP plasmid, grown as stable episomes in a human B lymphoblastoid cell line, and the same analysis using MPE-iron(II) cleavage and primer extension carried out. The major features of nucleosome placement on these EBV/HIV minichromosomes was very similar to that observed in the integrated HIV-1 genome arguing for a strong sequence dependence for nucleosome placement along HIV-1 DNA.
On the optimal acquisition of foreign capital through investment of oil export revenues

Abstract The subject of the paper is the optimal policy for a national monopoly to follow when the product exported is an essential input for production in the importing country and the exporter wishes to invest the proceeds in the purchase of claims on the capital stock of the importer. A number of alternative optimal solutions are compared with the conventional monopoly solution. The focus is on the deviations from this solution that are induced by the actual or desired ownership of capital in the importing country by the exporter.
Pulmonary Nodule Resection During Lung Volume Reduction Surgery

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and concomitant pulmonary nodule resection can improve the respiratory function of and remove malignant lesions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Previously, using standard selection criteria, some patients with emphysema who also had lung nodules were denied surgery because of the severity of their pulmonary dysfunction. In this article, the authors report improved pulmonary function in 11 patients with severe emphysema who underwent combined LVRS and nodule resection.
New Beryllium results in halo stars from Keck/HIRES spectra

We have obtained high-resolution, high signal-to-noise Keck spectra to determine Be abundances in over 100 stars in the Galactic halo. The stellar metallicities range from [Fe/H] = −0.50 to −3.50. Using this large sample, we have examined the trends of Be with Fe and Be with O. We find a real dispersion in Be at a given [O/H] that indicates that Be may not be a good cosmochronometer. Our results indicate that the dominant production mechanism for Be changes as the Galaxy ages. In the early eras of the Galaxy, when massive stars become supernovae, Be is produced from the acceleration of energetic CNO atoms which bombard protons in the vicinity of supernovae. Later spallation reactions occur as high energy protons bombard CNO atoms in the interstellar gas. The change occurs near [Fe/H] = −2.2. We have found that Be is deficient in Li-deficient halo stars, which favors the blue straggler analog hypothesis.
The gravitational spin-spin force

The gravitational spin-spin interaction between two rotating mass rings is derived in a very simple manner, by the use of an electromagnetic analogy. The feasibility of undertaking a gravitational spin-spin experiment in a laboratory is considered, and it is concluded that the effect is too small to be accurately determined.
Some factors affecting the design of alternators for switchgear testing

The greatly increased prospective fault MVA at many switching stations, due to the rapid growth of interconnections on many systems during the last 15 years, has necessitated the design of circuit-breakers of larger capacity. This in turn has made desirable improved facilities for technical investigations and for proving the rating of the breakers.The paper discusses the mechanical and electrical factors which affect the design of alternators supplying power for switchgear testing. A review is made of several methods of increasing the output of such alternators, and the merits of each are critically examined.
Effects of varying levels of undegradable intake protein on endocrine and metabolic function of young post-partum beef cows.

Abstract Twelve Hereford×Angus heifers, 2.5 year, 492±17 kg (BCS=5±0.5), were randomly assigned to one of three supplements, stratified by calving date and calf sex. Treatments consisted of a daily equivalent of: (1) low undegradable intake protein (UIP) (L: 908 g per cow per day; 36% CP, 108 g UIP), (2) middle UIP (M: 908 g per cow per day; 36% CP, 165 g UIP), and (3) high UIP (H: 908 g M+243 g feather meal per cow per day; 46% CP, 335 g UIP). Cows were fed sudan grass hay (7.3% CP, as fed) daily at 2% BW (as fed). Supplement was individually fed twice weekly from Week 2 to Week 11 post-partum. Cow body weight (BW), backfat (BF) and rumpfat (RF) thicknesses decreased in all cows, ( P P >0.10). There were no differences among treatments in calf BW ( P >0.10). Serum insulin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), milk components and yield did not differ among treatments ( P >0.10). Area under the curve (AUC) for serum LH was greater ( P =0.07) in H versus L and M (809 versus 599 and 607±69 U, respectively). No differences were observed in FSH AUC or mean serum concentrations ( P >0.10). Uterine pH did not differ among treatments or between supplement versus non-supplement days ( P >0.10). Serum progesterone remained below 1 ng/ml for all cows indicating absence of return to estrus. Under the conditions of this study, BW, BF, RF, serum insulin, BUN, milk components, and yield, uterine pH and serum FSH were not affected by level of UIP. However, supplement containing high levels of UIP enhanced GnRH-induced LH release.
Response of Culicoides variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to Water Level Fluctuations in Experimental Dairy Wastewater Ponds

Water levels were fluctuated in experimental dairy wastewater ponds in southern California to study the response of Culicoides variipennis (Coquillet). Immatures consistently were found in surface mud at the water's edge in ponds where the water level was stable. In ponds where the water level was fluctuated, immatures did not relocate to the new, lower waterline when the water quickly receded 3 m in horizontal distance. Younger larvae apparently were stranded above the waterline and were killed by heat or desication, or both; pupae and late fourth instars emerged as adults at the old waterline. A larvae were recovered from fairly dry mud up to 19 d after the water level receded. Substantial oviposition occurred at the lower waterline following the water level decrease, and adults began to emerge 14-18 d later. Immatures relocated to the higher waterline 3 h to 2 d after a rise in water level. Densities of this species were slightly, but not significantly, reduced in the fluctuated ponds under this water management regime. Water level fluctuations at 1-wk intervals might be expected to reduce substantially C. variipennis production from these habitats.
713 KINETICS OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN RELEASE BY THE BREAST MILK MACROPHAGE

The breast milk macrophage(MΦ)has been reported to release stored IgA over time.To determine the kinetics of immunoglobulin release,separate aliquots of MΦ from 9 healthy mothers were cultured serially for 7 days.Each culture contained 2×106MΦ suspended in 1 ml of media.The release of IgA into the media was quantitated using double antibody radioimmunoassays.To determine total cellular IgA at 0 time and 7 days,MΦ cultures were sonicated and ultracentrifuged.The cell pellet obtained was separated from the supernatant and resuspended in a volume of fresh media equal to the supernatant.These two solutions were then assayed for IgA content.Mean ±SEM IgA released into culture media after 0,3 & 7 days was 0.45±0.2,24.6±15.5,and 29.7±19 μg/ml.The mean ±SEM IgA measured in the sonicate pellet and sonicate supernatant at 0 time was 24.7±16.7 and 24.5±13.2 μg/ml as compared to 12.5±11 and 11.4±0.9μg/ml measured in the sonicate pellet and sonicate supernatant after 7 days incubation.The immunoglobulin released(y)per day(x)can be determined from the equation: These data indicate that >80% of stored IgA is released by day 3 and the total content of IgA at 7 days can be accounted for at 0 time.Although it appears that the MΦ does not synthesize IgA, because of its reported tolerance for a wide range of pH and osmolality, the cell may play an important role in the transfer of passive immunity from a mother to her newborn.
Directed assembly of block copolymers on lithographically defined surfaces

An outline of research on the directed assembly of block copolymer films to meet the needs of advanced lithographic systems, as defined by the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, is presented. These requirements include pattern perfection, control of placement of features, the ability to generate patterns corresponding to regular fabric architectures, control of feature shapes and dimensions, scaling to below 10 nm, and pattern transfer. Accomplishments toward these requirements have been achieved by self-assembly with solvent annealing and by directed assembly on topographical or chemical patterns. Looking forward, these requirements must be met simultaneously, and examples are provided that show simultaneous achievement of many of these requirements. In addition, research focusing on specific implementation opportunities, such as directed assembly in 193 nm immersion lithography, is briefly discussed.
Selection for Eight-Week Body Weight in Two Randombred Chicken Populations Under Altered Water to Feed Ratios. 1. Selection Responses

A study was conducted to investigate the response to selection for 8-wk BW under selection environments that utilized different dietary salt levels to alter water to feed ratios. The Athens-Canadian (AC) and Athens Randombreds (ARB) served as base populations. A broiler diet consisting of 23% CP and 3,120 kcal of ME/kg was modified to contain .2, .4, and 1.6% dietary salt. Chicks from the AC and ARB populations were divided within full-sib families into three groups, with one group assigned to each of the three dietary salt selection environments. Individual phenotypic selection was conducted within the six lines for high 8-wk BW for six generations with unselected randombred controls included in each generation to measure environmental variation. No differences in 8-wk BW were observed among the three salt selection environments. Lines derived from the ARB population were initially approximately 75 g larger than those derived from the AC population. However, when BW were expressed as percentage deviation from the control in the sixth generation, selection response patterns were similar (AC lines, 28 to 32%; ARB lines, 32 to 36%). These data indicated that selection for 8-wk BW was as effective under high- and low-salt diets as under a normal-salt diet. Realized heritabilities, following correction for environmental variation, ranged from .38 to .46. Failure to correct for environmental variation resulted in large fluctuations in heritabilities across generations. These data provide strong support for inclusion of controls to accurately measure the heritability of BW in selection studies.
Sex and the (seventeenth-century) city: a research note towards a long history of leisure.

Sociability and sexuality have long been acknowledged by scholars as core aspects of leisure, but historical quotidian practices such as heterosociability among young people have remained elusive. Sociologists as well as historians have elevated the interrogation of leisure to a rich area of specialisation, but one with limited historical depth since their attention has primarily focused on the last 200 years, and especially – by historians’ standards – the very recent past. This research note explores the centrality of heterosexuality as a key to youth leisure culture in seventeenth‐century French cities to argue that the pre‐modern history of leisure needs to be complicated not only by questions about class and about clearer categories of labour and leisure, but by the topics of gender and sexuality that are strikingly absent from current literature.
Reliability of provider volume and outcome associations for healthcare policy.

between low-volume healthcare providers and a relatively poor outcome,' and most of these studies have focused on hospital volumes of major surgical procedures and in-hospital or 30-day mortality.2 However, similar associations have also been found for nonsurgical conditions requiring hospitalization such as trauma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), respiratory distress, cirrhosis, cancer, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and adult and neonatal intensive care.2-4 The association between low
Seasonal modeling of PM2.5 in California's San Joaquin Valley

Abstract California's San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is in non-attainment for the 2006 revised 24-h PM 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard) established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). As a part of the emissions control strategy development to bring the SJV into attainment of the standard, the Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was used to simulate PM 2.5 formation and its response to precursor emission reductions. Simulations were conducted for the first (January–March) and fourth (October–December) quarters of 2007 since the 24-h PM 2.5 violations typically occur during the winter months. The CMAQ model generally met the PM 2.5 model performance criteria and was suitable for the State Implementation Plan (SIP) applications. Sensitivities of the 24-h average PM 2.5 concentrations to precursor emissions were investigated based on the baseline 2019 emissions forecast. Reductions in anthropogenic primary PM 2.5 and oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) showed the greatest impact on PM 2.5 concentrations. Reducing anthropogenic ammonia and sulfur oxides emissions only slightly lowered PM 2.5 concentrations, and reducing volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions provided no benefit in reducing PM 2.5 concentrations. Particularly, PM 2.5 nitrate, the major PM 2.5 component in the SJV showed no response to VOC reductions, which is also supported by additional modeling results from the UCD/CIT airshed model. This study demonstrated that the current strategy of controlling primary PM 2.5 and NO x emissions in the SJV will continue to be effective for further reducing PM 2.5 in the SJV beyond 2019. It also demonstrated how the CMAQ model can be used to design effective emissions control strategies for regulatory applications.
Vane Yield Stress of Starch Dispersions

: Yield stresses of 5% (wt/wt) cross-linked waxy maize, tapioca, and Amioca starch dispersions (SDs) were measured with the vane method at different rotational speeds (N). The static (σ0S) and dynamic (σ0d) yield stress values of each SD were measured before and after breaking down its structure under continuous shear, respectively. The difference (σ0S - σ0d) was associated with the stress required to break the internal bonds (σb). Values of total yield stress (σ0=σ0S) and σb, and shear rate were related by power law relationships. The contribution of viscous and network stresses were estimated from an energy balance model. Textural characteristics of the SDs were analyzed in a texture map.
Regret and Behavior: Comment on Zeelenberg and Pieters

Zeelenberg and Pieter's (2007) regret regulation theory 1.0 offers a synthesis that brings together concepts spanning numerous literatures. We have no substantive disagreement with their theory, but instead offer 3 observations to further aid regret researchers studying consumer decision making. First, the overall arch of any regret theory must be situated within an understanding of behavior regulation. Second, the distinction between regrets of action versus inaction is best understood in terms of motivational implications, particularly with regard to Higgin's (1998) distinction between promotion and prevention focus. Third, the opportunity principle offers a particularly clear means of summarizing the regulatory consequences of the regret experience. Regret is an emotion pivotal for decision making, and its cognitive underpinning has and continues to be elucidated in research focusing on counterfactual thinking.
Culturally Competent Scholarship: Substance and Rigor

There is an urgency to the development of culturally competent care. This urgency is due to increasing diversity, increasing disclosure of identities, care delivery moving to homes, and increasing inequity in access to health care. The development of a knowledge base for culturally competent care is constrained by substantive and methodological issues, such as the limited view of culture as a unit of analysis and limitations in designs and methods that could capture the integrative nature of participants' experiences. Therefore, I propose that components of foundational knowledge in nursing may include, but should not be limited to, populations and their cultures; culture-specific nursing phenomena; and responses to diversity, marginalization, vulnerability, and transitions. To develop culturally competent knowledge, researchers, theoreticians, and reviewers are urged to address eight criteria to ensure rigor and credibility in scholarship: contextuality, relevance, communication styles, awareness of identity and power differentials, disclosure, reciprocation, empowerment, and time.
Region-specific tauopathy and synucleinopathy in brain of the alpha-synuclein overexpressing mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Background α-synuclein [α-Syn]-mediated activation of GSK-3β leading to increases in hyperphosphorylated Tau has been shown by us to occur in striata of Parkinson's diseased [PD] patients and in animal models of PD. In Alzheimer's disease, tauopathy exists in several brain regions; however, the pattern of distribution of tauopathy in other brain regions of PD or in animal models of PD is not known. The current studies were undertaken to analyze the distribution of tauopathy in different brain regions in a widely used mouse model of PD, the α-Syn overexpressing mouse.
Practical issues in the realization of quantum-dot cellular automata

Several practical issues in the development and operation of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) cells and systems are discussed. The need for adiabatic clocking of QCA systems and modeling of electrostatic confinement of quantum dots are presented. Experimental data on dot coupling and applications to QCA detectors in a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) are presented. We report a charge detection scheme where we observe strong modulation in the detector signal, in addition to the detector exhibiting minimal effect on the dot being measured. With this investigation, we demonstrate these two key components required for QCA in AlGaAs/GaAs materials, namely dot coupling and charge-state detection.
1,25D3 Enhances antitumor activity of gemcitabine and cisplatin in human bladder cancer models

BACKGROUND: 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) potentiates the cytotoxic effects of several common chemotherapeutic agents. The combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin is a current standard chemotherapy regimen for bladder cancer. The authors investigated whether 1,25D3 could enhance the antitumor activity of gemcitabine and cisplatin in bladder cancer model systems. METHODS: Human bladder cancer T24 and UMUC3 cells were pretreated with 1,25D3 followed by gemcitabine and cisplatin. Apoptosis was assessed by annexin V staining. Caspase activation was examined by immunoblot analysis and substrate-based caspase activity assay. The cytotoxic effects were examined by using 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and in vitro clonogenic assay. p73 protein levels were assessed by immunoblot analysis. Knockdown of p73 was achieved by siRNA. The in vivo antitumor activity was assessed by in vivo excision clonogenic assay and tumor regrowth delay in the T24 xenograft model. RESULTS: 1,25D3 pretreatment enhanced gemcitabine and cisplatin-induced apoptosis and the activities of caspases 8, 9, and 3 in T24 and UMUC3 cells. 1,25D3 synergistically reduced gemcitabine and cisplatin-suppressed surviving fraction in T24 cells. 1,25D3, gemcitabine, or cisplatin induced p73 accumulation, which was enhanced by gemcitabine and cisplatin or 1,25D3 and gemcitabine and cisplatin. p73 expression was lower in human primary bladder tumor tissue compared with adjacent normal tissue. Knockdown of p73 increased clonogenic capacity of T24 cells treated with 1,25D3, gemcitabine and cisplatin, or 1,25D3 and gemcitabine and cisplatin. 1,25D3 and gemcitabine and cisplatin combination enhanced tumor regression compared with 1,25D3 or gemcitabine and cisplatin alone. CONCLUSIONS: 1,25D3 potentiates gemcitabine and cisplatin-mediated growth inhibition in human bladder cancer models in vitro and in vivo, which involves p73 induction and apoptosis. Cancer 2010; 116:3294-303. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Neutron-scattering study of methane bilayer and trilayer films on graphite

The results of a neutron-diffraction study of the multilayer growth properties of methane on a graphite substrate are presented. The experiments, performed over an extended temperature range, follow the layering behavior from the submonolayer region to approximately three layers. The completed monolayer film is found to be overcompressed with respect to the bulk value. A stacking sequence and lattice parameter close to that of the bulk solid are found near three layers. The bilayer region, however, is characterized by a diffraction pattern which is not consistent with two layers in perfect registry with one another.
Impact of wind generation uncertainty on power system small disturbance voltage stability: A PCM-based approach

Abstract The connection of wind generators with electric power system influences the system stability and nodal voltages. This paper performs uncertainty analysis to investigate the impact of wind generation variation on the small disturbance voltage stability. The probabilistic collocation method (PCM) is presented as a computationally efficient method to conduct the uncertainty analysis. It has been implemented in a simple system to demonstrate its applicability in analyzing wind generation uncertainty. More case studies on a larger system are conducted to obtain a deeper understanding of how the system voltage stability is affected by the integration of DFIG-based wind farms. As compared with the traditional Monte Carlo simulation method, the collocation method could provide a quite accurate approximation for the eigenvalue probabilistic distribution with fewer simulation runs.
Model independent constraints among the Wtb, Zbb, and Ztt couplings

Using an effective Lagrangian approach, we perform a model-independent analysis of the interactions among electroweak gauge bosons and the third generation quarks, i.e. the Wtb, Ztt, and Zbb couplings. After one imposes the known experimental constraint on the Zb{sub L}b{sub L} coupling, we show that the electroweak SU(2){sub L}xU(1){sub Y} symmetry of the standard model specifies the pattern of deviations of the Zt{sub L}t{sub L} and Wt{sub L}b{sub L} couplings, independent of underlying new physics scenarios. We study implications of the predicted pattern with data on the single top quark and Ztt associated production processes at the Large Hadron Collider. Such an analysis could in principle allow for a determination of the Wtb coupling without prior knowledge of |V{sub tb}|, which is otherwise difficult to achieve.
Informatics diffusion in South American developing economies

Lessons learned from the countries highlighted in this article suggest that appropriate transfer of informatics to developing countries requires a framework that uses the abundance of literature highlighting the relationship of informatics and economic development. The informatics issues that concern developing countries are those associated with operational and infrastructure problems. This study seeks to identify important developmental factors by considering the situation in three countries in South America.
ACRYLAMIDE QUENCHING OF TRYPTOPHAN PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOPHYSICS

Studies of acrylamide quenching of tryptophan (Trp) fluorescence, photochemistry, and photoionization have been conducted. Quenching of Trp fluorescence in aqueous solution by addition of acrylamide in the concentration range 0.0-0.5 M was measured and resulted in a Stern-Volmer quenching constant of KSV = 21 +/- 3 M-1. Photolysis experiments were performed in which Trp was photolyzed at 295 nm in the presence of varying concentrations of acrylamide. The loss of Trp was monitored using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and was observed to follow first order kinetics. Production of N-formylkynurenine (NFK) was observed by RP-HPLC in irradiated Trp samples both in the presence and absence of added acrylamide. In addition, no new photochemical product was detected. This was taken as evidence that acrylamide did not alter the photochemical pathway but just reduced the reaction rate as expected for a physical quenching mechanism. Plotting the reciprocal of photolysis rate constant versus acrylamide concentration produced a Stern-Volmer constant for quenching of Trp photochemistry of KSV = 6 +/- 2 M-1. The KSV values for both fluorescence quenching and photolysis quenching were thus large, implying efficient quenching of both processes by acrylamide. Assuming an excited singlet state lifetime of 2.8 ns, the calculated second-order quenching rate constants for fluorescence and photolysis were kq = 7.5 x 10(9) and 2.1 x 10(9) M-1 s-1 respectively. The possible involvement of photoionization in the photolysis mechanism was investigated by studies of acrylamide quenching of voltage transients produced by xenon flash lamp excitation of Trp at aqueous/teflon or aqueous/mica interfaces.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Determining gap nodal structures in Fe-based superconductors: Theory of the angle dependence of the low-temperature specific heat in an applied magnetic field

Since the discovery of high-${T}_{c}$ ${\mathrm{LaO}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{F}}_{x}\mathrm{FeAs}$ and other such systems based on $\mathrm{FeAs}$ layers, several proposals have been made for the superconducting order parameter ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{\mathbf{k}}$, on both phenomenological and microscopic grounds. Here we discuss how the symmetry of ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{\mathbf{k}}$ in the bulk can be determined, assuming that single crystals will soon be available. We suggest that a measurement of the dependence of the low-temperature specific heat on the angle of a magnetic field in the $\mathrm{FeAs}$ plane is the simplest such method, and calculate representative specific heat vs field angle oscillations for the various candidate states, using a phenomenological band structure fitted to the density functional theory Fermi surface.
Modeling and Analysis of Weaving-preparation Systems with Respect to Small-lot Manufacturing Part I: Problem Definition

The implementation of quick-response manufacturing strategies in the textile industry has led to the realization of smaller lot sizes for woven-fabric producers. In this first part of a two-part work, the effects of this shift are explored, and an approach for producing within a short-run environment is presented. A definition of small lot sizes is also developed for weaving preparation that holds for a wide range of product mixes. Basic models of the weaving preparation processes as multistage flow shops are given for the purpose of design and analysis. Finally, a framework for the design of appropriate small-lot weaving-preparation systems is defined. In Part II of this work, the analysis component of this framework will he used to characterize the performance of weaving-preparation systems with respect to small-lot manufacturing.
A macro-equation of natural selection.

Abstract The deterministic dynamical theory of biological populations, developed widely on the basis of the classical work of Fisher and Volterra, in most cases deals with characteristics which cannot be measured directly, e.g. frequencies of various genotypes within a population, their fitness values, competition coefficients, etc. Thus, a theory dealing with a small number of simple averaged macro-characteristics, easily accessible to a direct measurement, would be of great importance. The present paper contains an attempt to establish an equation contributing to such a would-be macrotheory. It is a relationship begween the average fitness of a population (the Malthusian growth parameter), the selective delay (a new concept, introduction in section 3) and the entropy of the equilibrium structure which the population tends to under the natural selection process. A possible method of checking the proposed relationship experimentally is indicated.
An oxidation‐adsorption method for the analysis of methyl ester fractions

Conversion of the unsaturated components of the fractions obtained in the analytical distillation of fatty oil methyl esters to short-chain acidic fragments by permanganate oxidation, and their subsequent adsorption on alumina tinted with bromthymol blue is the basis for the method described. Recovery experiments show a) that the removal of these fragments is practically quantitative, provided acids lower than lauric are not present in the mixtures in appreciable amounts, b) that duplicate samples agree within 1% of the saturated ester content, and c) that reproducibility of results is of the order of 0.6%. In a series of determinations on mixtures of methyl esters the results obtained by the procedure described were found to be in good agreement with those obtained by calculation from iodine and thiocyanogen numbers or by alkali isomerization. Because only small samples are required the method is particularly applicable to the analysis of distillate fractions.
Sexuality in the Aging Individual

: Sexual activity may continue to play a significant role in the life of the elderly person. At age 68 about 70 per cent of men still regularly partake in sexual activity, and even at age 78 about 25 per cent are sexually active. For men, the married state is not a necessary factor, whereas for women it makes all the difference. Very few unmarried older women report regular sexual activity. Unavailability of a sanctioned sexual partner is the chief determinant. The ratio of available older women to available older men may approach 4:1 in many environments. Sexual expression requires privacy, an aspect of life that is often neglected for the aged. The physician should take these needs into consideration when counseling or when planning programs to improve the quality of life in the later years.
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis as one cause of Crohn’s disease

A number of theories regarding the aetiology of Crohn’s disease have been proposed. Diet, infections, other unidentified environmental factors and immune disregulation, all working under the influence of a genetic predisposition, have been viewed with suspicion. Many now believe that Crohn’s disease is a syndrome caused by several aetiologies. The two leading theories are the infectious and autoimmune theories. The leading infectious candidate is Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Mycobacterium paratuberculosis), the causative agent of Johne’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease in a variety of mammals including cattle, sheep, deer, bison, monkeys and chimpanzees. The evidence to support M. paratuberculosis infection as a cause of Crohn’s disease is mounting rapidly. Technical advances have allowed the identification and/or isolation of M. paratuberculosis from a significantly higher proportion of Crohn’s disease tissues than from controls. These methodologies include: (i) improved culture techniques; (ii) development of M. paratuberculosis-specific polymerase chain reaction assays; (iii) development of a novel in situ hybridization method; (iv) efficacy of macrolide and anti-mycobacterial drug therapies; and (v) discovery of Crohn’s disease-specific seroreactivity against two specific M. paratuberculosis recombinant antigens. The causal role for M. paratuberculosis in Crohn’s disease and correlation of infection with specific stratification(s) of the disorder need to be investigated. The data implicating Crohn’s as an autoimmune disorder may be viewed in a manner that supports the mycobacterial theory. The mycobacterial theory and the autoimmune theory are complementary; the first deals with the aetiology of the disorder, the second deals with its pathogenesis. Combined therapies directed against a mycobacterial aetiology and inflammation may be the optimal treatment of the disease.
Identification of early neuronal subpopulations in avian neural crest cell cultures.

Gangliosides were employed as early differentiation markers to investigate how phenotypic diversity is generated in the vertebrate neutral crest cell population. Chromatographic analysis of metabolically labeled glycolipids from neural crest derivatives revealed that glia cell precursors synthesize a characteristic subset of the ganglioside types produced by dorsal root ganglion neurons. The ganglioside synthesis pattern of neural crest cultures is similar to that of glial precursors, but gangliosides characteristic of neurons are also detectable. To determine whether neuronal gangliosides are expressed by every cell in neural crest cultures, or by discrete cell subpopulations, crest cultures were stained immunocytochemically with monoclonal antibody A2B5 which recognizes a neuron-specific ganglioside in the GQ fraction. A2B5 was found to bind to about 1% of migratory stage neural crest cells isolated from neural tube explants after 1 day in culture. These A2B5+ cells were postmitotic and exhibited a uni- or bipolar neuronal morphology. A second, larger (10–20%) population of A2B5+ cells appears after culturing cells from 1-day crest cell clusters an additional 1–2 days. These cells initially have the typical small, stellate morphology of crest cells but later extend one or more processes. [3H]Thymidine incorporation and cell counting studies show that the precursors to these cells had divided at least once in culture before becoming postmitotic and expressing A2B5 immunoreactivity. The second A2B5+ population does not appear in secondary cultures of crest cell clusters isolated from 2-day-old explants of neural tubes. Another monoclonal antibody, R24, which recognizes ganglioside GD3, binds to subpopulations of both neurons and nonneurons in sensory ganglion cultures. In neural crest cultures R24 binds to a large subpopulation of cells, but not to A2B5+ ones. The significance of this immunostaining pattern is not yet understood. The early appearance of subpopulations, and the presence of heterogeneity in neural crest cultured under a variety of conditions suggest that intrinsic cellular mechanisms might generate subpopulations within the neural crest upon which environmental factors act.
Photochemical Products of trans-Cinnamic Alcohol: Possible Formation of Skin Irritants and Allergens

Abstracttrans-Cinnamic alcohol, a potentially phototoxic fragrance material, was irradiated with an ultraviolet (W) lamp in aqueous solution or natural sunlight in ethanol solution. Photochemical products were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GUMS). Formation of products was evaluated over time in the presence and absence of oxygen. The major products formed under nonoxidative conditions were cis-cinnamic alcohol and cinnamic alcohol rearrangement products, 3-phenylpropanal and 1-phenyl-2-propenol. Small quantities of ben-zaldehyde and 3-phenylpropanoic acid were also produced. In the presence of oxygen, small amounts of cinnamaldehyde were produced but no cinnamic acid was detected. Sunlight irradiation of trans-cinnamic alcohol in ethanol showed slow rates of production of cis-cinnamic alcohol, 3-phenylpropanal, and benzaldehyde. Benzaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde are reportedly potential skin irritants or allergens.
Cilofungin (LY121019) inhibits Candida albicans (1-3)-beta-D-glucan synthase activity.

Cilofungin (LY121019) inhibited Candida albicans growth and activity of (1-3)-beta-glucan synthase, for which it was a noncompetitive inhibitor with a Ki-app of 2.5 microM. Cilofungin had no effect on chitin synthase activity. Based on these and other data, it seems likely that cilofungin inhibits fungal growth by inhibiting (1-3)-beta-glucan synthase activity. Images
Pattern formation for oscillatory bulk-mode competition in a two-layer Be´nard problem

Two immiscible liquids lie between parallel plates and are heated from below. The focus is on the case where the interfacial mode is strongly stabilized by surface tension and a suitable density stratification. A mechanism for a Hopf bifurcation is the competition between the least stable of the bulk modes in each fluid. The well known criterion for balancing the effective Rayleigh numbers in both fluids is augmented with a criterion for non-self-adjointness of the system, yielding a heuristic method for picking suitable fluids when Hopf modes are desired. The pattern formation problem in three dimensions is addressed for the case of doubly periodic solutions on a hexagonal lattice. Of the solutions with maximal symmetry, the travelling rolls are found to be stable.
Impact of Individual PCNA-DNA Contacts on Clamp Loading and Function on DNA

Ring-shaped clamp proteins encircle DNA and affect the work of many proteins, notably processive replication by DNA polymerases. Crystal structures of clamps show several cationic residues inside the ring, and in a co-crystal of E. coli β clamp-DNA they directly contact the tilted duplex passing through. To investigate the role of these contacts in reactions involving circular clamps, we examined single arginine/lysine mutants of S. cerevisiae PCNA in RFC-catalyzed loading of the clamp onto primer-template DNA (ptDNA). Previous kinetic analysis has shown that ptDNA entry inside an ATP-activated RFC-PCNA complex accelerates clamp opening and ATP hydrolysis, which is followed by slow PCNA closure around DNA and product dissociation. Here we directly measured multiple steps in the reaction--PCNA opening, ptDNA binding, PCNA closure, phosphate release and complex dissociation to determine if mutation of PCNA residues R14, K20, R80, K146, R149 or K217 to alanine affects the reaction mechanism. Contrary to earlier steady state analysis of these mutants, pre-steady state data show that loss of single cationic residues can alter the rates of all DNA-linked steps in the reaction as well as movement of PCNA on DNA. These results explain an earlier finding that individual arginines and lysines inside human PCNA are essential for pol δ processivity. Mutations in the N-terminal domain have greater impact than in the C-terminal domain, indicating a positional bias in PCNA-DNA contacts that can influence its functions on DNA.
Consideration of the wind and solar generation reactive power capability on grid voltage performance

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of replacing conventional generation by wind and solar generation on the grid voltage performance. California is one of the states which will be facing adverse effects of such generation shift. California has also very high renewable portfolio standards (RPS) target. Therefore, a western electricity coordination council (WECC) equivalent system is examined to identify the issues with voltage performance after such generation alteration. Two approaches are examined to mitigate the negative impacts on voltage performance by adding synchronous condenser at the retiring conventional units and by operating wind generation with voltage control mode of operation.
Stability and microbiology of inhalant n-acetylcysteine used as an intravenous solution for the treatment of acetaminophen poisoning

Abstract Study objective: Intravenous N-acetylcysteine has been used as an antidote for acetaminophen poisoning for more than 25 years in Europe and Canada. In the United States, only the oral administration of N-acetylcysteine is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Many physicians routinely use the inhalant preparation as an intravenous formulation; however, no stability, microbiology, or pyrogen studies have been performed. In this study, we evaluate the stability and microbiology of inhalational N-acetylcysteine compounded as an intravenous formulation. Methods: A total of 8 N-acetylcysteine solutions (solution A through H) were prepared by injecting 150 mL of 20% solution through a 22-μm filter to 1 L of 5% dextrose (D 5 W; 2.6% solution). Solutions A through C were prepared at ambient conditions (25°C [77°F], 65% relative humidity), and solution D was prepared at accelerated conditions (40°C [104°F], 75% relative humidity) for stability testing. The assays were performed by means of high-performance liquid chromatography at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours according to US Pharmacopeia XXIV methodology. Solutions E through G were assessed for bacterial growth, and solution H underwent pyrogen testing by using a Limulus amebocyte lysate method. Results: Solutions A through C remained stable for at least 60 hours ( Conclusion: Inhalational N-acetylcysteine prepared as an intravenous solution meets US Pharmacopeia standards for stability up to 60 hours and is free from bacteria and their byproducts, offering a viable alternative to the traditional use of oral N-acetylcysteine. [ Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42:9-13.]