cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laser And Plasma Enhanced Deposition Of Diamond And Diamondlike Films By Physical And Chemical Vapor Deposition Techniques

The deposition of hydrogen free as well as hydrogenated hard, amorphous, diamondlike carbon films by a novel laser ablation and plasma hybrid technique (20nsec(FWHM), XeC1 laser output focussed by a lens onto the target at a power density of 2.5*10.8 W/cm.2) are described. In the novel laser ablation and plasma hybrid technique, the energy stored in a capacitor is fed synchronously with the ablating laser pulse into the laser ablated region of the target. The hydrogenated films are deposited by ablating the carbon films deliberately in hydrogen ambient using the capacitor discharge technique. The hydrogen content may be varied by controlling the energy stored in the capacitor. Hydrogen free, DLC films deposited by this new technique by ablating carbon targets in high vacuum have been characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry, FT-IR, TEM, and Microhardness maeasurements. To date, we have seen reduced extinction coefficient in the 2 to 2.5 eV range, enhanced hardness and a high value of band gap of 1.27 eV for films deposited by this technique.
Directional Stability Enhancement of a Dual Path Front Hydrostatic Drive by Wire Off-Road Vehicle

This paper discusses the inherent instability in a dual path front hydrostatic drive wheel, rear caster wheel off-road vehicle. A physical system model is created to simulate behavior to both normal operation and outside environmental inputs. The model starts with a simplified diesel engine and includes the hydraulic pumps, motors, and associated components. The hydraulic motor output is coupled to the ground using the drive wheel geometry. Disturbances are applied to each drive wheel. The force on each wheel is determined independently and combined to create a net vehicle acceleration, rotation, or both. A model based controller is designed to accurately steer the vehicle during both slow working speeds and high transport speeds. The control algorithm uses steering input, speed input, and yaw rate to control pump displacement for each wheel. The controller adjusts ground drive pump displacements when a disturbance is applied to either wheel to maintain longitudinal stability. The controller will be implemented on a vehicle using electro-hydraulic pump control. Steering and speed inputs have been modified for input to the controller rather than manually changing pump displacement. Additionally, joystick control has been implemented as an alternative drive mode. The joystick determines speed and steering input with a single hand while opening up the operator station for better visibility and manufacturing.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
A cosmological bound on the invisible axion

Abstract The production of axions in the early universe is studied. Axion models which break the U(1)PQ symmetry above 1012 GeV are found to produce an unacceptably large axion energy density.
A pilot randomized controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids for autism spectrum disorder.

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility and initial safety and efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids (1.3 g/day) for the treatment of hyperactivity in 27 children ages 3–8 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After 12 weeks, hyperactivity, as measured by the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, improved 2.7 (±4.8) points in the omega-3 group compared to 0.3 (±7.2) points in the placebo group (p = 0.40; effect size = 0.38). Correlations were found between decreases in five fatty acid levels and decreases in hyperactivity, and the treatment was well tolerated. Although this pilot study did not find a statistically significant benefit from omega-3 fatty acids, the small sample size does not rule out small to moderate beneficial effects.
Evidence for a single locus controlling susceptibility to virus-induced diabetes mellitus.

THE M-variant of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC) attacks pancreatic β cells and produces a diabetes-like syndrome in certain inbred strains of mice1,2. Studies based on crosses between strains of mice that develop diabetes (susceptible) and strains of mice that do not develop diabetes (resistant) showed that susceptibility to EMC-induced diabetes is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait3–5. Although earlier experiments based on F2 data had suggested that more than one genetic locus might be involved, lack of backcross data, wide variation between experiments, and the influence of non-genetic factors on glucose levels precluded more precise genetic analysis5. The present investigation was initiated to study in greater depth the mode of inheritance of EMC-induced diabetes. The data presented here on susceptible and resistant parental strains and the F1 and backcross offspring are consistent with a mendelian mode of inheritance, principally controlled by a single locus, involving two or more alleles.
Fast convergence of quantized consensus using Metropolis chains

We consider the quantized consensus problem on undirected connected graphs and study its expected convergence time to the set of consensus points. As compared with earlier results on the problem, we improve the convergence speed of the dynamics by a factor of n, where n is the number of agents involved in the dynamics. In particular, we show that when the edges of the network are activated based on a Poisson processes with Metropolis rates, the expected convergence time to the consensus set is at most O(n2 log n). This upper bound is better than all available results for randomized quantized consensus.
[Tc-99m]-sestamibi uptake and washout in locally advanced breast cancer are correlated with tumor blood flow.

Abstract Objectives: To determine the influence of breast tumor blood flow on MIBI kinetics, we compared MIBI uptake and washout to [O-15]-water PET estimates of blood flow in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Methods: Prior to therapy, 37 patients underwent MIBI and [O-15]-water PET imaging; 22/37 also had MIBI washout analysis. Twenty-five patients underwent serial imaging over the course of chemotherapy. Results: MIBI uptake and blood flow had a significant positive correlation pre-therapy. The change in MIBI uptake over the course of therapy also correlated with the change in blood flow. The half-time of MIBI washout inversely correlated with blood flow, indicating faster MIBI washout with higher blood flow. Conclusions: Blood flow strongly influences early MIBI uptake and can be a factor affecting the rate of MIBI washout in breast tumors. We present a model of MIBI kinetics in tumors which forms a hypothesis for further mechanistic studies of MIBI uptake and washout in breast cancer.
Synthesis and Phase Behavior of Chiral Liquid Crystal Elastomers Containing Cholesteryl Group

The synthesis of new side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers (ChLCEs) containing the cholesteric monomer M and the flexible non-mesogenic crosslinking agent C, is described. The selective reflection of light for M was characterized with UV/Visible/NIR. The phase behavior and mesomorphism were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of the content of crosslinking units on the phase behavior and mesomorphism of elastomers P1 – P8 is discussed. The ChLCEs exhibit elasticity, reversible phase transitions, and cholesteric Grandjean texture. The experimental results demonstrate that the glass transition temperature and isotropic temperature of ChLCEs decrease with increasing the content of crosslinking unit, but the cholesteric phase is not disturbed.
1016 SPECTRUM OF HTLV-III INFECTION IN CHILDREN

Clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated in 17 patients (pt), aged 6mo-6yrs who were positive for serum antibody to the p 41 antigen of the HTLV-III virus by Western blot analysis. All but 1 pt were in risk groups for AIDS. 7 pt had opportunistic infections(OI) and fit the diagnostic criteria established by the CDC for pediatric(P) AIDS. 8 pt without OI designated as P AIDS related complex(ARC) had 1 to >3 clinical features associated with P AIDS. The remaining 2 pt were asymptomatic. HTLV–III virus was isolated from lymphocytes of 5/6 pt, (1 with P AIDS & 4 with P ARC). Immune abnormalities were detected in 16/17 pt and characteristically consisted of hypergammaglobulinemia, decreased B-cell differentiation in-vitro in response to T-depen-dent & T-independent stimuli, and depletion of T4 subset of lymphocytes. Proliferative responses to mitogens & antigens were variable. 10/10 mothers tested were seropositive for HTLV–III; 1 had clinical AIDS, 3 had lymphadenopathy and the remaining were asymptomatic. 5/5 mothers tested had immune abnormalities in-vitro. 5 clinically well siblings of 3 P ARC pt were sero-negative & did not manifest immune abnormalities. 2/4 fathers were seropositive with clinical & immunologic abnormalities. These findings indicate that seropositivity for HTLV–III is frequently associated with immune abnormalities with or without clinical manifestations and that recovery of HTLV–III virus is high in infected children.
A test for the difference between two treatments in a continuous measure of outcome when there are dropouts

Consider a randomized clinical trial that is designed to compare two treatments in which the treatment continues during the entire period of the study. Some subjects may refuse to complete the protocol and will not return for the final evaluation. Since the reason for dropping out may be related to the subject's self-assessed evaluation of the usefulness of the treatment or to undesirable side effects of the treatment, subjects who drop out cannot be treated as a random sample of those who entered the trial. We consider the situation where the measure of efficacy of the treatment is continuous. Under the assumption that the expected value of the measure for those who drop out is not better (the direction depends on the measure) than that for those who complete the study, we propose an adjustment to the usual test for a difference between treatments that allows for the inclusion of the probable effect of the dropouts; this provides a bound on the test for efficacy of the treatment. First, we estimate a predetermined percentile, such as the median score, of the control, or placebo, group and assign this score to all those who dropped out from both groups and to all subjects in both groups with scores that are worse than the assigned score. A Mann-Whitney statistic is then used to test the equality of the distributions of the two groups. We show by simulation that this modified test is equivalent to a test using the complete data and has greater power than that obtained when including the dropouts by assigning the worst observed score to them. This test will be less sensitive to bias that is induced by exclusion of dropouts from the final evaluation.
Scale Dependence in Relating Land Use/Cover to Stream Macroinvertebrate Communities in the Central Appalachian Mountains, USA

In this study, we assess the relationship between catchment land use/cover (LUC) and stream macroinvertebrate communities at multiple spatial scales to determine the relative influence of LUC on macroinvertebrates at each spatial scale. Our results indicate that LUC at subcatchment scales was a better predictor of macroinvertebrate communities than catchment-scale LUC. Furthermore, variation explained by catchment-scale LUC was statistically insignificant after removing variation explained by near-stream LUC. We attribute this to the clumped distribution of anthropogenic LUC within the narrow stream valleys of the study area. We conclude that LUC spatial distribution and measurement scale should be considered prior to in-depth analyses relating LUC to stream ecosystems.
Optimal structural design with indirect use of Transferred Forces

An optimal design method based on the concepts of Transferred Forces is introduced. The method uses these forces in an indirect way. The concept of reaction functional based on transferred forces is introduced. The functional approximates the structural behaviour in terms of the properties of a selected region. Using the reaction functionals, a nonlinear programming formulation and a computational method that perform sizing and topology optimization are developed. The procedure does not need structural analyses during optimization iterations. Example problems are solved with the method and the similar solutions are obtained for a refined mesh model and a different starting design. Thus, it is concluded that the new concept presented here is applicable to structural optimization problems.
One-dimensional inorganic arrangement in the bismuth oxalate hydroxide Bi(C2O4)OH

Abstract Single crystals of Bi(C2O4)OH were obtained by the slow diffusion of Bi3+ cations through silica gel impregnated with oxalic acid. The structure was solved in the Pnma space group with a=6.0853(2) A, b=11.4479(3) A, c=5.9722(2) A, leading to R=0.0188 and wR=0.0190 from 513 unique reflections. The bismuth coordination polyhedron is a BiO6E pentagonal bipyramid with the lone pair E sitting at an axial vertex. The opposite axial vertex is occupied by a hydroxyl oxygen atom, which is also an equatorial corner of a neighboring BiO6E bipyramid. The sharing of the hydroxyl oxygen atoms build ∞ 1 [ BiO 5 E ] zig-zag chains running down the [100] direction. These chains are aligned in a sheet parallel to the (010) plane and are further connected through oxalate ions to form a three-dimensional arrangement. On heating, Bi(C2O4)OH decomposes to the meta-stable quadratic β-Bi2O3 phase.
Prosodic constraints and morphological alignment in French

Abstract In constraint-based phonological theories, phonological processes occur at the intersection of competing demands on surface well-formedness. All constraints on output form are permitted to be active at once, to interact, and potentially, to conflict. This article recognizes two levels of structural constraints in Standard French, one which pertains to prosodic structure and one which constrains the interface between prosodic and morphological categories. It is argued that the addition of phonological material through morphological operations can lead directly to constraint violations when prosodic factors, specifically conditions on syllable structure and foot well-formedness, are dominant. Since the metrical requirements of the language privilege the right edge of a phonological word in French, the dominance of prosody over morphological alignment is argued to be asymmetric. This approach allows us to explain why phonological processes disproportionately occur with suffixation rather than with prefixation. Further, it obviates the need for intermediate stages of derivation, for rule-ordering and for level-ordering in French.
Analysis of crack growth in solder joints

Understanding crack growth in solder joints is important for predicting the fatigue life of solder interconnects. In this paper, crack propagation in solder joints made of two solder alloys, 62Sn/36Pb/2Ag (by weight), a commonly used solder paste for SMT reflow applications, and 96.5Sn/3.5Ag (by weight), a lead‐free solder alloy, was examined during thermal cycling. Based on these observations, the rate of crack propagation was estimated. Microstructural changes in the solder during thermal cycling were also studied.
Considerations of the mechanism of reductive deamination of primary amines with HNF2

Abstract A possible mechanism for the reductive deamination of primary amines (RNH 2 →RH) by HNF 2 is presented. The initial step involves bimolecular displacement of F from HNF 2 by RNH 2 . The subsequent series of intermediates proposed is supported by proton affinity data and literature analogies. The role of fluorine in affecting amine basicity is also delineated.
A simple method for counting adherent cells: Application to cultured human monocytes, Macrophages and multinucleated giant cells

A simple method was devised for counting small numbers (10(4)-10(6)) of adherent mononuclear phagocytes, including populations containing multinucleated giant cells, which often arise during cultivation of human blood monocytes. Coverslips with adherent cells were transferred into small volumes (50-200 microliters) of 0.1 M citric acid, pH 2.2, containing 0.05% naphthol blue black and 1.0% of either Triton X-100 or Cetavlon. Triton X-100 was adequate for use with monocytes and macrophages from early cultures. However, Cetavlon was preferable for use with older cultures of adherent human mononuclear cells in order to prevent aggregation of the nuclei from giant cells. When multinucleated cells were present, separately stained coverslips were inspected to determine the mean number of nuclei per cell. This value, together with the number of nuclei per coverslip, permitted calculation of the number of cells per coverslip. The latter value is not readily derived from measurements of protein or DNA content in populations containing multinucleated giant cells. This counting method was simpler and more sensitive than several previously reported methods for enumerating adherent macrophages.
Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of S(IV) by ozone in aqueous solution with particular reference to SO2 conversion in nonurban tropospheric clouds

Results are presented from a laboratory study of the kinetics of the S(IV)-O3 reaction in aqueous solution, including measurements of the effects of UV radiation, dissolved transition metals, and an antioxidant (hydroquinone) on the rate. On the basis of the results, relative rates of S(IV) conversion by O3 in tropospheric cloud water are compared with those predicted for H2O2 and for O2. The reaction mechanism is discussed, with an outline given of the elements of a possible reaction scheme. Application of the rate constants obtained to SO2 conversion in cloud water predicts conversion rates by ozone to be competitive with those by H2O2 at pH above about 4.5 and to dominate at pH above about 5.5. It is pointed out that since these pH's are typical for nonurban tropospheric cloud water, ozone is a potentially important contributor to the overall oxidative conversion of SO2 to sulfate in the nonurban troposphere.
Safety of thrice-daily hyperfractionated radiation and BCNU for high-grade gliomas.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the safety of thrice-daily hyperfractionated radiotherapy (RT) given in conjunction with BCNU (carmustine) in high-grade gliomas. Methods and Materials: Patients >18 years old with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas were eligible. The dose of radiation was 5040 cGy, with a 1440-cGy boost in 180 cGy fractions delivered thrice daily in two 6-day periods with a 2-week interval. BCNU (200 mg/m 2 ) was administered on the first day of radiation, then every 7 weeks for 1 year and every 10 weeks for another year. Results: Eighteen patients were enrolled. The mean age was 49.6 years. Sixteen patients had astrocytomas (Grade 3 or 4 in 5 and 11 patients, respectively) and 2 had oligoastrocytomas (Grade 3 and 4 in 1 patient each). One underwent total resection, 9 subtotal resection, and 8 biopsy only. Thirteen patients had stable disease, 4 regression, and 1 progression. The median time to progression was 37.8 weeks. The median overall survival was 44.4 weeks. Nine patients had neurologic toxicities, including 2 deaths at 69 and 139 weeks. Conclusion: This regimen is unacceptably toxic. Factors that could have contributed to the toxicity may include the total radiation dose, thrice-daily hyperfractionation, and the concurrent use of i.v. BCNU.
Metal-induced lethality and mutagenesis: Possible role of apurinic intermediates

Abstract The possible mechanisms by which various metals exert their mutagenic effects were investigated using both chemical and biochemical techniques. Ions of Cu, Ni and Cr enhanced the release of either adenine [Cu(II) and Ni(II)] or guanine [Cr(VI)] from DNA as measured in a chromatography assay, suggesting the possible importance of depurination in metal-induced mutagenesis. Transfection experiments with single-stranded bacteriophage θX174 DNA indicated that micromolar levels of Cu(II), Cr(III), Cr(VI) and Pt(IV) are capable of causing extensive lethal damage to the phage DNA. In case of Cu(II) and Pt(IV) this damage proved mutagenic for θX174 am3 after transfection of DNA into SOS-induced spheroplasts. For Cu(II) mutagenesis is likely due to the release of adenine residues from the phage DNA based on the abolishment of mutagenesis by alkali and the observed specificity of the phage revertants. The enhancement of the adenine depurination rate by Cu(II) was estimated to be as high as 10 000-fold.
Low Anastomotic Stricture Rate After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Using a 21-mm Circular Stapling Device

Background Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) has been established as a safe and effective procedure for morbid obesity management. Amongst some of the postoperative complications are gastrojejunal (GJ) anastomotic strictures, with an incidence of 3 to 27 % in some series. This study evaluates the incidence of GJ strictures using a 21-mm circular stapling device and its response to treatment with endoscopic balloon dilation.
Design and Development of a Novel Modular Spine Testing Apparatus

Back pain is a well known health issue and several approaches to understanding the mechanics and dynamics of the spine, including mechanical testing, are used. Presently, several spine testing devices, such as those described in [1,2], are available which impose physiologic loads for various postures of the spine. Although these devices are successful at simulating physiologic loads, they do so by imposing non-physiologic boundary conditions. Thus, we believe the fabrication of a spine testing apparatus that addresses these deficiencies is warranted. In this extended abstract, we discuss our design and development of a robust, physiologic representative mechanical quasi-static testing device using reproducible boundary conditions that approximate, but dont replicate, the in vivo situation. The resulting testing apparatus is shown in Fig. 1. We also present a brief summary of a complementary spine model that is used in conjunction with the spine testing apparatus to predict muscle forces for various spine postures.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Demethylation of C14-Labelled Codeine in the Rat.∗:

SummaryRadio-codeine is demethylated in vitro and in vivo, the labelled methoxy group being oxidized to C14O2 which is expired by the lungs. The site of the demethylation process is primarily the liver; 40% of the injected dose is demethylated within 6 hours. Transmethylation has not been demonstrated in vitro.
A single human myosin light chain kinase gene (MLCK; MYLK) transcribes multiple nonmuscle isoforms

Abstract The myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) gene, a muscle member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily, yields both smooth muscle and nonmuscle cell isoforms. Both isoforms are known to regulate contractile activity via calcium/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain phosphorylation. We previously cloned from a human endothelial cell (EC) cDNA library a high-molecular-weight nonmuscle MLCK isoform (EC MLCK (MLCK 1) with an open reading frame that encodes a protein of 1914 amino acids. We now describe four novel nonmuscle MLCK isoforms (MLCK 2, 3a, 3b, and 4) that are the alternatively spliced variants of an mRNA precursor that is transcribed from a single human MLCK gene. The primary structure of the cDNA encoding the nonmuscle MLCK isoform 2 is identical to the previously published human nonmuscle MLCK (MLCK 1) (J. G. N. Garciaet al.,1997,Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol.16, 489–494) except for a deletion of nucleotides 1428–1634 (D2). The full nucleotide sequence of MLCK isoforms 3a and 3b and partial sequence for MLCK isoform 4 revealed identity to MLCK 1 except for deletions at nucleotides 5081–5233 (MLCK 3a, D3), double deletions of nucleotides 1428–1634 and 5081–5233 (MLCK 3b), and nucleotide deletions 4534–4737 (MLCK 4, D4). Northern blot analysis demonstrated the extended expression pattern of the nonmuscle MLCK isoform(s) in both human adult and human fetal tissues. RT-PCR using primer pairs that were designed to detect specifically nonmuscle MLCK isoforms 2, 3, and 4 deletions (D2, D3, and D4) confirmed expression in both human adult and human fetal tissues (lung, liver, brain, and kidney) and in human endothelial cells (umbilical vein and dermal). Furthermore, relative quantitative expression studies demonstrated that the nonmuscle MLCK isoform 2 is the dominant splice variant expressed in human tissues and cells. Further analysis of the human MLCK gene revealed that the MLCK 2 isoform represents the deletion of an independent exon flanked by 5′ and 3′ neighboring introns of 0.6 and 7.0 kb, respectively. Together these studies demonstrate for the first time that the human MLCK gene yields multiple nonmuscle MLCK isoforms by alternative splicing of its transcribed mRNA precursor with differential distribution of these isoforms in various human tissues and cells.
Carbon dioxide fixation by metacercariae of Clinostomum campanulatum (Trematoda)

Abstract 1. 1. Clean metacercariae of Clinostomum campanulatum were incubated at 19°C with NaH14CO3. 2. 2. The label was recovered in alanine, glutamic acid, glutamine, proline, citrate, pyruvate, succinate, alpha ketoglutarate, fumarate and lactate. 3. 3. The pattern of labeling indicated that the metacercariae possess the necessary components of the TCA cycle.
Multiple C−H Activations of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether at Pincer Iridium Complexes: Synthesis and Thermolysis of Ir(I) Fischer Carbenes1

The C−H activation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) mediated by pincer iridium complexes derived from PNP and PCP frameworks has been studied. Double C−H activation of MTBE by these complexes leads to formation of Ir(I) Fischer carbenes of the type (pincer)Ir═C(H)OtBu via elimination of H2. In one case, the structure of the Fischer carbene has been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. For both systems, the carbenes are obtained as kinetic products, and prolonged thermolysis leads to the formation of thermodynamically stable trans-(pincer)Ir(H)2(CO) complexes. A mechanism for this transformation is presented along with reactivity studies supporting the proposal.
Both corticotropin-releasing factor and apomorphine reduce prepulse inhibition following repeated central infusion of corticotropin-releasing factor.

Abstract The neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) has been shown to disrupt prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response in rodents. Prepulse inhibition is deficient in a number of psychiatric disorders. In Experiment 1, we examined whether repeated central infusion of CRF alters the reduction in prepulse inhibition caused by subsequent CRF infusion or apomorphine injection. Repeated intracerebroventricular infusion of CRF (0.3 μg) did not cause tolerance to the effect of CRF on prepulse inhibition. Additionally, repeated CRF did not alter the effect of apomorphine (0.25 mg/kg, i.p.) on prepulse inhibition. In contrast to other reported results, both CRF and apomorphine reduced baseline startle amplitude in the Brown Norway rats, which show low prepulse inhibition. In Experiment 2, we showed that a CRF-induced change in baseline startle amplitude does not contribute to the CRF-induced decrease in percent prepulse inhibition. In Experiment 3, we found that methylphenidate (20.0 mg/kg, i.p.) increased baseline startle amplitude in Brown Norway rats, yet it also decreased percent prepulse inhibition. These results suggest that CRF can be administered repeatedly without diminution of its effects on prepulse inhibition, and that in Brown Norway rats, compounds that either increase or decrease baseline startle amplitude can reduce percent prepulse inhibition independently of the effects on baseline startle.
Thermalization of the world's smallest fluids: Recent developments

Abstract The late Gerry Brown was not shy to tackle complex scientific problems that took time to play out but yielded in the end a deeper understanding of many-body phenomena. In this note, prepared for a memorial volume in his honor, we provide a perspective on a couple of outstanding scientific puzzles that have their origin in our understanding of the thermalization of matter in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions, and possibly, in high multiplicity proton–proton and proton–nucleus collisions.
Differential inhibitory effects of the arachidonic acid analog ETYA on rat mast cell exocytosis evoked by secretagogues utilizing cellular or extracellular calcium.

Abstract ETYA (5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid; 50–100 μM), which inhibits both cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxidase, inhibited histamine release evoked by secretagogues dependent on extracellular calcium (antigen, dextran, and concanavalin A) but failed to inhibit secretion elicited by secretogogues capable of mobilizing calcium from intracellular cellular sites (48/80, polymyxin B, protamine sulfate and poly-L-lysine). Responses to these latter secretagogues were inhibited only by higher concentrations of ETYA (100–200 μM) that were cytotoxic. Secretion evoked by the calcium ionophore A23187 (0.1 μg/ml) was inhibited at much lower concentrations of ETYA (1–10μM) but this inhalation could not be overcome by increasing the concentration of calcium. Responses to higher concentrations of ionophore were not inhibited by ETYA except in amounts affecting cell viability. Like ETYA, each of several fatty acids, including arachidonic acid, were inhibitory towards histamine release evoked by A23187 or 48/80. The results indicate that ETYA acts at some early stage of stimulus-secretion coupling rather than on the final, common, calcium-activated steps of exocytosis. Moreover, this action may be unrelated to inhibition of lipoxidase or cyclooxygenase.
Subplate neurons pioneer the first axon pathway from the cerebral cortex

During the development of the nervous system, growing axons must traverse considerable distances to find their targets. In insects, this problem is solved in part by pioneer neurons, which lay down the first axonal pathways when distances are at a minimum. Here the existence of a similar kind of neuron in the developing mammalian telencephalon is described. These are the subplate cells, the first postmitotic neurons of the cerebral cortex. Axons from subplate neurons traverse the internal capsule and invade the thalamus early in fetal life, even before the neurons of cortical layers 5 and 6, which will form the adult subcortical projections, are generated. During postnatal life, after the adult pattern of axonal projections is firmly established, most subplate neurons disappear. These observations raise the possibility that the early axonal scaffold formed by subplate cells may prove essential for the establishment of permanent subcortical projections.
Catalytic conversion of biomass to bio-syncrude oil

The conversion of biomass to transportation fuels and chemicals has been of immense interest in recent years. In this study, the production of high quality bio-oil (bio-syncrude oil) was achieved by catalytically cracking pyrolysis vapors from hybrid poplar in a dual-fluidized bed reactor. The catalytic deoxygenation of the primary pyrolysis vapors was achieved with a commercial HZSM-5 at 425–450°C. The organic, water, char, coke, and gas yields were 11.9, 20.9, 16.5, 3.8, and 46.8 wt.%, respectively. This work demonstrated that the use of a fluidized bed reactor for the catalytic upgrading reduces coke formation and increases catalyst lifetime. The concentration of the permanent gases was in the order of CO > CO2 > C3H6 > CH4 > H2 > other C2–C4. The light bio-syncrude (LBS) oil collected from the condenser was predominately aromatic hydrocarbons. The heavy bio-syncrude (HBS) oil collected from the electrostatic precipitator consisted of mainly phenols, methyl-substituted phenols, naphthalenes, benzenediols, and naphthalenol. The bio-syncrude oils were low in oxygen, less viscous, less acidic, stable, and high in energy density. The higher heating value of the light and heavy bio-syncrude oil was 36.89 and 33.98 MJ/kg, respectively. The distillate yields from the atmospheric distillation showed that 91 wt.% of the LBS oil distills up to 220°C and 76 wt.% of the HBS oil distills up to 440°C. Accelerated stability test of the oils at 90°C for 24 h and storage of the oils at room temperature for 10 months showed that the bio-syncrude oils were stable. The catalytic deoxygenation of the pyrolysis vapors resulted in the removal of undesirable oxygenates such as levoglucosan, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, and ketones. The bio-syncrude oil can be considered as a suitable feed for use in a petroleum refinery for the production of transportation fuels and chemicals.
Amplitudes and phase shifts in electron—atom forward scattering: strong dependence on atomic valence electrons

Abstract Forward-scattering amplitudes and phase shifts for intermediate-energy electrons were systematically calculated for selected elements throughout the periodic table. Characteristic variations in the forward-scattering amplitudes with atomic number were found, which differ from those observed in back-scattering amplitudes. Strong effects of atomic valence electrons on the forward-scattering process are evident.
Multiplex pre-amplification for noninvasive genetic sampling: is the extra effort worth it?

Microsatellite genotyping of hair and faeces using standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) resulted in low success rates and high error rates in a 2003-2004 pilot study using noninvasive genetic sampling for the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the Italian Alps. Thus, we evaluated the performance of multiplex pre-amplification for improving microsatellite genotyping results. Brown bear faecal DNA extracts of varying quality (n = 33) and hair DNA extracts of poor (n = 32) and good (n = 34) quality were used to compare standard PCR and pre-amplification. In contrast to previous studies, there was no significant difference between methods for individual locus amplification success, genotyping error and genotyping success rates for scat and hair samples. The use of pre-amplification requires an additional investment of time and resources, and our results raise questions about the universal value of pre-amplification approaches. We suggest that researchers carefully evaluate the performance of pre-amplification compared to standard PCR using field-collected samples from the study area of interest before engaging in large-scale noninvasive genetic analyses.
Embryo transfer in the dog and cat

The practicality and feasibility of embryo transfer technology in dogs and cats is quickly becoming a clinical reality. Although progress has been slow, I anticipate that embryo transfer will be a practical and an economical technique in the near future. Most importantly, it is essential that the practical lessons learned with equine and bovine embryo transfer be integrated into the development of canine and feline programs.
Efficient minimum-cost network hardening via exploit dependency graphs

In-depth analysis of network security vulnerability must consider attacker exploits not just in isolation, but also in combination. The general approach to this problem is to compute attack paths (combinations of exploits), from which one can decide whether a given set of network hardening measures guarantees the safety of given critical resources. We go beyond attack paths to compute actual sets of hardening measures (assignments of initial network conditions) that guarantee the safety of given critical resources. Moreover, for given costs associated with individual hardening measures, we compute assignments that minimize overall cost. By doing our minimization at the level of initial conditions rather than exploits, we resolve hardening irrelevancies and redundancies in a way that cannot be done through previously proposed exploit-level approaches. Also, we use an efficient exploit-dependency representation based on monotonic logic that has polynomial complexity, as opposed to many previous attack graph representations having exponential complexity.
Assessment of Cigarette Smoking and Smoking Susceptibility among Youth Telephone Computer-Assisted Self-Interviews versus Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews

This experimental study assesses the effect of two survey methods, telephone audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (T-ACASI) and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI), on self-reports of smoking behavior and smoking susceptibility among adolescents 12-17 years of age in California. In T-ACASI, participants listen to prerecorded, computer-controlled questions and respond by pressing the keypad on a touch-tone telephone. In CATI, interviewers administer the questions and enter responses into a computer. Prior research suggests that youth may be more likely to report sensitive behaviors in a self-administered survey like T-ACASI compared to an interviewer-administered survey like CATI, due to greater perceived confidentiality. Logistic regression analyses were conducted on unweighted data, controlling for demographic differences. Adjusted estimates of current smoking (past 30 days) were significantly greater in T-ACASI (8.3 percent) than CATI (4.5 percent). Smoking susceptibility (i.e., lack of a firm commitment not to smoke among those who have never smoked) was also greater in T-ACASI (45.0 percent) than CATI (34.9 percent). In both surveys, social desirability response bias was negatively associated with smoking, which suggests that response bias was problematic for both modes. Many respondents reported that a parent was present during the interview (59.4 percent in CATI; 42.0 percent in T-ACASI). In both surveys, parental presence was negatively associated with smoking, which suggests that this factor could also contribute to underreporting. Application of sample weights to the data eliminated the survey mode effects, however, the CATI current smoking estimate (9.3 percent) from this study was significanlty less than an estimate (14.2 percent) obtained from a self-administered, school-based survey conducted the same year on California adolescents.
Tracking and Predicting Barge Locations on Inland Waterways

AbstractIn efforts to improve efficiency, safety, and security, several groups involved in inland waterway navigation have an interest in improving tracking of barges moving on waterways. Automated tracking devices have inherent limitations, and there is a need to predict locations over the next several hours. This paper presents a nonlinear, probabilistic prediction model developed and implemented to track spatial location and other navigation characteristics of a barge traveling on the inland waterway system. A prefilter to check the validity of the measurements, a nonlinear speed estimation process, and a Kalman filter to predict the navigation solution of the barge are developed in this work. Due to the complex dynamics involved in the barge navigation system, a nonlinear stochastic model was developed in state space to represent the process and measurement processes. The algorithm was verified using actual measurements obtained from multiple barges on multiple rivers acquired from different sensors. ...
Wrestling Proteus: Assessing the Varying Nature of Father Involvement Across Contexts

This study investigated the common assumption that measures of father involvement are invariant across child age, gender, and reporter. Measurement invariance was tested with 320 families who were interviewed at child ages 10, 12, and 14. Criterion validity was also examined, using observational, survey, and physiologic measures with factor rotation type considered. It was found that invariance did not hold across gender for child report but did hold for mother and father reports. Differing factors were found across time and reporter. Child report and orthogonally rotated solutions demonstrated the greatest criterion validity. The findings suggest that typical father involvement assumptions may not hold and, when this is the case, involvement should be conceptualized in light of varying involvement domains. Implications for conceptualizing and analytically examining father involvement are considered.
‘Elepaio subadult plumages reduce aggression through graded status-signaling, not mimicry

The 'Elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis) is a monarch flycatcher endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Both sexes have a two-year delay in plumage maturation, with distinct first-year and second-year subadult plumages. This study tested hypotheses for the evolution of delayed plumage maturation in 'Elepaio by presenting adult males with models representing different ages and sexes in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. The subadult plumages of 'Elepaio appeared to serve as honest, graded signals of status that reduced aggression from dominant adults. Both first-year and second-year subadult male models were attacked less than adult male models, and aggression increased linearly with age of male models. Neither subadult plumage appeared to function in sexual mimicry or juvenile mimicry. Second-year male models were attacked more than adult female models; neither subadult plumage resembles adult plumage of the opposite sex. First-year male models, which are juvenile-like, were not attacked more than adult female models, but juvenile mimicry cannot account for the behavior toward second-year male models and is a less parsimonious explanation. Aggression toward models was much higher in the breeding season, and all models were treated similarly in the nonbreeding season, suggesting competition for mates has been the primary selective force shaping the evolution of the 'Elepaio's plumage coloration. Models made from color pho- tocopies can be a useful alternative to museum specimens in behavioral studies of rare species or those in which damage to specimens during model presentation would occur.
Postnatal piglet husbandry practices and well-being: the effects of alternative techniques delivered separately.

The aim of this study was to evalu- ate stress responses evoked by 2 alternative methods for performing the following processing procedures: 1) teeth resection—clipping vs. grinding; 2) tail docking— cold vs. hot clipping; 3) identification—ear notch vs. tag; 4) iron administration—injection vs. oral; 5) cas- tration—cords cut vs. torn. Eight to 10 litters of 8-, 2-, and 3-d-old piglets were assigned to each procedure. Within each litter, 2 piglets were assigned to 1 of 4 possible procedures: the 2 alternative methods, a sham procedure, and a sham procedure plus blood sampling. Blood was sampled before processing and at 45 min, 4 h, 48 h, 1 wk, and 2 wk postprocedure and assayed for cortisol and β-endorphin. Procedures were videotaped and analyzed to evaluate the time taken to perform the procedure and the number of squeals, grunts, and escape attempts. Vocalizations were analyzed to deter- mine mean and peak frequencies and duration. Piglets were weighed before the procedure and at 24 h, 48 h, 1 wk, and 2 wk afterward. Lesions were scored on a scale of 0 to 5 on pigs in the identification, tail dock- ing, and castration treatments at 24 h, 1 wk, and 2 wk postprocedure. For teeth resection, grinding took lon- ger than clipping and resulted in greater cortisol con- centration overall, poorer growth rates, and longer vo- calizations compared with pigs in the control treatment (P < 0.05). For tail docking, hot clipping took longer, and hot-clipped piglets grew slower than cold-clipped piglets (P < 0.05). Hot clipping also resulted in longer and higher frequency squealing compared with pigs in the control treatment (P < 0.01). For identification, ear notching took longer than tagging, and ear-notched piglets had worse wound scores than tagged piglets (P < 0.05). Cortisol concentrations at 4 h also tended to be greater for ear-notched piglets (P < 0.10). Ear notch- ing evoked calls with higher peak frequencies than the control treatments. For iron administration, oral deliv- ery took numerically longer than injecting, but there were no significant differences between injecting and oral delivery for any of the measures. For castration, tearing took longer than cutting the cords (P < 0.05), but β-endorphin concentrations at 45 min postproce- dure were greater for cut piglets. When measures of behavior, physiology, and productivity were used, the responses to teeth resection, tail docking, and identi- fication were shown to be altered by the procedural method, whereas responses to iron administration and castration did not differ. The time taken to carry out the procedure would appear to be an important factor in the strength of the stress response.
Privacy enforcement for distributed healthcare queries

In the healthcare industry and others, sensitive private information must be stored and shared between various organizations in the course of running their business. We have developed an architecture in which distributed data can be queried as if it resided in a single centralized database, while revealing minimal information beyond the answer to the query. In this paper we review the architecture and show how queries can be filtered to enforce user-specified privacy policies.We present a system for tracking information flow that is flexible enough to permit revealing sensitive data to those who have a need to know, while limiting the amount of useful information that can be obtained by a less-than-honest participant.
Pumping mechanisms in sputter-ion pumps low pressure operation

It is shown that significant H/sub 2/ pumping occurs in the walls of triode pumps. Also, H/sub 2/ is pumped in the anode cells of sputter-ion pumps. This pumping occurs in a manner similar to that by which the inert gases are pumped. That is, H/sub 2/ is pumped in the walls of the anode cells by high-energy neutral burial. Hydrogen in the pump walls and anodes limits the base pressure of the pump. >
Clinical application of blood biomarkers in cerebrovascular disease

Identifying a biomarker or panel of biomarkers of cerebral ischemia would have a major impact on the care of stroke patients by facilitating early management decisions and individualization of care. Biochemical surrogates of cerebral ischemia might also play an important role by identifying relevant pathways for novel therapeutic strategies and by facilitating early clinical trials in cerebrovascular disease. Serum biomarkers related to pathways of hemostasis, oxidation and inflammation, or alterations in glial and neuronal proteins, have been identified but none have been recommended for routine clinical use. This review describes the most promising biomarkers of cerebrovascular disease and the context and limitations in which they have been studied.
Fledgling Psychopathic Features and Pathological Delinquency: New Evidence

Fledgling psychopathy is a construct that has proven useful in organizing the nomological network of conduct problems and psychopathology in children and adolescents. Drawing on data from an institutionalized sample of delinquents (n = 252), the current study compared ADHD, CD, and ADHD+CD youth on psychopathic personality features and their association with pathological delinquency. Youths with ADHD+CD were significantly more psychopathic than their peers. Although callousness, unemotionality, and remorselessness are generally theorized to define the fledgling psychopathic youth, ROC-AUC models found that thrillseeking and impulsiveness were the strongest classification variables for delinquency and violent delinquency at the 90th percentiles. Implications for research and practice with antisocial youth are proffered.