cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of adipocyte apoptosis by laser scanning cytometry.

OBJECTIVE: Adipocyte apoptosis plays an important role in adipose tissue homeostasis and can be altered under a variety of physiological and pathological conditions. This study was carried out to determine whether laser scanning cytometry (LSC) can be used to measure changes in apoptosis of adipocytes over time. DESIGN: LSC was used to investigate adipocyte apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a cytokine that is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. LSC, a slide-based solid phase cytofluorometer, provides quantitative flow fluorescence data together with morphological information for apoptotic detection. Both 3T3-L1 cells and rat adipocytes from primary cell culture were incubated with 0 or 25 nM TNF-α for up to 24 h. Both the FITC-conjugated annexin V/propidium iodide assay and the TUNEL assay were used to distinguish cells with apoptotic characteristics from nonapoptotic cells. RESULTS: Apoptosis did not increase over time in the absence of TNF-α for both 3T3-L1 cells and rat primary adipocytes. For both 3T3-L1 cells and rat primary adipocytes, a significant increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells was observed by 3–4 h incubation with TNF-α (P<0.05). By 24 h, more than 50% of cells incubated with TNF-α were apoptotic (P<0.001). This process was also associated with morphological changes typical of adipocytes undergoing apoptosis. By estimating the percentage of cell subpopulations after different times of incubation with TNF-α, we were able to develop grading parameters, based on the adipose apoptotic measurements. CONCLUSION: With morphological information, LSC can be a useful tool to evaluate adipocyte apoptosis.
Electrical Properties of Mercury Telluride

Polycrystalline HgTe, as prepared in sealed quartz tubes, was found to be $p$ type with acceptor concentrations of ${10}^{18}$-${10}^{19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ and band gap \ensuremath{\sim}0.02 ev. Diffusion of zinc and copper into samples indicates that the former is a donor impurity, the latter an acceptor impurity. Measurements of resistivity and Hall effect extended to liquid hydrogen temperature reveal a marked magneto-Hall effect. The Hall coefficient changes sign at temperatures as low as 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Some measurements of thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity are also given.
Distribution of n-alkanes in partially frozen middle distillate fuels

Abstract A previously described NRL liquid-solid separator and a method which was developed for its use were employed for the separation and characterization (g.c.-m.s.) of the solid crystals and liquid from five different partially frozen middle distillate fuels (three JP-5 jet fuels and two DFM ship propulsion fuels) at several temperatures below the freezing points of the original fuel samples. In all cases, the waxy crystalline precipitates were found to entrap significant amounts of filtrate. Both the filtrate and the solid data demonstrated that the higher n -alkanes play the key role in fuel crystallization at low temperatures, concentrating as much as tenfold in the crystallized solids compared with the liquid. The n -alkanes formed the major part, up to at least 95% by weight in some fuels, of the solid crystals formed.
Trichostrongylus colubriformis: isolation and characterization of ovicidal activity from Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis

Abstract Bioassay of media fractions from cultivation of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis revealed that ovicidal activity for eggs of the ruminant nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis was found in microbial crystals, but was not released into culture medium. The purified delta-endotoxin of B. t. israelensis , composed of two 25 kDa proteins, had no effect on nematode eggs. A fraction that had high ovicidal activity for eggs of T. colubriformis was isolated by high performance liquid chromatography from crystals of B. t. israelensis . Retention of the compound(s) on size exclusion columns indicated a mol wt of 1510 when compared to standards. The LD 50 of this fraction for nematode eggs was not altered significantly by 5 m M calcium chloride with and without ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or the enzyme inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (10 −6 M ). The fraction was susceptible to proteolytic hydrolysis by bacterial protease VI whereas the fungal protease XIII slightly decreased the ovicidal effects of the fraction. The ovicidal activity was stable for 2 days at ambient temperature or 2 months at 0 C, but declined after 7 days at ambient temperature. Little activity was lost after heating to 100 C for 60 min. The ovicidal effects were also pH dependent with increased toxicity at alkaline pH values. The fraction, however, had no effect on larvae of the mosquito Aedes aegypti or mice after intraperitoneal injection.
Monte Carlo Simulations of a Coarse Grain Model for Block Copolymers and Nanocomposites

A coarse grain model and a Monte Carlo sampling formalism are proposed for simulations of self-assembly in block copolymer melts and nanoparticle−copolymer composites. Our approach relies on a particle-based representation of the system, it does not invoke a saddle point approximation, and it permits treatment of large three-dimensional systems. We provide a detailed description of the model and methods and discuss their relationship to results from self-consistent-field theory and single chain in mean field simulations. The validity of the proposed approach is addressed by applying it to study systems whose description within existing approaches would be demanding. In particular, we use it to examine the directed assembly of copolymer blends and nanoparticles on nanopatterned substrates. We show that results from simulations are in good agreement with experiment, and we use our theoretical findings to help explain the experimental observations.
Role of c‐Myb in the survival of pre B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and leukemogenesis

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children. The current treatment protocol for ALL involves an intense chemotherapy regimen yielding cure rates of nearly 80%. However, new therapies need to be designed not only to increase the survival rate but also to combat the risk of severe therapy associated toxicities including secondary malignancies, growth problems, organ damage, and infertility. The c-Myb proto-oncogene is highly expressed in immature hematopoietic cells. In this study, we demonstrate that loss of c-Myb itself decreased the viability of these leukemic cells. Additionally, the inhibition of c-Myb caused a decrease in cell proliferation, significantly increased the number of cells in G(0) /G(1) phase of the cell cycle, increased the sensitivity of pre-B-ALL cells to cytotoxic agents in vitro, and significantly delayed disease onset in a mouse model of leukemia. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Bcl-2 is a target of c-Myb in pre-B-ALL cells. Our results identify c-Myb as a potential therapeutic target in pre-B-ALL and suggest that suppression of c-Myb levels or activity, in combination with currently used therapies and/or dose reduction, may lead to a decrease in toxicity and an increase in patient survival rates. Because c-Myb is aberrantly expressed in several other malignancies, targeting c-Myb will have broad clinical applications.
Effect of Adenosylethionine on 5-Methyltetra-hydrofolate-homocysteine Transmethylase

THE 5 - methyltetrahydrofolate - homocysteine transmethylase of Escherichia coli requires catalytic quantities of S-adenosyl-L-methionine1 and a vitamin B12 derivative for activity2. It was of interest to determine the effect of S-adenosyl-L-ethionine on this reaction since this compound can substitute for adenosylmethionine in certain enzyme-catalysed reactions such as the formation of the ethyl derivatives of phospholipid choline, creatine, histidine and carnosine3,4. Adenosylethionine bromide was isolated from rat liver after ethionine feeding5. It behaved as a single spot on a paper chromatogram with 1-butanol–acetic acid–water (60:15:25, v/v/v) as the solvent. After boiling in 0.1 N sodium hydroxide for 1 h a chromatogram of the digest yielded spots for ethionine, homo-serine and adenine5. Adenosylmethionine iodide was purchased from Calbiochem, Los Angeles, Calif. It was found (Table 1) that adenosylethionine could not replace adenosylmethionine in the reaction under investigation. When added simultaneously at equal concentration little or no effect was observed. Significant inhibition was observed when adenosylethionine was pre-incubated with the enzyme or when higher concentrations of adenosylethionine were employed.
Low-dimensional projections for SyCLoP

This paper presents an extension to SyCLoP, a multilayered motion planning framework that has been shown to successfully solve high-dimensional problems with differential constraints. SyCLoP combines traditional sampling-based planning with a high-level decomposition of the workspace through which it attempts to guide a low-level tree of motions. We investigate a generalization of SyCLoP in which the high-level decomposition is defined over a given low-dimensional projected subspace of the state space. We begin with a manually-chosen projection to demonstrate that projections other than the workspace can potentially work well. We then evaluate SyCLoP's performance with random projections and projections determined from linear dimensionality reduction over elements of the state space, for which the results are mixed. As we will see, finding a useful projection is a difficult problem, and we conclude this paper by discussing the merits and drawbacks of various types of projections.
Martian thermal history, core segregation, and tectonics

A series of calculated thermal histories of Mars is presented, and their possible relation to surface tectonic history is discussed. The models include convective heat transport through an empirical approximation, and heating by radioactivity and core segregation. Initial temperature and the timing and duration of core segregation are treated as free parameters. The initial temperature is the main determinant of Martian thermal evolution: as it is varied from 20 to 100% of the present mean temperature, the maximum in surface heat flux moves from very recent to very early in Martian history. For the latter cases, the details of core segregation control the detailed timing of a peak in the thermal flux that exceeded 100 mW/sq m. It is suggested that the early disruption of cratered terrain crust in the northern hemisphere and subsequent volcanic resurfacing may have been related to core segregation. This would be consistent with a scenario in which an early period of core segregation generated a marked peak in the thermal flux that may have led to extensive partial melting and volcanism. This scenario would require Mars to have had an initial mean temperature comparable to the present value.
CHAOTIC NATURAL CONVECTION IN AN ANNULAR CAVITY WITH NON-ISOTHERMAL WALLS

The stability of free convection in an annulus is governed by the boundary conditions on the inner and outer walls of the annulus and the upper and lower boundaries. This paper explores the effect of free convection on the inner surface of the annulus, where the boundary conditions for the outer wall and the upper and lower boundaries are controlled. The temperature is measured in the center of the air cavity and just below the surface of the inner annular boundary. Experimental results are shown for a radius ratio of 0.40, aspect ratio of 20.7. These more recent experimental results are compared to prior work for a radius ratio of 0.60, aspect ratio of 31.0. The results indicate that as the Rayleigh number is increased, the flow experiences a transition from steady flow to a very regular oscillatory flow, and then a supercritical Hopf bifurcation as the flow finally transitions to chaotic behavior. Proper orthogonal decomposition analysis is presented as a method for quantifying the complex dynamic behavior of the system.
Infalling Faint [O II] Emitters in Abell 851. I.?Spectroscopic Confirmation of Narrowband-selected Objects

Wereportonaspectroscopicconfirmationofnarrowband-selected(O ii)emittersinAbell851catalogedbyMartin and coworkers. The optical spectra obtained from the Keck I Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (LRIS) and Keck II Deep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph (DEIMOS)haveconfirmed(O ii)k3727 emission in narrowband- selected cluster (O ii) candidates at a � 85% success rate for faint (iP25) blue ( gi < 1) galaxies. The rate for the successful detection of (O ii) emission is a strong function of galaxy color, generally proving the efficacy of narrowband (O ii) search supplemented with broadband colors in selecting faint cluster galaxies with recent star formation. Balmer decrement-derived reddening measurements show a high degree of reddening (E(BV )k0:5) inasignificantfractionofthispopulation.Evenaftercorrectingfordustextinction,the(Oii)/Hlinefluxratioforthe high-E(BV ) galaxies remains generally lower by a factor of � 2 than the mean (O ii)/Hratios reported by the studies of nearby galaxies. The strength of (O ii) equivalent width shows a negative trend with galaxy luminosity, while the Hequivalent width does not appear to depend as strongly on luminosity. This in part is due to the high amount of reddening observed in luminous galaxies. Furthermore, emission-line ratio diagnostics show that AGN- like galaxies are abundant in the high-luminosity end of the cluster (O ii)-emitting sample, with only moderately strong (O ii) equivalent widths, consistent with a scenario of galaxy evolution connecting AGNs and suppression of star-forming activity in massive galaxies.
On the relationship between crack initiation toughness and crack growth toughness

Abstract Prior studies of the relationship between the crack initiation toughness (characterized by the critical value J Ic of the J integral and the crack growth toughness (characterized by the tearing modulus T R ), in a variety of microstructures representing very different compositions, have suggested that an increase in the value of the former parameter generally leads to a monotonic increase in the latter. In this work, some new results, derived from controlled experiments on the effect of composition and microstructure on J Ic and T R are presented for a number of high purity alloys belonging to the AlLiCuZr system. It is shown that microstructural characteristics, which are generally considered to be detrimental to fracture initiation toughness J Ic can lead to a substantial improvement int he tearing modulus T R . The underaged tempers of the material with the highest lithium content show the largest resistance to crack growth (as indicated by T R ), even though their crack initiation toughness J Ic values are the lowest among the underaged tempers of alloys in the same AlLiCuZr system exhibiting “globally similar” failure mechanisms. We rationalize such results on the basis of microstructurally induced variations in crack path.
Regulation of Cholinephosphotransferase by Thyroid Hormone

We have demonstrated earlier that thyroid hormone (T3) regulates the activity of cholinephosphotransferase (CPT) in guinea pig lung. This effect of T3 is not organ specific because we found T3 also regulates CPT activity in the guinea pig liver. Northern blot analysis using two oligonucleotide probes, one synthesized on the basis of the yeast CPT gene sequence and another on the basis of partial cDNA clone from guinea pig CPT clone, revealed that T3 stimulates the expression of new CPT mRNA. Studies with transcriptional and translational inhibitors indicated that T3 enhanced the translation of the CPT mRNA as well as translocation of preformed CPT enzyme protein from cytosol to mitochondria. Furthermore, it strengthens our previous finding that yeast CPT and guinea pig CPT have high homology in their sequence as both the oligonucleotide probes gave the similar type of Northern blot in the present study.
Mechanical Property Study of the Fiber-Matrix Interface in SiC/SiC Composites

The fiber-matrix interface between ceramic fibers and ceramic matrix plays a major role in the fatigue properties and toughness of continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Boron Nitride (BN) is a widely used fiber coating material that provides a weak bond between the fiber and matrix. A weak fiber-matrix interface increases the strength and toughness of the overall CMC. Single fiber push-out tests were performed to study interfacial shear strength as a main parameter defining fatigue properties and toughness of SiC/SiC composites. The fiber-matrix interfacial shear strength was studied in melt infiltrated Hi-Nicalon/BN(CVI)/SiC composites exposed to various temperature and loading conditions, similar to those that are used in actual applications. Hi-Nicalon fibers with diameters of 13-14.5 μm were pushed out from samples with thicknesses ranging from 125-280 μm using a spherical tip with a 1 μm radius and 90° conical shape. Interfacial shear strength was calculated from sliding load, fiber diameter and sample thickness. Due to significant scattering, 30 individual push tests in every sample were used to obtain the average interfacial shear strength. The virgin sample has a shear strength of 20 MPa which is higher than tensile tested samples (12 MPa). Annealing of a virgin specimen for 100 hours at 1000°C slightly increased shear strength up to 21.5 MPa while annealing at 1100°C and 1200°C led to significant increase of shear strength up to 29 and 39 MPa correspondingly. This effect is associated with BN degradation at temperatures >1000°C.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Individual Differences and Construct System Content in Descriptions of Liked and Disliked Co-Workers

Abstract This study examined the construct system content of both liked and disliked coworkers in terms of high and low levels of cognitive differentiation, level in the organization, and upward mobility. Findings revealed a fairly stable impression of “liked” co-workers, who were most often described as persons with integrity who were also considerate and personable. Employees in higher levels of the organization and the more upwardly mobile also included “influence” in their descriptions of liked coworkers with a significantly greater relative frequency than did their lower-level and less mobile counterparts. Impressions of “disliked” co-workers were found to be less tightly organized. Lack of integrity was listed most often in descriptions of disliked co-workers followed by self-centered and insecure. Gender accounted for little difference in the tightly organized descriptions of liked co-workers but had more of an impact on the disliked impressions. Males disliked a lack of integrity more often, and f...
Silicon diode dosimetry

The theory of silicon diode dosimetry is briefy reviewed with respect to operation of these diodes without reverse bias in the short-circuit current mode. The problems of temperature dependence, radiation damage, and the dependence on photon energy are discussed. Various applications of the diodes to practical radiation dosimetry are then described with a view toward pointing out the pitfalls as well as the advantages of using these diodes for dosimetry.
A flexural model for the Paradox Basin: implications for the tectonics of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains

The Paradox Basin is a large (l90km x 265 km) asymmetric basin that developed along the southwestern flank of the basement-involved Uncompahgre uplift in Utah aod Colorado, USA during the Pennsylvaoian-Permian Ancestral Rocky Mountain (ARM) orogenic event. Previously interpreted as a pull-apart basin, the Paradox Basin more closely resembles intraforeland flexural basins such as those that developed between the basement-cored uplifts of the Late Cretaceous-Eocene Laramide orogeny in the western interior USA. The shape, subsidence history, facies architecture, and structural relationships of the Uncompahgre-Paradox system are exemplary of typical \\\'immobile\\\' foreland basin systems. Along the southwest-vergent Uncompahgre thrust, ~ 5km of coarse-grained syntectonic Desmoinesian-Wolfcampiao (mid-Pennsylvaniao to early Permian; -310-260 Ma) sediments were shed from the Uncompahgre uplift by alluvial fans and reworked by aeolian-modified fluvial megafan deposystems in the proximal Paradox Basin. The coeval rise of an uplift-parallel barrier -200 km southwest of the Uncompahgre front restricted reflux from the open ocean south and west of the basin, and promoted deposition of thick evaporite-shale and biohermal carbonate facies in the medial and distal submarine parts of the basin, respectively. Nearshore carbonate shoal and terrestrial siliciclastic deposystems overtopped the basin during the late stages of subsidence during the Missourian through Wolfcampian (-300-260 Ma) as sediment flux outpaced the rate of generation of accommodation space. Reconstruction of an end-Permian two-dimensional basin profile from seismic, borehole, and outcrop data depicts the relationship of these deposystems to the differential accommodation space generated by Pennsylvanian-Permian subsidence, highlighting the similarities between the Paradox basin-fill and that of other ancient and modern foreland basins. Flexural modeling of the restored basin profile indicates that the Paradox Basin can be described by flexural loading of a fully broken continental crust by a model Uncompahgre uplift and accompanying synorogenic sediments. Other thrust-bounded basins of the ARM have similar basin profiles and facies architectures to those of the Paradox Basin, suggesting that many ARM basins may share a flexural geodynamic mechanism. Therefore, plate tectonic models that attempt to explain the development of ARM uplifts need to incorporate a mechanism for the widespread generation of flexural basins.
Excited state characterization of squaraine dye-doped polymers

The imaginary part of the third order nonlinear optical susceptibility is evaluated for several squaraine dyes to determine the characteristics of their excited states. Quadratic electroabsorption and linear absorption spectroscopy are used for this evaluaiton as well as to determine mechanisms responsible for the nonlinear optical properties of these dye-doped polymers. THe value of (chi) (3) (in which we use an optical field to probe the effect of a static field) is of importance in evaluating the applicability of these thin-films dyes to all- optical devices. The nonlinear responses are compared to the three- and four-level models to help determine which models are most suitable for predicting nonlinear behavior.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Curcumin and muscle wasting: a new role for an old drug?

Sepsis, severe injury, and cancer are associated with loss of muscle mass. Muscle wasting in these conditions is mainly caused by increased proteolysis, at least in part regulated by nuclear factor-κB. Despite recent progress in the understanding of mediators and mechanisms involved in muscle wasting, effective and universally accepted treatments by which muscle atrophy can be prevented or reversed are still lacking. We review recent evidence suggesting that curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a component of the spice turmeric, may prevent loss of muscle mass during sepsis and endotoxemia and may stimulate muscle regeneration after traumatic injury. Curcumin has been part of the traditional Asian medicine for centuries, mainly because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Studies suggest that inhibition of nuclear factor-κB is one of the mechanisms by which curcumin exerts its ant-inflammatory effects. Curcumin is easily accessible, inexpensive, and non-toxic even at high doses, and may therefore offer an important treatment modality in muscle wasting and injury. It should be noted, however, that the muscle-sparing effects of curcumin are not universally accepted, and more studies are therefore needed to further test the role of curcumin in the prevention and treatment of muscle wasting.
The effects of protein hydrolysate-monosaccharide infusion on low-birth-weight infants.

Four neonates who weighed between 940 and 1,200 Gm. at birth were studied for themetabolic effects of the infusion of a solution of 4.5 per cent protein hydrolysate with 13.5 per cent monosaccharide. Infusion for 48 hours resulted in increased serum and urine osmolality, positive potassium balance, negative sodium balance, increased serum urea nitrogen, increased blood glucose and total hexose, and decreased aortic arterial pH. One infant developed Candida albicans sepsis. From these limited data it is concluded that before prolonged parenteral alimentation is applied clinically to the care of low-birth-weight neonates, the relationship of benefit to risk must be evaluated by controlled studies.
On the Internet, software should be milked, not brewed

The explosion of the Web raises many difficult legal and economic issues. One of the most controversial is this: how can we protect the intellectual property embedded in the computer software that gets distributed over the Internet? The Web hypertext platform, particularly hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and Java, should encourage the quick and ubiquitous delivery of novel, ground breaking ideas for interacting with computers. Innovative user interface software, whether in the form of Java byte codes or Web browsers, should be protected by law. But this is very difficult. Software products and ideas are too easily duplicated or cloned, and software's authors are often compelled to expose the technical details of their products in order to disseminate them and create a market for their ideas and services, indirectly encouraging such cloning. The use of time stamping software to solve the Internet intellectual property problem is discussed.
Trends in electronics for electric motor control

A wide range of integrated devices has become available for the control of electric motors. The article presents an overview of such devices, with an emphasis on the control functions that are implemented and on the differences between chips serving similar purposes.
Comparison of several finite-difference methods

The present numerical study establishes that, with the MacCormack and 'two-four' methods, the solution accuracy obtainable in problems involving wave propagation, shock-wave and contact discontinuities, and viscous effects, will be strongly dependent on Courant number. The application of flux correction to the MacCormack and two-four methods is noted to significantly attenuate dispersion errors; the ensuing solutions capture the discontinuities in the shock-tube problem with improved accuracy and resolution, and are free of dispersion errors for the viscous Burgers' equation.
Areal distribution of Martian rampart craters

A survey of medium- and high-resolution Viking orbital imagery was carried out in order to characterize the areal distribution of Martian rampart craters. Such craters have been identified on nearly every major geologic unit on the planet, at all latitudes and longitudes, and over a wide range of altitudes. Rampart crater formation spans Martian geologic history from at least the formation of the Chryse channels to the present.
The effects of power hand tool dynamics and workstation design on handle kinematics and muscle activity

Abstract Reaction force and workstation design aspects of right angle nutrunner operation were studied in order to better understand their effects on handle kinematics and muscle activity. Tool reaction force factors included spindle target torque (25 Nm and 50 Nm) and joint hardness (35 ms and 900 ms build-up time). Workstation factors included orientation (horizontal and vertical) and operator distance (10 cm and 35 cm) from the tool. Dependent variables included handle displacement and velocity, work done on the tool-hand system, power involved in doing work, and EMG activity in the forearm and upper arm muscles. Isometric and eccentric strength corresponding to exertions against the tool for velocities of 0 m/s, 0.084 m/s, 0.251 m/s, 0.503 m/s and 0.754 m/s were measured and the relationship between strength and handle kinematics during tool operation was studied. Six inexperienced volunteers (four males and two females) participated. Subjects operated a 58.5 cm long, 3.6 kg right angle nutrunner on a fastener 120 cm off the floor using the right hand while standing. The handle was most stable (defined as minimum average peak velocity and displacement) when torque was 25 Nm, when vertical workstations were closest (10 cm) to the operator, or when horizontal workstations were farthest (35 cm) from the operator. Greater handle stability was observed for the horizontal workstation than for the vertical workstation. The hard joint (35 ms build-up) resulted in 307% greater peak handle velocity and 195% greater average power acting against the operator compared to the soft joint, however total work against the operator was 134% less for the hard joint. Little correlation was observed between static or dynamic strength and handle kinematics. EMG latency was measured from the onset of torque build-up. The average latency was 38 ms for the hard joint and 171 ms for the soft joint. Relevance to industry Ergonomic aspects of right angle nutrunner parameters are important for designing workstations and selecting power hand tools in assembly operations that maximize performance and quality, while minimizing physical stress. These parameters include process factors (torque and joint hardness) and workstation design factors (orientation and distance from the operator).
Hydrologic regimes of forested, mountainous, headwater basins in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, and Puerto Rico

This study characterized the hydrologic regimes at four forested, mountainous long-term ecological research (LTER) sites: H.J. Andrews (Oregon), Coweeta (North Carolina), Hubbard Brook (New Hampshire), and Luquillo (Puerto Rico). Over 600 basin-years of daily streamflow records were examined from 18 basins that have not experienced human disturbances since at least the 1930s and in some cases much longer periods. This study used statistical methods to systematically evaluate the relationship between precipitation and streamflow at a range of spatial and temporal scales, and draw inferences from these relationships about the hydrologic behavior of the basins. Basins in this study had fundamentally different abilities to store and release moisture at a range of time and space scales. These different hydrologic regimes are the result of different types of forest canopies, snow, and soils in the study basins. Through their influences on interception and transpiration, forest canopies appear to play a very important role in the hydrologic regimes at Andrews and Luquillo, but at Coweeta and Hubbard Brook, the current deciduous forest plays a more limited although seasonally important role. Because of the timing of melt and its interaction with soils, seasonal snowpacks at Hubbard Brook and Andrews have quite different effects upon streamflow and vegetation water use. A variety of water flowpath types in soil, from macropore flow to long flowpaths in deep soils or fractured bedrock, appear to operate at the four sites. Hydrologic regimes may help predict the temporal scales of biogeochemical cycling and stream ecological processes, as well as the magnitude and timing of hydrologic response to disturbance and climate change in headwater basins.
An Analytical Solution for Linear Waterflood Including the Effects of Capillary Pressure

In this paper the authors develop exact solutions for a model linear (one-dimensional (1D)) waterflood that includes the effects of capillary pressure. They show that at constant injection rates an exact solution is possible for a water/oil displacement process, for which the mobility ratio depends upon the oil saturation and a parameter (F) that can be taken as the water-to-oil viscosity ratio. Explicit analytical expressions for the oil saturation distribution as a function of position and time are derived that account for the effects of capillary pressure. The solution is expressed in terms of F and a dimensionless parameter, ..beta../sup 2/, that denotes the relative magnitude of viscous to capillary terms. At high injection rates, the solution reduces to the familiar Buckley-Leverett expressions, including the shock front solution when F > 1. From the analytical results one can calculate the capillary effects on the performance of the model waterflood. This work, which for the first time presents an analytical solution for a linear waterflood that includes capillary effects, finds applications in two areas. First, it can be used to describe explicitly the performance of the model waterflood at low injection rates (small ..beta..), where the existing approximate solutions fail tomore » account for the large capillary terms. Second, it can be used to check approximate analytical (such as the Buckley-Leverett), asymptotic, and numerical solutions.« less
Partial hand preservation for large soft tissue sarcomas of the hand.

Purpose Hand amputations cause marked functional loss for patients. In patients with large soft tissue sarcomas of the hand, partial hand preservation is extremely challenging for surgeons attempting a complete resection of the tumor with negative resection margins. We conducted this review to examine the oncologic outcome, including local recurrence rate and patient overall survival, and functional outcome after resections for large soft tissue sarcomas with partial hand preservation. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the hand treated at our institution from 1995 to 2007. We identified 8 patients who had tumors at least 5 cm in maximum dimension and had tumor resection with partial hand preservation. The mean age at the time of surgery was 49 years (range, 10–80 years). Two patients had myxofibrosarcoma, 2 patients had synovial sarcoma, 2 patients had malignant fibrous histiocytoma, 1 patient had a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, and 1 patient had a liposarcoma. Two patients had low-grade tumors, and 6 patients had high-grade tumors. Two patients had American Joint Committee on Cancer stage 1b tumors, and 6 patients had American Joint Committee on Cancer stage 3 tumors. No patients had distant metastases at the time of surgery. Hand function was evaluated using Musculoskeletal Tumor Society criteria. Results Of the 8 patients, 1 died of distant metastatic disease, 1 developed local tumor recurrence and is alive with locally recurrent disease, and the other 6 patients are completely disease-free. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 26 (range, 19–29), with the 2 patients who had received double-ray amputations having the lower scores (19 and 24). Conclusions Partial hand preservation is possible in selected patients with large soft tissue sarcomas of the hand, obtaining low local recurrence rates, good overall survival, and good functional outcome. However, all effort should be made to achieve negative resection margins. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Setting of Early Ordovician (Arenigian) Carbonate Sedimentation in Appalachian Basin: Arid Climatic Epicontinental Seas Interrupted by Intermittent Conditions of Emergence: ABSTRACT

Epicontinental seas with sea-marginal sabkhas persisted within the tropic zone of what is now the Appalachian basin. The arid climate and hypersaline conditions influenced the accumulation of carbonate sediments. Conditions of intermittent emergence interrupted cycles of carbonate sedimentation. Evidence of hypersalinity includes calcitic, dolomitic, or siliceous pseudomorphs of former anhydrite nodules; calcite and euhedral quartz infilling solution-enhanced vugs after evaporite nodules; carbonate pseudomorphs after gypsum and halite; euhedral quartz; authigenic K-feldspar; paucity of skeletal debris; preservation of stromatolites; and length-slow chalcedony, including chalcedonic spherulites, half-moon ooids, and dedolomites. Intermittent emergence is inferred from solution-collapse features, desiccation cracks, eroded surfaces, surfaces of induration such as silcrete, and lag concentrates of micrite chips (flat-pebble conglomerate). Angular clasts of dolostone and limestone resulted from collapse and brecciation of overlying strata, when evaporites underlying them dissolve . End_of_Article - Last_Page 1437------------
Interpreting the wave function of the universe

Abstract The Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics is used to determine the meaning of the universal wave function of quantum cosmology. More precisely, the Many-Worlds Interpretation is used to distinguish those quantities in quantum cosmology which are measurable, and hence physically meaningful, from those which are not. A number of rather surprising conclusions are drawn from the analysis. First, it is not possible to measure the expectation value of any universal operator and so such expectation values are physically meaningless. Second, it is physically (although not mathematically) meaningless to talk about eigenstates of the Universal Hamiltonian. Third, before a measurement of the radius of the Universe is made it makes no sense to say the Universe has a radius. Fourth, after the first two radius measurements are made, the Universe can be said to have all radii consistent with the support of the universal wave function and the wave function of the measuring apparatus; in effect, the Universe splits into an infinite number of branches, in each of which the time evolution is observed to be very close to the classical evolution. Fifth, any universal wave function which does not violate a Quantum Copernican Cosmological Principle will automatically solve the Flatness Problem without having to invoke inflation. In effect, quantum cosmology allows us to have “inflation without inflation”. All of these conclusions are illustrated with a closed Friedmann universe quantized in conformal time. My quantization procedure allows only one solution to Schrodinger's equation, and this solution solves the Flatness Problem. I show that the ADM quantization method plus the Hartle-Hawking initial foundary condition gives the same result.
Efficient large-scale replica-exchange simulations on production infrastructure

Replica-exchange (RE) algorithms are used to understand physical phenomena--ranging from protein folding dynamics to binding affinity calculations. They represent a class of algorithms that involve a large number of loosely coupled ensembles, and are thus amenable to using distributed resources. We develop a framework for RE that supports different replica pairing (synchronous versus asynchronous) and exchange coordination mechanisms (centralized versus decentralized) and which can use a range of production cyberinfrastructures concurrently. We characterize the performance of both RE algorithms at an unprecedented number of cores employed--the number of replicas and the typical number of cores per replica--on the production distributed infrastructure. We find that the asynchronous algorithms outperform the synchronous algorithms, even though details of the specific implementations are important determinants of performance.
Market Size, Service Quality, and Competition in Banking

Local banking markets depict enormous variation in population size. Yet this paper finds that the nature of bank competition across markets is strikingly similar. First, markets remain similarly concentrated regardless of size. Second, the number of dominant banks is roughly constant across markets of different size; it is the number of fringe banks that increases with market size. Third, service quality increases in larger markets and is higher for dominant banks. The findings suggest that banks use fixed-cost quality investments to capture the additional demand when market size grows, thereby raising barriers to entry.
Physics Settings for Using the Geant4 Toolkit in Proton Therapy

We simulated electromagnetic and nuclear processes induced by clinical proton beams in order to select the physics setting for the 8.1 version of the Geant4 toolkit. A modular physics list was constructed allowing for alternative processes and models to be invoked in the simulations. We validated the Monte Carlo by means of measured depth-dose distributions in water for 86 MeV and 209 MeV beams and measured longitudinal charge profiles in a stack of polyethylene absorbers (multilayer Faraday cup) for a 160 MeV beam. Best agreement between simulation and measurement was found for the standard electromagnetic and binary cascade models of Geant4.
Chemiluminescence Techniques for the Characterization of Materials [New Analytical Methods (41)]

Photons are emitted at low levels from a wide variety of organic materials at wavelengths ranging from the visible to infrared. This light emission accompanies free-radical autoxidation and charge-recombination processes and is particulary useful in assessing thermal oxidation and radiation damage as well as polymer curing reactions. IR chemiluminescence, which offers advantages because of reduced self-absorption, has been shown to mark the end of induction periods in inhibited systems. With the introduction of sensitive solid-state devices, the chemiluminescence technique has been extended to two-dimensional imaging and presentation.
Thermodynamic assessment for shock wave synthesis of transition metal silicides

The initial state of the porous elemental powders is taken at 298°K. The final state is the fully reacted powders at the adiabatic temperature, T_(ad). Energy is input by the shock wave E_(shock) and by the negative enthalpy of formation ΔH_f of the silicide, E_(in) = E_(shock) – ΔH_f. The adiabatic process takes place on a closed system, and therefore T_(ad) depends only on the end points and not on the path of the process. We may therefore assume full reaction takes place first, followed by the input of the shock energy. Three regimes for T_(ad) are considered, where the heat of fusion of the silicide is given by ΔH_m. Define a function F(T_(upper)) as the integral of c_pdT from 298°K to temperature T_(upper), where c_p is the specific heat of the silicide given by c_p = A+ 10^(-3)BT+ 10^5CT^(-2) with constants A, B, and C. The input energy is converted to heat, and T_(ad) is obtained from: Regime I: T_(ad) < T_m, v = 0, and E_(in) = F(T_(ad)) where T_m is the silicide melting temperature, and v is the fraction of silicide melted. Regime II: T_(ad) = T_m, 0 ≤ v ≤ 1, for F(T_m) ≤ E_(in) ≤ F(T_m) +ΔH_m, and v = [E_(in) - F(T_m)]/C_(pl) where c_(pl) is the specif1c heat of the liquid silicide. Regime III: T_(ad) > T_m, v = 1, for E_(in) > F(T_m) + ΔH_m, and T_(ad) = T_m + [E_(in) - F(T_m) – ΔH_m]/c_(pl). The pressure dependence of the silicide melting points has not been determined and the zero pressure melting points were used in the calculations. (The silicon melting point decreases by 54°K/GPa (2), while that of the metals increases (3).) An iterative method of solution was employed to obtain T_(ad) in regime I. Calculations were made for the disilicides and 5:3 silicides of Cr, Mo, Nb, Re, Ta, Ti, V, W, and Zr. The silicide property values employed by Bhaduri et al. (1) were used, with the exception of ΔH_f values for Ti silicides (-88.48 J/mol for TiSi_2 and -288.8 J/mol for Ti_5Si_3) which were obtained from Ref. 4. Table I lists T_(ad) values at zero shock energy calculated here and in Ref. 1 for the 1:2 and 5:3 silicides. Table II gives calculated values of the shock energy required to reach the silicide melting point, the shock energy to melt the silicide, and the silicide melting point. Calculated values of Tad vs. shock energy are presented in Figs. 1 and 2.
Rapid Point-of-Contact Tool for Mapping and Integrated Surveillance of Wuchereria bancrofti and Onchocerca volvulus Infection

ABSTRACT Elimination programs for Wuchereria bancrofti and Onchocerca volvulus are in critical need of sensitive, specific, and point-of-contact (POC) tools that can be used for surveillance years beyond cessation of mass drug administration when infection intensities are low. Previously, Wb123 and Ov16 were identified individually as potential filarial antigens for an antibody-based POC test. The present study compares single-antigen Wb123- and Ov16-based POC tests with an integrated configuration to detect antibodies to Wb123 and Ov16 simultaneously. Wb123 and Ov16 isolates were striped onto lateral flow strips containing anti-IgG4. Sera from W. bancrofti-, O. volvulus-, and other helminth-infected or -uninfected individuals were added to the strips with buffer. Strips were read for the appearance of a positive or negative test line for both antigens at 20 min and following drying. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for the single-antigen and biplex strips. Single and biplex lateral flow strips showed nearly identical results, with >90% sensitivity for Ov16 and >92% sensitivity for Wb123. Overall specificities for the single and biplex tests were 98% and 96% for Ov16 and Wb123, respectively. Biplex tests performed as well as the single-antigen tests regardless of the intensity of patient IgG4 response. The high sensitivity and specificity make these new biplex tests extremely useful for POC long-term surveillance following mass drug administration in Africa that should reduce time and cost in areas where bancroftian filariasis and onchocerciasis are coendemic.
Prospective relations between parental depression, negative expressiveness, emotional insecurity, and children's internalizing symptoms

Building on the conceptual framework of emotional security theory (Davies and Cummings in Psychol Bull 116:387-411, 1994), this study longitudinally examined multiple factors linking parental depressive symptoms and child internalizing symptoms. Participants were 235 children (106 boys, 129 girls) and their cohabiting parents. Assessments included mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms when children were in kindergarten, parents' negative expressiveness when children were in first grade, children's emotional insecurity 1 year later, and children's internalizing symptoms in kindergarten and second grade. Findings revealed both mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms were related to changes in children's internalizing symptoms as a function of parents' negative emotional expressiveness and children's emotional insecurity. In addition to these similar pathways, distinctive pathways as a function of parental gender were identified. Contributions are considered for understanding relations between parental depressive symptoms and children's development.
Comparative effects of caloric restriction and metabolic acceleration on body composition in obesity.

ABSTRACT Change in body weight, total body fat and the fat free body was evaluated in 4 patients during moderate caloric restriction (600–800 CAL), severe caloric restriction (150 CAL)and moderate caloric restriction plus metabolic acceleration (600–800 CAL +900 mg desiccatedthyroid). Compositional changes were obtained from the distribution of tritiated water, nitrogen balance and measurement of corporeal density (helium dilution). Weight loss averaged 235 g/day with moderate caloric restriction, was increased with severe caloric restriction (338 g/day) and was maximal (450 g/day) with metabolic acceleration. In contrast, fat loss which averaged 213 g/day with moderate caloric restriction was unchanged with severe caloric restriction (196 g/day) or metabolic acceleration (222 g/day). Loss of the fat free body which was minimal with moderate caloric restriction (22 g/day) increased significantly with severe caloric restriction(143 g/day) and was greatest with caloric restriction plus metabolic acceleratio...