cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An empirical model for ideal work of adhesion: transition-metal aluminides and silicides

Abstract The role of atomic bonding in the brittle fracture of intermetallic alloys has been assessed theoretically. A simple empirical model is proposed for the ideal work of adhesion, resulting from a rigid-body separation, in terms of four variables, viz. the elastic stiffness constant, the equilibrium interplanar spacing, and two scaling length parameters. The ratio of these two length parameters is assessed based on the available results of ab initio slab-supercell calculations. Ideal cleavage energies and critical stress intensity factors of transition-metal aluminides and silicides are estimated, and the results are discussed by comparing with the available experimental data of brittle fracture. The difference between the proposed model and other models, temperature dependence of surface energies, and an extension of this model for interfacial adhesion are also discussed.
939 PHENOTYPIC AND FUNCTIONAL CHANGES OF LYMPHOCYTES IN HEMOPHILIACS

Changes in cellular immunity have been reported in hemophiliacs receiving lyophilized factor concentrate, T cell subsets, mitogenic responsiveness, and degree of hypergammaglobulinemia in healthy hemophiliacs were examined in order to determine the effect of product therapy on immune responsiveness of children with hemophilia (age range, 3-21 years). The study population was comprised of 21 hemophilia A patients receiving factor VIII concentrate, 10 hemophilia A patients receiving cryoprecipitate, 8 hemophilia B patients receiving factor IX concentrate and 20 healthy children receiving no blood products. The percentage of T4+ lymphocytes was decreased in all hemophiliacs regardless of therapy (p<0.05). Only patients with hemophilia A receiving factor VIII concentrate exhibited a concomitant increase in the percentage of T8+ lymphocytes and showed a significantly decreased T4/T8 ratio (p<0.05). Depressed mitogenic responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin-A was observed in both hemophilia A and B patients receiving factor concentrate (p<0.05). No correlation was observed between changes in the T4/T8 ratio or mitogen responsiveness relative to the amount of product received. Hypergammaglobulinemia of the IgG class was demonstrable in all hemophilia groups and correlated with age (p<0.05). Phenotypic and functional alternations of lymphocytes demonstrated in hemophiliacs are probably the result of chronic factor exposure, which becomes more pronounced with increasing age.
Lessons Learned from the Yucca Mountain and WIPP Projects

For more than 30 years Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has played a key role in the development and implementation of total system analyses of waste management systems in the United States. Two very important applications have been the total system analysis of long term performance that supported (1) the Compliance Certification Application (CCA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in 1996 and (2) the License Application (LA) for the Yucca Mountain (YM) Repository in 2008.
Deployment of Violence The Los Angeles Police Department's Use of Dogs

In this article, the authors address empirically the relationship between the racial composition of areas patrolled by police and the use of police dogs to apprehend suspects. The authors find that even after controlling forfactors that police claim determine the allocation of canine patrols, dogs are disproportionately employed in areas with higher proportions of minority residents. Moreover, when more dogs are deployed, there are citizens bitten, often severely.
Endocrine responses to sexual arousal in male mice.

The endocrine correlates of sexual arousal were explored in male mice. Using indwelling atrial cannulae, temporal changes in the blood levels of six hormones were monitored in sexually rested vs. sexually sated males before and during their exposure to receptive females. The vaginae of some test females were artificially occluded to assess separately the impact of intromission on hormone levels. Sexually rested males responded to receptive females with dramatic increases in their blood levels of corticosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These changes occurred independently of intromission. Blood titers of these three hormones did not change in sexually sated males when they encountered a receptive female. Both sexually sated and sexually rested males discharged LH in a reflex-like manner immediately upon perceiving a test female. PRL was released only in response to ejaculation, and FSH titers were unaffected by the presence of a female. In general, a receptive female elicits a variety of hormonal ...
Quantifying effectiveness of failure prediction and response in HPC systems: Methodology and example

Effective failure prediction and mitigation strategies in high-performance computing systems could provide huge gains in resilience of tightly coupled large-scale scientific codes. These gains would come from prediction-directed process migration and resource servicing, intelligent resource allocation, and checkpointing driven by failure predictors rather than at regular intervals based on nominal mean time to failure. Given probabilistic associations of outlier behavior in hardware-related metrics with eventual failure in hardware, system software, and/or applications, this paper explores approaches for quantifying the effects of prediction and mitigation strategies and demonstrates these using actual production system data. We describe context-relevant methodologies for determining the accuracy and cost-benefit of predictors.
Aluminum X-ray absorption near-edge spectra of some oxide minerals: Calculation versus experimental data

Al X-ray absorption K-edge spectra were calculated for atom clusters which simulate Al surrounded by oxygens in tetrahedral and octahedral environments in five minerals, and are compared with experimental Al K-edge spectra from the same minerals. The experimental data show simple edges, for Al tetrahedra, that are shifted to lower energy by 2 eV compared with more complicated edges for Al octahedra. The calculated edge itself is due to a strong 1s to 3p resonance in the μ0 for Al. The shifting of the calculated edges is due to different molecular potentials used and different types of atomic scattering. The calculated edge features for tetrahedral Al are all similar, and are due primarily to single scattering from the tetrahedral oxygens. Calculated edge features for octahedral Al are more complicated and are dominated by multiple scattering. The calculated edge features resemble the experimental data, but are much larger in amplitude than their experimental counterparts.
Design and implementation of mobile communications SiP modules with embedded components in multilayer organic hybrid substrate

In recent years, fashion mobile phones and other portable electronic products constantly challenge extreme slim design and then they stimulate a rapid development for SiP (system in package) technology. Traditional SMT (Surface Mount Technology) approaches to design and manufacture modules that are still too large. The SOC may reach the demand of miniaturization, but it is still technically difficult to overcome. SiP technology becomes a major consideration and selection of the miniaturized wireless broadband communication technologies. It has been widely applied on Bluetooth, WiFi, and so on. This paper uses SiP technology to realize 3.5G mobile communications modules in multilayer organic hybrid substrate.
Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases in Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli: Changing the Therapy for Hospital-Acquired and Community-Acquired Infections

Physicians rely on clinical experience and published guidelines to assist with choices in empirical therapy for communityacquired infections. For the treatment of bacteremic urinary tract infections, therapeutic guidelines often include advancedgeneration cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones [1]. In this issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Rodriguez-Banio et al. [2] report 43 prospectively observed cases of extended-spectrum 3-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli bloodstream infection. These represented 8.8% of all cases of E. coli bacteremia detected
Influence of ion and neutral flux on the properties of diamond-like carbon from pulsed glow discharges of acetylene

Abstract The deposition rates, composition and mechanical properties of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings deposited using pulsed glow discharges of acetylene (C2H2) have been studied as a function of deposition bias and gas pressure. The data show that a −4-kV bias is one order of magnitude more efficient than a bias of −8 kV for depositing DLC via plasma immersion ion processing (PIIP). Sputtering is the suspected cause for the reduced deposition efficiency at −8 kV. A methodology for comparing the magnitude of the ion and neutral flux is used to show that neutrals dominate the deposition process under all conditions tested. The necessary data are shown to prove that the coating hardness is independent of gas pressure when the ion flux, Ji, is less than 10% of the total flux, Jd. If Ji/Jd is greater than 10%, then increasing the gas pressure reduces the coating hardness to levels below 15 GPa. The implications of these results regarding sheath thickness, deposition rates and throughputs for large-area processing (many m2) are discussed.
Using a simplified field progestagen method to assess ovarian activity in female African elephants

Non-invasive endocrine monitoring is an important conservation tool frequently used to support the management of wildlife species. Investigating ovarian activity and pregnancy rates of free-ranging African elephants can enhance our knowledge about the physiology of this highly social and long-lived species. The utility of a new, field-friendly progestagen enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) method was tested by monitoring ovarian activity of 40 females in Addo Elephant National Park (AENP), South Africa. Fecal samples were collected opportunistically from known individuals (June 2007–September 2009) and fecal progestagen metabolites (FPM) were extracted in the field and analyzed on-site using a visual, qualitative EIA. Those results were compared to the laboratory quantitative EIA assessment of hormone concentrations in the U.S. Qualitative FPM concentrations were strongly correlated with quantitative concentrations (rs = 0.72). Fecal samples collected from pregnant elephants (n = 22) had significantly higher FPM concentrations than non-pregnant individuals, and month of gestation was the strongest predictor of FPM concentrations. Endocrine profiles suggested that five older females were no longer cycling normally. Simplified field endocrine techniques could transform endangered species research under field conditions and provide reliable and economical new tools for making sensible conservation management decisions based on real-time hormone results.
Protein translocation across membranes

Cellular membranes act as semipermeable barriers to ions and macromolecules. Specialized mechanisms of transport of proteins across membranes have been developed during evolution. There are common mechanistic themes among protein translocation systems in bacteria and in eukaryotic cells. Here we review current understanding of mechanisms of protein transport across the bacterial plasma membrane as well as across several organelle membranes of yeast and mammalian cells. We consider a variety of organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum, outer and inner membranes of mitochondria, outer, inner, and thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts, peroxisomes, and lysosomes. Several common principles are evident: (a) multiple pathways of protein translocation across membranes exist, (b) molecular chaperones are required in the cytosol, inside the organelle, and often within the organelle membrane, (c) ATP and/or GTP hydrolysis is required, (d) a proton-motive force across the membrane is often required, and (e) protein translocation occurs through gated, aqueous channels. There are exceptions to each of these common principles indicating that our knowledge of how proteins translocate across membranes is not yet complete.
Alternative profitability measures and tests of the structure-performance relationship

This paper compares the inferences gained when alternatively specifying Census-based price-cost margin and IRS-based accounting rate of return as the dependent variable in conventional structure-performance models. We find important differences between the structure-performance inferences of the alternative specifications of the profit measure. Further, the alternative profit measures are not highly correlated.
Nuclear data sheets update for A = 183*

Abstract Evaluated spectroscopic data for all nuclei with mass number A=183 and corresponding level schemes from radioactive decay and reaction studies are presented. This evaluation for A=183 supersedes one by R.B. Firestone (87Fi07), published in Nuclear Data Sheets 52 , 715 (1987). The data have been reevaluated using the improved techniques for decay scheme analysis described below, and the following new data have been added. 182 W(n, γ ) — (89BeYT), new reaction data 182 W(n, γγ ) 183 W — (89Bo30), new reaction data. 183 Ir ɛ decay — (88Ro13), considerably expanded decay scheme. 168 Er 19 F,4n γ ) 183 Ir (88Ja10) and 174 Yb( 14 N,5n γ ) (90Kr06) — new reaction data. 183 Au e decay — (89Ro21), considerably expanded decay scheme. (HI,xn γ ) 183 Pt — (90Ny02), new reaction data. 187 Tl α decay — (91Wa21) new α branching intensity. For the above nuclei, the ADOPTED LEVELS, GAMMAS datasets have been revised to include the new information. Additional minor revisions other datasets have also been done.
Examination of hot carrier effects of the AlGaAs/InGaAs pHEMT through device simulation

Abstract A unified study on the hot carrier reliability and the effect of temperature on the pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) is carried out through device simulation and physical analyses. Device cross sections are evaluated at various biasings to examine the physical behavior. An accelerated DC stress regime and normal operation regime are examined through TCAD. Output characteristics are shown along with stress mechanisms within the device. This includes impact ionization, hole and electron currents, and heating effects. While these effects have been reported previously, this work provides them in a complete visual and concise manner. Lastly, a means of simulating a pHEMT post-stress is introduced. This approach accounts for the activation of dopants near the channel. Post-stress simulation results of DC and RF performance parameters ( I DS , g m f T , f max , S 21 ) are then investigated. Simulation shows that the effect of stress is highly dependent on the chosen bias point used after stress.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education (BAMBEd).

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education (BAMBED is a journal that is a publication of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) and is published by the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). BAMBED, as its name indicates, publishes articles of interest to educators in biochemistry and molecular biology. These include invited reviews on subjects not yet in textbooks, discussions of curricular development, new laboratory exercises, and articles on educational research. BAMBED also publishes Features on Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Biotechnology Education, and Multimedia in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. An important aspect of these articles is that their educational effectiveness must be assessed. I shall discuss in greater detail the types of articles that BAMBED publishes and the criteria used for accepting them for publication. Conference attendees are encouraged to submit articles to BAMBED.
Response of intractable pain to continuous intrathecal morphine : a retrospective study

We have treated 37 patients with intractable pain (35 with cancer-related pain) by continuous intrathecal morphine infusion via implanted pump. These patients were carefully selected according to specific criteria, and each demonstrated a significant reduction in pain following a test dose of intrathecal morphine. All patients had good pain relief from intrathecal morphine infusion, even with pain located in cervical dermatomes. Systemic narcotics could be withdrawn from most patients. Significant side effects were rare and typically self-limited. Many patients required gradually increasing doses, seemingly related to disease progression. Two patients with non-malignant pain have had variable dose requirements over 28 and 44 months without clear tolerance. In these patients we observed a reduction in side effects associated with systemic opioids when continuous intrathecal opioid infusion was instituted. Intrathecal opioid administration may have fewer complications than ablative pain relief procedures. In properly selected patients, this method offers an effective alternative for pain relief.
Inhibiting effects of certain phenols on GR-S polymerization

The inhibiting action of several phenols on the GR-S 10 (rosin soap) recipe for synthetic 2,5-Di-t-butylhydroquinone is shown to be a particularly powerful inhibitor rubber is reportor in this recipe.
Polyethoxylated nonionic surfactants in toluene for liquid scintillation counting of tritium in aqueous samples.

Abstract Twelve polyethoxylated surfactants were examined in a toluene scintillator system (toluene to surfactant 2:1) for liquid scintillation counting of aqueous tritium samples. These results are compared to a system using Rohm and Haas' Triton X-100. Of the surfactants tested, only Monsanto's Sterox DJ and GAF's Igepal CA720 gave counting efficiencies higher than those with Triton X-100. The effect of micellization and solubilization of water by polyethoxylated nonionics is discussed. A comparison of the IR and NMR spectra of some of the surfactants indicates that those compounds showing relatively simple spectra produce less quenching and have higher tritrium counting efficiency.
Turbulence velocimetry of density fluctuation imaging data

Analysis techniques to measure the time-resolved flow field of turbulence are developed and applied to images of density fluctuations obtained with the beam emission spectroscopy diagnostic system on the DIII-D tokamak. Velocimetry applications include measurement of turbulent particle flux, zonal flows, and the Reynolds stress. The flow field of turbulent eddies exhibits quasisteady poloidal flows as well as high-frequency radial and poloidal motion associated with electrostatic potential fluctuations and strongly nonlinear multifield interactions. The orthogonal dynamic programming technique, developed for fluid-based particle and amorphous shape (smoke) flow analysis, is investigated to measure such turbulence flows. Sensitivity and accuracy are assessed and sample results discussed.
Decay rates for topological memories encoded with Majorana fermions

Recently there have been numerous proposals to create Majorana zero modes in solid state heterojunctions, superconducting wires and optical lattices. Putatively the information stored in qubits constructed from these modes is protected from various forms of decoherence. Here we show that this is not the case. We present a generic method to study the effect of external perturbations on these modes. We focus on the case where there are no interactions between different Majorana modes either directly or through intermediary fermions. To quantify the rate of loss of the information stored in the Majorana modes we study the two-time correlators for qubits built from them. We analyze a generic gapped fermionic environment (bath) interacting via tunneling with different components of the qubit (different Majorana modes). We find that static (time-independent) perturbations are not harmful, and just lead to a depletion of the information stored that saturates in the long-time limit. On the other hand we find markedly different results for dynamic (time dependent) systems, with no coherence surviving in the long time limit. In particular we find that dephasing and energy fluctuations of the modes in the fermionic bath have adverse effects on the Majorana memories.
Influence of coexisting attractors on the dynamics of a laser system

Abstract We study the interaction among coexisting attractors in a laser model with modulated parameters, and show that these interactions lead to a deterministic truncation of the period doubling bifuraction sequence and to crises of chaotic attractors.
Vitrectomy for Advanced Stages of Retinopathy of Prematurity

We did a retrospective review of the consecutive vitrectomies for traction retinal detachment associated with retinopathy of prematurity performed at our institution. Fifty-eight eyes were operated on in 46 patients at less than 1 year of age, including 12 eyes with partial retinal detachments and 46 eyes with total retinal detachments. Only patients with at least six months follow-up were considered for success. Twenty-five eyes (43%) were anatomically reattached. Factors associated with good anatomic outcome included greater mean preoperative pupillary dilation, absence of posterior synechiae, deep anterior chamber, partial detachment or open-funnel total detachment configuration, and adequate posterior membrane removal. Of the 25 eyes with attached retinas, 11 had fixing and following visual acuities or better. Three eyes with attached retinas had no light perception and 11 eyes with attached retinas had light perception only. To maximize anatomic and functional results we emphasize the need to operate early, when the retinal funnel is still open.
Supersymmetric leptophilic Higgs model

In the leptophilic model, one Higgs doublet couples to quarks and another couples to leptons. We study the supersymmetric version of this model, concentrating on the tightly constrained Higgs sector, which has four doublets. Constraints from perturbativity, unitarity, and LEP bounds are considered. It is found that the lightest Higgs, $h$, can have a mass well below 114 GeV, and for masses below 100 GeV will have a substantially enhanced branching ratio into $\ensuremath{\tau}$ pairs. For this region of parameter space, traditional production mechanisms (Higgs-strahlung, W fusion, and gluon fusion) are suppressed, but it may be produced in the decay of heavier particles. The second lightest Higgs has a mass of approximately 110 GeV for virtually all of parameter space, with standard model couplings, and thus an increase of a few GeV in the current lower bound on the standard model Higgs mass would rule out the model. The two heavier Higgs are both gauge phobic, one decays almost entirely into $b\overline{b}$ and can be produced via gluon fusion while the other decays almost entirely into ${\ensuremath{\tau}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\tau}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ but cannot be easily produced.
Kaluza-Klein reduction of topological action

Abstract We study the dimensional reduction of topological terms in pure Kaluza-Klein theories in even dimensions. Consistency conditions are derived.
Progesterone Stimulates Proliferation and Promotes Cytoplasmic Localization of the Cell Cycle Inhibitor p27 in Steroid Receptor Positive Breast Cancers

Progestins are reported to increase the risk of more aggressive estrogen receptor positive, progesterone receptor positive (ER+ PR+) breast cancers in postmenopausal women. Using an in vivo rat model of ER+ PR + mammary cancer, we show that tumors arising in the presence of estrogen and progesterone exhibit increased proliferation and decreased nuclear expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p27 compared with tumors growing in the presence of estrogen alone. In human T47D breast cancer cells, progestin increased proliferation and decreased nuclear p27 expression. The decrease of nuclear p27 protein was dependent on activation of Src and PI3K by progesterone receptor isoforms PRA or PRB. Importantly, increased proliferation and decreased nuclear p27 expression were observed in invasive breast carcinoma compared with carcinoma in situ. These results suggest that progesterone specifically regulates intracellular localization of p27 protein and proliferation. Therefore, progesterone-activated pathways can provide useful therapeutic targets for treatment of more aggressive ER+ PR+ breast cancers.
Signaling phosphate starvation

Phosphate starvation induces the transcription of several genes involved in phosphate metabolism in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The signal transduction pathway that mediates this response consists of components that resemble those used to regulate the eukaryotic cell cycle; these include a cyclin-dependent kinase or CDK (Pho85), a cyclin (Pho80) and a CDK inhibitor (Pho81). The possibility that this pathway mediates cell-cycle responses to phosphate starvation is discussed.
On the supposed conducting layer in the atmosphere and the effect of the Earth's magnetic field in radiotelegraphy

The Earth's magnetic field has been shown recently to be a probable cause of the peculiarities of radio transmission. This important discovery has been made by Nichols and Schelleng as well as by Appleton and Barnett more or less as a sequel to Larmor's important paper on wave propagation. The exact mathematical theory of the effect of the Earth's field is, of course, a too detailed matter to be discussed here. The fundamental principles, however, are simple. According to Larmor's theory the bending of radio waves is brought about by the presence of free ions and electrons in the upper atmosphere. The presence of these ions affects the phase velocity of the waves and makes the velocity greater at increasing heights. As a result, the wave-front turns while traveling in the upper atmosphere and bends around in such a way as to strike the ground ultimately.
Isolation and identification of the scent of the moth, Galleria mellonella, and a revaluation of its sex pheromone☆

Abstract The strong aromatic scent of the male greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, has been isolated and identified as a combination of n-nonanal and n-undecanal with the former compound predominating. Gas-liquid chromatography, electroantennagram, and bioassay studies established that the scent is the same material that causes typical sexual behaviour in the female and is the same behaviour elicited by either male moths or by authentic standards.
Optical and environmentally protective coatings for potassium dihydrogen phosphate harmonic converter crystals

Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals have been used as harmonic converters on the Nova laser at LLNL for over six years. All crystals were coated with a single layer, quarterwave AR coating of porous silica with a refractive index of 1.22. This was prepared by a sol-gel process and was applied from a colloidal suspension by spin coating at room temperature. A few crystals were also coated with a methyl silicone coating prior to the application of the AR coating for environmental protection. The initial optical performance of all crystals was very good but there has been some deterioration over the years because of environmental and laser damage degradation. The deterioration in the silicone samples was, however, much less than the others. We are now in the process of replacing all ten KDP arrays with new crystals and will apply the silicone undercoat to all samples. Recently we have been evaluating a new perfluorinated organic polymer coating which has a refractive index of 1.29. This material is soluble in fluorinated solvents and can be applied by dip coating from solution at room temperature. We hope that this can provide environmental protection when applied to KDP and also act as anmore » AR coating at the same time. The optical performance is not as good as our porous silica because of the higher index; about 0.3% reflection per surface is obtained. 4 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.« less
Preferential Vaporization during Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy

The Zn-to-Cu ratio in brass was measured by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The influence of laser beam properties (pulse width, wavelength, and power density) on fractional laser ablation was investigated. The behavior of the Zn/Cu ratio vs. laser power density shows that there are different mechanisms influencing ps and ns laser ablation. With the use of a 30 ns pulse duration from an excimer laser, thermal vaporization appears to be the dominant process in the low-power density region. The Zn/Cu ratio approaches stoichiometry at higher power density, but the ablated mass still remains Zn rich. With a 35 ps pulse Nd:YAG laser, a nonthermal mechanism appears to govern the laser ablation process. When a 3 ns Nd:YAG laser is used, both thermal and nonthermal processes exist. For both 3 ns and 30 ps Nd:YAG lasers, stoichiometric ablation can be achieved at higher power densities.
Birth-year and current-year influences on survival and recruitment rates of female Weddell seals

In long-lived species, juvenile survival typically is lower and more variable than adult survival, and modeling such variation is important for understanding population dynamics. Variability in juvenile survival can be related to birth- or current-year influences, and the birth-year influences can be transient, persistent, or intermediate in duration. We used multi-state models and data collected from 5,459 known-aged prebreeder female Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii Lesson) tagged in Erebus Bay, Antarctica from 1980–2007 to evaluate the duration of potential birth-year influences on survival rates and the importance of birth- and current-year influences on survival and recruitment rates. Survival rates differed for each birth cohort and were positively related to current-year winter sea-ice conditions. The estimated duration of birth-cohort effects on survival was intermediate (6 years) rather than transient (2 years) or permanent. Estimated survivorship from birth to 6 years of age varied among cohorts from 0.13 (SE = 0.04) to 0.42 (SE = 0.06), and averaged 0.25 (SE = 0.02). Recruitment rates (probability of transitioning from prebreeder to breeder state) varied annually but apparently were not related to birth-year conditions. Our results provide evidence that birth- and current-year conditions act in combination to influence survival. Although for many long-lived species the influences of either birth- or current-year conditions on survival are well-studied, we suggest that modeling survival rates as a function of birth- and current-year influences simultaneously could lead to better understanding of survival and improved stochastic models to project population dynamics.
The price of anarchy of serial, average and incremental cost sharing

We compute the price of anarchy (PoA) of three familiar demand games, i.e., the smallest ratio of the equilibrium to efficient surplus, over all convex preferences quasi-linear in money. For any convex cost, the PoA is at least \(\frac{1}{n}\) in the average and serial games, where n is the number of users. It is zero in the incremental game for piecewise linear cost functions. With quadratic costs, the PoA of the serial game is \(\theta (\frac{1}{\log n})\) , and \(\theta (\frac{1}{n})\) for the average and incremental games. This generalizes if the marginal cost is convex or concave, and its elasticity is bounded.
Dynamics of water clusters confined in proteins: a molecular dynamics simulation study of interfacial waters in a dimeric hemoglobin.

Water confined in proteins exhibits dynamics distinct from the dynamics of water in the bulk or near the surface of a biomolecule. We examine the water dynamics at the interface of the two globules of the homodimeric hemoglobin from Scapharca inaequivalvis (HbI) by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, with focus on water−protein hydrogen bond lifetimes and rotational anisotropy of the interfacial waters. We find that relaxation of the waters at the interface of both deoxy- and oxy-HbI, which contain a cluster of 17 and 11 interfacial waters, respectively, is well described by stretched exponentials with exponents from 0.1 to 0.6 and relaxation times of tens to thousands of picoseconds. The interfacial water molecules of oxy-HbI exhibit slower rotational relaxation and hydrogen bond rearrangement than those of deoxy-HbI, consistent with an allosteric transition from unliganded to liganded conformers involving the expulsion of several water molecules from the interface. Though the interfacial waters are tra...
Chemoafferent degeneration and carotid body hypoplasia following chronic hyperoxia in newborn rats

1To define the role of environmental oxygen in regulating postnatal maturation of the carotid body afferent pathway, light and electron microscopic methods were used to compare chemoafferent neurone survival and carotid body development in newborn rats reared from birth in normoxia (21 % O2) or chronic hyperoxia (60 % O2). 2Four weeks of chronic hyperoxia resulted in a significant 41 % decrease in the number of unmyelinated axons in the carotid sinus nerve, compared with age-matched normoxic controls. In contrast, the number of myelinated axons was unaffected by hyperoxic exposure. 3Chemoafferent neurones, located in the glossopharyngeal petrosal ganglion, already exhibited degenerative changes following 1 week of hyperoxia from birth, indicating that even a relatively short hyperoxic exposure was sufficient to derange normal chemoafferent development. In contrast, no such changes were observed in the vagal nodose ganglion, demonstrating that the effect of high oxygen levels was specific to sensory neurones in the carotid body afferent pathway. Moreover, petrosal ganglion neurones were sensitive to hyperoxic exposure only during the early postnatal period. 4Chemoafferent degeneration in chronically hyperoxic animals was accompanied by marked hypoplasia of the carotid body. In view of previous findings from our laboratory that chemoafferent neurones require trophic support from the carotid body for survival after birth, we propose that chemoafferent degeneration following chronic hyperoxia is due specifically to the loss of target tissue in the carotid body.
Characterization of MazFSa, an Endoribonuclease from Staphylococcus aureus

The mazEF homologs of Staphylococcus aureus, designated mazEFsa, have been shown to cotranscribe with the sigB operon under stress conditions. In this study, we showed that MazEFSa, as with their Escherichia coli counterparts, compose a toxin-antitoxin module wherein MazFSa leads to rapid cell growth arrest and loss in viable CFU upon overexpression. MazFSa is a novel sequence-specific endoribonuclease which cleaves mRNA to inhibit protein synthesis. Using ctpA mRNA as the model substrate both in vitro and in vivo, we demonstrated that MazFSa cleaves single-strand RNA preferentially at the 5′ side of the first U or 3′ side of the second U residue within the consensus sequences VUUV′ (where V and V′ are A, C, or G and may or may not be identical). Binding studies confirmed that the antitoxin MazESa binds MazFSa to form a complex to inhibit the endoribonuclease activity of MazFSa. Contrary to the system in E. coli, exposure to selected antibiotics augmented mazEFsa transcription, akin to what one would anticipate from the environmental stress response of the sigB system. These data indicate that the mazEF system of S. aureus differs from the gram-negative counterparts with respect to mRNA cleavage specificity and antibiotic stresses.
Tiling space with notched cubes

Abstract Stein (1990) discovered (n−1)! lattice tilings of R n by translates of the notched n-cube which are inequivalent under translation. We show that there are no other inequivalent tilings of R n by translates of the notched cube.
Light chain editing generates polyreactive antibodies in chronic graft-versus-host reaction

The chronic graft-versus-host (cGvH) reaction is a model of induced lupus caused by alloreactive CD4+ T cells from a Bm-12 mouse in a C57BL/6 recipient. We used this cGvH reaction in C57BL/6 anti-DNA H chain transgenic mice, 56R/B6, to understand the structure, specificity, and origin of the induced autoantibodies (auto-Abs). We found anti-DNA Abs that reacted to several different antigens, such as phosphatidylserine, myelin basic protein, thyroglobulin, histone, insulin, cytochrome C, and β-galactosidase. This polyreactivity was found for Abs from B cells that expressed the 56R H chain transgene with “editor” L chains that did not completely veto autoreactivity. We suggest that such incomplete editing results in polyreactivity and that incompletely edited polyreactive B cells influence the subsequent expression of pathogenic auto-Abs in disease. We also found B cells that coexpress κ and λ L chain. These B cells contributed to the autoimmune response and are possibly in the marginal zone of the spleen.
The Effect of Mental Illness Under US Criminal Law

This paper reviews the various ways in which an offender's mental illness can have an effect on liability and offense grading under American criminal law. The 52 American jurisdictions have adopted a variety of different formulations of the insanity defense. A similar diversity of views is seen in the way in which different states deal with mental illness that negates an offense culpability requirement, a bare majority of which limit a defendant's ability to introduce mental illness for this purpose. Finally, the modern successor of the common law provocation mitigation allows, in its new breadth, certain forms of mental illness as a murder mitigation, mitigating to a lesser form of murder or to manslaughter.
Intracellular Ca2+ release contributes to automaticity in cat atrial pacemaker cells

The cellular mechanisms governing cardiac atrial pacemaker activity are not clear. In the present study we used perforated patch voltage clamp and confocal fluorescence microscopy to study the contribution of intracellular Ca2+ release to automaticity of pacemaker cells isolated from cat right atrium. In spontaneously beating pacemaker cells, an increase in subsarcolemmal intracellular Ca2+ concentration occurred concomitantly with the last third of diastolic depolarization due to local release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), i.e. Ca2+ sparks. Nickel (Ni2+; 25–50 μM), a blocker of low voltage-activated T-type Ca2+ current (ICa,T), decreased diastolic depolarization, prolonged pacemaker cycle length and suppressed diastolic Ca2+ release. Voltage clamp analysis indicated that the diastolic Ca2+ release was voltage dependent and triggered at about -60 mV. Ni2+ suppressed low voltage-activated Ca2+ release. Moreover, low voltage-activated Ca2+ release was paralleled by a slow inward current presumably due to stimulation of Na+–Ca2+ exchange (INa-Ca). Low voltage-activated Ca2+ release was found in both sino-atrial node and latent atrial pacemaker cells but not in working atrial myocytes. These findings suggest that low voltage-activated ICa,T triggers subsarcolemmal Ca2+ sparks, which in turn stimulate INa-Ca to depolarize the pacemaker potential to threshold. This novel mechanism indicates a pivotal role for ICa,T and subsarcolemmal intracellular Ca2+ release in normal atrial pacemaker activity and may contribute to the development of ectopic atrial arrhythmias.
The physical association of casein kinase 2 with nucleolin.

CK2 (formerly called casein kinase 2) is a ubiquitous messenger-independent serine/threonine protein kinase implicated in cell growth and proliferation. To investigate the regulation and functions of this enzyme, experiments were carried out to search for CK2-interacting proteins. The methods employed included an overlay technique, co-purification, co-immunoprecipitation, and the use of glutathione S-transferase (GST) CK2 fusion proteins. By the CK2 overlay technique, one protein of 110 kDa was found to bind to CK2 with very high affinity. The binding was inhibited by CK2 effectors such as heparin, polyarginine, and histone H1, but was not affected by the CK2 substrate, casein. Protein p110 was also detected by co-immunoprecipitation using anti-CK2 antiserum, suggesting an in vivo association of this protein with CK2. Co-purification of p110 with CK2 from Sf-9 cells that overexpressed CK2 was also observed through sequential chromatographic steps. Using GST fusion proteins of CK2, the CK2-p110 interaction was investigated further and was found to occur primarily through CK2 α or α′ subunits, but not the β subunit. Protein p110 was purified from 3T3 L1 mouse fibroblast cell lines using a GST-CK2 affinity resin. Amino acid sequence analysis of peptides obtained from the protein indicated that it is the nuclear protein, nucleolin. Furthermore, p110 was recognized by anti-nucleolin antiserum. At present, the physiological significance of the strong interaction between CK2 and nucleolin, an excellent substrate for the enzyme, is not clear. However, this association may be important for regulating rDNA transcription.
Some Observations on the Monterey Pine Cone Beetle, Conophthorus Radiatae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Adult beetles attack the green developing second-year cones in the spring of the year and deposit their eggs in them. After a period of feeding the larvae pupate in the cone. In the fall, after becoming adults, some of the beetles leave the brood cones and fly to the first-year conelets, where they spend the winter, but others may remain in the brood cones until the following spring. One generation of beetles was completed in 44 days in the laboratory.
Intranasal ketamine preinduction of paediatric outpatients.

A double-blinded, placebo-controlled study compared the outcomes of intranasal ketamine premedication with placebo in outpatients. Forty paediatric outpatients were assigned randomly in a prospective fashion to one of two separate study groups of equal size (20 patients per group). A placebo group received 2 ml of intranasal saline, 1 ml per naris. The study group received intranasal ketamine, 3 mg.kg-1, diluted to 2 ml with saline, 1 ml per naris. Using a cooperation index, a play therapist scored resistance to nasal instillation, separation of the child from parents at ten min, and acceptance of anaesthesia monitors and face mask at 15 min. Differences in age, weight, episodes of vomiting, recovery and discharge times among the two groups were not significant. Intranasal ketamine, 3 mg.kg-1, was associated with a significantly better (P = 0.013) cooperation index than intranasal placebo. Intranasal ketamine, permitted pleasant and rapid separation of children from their parents, cooperative acceptance of monitoring and of mask inhalation induction, and did not cause prolonged postanaesthetic recovery or delayed discharge home.
Leukemia induction in mice by fast neutron irradiation.

Summary1. Leukemias induced in mice of the RF strain by acute fast neutron irradiation in the cyclotron resembled in frequency and hematologic type those induced by X irradiation. 2. Neutrons and X rays appeared to have an over-all leukemia-inducing effectiveness comparable to their 30-day lethality effectiveness, although thymic lymphomas were significantly less frequent in neutron-exposed than in X-irradiated mice. 3. The induction of thymic lymphomas appeared to be enhanced by fractionation of either neutron or X irradiation at intervals of 5-8 days.
Assembly of Fissionable Material in the Presence of a Weak Neutron Source

The probability distribution in time at which the neutron population is a slightly supercritical system attains a prescribed level is considered for the case where a source injects well under one n...
A projected stochastic approximation method for adaptive filters and identifiers

Generally, when stochastic approximation is used to identify the coefficients of a linear system or for an adaptive filter or equalizer, the iterate X n is projected back onto some finite set G={x:|x_{i}|\leq B , all i }, if it ever leaves it. The convergence of such truncated sequences have been discussed informally. Here it is shown, under very broad conditions on the noises, that \{X_{n}\} converges with probability 1 to the closest point in G to the optimum value of X n . Also, under even weaker conditions, the case of constant coefficient sequence is treated and a weak convergence result obtained. The set G is used for simplicity. It can be seen that the result holds true in more general cases, but the box is used since it is the only commonly used constraint set for this problem.
Effects of increasing income on polydrug use: a comparison of heroin, cocaine and alcohol abusers.

Aims. To assess how income affects hypothetical drug and non-drug purchasing decisions. Participants and setting. Ninety-four subjects (26 heroin abusers, 28 cocaine abusers, 15 alcohol abusers and 25 non-drug using controls) were recruited from advertisements. Intervention. Subjects were exposed to six conditions in which they purchased drugs as well as food, housing, and entertainment as income rose from $30 to $560 per day. Findings. Heroin abusers selected significantly more hypothetical heroin and cocaine as income rose and demand for these two drugs was income elastic, with purchases rising in greater proportion than income. Cocaine abusers significantly increased purchases of, and showed income elastic demand for, cocaine and alcohol. Among alcohol abusers, significant increases in purchases and income elastic demand were found for alcohol and cigarettes, but not for other drugs. Across all four groups, demand for rent and food were income inelastic, such that purchases did not rise in proportion to the changes in income, while demand for entertainment was income elastic. Hypothetical choices were reliable between and within subjects, and drug choices were correlated with urinalysis results and life-time years of drug use. Conclusions. Income is an important variable in understanding choices for drug and non-drug commodities across a variety of substance-abusing populations.
Ionic behaviors and nerve growth factor dependence in developing embryonic chick ganglia. I. Studies with intact dorsal root ganglia

Abstract We have recently shown that intact and dissociated 8-day embryonic (E8) chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG) lose the ability to regulate their intracellular Na + , K + levels when deprived of nerve growth factor (NGF) for 6 h; recovery occurs within minutes of NGF presentation. These ganglionic neurons are believed to depend on NGF for survival and neurite production over a defined period of embryonic life — between about E6 and E15 in the chick. Using intact DRG from E6–E16 chick embryos we determined developmental changes in: (i) 22 Na + accumulation in the presence and absence of NGF, or in the presence of ouabain; and (ii) intra- and extracellular fluid spaces. Sodium accumulation, in the presence of NGF, increases from E6 to E10. It parallels the total fluid space under ouabain but then decreases conspicuously between E10 and E16, despite little change in the latter. NGF thus prevents Na + accumulation during the early period, and becomes increasingly irrelevant for this behavior in later (after E10) development. These data are interpreted as indicating that: (i) NGF is required for ionic control by DRG neurons up to E10; and (ii) indigenous behaviors for the control of ion pump mechanism(s) are progressively acquired by these cells from E10 to E16, in parallel with the decreasing ionic relevance of NGF. These findings are consistent with the view that the ionic responses to NGF correlate closely with the survival and neurite-promoting effects of this factor.
Paper-based standard addition assays

Standard addition assays conducted on paper-based microfluidic devices are introduced as an alternative to external standards for calibrating quantitative tests. To demonstrate this technique, a colorimetric, paper-based, standard addition assay was optimized for the determination of glucose concentrations in the range of 0 to 5 mM. Comparable results were obtained from the assay via digital image colorimetry under three different lighting conditions.