cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Print advertising at the component level: A cross-cultural comparison of the United States and Japan

Abstract We examined the visual components in 339 advertisements drawn from seven different U.S. magazines, with similar components in 194 ads from seven different Japanese magazines. The visual components examined were related to elements of the visual, process of visual appeal, the content of the appeal, headline type, and the portrayal of people shown in the ad. The specific hypotheses examined were: (1) the product is portrayed more often in the United States; (2) price information is included more often in the United States; (3) process appeal types differ by country; (4) content appeals differ by country; (5) headlines types differ by country; (6) ethnic groups portrayed more often in the United States; (7) sex roles portrayed more traditional in Japan; (8) elderly portrayed more often in the United States; (9) children portrayed more often in the United States; (10) young adults portrayed more often in the United States; (11) people are participating in product use more often in the United States. To investigate the specific hypotheses, x2 tests were used, and this was followed by a discriminant analysis to examine overall country differences in advertising practice.
Morphogenesis of Newcastle Disease Virus in Chorioallantoic Membrane

Chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane, infected with the Blacksburg strain of Newcastle disease virus, was examined with an electron microscope to investigate the sequence of viral-induced host cell alterations. These were evident mostly in the endodermal epithelial cells lining the allantoic sac and were divided arbitrarily into three stages. Stage 1 was characterized by commencement of cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia and presence of fewer cytoplasmic inclusion bodies normally found in the cells; in stage 2, juxtanuclear nucleocapsid-glycogen aggregates appeared, and there were increased numbers of microvilli; stage 3 was characterized by increased cytoplasmic density and evidence of viral assembly and release. The morphological features of viral assembly and the virion are also described.
Nuclear localization and transcriptional activation activities of truncated versions of the immediate-early gene product of equine herpesvirus 1.

The equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) immediate-early (IE) gene product encodes a nuclear regulatory protein capable of negatively autoregulating its own promoter, transactivating representative EHV-1 early promoters, and acting in a concerted fashion with accessory EHV-1 regulatory factors to transactivate EHV-1 late promoters. To identify IE amino acid sequences involved in nuclear localization and to examine the contribution of C-terminal portions of the IE polypeptide to transactivation, vectors that express various carboxyterminally truncated IE polypeptides were constructed. It is demonstrated that amino acids 963 through 970 of the 1,487-amino-acid IE protein are required for efficient localization of the truncated IE polypeptides to the nuclei of transfected cells. In addition, it is demonstrated that the first 970 amino acids of the IE gene product are sufficient to transactivate the EHV-1 thymidine kinase promoter to significant levels (i.e., approximately 40% of the level of wild-type activation).
Finding needles in the haystack: search and candidate generation

A key phase in the DeepQA architecture is Hypothesis Generation, in which candidate system responses are generated for downstream scoring and ranking. In the IBM Watson™ system, these hypotheses are potential answers to Jeopardy!™ questions and are generated by two components: search and candidate generation. The search component retrieves content relevant to a given question from Watson's knowledge resources. The candidate generation component identifies potential answers to the question from the retrieved content. In this paper, we present strategies developed to use characteristics of Watson's different knowledge sources and to formulate effective search queries against those sources. We further discuss a suite of candidate generation strategies that use various kinds of metadata, such as document titles or anchor texts in hyperlinked documents. We demonstrate that a combination of these strategies brings the correct answer into the candidate answer pool for 87.17% of all the questions in a blind test set, facilitating high end-to-end question-answering performance.
Fundamentals of Polymer–Clay Nanocomposites: Variables associated with polymer–clay processing in relation to reinforcement theory

The polymer as a significant independent variable in the mechanical performance of polymer–clay nanocomposites Chavarria and Paul [1] performed a complete evaluation of a comparison of the significant variables that relate to the successful exfoliation of organomontmorillonite in nylon 6 with the utility of these variables in the preparation of organomontmorillonite–nylon 6,6 polymer nanocomposites. The equipment and protocol for these evaluations were identical to those found in reference [1] with nylon 11 and 12. The same nylon 6 was evaluated (B135WP). The molecular weight of the nylon 6 was measured to be M n = 29 300 by intrinsic viscosity. This is slightly different from the reported viscosity, M n = 31 100, in reference [1]. The same organomontmorillonite (montmorillonite exchanged with octadecytrimethyl quaternary ammonium ion at 95 meq/100 g of montmorillonite) was employed in both studies. The nylon 6,6 was produced by DuPont, Zytel 42A. The molecular weight was not reported. The production of nylon 6,6 is significantly different from the ring opening polymerization of e -caprolactam to produce nylon 6. Hexanedioic acid (adipic acid) is neutralized with hexamethylenediamine in a 50% aqueous solution. The pH is carefully monitored in order to ensure the proper stoichiometry of dicarboxylic acid and diamine.
Optimal Design of Capture Zones in Aquifer Remediation

Contamination of ground-water resources is a major concern for populations throughout the world. Parallel to the emphasis placed on this environmental issue and the general concern on adverse health effects of contaminated subsurface environments, proper management of contaminated sites has also become a critical issue. During the past twenty-five years, the research area of ground-water simulations and inclusion of optimization algorithms in these simulations have been the subject of significant amount of research. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an alternative approach to the computational structure involved in these simulations.
Learning gains associated with annotation and communication software designed for large undergraduate classes

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of annotation and communication software (eFuzion) developed for the improvement of students' learning and to determine the effectiveness of the software. eFuzion is designed to be useful in a significantly large classroom by allowing instructors and teaching assistants to provide immediate responses to students' questions and to provide a broader array of options for the lucid presentation of complex concepts. To determine the effectiveness of the software, two groups that took the same course were compared in terms of their learning scores, one group having used the software, the other having not used it. In the three measures of learning, the students who used the software showed significantly higher learning scores than students who did not use it. In addition, students indicated that they felt closer to the instructor and that their understanding of the lecture material was increased by using the software. The results imply that the software has great potential for improving students' learning when it is appropriately used and free of technical difficulties.
Qualification of two multi-plexed immunoassays utilizing meso-scale discovery (MSD) technology for quantitation of angiogenic cytokines used as exploratory biomarkers

A15 Biomarkers used in clinical trials as pharmacodynamic endpoints have been an emerging focus. Attention has been given to the evaluation of biomarkers for utility to inform and guide clinical trials. Biomarker assay results can be used to correlate markers of interest to dose or efficacy of the drug. Biomarker assay qualification is necessary to ensure that the data produced is reliable. To measure levels of angiogenic biomarkers in clinical trials of anti-angiogenic therapeutics, we used two multi-plexed MSD assays. .We selected this assay format because multi-plexing conserves sample, allowing multiple analytes to be tested in the same assay. Another beneficial feature of MSD assays is that they have large dynamic ranges, which reduces the need to re-analyze samples. One of the MSD multi-plexed assays is a 4-plex that includes bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor), PlGF (Placental Growth Factor), VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) and soluble Flt-1 (VEGFR1). The second MSD multi-plexed assay includes soluble KDR (VEGFR2) and soluble cKit. Assay parameters evaluated during qualification include sample collection, sample stability, assay reagent stability, inter- and intra- assay precision, accuracy, sample parallelism, linearity, specificity, interference and assay range. For the anti-angiogenic panel of assays, sample stability, inter-assay precision and interference had the greatest impact on the accuracy of results. During assay qualification, VEGF and bFGF were shown to be unstable over multiple freeze/thaw cycles. Changes in sample preparation reduced this instability, and increased consistency of results on multiple sample preparations from single individuals. Inter-assay variability of Flt-1 and VEGF was high, and interference studies revealed the impact of receptor-ligand binding on the ability to accurately quantitate some analytes. In summary, assay qualification is used to develop the appropriate sample collection and assay conditions necessary to obtain reliable biomarker results.
Cu2S/ZnS Heterostructured Nanorods: Cation Exchange vs. Solution–Liquid–Solid‐like Growth

Cu2 S/ZnS heterostructured nanorods (HNRs) with uncommon morphologies are achieved through single-pot and multi-batch synthetic strategies. In both cases, Cu2 S NRs form first, which then undergo partial cation exchange and solution-liquid-solid (SLS)-like growth catalyzed by the remaining Cu2 S parts of the NRs. The location and the volume of ZnS achieved through partial cation exchange control the size of the Cu2 S catalysts, which in turn determine whether tapered rod-rod, body/tail, or barbell-like structure results from subsequent SLS-like growth. Concurrent cation exchange can sometimes cause Cu2 S catalysts to be lost during SLS-like growth, leading to further diversity in achievable morphologies of Cu2 S/ZnS HNRs. Additional insights are gained on how parameters such as Zn precursor, ligand choice, and concentration alter cation exchange and SLS-like growth steps.
Crosstalk calibration for high precision power measurement

This paper describes a crosstalk calibration and cancellation technique to achieve high precision power measurement using general single-ended analog to digital converter (ADC). Two crosstalk scenarios, in-phase and out-of-phase with the interfering source in multiple signal channels are discussed. Systematic approaches to characterize crosstalk effects are discussed. A calibration procedure to obtain crosstalk factors is provided, and a method of crosstalk cancellation is further discussed in this paper. By employing the crosstalk calibration and cancellation technique, significant improvement is observed in experiments by achieving ±0.3% accuracy for power measurement from 0.05 A to 100 A at a phase angle between −60° and 60°.
Comparisons of Turkey Embryos Incubated in Tenuous or Dense Gas environments--II. Organ Growth

1. Eggs from large white turkeys were incubated in tenuous and dense gas atmospheres. 2. Tenuous gases resulted in heavier embryos until the onset of the plateau stage in oxygen consumption when dense gas environments caused heavier embryos. 3. Tenuous gases decreased heart and lung weight but increased liver weight. 4. Oxygen supplementation in tenuous gases increased liver weights but had no effect on lung or heart weights. 5. The data suggest an interaction of gas density and partial pressures of individual gases which affects breathing and the physiology of developing poult embryos.
Creating Individualized Data Sets for Student Exercises Using Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic

In this paper we describe an approach that utilizes Excel macros to help OR/MS instructors to enhance and assess their students' learning. We begin by explaining a specific macro, Data Generator, which mainly helps statistics instructors to create assignment questions where numbers or data sets used in the questions are randomly generated according to the instructions specified by instructors. Because of the potentially narrow application range of our particular macro, we also describe an approach that can be used for more general questions. For the most part, this more general approach requires simply recording a macro and then pasting a few other instructions into the resulting code to make the recorded macro more user-friendly. We also provide a suggested procedure to help instructors to grade the students' answers automatically.
Cysticercosis in Fallow Deer in England

The bladderworm cyst Cysticercus tenuicollis Rudolphi, 1819 was found in 38 of 309 (12.3 per cent) of fallow deer (Dama dama , Linnaeus, 1758) examined from three captive and free-ranging populations in Southern England. The findings report a minimum incidence as only macroscopic examination was performed and livers were not sliced.
Pulsed homogeneous orthogonal field gel electrophoresis (PHOGE)

A versatile system (PHOGE) has been developed that allows resolution of molecules of DNA megabase pair size by the use of homogeneous, orthogonal, pulsed fields. The resulting electrophoretograms have characteristics that differ from those produced by other systems for pulsed field electrophoresis. Molecules in a two-fold range of sizes can be separated with maximum resolution, or a much larger range of sizes may be separated with lower resolution but with a linear relationship of mobility to size from 50 kb, or below, to at least 1 Mb. Straight lanes and large useable gel areas, characteristic of PHOGE, are also valuable for mapping procedures or for any other circumstance in which large numbers of samples of DNA are to be directly compared. Existing models cannot explain the results obtained, because a stage of the molecular reorientation appears to result in a rate of migration greater than that occurring by reptation. We suggest a mechanism that might account for the resolution observed and also suggest that the resolution achieved by existing OFAGE-type systems may be the result of the superimposition of PHOGE and FIGE separatory mechanisms. No maximum size of molecules that may be resolved by the PHOGE system has yet been determined.
Morphology and compression-after-impact strength relationship in interleaved toughened composites

Morphology and compression after impact (CAI) strength relationships in interleaved toughened high performance composites are investigated using a quantitative two-dimensional image analysis approach. A group of six quasi-isotropic carbon fiber-epoxy composites with identical compositions, but having variations in CAI strengths, were analyzed to study how the interleaf particle size, particle size distribution, and location of particles in the interlaminar region affect the CAI strength values and the corresponding damage mechanisms. It is found that the CAI strength of interleaved-toughened composites is significantly affected by the size and size distribution of toughener particles in the interlaminar regions of the composite. In general, high CAI strength composites exhibit more uniform particle size distribution throughout the interlaminar regions. Whereas, for low CAI strength composites, the interleaf particles tend to cluster together and have varied size distribution.
Energy policy and research: The underappreciation of trust

Abstract The paper defines trust as believing that a person(s) or organization(s) can be relied upon to accomplish objectives because they are competent and possess values and intentions that are consistent with all or part of the public. Section 3 discusses public trust of specific professions and organizations, including the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, and others in the energy field. Section 4 examines the importance of trust compared to risk perception and other drivers of public preferences. This section also shows that trust changes, almost always decreasing because of incidents and greater salience of negative information than positive information. It also considers the role of the media in amplifying mistrust, and it ends by considering the role of communications in building or reducing trust. Section 5 identifies six priority research topics. The two most important are case studies from Africa, Asia and South America, and more focus on non-nuclear energy sources, that is, coal, gas, and other forms, as well as waste management, and transportation processes.
Micro-resonator with metallic mirrors coupled to a bus waveguide.

We demonstrate a micro-resonator based on a channel waveguide terminated with metallic mirrors side coupled to a bus waveguide. Transmission through such a resonant structure implemented in a silicon-on-insulator platform is investigated theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. The resonator is 13.4 μm long, exhibits an unloaded Q-factor of ∼2100, and a free spectral range of 21 nm around the wavelength of 1.55 μm.
Numerical Investigation of Near-Field Plasma Flows in Magnetic Nozzles

The development and application of a multidimensional numerical simulation code for investigating near-field plasma processes in magnetic nozzles are presented. The code calculates the time-dependent evolution of all three spatial components of both the magnetic field and velocity in a plasma flow, and includes physical models of relevant transport phenomena. It has been applied to an investigation of the behavior of plasma flows found in high-power thrusters, employing a realistic magnetic nozzle configuration. Simulation of a channel-flow case where the flow was super-Alfvenic has demonstrated that such a flow produces adequate back-emf to significantly alter the shape of the total magnetic field, preventing the flow from curving back to the magnetic field coil in the near-field region. Results from this simulation can be insightful in predicting far-field behavior and can be used as a set of self-consistent boundary conditions for far-field simulations. Future investigations will focus on cases where the inlet flow is sub-Alfvenic and where the flow is allowed to freely expand in the radial direction once it is downstream of the coil.
Vps51p Mediates the Association of the GARP (Vps52/53/54) Complex with the Late Golgi t-SNARE Tlg1p

Multisubunit tethering complexes may contribute to the specificity of membrane fusion events by linking transport vesicles to their target membrane in an initial recognition event that promotes SNARE assembly. However, the interactions that link tethering factors to the other components of the vesicle fusion machinery are still largely unknown. We have previously identified three subunits of a Golgi-localized complex (the Vps52/53/54 complex) that is required for retrograde transport to the late Golgi. This complex interacts with a Rab and a SNARE protein found at the late Golgi and is related to two other multisubunit tethering complexes: the COG complex and the exocyst. Here we show that the Vps52/53/54 complex has an additional subunit, Vps51p. All four members of this tetrameric GARP (Golgi-associated retrograde protein) complex are required for two distinct retrograde transport pathways, from both early and late endosomes, back to the TGN. vps51 mutants exhibit a distinct phenotype suggestive of a regulatory role. Indeed, we find that Vps51p mediates the interaction between Vps52/53/54 and the t-SNARE Tlg1p. The binding of this small, coiled-coil protein to the conserved N-terminal domain of the t-SNARE therefore provides a crucial link between components of the tethering and the fusion machinery.
High-Performance liquid chromatography of steroidal sapogenins

Abstract Thirty steroidal sapogenins were chromatographed by normal-phase and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These two HPLC systems complement each other and as result most sapogenins can be separated. The total number of hydroxyl and keto groups plays the most important role in the polarity of spirostane derivatives in both normal-phase and reversed-phase HPLC. Generally, 3-hydroxysapogenins are more polar in the normal-phase HPLC with hexane—ethanol as eluent when the hydroxyl group is equatorial than when it is axial. 25-Epimers of sapogenins cannot be separated well by either system.
Inelastic proton scattering from 42Ca and 44Ca and analysis in terms of shell-model form factors

Abstract Inelastic proton scattering measurements have been carried out at 22.9 MeV from 42 Ca and 44 Ca. Angular distributions have been measured for 11 inelastic proton groups from 42 Ca and eight from 44 Ca. The experimental differential cross sections have been compared with distorted wave calculations using a collective-model interaction in which both the real and imaginary terms of the optical potential were deformed. Extensive comparisons are performed with distorted wave calculations using a shell-model description for the nuclear states as well as more complicated wave functions with a collective component. An empirical core polarization correction is used. The analysis is shown to be consistent with 50 Ti scattering data.
Association between serum uric acid and atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is mediated by oxidative stress, neurohormonal activation, and inflammatory activation. Serum uric acid (SUA) is a surrogate marker of oxidative stress. Xanthine oxidase produces SUA and is upregulated by inflammation and neurohormones. Objective To perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the evidence supporting an association between AF and SUA. Methods We searched the MEDLINE database (1966 to 2013) supplemented by manual searches of bibliographies of key relevant articles. We selected all cross-sectional and cohort studies in which SUA was measured and AF was reported. In cross-sectional studies, we calculated the pooled standardized mean difference of SUA between those with AF and those without AF. In cohort studies, we calculated the pooled relative risk with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for incident AF by using the random effects method. Results The search strategy yielded 40 studies, of which only 9 met our eligibility criteria. The 6 cross-sectional studies comprised 7930 evaluable patients with a median prevalence of heart failure of 4% (IQR 0%–100%). The standardized mean difference of SUA for those with AF was 0.42 (95% CI 0.27–0.58) compared with those without AF. The 3 cohort studies evaluated 138,306 individuals without AF. The relative risk of having AF for those with high SUA was 1.67 (95% CI 1.23–2.27) compared with those with normal SUA. Conclusion High SUA is associated with AF in both cross-sectional and cohort studies. It is unclear whether SUA represents a disease marker or a treatment target.
Kinetic analysis of the enhanced immune responsiveness of baby chicks grafted with lymphoid cells from juvenile donors

The immunologic immaturity of embryos and newly hatched chicks to MRBC immunization has provided us with a model to investigate the distribution of immunocytes and their precursors in several tissues of juvenile chickens. Antigen-responsive cells (ARC) were rare in the peripheral blood, spleen, bone marrow, thymus and bursa of Fabricius of unimmunized young birds. Following MRBC immunization, they were abundant in the blood and spleen, low in frequency in bone marrow and absent in the thymus and bursa. The recipients of bone marrow cells, thymocytes, or bursacytes, when immunized at hatching, exhibited accelerated humoral immune responses. The enhancement property of the grafted cells was increased when MRBC was included in the cell suspension at the time of grafting. The precocious responsiveness of the grafted chicks is attributed to the cooperation of donor and host immunocytes. The enhancement effect, moreover, was less consistently expressed in allogeneic hosts. This capacity was aquired by thymic cells within a day after immunization of the donor and persisted well over a week. The role of antigen in driving the specific differentiation of T and Bu cells is briefly discussed.
Systemic Administration of Interferon-γ Impairs Wound Healing

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), a cytokine that has been shown to upregulate macrophage function, has recently been demonstrated to improve outcome when exogenously administered in several animal models of injury. Because the macrophage is also important in the events that govern wound healing, we evaluated the effects of IFN-gamma upon wound healing in a murine model. IFN-gamma was administered in doses of 937.5-22,500 u synchronous with the creation of a left paraspinous wound and then daily. At Day 10, wounds were harvested, evaluated for wound disruption strength (WDS), and subjected to morphometric analysis. Wounds were also subjected to 36-hr formalin fixation to maximally cross-link collagen fibrils and retested for WDS. We found that IFN-gamma impaired wound healing at all doses relative to control, and WDS was impaired in a dose-dependent fashion. Our highest dose of IFN-gamma (22,500 u) produced a WDS only 65% of the control. Morphometric studies demonstrated less collagen deposition and a lower degree of neovascularity in IFN-gamma-treated animals. In addition, formalin fixation studies suggested that IFN-gamma may impair collagen cross-linking. The potential benefits of IFN-gamma in the multiply injured patient must be weighed against the possibility that IFN-gamma might deleteriously effect events fundamental to wound healing.
Jitter and shimmer differences among sustained vowel phonations.

This study investigated jitter and shimmer differences among eight English vowels recorded through a miniature accelerometer placed on the throat. Statistical tests indicated no significant differe...
Epigenetic repression of bone morphogenetic protein receptor II expression in scleroderma

Germline mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPRII) gene play an essential role in the pathogenesis of familial pulmonary arterial hypertension (FPAH). In view of the histological similarities between scleroderma (SSc) and FPAH arterial lesion, we examined the expression levels of BMPRII in SSc microvascular endothelial cells (MVEC). Oxidative stress and serum starvation were used to examine apoptotic responses of MVECs. BMPRII expression levels were determined by RT-PCR and by Western blot. Epigenetic regulation of BMPRII expression was examined by the addition of epigenetic inhibitors to MVECs cultures, by methylation-specific PCR, and by sequence analysis of DNA methylation pattern of the BMPRII promotor region. SSc-MVECs were more sensitive to apoptotic signals than were normal-MVECs. A significant decrease in BMPRII expression levels in SSc-MVECs was noted, whereas no significant differences in the expression levels of BMPRIA and BMPRIB were observed. Similar reduction in expression levels was noted in SSc skin biopsies. The expression level of BMPRII in SSc-MVECs was normalized by the addition of 2-deoxy-5-azacytidine and trichostatin A to cell cultures. Extensive CpG sites methylation in the BMPRII promoter region was noted in SSc-MVECs with no detectable site methylation in control-MVECs. SSc-MVECs are more sensitive to apoptotic triggers than are control-MVECs. The enhanced apoptosis may be related to epigenetic repression of BMPRII expression as apoptosis of control-MVECs can be augmented by knocking down BMPRII expression. The role of BMPRII underexpression in the pathogenesis of SSc vasculopathy is suggested and should be investigated further.
P5.096 Estimating the Potential Economic Impact of Antimicrobial Resistance in Neisseria Gonorrhoeae in the United States

Background Antimicrobial resistance to treatment can hinder gonorrhoea prevention and control efforts, thereby leading to increases in gonorrhoea incidence. We estimated the economic burden of potential increases in gonorrhoea incidence in the US as a result of emerging cephalosporin resistance. Methods The potential increase in gonorrhoea due to resistance was based on an analysis of historical gonorrhoea incidence and ciprofloxacin resistance data. We used clinic-level resistance data from the Gonococcal Isolates Surveillance Project (GISP) and city-level gonorrhoea incidence rates from surveillance data for 17 GISP cities from 1991 to 2006. We performed a regression analysis in which the gonorrhoea rate (log) was the dependent variable and the independent variable of interest was the percentage of GISP isolates (from the clinic in the respective city) resistant to ciprofloxacin. To estimate the cost of potential increases in gonorrhoea, we used STIC-Figure, a spreadsheet programme that applies published equations of the economic impact of STDs. Results The regression analysis found a significant, positive association (p Conclusions Ciprofloxacin resistance was associated with increased gonorrhoea rates, despite availability of alternative treatments at the time. Correspondingly, emerging cephalosporin resistance could have substantial health and economic consequences. Efforts to control the spread and reduce the consequences of resistant strains can mitigate this potential burden.
Verbal Working Memory and Story Retelling in School-Age Children With Autism

Purpose This study examined verbal working memory and language ability in 15 school-age children with autism using 3 verbal working memory tasks and 1 story recall task. Method Three measures of ve...
Superoptimization of memory subsystems

The disparity in performance between processors and main memories has led computer architects to incorporate large cache hierarchies in modern computers. Because these cache hierarchies are designed to be general-purpose, they may not provide the best possible performance for a given application. In this paper, we determine a memory subsystem well suited for a given application and main memory by discovering a memory subsystem comprised of caches,scratchpads, and other components that are combined to provide better performance. We draw motivation from the superoptimization of instruction sequences, which successfully finds unusually clever instruction sequences for programs. Targeting both ASIC and FPGA devices, we show that it is possible to discover unusual memory subsystems that provide performance improvements over a typical memory subsystem.
Progenitor cell dysfunction: A key trigger for atherosclerotic inflammation

The availability of competent functional bone marrow-derived nucleated cells, such as endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) capable of repair plays a determinant role in atherosclerosis genesis. In the presence of traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease, such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension and renal failure, aging can be responsible for decreased availability of EPCs and the loss of arterial repair capacity. Although it is known that aging represents a formidable risk for coronary events, the mechanism underlying the effect of aging remains to be elucidated. We have proposed that the progressive depletion and/or functional impairment of bone marrow-derived EPCs might, at least in part, account for the effect of aging on atherosclerosis. Thus, the acquired inability of the bone marrow to provide progenitor cells capable of arterial repair in response to arterial injury might exacerbate the atherosclerotic inflammation, leading to arterial dysfunction.
Apportioning light extinction coefficients to chemical species in atmospheric aerosol

Abstract A 1978 Denver aerosol data set has been analyzed by a variety of methods for determining light scattering and extinction coefficients per unit mass concentration for specific chemical species in fine particles (
A microspectrofluorometric analysis of nuclear and chloroplast DNA in Volvox

Abstract Nuclear division immediately follows nuclear DNA doubling in all stages of the life cycle examined in the green alga Volvox; fluorescence microfluorometry of individual cells revealed no evidence of prolonged accumulation of nuclear DNA prior to mitosis in reproductive cells. Somatic cell nuclear DNA quantity is unaffected by developmental events in gonidia of the same spheroid; it remains constant from the end of cleavage until the death of the cell. In reproductive cells, chloroplast DNA replication precedes nuclear replication. The sites of plastid DNA accumulation, made visible by use of the fluorochrome 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, increase in number during the prolonged growth phase of the V. carteri gonidium. Microspectrofluorometry of fluorochrome-stained DNA in situ shows that plastid DNA increases exponentially throughout this phase. The continuous plastid DNA accumulation during gonidial growth appears to represent a prokaryote-like instead of a eukaryote-like control of DNA synthesis. Most somatic cells contain plastid DNA, and this does not increase in amount during colony growth and reproduction. Most sperm cells also contain plastid DNA, although approximately 5% of somatic cells and up to 20% of sperm cells have no discernable plastid DNA. This is the second group of organisms in which DNA-free plastids have been observed.
Frank Knight on Preachers and Economic Policy: A 19th Century Liberal Anti Religionist, He Thought Religion Should Support the Status Quo

. A central feature of the work of American economist and social philosopher Frank H. Knight was his antagonism toward organized religion, particularly Christianity and especially Catholicism. Knight's antagonism towards the Church may be traced to his historical views on the Liberal Revolution and the opposition of the Church to critical inquiry and open discussion, and its support for despotic social institutions. Additionally, Knight's antagonism stemmed from his skepticism about the possibilities of effective social reforms based upon Christian moral principles. Knight found little in Christian teaching that would offer appropriate solutions—certainly not the “Gospel of Love” which he took as the core of Christian social teachings. Furthermore he was critical of the reform efforts of preachers because of their ignorance of the function of the free market and their propensity towards radical solutions. On the centennial of his birth, he is remembered as an ardent social critic and a liberal supporter of the status quo.
Preferences on subsets

Abstract We show that a condition of Gardenfors regarding preferences on subsets of a set is impossible to satisfy for weak orders in general but is possible to satisfy for total orders.
The Use of the FIM™ Instrument in the Poststroke Population

(2000). The Use of the FIM™ Instrument in the Poststroke Population. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation: Vol. 7, Vascular Dementia: Implications for Stroke Rehabilitation, pp. 47-66.
A pressure tuning spectroscopic study of the sulphido-metal clusters, M6(μ3-S)8(PET3)6n+ (M Fe, n 2; M Co, n 1)

Abstract The effect of pressure on the visible absorption spectra of the sulphido-metal clusters, M 6 (μ 3 -S) 8 (PEt 3 ) 6 n + (M  Fe, n  2; M = Co, n = 1) has been measured in both crystalline and polymethylmethacrylate environments up to 171 kbar. The broad absorption at ca 15.4 kK (650 nm) for each cluster has been deconvoluted into three separate peaks. In the case of the iron cluster, tentative assignments of the transitions are made on the basis of their shifts with pressure in conjunction with a previously-reported SCF-Xα calculation. The cobalt cluster shows a much weaker pressure dependence, which is attributed to weaker metal-metal interactions and more delocalized ligand character in the frontier orbitals.
Partial purification and biochemical characterization of a heteromeric protein phosphatase 2A holoenzyme from maize (Zea mays L.) leaves that dephosphorylates C4 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase

The activity and allosteric properties of plant phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC; EC 4.1.1.31) are controlled posttranslationally by specific reversible phosphorylation of a strictly conserved serine residue near the N-terminus. This up/down-regulation of PEPC is catalyzed by a dedicated and highly regulated serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinase (PEPC-kinase) and an opposing type-2A Ser/Thr phosphatase (PP2A). In marked contrast to PEPC-kinase, the PP2A holoenzyme from photosynthetic tissue has been virtually unstudied to date. In the present investigation, we have partially purified and characterized the native form of this PP2A from illuminated leaves of maize (Zea mays L.), a C4 plant, using maize [32P]PEPC as substrate. Various conventional chromatographic matrices, together with thiophosphorylated C4 PEPC-peptide and microcystin-LR affinity-supports, were exploited for the enrichment of this PP2A from soluble leaf extracts. Biochemical and immunological results indicate that the C4-leaf holoenzyme is analogous to other eukaryotic PP2As in being a ≈170-kDa heteromer comprised of a core PP2Ac-A heterodimer (≈38- and ≈65-kDa subunits, respectively) complexed with a putative, ≈74-kDa B-type regulatory/targeting subunit. This heterotrimer lacks any strict substrate specificity in that it dephosphorylates C4 PEPC, mammalian phosphorylase a, and casein in vitro. This activity is independent of free Me2+, insensitive to levamisole and the Inhibitor-2 protein that targets PP1, activated by several polycations such as protamine and poly-L-lysine, and highly sensitive to inhibition by microcystin-LR and okadaic acid (IC50≈30 pM), all of which are diagnostic features of yeast and mammalian PP2As. In addition, this C4-leaf PP2A holoenzyme (i) is inhibited in vitro by physiological concentrations of certain C4 PEPC-related metabolites (L-malate, PEP, glucose 6-phosphate, but not the activator glycine) when either 32P-labeled maize PEPC or rabbit muscle phosphorylase a is used as substrate, suggesting a direct effect on this Ser/Thr phosphatase; and (ii) displays, at best, only modest light/dark effects in vivo on its apparent molecular mass, component core subunits and activity against C4 PEPC, in marked contrast to the opposing activity of PEPC-kinase in C4 and Crassulacean acid metabolism leaves. This report represents one of the few studies of a heteromeric PP2A holoenzyme from photosynthetic tissue that dephosphorylates a known target enzyme in plants, such as PEPC, sucrose-phosphate synthase or nitrate reductase.
Contributions to birdsong from the left and right sides of the intact syrinx

THE vocal organ, the syrinx, of some songbirds has been hypothesized to contain two sound sources that can be operated independently. The syrinx of songbirds (Oscines) is a bipartite structure1,2 whose two sides are potentially capable of acting either together or independently to produce sound3–9. Sound production is lateralized in some species such that one side produces most of the song9–11. I have now directly measured the acoustic output and motor dynamics of the left and right sides of the syrinx during song in catbirds and thrashers. In these birds, sound may be produced by either side of the syrinx alone, by both sides acting together, or by switching from side to side. When both sides of the syrinx contribute simultaneously to a note or syllable, both may generate the same sound or each side may produce a different sound. A given syllable type is generated by a similar motor pattern each time it is produced.
Increased iron may promote alcoholic liver injury

Although alcohol abuse and its resultant medical problems are widespread both in the United States and worldwide, the mechanism(s) responsible for the pathological effects of this substance remain elusive. In the liver, alcohol has been shown to increase oxidative stress along with lipid peroxidation and collagen production, leading to fibrosis, and these mechanisms have been widely examined in both animal and human models. In addition to alcohol, increased levels of iron (especially the "free iron" that is low molecular weight and not bound to transferrin) have been implicated in playing a role in oxidative stress and fibrosis, although no conclusive data are available. Patients with hereditary hemochromatosis who show increased levels of free iron in the serum also have a higher incidence of fibrosis and cirrhosis if they consume alcohol than controls. In animal models of alcohol administration, the addition of dietary iron has been shown to lead to increased hepatocyte (liver cell) damage. In the study performed in this report, the investigators examined whether small increases in body iron might increase susceptibility in humans to alcoholic liver injury.
On maximal stable functions

Abstract This note studies maximal elements in dI-domains, especially maximal stable functions. First, a sufficient condition for a stable function to be maximal is provided. The condition requires that the function be total, in the sense that it preserves maximal elements. Examples are then given to demonstrate that being total is not necessary for a stable function to be maximal. Secondly, a characterization is given for dI-domains for which ‘maximal’ also implies ‘total’. Finally, topological properties of maximal elements are investigated. dI-domains for which maximal is the same as total are those having a certain Hausdorff property.
Electrophysiological analysis of synaptic interactions within peg sensilla of scorpion pectines

Pectines are unique, midventral sensory appendages that help direct mating and food-finding behaviors in scorpions. Dense two-dimensional arrays of bimodally sensitive (chemical and mechanical) peg sensilla form the primary sensory structures on pectines. Several qualities of peg sensilla make them well suited to electrophysiological investigation, including accessibility, stability of extracellular recordings, and the ease with which spiking cells can be identified and categorized. Cross-correlations of spontaneous neural activity show signs of synaptic interactions between sensillar neurons in all species examined to date (Paruroctonus mesaensis, Hadrurus arizonensis, Centruroides vittatus) representing three families and two superfamilies. Both excitatory and inhibitory interactions have been observed, as well as possible dyadic synaptic arrangement. Computer simulations of cross-correlograms are consistent with experimental data and may help provide additional insight into functionality of synaptic connections. Intra-sensillar interactions, coupled with the topographic order of peg sensilla and their central nervous system projections, may allow scorpions to precisely resolve microfeatures of chemical stimuli. Future research directions include inter-sensillar recordings to determine whether synaptic interactions extend between adjacent sensilla. Other unresolved questions that can be approached electrophysiologically are whether mechanosensory cells interact with chemosensitive cells and how the synaptic circuits function under specific chemical and mechanical stimulation.
Meaning, motivation, and mind: Some conditions and consequences for the flexibility and intersubjectivity of cognitive processes

Abstract This essay takes up the concerns of Vygotsky using the categories of Peirce; and it uses these concerns and categories to re-map some of the terrain explored by analytic philosophy and cognitive science. In particular, the central concern is the flexibility of cognitive processes, as created by the interplay of tool and symbol, and as constituting of the relation between organism and environment. The central categories are object, sign and interpretant (qua meaning or ‘symbol’) and agent, means and ends (qua motivation or ‘tool’). And the terrain to be re-mapped is intentionality, or the nature of mental states and speech acts (qua ‘Mind’). Finally, this essay has a particular expository strategy: to capture the fundamental features of such cognitive processes, as objects, by using a relatively generative system of diagrammatic signs. All this, then, is a way of tackling human-specific modes of agency-loosely understood as the flexibility and intersubjectivity of cognitive processes unerlying means-ends reasoning.
Bioactivation of lamotrigine in vivo in rat and in vitro in human liver microsomes, hepatocytes, and epidermal keratinocytes: characterization of thioether conjugates by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and high field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Previous studies suggested that lamotrigene (LTG) underwent bioactivation to a reactive aryl epoxide intermediate in rats. Nevertheless, definitive structures of these thioether conjugates, which are often needed to substantiate the mechanism of bioactivation and identity of reactive intermediate(s), were not fully established. In the present study, GSH, cysteinylglycine, and N-acetyl cysteine conjugates of LTG were isolated from bile of rats orally dosed with LTG (100 mg/kg), and their structures were fully elucidated by LC/MS and NMR. The definitive structural characterization of these metabolites provided evidence for the existence of a reactive aryl epoxide that was trapped as a GSH adduct. In vitro studies using various hepatic cellular and subcellular fractions obtained from human and rat were performed to demonstrate that LTG underwent bioactivation to form a GSH conjugate that was identical to the one initially characterized from in vivo studies. Human P450 2A6 and rat P450 2C11 appeared to be the...
A moral pespective of the 150-hour requirement

Abstract In January 1988, the membership of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) approved all six proposals that constitute the Plan to Restructure Professional Standards. Proposal VI of that plan proposed the adoption of a requirement that, after the year 2000, applicants for AICPA membership have at least 150 college-level semester hours, including a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. The additional educational requirement has widespread public policy implications as accounting educators provide or plan to provide an additional year of education for students preparing to enter the profession. Self-regulated professions, like accounting, have a major influence in deciding what good they serve and how they serve it. Moral responsibility requires accounting professionals and educators to question whether the requirement truly serves the public interest.
SPI Proceedings: Impact of Motherboard High Density Interconnect on High Speed Signaling

As notebook designs move to smaller form factors and more aggressive package designs, motherboard density increases and package pin pitches decrease. These changes require more advanced motherboard PCB technologies for effective design. High density interconnect (HDI) is a manufacturing process where additional build up layers are included on a PCB. These build up layers allow for the implementation of microvias and buried vias, which aid in the routing of denser platforms. As the industry moves to more advanced via structures and finer geometries, while at the same time increasing bandwidth and frequency, it is important to consider the impact on signal integrity. Designers need to look for ways to increase the routing density without decreasing margins or solution space. This paper compares via structures, transmission lines, and obstacles such as routing over voids and their impact on signal integrity as we move to bus frequencies of 5 GT/s and above.