cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MELTING OF GOLD CLUSTERS : ICOSAHEDRAL PRECURSORS

Investigations of the melting of gold nanocrystalline clusters, using molecular dynamics simulations, reveal that at elevated temperatures the melting process is punctuated by solid-to-solid structural transformations from the low-temperature optimal structures (a truncated octahedron for ${\mathrm{Au}}_{459}$, and a truncated decahedron for ${\mathrm{Au}}_{146}$) to icosahedral structures, occurring as precursors to the melting transitions. These precursors are intrinsic to the thermodynamics of the clusters and are not the result of extrinsic effects, such as charging and electrostatic interactions.
Hα Auroral Activity on Jupiter

SEVERAL investigators have unsuccessfully searched for Hα emission from the planet Jupiter1–3. In December 1967, Schwitters4 obtained a spectrogram of Jupiter containing one feature in the Hα line that could be interpreted as localized Hα emission from the limb of the planet. This feature could have been a plate defect, however. The purpose of this article is to report new results that may be interpreted as Hα auroral activity on Jupiter.
The staurosporine analog, Ro-31-8220, induces apoptosis independently of its ability to inhibit protein kinase C.

A series of bisindolylmaleimide (Bis) compounds were designed as analogs of the natural compound staurosporine (STS), which is a potent inducer of apoptosis. Many of the Bis analogs appear to be highly selective inhibitors of the protein kinase C (PKC) family, including PKC-α, -β, -γ, -δ, -e, and -ζ, unlike STS, which is an inhibitor of a broad spectrum of protein kinases. In this report we describe the effects of the Bis analogs, Bis-I, Bis-II, Bis-III and Ro-31-8220 on the survival and proliferation of HL-60 cells, which have been widely used as a model cell system for studying the biological roles of PKC. Treatment of HL-60 cells with Bis-I, Bis-II, Bis-III, or Ro-31-8220 blocked phosphorylation of the PKC target protein Raf-1 with equal potency but did not appear to affect the general phosphorylation of proteins by other kinases. However, the biological effects of the Bis compounds were different: Bis-I and Bis-II had no observable effects on either cell survival or proliferation; Bis-III inhibited cell proliferation but not survival, whereas Ro-31-8220 induced apoptosis. These results indicated that the members of the PKC family which could be inhibited by the Bis analogs were required neither for survival nor proliferation of HL-60 cells. Analyses of cells treated with Ro-31-8220 showed that the apoptotic effect of Ro-31-8220 on HL-60 cells was mediated by a well-characterized transduction process of apoptotic signals: i.e., mitochondrial cytochrome c efflux and the activation of caspase-3 in the cytosol. Moreover, the ability of Ro-31-8220 to induce apoptotic activation was completely inhibited by the over-expression of the apoptotic suppressor gene, Bcl-2, in the cells. Interestingly, proliferation of the Bcl-2-over-expressing cells was still sensitive to the presence of Ro-31-8220, suggesting that the inhibitory effects of Ro-31-8220 on viability and cell proliferation were mediated by different mechanisms. In particular, the apoptotic effect of Ro-31-8220 on cells was not altered by the presence of an excess amount of the other Bis analogs, suggesting that this effect is mediated by a factor(s) other than PKC or by a mechanism which was not saturable by the other Bis analogs. Finally, structure-function analyses of compounds related to Ro-31-8220 revealed that a thioamidine prosthetic group in Ro-311-8220 was largely responsible for its apoptotic activity. Cell Death and Differentiation (2000) 7, 521–530
Hydrodynamic interactions in directional solidification

A binary liquid undergoes unidirectional solidification. The one-dimensional steady state is susceptible to morphological instability that causes the solid/liquid interface to change from a planar state to a cellular pattern. This paper examines the effects on this transition of volume-change convection, buoyancy-driven convection or forced flows. It emphasizes how flows alter stability limits, create scale and pattern changes in morphology, and create, through coupling, new instabilities. Emphasis is placed on the physical mechanisms of the interactions.
Targeting the hypoxia inducible factor pathway with mitochondrial uncouplers.

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is central to most adaptation responses of tumors to hypoxia, and consists of a hypoxia inducible HIF-1α or -2α subunit, and a constitutively expressed HIF-1β subunit. Previously, mitochondrial uncouplers, rottlerin and FCCP, were shown to increase the rate of cellular O2 consumption. In this study, we determined that mitochondrial uncouplers, rottlerin and FCCP, significantly decreased hypoxic as well as normoxic HIF-1 transcriptional activity which was in part mediated by down-regulation of the oxygen labile HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein levels in PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Our results also revealed that mitochondrial uncouplers decreased the expression of HIF target genes, VEGF and VEGF receptor-2. Taken together, our results indicate that functional mitochondria are important in HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein stability and transcriptional activity during normoxia as well as in hypoxia, and that mitochondrial uncouplers may be useful in the inhibition of HIF pathway in tumors.
The mosaic patterns of H. J. Woods

Abstract The mosaic patterns for the 46 two-color two-dimensional patterns, first published by H. J. Woods in 1936 are reproduced. The mosaics themselves are preceded by some comments on the historical context of Woods' contribution to the study of two-color patterned ornament. The new group/subgroup notation of H. S. M. Coxeter for these patterns is also described.
Molecular Dynamics Investigation of Bent-Core Molecules on a Water Surface

Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out for bent-core molecules at water surfaces. The water surface is shown to alter the equilibrium molecular structure significantly by causing a different class of torsional states to become more favorable. The equilibrium structure is also altered by the substitution of chlorine atoms for hydrogen atoms on the central phenyl ring in that this substitution forces the bent core to remain in a single torsional state rather than be delocalized among several torsional states. The consequences of these structural changes on the chirality and packing of these molecules on water surfaces are discussed.
The impact of noncoding RNA on the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of aging.

Abstract As the molecular mechanisms associated with aging become more understood, it is apparent that the normal processes involved in the development and metabolism of an organism are subject to changes that upset its crucial homeostatic balance, which in turn sets in motion the weakening and disease-prone process of senescence. This imbalance is the result of a variety of effectors, such as environmental insults, endogenous toxins, and genetic mishaps. In addition, it is highly probable that posttranscriptional regulatory events play a large role in the changes associated with aging. The emerging knowledge of posttranscriptional regulation is redefining our understanding of the complexities of cellular systems biology and genetics. The implications of the impact that small regulatory RNAs have on the many facets of developmental and molecular biology should be included as part of our current understanding of the biochemistry involved in these processes. These molecular regulators—along with other epigenetic events—restrict the flow of genetic expression, thus affording the cell an adjustable and tempered homeostatic balance control. Recent findings in the fields of organismal development, cancer, and aging indicate that small noncoding RNA plays a greater role than previously believed in orchestrating the changes associated with these processes. Furthermore, any misappropriations of these regulatory resources could lead to age-related diseases, and are therefore promising targets for prophylactics and therapeutics to combat maladies associated with aging. Here we report a brief overview of noncoding RNA as well as the potential roles of microRNAs in biochemical equilibriums where imbalance contributes to the many phenotypes of aging.
Potential application of VIIRS Day/Night Band for monitoring nighttime surface PM 2.5 air quality from space

Abstract A pilot study is conducted to illustrate the potential of using radiance data collected by the Day/Night Band (DNB) of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite for particulate matter (PM) air quality monitoring at night. The study focuses on the moonless and cloudless nights in Atlanta, Georgia during August–October 2012. We show with radiative transfer calculations that DNB at night is sensitive to the change of aerosols and much less sensitive to the change of water vapor in the atmosphere illuminated by common outdoor light bulbs at the surface. We further show both qualitatively that the contrast of DNB images can indicate the change of air quality at the urban scale, and quantitatively that change of light intensity during the night (as characterized by VIIRS DNB) reflects the change of surface PM 2.5 . Compared to four meteorological variables ( u and v components of surface wind speed, surface pressure, and columnar water vapor amount) that can be obtained from surface measurements, the DNB light intensity is the only variable that shows either the largest or second largest correlation with surface PM 2.5 measured at 5 different sites. A simple multivariate regression model with consideration of the change of DNB light intensity can yield improved estimate of surface PM 2.5 as compared to the model with consideration of meteorological variables only. Cross validation of this DNB-based regression model shows that the estimated surface PM 2.5 concentration has nearly no bias and a linear correlation coefficient (R) of 0.67 with respect to the corresponding hourly observed surface PM 2.5 concentration. Furthermore, ground-based observations support that surface PM 2.5 concentration at the VIIRS night overpass (∼1:00 am local) time is representative of daily-mean PM 2.5 air quality (R = 0.82 and mean bias of −0.1 μg m −3 ). While the potential appears promising, mapping surface PM 2.5 from space with visible light at night still face various challenges and the strategies to address some of these challenges are elaborated for future studies.
2′-Fluoro-modified phosphorothioate oligonucleotide can cause rapid degradation of P54nrb and PSF

Synthetic oligonucleotides are used to regulate gene expression through different mechanisms. Chemical modifications of the backbone of the nucleic acid and/or of the 2' moiety of the ribose can increase nuclease stability and/or binding affinity of oligonucleotides to target molecules. Here we report that transfection of 2'-F-modified phosphorothioate oligonucleotides into cells can reduce the levels of P54nrb and PSF proteins through proteasome-mediated degradation. Such deleterious effects of 2'-F-modified oligonucleotides were observed in different cell types from different species, and were independent of oligonucleotide sequence, positions of the 2'-F-modified nucleotides in the oligonucleotides, method of delivery or mechanism of action of the oligonucleotides. Four 2'-F-modified nucleotides were sufficient to cause the protein reduction. P54nrb and PSF belong to Drosophila behavior/human splicing (DBHS) family. The third member of the family, PSPC1, was also reduced by the 2'-F-modified oligonucleotides. Preferential association of 2'-F-modified oligonucleotides with P54nrb was observed, which is partially responsible for the protein reduction. Consistent with the role of DBHS proteins in double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair, elevated DSBs were observed in cells treated with 2'-F-modified oligonucleotides, which contributed to severe impairment in cell proliferation. These results suggest that oligonucleotides with 2'-F modifications can cause non-specific loss of cellular protein(s).
Combining gene sequence similarity and textual information for gene function annotation in the literature

Annotation of the functions of genes and proteins is an essential step in genome analysis. Information extraction techniques have been proposed to obtain the function information of genes and proteins in the biomedical literature. However, the performance of most information extraction techniques of function annotation in the biomedical literature is not satisfactory due to the large variability in the expression of concepts in the biomedical literature. This paper proposes a framework to improve the gene function annotation in the literature by considering both the textual information in the literature and the functions of genes with sequences similar to a target gene. The new framework collects multiple types of evidence as: (i) textual information about gene functions by matching keywords of the gene functions; (ii) gene function information from the known functions of genes with sequences similar to a target gene; and (iii) the prior probabilities of gene functions to be associated with an arbitrary gene by mining the known gene functions from curated databases. A supervised learning method is utilized to obtain the weights for combining the three types of evidence to assign appropriate Gene Ontology terms for target genes. Empirical studies on two testbeds demonstrate that the combination of sequence similarity scores, function prior probabilities and textual information improves the accuracy of gene function annotation in the literature. The F-measure scores obtained with the proposed framework are substantially higher than the scores of the solutions in prior research.
The vanishing of a higher codimension analogue of Hochster’s theta invariant

We study H. Dao’s invariant \({\eta_c^R}\) of pairs of modules defined over a complete intersection ring R of codimension c having an isolated singularity. Our main result is that \({\eta_c^R}\) vanishes for all pairs of modules when R is a graded complete intersection ring of codimension c > 1 having an isolated singularity. A consequence of this result is that all pairs of modules over such a ring are c-Tor-rigid.
Douching Patterns in Women Related to Socioeconomic and Racial/Ethnic Characteristics

ABSTRACT Objective To examine whether socioeconomic and racial/ethnic characteristics contribute independently and in combination to influence douching behavior. Design A cross-sectional design. Setting United States. Participants Women between 14 and 49 years of age who were both interviewed and examined as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collection process. Main Outcome Measures Douching rates in women categorized on socioeconomic and racial and ethnic characteristics. Results Based on data from 3,522 women, 21% reported recent douching. Separated by race, Black women douche at much higher percentage (47%) than non-Hispanic White (17%), Mexico-born Mexican American women (12.5%), or U.S.-born Mexican American women (19%). Although increasing age and low socioeconomic status are both associated with increased douching, the effects of socioeconomic status on douching vary by race/ethnicity. Conclusions Low income and minority racial status contribute both independently and together to influence douching behavior in women. These findings suggest cultural contributions to douching may be especially prevalent in the Black population while Mexican American women born in Mexico may be relatively immune to U.S. cultural influences.
Mechanical Principles of Natural Crimp of Fiber

A mathematical model for natural fiber crimp is proposed which assumes that the analogy with Timoshenko's theory of bimetal thermostats is valid. Formulas for crimp parameters are derived according...
Computer controlled multi-walled carbon nanotube inhalation exposure system

Inhalation exposure systems are necessary tools for determining the dose-response relationship of inhaled toxicants under a variety of exposure conditions. The objective of this project was to develop an automated computer controlled system to expose small laboratory animals to precise concentrations of airborne multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). An aerosol generator was developed which was capable of suspending a respirable fraction of multi-walled carbon nanotubes from bulk material. The output of the generator was used to expose small laboratory animals to constant aerosol concentrations up to 12 mg/m(3). Particle distribution and morphology of the MWCNT aerosol delivered to the exposure chamber were measured and compared to samples previously taken from air inside a facility that produces MWCNT. The comparison showed the MWCNT generator was producing particles similar in size and shape to those found in a work environment. The inhalation exposure system combined air flow controllers, particle monitors, data acquisition devices, and custom software with automatic feedback control to achieve constant and repeatable exposure chamber temperature, relative humidity, pressure, aerosol concentration, and particle size distribution. The automatic control algorithm was capable of maintaining the mean aerosol concentration to within 0.1 mg/m(3) of the selected target value, and it could reach 95% of the target value in less than 10 minutes during the start-up of an inhalation exposure. One of the major advantages of this system was that once the exposure parameters were selected, a minimum amount of operator intervention was required over the exposure period.
News from Academy

In this journal section issue the author present a particular overview about Design Structure Matrix (DSM) Methods and Applications for Project Management.
Visualization and Analysis of Social Networks of Research Funding

This paper describes a longitudinal analysis of the social networks formed by research collaborations at a Carnegie I research university. Over the last several years, many federal agencies, e.g., NSF, NIH, DOE, have recommended that funding proposals be submitted by collaborative interdisciplinary teams because of a growing acknowledgment of the importance of discoveries and outcomes from interdisciplinary science and technology. This is based on theory that more weak-tie relationships will lead to an increase in innovation. By modeling, visualizing and analyzing these social networks, we compare and contrast our funding relationships before and after the implementation of an organizational response to this national discourse on the need for interdisciplinary efforts. We implement network measures of density, betweenness centrality, and examine the rate of change in weak-tie and strong-tie social networks over time. We explore the strategic implications of structuring organizational responses to interdisciplinary collaboration.
Projectile Performance, Stability, and Free-Flight Motion Prediction Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

With the recent development of capabilities for predicting damping derivatives, it is now possible to predict the stability characteristics and free-flight motion for projectiles using data that are derived solely from computational fluid dynamics (CFD). As a demonstration of the capability, results are presented for a family of axisymmetric projectiles in supersonic flight. The particular configuration selected has been extensively tested in aeroballistic ranges, and high-quality experimental data have been obtained. Thin-layer Navier-Stokes techniques have been applied to compute the attached viscous flow over the forebody of the projectile and the separated flow in the projectile base region. Parameters that characterize the in-flight motion are subsequently evaluated using the predicted aerodynamic coefficients, including the gyroscopic and dynamic stability factors and the projectile's fast- and slow-mode frequencies and damping coefficients. These parameters are then used to predict the free-flight motion of the projectile. In each case, the computational approach is validated by comparison with experimental data, and very good agreement between computation and experiment is found. It is believed that this demonstration represents the first known instance of a viscous CFD approach being applied to predict all of the necessary data for performance of linear aerodynamics stability and trajectory analyses.
Characterization of induced voltages on overhead power lines caused by lightning strokes with arbitrary configurations

A comprehensive numerical method has been developed to study the induced voltages on an overhead power line caused by lightning return strokes with arbitrary shapes, such as inclined lightning, zigzag lightning, etc. Significant increase in the induced voltages was observed for the inclined/zigzag lightning strokes than those induced by the vertical lightning strokes. >
An Efficient Single-Transceiver CDMA-Based MAC Protocol for Wireless Networks

Applying the code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques, we propose an efficient medium access control (MAC) protocol with single-transceiver for wireless ad hoc networks. Our protocol adopts the time-division method to solve the near-far power control problem inherently associated with the CDMA-based networks. In particular, employing the variable ad-hoc traffic indication messages (ATIM) window to properly determine the required transmission power for data packets, our scheme enables the interference-limited simultaneous transmissions to achieve the high utilization of the limited/precious bandwidth in wireless networks. In addition, our scheme requires only one transceiver per node, which reduces the hardware costs for large scale wireless networks. Using the Markov-chain techniques, we develop an analytical model to evaluate the aggregate throughput under our protocol. Both the analytical and simulation results show that our protocol can improve the network throughput significantly as compared with other existing schemes.
WiMAX ambiguity function for PCL systems

Passive coherent location (PCL) radar systems use signals of opportunity as the off-board source of electromagnetic illumination. The analysis of the structure, spectral, and spatial properties of emerging commercial waveforms becomes a critical component of future PCL radar systems design. This paper presents an ambiguity function analysis of the emerging IEEE 802.16 OFDM signal known as “WiMAX” for passive radar applications. The simulated WiMAX wave structure shows desirable range and Doppler resolution properties for passive radar applications.
Amino acid sequences of lower vertebrate parvalbumins and their evolution: parvalbumins of boa, turtle, and salamander.

One major parvalbumin each was isolated from the skeletal muscle of two reptiles, a boa snake, Boa constrictor, and a map turtle, Graptemys geographica, while two parvalbumins were isolated from an amphibian, the salamander Amphiuma means. The amino acid sequences of all four parvalbumins were determined from the sequences of their tryptic peptides, which were ordered partially by homology to other parvalbumins. Phylogenetic study of these and 16 other parvalbumin sequences revealed that the turtle parvalbumin belongs to p lineage, while the salamander sequences belong, one each, to the a and p lineages defined by Goodman and Pechire ( 1977). Boa parvalbumin, however, while belonging to the p lineage, clusters within the fish in all reasonably parsimonious trees. The most parsimonious trees show many parallel or back mutations in the evolution of many parvalbumin residues, although the residues responsible for Ca*+ binding are very well conserved. These most parsimonious trees show an actinopterygian rather than a crossoptyrigian origin of the tetrapods in both the u and p groups. One of two electric eel parvalbumins is evolving more than 10 times faster than its paralogous partner, suggesting it may be on its way to becoming a pseudogene. It is concluded that varying rates of amino acid replacement, much homoplasy, considerable gene duplication, plus complicated lineages make the set of parvalbumin sequences unsuitable for systematic study of the origin of the tetrapods and other higher-taxa divergence, although it may be suitable within a genus or family.
Carboplatin/pemetrexed/bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a single-institution experience.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab in patients with advanced, nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods The charts of consecutive patients with stage IIIB/IV nonsquamous NSCLC were reviewed. All patients receiving at least 1 cycle of the 3-drug regimen (pemetrexed 500 mg/m 2 , carboplatin area under the curve of 5-6, bevacizumab 15 mg/kg intravenously), were included for assessment of response, safety, and toxicity. Results A total of 27 patients received this regimen between February 2008 and July 2009; 63% were women. Median follow-up was 6.3 months (range, 1.6-21.1 months). Median number of cycles was 6 (range, 1-6 cycles); 67% completed 6 cycles; 83% went on to receive maintenance bevacizumab/pemetrexed. Among those who received maintenance, the median number of cycles administered was 4.5 (range, 1-18 cycles). Response rate was 52%; stable disease was observed in another 40%. On the basis of Kaplan-Meier analysis, actuarial overall survival was 83% at 12 months; actuarial progression-free survival was 83% and 63% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Clinical improvement was noted in 41% of the patients, with clinical stability in another 48%. Grade 2 and 3 toxicities from the regimen included anemia (11% and 15%), fatigue (37% and 7.4%), febrile neutropenia (7.4%; grade 3 only), thrombocytopenia (7.4% and 0), and thromboembolic disorders (3.7% and 3.7%). Bevacizumab-induced side effects (any grade) included headaches (22.2%), epistaxis (30%), hemoptysis (3.7%), and hypertension (11%). No grade 4 or 5 toxicities were seen. Conclusion Combination carboplatin/pemetrexed and bevacizumab followed by maintenance therapy with pemetrexed/bevacizumab is effective, with response rates > 50%, acceptable toxicity, and promising early survival in patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.
Haptics issues in virtual environments

Haptics is a recent enhancement to virtual environments, allowing users to "touch" and feel the simulated objects they interact with. Current commercial products allow tactile feedback through desktop interfaces (such as the FEELIt/sup TM/ mouse or the PHANToM/sup TM/ arm) and dextrous tactile and force feedback at the fingertips through haptic gloves (such as the CyberTouch/sup TM/ and the CyberGrasp/sup TM/). Virtual reality haptic programming requires good physical modeling of user interactions, primarily through collision detection, and of object responses, such as surface deformation, hard-contact simulation, slippage, etc. It is at present difficult to simulate complex virtual environments that have a realistic behavior. This task is added to by the recent introduction of haptic toolkits (such as Ghost/sup TM/ or VPS). Current technology suffers from a number of limitations, which go beyond the higher production cost of haptic interfaces. These technical drawbacks include the limited workspace of desktop interfaces, the large weight of force-feedback gloves, the lack of force feedback to the body, safety concerns, etc. Not to be neglected is the high bandwidth requirement of haptics, which is not met by current Internet technology. As a result, it is not possible at present to have a large number of remote participants interacting haptically in a shared virtual space.
Mechanical Properties of Cubic Silicon Carbide after Neutron Irradiation at Elevated Temperatures

Mechanical properties of high-purity polycrystalline cubic SiC was characterized after neutron irradiation. Bar samples were irradiated in target position capsules in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR, Oak Ridge, Tennessee) to nominal fluence levels up to 7.7 dpa at temperatures of 300, 500, and 800°C. A decrease in Young's modulus was observed after irradiation, and its irradiation temperature dependence qualitatively agreed with the calculated modulus change due to point defect swelling. Irradiation caused a significant modification of statistical flexural strength but caused only minor increase in nano-indentation hardness. The irradiation effect on fracture initiation through an enhanced cleavage resistance likely is primarily responsible for the major change in flexural strength properties.
A Comparison Of Police Field Training Officers’ And Nontraining Officers’ Conflict Resolution Styles: Controlling Versus Supportive Strategies

This article examines the behavioral differences between police field-training officers (FTOs) and their comparable colleagues in handling interpersonal conflicts. Data used were collected from two metropolitan police departments. Actions taken by officers are grouped into two major categories, control and supportive, and are then examined along two dimensions, diversity and aggressiveness. Findings show that FTOs perform a greater number of supportive actions than do non-FTOs throughout their encounters with citizens. FTOs and non-FTOs, however, display no differences in the level of force involved in their control actions toward citizens. Implications for policy and future research are provided.
The effect of setup uncertainties on the treatment of nasopharynx cancer

Abstract Purpose: As radiation treatment techniques become more complicated, the need to understand the effect of uncertainties on dose distributions increases. This study investigates the effect of positional uncertainities for patients with nasopharynx carcinoma treated with a multiple field conformal boost technique. Three dimensional setup errors were measured for six patients and the effect on patient dose was evaluated using dose volume histograms. Methods and Materials: A method is presented for determining 3-dimensional translational and rotational setup errors by identifying anatomical landmarks on two treatment field images and their corresponding simulation images. Measurements were made on a daily basis for six patients undergoing conformal treatment. Results: The average magnitude of the tmnsiational errors was between 1.5 and 3 mm while the average distance between simulation and treatment isocenters was 5 mm. Both systematic and random setup errors were observed. Dose volume histograms incorporating these uncertainties for standard parallel opposed and conformal techniques were generated for patients experiencing random and systematic setup errors. Conclusion: The data imply that positional uncertainties effect the daily dose distributions for target and critical structures differently and that the effect may be treatment technique dependent. These results demonstrate the need to measure setup uncertainties for all sites and to develop techniques for incorporating dose uncertainties in treatment plans.
A down to earth model of gravisensing or Newton's Law of Gravitation from the apple's perspective.

The physiology of gravity perception in plants is examined and a model of gravitational pressure is explained and compared to the statolith model. The gravitational pressure model is based on studies of tension and compression of the plasma membrane against the extracellular matrix. Further studies examine the role of peptides or enzymes that inhibit a compression receptor and calcium channels.
CEFT: A cost-effective, fault-tolerant parallel virtual file system

The vulnerability of computer nodes due to component failures is a critical issue for cluster-based file systems. This paper studies the development and deployment of mirroring in cluster-based parallel virtual file systems to provide fault tolerance and analyzes the tradeoffs between the performance and the reliability in the mirroring scheme. It presents the design and implementation of CEFT, a scalable RAID-10 style file system based on PVFS, and proposes four novel mirroring protocols depending on whether the mirroring operations are server-driven or client-driven, whether they are asynchronous or synchronous. The comparisons of their write performances, measured in a real cluster, and their reliability and availability, obtained through analytical modeling, show that these protocols strike different tradeoffs between the reliability and performance. Protocols with higher peak write performance are less reliable than those with lower peak write performance, and vice versa. A hybrid protocol is proposed to optimize this tradeoff.
Quantitive studies of data-locality sensitivity on the EARTH multithreaded architecture: preliminary results

Multithreading has been promoted as an effective mechanism to hide inter-processor communications and remote data access latencies by quickly switching among a set of ready threads. In this paper, we show that multitreading provides an immunity to the performance variations due to changes in data distributions in a distributed-memory multiprocessor. First, toe propose two performance metrics to quantify the sensitivity of performance to data-locality. Second, we perform a quantitative comparison of data-locality sensitivity with both single-threaded and multithreaded computations. These experiments are performed on a 20-node EARTH-MANNA system. Our results show that not only does a multithreaded computation yields higher performance than the single-threaded version, but also that its performance is more robust (less affected) by variations in data-locality.
Effects of antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide on gastric acid secretion and gastrin release in the dog

Abstract Previous studies have questioned the physiological role of gastric inhibitory peptide in inhibiting gastric acid secretion. The present study was designed to examine and compare peptone meal-stimulated gastric acid secretion in dogs after intravenous infusion of rabbit serum containing antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide or normal rabbit serum (as control). Five dogs were prepared with gastric fistulas. Basal acid output was collected for 90 min through the gastric fistula. After 30 min of basal acid output collection, either rabbit serum containing antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide or normal control rabbit serum (0.1 ml/kg) was infused intravenously over 1 min. After the basal acid output collection, a 10% peptone meal was infused into the stomach. Gastric acid output was measured by intragastric titration (pH 5.0) for 60 min. Peripheral venous plasma was collected for measurement of gastrin and gastric inhibitory peptide and for binding of endogenous plasma gastric inhibitory peptide by administered antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide before and at 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after the meal. After intravenous administration of antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide, 98% ± 3% (SEM) of endogenous plasma gastric inhibitory peptide was bound by administered antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide. No binding of endogenous plasma gastric inhibitory peptide was detected after infusion of normal rabbit serum. In dogs receiving intravenous antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide, both peptone-stimulated gastric acid output and integrated gastrin release responses were increased when compared with dogs receiving normal rabbit serum. With infusion of antibodies to gastric inhibitory peptide, there was a high degree of correlation between the increase in gastric acid output and the increase in integrated gastrin response (r = 0.900, p
Perturbation of cellular proteostasis networks identifies pathways that modulate precursor and intermediate but not mature levels of frataxin

Friedreich's Ataxia is a genetic disease caused by expansion of an intronic trinucleotide repeat in the frataxin (FXN) gene yielding diminished FXN expression and consequently disease. Since increasing FXN protein levels is desirable to ameliorate pathology, we explored the role of major cellular proteostasis pathways and mitochondrial proteases in FXN processing and turnover. We targeted p97/VCP, the ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP), and autophagy with chemical inhibitors in cell lines and patient-derived cells. p97 inhibition by DBeQ increased precursor FXN levels, while UPP and autophagic flux modulators had variable effects predominantly on intermediate FXN. Our data suggest that these pathways cannot be modulated to influence mature functional FXN levels. We also targeted known mitochondrial proteases by RNA interference and discovered a novel protease PITRM1 that regulates intermediate FXN levels. Treatment with the aforementioned chemical and genetic modulators did not have a differential effect in patient cells containing lower amounts of FXN. Interestingly, a number of treatments caused a change in total amount of FXN protein, without an effect on mature FXN. Our results imply that regulation of FXN protein levels is complex and that total amounts can be modulated chemically and genetically without altering the absolute amount of mature FXN protein.
Probabilistic Robust Control Design for An F-16 Aircraft

The uncertainty in the aerodynamic modeling at high angle of attack presents challenges to control designers. In this paper, we investigates the applicability of an ellipsoid-based randomized algorithm to design a probabilistic robust H1 controller for a tactical aircraft. With a stopping rule, this algorithm can always stop to either give a probabilistic solution or detect no solution in an approximation sense if all parameters are specifled appropriately. We have applied this algorithm to design a dynamic output feedback controller for an F-16 longitudinal autopilot system, and the simulation result shows that the performance of the closed-loop system is improved compared with that controlled by the nominal controller.
Geometric approach to string analysis for biosequence classification.

Tools that effectively analyze and compare sequences are of great importance in various areas of applied computational research, especially in the framework of molecular biology. In the present paper, we introduce simple geometric criteria based on the notion of string linearity and use them to compare DNA sequences of various organisms, as well as to distinguish them from random sequences. Several other theoretical and statistical results are outlined as well. Our experiments reveal a substantial difference between biosequences and random sequences – the former having much higher deviation from linearity than the latter – as well as a general trend of increasing deviation from linearity between primitive and biologically complex organisms.
Bilateral Simultaneously-Occurring Adenocarcinoma of the Kidney

AbstractOur 3 patients with simultaneously-occurring hypernephromas treated with simultaneously-directed surgical therapy on both kidneys are described. One patient died with residual neoplasm 2½ years postoperatively, while the other 2 patients are alive and presumably free of tumor 60 and 22 months postoperatively.
STUDIES OF CONTROLLED REPERFUSION AFTER ISCHEMIA: VIII. Regional blood cardioplegic reperfusion during total vented bypass without thoracotomy: A new concept

This study tests the hypothesis that immediate functional recovery is possible after 2 to 3 hours of regional ischemia by control of the conditions of reperfusion (i.e., total vented bypass) and the composition of the reperfusate (substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution) by either central cannulation with thoracotomy or peripheral cannulation without thoracotomy. Total vented bypass could be established successfully in each of 14 experiments (100%) in which the peripheral cannulation method was tested. Regional function (evaluated by ultrasonic crystals in open-chest animals) recovered comparably when substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution was given either globally or regionally (46% versus 36%) and total vented bypass was accomplished by either central cannulation or peripheral cannulation technique (i.e., left ventricle decompressed through a transaortic vent catheter, right atrium cannulated through the femoral vein, femoral artery perfusion). In contrast, systolic bulging persisted (-23% control systolic shortening) following normal blood reperfusion in beating, working hearts. Controlled reperfusion (either global or regional) also minimized postischemic edema (81% versus 83% water content, p less than 0.05). The effectiveness of controlled reperfusion (substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution during total vented bypass) versus uncontrolled reperfusion (normal blood in beating, working hearts) was assessed also in closed-chest dogs with 3 hours of regional ischemia (i.e., balloon inflation in the left anterior descending coronary artery). Results after controlled reperfusion showed complete recovery of contractility (as shown by echocardiography) at 24 hours, in comparison with only minimal recovery in three of eight dogs receiving uncontrolled reperfusion, and minimal histochemical damage (less than 5% triphenyltetrazolium chloride nonstaining), in comparison with 34% necrosis after uncontrolled reperfusion. These studies suggest that control of the reperfusion conditions and reperfusate composition can be achieved comparably in either the catheterization laboratory or the operating room, and a proposed clinical model for the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction is presented for evaluation.
On the need for a philosophical investigation of capital punishment by the U.S. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court needs to clearly articulate the legal-political philosophy underlying its decisions so that consistency can be sought. Decisions involving life-and-death issued, such as capital punishment, should be based on sound, articulated philosophy rather than public opinion polls and the perceived mood of the public. Supreme Court justices, like everyone else, bring their own biases to their decisionmaking, but too often cases appear to be decided on “technical” due process issues rather than philosophic grounds. Of course, the “due process” interpretations used actually reflect inarticulated political philosophy.
Motivating Adult Learners: Exploring the Emergence of Adult Business Students in an East Texas University.

Adult enrollment in higher education institutions has grown significantly during the last decade, with students aged 25 and older attending 4-year institutions at higher rates than before. In the 21st century, few can improve their socioeconomic status or advance professionally without higher education. Colleges and universities must consider this diverse student population by identifying new modes of motivation for students to pursue degrees at 4-year institutions. Research suggests that universities focus on the new learners of higher education: nontraditional students who are motivated by their desire to learn and advance professionally. This study examined motivational factors and patterns of students who pursued degrees in accounting, finance, management, marketing, or general business programs at a university in Texas. The survey results indicated that most participants worked 31 to 40 hours per week, and one-third had incomes of $60,000 and above. The researchers found a statistical multivariate effect of income on motivation to pursue a degree; however, no statistical difference existed among gender, age, occupation, or program of study.
Dispersal limitation promotes the diversification of the mammalian gut microbiota

The gut bacterial communities of mammals have profound effects on host fitness, but the processes that generate and maintain gut bacterial diversity remain poorly understood. We mapped compositional variation (i.e., β-diversity) in the gut microbiotas of 136 pairs of wild mammalian species living throughout the Americas to assess how the distribution of mammals across geographic space influences the diversification of their gut bacteria. Comparing the gut microbiotas of sympatric and allopatric mammalian populations provided insights into the flow of gut bacteria within and between mammalian communities, revealing that spatial limits on bacterial dispersal promote β-diversity between the gut microbiotas of mammalian species. Each geographic locale displayed a unique gut-microbiota composition that could not be fully explained by the diets and phylogenetic histories of the resident mammalian hosts, indicating that some gut bacteria are geographically restricted. Across the western hemisphere, the compositional overlap between the gut microbiotas of allopatric mammalian populations decayed exponentially with the geographic distance separating the hosts. The relationship between geographic distances among hosts and compositional differences among their gut microbiotas was independent of dietary and phylogenetic divergence among hosts. Within mammalian communities, we observed widespread sharing of gut bacteria between predator-prey host-species pairs, indicating horizontal transfer of gut bacteria through mammalian food chains. Collectively, these results indicate that compositional differences between the gut microbiotas of mammalian taxa are generated and maintained by limits to bacterial dispersal imposed by physical distance between hosts.
Changing expectations as a source of and remedy for corruption

Corruption is not simply a problem of greedy men and women using public office for private gain. It is a degenerated state of expectations the citizens hold about the behavior of one another. Expectations, or culture, of proper behavior are a type of wealth of a society, at least as important as human and natural resources. When people expect corrupt behavior from one another, the expectations capital is depleted, and the society becomes and stays corrupt. The depletion usually occurs under extraordinary social stress such as wars, natural disasters or political upheavals. Rebuilding this capital to a high level is possible through sustained and dedicated effort over a generation or two. There are no legal or administrative quick fixes.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic anterior vertebral body tethering for the correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis of the spine

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affects children aged 11-18 years. Severe disease may necessitate spinal fusion. Vertebral body tethering gradually corrects scoliosis as the patients grow. The application of video-assisted thoracic surgery to the thoracic spine is a new area for further development.
The Race for the Surface: Microbes, Tissue Cells, and Biomaterials

The use of biomaterials as tissue or organ replacement devices and as components of bioartificial organs has highlighted interactions between biomaterials and adjacent tissue systems. “Inert” biomaterials have been developed; however, physical-chemical inertness is relative. At an atomic level there is always some degree of activity. In short, all biomaterial surfaces create a vital phenomenological interface at the implant-to-cell system junction which demands characterization, modification, and programming.
Thermoelastic waves in solids with thermal relaxation

Maxwell's modified heat conduction equation is used to study plane harmonic waves in unbounded media as well as Rayleigh's surface waves propagating along a half-space consisting of linearly elastic materials that conduct heat. Explicit expressions are obtained for various parameters that characterize these waves. Relevant results of previous investigations are deduced as special cases.
Neutron burst form a high-voltage discharge between palladium electrodes in D sub 2 gas

In this paper a recent experimental observation of a neutron flux burst at a rate of 2 {times} 10{sup 4} times the background rate during a high ac voltage stimulation between two deuterated palladium electrodes in D{sub 2} gas is explained in terms of the experimentally measured deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fusion cross sections. Theoretical criteria and experimental conditions for improving D-D fusion rates with the use of pulsed high-dc voltages are described.