cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transport and dynamics of liquid oxygen droplets in supercritical hydrogen streams

The transport and dynamics of an isolated liquid oxygen (LOX) droplet in a supercritical hydrogen stream has been numerically studied based on the complete conservation equations in axisymmetric coordinates. The approach employs a unified treatment of general fluid thermodynamics and transport, and accommodates rapid variations of fluid properties in the transcritical regime. Surface tension of the droplet is ignored in consistency with the supercritical thermodynamic condition. The analysis allows for a systematic investigation into droplet behaviour over broad ranges of fluid thermodynamic states and ambient flow conditions. Detailed flow structures and transport phenomena are examined to reveal various key mechanisms underlying droplet vaporization in a supercritical forced convective environment. In addition, correlations of droplet lifetime and drag coefficient are established in terms of fluid properties, pressure, and free-stream Reynolds number.
Reduced ABCA1-Mediated Cholesterol Efflux and Accelerated Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice Lacking Macrophage-Derived ACAT1

Background— Macrophage acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) and apolipoprotein E (apoE) have been implicated in regulating cellular cholesterol homeostasis and therefore play critical roles in foam cell formation. Deletion of either ACAT1 or apoE results in increased atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic mice, possibly as a consequence of altered cholesterol processing. We have studied the effect of macrophage ACAT1 deletion on atherogenesis in apoE-deficient (apoE−/−) mice with or without the restoration of macrophage apoE. Methods and Results— We used bone marrow transplantation to generate apoE−/− mice with macrophages of 4 genotypes: apoE+/+/ACAT1+/+ (wild type), apoE+/+/ACAT1−/− (ACAT−/−), apoE−/−/ACAT1+/+ (apoE−/−), and apoE−/−/ACAT1−/− (2KO). When macrophage apoE was present, plasma cholesterol levels normalized, and ACAT1 deficiency did not have significant effects on atherogenesis. However, when macrophage apoE was absent, ACAT1 deficiency increased atherosclerosis and apoptosis in t...
Engineering calcium deposits on polycaprolactone scaffolds for intravascular applications using primary human osteoblasts

Total atherosclerotic occlusions often include significant calcium deposits. Current animal models do not mimic the pathology of gradual occlusion of arteries and lack cell-mediated calcium. The primary goal of this project was to establish an animal model incorporating these features into chronic total occlusions, using biodegradable scaffolds. As the first step, this study sought to determine the optimal dosage of TGF-β1 on polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds cultured with primary human osteoblasts (HOBs) to effectively induce in vitro calcification. HOBs were cultured in TGF-β1 and dexamethsaone (Dex)-supplemented medium in well plates. Calcium in the cultures was visualized using alizarin red. The highest calcification was observed in groups with both TGF-β1 (0.02 ng/ml) and Dex (10−10M) in the medium. Next, HOBs were cultured on PCL scaffolds with different loadings of TGF-β1: 0 (control), 5, 10, 50 and 100 ng. These cultures were performed with or without Dex (10−10M) in the medium. DNA content, ALP activity and the amount and distribution of calcium were examined at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. TGF-β1 appeared to have an inhibitory effect on scaffold calcification when grown in Dex-supplemented medium. When cultured without Dex, the lower amount of TGF-β1 loading (5 ng) showed the most calcification, high DNA synthesis and high ALP activity on scaffolds. This study demonstrates the potential of implanting a PCL–HOB construct in an animal artery to establish a model of atherosclerotic occlusion with calcification. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nearsurface Geology of the Gulf of Mexico Continental Slope

The continental slope of the Gulf of Mexico covers an area of more than 500,000 sq km. Consisting of smooth and gently sloping surfaces, prominent escarpments, knolls, intraslope basins and submarine canyons and channels, it is an area of extremely diverse topographic and sedimentologic conditions. The slope extends from the shelf break, roughly at the 200 m isobath, to the upper limit of the continental rise at a depth of 2,800 m. The most complex province in the basin, and the one of most interest to the petroleum industry, is the Louisiana-Texas slope which occupies 120,000 sq km and in which bottom slopes range from less than 1 degree to greater than 20 degrees around knolls and basins. In the past few years numerous high-resolution seismic surveys, foundation borings and drop cores have been acquired on the continental slope. They form the basis of the interpretation of the nearsurface geologic framework.
Certification Standards and Design Issues for Rudder Control Systems in Transport Aircraft

A recent transport aircraft accident involving inappropriate rudder inputs by the pilot flying has led to a series of NTSB recommendations regarding certification. In particular certification standards are sought that will ensure safe handling qualities in the yaw axis throughout the flight envelope, including limits for rudder pedal sensitivity. This study has the ultimate goal of establishing such standards. A review of current Code of Federal Regulations Part 25 as regards rudder control is undertaken. An analytical investigation of possible piloting tasks for certification is presented. The tasks reflect the philosophy of FAA Advisory Circular 25-7A – Flight Test Guide for Certification of Transport Category Airplanes. A comparison of the pedal force/feel systems for three transport aircraft and four rotorcraft is presented. Two parameters for assessing the quality of pedal and rudder systems are discussed: a linearity index and the amount of lateral yaw acceleration per unit of pedal force input
Parabrachial-lateral pontine neurons link nociception and breathing.

We investigated the role of the parabrachial complex in cutaneous nociceptor-induced respiratory stimulation in chloralose-urethane anesthetized, vagotomized rats. Noxious stimulation (mustard oil, MO) applied topically to a forelimb or hindlimb enhanced the peak amplitude of the integrated phrenic nerve discharge and, with forelimb application, increased phrenic nerve burst frequency. Bilateral inactivation of neural activity in the parabrachial complex with injection of the GABA agonist muscimol (3 nl) markedly attenuated the response to MO application. Injection of the retrograde tracer FluoroGold within the medullary ventral respiratory column labeled neurons in dorsolateral pontine regions known to receive nociceptive inputs (i.e., Kolliker-Fuse, lateral crescent, and superior lateral subnuclei of the parabrachial complex). Extracellular recordings of 65 dorsolateral parabrachial neurons revealed about 15% responded to a noxious cutaneous pinch with either an increase or a decrease in discharge and ∼40% of these exhibited a phasic respiratory-related component to their discharge. In conclusion, parabrachial pontine neurons contribute to cutaneous nociceptor-induced increases in breathing.
Peer and School Problems in the Lives of Urban Adolescents: Frequency, Difficulty, and Relation to Adjustment.

Abstract This study examined the occurrence of problem situations in the peer and school domains and their relation to adjustment among urban adolescents. Students from three urban middle schools ( N = 176) serving a predominantly African American population rated 61 problem situations identified in a previous qualitative study and completed measures of adjustment. Ratings of frequency and difficulty confirmed the relevance of these situations for this population. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested that covariation in the frequency and difficulty of problem situations could be represented by separate factors representing peer situations involving friends, other peer situations, and school situations. The number of different problem situations experienced was significantly correlated with physical and relational aggression, delinquency, depression, anxiety, and self-worth. Several of these relations were strongest for peer situations that did not involve friends. There were few gender differences in the strength of these relations.
Tag, You're It: Hiring, Training, and Managing Student Assistants

Library student assistants account for approximately one-fourth of the staffing in academic libraries in the United States. Each student assistant plays an important role in the daily operations of today's college libraries by providing desk coverage, technical support, and customer service. This article discusses the advantages/disadvantages of employing student assistants, the available financial sources for funding student assistants, as well as the recruitment, interviewing, training, and evaluation methods employed. The authors have worked together for ten years to hire, train, and manage the student assistants at Matheson Library, West Kentucky Community and Technical College, in Paducah, Kentucky, and use a method best described as tag, you're it.
Correlations of basal oestrogens with adrenal androgens and relative weight in normal women

SummarySerum levels of androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandro-sterone-sulphate, cortisol, oestrone, and oestradiol are studied in 24 normal young women, and variation in basal oestrogen levels is examined in relation to adrenal androgen levels and relative weight. Between subjects no positive correlation is found between adrenal androgen levels or relative weight and basal oestrogen. Within subjects changes in adrenal androgen levels are positively correlated with changes in basal oestrogens. The results suggest that the basal oestrogen setpoint within each individual is unaffected by weight differences in the normal range, while variation about the setpoint within individuals may accompany fluctuations in adrenal androgen levels. This conclusion is discussed in relation to previous suggestions that relative weight, through an effect on extragonadal oestrogen production, may have an influence on female fecundity.
Bioconjugation techniques for microfluidic biosensors

We have evaluated five bioconjugation chemistries for immobilizing DNA onto silicon substrates for microfluidic biosensing applications. Conjugation by organosilanes is compared with linkage by carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) activation of silanol groups and utilization of dendrimers. Chemistries were compared in terms of immobilization and hybridization density, stability under microfluidic flow-induced shear stress, and stability after extended storage in aqueous solutions. Conjugation by dendrimer tether provided the greatest hybridization efficiency; however, conjugation by aminosilane treated with glutaraldehyde yielded the greatest immobilization and hybridization densities, as well as enhanced stability to both shear stress and extended storage in an aqueous environment. Direct linkage by CDI activation provided sufficient immobilization and hybridization density and represents a novel DNA bioconjugation strategy. Although these chemistries were evaluated for use in microfluidic biosensors, the results provide meaningful insight to a number of nanobiotechnology applications for which microfluidic devices require surface biofunctionalization, for example vascular prostheses and implanted devices.
Regulation of plasma antidiuretic hormone in the dehydrated kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis M.).

A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay was used to measure plasma antidiuretic hormone (plasma arginine vasopressin, PAVP) concentrations in a conscious desert-adapted mammal, the banner-tailed kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis; 131 ± 2.3 g body mass), during normal hydration and in response to progressive dehydration. Simultaneous measurements of PAVP and plasma osmolality (POSM) in these experiments permitted determination of the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system-osmoreceptor set point and sensitivity to extracellular hyperosmolality during dehydration. In normally hydrated kangaroo rats, acclimated to room temperature (20–24°) and fed a dry grain diet, POSM and PAVP averaged 308.6 ± 0.7 mosmol/kg H2O and 6.0 ± 0.7 pg/ml (2.2 ± 0.2 μU/ml), respectively (means ± SE). In separate groups of animals subjected to 48, 96, 144, or 192 hr of dehydration, POSM and PAVP increased in a parallel linear manner with time to maxima of 329.7 ± 2.4 mosmol/kg H2O and 68.8 ± 4.4 pg/ml (24.9 ± 1.6 μU/ml), respectively, at 192 hr of dehydration. Thus, a highly correlated and significant relationship between POSM and PAVP (r2 = 0.941, P < 0.001) exists in dehydrated kangaroo rats, quantitatively defined by the linear regression equation PAVP (pg/ml) = 2.99 (POSM − 306.4), with an apparent osmotic threshold for AVP release at a POSM of 306.4 mosmol/kg H2O. In comparison with previous radioimmunoassay studies on the osmotic regulation of PAVP in various mammalian species, the present studies indicate that (1) during normal hydration, the kangaroo rat maintains an elevated POSM and a basal PAVP that is two- to threefold higher than that of the laboratory rat or other mammalian species; and (2) during dehydration, the kangaroo rat exhibits a markedly elevated osmotic sensitivity for AVP release and an enhanced capacity to increase and maintain PAVP for prolonged periods of time, achieving PAVP two- to threefold higher than the laboratory rat (a nondesert rodent of similar body mass).
P02-382 - Pregabalin augmentation in treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder

Objectives The therapeutic limitations of mainstay psychopharmacological treatments of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) warrant the clinical testing of further add-on agents in order to improve patients’ clinical outcomes. The novel antiepileptic drug pregabalin (PGB) could be such an adjunctive agent in view of its attested efficacy in other anxiety disorders, especially generalized anxiety disorder. Methods We report on an open-label add-on trial of the novel antiepileptic pregabalin (PGB) in 10 (4 male and 6 female) OCD-patients resistant or only partial responders to an - at least 6-month long - combination of serotonin reuptake inhibitors with atypical antipsychotic. Patients’ regimens were stable for at least the last six months before their enrolment in the study and were maintained unchanged throughout the trial. Patients’ assessment took place weekly during the trial. PGB's dosage titration was conditional upon both degree of clinical response and side-effects during past week. Patients’ pre- and post- PGB ratings on the Y-BOCS were compared by means of paired samples t-test. Results Adjunctive PGB at 225–675 mg/d was well-tolerated and led within 4–12 weeks to patients’ substantial improvement in their OCD symptoms, as reflected in their scores on the Y-BOCS (t = 9.83, p Conclusions Despite the several limitations of the study, its results suggest that adjunctive PGB might be a safe and efficacious new agent in the treatment of drug-resistant OCD.
Historic review: Frederick Challenger, 1887–1983: chemist and biochemist

Frederick Challenger (1887–1983) lived a long life as a chemist and biochemist. He received a PhD for work with O. Wallach at the University of Gottingen in 1912 and a DSc from the University of Birmingham in 1920. After positions at Birmingham, UK, and Manchester, UK, he became Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Leeds, UK, in 1930, remaining as Head of the Department until 1953, when he retired as Emeritus Professor. He continued with scientific activity, publishing his final paper in 1978. Much of his work concerned the biological methylation of metalloids such as arsenic, selenium, and tellurium. He determined precise chemical structures for the methylated products and he established a role for adenosylmethionine in the process. An important finding was that the sulfonium compound, (CH3)2S+CH2CH2COO−, was present in several algae and on decomposition led to production of dimethylsulfide. This sulfonium compound was the first of this class to be found in a plant. He had many other wide-ranging interests, including the organic chemistry of compounds of bismuth and thallium. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Application of radar profilers in multisensor hydrologic field campaigns

Precipitation profiling from vertically-looking ground-based radar profilers operating at frequencies of 915- and 2835-MHz have been demonstrated to be useful tools in several field campaigns during the past decade. When combined with a surface disdrometer and a nearby scanning radar, the calibrated profiling radar provides high resolution details of the precipitation vertical structure while the scanning radar provides the horizontal context of the precipitation relative to the profiler site. Profiling radars provide detailed information of reflectivities and drop-size distributions that are essential for quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). One role that profiling radars have in QPE is monitoring the calibration of the scanning radar reflectivity used to map the precipitation over a large area. The concept of up-scaling uses a surface disdrometer to calibrate the profiling radar which is then used to calibrate the scanning radar. This method of up-scaling the reflectivities observed by the surface disdrometer to the scanning radar reflectivities eliminates some of the uncertainties of Z-R relationships inherent in surface rain gauge to scanning radar calibrating and monitoring techniques.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Later-Life Family Assessment

Despite the important role that family members often play in the lives of older adults, formal assessment methods tailored to later-life families remain rare. In this article, we first provide a rationale for family assessment at this stage of life. We then describe a range of issues for researchers and clinicians to consider when assessing older families. Finally, we briefly review existing instruments, including measures that were originally developed for younger families and measures that were designed specifically for use with later-life families. Although they hold promise, more work needs to be done to establish the utility of these instruments as the number and needs of later-life families grow.
Development of somatostatin neurons: Examination by the technique of combined autoradiography and immunocytochemistry

Abstract Little is known about the development of peptide-containing neurons. Earlier studies have relied upon the biochemical or immunocytochemical detection of peptides. The results of these studies were dependent upon the sensitivity of the techniques used to detect the peptides and the assumption that peptide content was a reliable marker for neuronal differentiation. Alternatively, studies using autoradiographic techniques for determination of neuron ontogeny have provided data concerning “birth dates” of a number of regions of the brain, but have not detailed the chemical nature of the labeled neurons. In the present study, these two techniques were combined to study the time of origin of somatostatin neurons in the periventricular hypothalamus. An analysis of somatostatin cells in four to six month old adults which had received 3H-thymidine on fetal days 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 revealed that some neurons were born on each of these days, with the greatest number of labeled cells seen in those animals injected on fetal days 14 and 15. The results indicated that periventricular hypothalamic somatostatin neurons have undergone their final mitotic division on or before fetal day 16.
On the regularization of the Kepler problem

An intimate relationship between Moser's regularization [1] and the KS-regularization [3] of the 3-dimensional Kepler problem is established. Explicit formulae linking Moser's and the KS-transformation are obtained in the case of negative as well as in the case of positive energies. As a side result it is shown that the KS-transformation owes its existence to the local isomorphism of SO(2,4) and SU(2,2).
Family Structure and Mental Health in Urban Guyana

While there is much descriptive information on the structural features of the Caribbean family, little data exists on mental health outcomes that may be associated with these structures. Using a sample of 654 adults from urban Guyana, this study explores the extent to which family structure is related to psychological distress. The analyses indicate that female heads of household report more depressive symptoms than women in simple nuclear settings. Sociodemographic and psychosocial factors are more consistently related to mental health than family structure.
Design Considerations for a Microfluidic Device to Quantify the Platelet Adhesion to Collagen at Physiological Shear Rates

Accurate assessment of blood platelet function is essential in understanding thrombus formation which plays a central role in cardiovascular disease. Parallel plate flow chambers have been widely used as they allow for platelet adhesion on a collagen surface at physiologically relevant fluid mechanical forces. Standard parallel plate flow chambers typically need several milliliters of blood, which is substantially more than can be obtained from small animals. We designed, fabricated, and assessed the functionality of a microfluidic channel with a width of 500 μm and a height of 50 μm in which a wall shear rate of 1000 s−1 can be achieved with a flow rate of 15 μL/min. The velocity distribution in the microchannel predicted from the equations of motion was compared to experimentally measured velocities of fluorescent beads. This analysis showed that the motion of beads was quite similar to the predicted motion. Adhesion of platelets from whole blood at a shear rate of 1000 s−1 onto a collagen surface using the microfluidic flow channel was qualitatively similar to platelet adhesion observed with a standard sized parallel plate flow chamber. After 5 min flow the surface coverage of platelets in the microfluidic device was about 55% while in a traditional size flow chamber the surface coverage was about 75%. This suggests that the microfluidic flow chamber can be used to quantify platelet adhesion for system where only very small amounts of blood are available.
Nuclear receptor Rev-erbalpha: a heme receptor that coordinates circadian rhythm and metabolism.

Nuclear receptor Rev-erbα (NR1D1), previously considered to be an orphan nuclear receptor, is a receptor for heme, which promotes transcriptional repression via recruitment of the NCoR-HDAC3 corepressor complex. Rev-erbα gene regulation is circadian, and Rev-erbα comprises a critical negative limb of the core circadian clock by directly repressing the expression of the positive clock component, Bmal1. Rev-erbα also regulates the metabolic gene pathway, thus serving as a heme sensor for coordination of circadian and metabolic pathways.
Coinfection of Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus) and other Sciurid Rodents with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in California

Overlapping geographic distributions of tick-borne disease agents utilizing the same tick vectors are common, and coinfection of humans, domestic animals, wildlife, and ticks with both Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum has been frequently reported. This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the prevalence of both B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (hereinafter referred to as B. burgdorferi) and A. phagocytophilum in several species of sciurid rodents from northern California, USA. Rodents were either collected dead as road-kills or live-trapped in four state parks from 13 counties. Thirty-seven western gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus), nine nonnative eastern gray squirrels (S. carolinensis) and an eastern fox squirrel (S. niger), four Douglas squirrels (Tamiasciurus douglasii), and two northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology for evidence of coinfection. Of the 14 individual S. griseus that were PCR-positive for B. burgdorfer...
Protein kinase C-β inhibitor enzastaurin (LY317615.HCI) enhances radiation control of murine breast cancer in an orthotopic model of bone metastasis

Radiation therapy is a widely used treatment for metastatic bone cancer, but the rapid onset of tumor radioresistance is a major problem. We investigated the radiosensitizing effect of enzastaurin, a protein kinase Cβ (PKCβ) inhibitor, on bone tumor growth and tumor-related pain. We found that enzastaurin enhanced the effect of ionizing radiation on cultured murine 4T1 breast cancer and murine endothelial cells, suppressing their proliferation and colony formation. Enzastaurin and ionizing radiation also induced caspase-mediated apoptosis of 4T1 cells to a greater degree than radiation alone. Enzastaurin treatment of 4T1 cells blocked the phosphorylation of PKCβ, as well as Ras and two of its downstream effectors ERK1/2 and RAL-GTP. Using an orthotopic model of bone metastasis, we observed that a combination of enzastaurin and localized radiation treatment reduced tumor blood vessel density, bone destruction and pain compared to single modality treatment. In conclusion, we demonstrate that inhibition of PKCβ in combination with localized radiation treatment suppresses tumor growth and alleviates pain as compared to radiation-only treatment. We also show that the radiosensitizing effect of enzastaurin is associated with suppression of tumor cell proliferation and tumor-induced angiogenesis possibly through inhibition of the Ras pathway.
Genetic and hormonal regulation of the death of peptidergic neurons in the Drosophila central nervous system.

To understand the role apoptosis plays in nervous system development and to gain insight into the mechanisms by which steroid hormones regulate neuronal apoptosis, we investigated the death of a set of peptidergic neurons in the CNS of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. Typically, apoptosis in Drosophila is induced by the expression of the genes reaper, grim, or head involution defective (hid). We provide genetic evidence that the death of these neurons requires reaper and grim gene function. Consistent with this genetic analysis, we demonstrate that these doomed neurons accumulate reaper and grim transcripts prior to the onset of apoptosis. These neurons also accumulate low levels of hid, although the genetic analysis suggests that hid may not play a major role in the induction of apoptosis in these neurons. We show that the death of these neurons is dependent upon the fall in the titer of the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone that occurs at the end of metamorphosis, and demonstrate that the accumulation of both reaper and grim transcripts is inhibited by this steroid hormone. These observations support the notion that 20E controls apoptosis by regulating the expression of genes that induce apoptosis. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 38: 455–465, 1999
Heat-capacity study of tricritical behavior at the smectic-A-chiral-smectic-C liquid-crystal transition.

The smectic-A (Sm-A) to chiral-smectic-C transition has been studied by high-resolution ac calorimetry in seven mixtures of two chiral esters of 2,5-diphenyl pyrimidine (2f+3f) over the range 38.72\ensuremath{\le}${\mathit{X}}_{2\mathit{f}}$\ensuremath{\le}65.30, where ${\mathit{X}}_{2\mathit{f}}$ is the mole percent of 2f. The heat-capacity results have been fit below the transition temperature using an extended mean-field model and show that the transition is quite close to a tricritical point over the entire range of composition. In all seven mixtures, the excess heat capacity above the transition temperature is observed to scale in the same manner as the Landau contribution does below the transition. This behavior is consistent with the presence of thermal fluctuations in the Sm-A phase.
Interactions among herbivory, climate, topography and plant age shape riparian willow dynamics in northern Yellowstone National Park, USA

Summary Understanding how the environmental context modifies the strength of trophic interactions within food webs forms a central challenge in community ecology. Here, we demonstrate the necessity of considering the influence of climate, landscape heterogeneity and demographics for understanding trophic interactions in a well-studied food web in Yellowstone National Park, USA. We studied riparian willow (Salix spp.) establishment and stem growth reconstructed from tree rings on the northern range of Yellowstone over a 30-year period that included the reintroduction of a top predator, the grey wolf (Canis lupus). We used climate variables (annual precipitation, stream flow and growing season length), herbivore abundance and landscape descriptors (elevation and topographic wetness index) to predict establishment and growth processes through time before and after the reintroduction of wolves. We fitted Bayesian hierarchical models to establishment data and time series of individual stem heights from 1980 to 2008. Explaining variability in establishment required models with stream flow, annual precipitation and elk abundance. Climate, trophic and landscape covariates interacted with stem age to determine stem height and growth rate through time. Growth rates of most stems ages (2+) declined after the reintroduction of wolves. However, stem growth rates naturally declined with age, and the decline we observed was coincident with faster growth rates for the youngest stems. Mean stem heights at age have remained relatively stable through time for most age classes. Estimated effects of landscape topography had approximately the same magnitude of effect on stem growth rate at age as elk abundance. Synthesis. We show that the effects of modification of a food web cannot be predicted by studying trophic dynamics in isolation. No single driver explained patterns of willow establishment and growth over the past three decades in Yellowstone. Instead, interactions among trophic forces, interannual climate variability and landscape topography together shaped how the ecosystem responded to perturbations. Top-down effects of ungulates on riparian woody vegetation must be considered in the context of plant age, and climate and landscape heterogeneity.
Visual analytics of spatial interaction patterns for pandemic decision support

Population mobility, i.e. the movement and contact of individuals across geographic space, is one of the essential factors that determine the course of a pandemic disease spread. This research views both individual-based daily activities and a pandemic spread as spatial interaction problems, where locations interact with each other via the visitors that they share or the virus that is transmitted from one place to another. The research proposes a general visual analytic approach to synthesize very large spatial interaction data and discover interesting (and unknown) patterns. The proposed approach involves a suite of visual and computational techniques, including (1) a new graph partitioning method to segment a very large interaction graph into a moderate number of spatially contiguous subgraphs (regions); (2) a reorderable matrix, with regions 'optimally' ordered on the diagonal, to effectively present a holistic view of major spatial interaction patterns; and (3) a modified flow map, interactively linked to the reorderable matrix, to enable pattern interpretation in a geographical context. The implemented system is able to visualize both people's daily movements and a disease spread over space in a similar way. The discovered spatial interaction patterns provide valuable insight for designing effective pandemic mitigation strategies and supporting decision-making in time-critical situations.
Efficient Identification of Unstable Loops in Large Linear Analog Integrated Circuits

Stability analysis is one of the key challenges in analog circuit design. As feature sizes continue to shrink and the effect of parasitics becomes more dominant, we are forced to deal with stability analysis of increasingly complex multiloop structures with potentially hundreds of loops-a task that can no longer be dealt with using traditional methods. An automated stability checker tool that detects sources of potential ringing behavior within a reasonable turnaround time has thus been made necessary. Such a tool would not just help in debug but could also serve as a postlayout validation tool. We thus present an efficient loop finder algorithm to identify sources of ringing in large linear analog circuits. At the heart of our automated stability checker are two newly developed computationally efficient algorithms-the first to detect all poles within a given region of interest with a high degree of confidence and the second to extract second-order approximations of node impedance transfer functions given these pole locations. In this paper, we discuss these algorithms in detail, propose various optimization heuristics to further speed up the pole discovery algorithm, and then go on to develop a parallel implementation of both these underlying algorithms. It is demonstrated that these approaches together allow us to outperform the original loop finder algorithm based on direct eigen methods by two to four orders of magnitude and thus enable stability analysis of even larger extracted industrial designs than was previously possible while providing reasonable turnaround time.
FATPY ACID METABOLISM IN REYE'S SYNDROME

We examined the oxidation of different chain length fatty acids in the leukocytes and the quantity of lipid peroxides in the plasma of Reye syndrome patients. We have found that the oxidation of [1-14C] octanoic acid in homogenates of leukocytes from a patient with Reye syndrome (1.25 ± 0.09 nmol/mg protein/hr) was only 38 percent of the control (3.34 ± 0.07 nmol/mg protein/hr), whereas oxidation of [1-14C] palmitic and [1-14C] lignoceric acids was slightly increased. The rates of oxidation of [1-14C] lignoceric and palmitic acids in Reye's Syndrome were 0.885 ± 0.004 and 0.032 ± 0.002 nmol/mg protein/hr respectively and for their controls were 0.661 ± 0.05 and 0.02 ± 0.004 nmol/mg protein/hr respectively. The level of lipid peroxides in the serum of two Reye syndrome patients in stage III was 4.42- and 3.04 times higher than the control level. Lipid peroxides and ammonia levels were higher in one patient during the period of active disease and subsequently came back to normal levels as the patient improved. These results suggest that impaired oxidation of octanoic acid and higher levels of lipid peroxides may contribute to the pathogenesis of cellular toxicity in Reye syndrome. Supported by grants from National Reye's Syndrome Foundation and NS 22476 from National Institutes of Health.
P53 gene transfer to the injured rat carotid artery promotes apoptosis

Abstract Background: In a previous study we have demonstrated significant reduction of intimal hyperplasia after adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of p53 protein to the injured rat carotid artery. The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether apoptosis is one of the mechanisms responsible for this reduction. Apoptosis, a physiologic cell death process that stabilizes cell numbers in tissues, can be independently induced by p53. Methods: In vivo gene transfer was used in isolated segments of balloon-injured rat carotid arteries. Genetically modified adenovirus encoding for wild-type p53 protein (AdWTp53) was applied at 8 × 1010 plaque-forming units/mL. Control rats received either adenovirus null at the same concentration or balloon injury alone. Arteries were harvested at 24 and 48 hours after the procedure. Apoptosis was detected in tissue sections by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Specimens were graded either negative or positive less than 10%, 10% to 20%, 20% to 30%, or greater than 30% according to the number of apoptotic cells in the medial or intimal layer per high power field. Specimens were also subjected to DNA agarose gel electrophoresis and transmission electron microscopy. Results: With the TUNEL assay no apoptosis was visualized at 24 and 48 hours in the controls (n = 5 in each group), whereas in the AdWTp53 groups (n = 5 in each) all specimens presented apoptosis (P
Proteomic analysis of differentially expressed proteins in caprine milk during experimentally induced endotoxin mastitis

Abstract The goal of the current study was to identify proteins in goat milk before and at 18h following intramammary challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Initial evaluation of protein profiles generated using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis on skim milk samples from a group of 6 goats collected before challenge and at 18, 24, and 48h after LPS challenge revealed little change in the abundance of casein proteins, and minimal changes in the presence or abundance of the plasma protein serum albumin, which is known to leak into milk during coliform mastitis in dairy cattle. Proteins in baseline milk samples and in milk from the same goats 18h post-LPS challenge were excised from the gels, and peptides were sequenced using nano-flow liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Despite the overwhelming presence of casein proteins and β-lactoglobulin, the lower abundance proteins β-2-microglobulin, fatty acid-binding protein, serum albumin, and retinol-binding protein were detected in skim milk samples from healthy goats. Skim milk samples 18h postchallenge were characterized by the sustained presence and abundance of the casein proteins, and by the presence of haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, lactoferrin, cathelicidin-1, and cathelicidin-3. No marked differences in the intensity of the spot corresponding to serum albumin were observed in gels of skim milk samples 18h postchallenge, which could indicate that the breakdown of the blood–milk barrier during endotoxin mastitis may not be as profound in goats as has been observed in dairy cattle. Nonetheless, the occurrence of an inflammatory response was supported by elevated somatic cell counts in the goat milk following inoculation with endotoxin, as well as by the presence of both antimicrobial and acute phase proteins. The results provide information about the composition of proteins in goat milk as well as added knowledge of the host response during endotoxin mastitis in goats.
Chiral phase analysis of warfarin enantiomers in patient plasma in relation to CYP2C9 genotype

A direct chiral-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for measuring the ratio of S-warfarin/R-warfarin in patient plasma is described. Plasma samples are first extracted using solid-phase C18 extraction columns, and the concentrated extracts analyzed using an (R,R) Whelk-O 1 column with a mobile phase of 0.5% glacial acetic acid in acetonitrile. The resulting chromatography provides baseline resolution of the warfarin enantiomers and internal standard (racemic ethylwarfarin), and is free from interference from other plasma components. Calibration curves were linear (mean r2 of 0.999 for both enantiomers) over the concentration range 0.25-1.5 microg/ml. The intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation for analysis of plasma spiked with 0.33 microg/ml S-warfarin and 0.67 microg/ml R-warfarin (S/R=0.5:1) was less than 7% for each enantiomer, with an accuracy of more than 93%. Plasma extracts from thirty-one patients homozygous for wild-type CYP2C9*1 provided an S/R ratio of 0.51+/-0.15. Two warfarin patients homozygous for the mutant CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 alleles exhibited elevated S/R ratios relative to the mean for individuals homozygous for the wild-type CYP2C9*1 allele. This method is suitable for population studies aimed at establishing the effect of polymorphic expression of CYP2C9 alleles on S-warfarin elimination in humans.
Social indicators for health planning and policy analysis

The concept of health involves two dimensions: The level of function at a point in time and the probability of transition to other levels at future times. By applying measured social values to the distribution of the population among a set of levels, a Function Status Index aptly summarizes the Level-of-Well-Being of a population at a point in time. By incorporating empirically determined transition probabilities into a simple stochastic model, a Quality-Adjusted Life Expectancy can be computed that approximates a comprehensive social indicator for health. The indicators possess the statistical properties required for time series and interpopulation comparisons, for studying outcomes and quality of medical care, and for health system optimization in planning and policy analysis.
Chinese Business Face: Communication Behaviors and Teaching Approaches

Chinese businesspersons are extremely sensitive to protecting and enhancing face. The Chinese sensitivity to face is a result of their emphasis on enduring relation ships and social networks. The hundreds of phrases in the Chinese language describing face demonstrate the sophistication of the Chinese conceptualization of face and related behaviors. For the businessperson, saving face and giving face are the most important face-related skills. Chinese businesspersons use various com munication strategies in order to save face and give face, including indirectness, intermediaries, praising, requests, and shaming. Western businesspersons can pre pare to operate effectively in the Chinese business environment by learning about the Chinese conceptualization of face and related communication strategies.
Coulomb broadening in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Abstract It is known that the observed width of a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT/ICR) mass spectral line increases as the number of ions in the detector cell increases. In this paper, experiments conducted at three excitation power levels demonstrate that the line broadening varies inversely with ICR orbital radius, i.e. mass resolution increases directly with orbital radius as the ions are driven outward from the center of the cell. In an attempt to account for this observation, theoretical two-dimensional ion trajectories have been constructed for isotropically distributed ions in the absence of a d.c. electric “trapping” field. The ICR frequency of a given ion is modulated by Coulomb repulsion from a second nearby ion in an easily explainable way. Although the average ICR frequencies of the two ions are slightly different, the difference is near-negligible at the initial ionic thermal velocity, and truly negligible after the ions are excited to larger orbits. We conclude that any explanation of observable line-broadening via Coulomb repulsion must invoke longitudinal motion of the ions along the magnetic field axis. It is suggested that Coulomb broadening arises when longitudinal oscillation (at the trapping frequency) in ion position occasionally brings ions close enough together that their Coulomb repulsion separates them into regions of the cell having macroscopically different electric and/or magnetic fields.
Quantum wells with textured interfaces

The interaction of electrons with textured interfaces in quantum well structures is theoretically analyzed. The textures represent growth-related roughness, intentionally formed patterns or other small deviations from planarity. Nearly planar texture is shown to be associated with a k-space integral operator which is responsible for nonspecular reflection and transmission at interfaces. The formal solution of scattering, bound state, and tunneling problems for arbitrary texture is illustrated through the derivation of analytic, nonperturbative results for (A) scattering of ballistic electrons from textured interfaces, (B) the Fredholm determinant for the subband eigenvalue problem in textured wells, and (C) tunneling through textured barriers.
Clinical utility of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in hypertension

Oral angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition was introduced eight years ago and is becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure. This treatment causes blood pressure lowering associated with suppression of angiotensin and aldosterone, lack of orthostatic hypotension or metabolic disturbances, redistribution of regional blood flows in favor of vital organs and, in the long term, decreased sympathetic drive and regression of left ventricular hypertrophy. It is effective as monotherapy in more than 50 percent of unselected patients; addition of a diuretic increases the percentage of responders to more than 80 percent. It is the treatment of choice for patients with concurrent diabetes, asthma, gout, depression, or very active life-style. Side effects, observed originally in patients with severe hypertension and renal failure treated with very high doses of captopril, are rare in otherwise healthy hypertensive patients receiving smaller doses of this drug and virtually absent with second-generation angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors like enalapril.
Unconstrained and constrained motion control of a planar two‐link structurally flexible robotic manipulator

Unconstrained and constrained motion control of a planar two-link structurally-flexible robotic manipulator are considered in this study. The dynamic model is obtained by using the extended Hamilton's principle and the Galerkin criterion. A method is presented to obtain the linearized equations of motion in Cartesian space for use in designing the control system. The approach to solving the control problem is to use feedforward and feedback control torques. The feedforward torques maneuver the flexible manipulator along a nominal trajectory and the feedback torques minimize any deviations from the nominal trajectory. The feedforward and feedback torques are obtained by solving the inverse dynamics problem for the rigid manipulator and designing linear quadratic Gaussian with loop transfer recovery (LQG/LTR) compensators, respectively. The LQG/LTR design methodology is exploited to design a robust feedback control system that can handle modeling errors and sensor noise, and operate on Cartesian space trajectory errors. Computer simulated results are presented for an example planar, two-link, structurally flexible robotic manipulator. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Differential coexpression network modules observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Background While an understanding of the human interactome is within attainable reach [1], an impending challenge is to uncover the condition-specific dynamics of the proteinprotein interaction (PPI) network, especially those that coordinate with disease progression [2]. Differential coexpression analysis (DCA) [3,4] has recently emerged as an effective approach to address this issue, but such an effort has yet to be thoroughly tested.
THE SILICON DETECTOR OF THE PHOBOS EXPERIMENT AT RHIC

Abstract The PHOBOS experiment is designed to study relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC, combining a multiplicity counter with a multiparticle spectrometer. The multiplicity section will measure the particle multiplicity over the full solid angle. The spectrometer will be able to reconstruct tracks and identify particles at mid-rapidity. The detector consists of silicon pad detectors which provides full two-dimensional position resolution and multiplicity information. A double metal layer technique is used for connecting the pads to the electronics. This simplifies the readout of grid-like pad configurations and minimizes multiple scattering. The overall layout of the experiment and the readout technique used for the silicon detector is presented together with test results of first prototypes.