cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The virtual machine and user process model used inmoses2: a microcomputer operating system environment simulator

This paper discusses the design and development of two primary components of Moses2, a virtual computing environment for use in undergraduate operating systems courses. Moses2 is an entirely original work produced and refined by the author over the last twelve years in conjunction with teaching senior level operating systems courses. In the Moses2 environment, students run and test original kernel emulator programs while they develop these programs as course projects. The features of the system presented here are its shared hardware architecture simulation and user process simulation. These two basic components form the core of the Moses2 system. Additional features such as shared memory, paged segmentation, and I/O handling are enabled in the Moses2 system and added to student project requirements incrementally as an operating systems course progresses. A full discussion of these more advanced features is beyond the scope of this paper.
Feasibility of Effect-Controlled Clinical Trials of Drugs with Pharmacodynamic Hysteresis Using Sparse Data

Purpose. To explore, by simulation procedures, the feasibility of characterizing, from sparse data, the concentration-effect relationship of drugs with pharmacodynamic hysteresis. Methods. For computer simulations, the concentration-effect relationship was assumed to be describable by the Sigmoid-E max equation, the site of drug action was located in a distinct effect compartment (k eo = 10 × k elim), and the pharmacokinetics were those of either a linear one- or two-compartment system. In view of the poor estimability of the parameters of the Sigmoid-E max model under the usual clinical conditions, central compartment post-distributive drug concentrations required to elicit various intensities of effect within the therapeutic range were used as data descriptors. Effect intensities of 5 and 25, or 25 and 50 units (with the “unknown” E max = 100 units) were targeted in multiple-dose (steady state) trial designs. From these data, drug concentrations required to produce effect intensities of 15 and 50 units were estimated by both log-linear and linear interpolation and the actual effect intensities produced by these concentrations were calculated. These simulations were performed over a wide range of Hill coefficient values (0.5 to 4.0) and dosing intervals (0.1 to 1.5 × elimination t 1/2). Results. Acceptable results could be obtained by measuring drug concentrations and effect intensities at or near the end of a dosing interval. The largest deviations of effective concentration estimates (in terms of effect intensity) occurred at a Hill coefficient value of 0.5 and the results were very little affected by changing the dosing interval. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate that effect-controlled clinical trials, with sparse data, of drugs with pharmacodynamic hysteresis for determining concentration-effect relationship in the therapeutic range are feasible in principle.
Nonlinear modeling and control of a hydraulic seismic simulator

Hydraulic actuators, in combination with servo valves, are used to drive unidirectional seismic simulators. The fluid flow within the hydraulic actuator inherently leads to nonlinear behavior for the system. This paper presents a nonlinear model of the seismic simulator at the University of Notre Dame. The validity of the model is demonstrated experimentally. A control strategy uses a desired earthquake acceleration response to generate specific reference inputs by means of an open loop optimization. A Kalman-filter-based controller is employed. The control strategy is implemented and tested by experiment.
Effect of Open Holes in the Crust on Gaseous Fluoride Evolution from Pots

Changes in fluoride evolution from aluminum smelting pots have direct consequences on pot gas scrubber loads and resultant smelter emissions. Changes in fluoride evolution can also have dramatic implications on bath chemistry control and the resulting pot performance. Both of these factors motivate continuing efforts to quantify the effect of pot operating practices on fluoride evolution in order to prioritize the amount of effort to place on any given practice to minimize fluoride evolution. Gaseous fluoride evolution measurements were made at several smelters and demonstrate a strong correlation between the amount of gaseous fluoride evolved from an individual pot and the total area of open holes in the crust. Data from pots of different types suggest that it is possible to normalize the data to allow predictions for other pot sizes and geometries. In almost every case, the additional fluorides lost due to holes in the crust comprise the largest fraction of the total gaseous evolution.
Chapter 3. Bone marrow-derived vascular progenitors and proangiogenic monocytes in tumors.

Abstract In tumors, new blood vessels develop not only from pre‐existing vessels (angiogenesis), but can also be comprised of circulating vascular progenitor cells originating from the bone marrow (vasculogenesis). Besides endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) and pericyte progenitor cells (PPCs) that are incorporated into the growing vasculature, other subpopulations of bone marrow–derived cells (BMDC) contribute indirectly to tumor neovascularization by providing growth factors, cytokines, and other key proangiogenic molecules. Here, we describe specific methods that allow for the identification and functional characterization of these distinct BMDC populations in tumors as exemplified in mouse models of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and glioblastomas.
Continuous time formulation, classification, and methods for power electronic systems

The general structure of continuous-time dynamic equations for switching power converters is investigated. One set of differential equations represents an invariant property of the network, while the remaining equations depend on control implementation and switch type. A classification scheme is proposed, and nonlinear methods appropriate to each class are examined. >
Sensitivity of Stokes flow to geometry

An experimental investigation of low Reynolds number flow in a rotating tank indicates that in some cases closed eddies in Stokes flow are very sensitive to geometry, especially if the eddies are “slender”. It is not known if such flows are merely extremely sensitive to the bounding geometry, or if they are actually geometrically unstable.
Game development, social responsibility, and teaching

Video games are part of a powerful cultural industry that influences many people; therefore, educators and society cannot ignore that video games are here to stay. Professors should educate future developers to create games that entertain their audience and are socially responsible. This paper describes some industry viewpoints on social responsibility by game programmers, some examples of games that are socially responsible, and finally, how to create a game programming course that promotes social responsibility.
One-carbon bridge stereocontrol in robinson annulations leading to bicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes.

The one-carbon bridge stereochemistry of bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane products formed in the Robinson annulation reactions of 2-substituted cyclohex-2-enones was investigated. In contrast to previous reports, it was found that the major diastereomer formed places the one-carbon bridge substituent anti to the β-keto ester/amide unit introduced in the Robinson annulation. This stereoselectivity appears to be kinetically controlled. In the case of a β-keto amide product derived from carvone, it was demonstrated, through base-catalyzed epimerization, that thermodynamic control favors the syn isomer.
A vesicle bioreactor as a step toward an artificial cell assembly

An Escherichia coli cell-free expression system is encapsulated in a phospholipid vesicle to build a cell-like bioreactor. Large unilamellar vesicles containing extracts are produced in an oil–extract emulsion. To form a bilayer the vesicles are transferred into a feeding solution that contains ribonucleotides and amino acids. Transcription–translation of plasmid genes is isolated in the vesicles. Whereas in bulk solution expression of enhanced GFP stops after 2 h, inside the vesicle permeability of the membrane to the feeding solution prolongs the expression for up to 5 h. To solve the energy and material limitations and increase the capacity of the reactor, the α-hemolysin pore protein from Staphylococcus aureus is expressed inside the vesicle to create a selective permeability for nutrients. The reactor can then sustain expression for up to 4 days with a protein production of 30 μM after 4 days. Oxygen diffusion and osmotic pressure are critical parameters to maintain expression and avoid vesicle burst.
A model for alkali chemisorption

Abstract The linear response function in the density functional formalism, developed by Ying, Smith and Kohn, is applied to alkali chemisorption on metallic surfaces. The adion is represented by a pseudopotential perturbing the surface. Binding energies, induced dipole moments, and vibrational frequencies at the equilibrium position are first calculated for the alkalis at finite coverage, as well as, in the limit of zero coverage, on a jellium substrate. The theoretical results are in good agreement with available experimental results. The effect of electric fields on chemisorbed alkali ions is discussed with reference to interpretation of experimental results. The crystalline structure is then introduced in the form of a periodic pseudocharge density representing the ionic lattice. In this model, corrections to the quantities calculated in the jellium approximation are obtained for both low index and high index planes. Preferred adsorption sites are determined and found to be consistent with experimental findings.
Economics of One-Party State: Promotion Incentives and Support for the Soviet Regime

This paper analyses the relationships between the dynamics of political support for the Soviet regime, as revealed in party membership, and economic policy. The Soviet regime is considered as the rule of bureaucracy that captures rents through collective control over state property and job assignment. Activists support the regime in exchange for deferred promotion into rent-paying positions. Analysis of the implicit contract between the party bureaucracy and activists (party candidates) shows that the stability of the Soviet regime was consistent with high-income inequality and high rate of investment in the economy. Under certain conditions, a rational bureaucracy chooses not to renew the contract. Incentive compatibility and time consistency problems inherent in the implicit contract accelerate the movement toward regime change. The long-run trends in the communist party recruitment in the USSR and the end of the Soviet regime in 1991 are consistent with this explanation.
Path integrals, differential renormalization-group, and stochastic systems near criticality

It is demonstrated, using the techniques of path integrals and renormalization-group, that nonlinear stochastic systems near criticality (including self-organized criticality) generally exhibit low-dimensional behavior. The symmetry which characterizes a particular criticality can be broken by the appearance of relevant scaling fields. A connection is made between the fractal dimensions of finite-dimensional chaotic systems and the anomalous dimensions in stochastic systems near criticality. The effect of additional random noise on stochastic systems is also delineated.
Lesions of the frontal eye field impair pursuit eye movements, but preserve the predictions driving them

Visually guided eye movements are driven by a mix of current signals (e.g. visual motion) and prior experience (predictive strategies). Previously, large ablations of the frontal eye field (FEF) impaired visually guided smooth pursuit. This study examined if the pursuit decrement could be laid to a selective loss in predictive signals. Normal monkeys demonstrated some of the same predictive eye movements documented in humans. They pursued periodic visual targets with near-zero phase lag. When such targets suddenly disappeared, the monkeys continued smooth pursuit without visual guidance for several reaction times. These epochs of ‘ blind pursuit’ achieved a peak velocity proportional to the prior target frequency just experienced by the monkey. With predictable step-ramp targets smooth eye movements sometimes preceded target motion (anticipatory pursuit). Reaction time to begin pursuit was influenced by the target velocity of prior trials. Small unilateral ablations of ‘low threshold’ FEF slowed smooth pursuit if the fundus of the arcuate sulcus was thoroughly removed. On the step-ramp targets the slowing was evident in both the initial 100 ms and subsequent portions of pursuit. During sine pursuit blind epochs were more slowed by surgery than were visually guided epochs of pursuit. Ipsilateral anticipatory pursuit was abolished in one subject, but not in the other subject with pursuit deficits. Otherwise, pursuit after surgery continued to display the influence of predictive strategies. The average phase lag of periodic pursuit remained much than the pursuit system's reaction time. Blind epochs persisted after the periodic target disappeared, albeit with a lower peak velocity. Reaction time to begin pursuit of step-ramp targets remained a function of the monkey's experience on prior trials. It is argued that the FEF pursuit deficits do not reflect the loss of visual motion signals of the loss of some ‘cognitive’ signal such as a prediction about the target's motion, but rather can be explained as a motor deficit.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Young Adults With Cerebral Infarction due to Moyamoya

• The number, size, and location of cerebral infarctions, and blood flow in the middle cerebral artery as seen on proton magnetic resonance imaging were assessed in six white adults with angiographically documented moyamoya. Findings were correlated with clinical presentation, computed tomography, and angiography. Large hemispheric infarctions were found in five hemispheres, predominantly in watershed regions. Subcortical infarctions (n = 56) were found in all hemispheres. They were predominantly located in the centrum semiovale, in the distal beds of supply of the penetrating branches of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries. Infarction of the putamen was found in three hemispheres, caudate nucleus in four, globus pallidus in two, and anterior limb of the internal capsule in two. There were none in the posterior limb of the internal capsule, thalamus, brain stem, or cerebellum. Middle cerebral artery flow was visualized as a signalvoid flow sign in only three hemispheres. Cerebral infarctions due to moyamoya are bilateral, multiple, often small, and asymptomatic, affecting predominantly the carotid circulation in watershed regions. Subcortical infarctions in the centrum semiovale and large hemispheric infarctions in hemodynamically compromised areas are the predominant findings.
The Putative Endocannabinoid Transport Blocker LY2183240 Is a Potent Inhibitor of FAAH and Several Other Brain Serine Hydrolases

How lipid transmitters move within and between cells to communicate signals remains an important and largely unanswered question. Integral membrane transporters, soluble lipid-binding proteins, and metabolic enzymes have all been proposed to collaboratively regulate lipid signaling dynamics in vivo. Assignment of the relative contributions made by each of these classes of proteins requires selective pharmacological agents to perturb their individual functions. Recently, LY2183240, a heterocyclic urea inhibitor of the putative endocannabinoid (EC) transporter, was shown to disrupt the cellular uptake of the lipid EC anandamide and promote analgesia in vivo. Here, we show that LY2183240 is a potent, covalent inhibitor of the EC-degrading enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). LY2183240 inactivates FAAH by carbamylation of the enzyme's serine nucleophile. More global screens using activity-based proteomic probes identified several additional serine hydrolases that are also inhibited by LY2183240. These results indicate that the blockade of anandamide uptake observed with LY2183240 may be due primarily to the inactivation of FAAH, providing further evidence that this enzyme serves as a metabolic driving force that promotes the diffusion of anandamide into cells. More generally, the proteome-wide target promiscuity of LY2183240 designates the heterocyclic urea as a chemotype with potentially excessive protein reactivity for drug design.
Resolution enhancement in 13C and 15N magic-angle turning experiments with TPPM decoupling.

Many solid-state spectra have been shown to have problems related to the poor proton decoupling of carbon nuclei in methylene groups under conditions of slow magic-angle turning. Two-pulse phase-modulation (TPPM) decoupling during the 2D PHORMAT chemical shift separation experiment is shown to be more effective in comparison to that obtainable at much higher spin rates using conventional CW decoupling. TPPM decoupling can also alleviate similar inadequacies when observing the 15N nucleus, particularly with NH2 groups. This is demonstrated in the 15N resonances of fully labeled l-arginine hydrochloride, where a line narrowing of about a factor of two was observed at moderate rotation rates. This significant advantage was also obtained at turning frequencies as low as 500 Hz.
Analysis of one-dimesional wave propagation in a fluid-saturated finite soil column

Biot's dynamic equations of motion for one-dimensional wave propagation in a fluid-saturated linear elastic isotropic soil are solved using Laplace transformation followed by numerical inversion and the results compared with a direct finite element formulation. A soil column of finite dimension subjected to velocity boundary conditions is analysed, allowing for reflection of waves from boundaries. Comparison of time histories at given points along the column shows that the finite element solution gives good agreement with the Laplace transform solution for low as well as high drag.
Using a serial marker to predict a repeated measures outcome in a cohort design--results of a simulation study.

Abstract Consider the cohort design and suppose that the outcome of primary interest is a continuous random variable observed repeatedly over time. Suppose that there is a second variable of clinical relevance which is also observed repeatedly. We are interested in assessing whether the “serial marker” is in some sense predictive of the primary outcome. We would also like to predict the trend for the primary outcome assuming that the clinical marker follows a profile of specific clinical interest. In series of earlier papers, we have addressed these issues by applying a bivariate repeated measures model. One regression model was prescribed to relate the primary outcome to important explanatory variables, while a second regression model was prescribed for the serial marker. In this paper, we perform a series of simulation studies to investigate the empirical properties of this approach. Bivariate repeated measures data were generated at random, and basic study parameters including the sample size, the numb...
Optical speckles of blood proteins embedded in porous glassy substrate

Blood protein molecules could be embedded in porous glassy substrate with 10-nm pores. The embedding principle is based on blood cell dehydration with the destruction of the cell membrane, and reconstitution and centrifuge could yield a suitable solution for doping into a porous glassy medium. The doped glassy substrate speckle pattern under laser illumination could be used to characterize the protein size distribution. Calibration with known protein embedded samples would result in an optical procedure for the characterization of a blood sample. Samples embedded with larger kilo-Dalton protein molecule show more variation in the speckle patterns, consistent with protein folding interaction inside a pore cavity. A regression model has been used to correlate the protein molecule sizes with speckle sizes. The use of diffusion mean free path information to study protein folding in the embedding process is briefly discussed.
In vivo incorporation of 14-C-leucine into brain protein of methylmercury treated rats.

In an attempt to explain the sensitivity of the brain to methylmercury, investigators have monitored various biochemical parameters in systems poisoned with this compound. YOSHINO et al. (1966) measured changes in brain cortex slices from rats severely intoxicated with methylmercury. Although several alterations were observed in animals showing neurological symptoms, only protein synthesis decreased during both the latent period and after the onset of symptoms. It has recently been observed that in vivo brain protein synthesis tended to decrease in rats mildly intoxicated with methylmercury. No investigations have been reported concerning the effects of low or extremely high doses of methylmercury on in vivo protein synthesis. We, therefore, measured in vivo /sup 14/C-leucine incorporation into brain protein in 48 hour old rats which received low levels of the mercurial during the fetal stage, and also in severely poisoned adult female rats showing neurological symptoms.
A functional analytic approach to intersection bodies

We consider several generalizations of the concept of an intersection body and show their connections with the Fourier transform and embeddings in L p -spaces. These connections lead to generalizations of the recent solution to the Busemann—Petty problem on sections of convex bodies.
Phase II trial of combination intraperitoneal cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in previously treated patients with advanced ovarian cancer: long-term follow-up.

Abstract Objectives. This trial was performed to determine the response rate and progression-free and overall survivals of patients with advanced recurrent ovarian cancer who were treated with intraperitoneal cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Methods. Twenty-four patients with ovarian cancer were entered on this trial and treated with intraperitoneal (ip) cisplatin (DDP) and ip 5-fluorouracil, every 3 weeks for eight cycles. Following iv hydration, the cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil were administered through an ip catheter in 2 liters of 0.9% normal saline with a 4-h dwell. Results. All patients were evaluable for progression-free and overall survival and toxicity analysis, and 22 patients for response. The median age was 59 (range, 35–71); initial disease status included 9 patients with residual disease following chemotherapy prior to entry on this study; 5 patients had progressed, and 10 patients had recurrent disease more than 6 months following initial chemotherapy. Of the 9 patients with residual disease, 1 complete response and 3 partial responses were observed; of 10 patients with recurrent disease, 1 complete and 1 partial response were observed for an overall response rate of 27%. No objective responses were seen in the 7 patients who were platinum-refractory on protocol entry. The median progression-free and overall survivals are 7.0 (range, 0.5–137) and 15.5 (range, 3–147) months, respectively. Toxicity included hypomagnesemia, vomiting, abdominal pain, and mild anemia. Only one patient required a dosage adjustment of cisplatin for a serum creatinine elevation >2.0 mg/dl. Conclusions. We conclude that the combination of ip cisplatin and 5-FU is an effective regimen for patients with residual or relapsed epithelial ovarian cancer with survival durations, response rates, and toxicity profiles that compare favorably with those of other second-line ovarian cancer regimens. Patients who are primarily platinum-refractory are unlikely to benefit from these agents administered into the peritoneal cavity.
Cloning and sequence analysis of a cDNA for human glycosylasparaginase: A single gene encodes the subunits of this lysosomal amidase

We have isolated a full-length cDNA (HPAsn.6) for human placenta glycosylasparaginase using a 221-bp PCR amplified fragment containing rat liver asparaginase gene sequences. The deduced amino acid sequence from the human clone showed sequence identity to both the α and β subunits of the rat enzyme. The human enzyme is encoded as a 34.6 kDa polypeptide that is post-translationally processed to generate two subunits of approx. 19.5 (α) and 15 (β) kDa. A charge enriched region is present at the predicted site where cleavage occurs. Using polyclonal antibodies against the α and β subunits of rat liver asparaginase, we have shown that the human enzyme is similar in structure to the rat enzyme.
Molecular pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Recent investigations have suggested that it might be possible to reverse the pathology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a disorder that can be rapidly progressive and fatal despite current treatments including i.v. prostacyclin. This review will address the cellular and molecular processes implicated in clinical, genetic, and experimental studies as underlying the pulmonary vascular abnormalities associated with PAH. Emerging treatments are aimed at inducing apoptosis of abnormal vascular cells that obstruct blood flow and at promoting regeneration of "lost" distal vasculature.
Sheared Iherzolites: From the point of view of rock mechanics

The texture and dislocation substructure of the “sheared Iherzolites” found among kimberlite nodules from Lesotho, southeast Africa, indicate that they were deformed in a matter of minutes or days. The degree of strain heating is estimated to be a few hundred degrees. The microstructure of these specimens therefore does not record in situ conditions in the average mantle at that depth.
A stochastic model of brain cell differentiation in tissue culture

The timing of cell differentiation can be controlled both by cellintrinsic mechanisms and by cell-extrinsic signals. Oligodendrocyte type-2 astrocyte progenitor cells are known to be the precursor cells that give rise to oligodendrocytes. When stimulated to divide by purified cortical astrocytes or by platelet-derived growth factor, these progenitor cells generate oligodendrocytes in vitro with a timing like that observed in vivo. The most widely accepted model of this process assumes a cell-intrinsic biological clock that resides in the progenitor cell. The intrinsic clock model originally proposed in 1986 remains as the dominant theoretical concept for the analysis of timed differentiation in this cell lineage. However, the results of a recent experimental study (Ibarrola et al., Developmental Biology, vol. 180, 1-21, 1996) are most consistent with the hypothesis that the propensity of a clone of dividing O-2A progenitor cells initially to generate at least one oligodendrocyte may be regulated by cell-intrinsic mechanisms, but that environmental signals regulate the extent of further oligodendrocyte generation. We propose a stochastic model of cell differentiation in culture to accommodate the most recent experimental findings. Our model is an age-dependent branching stochastic process with two types of cells. The model makes it possible to derive analytical expressions for the expected number of progenitor cells and of oligodendrocytes as functions of time. The model parameters were estimated by fitting these functions through data on the average (sample mean) number of both types of cells per colony at different time intervals from start of experiment. Using this method we provide a biologically meaningful interpretation of the observed pattern of oligodendrocyte generation in vitro and its modification in the presence of thyroid hormone.
A generalized Omori's law for earthquake aftershock decay

[1] Earthquake aftershock sequences have been found to approximately satisfy three empirical scaling relations: i) the Gutenberg-Richter frequency-magnitude scaling, ii) Bath's law for the difference in the magnitude of a mainshock and its largest aftershock, and iii) the modified Omori's law for the temporal decay of aftershock rates. The three laws are incorporated to give a generalized Omori's law for aftershock decay rates that depend on several parameters specific for each given seismogenic region. It is shown that the characteristic time c, first introduced in the modified Omori's law, is no longer a constant but scales with a lower magnitude cutoff and a mainshock magnitude. The generalized Omori's law is tested against earthquake catalogs for the aftershock sequences of the Landers, Northridge, Hector Mine, and San Simeon earthquakes.
Part-time Community-College Faculty and The Desire for Full-time Tenure-Track Positions: Results Of a Single Institution Case Study

According to data derived from a community-college survey in the state of Washington, the majority of part-time faculty prefer full-time work. Using a logit regression analysis, the study reported in this paper suggests that typical part-timers enter their part-time teaching situations with the intent of becoming full-time, but gradually become discouraged. Those faculty who prefer their part-time status frequently maintain employment relations with one college for long periods of time. Faculty who persist in part-time employment, but who prefer full-time employment, typically learn to work the system to secure heavier-than-average teaching loads.
A Contribution Toward a World Program in Tropical Biology

Fig. 2. Fort Amador and Bay of Panama, on outskirts of Panama City, where the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has facilities for research in marine biology. By comparison with North Temperate Zones, knowledge of biology in the tropics is in an incipient stage, yet this region seems to hold greater promise for the emergence of new biological principles and concepts than any other. With this thought in mind, 60 scientists from the United States and Latin America met for a Conference on Tropical Biology,1 in Panama, November 10-12, 1966, and urged the Smithsonian Institution to use its unique attributes to lead in the development of a world program in tropical biology. Such a program is relevant to the International Biological Programme theme of broadening the productivity base for human populations. In 1965 approximately 1.1 billion people (1/3 of the world population) made their home in about 70 sovereign nations in the world's tropics. Despite the natural richness in variety of species and the high rate of conversion of solar energy to plant and animal life, tropical ecosystems (living communities, including man, and their total environments considered as functional wholes) are readily destroyed through overexploitation by man. Degradation of most tropical ecosystems is now a world concern, since all nations are ultimately affected. Soil erosion on overgrazed savannas in Kenya and bedrock washing of steep mountain slopes denuded of tropical forests in Ecuador illustrate the deterioration of environments under the pressure of expanding human populations. The most urgent world problem today is the establishment of harmonious relationships between human
Replication Study Supports Evidence for Linkage to 9p24 in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe psychiatric illness that is characterized by intrusive and senseless thoughts and impulses (obsessions) and by repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Family, twin, and segregation studies support the presence of both genetic and environmental susceptibility factors, and the only published genome scan for OCD identified a candidate region on 9p24 at marker D9S288 that met criteria for suggestive significance (Hanna et al. 2002). In an attempt to replicate this finding, we genotyped 50 pedigrees with OCD, using microsatellite markers spanning the 9p24 candidate region, and analyzed the data, using parametric and nonparametric linkage analyses under both a narrow phenotype model (DSM-IV OCD definite; 41 affected sib pairs) and a broad phenotype model (DSM-IV OCD definite and probable; 50 affected sib pairs). Similar to what was described by Hanna et al. (2002), our strongest findings came with the dominant parameters and the narrow phenotype model: the parametric signal peaked at marker D9S1792 with an HLOD of 2.26 (α=0.59), and the nonparametric linkage signal (NPL) peaked at marker D9S1813 with an NPL of 2.52 (P=.006). These findings are striking in that D9S1813 and D9S1792 lie within 0.5 cM (<350 kb) of the original 9p24 linkage signal at D9S288; furthermore, pedigree-based association analyses also implicated the 9p24 candidate region by identifying two markers (D9S288 and GATA62F03) with modest evidence (P=.046 and .02, respectively) for association.
Methodology for assessing safety-critical systems

A simple methodology to evaluate a variety of architecture designs for safety-critical systems is presented. The approach involves including all the appropriate components in a representative fault tree. Evaluating the fault tree results in the cutsets, the system availability, and the system reliability. Next, a Monte Carlo simulation that includes parameters such as mean time to repair and repair time distributions is applied to the fault tree. The parameters included affect the total downtime of the system and impact the system usability. Design of experiments (DOE) is used to track the parameters and the associated levels. The inputs for the Monte Carlo simulation can be adjusted from the elements in the DOE matrix and the results for those variables can be evaluated. Using the DOE methodology allows ranking the results according to their impact on the responses (number of failures, downtime, relative costs, and so on). Using these responses, a figure of merit is assigned to each design. The figure of merit is used to compare the alternative designs and determine the optimal one to implement. This paper uses an example of a simple sensor--controller--actuator system designed with multiple levels of redundancy to illustrate the methodology and the application of the figure of merit to compare the considered architectures.
Characterization of P-convexity for supports in terms of tangent curves

Abstract A domain with analytic boundary is P -convex for supports if and only if certain tangent curves issued from characteristic boundary points leave the domain. The statement is proved for a subclass of operators P which includes the wave operator.
Signal-to-noise ratios of multiplexing spectrometers in high backgrounds.

Signal-to-noise ratios and the amount of multiplexing gain achieved with a Michelson spectrometer during detector and background noise are studied. Noise caused by the warm background is found in 10 and 20-micron atmospheric windows in high resolution Fourier spectroscopy. An equation is derived for the signal-to-noise ratio based on the number of channels, total time to obtain the complete spectrum, the signal power in one spectral element, and the detector noise equivalent power in the presence of negligible background. Similar expressions are derived for backgrounds yielding a noise equivalent power to a spectral element, and backgrounds having flat spectra in the frequency range under investigation.
Public affairs perceptions and practices: a ten-year (1993-2003) comparison

The past ten years have been marked by significant changes in technology, politics and economics. These changes have affected the social and regulatory environments in which public affairs (PA) officers operate. This paper describes how PA officers at 74 large US corporations perceive these environmental changes and how PA activities have changed from ten years ago. The data reported in this paper were collected first in 1993, then again in 2003. The results show a rather even split between respondents: half (39) believe that their political/regulatory environment is simpler today than was the case ten years ago, half (33) believe that it has become more complicated; half (35) believe there is less social interest in their operations and half (32) believe there is more. The paper then examines the changes in PA activities and performance over the past ten years Overall, PA officers are more pleased with their performance (at least in managing social issues and achieving social objectives) than they were in 1993. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High-affinity ion-complexing polymer-supported reagents: Immobilized phosphate ligands and their affinity for the uranyl ion

Abstract The complexation of uranium(VI) by polymer-supported phosphonate and phosphate diester ligands has been studied in acid solutions up to 4 N. Hydroxy groups proximate to the phosphoryl oxygen increase its basicity which enhances uranium(VI) sorption, particularly in low acid solutions. The mechanism of complexation entails coordination of UO 2 2 + in low acid solutions and anion exchange of UO 2 X n − in high acid solutions. Counterions affect the complexation, especially as solution acidity increases, with uranium distribution being preferred in the order HNO 3 > HCl > H 2 SO 4 . The different behavior of the counterions is due to their free energies of hydration.
Metal bis(benzylthiolates) : Efficient single source precursors to solid solutions and nanoparticles of metal sulfides

The preparation of solid solutions of the sulfides of zinc, cadmium, and lead has been attempted by low-temperature pyrolysis (150−400 °C) of metal bis(benzylthiolate) precursors. The (Zn,Cd)S show...
The compiler as a validation and evaluation tool

Like a processor executes flawlessly at different frequencies, a compiler should produce correct results at any optimization level. The Intel® Itanium® processor family with its new features, like the register stack engine and control- and data speculation, provides new and unique challenges for ported software and compiler technology. This paper describes validation and evaluation techniques that can be employed in compilation tools and can help to get a cleaner port of an application, a more robust compilation system and even insights into performance tuning opportunities. Using Itanium as a specific example, the paper explains why the register stack engine (RSE), the large register file, or control- and data speculation can potentially expose bugs in poorly written or compiled software. It then demonstrates validation and evaluation techniques to find or expose these bugs. An evaluation team can employ them to find, eliminate and evaluate software bugs. A compiler team can use them to make the compiler more stable and robust. A performance analysis team can use them to uncover performance opportunities in an application. We demonstrate our validation and evaluation techniques on code examples and provide run-time data to indicate the cost of some of our methods.
Generosity or genocide? Identity implications of silence in American Thanksgiving commemorations

This paper investigates the identity implications of silence about genocide in commemorations of American Thanksgiving. In Study 1 we assessed the co-occurrence of national glorification themes with different forms of silence in commemoration products by conducting a content analysis of presidential Thanksgiving proclamations. In Study 2 we examined the extent to which different commemoration products are infused with particular beliefs and desires by measuring participants' reactions to different Thanksgiving commemorations-a literal-silence condition that did not mention Indigenous Peoples, an interpretive-silence condition that mentioned Indigenous Peoples but did not explicitly mention genocidal conquest, and an anti-silence condition that did mention genocidal conquest-as a function of national glorification. In Study 3 we manipulated exposure to different Thanksgiving commemorations (with associated forms of silence) and assessed the impact on national glorification and identity-relevant action. Results provide evidence for the hypothesised, bi-directional relationship between national glorification and silence about genocide in commemorations of American Thanksgiving.
Scheduling in heterogeneous cellular networks with mobility

We examine the scheduling problem in the context of heterogeneous cellular networks in the presence of mobility. We demonstrate that the QoS for users in a cellular network can be optimized using an interference-aware approach that is most effective at low Doppler frequency scenarios or a channel-aware approach that is most effective at higher low Doppler frequency scenarios.
Effect of randomness on the Mott state

Competition between Mott and Anderson metal-insulator transitions is studied in a one dimensional spinless fermion system of 200 sites. Although the long range charge density wave (CDW) order and gap of the Mott phase are destroyed by weak randomness, the elementary excitations are still solitons based on the local CDW order. The solitons are easily localized in the random potential. Thus for weak randomness and large interaction, a disordered Mott phase exists in which the localization is determined by the local CDW order in contrast to the conventional Anderson localization picture in the weak interaction limit.
Antimicrobial effects of human milk: Inhibitory activity on enteric pathogens

Commercial infant formulae have been shown to support the growth of three common species of enteropathogens very well whereas human milk is bacteriostatic or bactericidal. Apo-lactoferrin alone effects only bacteriostasis. Bactericidal activity against Vibrio cholerae, however, results when purified sIgA from this milk pool or purified immunoglobulin from rabbit anti V. cholerae outer-membrane component serum is assayed in the presence of apo-lactoferrin. This inhibition is abolished by iron saturation in the presence of bicarbonate. Antibody alone has no effect and neither lysozyme nor complement appears to be involved. A convenient and reproducible micro-assay is described for evaluation of anti-microbial avtivity.
Some biochemical properties of Na,K-ATPase in frog epidermis.

Abstract 1. 1. Na,K-ATPase of frog epidermis was sensitive to proteases and easily destroyed. In contrast, Mg-ATPase was highly resistant towards proteolytic action. 2. 2. The Arrhenius plot of Na,K-ATPase activity shows a sharp discontinuity near 23°C; however, Mg-ATPase has no such critical point. 3. 3. Short-circuit current and Na,K-ATPase activity of the skin from a cold-acclimatized animal was not significantly different from that observed in a moderate-temperature-acclimatized animal. Mg-ATPase activity was lost around 50 per cent in cold-acclimatized animals; however, oxygen consumption of the skin was not significantly changed. 4. 4. The preparation obtained by Nakao's NaI method showed a high substrate specificity for ATP. The activity with CTP was about 10 per cent of that with ATP as substrate. Almost no ADP was utilized. The K m of the enzyme preparation for substrate ATP was calculated as 1·5×10 −3 M.
Evaluating the effects of gross nitrogen mineralization, immobilization, and nitrification on nitrogen fertilizer availability in soil experimentally contaminated with diesel.

Sandy clay loam soil was contaminated with 5000 mg kg−1 diesel, and amended with nitrogen (15.98 atom% 15N) at 0, 250, 500, and 1000 mg kg−1 to determine gross rates of nitrogen transformations during diesel biodegradation at varying soil water potentials. The observed water potential values were −0.20, −0.47, −0.85, and −1.50 MPa in the 0, 250, 500, and 1000 mg kg−1 nitrogen treatments respectively. Highest microbial respiration occurred in the lowest nitrogen treatment suggesting an inhibitory osmotic effect from higher rates of nitrogen application. Microbial respiration rates of 185, 169, 131, and 116 mg O2 kg−1 soil day−1 were observed in the 250, 500, control and 1000 mg kg−1 nitrogen treatments, respectively. Gross nitrification was inversely related to water potential with rates of 0.2, 0.04, and 0.004 mg N kg−1 soil day−1 in the 250, 500, and 1000 mg kg−1 nitrogen treatments, respectively. Reduction in water potential did not inhibit gross nitrogen immobilization or mineralization, with respective immobilization rates of 2.2, 1.8, and 1.8 mg N kg−1 soil day−1, and mineralization rates of 0.5, 0.3, and 0.3 mg N kg−1 soil day−1 in the 1000, 500, and 250 mg kg−1 nitrogen treatments, respectively. Based on nitrogen transformation rates, the duration of fertilizer contribution to the inorganic nitrogen pool was estimated at 0.9, 1.9, and 3.2 years in the 250, 500, and 1000 mg kg−1 nitrogen treatments, respectively. The estimation was conservative as ammonium fixation, gross nitrogen immobilization, and nitrification were considered losses of fertilizer with only gross mineralization of organic nitrogen contributing to the most active portion of the nitrogen pool.
Labeling proteins with small molecules by site-specific posttranslational modification.

We report here the development of a general strategy for site-specific labeling of proteins with small molecules by posttranslational modification enzyme, phosphopantetheinyl transferase Sfp. The target proteins are expressed as fusions to the peptide carrier protein (PCP) excised from nonribosomal peptide synthetase, and Sfp catalyzes the covalent modification of a specific serine residue on PCP by the small molecule−phosphopantetheinyl conjugate. The labeling reaction proceeds with high specificity and efficiency, targeting PCP fusion proteins in the cell lysate. The PCP tag has been shown to be compatible with various proteins, and Sfp-catalyzed PCP modification, compatible with various small-molecule probes conjugated to coenzyme A, highlighting the potential of the PCP tag for site-specific protein labeling with small molecules.
Poisson geometry of the analog of the Miura maps and Bäcklund-Darboux transformations for equations of Toda type and periodic Toda flows

We show that the analog of the Miura maps and Backlund-Darboux transformations for a general class of equations of Toda type and for a generalized class of periodic Toda flows are isomorphisms of Poisson Lie groups.
Effect of viscosity of nonaqueous‐phase liquids (NAPLs) on biodegradation of NAPL constituents

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of viscosity of nonaqueous-phase liquids (NAPLs) on biodegradation of phenanthrene in soil slurries and to find means to enhance the process in viscous NAPLs. When present in kerosene, diesel fuel, fuel oil, and mixtures of the NAPLs, phenanthrene was biodegraded rapidly. Gasoline alone or in mixtures with other solvents prolonged the acclimation phase and reduced the rate of mineralization of the hydrocarbon. The rate and extent of biodegradation decreased with increasing viscosity of nontoxic NAPLs. The slow mineralization of phenanthrene initially in 150 Bright stock or crude oils was enhanced by vigorous agitation of soil slurries, addition of a nonionic surfactant and delayed inoculation, or increasing the temperature. The data suggest means for enhanced bioremediation of toxicants present in viscous NAPLs.
Identification of a proteolytic activity which responds to anticarcinogenic protease inhibitors in C3H-10T12 cells

Abstract Untransformed and malignantly-transformed mouse embryo fibroblasts were found to contain an enzymatic activity which hydrolysed the synthetic substrate, Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-AMC. This activity, of approximate molecular weight 55,000, which has been partially purified by ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography, was maximally active at neutral pH, associated with subcellular organelles or membranes and inhbited by EDTA, EGTA, phosphoramidon and 1,10 phenanthroline, but not by PMSF or pepstatin, indicating that it may be a metalloprotease. Several other protease inhibitors, such as chymostatin, TPCK and the BBI from soybean, were also potent inhibitors of the activity; these same inhibitors are known to suppress the malignant transformation of mouse embryo fibroblast cells in vitro induced by X-irradiation or chemical carcinogens. In contrast, SBTI and pepstatin, which did not inhibit this activity, also do not suppress malignant transformation. These results suggest that this enzyme may be involved in attainment of the transformed state.