cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amylolytic activity in the hepatopancreas of Uca minax, Uca pugnax and Uca pugilator

Abstract 1. 1. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the amylolytic activity in the hepatopancreas of Uca minax, Uca pugnax and Uca pugilator . 2. 2. The pH optimum for enzyme activity was at 7.3 in each species. 3. 3. Addition of increasing concentrations of NaCl to hepatopancreatic extracts demonstrated a maximum activation of amylase at 0.1 M NaCl for Uca pugnax and Uca pugilator and at 0.075 M NaCl for Uca minax . 4. 4. Polyacrylamide and agarose gel electrophoresis demonstrated four bands of protein and one broadly moving band of amylolytic activity in each species.
Micro-range micro-doppler for dismount classification

This paper presents a processing technique that can be used to detect and classify pedestrians group based on the micro- Doppler signature gathered with a millimeter wave radar. The evaluation of the number of pedestrians moving in a group can be a difficult task using a traditional micro-Doppler spectrogram because of a tendency for people to partially synchronize their steps when walking together. The new approach, based on multi-range variation as well as the micro-Doppler variations, provides promising results. The range-spectrogram processing technique was developed and tested using a database composed of hundreds of pedestrian and vehicle signatures gathered in an urban test site over a two year period in a variety of weather conditions. We associate image detections with radar detections through motion extracted from both radar and imagery. We also explain how radar and video together can produce an inexpensive alternative to 3-D imaging.
Is activation of the sympathetic nervous system beneficial or detrimental to the patient with chronic heart failure? Lessons learned from clinical trials with β-adrenergic agonists and antagonists

The sympathetic nervous system is markedly activated in most patients with congestive heart failure, but it is not clear whether such activity is clinically beneficial (and should be enhanced) or detrimental (and should be blocked). Some insights into this question can be gained by reviewing the results of clinical trials with beta-adrenergic agonists and antagonists. Long-term treatment with agents that stimulate the beta-receptor (prenalterol and pirbuterol) has not proved to be useful in the treatment of chronic heart failure; moreover, prolonged treatment with beta-agonists (dobutamine and pirbuterol) may adversely affect survival. Most of the studies with beta-agonists, however, have employed agents that interact nonselectively and with a high degree of intrinsic activity with both beta 1-and beta 2-receptors. It is possible that the problems that have been encountered with the use of beta-agonists could be minimized by agents that are more selective and have less intrinsic activity. Yet, such agents may actually function as beta-adrenergic antagonists (rather than agonists) in states of heightened sympathetic activity. Indeed, sustained therapy with drugs that attenuate the effects of the sympathetic nervous system (by blocking tyrosine hydroxylase or beta-adrenergic receptors) may produce hemodynamic and clinical improvement and may reduce long-term mortality in chronic heart failure. Although beta-adrenergic blockade carries important risks, these might be minimized by the use of drugs that spare myocardial and vascular beta 2-receptors or possess some intrinsic agonist activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Collision-induced dissociation of uracil and its derivatives

The collision-induced dissociation of protonated uracil has been studied by tandem mass spectrometry using models extensively labeled with stable isotopes, and derivatives of the kinds found in nucleic acids. Following collisional activation at 30 eV translational energy, protonated uracil dissociates through two principal pathways which do not occur in electron ionization mass spectra: (1) elimination of NH3 almost entirely from N-3, followed by loss of CO from C-4, 04; (2) loss of H2O, equally from 02 and 04. Elimination of HNCO, also the principal dissociation process from odd-electron molecular ions, proceeds primarily by loss of N-3, C-Z, O2 and 10% from N-l, C-Z, 02. Several secondary dissociation products are formed with quantitative site specificity of skeletal atoms: C,HO+ (4-C0, C-5, C-6); H2CN+ (N-l, C-6); C2H2+ (N-l, C-5, C-6). First-step dissociation reactions are interpreted in terms of pyrimidine ring opening at likely sites of protonation after collisional activation of MH+. Collision-induced dissociation mass spectra of uracils with structural themes common to nucleic acids (methylation, replacement of 0 by S, C-5 substitution) follow analogous reaction paths which permit assignment of sites of substitution, and exhibit ion abundance changes attributed to differences in substituent basicity and electron density.
Application of futility analysis to refine jitter recordings in myasthenia gravis.

Introduction: The current practice of single-fiber electromyography (SFEMG) requires that 20 fiber pairs with normal jitter be collected to exclude myasthenia gravis (MG). We applied principles of futility analysis from clinical trials in an attempt to reduce that requirement. Methods: We utilized conditional power futility analysis to assess the probability of an abnormal 20-pair SFEMG based on ongoing analysis of jitter as each pair is collected. Rules for early test termination in the presence of 0, 1, or 2 abnormal pairs were identified. These rules were then applied to previously collected SFEMG data. Results: SFEMG could be stopped at just 12 pairs if all are normal and at 17 pairs if 1 is abnormal. The rules successfully determined when SFEMG could be stopped in 104 of 106 (98%) studies originally reported to be normal. Conclusions: If the first 12 SFEMG pairs have normal jitter, the study can be terminated and interpreted as normal. Muscle Nerve, 2012
S-Adenosylmethionine protects against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

An overdose of acetaminophen (APAP) is the most frequent cause of fulminant liver failure in the United States. Increasing evidence demonstrates that oxidative stress plays an important etiologic role
Flying Dragons: A Colorful Field Experiment in Resource Partitioning

Several common dragonfly species perch at different heights. Using dowels as perches and simple chi-square tests, this pattern of resource partitioning can be described quickly and easily. Additional experiments can examine the effect of interspecific competition on perch selection, and the relationships between perching height, body size, and wing aerodynamics.
Teaching cancer pain management: durability of educational effects of a role model program

BACKGROUND Inadequate management of cancer related pain has resulted primarily from attitudinal barriers and a lack of knowledge about clinical assessment, the administration of analgesics, and therapeutic interventions. METHODS Fifty health-care providers (13 physicians, 21 nurses, and 16 pharmacists), working as a team, participated in a Role Model Program that presented principles of cancer pain management. A questionnaire that evaluated the fund of knowledge and attitudes regarding cancer pain management was administered prior to the 1-day workshop, at the end of the workshop, and at 4 and 12 months follow-up.[iu61] The workshop consisted of lectures and discussion groups; in the discussion groups, concepts were clarified, cases presented, and barriers to optimal cancer pain management identified. RESULTS Significant improvements in attitudes (P < 0.01), knowledge (P < 0.01), and total scores (P < 0.002) were observed when the preworkshop responses were compared with those obtained immediately after instruction. Scores on the questionnaire were the same or slightly better at both 4 and 12 months in follow-up, demonstrating no loss in acquired knowledge or attitude. Comparison of the postworkshop scores with those at 12 months follow-up were significantly better in attitude (P < 0.03), and in total score (P < 0.01); improvements in knowledge also approached significance (P < 0.06). These represented continuing improvements because significant differences in the attitude scores (P < 0.05) and the total score (P < 0.05) were observed when the 4-month and 12-month follow-up responses were evaluated. The effectiveness of the program in the transference of knowledge was also measured; in the first year of the program, more than 4500 health-care professionals were subsequently informed about cancer pain management from the Role Model Participants. CONCLUSIONS Significant improvements were observed immediately in both attitude and knowledge of cancer pain management principles after the 1-day Role Model Workshop. These improvements continued, as determined at 4 and 12 months follow-up. The Role Model Participants were highly motivated to share the learned principles of cancer pain management with other health-care professionals. These results are consistent with other Role Model Programs that both instruct and involve the participants. The Role Model Program is an efficient and effective means of educating health-care professionals in the concepts of cancer pain management. Cancer 1996;77:996-1001.
Doctoral Education for the Pharmaceutical Industry

Abstract“One need not be a qualified soothsayer to recognize that the trends in the country point toward more and more governmental control over pharmaceutical industry. ………there are going to be more testing, more quality control, more requirements for current good manufacturing practices, and more demand for scientific effort to produce safe and effective drug-dosage forms than ever before. This, in turn, means a greater need for educated persons to perform the more numerous and more difficult tasks involved in meeting these requirements.”
Synthesis of carbon nanotubes on Ni-alloy and Si-substrates using counterflow methane–air diffusion flames

Abstract We have conducted an experimental study to investigate the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in counterflow methane–air diffusion flames, with emphasis on effects of catalyst, temperature, and the air-side strain rate of the flow on CNTs growth. The counterflow flame was formed by fuel (CH 4 or CH 4 + N 2 ) and air streams impinging on each other. Two types of substrates were used to deposit CNTs. Ni-alloy (60% Ni + 26% Cr + 14% Fe) wire substrates synthesized curved and entangled CNTs, which have both straight and bamboo-like structures; Si-substrates with porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanotemplates synthesized well-aligned, self-assembled CNTs. These CNTs grown inside nanopores had a uniform geometry with controllable length and diameter. The axial temperature profiles of the flow were measured by a 125 μm diameter Pt/10% Rh–Pt thermocouple with a 0.3 mm bead junction. It was found that temperature could affect not only the success of CNTs synthesis, but also the morphology of synthesized CNTs. It was also found, against previous general belief, that there was a common temperature region (1023–1073 K) in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and counterflow diffusion flames where CNTs could be produced. CNTs synthesized in counterflow flames were significantly affected by air-side strain rate not through the residence time, but through carbon sources available for CNTs growth. Off-symmetric counterflow flames could synthesize high-quality CNTs because with this configuration carbon sources at the fuel side could easily diffuse across the stagnation surface to support CNTs growth. These results show the feasibility of using counterflow flames to synthesize CNTs for particular applications such as fabricating nanoscale electronic devices.
An interferometric technique for the study of steady state membrane transport

A membrane wedge interferometer was designed for obtaining steady state mass transfer data on liquid-membrane-liquid systems. Procedures were developed for analyzing the diffusive transfer process, and experiments were conducted on the ethyl alcohol-water-cellophane membrane system to obtain the type of data needed for elucidating mechanisms of membrane transport. The proposed technique provides an accurate method of studying membrane transport without the troublesome complications which characterize other methods.
Energetics of residual dislocations associated with slip-twin and slip-GBs interactions

Abstract During direct slip transmission of a dislocation through a twin or grain boundary, typically a residual dislocation remains in the boundary plane. Through atomistic simulations, we show systematic cases of slip transmission through various types of 〈1 1 0〉 tilts and 〈1 1 1〉 twists grain boundaries (GBs). Additionally, one specific type of GB, the coherent twin boundary (CTB), is viewed to investigate the effects of orientation and dislocation type on the slip transmission process. In every case, we measure the residual Burgers vector within the boundary and energy barrier for slip to transmit through the CTB or GB. There exists a direct correlation between the magnitude of the residual Burgers vector and the energy barrier for slip transmission. Hence, in cases of easy slip transmission (i.e. low energy barrier), a small residual dislocation is left in the GB; meanwhile in cases where it is difficult for slip to transmit past the CTB or GB (i.e. high energy barrier), a large residual Burgers vector remains within the boundary.
The distribution of HL-A histocompatibility factors and genes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

A study of the incidence of HL-A genes and factors in persons afflicted with systemic lupus erythematosus is presented, based upon family and population analysis. In persons with onset of their disease at less than 25 years of age, a significantly increased incidence of a factor detected by absorbed Thorsby-LND serum was noted. This finding suggests that the susceptibility to developing systemic lupus erythematosus is partially influenced by the HL-A or major histocompatibility system.
Sigurdur Thorarinsson 1911–1983

In March 1875 a number of farms were abandoned in eastern Iceland as a consequence of the great eruption of Askja volcano. The abandonment of one farm, however, had to be delayed as the family was expecting a child. In the spring a son was born. He was Thorarinn, the father of Sigurdur Thorarinsson. This incident is merely one example of the dynamic interaction between man and nature which is so typical of Iceland. Here the geological mill, fueled by vigorous volcanism, glaciers, and swift rivers, grinds faster than elsewhere on earth. Here the existence of a small nation is continually responding and adjusting to the environmental pressures generated by rapid and sometimes catastrophic earth processes.
MAGI-3 regulates LPA-induced activation of Erk and RhoA

Lysophosphatidic acids (LPA) exert multiple biological effects through specific G protein-coupled receptors. The LPA-activated receptor subtype LPA2 contains a carboxyl-terminal motif that allows interaction with PDZ domain-containing proteins, such as NHERF2 and PDZ-RhoGEF. To identify additional interacting partners of LPA2, the LPA2 carboxyl-terminus was used to screen a proteomic array of PDZ domains. In addition to the previously identified NHERF2, several additional LPA2-interacting PDZ domains were found. These included MAGI-2, MAGI-3 and neurabin. In the present work, we demonstrate the specific interaction between LPA2 and MAGI-3, and the effects of MAGI-3 in colon cancer cells using SW480 as a cell model. MAGI-3 specifically bound to LPA2, but not to LPA1 and LPA3. This interaction was mediated via the fifth PDZ domain of MAGI-3 interacting with the carboxyl-terminal 4 amino acids of LPA2, and mutational alteration of the carboxyl-terminal sequences of LPA2 severely attenuated its ability to bind MAGI-3. LPA2 also associated with MAGI-3 in cells as determined by co-affinity purification. Overexpression of MAGI-3 in SW480 cells showed no apparent effect on LPA-induced activation of Erk and Akt. In contrast, silencing of MAGI-3 expression by siRNA drastically inhibited LPA-induced Erk activation, suggesting that the lack of an effect by overexpression was due to the high endogenous MAGI-3 level in these cells. Previous studies have shown that the cellular signaling elicited by LPA results in activation of the small GTPase RhoA by Gα12/13 — as well as Gαq-dependent pathways. Overexpression of MAGI-3 stimulated LPA-induced RhoA activation, whereas silencing of MAGI-3 by siRNA resulted in a small but statistically significant decrease in RhoA activation. These results demonstrate that MAGI-3 interacts directly with LPA2 and regulates the ability of LPA2 to activate Erk and RhoA.
Kinetics and mechanism for the CH2O + NO2 reaction: A computational study

The reactants, products, and transition states of the CH2O + NO2 reaction on the ground electronic potential energy surface have been searched at both B3LYP/6−311+G(d,p) and MPW1PW91/6−311+G(3df,2p) levels of theory. The forward and reverse barriers are further improved by a modified Gaussian-2 method. The theoretical rate constants for the two most favorable reaction channels 1 and 2 producing CHO + cis-HONO and CHO + HNO2, respectively, have been calculated over the temperature range from 200 to 3000 K using the conventional and variational transition-state theory with quantum-mechanical tunneling corrections. The former product channel was found to be dominant below 1500 K, above which the latter becomes competitive. The predicted total rate constants for these two product channels can be presented by kt (T) = 8.35 × 10−11T6.68 exp(−4182/T) cm3/(mol s). The predicted values, which include the significant effect of small curvature tunneling corrections, are in quantitative agreement with the available experimental data throughout the temperature range studied (390–1650 K). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 184–190, 2003
Immunologic Aspects of the Evaluation of Health Problems Associated with Indoor Air Pollution

During the past few years, there has been increasing interest in and concern about indoor air quality. A myriad of problems are included in the expression “indoor air pollution” and it is beyond the scope of this report to discuss or even mention them all. The immunological questions associated with indoor air pollution are varied and complex. Rather than review the types of pollutants found in indoor air and what effects they might have on the immune system, I would like to present a brief review of how the immune system functions, how alteration in immune function can affect health, and how pollutants might alter the immune system.
Structural Analysis of Phospholipase A2 from Functional Perspective. 2. Characterization of a Molten Globule-Like State Induced by Site-Specific Mutagenesis†

Previous NMR studies have shown that many phospholipase A2 (PLA2, from bovine pancreas, overexpressed in Escherichia coli) mutants display some properties reminiscent of a molten globule state. Further NMR analyses for some of the mutants indicated that formation of the "molten globule-like state" is a pH-dependent phenomenon. The mutants I9Y and I9F showed perturbed NMR properties throughout the pH range studied, while the mutants H48A and C44A/C105A displayed native-like spectra at neutral pH but molten globule-like ones under acidic conditions, with a "transition pH" around 4. On the other hand, wild-type PLA2 exhibits exceptional pH stability and turns into a similar molten globule-like state only under highly acidic conditions such as 1 M HCl. The H48A mutant was used to rigorously establish the property of the molten globule-like state of PLA2 mutants. The results of far-UV CD, near-UV CD, and ANS-binding fluorescence suggest that H48A retains native-like secondary structures but loses tertiary structure during the conformational transition. However, the tertiary structure is not completely lost, as evidenced by the retention of some long-range NOEs in two-dimensional NOESY spectra. The conclusion was further substantiated by three-dimensional NOESY-HSQC experiments on a 15N-labeled H48A sample. It was revealed that the molten globule-like state at mildly acidic pH retained some rigid tertiary structure, which consisted of partial alpha-helix II (Y52-L58), alpha-helix III (D59-V63), beta-wing (S74-S85) and partial alpha-helix IV (A90-N97). These residual tertiary structures grouped in half of the protein could be attributed to stabilization by some of the disulfide bonds. The extreme sensitivity of the PLA2 structure to site-directed mutagenesis is unprecedented. It is interesting to note that most of the functional residues (the active site, the hydrophobic channel, the interfacial binding site, and the calcium-binding loop) are located in the remainder of the protein, which is well disrupted in tertiary interactions.
Magnetic Self-Assembly of Millimeter-Scale Components With Angular Orientation

The focus of this paper is the demonstration and evaluation of a multifunctional self-assembly process driven by the intermagnetic forces between permanent (hard) magnets on 1 mm × 1 mm × 0.5 mm Si parts. Composite bonded-powder micromagnets are embedded in silicon components using back-end low-temperature wafer-level microfabrication techniques. Part-to-part assembly is demonstrated by batch assembly of free-floating parts in a liquid environment with the assembly yield of different magnetic patterns varying from 88% to 90% in 20 s. Part-to-substrate assembly is demonstrated by assembling an ordered array onto a fixed substrate in a dry environment with assembly yield up to 99% in just 20 s. In both cases, diverse magnetic shapes/patterns are used to control the alignment and angular orientation of the components. Experimental analysis of many different magnetic patterns shows that patterns with more planes of rotational symmetry result in faster assembly speeds.
Strengthening commitment to clinical research: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Specialized Centers of Research program.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) established its pioneering Specialized Centers of Research (SCOR) program 30 years ago to facilitate the translation of basic science research to clinical practice—a goal that is very much in keeping with our mission of harnessing scientific endeavor to improve the health of the nation. The Institute now funds SCOR programs in 14 scientific areas, comprising 69 individual awards. As is the case with our other program mechanisms, we continue to review, debate, and where necessary, amend our SCOR policies to ensure that the program addresses public health needs and capitalizes on scientific opportunities. The last major change in the SCOR program was made 8 years ago (see Lenfant C. The NHLBI centers program: the sun also rises. Circulation . 1993;88:3). At that time, we sought to preserve and maintain the “specialness” of these Institute-solicited programs by announcing that each would “sunset” after 10 years unless a thorough evaluation of research needs and opportunities uncovered extraordinarily compelling reasons to continue a specific SCOR program. Since that time, old SCORs have ended and new ones have been created to take their place. Most recently, a couple of SCOR programs were evaluated according to the terms of this “sunset” provision …
Δ1 Ultrapowers are totally rigid

Hirschfeld and Wheeler proved in 1975 that ∑1 ultrapowers (= “simple models”) are rigid; i.e., they admit no non-trivial automorphisms. We later noted, essentially mimicking their technique, that the same is true of Δ1 ultrapowers (= “Nerode semirings”), a class of models of Π2 Arithmetic that overlaps, but is mutually non-inclusive with, the class of Σ1 ultrapowers. Hirschfeld and Wheeler left as open the question whether some Σ1 ultrapowers might admit proper isomorphic self-injections. We do not answer that question; but we do answer the corresponding question, in the negative, for the Δ1 case.
Performance prediction for portable parallel execution on MIMD architectures

Performance debugging and prediction for parallel systems is a difficult problem. The difficulties in identifying performance bottlenecks stem from the need for an intimate understanding of the underlying architecture. It has been recognized that portability is an important requirement for parallel program development. However, this makes the task of performance debugging even more difficult. In this paper, we present a simulation based approach for performance prediction of portable-parallel programs. We demonstrate it using Charm: a message driven programming environment, which provides program portability across a variety of shared and distributed memory MIMD parallel systems. The proposed approach makes it possible to use a single debugging environment for the development of portable parallel software. This environment can provide correctness and performance debugging support that provides the developer with valuable feedback for improving program performance. >
Aerosol and rainfall variability over the Indian monsoon region: distributions, trends and coupling

Abstract. Aerosol solar absorption over the Indian monsoon region has a potential role of modulating the monsoon circulation and rainfall distribution as suggested by recent studies based on model simulations. Prior to the onset of the monsoon, northern India is influenced by significant dust transport that constitutes the bulk of the regional aerosol loading over the Gangetic-Himalayan region. In this paper, a multi-sensor characterization of the increasing pre-monsoon aerosol loading over northern India, in terms of their spatial, temporal and vertical distribution is presented. Aerosol transport from the northwestern arid regions into the Indo-Gangetic Plains and over the foothills of the Himalayas is found to be vertically extended to elevated altitudes (up to 5 km) as observed from the space-borne lidar measurements (CALIPSO). In relation with the enhanced pre-monsoon aerosol loading and the associated solar absorption effects on tropospheric temperature anomalies, this paper investigates the monsoon rainfall variability over India in recent past decades from an observational viewpoint. It is found that the early summer monsoon rainfall over India is on the rise since 1950s, as indicated by historical rainfall data, with over 20% increase for the period 1950–2004. This large sustained increase in the early summer rainfall is led by the observed strengthening of the pre-monsoon tropospheric land-sea thermal gradient over the Indian monsoon region as indicated by microwave satellite measurements (MSU) of tropospheric temperatures from 1979–2007. Combined analysis of changes in tropospheric temperatures and summer monsoon rainfall in the past three decades, suggest a future possibility of an emerging rainfall pattern of a wetter monsoon over South Asia in early summer followed by a drier period.
Numerical Investigation of Underfill Failure Due to Phase Change of Pb-Free Flip Chip Solders During Board-Level Reflow

In this paper, the effects of phase change of Pb-free flip chip solders during board-level interconnect reflow are investigated using numerical technique. Most of the current Pb-free solder candidates are based on Sn and their melting temperatures are in the range of 220 deg C-240 deg C. Thus, Pb-free flip chip solders melt again during subsequent board-level interconnect (BGA) reflow cycle. Since solder volume expands as much as 4% during the phase change from solid to liquid, the volumetric expansion of solder in a predefined volume by chip, substrate, and underfill creates serious reliability issues. One issue is the shorting between neighboring flip chip interconnects by the interjected solder through underfill crack or delaminated interfaces. The authors have observed the interjection of molten solder and the interfacial failure of underfill during solder reflow process. In this paper, a flip chip package is modeled to quantify the effect of the volumetric expansion of Pb-free solder. Three possible cases are investigated. One is without existence of micro crack and the other two are with the interfacial crack between chip and underfill and the crack through the underfill. The strain energy release rate around the crack tip calculated by the modified crack closure integral method is compared with interfacial fracture toughness. Parametric studies are carried out by changing material properties of underfill and interconnect pitch. Also, the effects of solder interconnect geometry and crack length are explored. For the case with interfacial crack, the configuration of a large bulge with small pitch is preferred for the board-level interconnect, whereas a large pitch is preferred for cracks in the mid plane of the underfill.
Deformation processing of metal powders: Part I—Cold isostatic pressing

The coupled thermomechanical problem of Hot lsostatic Pressing (HIPing) of metal powders during Stage I of the densification process is analyzed using analytical as well as numerical techniques. Densification of the powder is assumed to occur due to plastic yielding and creep of the metal particles as well as due to boundary and surface diffusion. The constitutive models developed by McMeeking and co-workers (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 40, 1139 0992): Int. J. Mech. Sci. 34, 563 (1992); Acta Metall. Mater. 40, 961 (1992)) are used to describe the inelastic behavior of the metal powder. The numerical implementation of the constitutive models in a finite element program is discussed. The problems of (i) closed-die compaction of stainless steel powder, and (ii) HIPing of stainless steel powder of a toroidal specimen of rectangular cross-section, are analyzed in detail.
The Pyrochlore-to-Perovskite Transformation in Solution-Derived Lead Zirconate Titanate Thin Films

We have characterized the pyrochlore-to-perovskite crystallization process in solution-derived Pb(Zr0.20Ti0.80)O3 thin films on (100) MgO single crystal substrates. It has been determined that the perovskite phase nucleated preferentially at the film/MgO interface out of a nanocrystalline (≈100A grains) pyrochlore matrix. During the early stages of the pyrochlore-to-perovskite conversion process, perovskite growth proceeded nearly isotropically from the substrate to form hemispherically shaped grains. Deviations from isotropic growth were shown to result from a growth dependence based on the crystallographic orientation of a growing perovskite grain relative to the orientations of pyrochlore grains being transformed. The volume change that occurs during the pyrochlore-to-pervoskite transformation along with two-dimensional grain growth has been used to develop a mechanism for formation of porosity that commonly is concentrated in grain boundary regions.
Laser beam tracking by repetitive and variable-order adaptive control

This paper addresses laser beam tracking control problem for tracing dynamic trajectories subject to random disturbances. A variable-order adaptive control scheme based on a recursive least-squares lattice filter is applied for suppressing random jitter. For tracking a reference trajectory generated by a deterministic dynamic model, an internal model principle based feedback loop is introduced as an outer loop to the adaptive feedback loop to achieve asymptotic tracking performance. Particularly a repetitive control is applied to track periodic trajectories. A feature of the control system proposed in this paper is that the design of the adaptive and repetitive control are independent because each design is based only on the plant model. Experiment conducted on a two-axis fast steering mirror for tracking diamond-shaped beam path demonstrates the ability of the integrated control to achieve asymptotic tracking of periodic trajectories by the repetitive control while optimally rejecting random disturbances by the adaptive control.
Form and Function: The Impact of Query Term and Operator Usage on Web Search Results.

Conventional wisdom holds that queries to information retrieval systems will yield more relevant results if they contain multiple topic-related terms and use Boolean and phrase operators to enhance interpretation. Although studies have shown that the users of Web-based search engines typically enter short, term-based queries and rarely use search operators, little information exists concerning the effects of term and operator usage on the relevancy of search results. In this study, search engine users formulated queries on eight search topics. Each query was submitted to the user-specified search engine, and relevancy ratings for the retrieved pages were assigned. Expert-formulated queries were also submitted and provided a basis for comparing relevancy ratings across search engines. Data analysis based on our research model of the term and operator factors affecting relevancy was then conducted. The results show that the difference in the number of terms between expert and nonexpert searches, the percentage of matching terms between those searches, and the erroneous use of nonsupported operators in nonexpert searches explain most of the variation in the relevancy of search results. These findings highlight the need for designing search engine interfaces that provide greater support in the areas of term selection and operator usage.
A Correlation of Some Devonian Limestones of New South Wales and Victoria

A sequence of 11 tetracoral and conodont faunas, ranging from early Gedinnian to late Givetian, is recognized in the lower and middle Devonian limestones of New South Wales and Victoria. These faunas are not only important stratigraphically in eastern Australia, but also provide a basis for the correlation of the Australian Devonian with overseas stages. A table of correlation is given for the principal Devonian limestone sequences of New South Wales and Victoria.
Many roads to synchrony: natural time scales and their algorithms.

We consider two important time scales-the Markov and cryptic orders-that monitor how an observer synchronizes to a finitary stochastic process. We show how to compute these orders exactly and that they are most efficiently calculated from the e-machine, a process's minimal unifilar model. Surprisingly, though the Markov order is a basic concept from stochastic process theory, it is not a probabilistic property of a process. Rather, it is a topological property and, moreover, it is not computable from any finite-state model other than the e-machine. Via an exhaustive survey, we close by demonstrating that infinite Markov and infinite cryptic orders are a dominant feature in the space of finite-memory processes. We draw out the roles played in statistical mechanical spin systems by these two complementary length scales.
Application of time series techniques to data mining and analysis of spatial patterns in 3D images

Analysis of spatial patterns in images can provide valuable information in many application domains, such as in geography, meteorology and medicine. We propose to apply techniques from the time series domain to analyze the spatial patterns extracted from 3D images. After traversing an image using a space-filling curve, we discover discriminative patterns by analyzing the spatial sequence in the transformed domain. Because of the similarity of the sequences with time series, we propose the use of existing time series similarity analysis techniques, including Euclidean distance, and dimensionality reduction techniques, such as singular value decomposition and piecewise aggregate approximation, for further analysis of the spatial patterns. As a case study, we analyze an fMRI dataset. Experimental results verify that the discovered spatial patterns have strong discriminative power among different classes and the overall accuracy for clustering and similarity retrieval is above 90% and as high as 100% for certain experimental settings.
Genome Sequence of Stachybotrys chartarum Strain 51-11

The Stachybotrys chartarum strain 51-11 genome was sequenced by shotgun sequencing utilizing Illumina HiSeq 2000 and PacBio technologies. Since S. chartarum has been implicated as having health impacts within water-damaged buildings, any information extracted from the genomic sequence data relating to toxins or the metabolism of the fungus might be useful.
Overview of Applications of Reproductive Biotechnologies in Cattle1

Abstract In the United States and Canada, embryo transfer is used to produce approximately 100,000 calves annually, about 1 in 500 calves. This small percentage has a proportionally greater economic impact; for example, more than half of bulls used for artificial insemination of dairy cattle are produced via embryo transfer. Most of the embryos produced are cryopreserved, which increases flexibility of application and results in a commodity to sell, often in another country. Reproductive biotechnologies used for niche applications resulting in a few thousand calves per year include bisection of embryos to produce additional calves (identical twins when both halves develop), sexing embryos, and in vitro fertilization. Promising reproductive biotechnologies not yet applied to any great extent include sexing semen and cloning by nuclear transplantation. Typing of blood and semen through DNA is beginning to be applied for genotyping to determine allelic status of animals, assist with selection of linked traits, and determine parentage.
The Spectrum of Jupiter's Great Red Spot: The Case for Ammonium Hydrosulfide (NH4SH)

Abstract Here we present new ultraviolet–visible spectra of irradiated ammonium hydrosulfide (NH4SH), a reported jovian atmospheric cloud component, for a range of temperatures and radiation doses and make assignments to the spectral features. We show that the combination of radiolysis and thermal annealing of NH4SH causes the originally featureless ultraviolet–visible reflectance spectrum to evolve into one that absorbs in the ultraviolet–visible region. Furthermore, we find that our laboratory spectra resemble HST spectra below 500 nm, suggesting that the more stable reaction products of NH4SH radiolysis are likely an important component of the Great Red Spot.
SY10-2LACTOBACILLUS CASEI AMELIORATES STRESS AND ETHANOL-INDUCED GUT BARRIER DISRUPTION AND LIVER INJURY

Evidence indicates that chronic stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases. Our recent studies showed that chronic stress exacerbates ethanol-induced gut permeability and liver injury. Factors that prevent stress and ethanol-induced gut and liver injury have high clinical significance. Probiotics are known to protect …
The blastophthoric effect of chronic lead poisoning Breeding experiments

There have been frequent clinical observations of the apparent deleterious effect upon the germ plasm exerted by chronic lead poisoning. A majority of these cases have been found in female lead workers and in these it might be supposed that abortions, stillbirths and early deaths of infants were due as much to the toxic effect of lead during intra-uterine development as to an actual injury to the germ plasm. In the smaller number of instances in which the male parent alone was poisoned, the resulting sterility without impotency, the stillbirths and the early deaths of offspring are difficult to explain unless they are due to blastophthoria. The work of Stockard and of Cole and Davis has shown that alcohol has a similar effect. In a recent report which appeared as the present series of experiments was being concluded Cole and Bachhuber have demonstrated that the offspring of male rabbits poisoned by lead as well as of male fowls similarly poisoned are of distinctly lower vitality than the offspring of norm...
Effects of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids on blood platelet aggregation in vitro.

There is now much evidence that platelets are involved in intravascular clotting of blood. The “white head” of a thrombus is an aggregation of platelets that normally would not adhere to each other in the blood stream. Platelet adhesiveness and aggregation are therefore receiving increasing attention, and many studies have been conducted under in vitro conditions using a wide variety of agents (1–4).Dietary fats have been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis and thrombosis in both animals and man. It has been well established that the composition and quantities of blood lipids in man are markedly influenced by dietary fat. Thus increasing attention is being given to relationships between dietary fats as well as blood lipids and such phenomena as platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. Among the plasma lipids that may be altered by changes in dietary fat are the unesterified fatty acids. Long chain fatty acids have been shown to promote thrombus formation in an in vitro system of flowing b...
Changes in Self-Reported Household Preparedness Levels among a Rural Population after Exposure to Emergency Preparedness Campaign Materials

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the self-reported preparedness levels of a rural population in the US before and after an exposure to preparedness education materials from the Ready Campaign and the Texas “Ready or Not?” Campaign.
Numerical Simulation of Three-Dimensional Jet Screech Tones using a General Purpose Finite-Volume CFD code

The problem of three-dimensional mode jet screech tones radiated by an imperfectly expanded supersonic cold jet is studied computationally using the general purpose CFD code ANSYS FLUENT, version 12. Pressure-based coupled solver formulation with the secondorder bounded central-upwind spatial discretization and second-order implicit time marching scheme is applied to obtain a quasi-periodic transient solution. The numerical model reproduces physics of the jet screech tone feedback loop generation mechanism driven by interaction of large scale turbulent structures with jet shock cells. Propagation of flapping and helical mode disturbances along the jet column is recovered in the simulation. The acoustic near-field is resolved to accurately propagate screech tone waves to microphone monitors defined on the nozzle lip. Calculated screech tone frequencies and sound pressure levels are compared with experimental data, and favorable near-field agreement is found.
Atomic Force Microscopy of Lipid Domains in Supported Model Membranes

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been a significant tool in the characterization of lipid domains in model membranes. With AFM, one can image the structure of membranes in a natural fluid environment with a lateral resolution that approaches 1 nm and vertical resolution of 0.1 nm. The AFM technique is discussed, with a special emphasis on imaging soft, compliant memranes that are supported on solid substrates such as glass or mica. In typical model membranes, lipid domains are formed by phase separation in multicomponent lipid mixtures and are observed by nm-level height differences owing to lipid packing. A general procedure for creating supported lipid bilayers through vesicle fusion is discussed.
Ventricular arrhythmias of catecholaminergic origin and sudden death

The hereditary disease known as polymorphic catecholaminergic ventricular tachycardia (PCVT) is highly lethal. Almost 30% of the affected patients die before 40 years old, mainly due to sudden cardiac death. We have used isolated hearts from mutant mice (type 2 ryanodine receptors, RyR2/RyR2(R4496C)) to investigate arrhythmia mechanisms that are adrenergic- and intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]o) levels-dependent. Our results corroborate that polymorphic and bidirectional ventricular arrhythmias, as well as ventricular fibrillation, occurs in 50% of RyR2/ RyR2(R4496C) mice, and in less than 12% of the non-affected mice. Our hypothesis suggests that the origin of catecholaminergic arrhythmias in animals, and possibly in humans, is conditioned by the focal activity that begins by late post-potentials in the Purkinje fibers.
Cyclosporin use in the precolectomy chronic ulcerative colitis patient: a community experience and its relationship to prospective and controlled clinical trials. Pacific Northwest Gastroenterology Society.

Objective : To define what effect seminal and controlled clinical trials have on practice patterns within a gastroenterological community. To define whether these practice patterns reproduce reported treatment methods and whether results comparable with those reported in such trials are noted within a community practice setting. Methods : Mailed surveies, with telephone follow-up, were sent to all members of the Pacific Northwest Gastroenterology Society. Respondents were queried regarding cyclosporin use in the precolectomy chronic ulcerative colitis (CUC) patient. Data collected included patient demographics, disease duration and extent, pretreatment use of steroids, method, dosage, and duration of cyclosporin therapy, side effects, and short-term and subsequent clinical results. Results : Twenty-one percent of 81 respondents had used cyclosporin for precolectomy CUC, approximately one-half using constant infusion and one-half using parenteral bolus therapy. Side effects attributed to the cyclosporin were noted in eight of 30 patients (27%), and acute colectomy was avoided in 17 patients (57%). Subsequent colectomy was required in an additional nine patients (73% total) within a 6-month follow-up period, a significantly higher colectomy rate than that reported in prospective trials. Conclusions : Potential reasons precluding cyclosporin use within the gastroenterological community may include lack of knowledge about cyclosporin therapy for CUC, lack of opportunity, skepticism, fear of medication side effects, survey sampling error, or treatment philosophy. Potential reasons for failure to duplicate the results reported in controlled trials are more complex but may include inadequate treatment duration, the learning curve associated with use of a new medication, or acceptance of colectomy as the treatment of choice in patients with acutely or chronically debilitating disease.
Optimizing Shape Complementarity Scoring Parameters for Recognition of Authentic Protein Crystal Packing Arrangements

The prediction of protein crystal packing arrangements and the de novo design of new crystal forms are notoriously challenging problems. For both problems, it is useful to enumerate high quality packing arrangements. To efficiently enumerate candidate crystal forms, we have adapted grid-based fast Fourier transform strategies first developed in the context of protein docking algorithms. To maximize performance of the grid-based, shape-complementarity scoring scheme, we have optimized parameters for the recognition of authentic protein crystal packing arrangements. To this end, extensive calculations were performed to assess a wide range of grid-representation parameter spaces for a panel of low-solvent protein crystals. The optimum parameters obtained from the computations successfully identify authentic protein crystal packing arrangements out of large pools of similar decoy packing arrangements.