cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corrosion behavior of oxide-covered Cu47Ti34Zr11Ni8 (Vitreloy 101) in chloride-containing solutions

Abstract The corrosion resistance of oxides that form in air on Vitreloy 101 (Cu 47 Ti 34 Zr 11 Ni 8 ) metallic glass ribbons in NaCl and HCl solutions was studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization. The air-exposed alloy was covered by a TiO 2 /ZrO 2 layer overlying a Cu-enriched region beneath. Ni was absent at the surface. Segregation of Ti and Zr was driven by exothermic oxide formation. Immersion in NaCl or HCl caused pitting corrosion by local Galvanic reactions that depleted less noble Ti, Zr and Ni from the pit interiors, leaving them rich in more noble Cu. Corrosion products containing Ti and Zr accumulated around the pit. Pits were most numerous in 1.0 M HCl due to TiO 2 (s)/Ti 3+ (aq) equilibrium that resulted in rapid solubilization of the oxide, creating local weaknesses and an increased rate of pit formation. On average, Ti preferentially dissolved from the oxide in accord with metal nobility arguments.
Financial Literacy and Financial Behavior among Young Adults: Evidence and Implications

This paper uses data from the 2009 National Financial Capability Study to examine financial literacy and financial behavior in a sample of approximately 4,500 young adults age 25 to 34. The paper finds that most young adults lack basic financial knowledge. Financial literacy is especially low among certain demographic groups, such as women, minorities, and lower-income or less-educated people. A high level of education, however, is not a guarantee of financial literacy. Only 49% of young respondents with a college education and 60% of young respondents with postgraduate education could correctly answer three simple questions designed to assess financial literacy. Results show that respondents who display higher financial literacy or higher confidence in their math or personal finance knowledge have better financial outcomes: they are less likely to use high-cost borrowing methods, and they are more likely to plan for retirement or have set aside savings for emergencies.
Common source epidemics I: A stochastic model

A discrete time stochastic model is formulated for the spread of a disease which is transmitted to an uninfected but susceptible individual through an environmental source and not through contact (either direct or indirect) with infected individuals. The model incorporates both exposure and infection components. The exposure component includes consideration of the introduction of an infectious agent into the environment and the subsequent diffusion of the agent. It also includes time and location patterns for visits by individuals in the target population to the affected environment. The infection component incorporates physiological responses of exposed individuals to the infectious agent. The goal of the model is to provide a method for developing a predicted epidemic curve. Comments are given on an application of the model to the study of an outbreak of toxoplasmosis in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1977.
Safety, Efficacy, and Biomarker Exploration in a Phase II Study of Bevacizumab, Oxaliplatin, and Gemcitabine in Recurrent Müllerian Carcinoma

Objective To explore the safety, efficacy, and biomarkers of bevacizumab with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin in women with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian carcinoma.
FDG PET imaging guided re-evaluation of histopathologic response in a patient with high-grade sarcoma

[18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) is used to evaluate the metabolic activity of intermediate- to high-grade soft tissue sarcomas prior to the initiation of chemotherapy. FDG PET and MRI are repeated after chemotherapy to assess treatment response and to correlate this with the histologic response. This case report highlights discrepant results between the final histologic diagnosis (tumor response) and the percent change in maximum standard uptake variable (SUVmax). Further investigation of the resected specimen identified the significant difference in tumor response assessment to be due to the heterogeneity of the tumor and heterogeneity in its response to treatment. FDG PET imaging has an important role in evaluating tumor metabolic activity and has played an increasingly important part in evaluating the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in sarcomas. Evaluating the heterogeneity of the tumor at baseline and after response to therapy can provide insight into prognosis and treatment planning.
Drug Interactions—A Review

The incidence and severity of drug interactions are on the rise as more medications are brought to market. Following the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion model of pharmacokinetics, this review will provide an overview of the varied mechanisms of drug-drug, drug-herb, and drug-food interactions with emphasis placed on the interactions most likely to cause harm. This information is intended to assist the pediatric emergency physician in recognizing drug interactions to identify and remove the offending agent when appropriate. Understanding the mechanisms of drug interactions will assist all clinicians in avoiding these serious, often preventable, events.
Methamphetamine Use by High School Students: Recent Trends, Gender and Ethnicity Differences, and Use of Other Drugs

ABSTRACT Recent data on 9th-12th grade (n = 629,722) methamphetamine use, both lifetime and last month prevalence, are summarized. From 1989 through 1992, methamphetamine use rates remained relatively stable. Since then, rates have increased, almost doubling, especially in Western states. There were no significant differences in methamphetamine use noted across year in school, but males are more likely to use than females, although use among females has also increased. With regard to ethnicity and use, American Indians and His panics were more likely to be using methamphetamine, followed, in order, by Asian Americans, White, non-Hispanics, and African Americans. Compared to other heavily drug-involved youth, methamphetamine users were more likely to use other drugs and suffer drug use consequences. Implications for research, prevention and counseling are briefly discussed.
A numerical study of dynamic crack growth in elastic-viscoplastic solids

Dynamic crack growth is analyzed numerically for a plane strain block with an initial central crack subject to impact tensile loading. The material is characterized as an isotropically hardening elastic-viscoplastic solid. A cohesive surface constitutive relation is also specified that relates the tractions and displacement jumps across the crack plane. In this formulation crack initiation, crack growth and crack arrest emerge naturally as outcomes of the imposed loading, without any ad hoc assumptions concerning crack growth criteria. Full transient analyses are carried out using two characterizations of strain rate hardening; power law strain rate hardening and a combined power law-exponential relation that gives rise to enhanced strain rate hardening at high strain rates. The effects of the strain rate hardening characterization on crack initiation, crack growth and crack arrest are investigated. Enhanced strain rate hardening is found to lead to higher crack speeds, to lower toughness values and to crack tip fields that are more like those of an elastic solid than for the power law rate hardening solid. Additionally, some parameter studies varying the cohesive surface strength and the material flow strength are carried out. The effective stress intensity factor is found to increase dramatically at a certain value of the crack speed that depends on the cohesive surface strength, the material flow strength, the characterization of strain rate hardening and the impact velocity, but there is a range where the crack speed at which the increase in effective stress intensity factor occurs is not very sensitive to impact velocity.
A proton magnetic resonance coordination number and ion-pairing study of GaCl3, GaBr3, GaI3, Ga(NO3)3 and Ga(ClO4)3 in acetone-water mixtures

A proton magnetic resonance coordination number and ion-pairing study of GaCl3, GaBr3, GaI3, Ga(NO3)3 and Ga(ClO4)3 in acetone-water mixtures has been completed. By cooling solutions of these salts to about -50°c, proton exchange is slowed and separate resonance signals are observed for bulk water molecules and water molecules in the Ga3+ solvation shell. The integration of these signals provides an accurate measure of the cation hydration number. In the case of Ga(NO3)3 and Ga(ClO4)3, Ga3+ is hydrated by six water molecules even at extremely high acetone concentrations. Also, only one signal is observed for the complexed water molecules. In contrast to this result, the hydration number of Ga3+ decreases from 6 to about 1·4 for GaCl3, 1·6 for GaBr3 and 2·5 for GaI3 as large amounts of acetone are added to aqueous solution, and more than one complexed water signal is observed in the spectra arising from the GaCl3 solutions of low water content. In addition to providing evidence for contact ion-pairing, the...
Effect of ring dynamics and crevice flows on unburned hydrocarbon emissions

A significant source of unburned hydrocarbon emissions from internal combustion engines originates from the flow of unburned fuel/air mixture into and out of crevices in the piston-cylinder-ring assembly. During compression, fuel vapor flows into crevice regions. After top dead center, the trapped fuel vapor that returns into the cylinder escapes complete oxidation and contributes to unburned hydrocarbon emissions. In this work, the crevice flow model developed by Namazian and Heywood is implemented into KIVA-II, a multidimensional, reacting flow code. Two-dimensional, axisymmetric simulations are then performed for a 2.5 liter gasoline engine to investigate the effects of engine speed and selected piston-ring design parameters on crevice flows and on unburned hydrocarbon emissions. Results suggest that engine-out unburned hydrocarbon emissions can be reduced by optimizing the ring end gap area and the piston-cylinder side clearance.
Not worth the fuss after all? Cross-sectional and prospective data on violent video game influences on aggression, visuospatial cognition and mathematics ability in a sample of youth

The United States Supreme Court’s recent decision relating to violent video games revealed divisions within the scientific community about the potential for negative effects of such games as well as the need for more, higher quality research. Scholars also have debated the potential for violent games to have positive effects such as on visuospatial cognition or math ability. The current study sought to extend previous literature by using well-validated clinical outcome measures for relevant constructs, which have generally been lacking in past research. Cross-section data on aggression, visuospatial cognition, and math achievement were available for a sample of 333 (51.7 % female) mostly Hispanic youth (mean age = 12.76). Prospective 1-year data on aggression and school GPA were available for 143 (46.2 % female) of those youth. Results from both sets of analysis revealed that exposure to violent game had neither short-term nor long-term predictive influences on either positive or negative outcomes. A developmental analysis of the cross-sectional data revealed that results did not differ across age categories of older children, preadolescents or adolescents. Analysis of effect sizes largely ruled out Type II error as a possible explanation for null results. Suggestions for new directions in the field of video game research are proffered.
Assessment of microenvironmental conditions related to the use of synthetic sheet mulches for protecting newly planted trees in semi-arid environments

ABSTRACT Microenvironmental conditions created by six weed control methods and the resulting survival and height growth of two species of windbreak trees were measured in three separate plantings in Nebraska. The treatments included three synthetic sheet mulches commonly used in tree plantings. Climagro, a black polyethylene mulch, and Sunbelt, a black woven polypropylene mulch, improved the growth of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) in two of the three plantings. Survival of green ash and survival and growth of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were not significantly different among the treatments. Positive correlations were found between August soil moisture and ash height growth. No relationship was found between soil temperature and ash growth, although significant differences in soil temperature among treatments were detected. Weed control treatment did not affect air temperature above the soil surface or the amount of mycorrhizal roots on Scotch pine. Economic analyses of the use of Climagr...
Loss of dopamine terminals in the medial prefrontal cortex increased the ratio of DOPAC to DA in tissue of the nucleus accumbens shell: role of stress

We examined whether dopamine depletion in the medial prefrontal cortex of the rat differentially affects basal and evoked dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) content in the subareas of the neostriatum and nucleus accumbens. Loss of approximately 80% of tissue dopamine content in the medial prefrontal cortex did not significantly alter basal tissue concentrations of dopamine or DOPAC or the DOPAC:dopamine ratio in either the nucleus accumbens core or shell or the medial or lateral neostriatum. However, tail pressure stress significantly increased the DOPAC:dopamine ratio in the nucleus accumbens shell of lesioned rats. Because dorsal and ventral areas of the medial prefrontal cortex preferentially innervate the core and shell, respectively, we sought to determine whether the selective effect of lesions on dopamine terminals in the shell of the nucleus accumbens are paralleled by greater dopamine loss in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex. 6-Hydroxydopamine decreased tissue concentrations of dopamine in both the dorsal (-74%) and ventral medial prefrontal cortex (-68%). In lesioned rats, few tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive fibers remained in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex whereas a dense innervation remained in the ventralmost area. The present data suggest that the influence of mesocortical dopamine neurons on the dopamine projection to the nucleus accumbens shell is expressed only under conditions of stress. Furthermore, lesion-induced alterations in dopamine neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens shell are not due to a more extensive loss of dopamine terminals in the ventral than in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex.
First Microsatellites from Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Their Potential use for Population Genetics

This is the first report of sequence-specific microsatellite markers (simple sequence repeats [SSRs]) of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an economically important pest of crops on the Americas. We isolated 192 microsatellite markers by using pyrosequencing and screened 15 individuals from eight isofamilies collected from three geographical areas: Puerto Rico (PR), Texas (TX), and Mississippi (MS). Isofamilies resistant to Cry toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) also were included. Cluster analysis was performed to determine the potential use of these SSRs in discriminating populations, and colonies were grouped with a reliability of 100% estimated by bootstrap. In this analysis, colonies from TX grouped away from those from PR, but the two MS isofamilies grouped with TX and PR separately. Genetic distance within isofamilies ranged between 0.22 and 0.56, and the minimum distance between isofamilies was 0.83. Unique pattern informative combination (UPIC) scores were calculated, and the 80 SSR markers that had UPIC scores of ≥1 are listed according to their discriminating potential. UPIC scores allow reducing costs by choosing fewer and highly informative markers for future studies. From the best 125 markers, 103 had a maximum of two alleles per sample, making them ideal candidates for population genetic studies. BLAST screening of the sequences points to potential biological meaning of marker polymorphisms. The percentage of alleles shared by the three geographic areas was 14%. The markers reported will significantly enrich the pool of molecular markers available for S. frugiperda. In addition, they could be used for monitoring migration of populations, in the development of biocontrol agents and for management practices in general.
Using definitive host faeces to infect experimental intermediate host populations: waterfowl hosts for New Zealand trematodes

Abstract We used a non-destructive method to identify important definitive host species in the complex life cycles for two groups of digenetic trematodes (Microphallus sp. and Notocotylus spp.). Specifically, we exposed experimental populations of the intermediate snail host Potamopyrgus antipodarum to faeces collected from New Zealand waterfowl. We found that most infections were produced when the snails were exposed to faeces from Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Duck (A. superciliosa), Mallard–Grey duck hybrids, or New Zealand Scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae). In addition, the parasite communities clustered into three distinct groups in multivariate space: (1) control populations and snail populations that were exposed to faeces collected from Paradise Shelduck Tadoma varigata and Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), (2) snail populations that developed mostly Microphallus sp. infections and that were exposed to scaup, Mallard, or Grey Duck faeces, and (3) snail populations exposed to scaup faeces, which devel...
Emergency contraception and the ethics of discussing it prior to the emergency

Illustrative cases are considered to show that, on ethical grounds, emergency contraception should be routinely included in discussions with patients about alternative methods of contraception.
Estimated risk of lung cancer from exposure to radon decay products in U.S. homes: A brief review

Abstract Recent analyses now permit direct estimation of the risks of lung cancer from radon decay products in U.S. homes. Analysis of data from indoor monitoring in single-family homes yields a tentative frequency distribution of annual-average 222Rn concentrations with an arithmetic mean of 55 Bq m−3 and approximately 2% of homes having 300 Bq m−3 or more. Application of the results of occupational epidemiological studies to indoor exposures, either directly or using recent advances in lung dosimetry, suggests that the average indoor concentration entails a lifetime risk of lung cancer of about 0.4%, contributing about 10% of the total risk of lung cancer. The risk to individuals occupying the homes with 300 Bq m−3 or more for their lifetimes is estimated to exceed 2%, with risks from the homes with thousands of Bq m−3 correspondingly higher, even exceeding the total risk of premature death due to cigarette smoking. Such average and high-level risks greatly exceed ordinarily-considered environmental risks, forcing development of a new perspective on environmental exposures.
Computational challenges for nanostructure solar cells

This review discusses the current status of large scale computational capability and future challenges for nanostructure solar cell simulations. The focus is on atomistic ab initio simulations for inorganic nanocrystal systems. A discussion of current capability in simulating the critical steps in a solar cell operation: photon absorption, exciton generation, exciton dissociation, carrier transport, and charge transfer crossing a nano contact is presented. A few novel computational methods that scale linearly to the size of the system, while retaining the ab initio quality of the simulation are introduced. Also discussed are the most challenging aspects of the simulations: surface passivation and nanocontact atomic structures.
X-ray photoelectron analysis of thin film Tinx

Abstract XPS depth profiles from chemical vapor deposited titanium nitride films (TiNx) indicate that the surface is oxidized to such an extent that TiO2 is the only oxidized species observed. For the sputter cleaned sample, the binding energy values of 454.80 and 460.60 eV were obtained for Ti 2p3/2 and Ti 2p 1 2 , respectively. In addition, the stoichiometry of the film, which has a Ti-to-N ratio of unity (approximately), is obtained from the surface layer up to 900 A deep into the sample. This result is further supported by the appearance of the sample surface which had acquired a uniform gold color, characteristic of pure TiN.
Origins of lymphocyte developmental programs: transcription factor evidence

This review explores the evolutionary origins of lymphocyte development by focusing on the transcription factors that direct mammalian lymphocyte development today. Gene expression data suggest that the programs to make lymphocytes involve the same transcription factor ensembles in all animals with lymphocytes. Most of these factors, GATA, Runx, PU.1/Spi, EBF/Olf, Ikaros, and Pax-2/5/8 family members, are also encoded in the genomes of animals without lymphocytes. We consider the functions of these factors in animals without lymphocytes in terms of discrete program components, which could have been assembled in a new way to create the lymphocyte developmental program ∼500 My ago.
Synthesis of non-natural flavanones and dihydrochalcones in metabolically engineered yeast

Flavonoids are plant phenolic compounds that have many interesting medicinal properties. Therefore, there is interest in the synthesis of non-natural flavonoids as they may possess new or enhanced biological activities. In this study, metabolically engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing 4-coumaroyl:CoA-ligase (4CL) and chalcone synthase (CHS) was explored as a platform for producing non-natural flavanones and dihydrochalcones. By precursor addition of cinnamic acid analogues to the engineered yeast, numerous non-natural flavanones and dihydrochalcones were formed in vivo. Also, several CHS derailment products were formed. Of the isolated compounds, one flavanone and three derailment products were found to be novel compounds.
Potent neurotoxic fluorinated 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine analogs as potential probes in models of Parkinson disease.

: We synthesized a number of fluorinated analogs of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), and tested their suitability as substrates for monoamine oxidase B in vitro and their dopaminergic neurotoxicity in vivo. Two of the compounds tested, 2′-F-MPTP and 2′-CF3-MPTP, were better enzyme substrates and possessed more potent neurotoxicity for nigrostriatal dopamine neurons than MPTP, especially 2′-F-MPTP. The results of the in vivo neurotoxicity experiments correlated well with the suitability of the compounds as substrates for monoamine oxidase. These findings could serve as a basis for the use of 18F-labeled analogs of MPTP for positron emission tomography studies of nonhuman primates for better understanding of the factors underlying MPTP toxicity. Furthermore, the discovery of two MPTP analogs with enhanced selective neurotoxicity to dopaminergic neurons may be an important clue in the continuing efforts to define the chemical structure-activity factors governing MPTP neurotoxic activation mechanisms.
Improved Finite Impulse Response Filters for Enhanced Destriping of Geostationary Satellite Data

Abstract The visible infrared spin scan radiometer (VISSR) common to many geostationary satellites produces visible wavelength data contaminated with stripes. The stripes affect the usefulness of the data in quantitative studies. This paper briefly reviews the cause of the striping and then develops a tapered window finite impulse response (FIR) filter and a constrained least squares FIR filter. Both filters minimize the stripes in the visible data and simultaneously minimize any distortion in the filtered data. These new filters are also designed to minimize ringing near cloud edges—a problem often associated with earlier FIR filter designs used to remove striped noise in satellite data. Finally, the results obtained by using these new filtering methods are quantitatively compared with those produced by other destriping methods. Results from geostationary operational environment satellite (GOES-7) and the geostationary meteorological satellite (GMS-5) scenes show that both filters are superior to the other methods evaluated. Moreover, they are computationally efficient because they are implemented in the spatial domain. Significant differences between the noise structure of GOES-7 and GMS-5 visible data also are discussed; these differences appear not to be in the open literature. The new FIR filter designs can also be adapted for use with data taken with the improved VISSR-like instruments on the GOES-8 and GOES-9 satellites. The importance of proper destriping of geostationary satellite data for geophysical applications is discussed.
Light-evoked walking in crayfish: Behavioral and neuronal responses triggered by the caudal photoreceptor

The caudal photoreceptors (CPRs) of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) can trigger walking and abdominal movements by their response to light. 1. In a restrained, inverted crayfish, illumination of A6 evoked a CPR discharge followed by leg movements and bursting from the abdominal tonic flexor (TF) motoneurons. Intracellular electrical stimulation of a single CPR at high frequency (80 Hz) evoked similar responses. 2. Responses only occurred when a single CPR axon was driven at 60 Hz or more and outlasted the stimulus. 3. CPR stimulation also excites the pattern-initiating network (Moore and Larimer 1987) in the abdomen. 4. The axon of the CPR projects from ganglion A6 to the brain. Terminal branches occur in the subesophageal ganglion and the brain. A small descending interneuron is dye-coupled to CPR in the subesophageal ganglion. 5. In animals with cut circumesophageal connectives, the CPRs can evoke walking and the abdominal motor pattern. 6. The relationship of the abdominal motor pattern to walking is altered by restraint and/or inversion. In freely moving crayfish, the cyclic abdominal motor pattern is only observed with backward walking. In restrained, inverted crayfish, the motor pattern occurs with both forward or backward walking.
exVis: developing a wind tunnel data visualization tool

Software has been developed to apply visualization techniques to aeronautics data collected during wind tunnel experiments. Interaction between the software developers and the aeroscientists has been crucial in making the software. The interaction has also been important in building the scientists' confidence in the use of interactive, computer-mediated analysis tools.
COMPARISON AND MODELING OF THE ADSORPTION OF TWO MICROCYSTIN ANALOGUES ONTO POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON

The presence of cyanobacterial toxins, such as microcystins, in drinking water supplies is a major concern for water authorities worldwide due to possible adverse health effects associated with exposure to these compounds. Adsorption onto powdered activated carbon in the water treatment process offers an effective treatment option for the removal of these compounds. However, for the efficient use of powdered activated carbon, knowledge of the appropriate dose to apply is required. In this study the adsorption of two microcystin analogues, microcystin-LR and microcystin-LA, onto powdered activated carbon was studied for two waters. Analysis of batch kinetic and equilibrium adsorption data showed that the homogeneous surface diffusion model could successfully predict the adsorption kinetics of the two toxins. The application of the homogeneous surface diffusion model is extremely useful to water treatment plant operators as it can be used to predict the powdered activated carbon dose for the removal of algal toxins based on the analogue(s) present, influent toxin concentration and powdered activated carbon contact time. Adsorption was also found to be different for the two toxin analogues, and dependent on the water character. Microcystin-LR was much more easily removed than microcystin-LA in both waters, and adsorption of both analogues was lower in the water with a higher dissolved organic carbon concentration.
Different Effects on Human Topoisomerase I by Minor Groove and Intercalated Deoxyguanosine Adducts Derived from Two Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Diol Epoxides at or Near a Normal Cleavage Site

Topoisomerase I (top1) relieves supercoiling in DNA by forming transient covalent cleavage complexes. These cleavage complexes can accumulate in the presence of damaged DNA or anticancer drugs that either intercalate or lie in the minor groove. Recently we reported that covalent diol epoxide (DE) adducts of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) at the exocyclic amino group of G(+1) block cleavage at a preferred cleavage site (∼CTT—G(+1)G(+2)A∼) and cause accumulation of cleavage products at remote sites. In the present study, we have found that the 10S G(+2) adduct of BaP DE, which lies toward the scissile bond in the minor groove, blocks normal cleavage, whereas the 10R isomer, which orients away from this bond, allows normal cleavage but blocks religation. In contrast to BaP, the pair of benzo[c] phenanthrene (BcPh) DE adducts at G(+2), which intercalate from the minor groove either between G(+1)/G(+2) or between G(+2)/A, allow normal cleavage but block religation. Both intercalated BcPh DE adducts at G(+1) suppress normal cleavage, as do both groove bound BaP DE adducts at this position. These studies demonstrate that these DE adducts provide a novel set of tools to study DNA topoisomerases and emphasize the importance of contacts between the minor groove and top1′s catalytic site.
Hilar Mossy Cells Provide the First Glutamatergic Synapses to Adult-Born Dentate Granule Cells

Adult-generated granule cells (GCs) in the dentate gyrus must establish synapses with preexisting neurons to participate in network activity. To determine the source of early glutamatergic synapses on newborn GCs in adult mice, we examined synaptic currents at the developmental stage when NMDA receptor-mediated silent synapses are first established. We show that hilar mossy cells provide initial glutamatergic synapses as well as disynaptic GABAergic input to adult-generated dentate GCs.
Japanese banks liability management before and during the banking crises and macroeconomic fundamentals

Abstract In this paper, we aim to shed lights on the Japanese banking crisis by means of an Error Correction Model in two ways. First we determine how the dynamic behavior of key macroeconomic variables identified by the literature played in the Japanese banks’ liability management before and during the banking crisis. Second, we focus on whether and how this management affected the balance of payments. We find that exchange rate, interest rates, and foreign reserves were important variables in explaining the short-term behavior of Japanese banks’ liability management at the time of the banking crisis. The causality runs from these variables to debentures (bank notes) and foreign liabilities—two of the three relevant instruments used by Japanese’s banks for liability management. We also find that the use of these instruments affected the balance of payments because of its feedback on the exchange rate and, to a lesser extent, on the foreign reserves. This effect, however, is only of a short-term nature. The stock market plays a key role in explaining the direction of this causality.
REAL Camp: A School–University Collaboration to Promote Post-Secondary Educational Opportunities Among High School Students

Abstract The REAL Camp-NIU Experience established at Northern Illinois University serves as a model to afford high school students an experience in science- and mathematics-related careers. The participants’ perceptions of the college-based camp curriculum were very favorable, as were the perceptions from preservice teachers and practicing teachers concerning the overall effect of the camp on student participants. Data indicated that the camp has shown success over time, with 21 of the 26 participants enrolling in some form of post-secondary education.
An analytical insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) model for steady-state and transient applications under all free-carrier injection conditions

Abstract The insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is the most advanced and promising power switching device. This paper presents an analytical model for the steady-state and transient characteristics of such a device. The model is derived rigorously from the ambipolar transport equaion and is valid for all free-carrier injection conditions, rather than just for a special case (i.e. low or high free-carrier injection) considered in the IGBT models reported to date in the literature. Results simulated from a two-dimensional simulator called MEDICI are also included in support of the model.
Complications of Chronic Indwelling Urinary Catheters

Chronic indwelling catheters are used to manage urinary retention, especially in the presence of urethral obstruction, and to facilitate healing of incontinence-related skin breakdown. These indwelling foreign bodies become coated and sometimes obstructed by biofilm laden with bacteria and struvite crystals. Bacteria invariably colonize the system and may invade the blood stream following trauma or obstruction. Staff should maintain a closed, dependent system to avoid introducing new organisms and be vigilant for the development of obstruction, avoid trauma, and consider chronic catheters and drainage bags to be potential sources of antibiotic-resistant bacteria for secretion containment and when antibiotics are selected for empiric therapy. Suprapubic catheters should be considered when urethral catheters are associated with discomfort or periurethral suppurative complications, especially in males.
A modified Booth algorithm for high radix fixed-point multiplication

The Booth multiplication algorithm produces incorrect results for some word sizes, when it is extended for higher radix, fixed-point multiplication. We present a modification of the Booth algorithm that produces correct results when the radix is any power of 2 and the multipliers are of any size. >
Postoperative abdominal complications in cardiopulmonary bypass patients: a case-controlled study.

Intraabdominal complications (IAC) after cardiopulmonary bypass often are difficult to diagnose and are associated with high mortality (13% to 67%). From 1984 to 1991 we retrospectively analyzed 53 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary artery bypass grafting, valve reconstruction, or arch reconstruction who experienced 55 episodes of IAC and compared them with matched control patients (matched for operation, age, and sex). The overall incidence of IAC was 0.65%. Univariate analysis identified the following preoperative variables as significantly ( p p = 0.045). Early post-cardiopulmonary bypass complications were increased significantly in IAC patients. These included acute renal failure ( p p p p = 0.004) and acute renal failure with creatinine level greater than 1.9 mg/dL ( p = 0.011) as the most powerful predictors of mortality regardless of intervention. These data suggest a profile of cardiac surgical patients at risk for IAC as well as those patients who are most likely to benefit from timely intervention.
How diabetes went to our heads.

A spate of recent studies has identified key neural pathways that control glucose production from the liver. They may provide a new link between obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Redeye Bass (Micropterus coosae) and Alabama Spotted Bass (M. punctulatus henshalli) Hybridization in Keowee Reservoir

Abstract Keowee Reservoir has supported an abundant population of native Micropterus coosae (redeye bass) for over 30 years. Recently, redeye bass abundance in this reservoir declined concomitantly with the establishment of angler-introduced Micropterus punctulatus henshalli (Alabama spotted bass). We suspected declines in redeye bass abundance may be related to their hybridizing with the Alabama spotted bass resulting in offspring that are difficult to differentiate from the Alabama spotted bass. Thus, we collected tissue for genetic analyses from what was thought to be pure redeye bass (Jocassee Reservoir, SC), the original source of Alabama spotted bass (Lake Lanier, GA) stocked in Lake Keowee, and suspected redeye bass x Alabama spotted bass hybrids (Keowee Reservoir, SC) to determine if hybridization might be occurring. These analyses confirmed that hybridization among species of Micropterus had occurred in Keowee Reservoir.
Furosemide kinetics and dynamics after kidney transplant

We examined differences between responder (R) (40 to 80 mg/day) and nonresponder (NR) (greater than or equal to 120 mg/day) patients after kidney transplant with respect to furosemide kinetics and dynamics. Nonresponders had reduced plasma clearance (NR 64 +/- 21.4 and R 105 +/- 23 ml/min, two-sample t test; p less than 0.05), renal clearance (NR 18.4 +/- 8.1 and R 47.1 +/- 11.0 ml/min; p less than 0.005), and renal clearance to creatinine clearance ratio (NR 0.43 +/- 0.15 and R 0.80 +/- 0.07; p less than 0.005). Half-life rose in the nonresponders (NR 130 +/- 13 and R 87.6 +/- 16.3 min; p less than 0.005). There was no difference between groups with respect to nonrenal clearance, extent of availability, volume of distribution steady state, and the fraction of the dose excreted unchanged in the urine after intravenous administration. These results suggest that nonresponders have less ability to secrete furosemide into tubular fluid as well as less ability to respond to drug.
Thermodynamic analysis of the binding of oxidized and reduced FMN cofactor to Vibrio harveyi NADPH-FMN oxidoreductase FRP apoenzyme.

The Vibrio harVeyi NADPH-specific flavin reductase FRP follows a ping-pong mechanism but switches to a sequential mechanism in the luciferase-coupled reaction. The bound FMN co-isolated with FRP, while acting as a genuine cofactor in the single-enzyme reaction, functions in the luciferase- coupled reaction as a prebound substrate and is directly transferred to luciferase once it is reduced (Lei, B., and Tu, S.-C. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 14623-14629). With the aim of better understanding the functions of FMN in the FRP holoenzyme, this study was undertaken to quantify and compare the thermodynamic properties of the binding of oxidized and reduced FMN by the FRP apoenzyme. By isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements in various buffers at pH 7.0 and 15-30 °C, the binding of FMN by apo-FRP was found to be noncooperative, exothermic, and primarily enthalpy driven. The binding free energy change (hence, the association constant) was nearly invariant over this temperature range. Significant conformational changes in FRP upon binding of FMN were indicated. Equilibrium bindings of reduced flavins by flavin-dependent proteins have rarely been studied. In this work, the thermodynamic properties of binding of reduced FMN by apo-FRP were found to closely resemble those of FMN binding under three sets of experimental conditions via ITC measurements and, in one case, fluorescence quenching. The kinetically deduced ping-pong mechanism of FRP is now supported by direct measurements of binding affinities of the oxidized and reduced FMN cofactors. These findings are also discussed in relation to the function of FRP as a reduced flavin donor in the FRP-luciferase couple.
Acute compartment syndrome. Effect of dermotomy on fascial decompression in the leg

Prompt surgical decompression is the only means of preventing the late sequelae of ischaemic contracture in post-traumatic compartment syndromes. However, controversy exists regarding the length of dermotomy required for adequate decompression in the lower extremity. This study investigated the skin envelope as a potential contributing factor. Wide fascial releases were performed through limited 8 cm incisions in eight cases of post-traumatic lower extremity compartment syndrome. In nine of 29 compartments the pressure remained greater than 30 mmHg. Lengthening the skin incisions to an average of 16 cm decreased intracompartmental pressures significantly. This study documents the skin envelope as a contributing factor in acute compartment syndromes of the leg. The use of generous skin incisions is supported and the need for intra-operative compartment pressure measurements in the treatment of this condition is emphasised.
Routing fountains: Leveraging wide-area broadcast to improve mobile inter-domain routing

Network mobility at continental scales requires transitioning between a collection of provider networks to maintain connectivity while traveling. Ideally, the transitions between networks occur transparently to end users therefore placing the burden of redirecting traffic on the inter-domain routing infrastructure. Performing inter-domain routing in mobile scenarios has been discouraged since BGP can exhibit prohibitively high convergence times and detrimental propagation patterns in large networks like the Internet. Alternative approaches and protocols have been suggested, but are still not ideal solutions as they do not provide optimal paths or do not facilitate routing with thousands of inter-organizational networks. To mitigate the current route propagation characteristics of BGP, we propose an architecture for inter-domain routing that augments hop-by-hop propagation with the wide scale broadcast distribution of routing data through routing fountains. In our approach we define the essential functional constructs that allow for the collection of partial path routing updates from subscribers, and utilize mass distribution mediums such as satellite downlinks to distribute this information globally. Receivers of the downlinked routing updates utilize legacy path knowledge and newly learned information to update local forwarding table entries. Our simulations demonstrate the potential for for our architecture to realize orders-of-magnitude improvements in system convergence time.
A Unified Framework for Recognizing Handwritten Chemical Expressions

Chemical expressions have more variant structures in 2-D space than that in math equations. In this paper we propose a unified framework for recognizing handwritten chemical expressions including both inorganic and organic expressions. A set of novel statistical algorithms is presented in two key components of this framework: symbol grouping and structure analysis. Non-symbol modeling and inter-group modeling are proposed to achieve better grouping result, and bond modeling is proposed to group the special bond symbols in the unified framework. A graph-based representation (CESG) is defined for representing generic chemical expressions, and the structure analysis problem is formulated as a search problem for CESG over a weighted direction graph. Experiments on a database of more than 35,000 expressions were conducted and results are presented.
Crack-tip problem in non-local elasticity

Abstract S olutions are presented for the one- and two-dimensional Griffith crack problems in non-local elasticity. The displacements and stresses are determined in an elastic plate, weakened by a sharpedged line crack. The plate is loaded by a uniform tension perpendicular to the line of the crack at infinity. The non-local elastic solutions yield a finite hoop stress at the crack tip, thus allowing for a fracture criterion based on the maximum stress hypothesis.
Induction of Prostaglandin E2 by Human Monocytes Infected with Mycobacterium avium Complex-Modulation of Cytokine Expression

Prostanoids, including prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), suppress macrophage effector functions against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PGE2 production by monocytes infected with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and its effects on intracellular mycobacterial growth were examined. Freshly obtained monocytes from healthy subjects were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide or 10(7) organisms/mL of 4 MAC strains. PGE2 production in monocyte supernatants peaked at 48 h. Significantly higher levels of PGE2 were produced by monocytes infected with the mixed rough-smooth, flat, and transparent (SmT) morphotype strain 86m2096 (26.8 +/- 5.2 ng/mL) than by the more virulent LR114 SmT morphotype strain (2.4 +/- 0.6 ng/mL; P < .05, paired t test). When infected monocytes were incubated with 1 microgram/mL indomethacin (IM) for 2 days and then further stimulated with interferon-gamma, no effect on intracellular MAC growth was evident. IM increased tumor necrosis factor-alpha (1.7 +/- 0.4 vs. 2.3 +/- 0.3 ng/mL; P = .005, paired t test) but not interleukin-1 beta (8.2 +/- 1.7 vs. 8.7 +/- 2.1 ng/mL, P = .34) production by monocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. These data suggest that MAC-induced PGE2 expression may modulate cytokine production and intracellular parasitism.
Trace-based microarchitecture-level diagnosis of permanent hardware faults

As devices continue to scale, future shipped hardware will likely fail due to in-the-field hardware faults. As traditional redundancy-based hardware reliability solutions that tackle these faults will be too expensive to be broadly deployable, recent research has focused on low-overhead reliability solutions. One approach is to employ low-overhead (ldquoalways-onrdquo) detection techniques that catch high-level symptoms and pay a higher overhead for (rarely invoked) diagnosis. This paper presents trace-based fault diagnosis, a diagnosis strategy that identifies permanent faults in microarchitectural units by analyzing the faulty corepsilas instruction trace. Once a fault is detected, the faulty core is rolled back and re-executes from a previous checkpoint, generating a faulty instruction trace and recording the microarchitecture-level resource usage. A diagnosis process on another fault-free core then generates a fault-free trace which it compares with the faulty trace to identify the faulty unit. Our result shows that this approach successfully diagnoses 98% of the faults studied and is a highly robust and flexible way for diagnosing permanent faults.
High-Throughput Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processes for Forming Single-Nanotube Based Architectures for 3D Electronics

We have developed manufacturable approaches to form single, vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, where the tubes are centered precisely, and placed within a few hundred nm of 1-1.5 micron deep trenches. These wafer-scale approaches were enabled by chemically amplified resists and inductively coupled Cryo-etchers for forming the 3D nanoscale architectures. The tube growth was performed using dc plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and the materials used for the pre-fabricated 3D architectures were chemically and structurally compatible with the high temperature (700 C) PECVD synthesis of our tubes, in an ammonia and acetylene ambient. Tube characteristics were also engineered to some extent, by adjusting growth parameters, such as Ni catalyst thickness, pressure and plasma power during growth. Such scalable, high throughput top-down fabrication techniques, combined with bottom-up tube synthesis, should accelerate the development of PECVD tubes for applications such as interconnects, nano-electromechanical (NEMS), sensors or 3D electronics in general.
Needle in a haystack: modeling the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest in healthy children.

A 50-year-old woman reported multiple, loose bowel movements associated with mild, cramping abdominal pain. She had been well until 2 months earlier, when her bowel habits changed from one formed stool per day to frequent loose stools of moderate volume.
Accelerated propagation of Stokes pulses in a Brillouin fiber laser: pump power dependence of cavity modes

We investigate both experimentally and numerically the evolution of slow light in the limit of high stimulated-Brillouin-scattering gain, as in a Brillouin fiber laser. The Stokes pulse transit time is measured to decrease and the resonant modes to shift to higher frequencies with increasing pump power. Numerical simulations reveal that pump depletion introduces a nonuniform group index across the Stokes pulse as it interacts with the pump, the index being greater for the leading edge and decreasing progressively towards the trailing edge in proportion to the remaining pump power. This results in a progressive acceleration of the Stokes pulse from slow to fast as it propagates through the cavity.