cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Barbed Wire: Threading and Interlocking for the Mechanical Reinforcement of Polymers

The incorporation of pendant iptycene units into polyesters creates a novel polymer-chain contour resembling “molecular barbed wire.” These types of units contain a unique structural property called the internal molecular-free volume (IMFV) and have been shown to induce steric interactions between polymer chains through the minimization of the IMFV. This process creates a sterically interconnected polymer-chain network with high ductility because of two new mechanisms: molecular threading and molecular interlocking. The ability for these mechanisms to enhance the mechanical properties of polyesters is robust across concentration and processing conditions. The size, shape, and concentration of these pendant units affect the mechanical behavior, and results indicate that the larger units do not necessarily produce superior tensile properties. However, the molecular-barbed-wire architecture consistently produces enhanced mechanical properties compared to the reference polyester. The particular stress‐strain response can be tailored by minute changes to the periphery of the iptycene unit.
Characterization of Flow Through Porous Metals

Porous metals have long been considered as an ideal material in which to manufacture turbine components given the inherent large convective surface area. One consideration, however, in using porous metals is the increase in pressure drop that accompanies these materials. To characterize increases in pressure drop for porous materials, flow measurements were made on numerous porous metal coupons. The porosity of the coupons investigated had a range of four in terms of density. A technique for determining the effective internal flow area from pressure drop measurements was developed to provide an effective diameter. The pressure drop measurements were compared to an ideal isentropic compressible-flow nozzle and to a smooth, straight-walled tube. The comparisons show that the porous channels have a similar, but much larger pressure drop than the smooth walls. The experiments performed demonstrated that these porous geometries can be scaled to provide generalized pressure drop characteristics for all geometries.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
RELATIONSHIP OF DIFFERENT MEASURES OF SELF-ESTEEM TO LOCUS OF CONTROL

The relationship of locus of control to two measures of self-esteem was investigated in 84 college students. The Berger and the Cooper-smith measures, which are methodologically different indices of self-esteem, were not consistently related to locus of control. It is suggested that these two scales may be measuring independent and unrelated aspects of self-esteem.
Nanotechnology-driven chemistry of boron materials

The chemistry and reactivity of carborane-appended magnetic nanoparticles and boron-based nanomaterials are briefly reviewed with an emphasis on our contribution to this field. The carborane-appended magnetic nanoparticles exhibited great potential to be useful in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). A facile route to synthesize boron nanorods (BNRs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) is also demonstrated. While functionalized BNRs and BNNTs have been successfully prepared, the derivatives of BNNTs were investigated as potential carriers for BNCT.
Empirical evaluation of genome scans for linkage of a quantitative trait associated with a complex disorder.

Nonparametric sib-pair analysis (Haseman-Elston) was used to search for evidence of linkage between a putative locus for a complex quantitative trait Q1 and genome-wide markers (367 markers from 10 chromosomes) for the first 100 replicates of nuclear family data. The characteristics of the statistically positive linkage results [the magnitude of p-values (p), the number of supporting flanking markers, and the percentage of positive replicates] were compared for true linkage (major and minor genes) and false positive evidence for linkage. Discriminant analysis was used to evaluate which characteristics of these statistically positive linkage results are good indicators to discriminate true linkage from false positive evidence for linkage. Sensitivity and false positive rates of several proposed criteria for linkage, as well as the criteria based on our results were evaluated. The relationship between the map location of the marker with the lowest p-value and the map location of the true underlying gene was also evaluated, which provided useful information for fine mapping and replication studies. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) Treatment Prevents Bone Loss and Reduces Body Fat in Ovariectomized Rats

This study was conducted to examine the bone and body composition effects of S-4, an aryl-propionamide derived Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) in an ovariectomy induced model of accelerated bone loss. One hundred twenty female Sprague–Dawley rats aged to twenty-three weeks were randomly assigned to twelve treatment groups. Drug treatment was initiated immediately following ovariectomy and continued for one hundred twenty days. Whole body bone mineral density (BMD), body composition, and lumbar vertebrae BMD were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. More stringent regional pQCT and biomechanical strength testing was performed on excised femurs. We found that S-4 treatment maintained whole body and trabecular BMD, cortical content, and increased bone strength while decreasing body fat in these animals. The data presented herein show the protective skeletal effects of S-4. Our previous reports have shown the tissue selectivity and muscle anabolic activity of S-4. Together these data suggest that S-4 could reduce the incidence of fracture via two different mechanisms (i.e., via direct effects in bone and reducing the incidence of falls through increased muscle strength). This approach to fracture reduction would be advantageous over current therapies in these patients which are primarily antiresorptive in nature.
Patent foramen ovale and embolic stroke "en flagrant délit"

Proof of a causal relationship between a patent fossa ovale and cryptogenic stroke has been controversial (Yasaka et al, Intern Med 2005;44:434-8). The authors identified 1 patient in whom the presence of a large migrating thrombus through a moderate-size patent fossa ovale was caught "en flagrant delit," which suggests a direct pathogenic role.
Bisphosphonates: ready for use as adjuvant therapy of breast cancer?

Purpose of review To describe recent data on the effects of bisphosphonates on bone health for patients with primary breast cancer. Recent findings Data are accumulating regarding the salutary effect of bisphosphonates on bone health. Preservation of bone mineral density, a surrogate for fracture risk, has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials of bisphosphonates. These trials have included premenopausal and postmenopausal women and endocrine and chemotherapy adjuvant breast cancer treatments. In these trials there has been a focus on gonadal dysfunction, use of aromatase inhibitors and the risk of osteopenia/ osteoporosis. Data with bisphosphonates in this clinical setting have not confirmed clinical benefit for fracture risk. Adjuvant studies to assess the prevention of bone metastases have appropriate scientific rationale, including the potential antitumor effects of bisphosphonates, but large randomized controlled trials are incomplete. Summary The use of a bisphosphonate is warranted for preservation of bone mineral density in women with primary breast cancer and gonadal dysfunction or drug-induced hypoestrogenism. The potential additional benefit of delay or prevention of bone metastasis awaits confirmation from randomized controlled trials. Expert consensus panels have suggested guidelines for use of bisphosphonates for prevention of cancer treatment induced bone loss.
Time-dependent effects of in vivo pertussis toxin on morphine analgesia and G-proteins in mice.

Abstract Previous studies have indicated a long-duration of effect of in vivo pertussis toxin (PTX) on morphine analgesia in the mouse. However, the time-course of potency changes in morphine analgesia as determined in dose-response studies and biochemical correlates of PTX treatment have not been reported to date. Therefore, in the present studies the effects of in vivo PTX on morphine analgesia ED 50 and PTX-catalyzed incorporation of [ 32 P]-ADP-ribose and synapsin content in mouse spinal cord were examined. Mice were injected IT & ICV with saline or PTX (total dose = 0.2 μg) and tested for systemic morphine analgesia (tail-flick) 1, 10, 16 & 40 days later. There was no significant decrease in morphine potency 1 day following PTX treatment, whereas PTX produced a significant decrease in morphine potency at 10, 16 & 40 days. Concurrent decreases in the incorporation of [ 32 P]-ADP-ribose in spinal cord by PTX were observed on days 10, 16 & 40. No changes were observed in synapsin content which suggests that the effect was not nonspecific. This study indicates that in vivo PTX produces co-ordinate long-lasting effects in both functional (analgesia) and biochemical (G i/o -proteins) assays.
Distinct stages of cytochrome c release from mitochondria: Evidence for a feedback amplification loop linking caspase activation to mitochondrial dysfunction in genotoxic stress induced apoptosis

Cytochrome c (cyto c) release from mitochondria is a critical event in apoptosis. By investigating the ordering of molecular events during genotoxic stress-induced apoptosis, we found that ionizing radiation (IR) and etoposide induced the release of cyto c from mitochondria in two distinct stages. The early release of low levels of cyto c into the cytosol preceded the activation of caspase 9 and 3, but had no effect on ATP levels or mitochrondrial transmembrane potential (Deltapsim). In contrast, the late stage cyto c release resulted in a drastic loss of mitochondrial cyto c and was associated with reduction of ATP levels and Deltapsim. Moreover, caspases contributed to the late cyto c release since the caspase inhibitor zVAD prevented only the late but not the early-stage cyto c release. Recombinant caspase 3 induced cyto c release from isolated mitochondria in the absence of cytosolic factors. Bcl-2 but not Bid was cleaved during apoptosis after caspase activation. This suggests that Bcl-2 cleavage might contribute to the late cyto c release, which results in mitochondrial dysfunction manifested by the decrease of ATP and Deltapsim. zVAD prevented the reduction of ATP, Deltapsim, and nuclear condensation when added up to 8 h after IR, at the time the caspases were highly activated but when the majority of cyto c was still maintained in the mitochondria. These findings link the feedback loop control of caspase-induced cyto c release with mitochondrial dysfunction manifested by ATP and Deltapsim decline.
Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor blocks the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis signaling in breast cancer cells.

The cytokine hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) has been found to protect a variety of epithelial and cancer cell types against cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by DNA damage, but the specific apoptotic signaling events and the levels at which they are blocked by HGF/SF have not been identified. We found that treatment of MDA-MB-453 human breast cancer cells with adriamycin (also known as doxorubicin, a DNA topoisomerase IIalpha inhibitor) induced a series of time-dependent events, including the mitochondrial release of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, activation of a set of caspases (caspase-9, -3, -7, -2, and -8), cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and up-regulation of expression of the Fas ligand. All of these events were blocked by preincubation of the cells with HGF/SF. In contrast, the pan-caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-VAD-fluoromethylketone blocked some of these events (e.g. caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage) but did not block cytochrome c release or mitochondrial depolarization. These findings suggest that HGF/SF functions, in part, upstream of the mitochondria to block mitochondrial apoptosis signaling, prevent activation of multiple caspases, and protect breast cancer cells against apoptosis.
The effect of overload on the fatigue crack growth behaviour of 304 stainless steel in hydrogen

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) behaviour and its characteristics following tensile overloads were investigated for AISI 304 stainless steel in three different atmospheres; namely dry argon, moist air and hydrogen. The FCG tests were performed by MTS 810 servohydraulic machine. CT specimens were used for the tests and crack closure measurements were made using an extensometer, FCG rates of 304 stainless steel at both dry argon and moist air atmospheres have shown almost the same behaviour. In other words, the effect of moisture on FCG of this material is very small. However, in a hydrogen atmosphere, the material showed considerably higher crack growth rate in all regimes. In general, for all environments, the initial effect of overloads was to accelerate the FCG rate for a short distance (less than a mm) after which retardation occurred for a considerable amount of time. The main causes for retardation were found as crack blunting and a long reinitiation period for the fatigue crack. Regarding the environmental effect, the overload retardation was lowest in a hydrogen atmosphere. This low degree of retardation was explained by a hydrogen embrittlement mechanism. In a general sense, hydrogen may cause a different crack closure mechanism and hydrogen induced crack closure has come in to the picture. Scanning electron microscope and light microscope examinations agreed well with the above results.
Diet choice, risk, and food sharing in a stochastic environment

Abstract Foraging models can predict the optimal diet selection for an organism which has the goal of maximizing its net acquisition rate for energy while hunting and gathering. Here a simulation methodology is used to determine the optimal diet selection under the assumption that the forager's goal is to minimize the risk of an energy shortfall. The results show that the rate-maximizing and risk-minimizing diets are similar; that sharing is more effective than changes in diet in reducing risk; and that the risk-reduction which can be obtained from sharing requires quite small numbers of participants. Food sharing may be an ancient and pervasive feature of hominid foraging adaptations.
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS DETECTED IN BOWEL EPITHELIUM FROM PATIENTS WITH GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS

Infectious human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was recovered from two out of four bowel biopsy specimens from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with chronic diarrhoea of unknown aetiology. In-situ hybridisation of biopsy specimens from rectum and duodenum of other AIDS patients with gastrointestinal complaints showed the presence of HIV-infected cells in both the base of the bowel crypts and the lamina propria. The type(s) of epithelial cell(s) infected could not be determined definitively. However, the association of in-situ labelling of HIV RNA in argentaffin staining cells strongly suggests that enterochromaffin cells derived from neural crest tissue are among the target cells. This evidence that HIV can directly infect the bowel raises the possibility that the virus causes some of the gastrointestinal disorders of AIDS patients.
Use of impedance method to study the efficacy of magnetic stimulation in feline sciatic nerve

Recently, magnetic stimulation of the central and peripheral nervous systems is becoming an alternative mechanism to the electrical stimulation. Due to the excellent permeability of the magnetic fields in tissue, magnetic stimulation is found as a non-invasive or minimally invasive technique that can increase the efficacy and longevity of the neural stimulator. Magnetic stimulation, as compared to electrical stimulation, uses alternative current in the magnetic coil to induce eddy currents in conductive tissues to elicit a neural response. Traditionally, analytical solutions have been pursued to understand the underlying mechanism of magnetic stimulation incorporating simple nerve/tissue models [1–2]. Few attempts were also taken to study the effect of tissue boundaries on the induced electric field [3]. However, due to the overly simplistic tissue models, these analytical solutions did not provide sufficient insights on the stimulation conditions for the neural response.
Relationships of age and weekly running distance to BMI and circumferences in 41,582 physically active women.

Objective: To assess in women whether age-related increases in adiposity are dependent on exercise, and, contrariwise, whether exercise-related declines in adiposity are dependent on age. Research Methods and Procedures: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted of 41, 582 female runners. Results: Age affected the relationships between vigorous exercise and adiposity. The decline in BMI per kilometer per week run was linear in 18 to 23 year olds and became increasingly non-linear (convex) with age. Waist, hip, and chest circumferences declined significantly with running distance across all age groups, but the declines were significantly greater in older than younger women, particularly among shorter distance runners. The relationships between body circumferences and running distance became increasingly convex in older women. Conversely, vigorous exercise diminished the apparent increase in adiposity with age. The increase in average BMI with age was greatest in women who ran <8 km/wk, intermediate in women who ran 8 to 15 km/wk or 16 to 31 km/wk, and least in those who averaged over 32 km/wk. Before age 45, waist circumference rose for those who ran 0 to 7 km/wk, showed no significant relationship to age for those who ran 8 to 39 km/wk, and declined in those who ran 40 to 55 and 56 km/wk and more. Age related-increases in hip and chest circumferences before 45 years old were significantly less in women who ran longer weekly distances. Discussion: These cross-sectional associations are consistent with the hypothesis that exercise may mitigate age-related increases in adiposity and that age affects exercise-induced reductions in adiposity (although causality remains to be determined experimentally).
The scar of the turbulent decade

sues ideologically indistinguishable from the other liberal Democrats running for the party's presidential nomination. What he demands from the party is the nomination of substantially more black candidates for elective office and the appointment of more blacks to nonelective offices. His demands are for proportional representation. As demonstrated in Bruce Cain's recent book, The Reapportionment Puzzle, this is the same demand made upon the Democratic party by MexicanAmericans. Achieving increases in the turnout rates of blacks, Mexican-Americans, and other minority groups will require the Democrats to accede to demands for proportional representation. It will also require getting people registered. The dramatic successes in Chicago and Philadelphia should not blind us to the fact that producing even a modest increase in minority turnout rates will require a tremendous investment of money, labor, and organizational resources. There are strong, competing claims for these resources; how likely, for example, is the Democratic presidential nominee to favor diverting funds programmed for a media blitz in October to a registration drive in August? Discriminatory registration requirements and electoral systems that discourage blacks and other minorities from voting still exist in many parts of the country. Millions of voters are regularly purged from the rolls for failure to vote in consecutive elections. A large effort at registering new minority voters is needed to simply keep from losing ground.I--1
The separation of two urinary desoxyribonucleases.

Abstract A protein concentrate of normal human urine has served as a starting product for paper electrophoresis. The acid and neutral desoxyribonucleases of human urine have been separated by this procedure and a fifteen- to sixteenfold purification of enzyme activity has been achieved. Two or three times the amount of activity measured in the concentrated urine was observed on the paper strips and this suggests that certain enzyme inhibitors are removed in the process of electrophoresis. The DNase II in aqueous solution is much more labile than DNase I.
Detection of changes in articular cartilage proteoglycan by T1ρ magnetic resonance imaging

The purpose of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of T(1rho)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantitatively measure changes in proteoglycan content in cartilage. The T(1rho) MRI technique was implemented in an in vivo porcine animal model with rapidly induced cytokine-mediated cartilage degeneration. Six pigs were given an intra-articular injection of recombinant porcine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) into the knee joint before imaging to induce changes in cartilage via matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) induction. The induction of MMPs by IL-1 was used since it has been extensively studied in many systems and is known to create conditions that mimic in part characteristics similar to those of osteoarthritis. The contralateral knee joint was given a saline injection to serve as an internal control. T(1rho)-weighted MRI was performed on a 4 T whole-body clinical scanner employing a 2D fast spin-echo-based T(1rho) imaging sequence. T(1rho) relaxation parameter maps were computed from the T(1rho)-weighted image series. The average T(1rho) relaxation rate, R(1rho) (1/T(1rho)) of the IL-1beta-treated patellae was measured to be on average 25% lower than that of saline-injected patellae indicating a loss of proteoglycan. There was an average reduction of 49% in fixed charge density, measured via sodium MRI, of the IL-1beta-treated patellae relative to control corroborating the loss of proteoglycan. The effects of IL-1beta, primarily loss of PG, were confirmed by histological and immunochemical findings. The results from this study demonstrate that R(1rho) is able to track proteoglycan content in vivo.
Ganglion cell formation in the chick neural retina.

Abstract The time of onset and the site of ganglion cell withdrawal from the cell cycle has been established for the chick neural retina from the pattern of incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine at different early stages of development. Some neuroepithelial (presumptive ganglion) cells in the fundus of the eye begin to withdraw from the cell cycle late on the 2nd or early on the 3rd day of development (Hamburger and Hamilton stage 12 and 13) at about the same time that neuronal specification of these cells has been reported to occur. While other ganglion cell precursors continue to divide until as late as the 12th day, most cease mitosis nad migrate to vitreal surface between the 3rd and 7th day of incubation. From counts made during this peak period of activity, it appears that the number of ganglion cells doubles about once every 12 h. Such new cells as are added after this period are added at the margin of the ora serrata .
Aligned gadolinium barium copper oxide thick films formed by in situ crystallization in a magnetic field

Gd-1:2:3 films were synthesized from acetate precursors and spun-on to polycrystalline substrates of yttria-stabilized zirconia. The substrates were fired in air at 500 °C in between each applied coat. After applying 10–30 coats, they were crystallized by heating to 900 °C in Ar or O2 with or without the application of a 1 T magnetic field. The applied magnetic field was found to produce c-axis alignment for films 20 μm were not aligned for either environment.
Uncertainty propagation in geochemical calculations: non-linearity in solubility equilibria

Uncertainty in the results of geochemical equilibrium calculations may be estimated from input uncertainties using either derivative approximations or Monte Carlo simulations. While derivative methods are fast and convenient for many equilibria, inherently non-linear aspects of solubility equilibria may lead to a failure of the linear approximation and thus to asymmetric and/or bimodal uncertainty in calculated concentrations. In these cases, the use of derivative methods and the assumption of Gaussian uncertainty in the calculated concentrations misrepresent the propagated uncertainty. Equilibria with gibbsite, calcite, and the chromate analog of jarosite are examined.
Introducing assistive technology in an HCI course

This poster describes part 1 of the 2-year project "Integrating Assistive Technology into an Undergraduate Computer Science Curriculum from an HCI Approach," funded by the National Science Foundation. The intent of this phase of the project is to introduce the topic of computerized aids for the disabled (generally called assistive technology (AT)) as one-to-three week curriculum modules as part of a typical human-computer interaction (HCI) course offered for senior Computer Science majors. This poster will briefly describe some of the topics to be covered, how these topics fit within HCI concepts, sample assignments, and the laboratory equipment used to support demonstrations and assignments.
Global challenges, global opportunities.

Academia is at an exciting crossroads. The global problems we face are immense, but the good news is we know how to address most of them. Our primary challenge today is not a lack of knowledge but a failure to scale up what we already know works. Some of the skills to implement what we know are medical, many are not. Political science, economics, management, veterinary sciences, engineering, and law are as important as the health sciences in tackling these problems. Integrating these disciplines is vital in scaling up high impact solutions and building systems. Against this backdrop is a confluence of old and new threats. Infectious diseases, a lack of capacity, poor governance, corruption, and conflict are ever-present. The rise of noncommunicable diseases, climate change, environmental degradation, and an increasing and aging global population will compound these persistent problems. There is also a grand convergence between high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Old and new problems affect all nations to varying degrees. This binds us not only by our common humanity but also by our common challenges. In our virtually borderless world, we are all in this together. The Consortium of Universities for Global Health (www.CUGH.org) was created 6 years ago by 24 leading universities in North America. Part of its mission is to strengthen academia’s ability to improve the lives of the world’s poor through research, education, and service. Its membership has grown rapidly and now includes more than 135 institutions worldwide. CUGH’s fifth annual conference was held in Washington DC, May 10e12, 2014. Three all-day satellite sessions were offered on May 9: Global Cancer with NIH’s National Cancer Institute; Building a Better Global Health Professional with the Public Health Institute; and a session on Innovation and Translation with National Institutes of Health (NIH)-National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and USAID. Attending the meeting were 1450 people from 54 countries, representing 205 institutions. One-third of the attendees were students. The theme for the conference was Universities 2.0: Advancing Global Health in the post-Millenium Development Goals (MDG) era. More than 60 panels, workshops, and special sessions were held and in excess
Investigation of the Rates of Comorbid Symptoms in Children with ADHD Compared to Children with ASD

There is a scarcity of research looking at how comorbid psychological disorders impact the assessment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The present study aimed to extend the literature in this area by evaluating rates of comorbid symptoms in both children with ASD and those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with ASD, ADHD, or no psychological diagnosis participated in this study. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms were assessed with the Autism Spectrum Disorders - Comorbidity for Children (ASD-CC). Multivariate and univariate main effect analyses with post-hoc comparisons were then conducted. Children with ASD evinced higher rates of comorbid symptoms than children with ADHD. Additionally, both children with ASD and those with ADHD exhibited more comorbid symptoms than children without a psychological disorder. These findings are in accordance with previous research and support the need for broadband assessment of psychiatric conditions in children presenting with developmental delays or externalizing behaviors. Other implications of these findings are discussed.
Radiatively-induced flavor-changing neutral Higgs-Boson couplings

In the standard model of weak and electromagnetic interactions with several Higgs doublets there are several physical neutral Higgs particles. A discrete symmetry can be imposed which forbids flavor-changing neutral Higgs-boson couplings at tree level. In this case it is shown that radiative corrections induce significant flavor-changing neutral Higgs-boson couplings.
Determination of L-753,037 in human plasma by liquid chromatography/turbo ionspray tandem mass spectrometry.

A liquid chromatographic/turbo ionspray tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of L-753,037, a potent endothelin receptor antagonist currently under development for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, in human plasma. L-753,037 is extracted from 0.5 ml of human plasma using liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed by LC/MS/MS with a turbo ionspray interface. Method validation results showed that this method is very sensitive, reliable, selective and reproducible. L-753,048, an ethoxy analogue of L-753,037, was used as the internal standard. The method has a lower limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 50 pg ml(-1) with a linear calibration range of 0.05-50 ng ml(-1). The intra-day precision and accuracy (n = 5) were measured to be below 10% relative standard deviation (RSD) and between 97.4 and 102.8% of the nominal values, respectively, for all calibration standard concentrations within the calibration curve range. The inter-day precision and accuracy (n = 3 days, 5 replicates per day) were measured to be below 6.5% RSD and between 99.3 and 102.0% of the nominal values, respectively, for all quality control concentrations. The extraction recovery was determined to be approximately 99% on average. The analyte was found to be stable in plasma through three freeze-thaw cycles, for at least 4 h at ambient temperature and for up to 40 days under -20 degrees C freezer storage conditions. The analyte was also shown to be stable for at least 24 h in the reconstitution solution at room temperature and for up to 3 days as a dried extract at 4 degrees C. Additional variations in plasma concentration of the analyte due to the use of different sources of plasma were also evaluated.
Evaluation of Alternate High Temperature Coatings to Improve Hot Corrosion Resistance in a Shipboard Environment

501-K34 marine gas turbine engines serve as auxiliary power sources for the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 Class. It is desired that 501-K34 marine gas turbine engines have a mean time between removal of 20K hours. While some engines have approached this goal, others have fallen significantly short. A primary reason for this shortfall is hot corrosion (Type I and Type II) damage in the turbine area (more specifically the first row turbine hardware) due to both intrusion of salts from the marine air and from sulfur in the gas turbine combustion fuel. The Navy’s technical community recognizes that engine corrosion problems are complex in nature and are often tied to the design of the overall system. For this reason, two working groups were formed. One group focuses on the overall ship system design and operation, including the inlet and fuel systems. The second, the corrosion issues working group, will review the design and performance of the turbine itself and develop sound, practical, economical, and executable changes to engine design that will make it more robust and durable in the shipboard operating environment. Metallographic examination of unfailed blades removed from a marine gas turbine engine with 18000 operating hours showed that the coating thickness under the platform and in the curved area of transition between the platform to the blade stem was either very thin, or in a few cases, non-existent on each unfailed blade. Type II hot corrosion was evident at these locations under the platform. It was also observed that this corrosion under the platform led to corrosion fatigue cracking of first stage turbine blades due to poor coating quality (high porosity and variable thickness). Corrosion fatigue cracks initiated at several hot corrosion sites and had advanced through the stems to varying degrees. Cracking in a few blades had advanced to the point that would have led to premature blade failure. Low velocity, atmospheric-pressure burner-rig (LVBR) tests were conducted for 1000 hours to evaluate several alternative high-temperature coatings in both Type I and Type II hot corrosion environments. The objectives of this paper are to: (1) report the results of the hot corrosion performance of alternative high temperature coating systems for under the platform of the 1st stage blade of 501-K34 gas turbine engine, (2) compare the performance of these alternative coating systems to the current baseline 1st stage blade coating, and (3) down select the best performing coating systems (in terms of their LVBR hot corrosion and thermal cycling resistance) to implement on future 501-K34 first stage blades for the Fleet.
A guide through present computational approaches for the identification of mammalian microRNA targets.

Computational microRNA (miRNA) target prediction is a field in flux. Here we present a guide through five widely used mammalian target prediction programs. We include an analysis of the performance of these individual programs and of various combinations of these programs. For this analysis we compiled several benchmark data sets of experimentally supported miRNA–target gene interactions. Based on the results, we provide a discussion on the status of target prediction and also suggest a stepwise approach toward predicting and selecting miRNA targets for experimental testing.
Thermomechanical fatigue, oxidation, and creep: Part i. Damage mechanisms

Isothermal fatigue tests and both out-of-phase and in-phase thermomechanical fatigue tests were performed in air and in helium atmospheres. A wide range of temperatures from 20 ‡C to 700 ‡C was considered in these tests on 1070 steel specimens. A procedure for inert atmosphere testing using encapsulated specimens is described. Results indicate that the fatigue lives are 2 to 12 times greater in helium than in air. Interrupted tests were performed to characterize the pro-gression of damage in the material. Results indicate that oxidation-induced crack nucleation and crack growth are detrimental at high temperatures for isothermal and out-of-phase thermome-chanical fatigue tests. In these tests, transgranular cracking is observed. However, creep-induced intergranular cracking is the dominant damage mechanism during in-phase thermomechanical fatigue tests.
A high resolution, chirped pulse lidar for simultaneous range and velocity measurements

A lidar based on the coherent detection of oppositely chirped optical pulses is used to perform range measurements with sub-millimeter resolution and simultaneous velocity measurements. A target moving at 212km/h is tracked with 20dB SNR.
The Spinning Motions of All Fermions and Bosons as Implied by Pauli Matrices Containing Complex Conjugates in a Combined Spacetime Four-Manifold

By substituting z = a + bi and 1/z = a – bi for i and –i into one of Pauli matrices and then casting (x,y) = (0,a+bi) as (x,y,z) = (0,a,b) and (x,y) = (a-bi,0) as (x,y,z) = (a,-b,0) by the geometry of our previously formulated combined spacetime 4-manifold = {(t+ti,x+yi,y+zi,z+xi)}, this paper generalizes the Dirac equation for a free electron into an equation that gives the motion (t,x(t),y(t),z(t)) for any free fermion or boson to be a uniform circular flow around two semi-circles connected with each other by an angle equal to 0, 30, 60, 90, or 180 degrees depending on the electric charge possessed by the particle. Even purely algebraically, any fermion or boson must correspond to a number on the complex unit circle, since the Dirac equation admits a Pauli matrix of z with modulus equal to one but not necessarily equal to i and all energies in free space must satisfy this Dirac equation as derived from the universally true equation of “energy-squared minus pc-squared equal to rest-energy-squared.”
Postsynaptically silent synapses in single neuron cultures

We have used the synapses that isolated hippocampal cells in culture form onto themselves (autapses) to determine if some synapses lack functional AMPA receptors (AMPARs). A comparison of the synaptic variability of the AMPAR- and NMDAR-mediated evoked responses, as well as of miniature synaptic responses, indicates that a population of events exists that only contains an NMDAR component. Spillover of glutamate from adjacent synapses cannot explain these results because in single cell cultures all synaptic events mediated by AMPARs should be detected. Immunocytochemical analysis of these cultures clearly reveals a population of synapses with puncta for NR1 (NMDAR) but not for GluR1 (AMPAR). These results provide strong anatomical and physiological evidence for the existence of postsynaptically silent synapses.
Approaches to Evaluation of Training: Theory & Practice

There is an on-going debate in the field of evaluation about which approach is best to facilitate the processes involved. This article reviews current approaches to evaluation of training both in theory and in practice. Particular attention is paid to the complexities associated with evaluation practice and whether these are addressed in the theory. Furthermore, possible means of expediting the performance of evaluations and expanding the range and precision of data collection using automated systems are discussed. Recommendations for further research are also discussed. Part of the explanation may be that the task of evaluation is complex in itself. Evaluating training interventions with regard to learning, transfer, and organizational impact involves a number of complexity factors. These complexity factors are associated with the dynamic and ongoing interactions of the various dimensions and attributes of organizational and training goals, trainees, training situations, and instructional technologies. Evaluation goals involve multiple purposes at dif ferent levels. These purposes include evaluation of student learning, evaluation of instructional materials, transfer of training, return on investment, and so on. Attaining these multiple purposes may require the collaboration of different people in diffe rent parts of an organization. Furthermore, not all goals may be well-defined and some may change. Different approaches to evaluation of training indicating how complexity factors associated with evaluation are addressed below. Furthermore, how technology can be used to support this process is suggested. In the following section, different approaches to evaluation and associated models are discussed. Next, recent studies concerning evaluation practice are presented. In the final section, opportunities for automated evaluation systems are discussed. The article concludes with recommendations for further research.
Business process management: survey and methodology

Due to the growing concern about the competitiveness of US industry in the international marketplace, several initiatives are now underway to enhance the competitive posture of the nation's firms. Many companies are engaged in assessing ways in which their productivity, product quality, and operations can be improved. A relatively new area of such improvements is business process management (BPM). BPM can be any structured approach used to analyze and continually improve fundamental activities, such as manufacturing, marketing, communications, and other major elements of a company's operation. This paper describes a generic step-by-step method for BPM which encompasses methods employed in industry from incremental improvements to reengineering. To better understand BPM, the authors have conducted a survey of major US companies on their approaches to process quality assessment. This report summarizes the findings of the survey and work with a number of leading companies, and may be useful to quality managers and others involved in total quality management, continuous improvement, or reengineering efforts. Due to the interest in BPM, a number of methods and tools, including software, have been used or developed to aid in its implementation. The authors relate some of these methods and tools to the individual steps of the generic BPM method. >
Factor-Analytic Scales of a Normative Form of the EPPS Replicated across Samples and Methodologies

Summary.-In the original investigation (Sherman & Poe, 1969) evidence was found for four factors extracted by an item factor analysis computed on responses to a normative form of the EPPS (N-EPPS); a subsequent scale factor analysis of the 15 need scores of the N-EPPS gave evidence for three of these factors. In a cross-validation sample, item and scale factor analyses showed that two of the three factors noted in the original sample were replicated. The factor analytic scales which wen constructed to reflect the two factors that were replicated across both samples and both methodologies (item and scale factor analyses) were (I) Interpersonal Orientation and (11) Assertive Aggressiveness. These scales were further specified by their internal reliability, their correlations with the 15 N-EPPS scales and their correlations with measures of academic aptitude and achievement. It was concluded that the two factor scales were homogeneous and stable, chat their content was meaningful, and that further investigation is likely to yield predictable and useful relationships with a variety of external variables. The objective of the present report was to analyze the findings of an original and a cross-validation investigation of a normative form of the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS; Edwards, 1959) in which the responses of each sample were subjected to two factor-analytic methodologies. Of particular interest in this analysis is the replication of the factors extracted in these investigations, their internal consistency, their content, and their relation to external variables. The EPPS was developed as a measure of 15 of the 40 personal needs proposed by Murray ( 1938). Edwards ( 1959), in attempting to control for the social desirability response set, arranged the items of the inventory into pairs matched in terms of their social desirability ratings. The scores resulting from this format are ipsative, i.e., the 15 need scores must sum to a certain fixed constant, and therefore the magnitude of any one need score is affected by the magnitudes of other need scores, as a function of the measuring instrument per se, irrespective of the traits being measured. The artifactual relationship between need scores produces somewhat spurious correlations among the 15 needs and thus prevents accurate assessment of both the independence or dependence of the needs and the factor structure of the test.
Generic, Direct-Chip-Attach MEMS packaging design with high density and aspect ratio Through-Wafer Electrical Interconnect

Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) are integrated systems combining electrical and mechanical components, which are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) batch processing techniques. The influence of MEMS is made possible through their benefits in functionality, size, and reliability. In spite of these remarkable and promising achievements in the field of microsystem fabrication, the commercialization of proven devices are lagged far behind expectations, considerably due to high packaging cost, improper packaging design solution and high testing cost. This paper is focused on suggesting and demonstrating a promising generic, modular, Direct-Chip-Attach (DCA), low cost and high reliable MEMS packaging design strategy and solution applying with high aspect ratio Through-Wafer Electrical Interconnect (TWEI). Fabrication of TWEI using dry etching is relatively new technology that can create more and better packaging options than any other conventional packaging design. The various techniques that can make through-wafer vias conductive are demonstrated and analyzed with advantages and drawbacks.
BAD: bidirectional arbitrated decision-feedback equalization

The bidirectional arbitrated decision-feedback equalizer (BAD), which has bit-error rate performance between a decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) and maximum a posteriori (MAP) detection, is presented. The computational complexity of the BAD algorithm is linear in the channel length, which is the same as that of the DFE, and significantly lower than the exponential complexity of the MAP detector. While the relative performance of BAD to those of the DFE and the MAP detector depends on the specific channel model, for an error probability of 10/sup -2/, the performance of BAD is typically 1-2 dB better than that of the DFE, and within 1 dB of the performance of MAP detection.
NFS tricks and benchmarking traps

We describe two modifications to the FreeBSD 4.6 NFS server to increase read throughput by improving the read-ahead heuristic to deal with reordered requests and stride access patterns. We show that for some stride access patterns, our new heuristics improve end-to-end NFS throughput by nearly a factor of two. We also show that benchmarking and experimenting with changes to an NFS server can be a subtle and challenging task, and that it is often difficult to distinguish the impact of a new algorithm or heuristic from the quirks of the underlying software and hardware with which they interact. We discuss these quirks and their potential effects.
Built-in self-test (BIST) design of large-scale analog circuit networks

The decomposition approach has been successfully applied to fault diagnosis and fault prediction of large-scale analog circuit networks. However, as the number of accessories nodes required for locating faults at the desired level of decomposition increases, it is difficult to provide proportionally more I/O (input/output) connections. A built-in self-test (BIST) structure is presented to increase the number of accessible nodes and still keep a low pin overhead. >