cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
γ-Aminobutyric acid modulation of benzodiazepine receptor binding in vitro does not predict the pharmacologic activity of all benzodiazepine receptor ligands

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) modulation of triazolam and nicotinamide binding to benzodiazepine (BDZ) receptors in vitro was compared with the neurotoxicity and anticonvulsant activity of these two drugs in vivo. GABA had no significant effect on the inhibitory potency of triazolam in [ 3 H]flunitrazepam receptor binding, whereas GABA decreased the inhibitory potency of nicotinamide. When administered to mice, both triazolam and nicotinamide exhibited neurotoxicity by the rotorod test and anticonvulsant activity by the pentylenetetrazol seizure threshold test. This suggests that GABA modulation of the receptor binding of a BDZ ligand in vitro is not a reliable predictor of the pharmacologic activity of the ligand.
Adaptive Test Framework for Achieving Target Test Quality at Minimal Cost

Defect characteristics and consequently test quality vary throughout the production life cycle. An optimal test methodology needs to adjust the test set based on the ever changing defect characteristics to deliver consistent test quality levels. In this paper, we propose an adaptive test framework that alters the test set continuously by utilizing the history of recent failures to track the instantaneous defect escape level, thus reaching the target test quality level at minimal test cost.
Korean American Preschoolers' Motivational Helplessness and Its Associations With Beliefs About Goodness/Badness

Abstract Until recently, researchers believed that young children were not vulnerable to maladaptive (“helpless”) responses to failure. However, Heyman, Dweck, and Cain (1992) showed that a sizable proportion of young children did, in fact, exhibit helpless responses (e.g., self-blame, negative affect, and non-constructive coping in response to failure). Moreover, such children, compared to more “mastery-oriented” children, believed that failure meant they were bad and that badness was a stable trait. A major purpose of the present study was to see whether the two patterns, “mastery-oriented” or “helpless,” would be revealed in Korean American samples, and whether these motivational patterns would be associated with general beliefs about goodness/badness. One hundred fifty-three Korean-American kindergarten children (ages 5 to 6 years old) participated as subjects. The findings were that 1) Korean American children revealed more vulnerabilities in the face of negative feedback, and 2) they had more global...
Regulation of calcium entry via plasmalemmal calcium channels by intracellular calcium release channels in human lymphocytes

release channels located in the internal membranes (inositol trisphosphate receptors (IP 3 R) and ryanodine receptors (RyR)) is believed to be limited to store depletion with consequent activation of Ca 2+ entry via plasmalemmal channels. Because both IP 3 R and RyR have multiple Ca 2+ binding sites, we hypothesized that they can be modulated by Ca 2+ that entered the cell via plasmalemmal channels and can affect intracellular Ca 2+ dynamics during T-cell activation. We developed experimental approach that allowed a simultaneous evaluation of store-operated Ca 2+ influx and Ca 2+ content within the store by monitoring changes in cytosolic Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ). Using this approach we discovered that the elevation in [Ca 2+ ] i caused by Ca 2+ entry inversely correlated with Ca 2+ content within the store. In addition, in cells preincubated with IP 3 R and RyR blockers, the [Ca 2+ ] i elevation following the Ca 2+ entry via store-operated Ca 2+
On doping CdS/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals with Mn.

This paper presents a mechanistic study on the doping of CdS/ZnS core/shell semiconductor nanocrystals with Mn based on a three-step synthesis, which includes host-particle synthesis, Mn-dopant growth, and ZnS-shell growth. We used a combination of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP) to monitor Mn-doping level and growth yield during doping synthesis at both the dopant-growth and ZnS-shell-growth steps. First, our kinetic study shows that Mn adsorption onto the nanocrystal surface includes the formation of weakly and strongly bound Mn. The formation of weakly bound Mn is associated with a chemical equilibrium between adsorbed Mn species on the nanocrystal surface and free Mn species in growth solution, while the formation of strongly bound Mn exhibits first-order kinetics with an activation-energy barrier of 211 ± 13 kJ/mol. Second, our results demonstrate that both weakly and strongly bound Mn can be removed from the surface...
Water cooled silicon crystals for X-ray monochromators

Abstract Insertion devices (wigglers and undulators) proposed for synchrotron radiation sources will produce up to 10 kW/cm 2 of thermal loading. In a double crystal monochromator, the first crystal must absorb nearly all of this output power, as it diffracts the desired wavelength to the second crystal. Storage rings currently projected or under construction produce heat loads of this intensity and thus require significantly improved optical element cooling methods to preserve the spectral quality of the output radiation. As beam intensities reach these higher levels, analysis of the thermal performance of passive and actively cooled optical elements becomes more and more critical because such elements are a cost effective means for producing a cooled crystal that performs to its design specifications the first time it is installed in the beamline. The Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International is applying the experience gained in high energy laser optics research (the design of cooled IR and UV optical components for free electron lasers) to the problems of cooled X-ray monochromator crystals and grazing incidence VUV optics. In this paper, a set of first order parametric calculations and a second order finite element calculation were performed to determine surface temperature rise, coolant pressure drop and surface distortion in a single crystal silicon heat exchanger with heat loads of 100 to 550 W/cm 2 . Two different heat exchanger designs (microchannels and pin post cell) and two different coolants (water and liquid gallium) were analyzed to assess performance advantages of each.
Transcription from the pseudorabies virus genome during latent infection

Trigeminal ganglia from swine latently infected with pseudorabies virus (PRV) were examined for the presence of PRV nucleic acids by in situ hybridization. Both viral DNA and RNA were detectable in latently infected neurons, indicating that the PRV genome is transcriptionally active during the latent phase of infection.
Organic acid metabolism in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.7), aconitate hydratase (EC 4.2.1.3), NADP specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.42), fumarate hydratase (EC 4.2.1.2) and malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) were detected in cell-free preparations of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) D By. grown on liquid glucose-salts medium in stationary culture. Isocitrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.1) was present when the fungus grew on a carbohydrate-free medium but was not detected when the cultures grew on the glucose-salts medium. The amount of oxalate in the culture filtrate declined as the specific activity of citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase in the mycelium declined. Increasing the initial pH of the medium resulted in an increase of the dicarboxylic acids in the culture filtrate and the specific activity of malate dehydrogenase in the mycelium. The specific reaction(s) leading to oxalic acid formation were not identified.
Simplified self-absorption correction for isotopes emitting weak β-particles

A modification of Hendler's method for adjusting 14C specific-activity values to compensate for self-absorption is proposed. This altered technic permits simplification of computation and reduction of all data to a single reference specific activity. Determination of the approximate specific activity at “zero self-absorption”, evaluation of the “slope-constant of self-absorption” for the sample material and ready comparison of specific activities of samples of different materials and thicknesses are additional advantages.
A preserved context indexing system for microcomputers: PERMDEX

Abstract PERMDEX is a microcomputer program to assist in the creation of a permuted printed index which preserves the context of indexing paraphrases. Although much simpler than PRECIS, the microcomputer program was inspired by it, and uses role operators to permute terms through lead, qualifier, and display positions. Following a discussion of derivative vs assignment indexing, the use of roles, and the concept behind PRECIS, features of the program are described including indexer input and prompts, the shunting algorithm, and sorting and printing routines.
Mechanism of ventricular arrhythmias in the long QT syndrome: on hermeneutics.

VT Mechanisms in LQTS. Both the congenital and acquired long QT syndrome are due to abnormalities (intrinsic and/or acquired) of the ionic currents underlying repolarization. The prolongation of repolarization acts as a priming step for the generation of early afterdepolarizations. In the long QT syndrome, it also is associated with increased dispersion of repolarization. Focal early afterdepolarization-induced triggered beat(s) can infringe on the underlying substrate of inhomogeneous repolarization to initiate polymorphic reentrant ventricular tachycardia that sometimes has a characteristic twisting of the QRS axis, referred to as torsades de pointes.
Relationship of client participation to psychotherapy.

Abstract Dimensions of client participation in psychotherapy were assessed to investigate whether participation is unidimensional or multidimensional, stable over therapy, and/or related to measures of psychotherapy outcome. Participation dimensions included compliance with scheduling (lateness, rescheduling, no-show) and with homework assignments (completion of a daily diary and relaxation home-practice), reported acceptance of the credibility of therapy rationale, satisfaction with global and specific aspects of therapy, expectation of personal improvement in anxiety symptomatology, self-rated engagement in therapy activities, and reported judgments about therapist characteristics and relationship qualities. Outcome measures included assessor ratings, daily client self-report of anxiety severity, and questionnaire measures. Subjects were 30 clients participating in a 12-session generalized anxiety disorder comparative treatment study in which they received progressive relaxation training plus either cognitive therapy or nondirective therapy. Across clients in both treatment groups, behavioral compliance measures were poorly intercorrelated and unrelated to the other participation measures. Canonical correlation of participation variables with change on pre-post outcome measures showed a significant relationship between some participation variables representing satisfaction with specific aspects of therapy and the therapeutic relationship and improvement in daily level of subjective anxiety.
Roundtable on Chinese Economic Statistics Introduction

This roundtable aims to direct the attention of China specialists, particularly in the economics field, to issues surrounding the accuracy and veracity of China’s economic statistics. Over the past two decades, China’s statistical agencies have showered researchers with a growing range of systematic and detailed data about economic performance at the national, sectoral, provincial, and local level. Periodic censuses of population, industry, services, and agriculture, and surveys of households and enterprises, some conducted with the participation of international agencies and overseas scholars, reveal additional information. Energetic efforts by China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, Guojia tongjiju, formerly known as the State Statistics Bureau) to align published data with standard categories of national income accounting and other international conventions have enhanced the comparability, and hence the research value of Chinese statistics. While recognizing the inevitable limitations of quantitative measures of a huge and diverse economy, few economists have hesitated to utilize standard yearbook data for analytic and comparative research. A number of authors have discussed possible biases in the data for population, cultivated acreage, manufacture of new products, industrial fixed assets, output of township and village industries, unemployment, agricultural labor and other specific categories. Several studies suggest mild upward bias in official figures for long-term growth of GDP and industrial production. Nonetheless, most informed observers appear to share Marton’s (2000) view that ‘‘China’s demographic, social, and economic statistics are abundant and fairly reliable by developing country standards’’ (p. 202).
Effect of Electrical Charge on Attachment of Salmonella typhimurium to Meat Surfaces

Treating tissue with electrical current was found to affect both the initial attachment and total numbers of attached Salmonella typhimurium to meat tissues. When lean tissue was attached to the positive terminal of the power supply operating at 50 volts/125 mA DC, the total number of attached cells increased. There was no effect when the samples were attached to the negative terminal. There was a significant (P<0.05) effect on the percentage of strongly attached bacteria with an increase in treating time. Electrical current was found to increase the percentage of strongly attached cells immediately after the current was applied.
Pancreatic clefts caused by penetrating vessels: a potential diagnostic pitfall for pancreatic fracture on CT

The diagnosis of pancreatic fracture using computerized tomography (CT) is made by identifying a linear defect in the pancreas, often with a variable amount of peripancreatic fluid. However, the fat surrounding arterial and venous vessels which penetrate the pancreas can give a very similar CT appearance – a previously unreported finding. This report describes the CT appearance of such defects as well as the macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the vessels penetrating the pancreas in a cadaver having this CT finding.
Flow of a fluid infused with solid particles through a pipe

Abstract Using a mathematical description for a flowing mixture of solid particulates developed previously within the context of Mixture Theory, the equations governing the flow of a two-component mixture of a Newtonian fluid and a granular solid are derived. In the case of steady pressure driven flow through a pipe of circular cross-section, these equations reduce to a system of coupled ordinary differential equations. The resulting boundary value problem is solved numerically and results are presented for cases in which drag and lift interactions are important.
Determinants of Nonstationary Personal Space Invasion

Summary The personal space of 116 pedestrians in midtown Manhattan was violated by a male or female experimenter. The subject population consisted of predominantly middle-class adults of all ages. Fifty-three percent of the subjects were male, and 27 percent were black. The experimenter walked toward a target subject in an unwavering straight line. Subjects and experimenters approached and passed each other in a section of the street where a measurement grid had been drawn on the sidewalk. Observers measured the point at which subjects initially deflected from the collision line, and the distance between subject and experimenter at the point at which they passed each other. The results indicated that males were given less frontal space than females (p < .01). About 40 percent of the trials resulted in mild brushes even though the line of vision between the experimenter and subject was always clear. The male experimenter was brushed more often than the female experimenter (p < .05). These results differ ma...
Ceramide synthase 6 modulates TRAIL sensitivity and nuclear translocation of active caspase 3 in colon cancer cells

We have previously shown that the death receptor ligand TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) induces an increase of intracellular C(16)-ceramide in sensitive SW480 but not in resistant SW620 cells. Resistance in SW620 cells was overcome by exogenous ceramide, leading us to propose that defective ceramide signaling contributes to TRAIL resistance. In this study we found that the increase in C(16)-ceramide in SW480 cells was inhibited by fumonisin B1, an inhibitor of ceramide synthases (CerS). Protein analysis revealed that TRAIL-resistant SW620 cells expressed lower levels of ceramide synthase 6 (CerS6, also known as longevity assurance homologue 6), which prompted us to investigate the effect of CerS6 modulation on TRAIL phenotype. RNAi against CerS6 resulted in a specific and significant decrease of the C(16)-ceramide species, which was sufficient to inhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In cells with decreased levels of CerS6, caspase-3 was activated but failed to translocate into the nucleus. CerS6 localized primarily to the perinuclear region, suggesting this enzyme may be important in regulation of nuclear permeability. Moderate elevation in CerS6 expression was sufficient to reverse TRAIL resistance in SW620 cells. These results suggest that modulation of CerS6 expression may constitute a new therapeutic strategy to alter apoptotic susceptibility.
Application of CERES-Maize for within-season prediction of rainfed corn yields in Delaware, USA

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine whether the CERES-Maize crop simulation model can be used to predict rainfed corn yield up to 4 months prior to harvest. Required weather data were provided by combining the observed weather conditions up until the time of the forecast with predictions of future weather conditions. Yield forecasts were issued four times (June 1, July 1, August 1, and September 1) during each growing season (2001, 2002, and 2003). Thirty future weather scenarios were generated for each forecast date based on historical weather conditions and these forecasts were validated using the full season simulations. Not surprisingly, forecasts issued later in the growing season were more accurate than forecasts issued earlier because they incorporate more of the actual weather conditions. It appears that both the June 1 and July 1 forecasts would be of little value to decision makers because they contain too much uncertainty. However, the August 1 yield forecasts were more promising, the mean absolute error (MAE) ranged from 471 to 2407 kg ha−1 and the mean percent error (MPE) ranged from 4.8 to 46.6% and all of the September yield forecasts were extremely accurate. The September forecasts were very accurate (MAE ranged from 29 to 135 kg ha−1 and the MPE ranged from 0.5 to 1.3%) because the crop has often reached maturity by September 1. CERES-Maize would be useful to agencies that require accurate yield estimates prior to harvest. If reliable predictions of future weather conditions are available, CERES-Maize can be employed to accurately forecast yield months before harvest.
National Trends in Academic Chemistry Serial Collections, 1992-1994

Summary Domestic serial holdings and cancellation data for science titles for the years 1992 through 1994 were collected from ten ARL libraries throughout the United States, based on their use of the F. W. Faxon Company as their primary domestic serial vendor and with their permission. The Library of Congress classification Q (science) was selected for further analysis. The Q and, more specifically, the QD (chemistry) data are analyzed to determine national trends in chemistry serial holdings and cancellations for the years 1992, 1993, and 1994. Findings show duplication among science subscriptions to be higher than for serial collections as a whole and that chemistry serial collections had the highest dollar value of serial cancellations during the three-year study period.
Selection of strain, growth conditions, and extraction procedures for optimum production of lactase from Kluyveromyces fragilis.

Forty-one strains of Kluyveromyces fragilis (Jorgensen) van der Walt 1909 varied 60-fold in ability to produce lactase (beta-galactosidase). The four best strains were UCD No. 55-31 (Northern Regional Research Center NRRL Y-1196), UCD No. C21(-), UCD No. 72-297(-), and UCD No. 55-61 (NRRL Y-1109). Biosynthesis of lactase during the growth of K. fragilis strain UCD No. 55-61 was followed on both lactose and sweet whey media. Maximum enzyme yield was obtained at the beginning of the stationary phase of growth. Bets lactase yields from K. fragilis UCD No. 55-61 were obtained with 15% lactose and an aeration rate of at least .2 mmol oxygen/liter per min. Supplementary growth factors were unneccessary for good lactase yeilds when yeast was grown on whey media. Best extraction of lactase from fresh yeast cells was obtained by toluene autolysis (2% vol/vol) at 37 C in .1 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, containing .1 mM manganese chloride and .5 mM magnesium sulfate. The enzyme was concentrated and purified partially by acetone precipitation. At least 95% of the enzyme activity of the concentrated solution was retained after storage for 7 days at 22 C, for 3 wk at 4 C, and for 6 wk at -20 C.
Implications of element deficits for zooplankton growth

Daily measurements of mass and phosphorus (P) were made for Daphnia magna feeding on a high concentration (1 mg C l−1) of P-sufficient (molar C:P = 70–80, `P+') or P-deficient (C:P = 1000, `P−') green algae (Scenedesmus obliquus or Ankistrodesmus falcatus). Animals feeding on P+ algae for 12 d showed a sharp decline in growth during the last juvenile instar (mean ± SE from 0.57 ± 0.02 to 0.25 ± 0.03 d−1) and a modest decline in P-content at the first adult instar (from 1.55 ± 0.01 to 1.46 ± 0.02% mass). Animals feeding on P− algae showed declines in P-content to as low as 0.84% after 5 d, with the sharpest decline in the first day. Growth of animals feeding on P− algae declined sharply over time and showed a linear relationship with the grazer's P-content. Growth during the first day of exposure to P− algae was relatively high (mean 0.39 ± 0.03 d−1) but approached zero as P-content declined to <0.90% mass. For animals feeding on P+ algae, the ontogenetic decline in P-content resulted in only a small difference between growth calculated for mass and growth calculated for Daphnia P. In contrast, for animals feeding for 4 d on P− algae, growth calculated for mass was 2–5 times higher than growth based on P. Thus, this study shows that short-term growth assays may substantially underestimate the negative impact of P-deficient resources, unless the decline in the grazer's P-content is taken into account. In this situation, measurement of growth in terms of nutrient content (e.g. grazer's P-content) should provide a better indication of the potential for sustained growth than calculations based on change in mass. This study also supports the `integration of growth' hypothesis (Sterner & Schwalbach, 2001), in which animals undergoing diel migration between water layers with P-deficient and P-sufficient resources experience a reduced growth penalty.
Can Tidal Perturbations Associated with Sea Level Variations in the Western Pacific Ocean be used to Understand Future Effects of Tidal Evolution

This study examines connections between mean sea level (MSL) variability and diurnal and semidiurnal tidal constituent variations at 17 open-ocean and 9 continental shelf tide gauges in the western tropical Pacific Ocean, a region showing anomalous rise in MSL over the last 20 years and strong interannual variability. Detrended MSL fluctuations are correlated with detrended tidal amplitude and phase fluctuations, defined as tidal anomaly trends (TATs), to quantify the response of tidal properties to MSL variation. About 20 significant amplitude and phase TATs are found for each of the two strongest tidal constituents, K1 (diurnal) and M2 (semidiurnal). Lesser constituents (O1 and S2) show trends at nearly half of all gauges. Fluctuations in MSL shift amplitudes and phases; both positive and negative responses occur. Changing overtides suggest that TATs are influenced by changing shallow water friction over the equatorial Western Pacific and the eastern coast of Australia (especially near the Great Barrier Reef). There is a strong connection between semidiurnal TATs at stations around the Solomon Islands and changes in thermocline depth, overtide generation, and the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). TATs for O1, K1, and M2 are related to each other in a manner that suggests transfer of energy from M2 to the two diurnals via resonant triad interactions; these cause major tidal variability on sub-decadal time scales, especially for M2. The response of tides to MSL variability is not only spatially complex, it is frequency dependent; therefore, short-term responses may not predict long-term behavior.
A test for homology: photoactive crystalline assemblies involving linear templates based on a homologous series of phloroglucinols.

Cocrystallization of trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (4,4‘-bpe) with eight members of a homologous series of phloroglucinols 1a−h yields molecular solids 2(1a−h)·2(4,4‘-bpe) with components held together by four O−H···N hydrogen bonds. In each case, the molecules assemble to form a discrete four-component assembly with olefins preorganized for a [2 + 2] photodimerization. UV irradiation of each member in the series of solids produces rctt-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)cyclobutane (4,4‘-tpcb), stereospecifically, in up to 100% yield.
Photon amplification by parametric downconversion

We investigate the theory of the process in which an idler photon emitted spontaneously from a nonlinear crystal in the process of parametric downconversion serves as idler input to a second downconverter. The signal photon from this second crystal is then detected in coincidence with the signal photon from the first crystal, which provides the time reference. We show that the first idler photon can induce a stimulated downconversion in the second crystal, which serves as a photon amplifier, and we calculate the ratio of the stimulated to the spontaneous emission probability.
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Dependent Degeneration, Failure, and Malignant Transformation of the Heart in the Absence of the von Hippel-Lindau Protein

Hypoxia-inducible transcription factor 1 (HIF-1) and HIF-2α regulate the expression of an expansive array of genes associated with cellular responses to hypoxia. Although HIF-regulated genes mediate crucial beneficial short-term biological adaptations, we hypothesized that chronic activation of the HIF pathway in cardiac muscle, as occurs in advanced ischemic heart disease, is detrimental. We generated mice with cardiac myocyte-specific deletion of the von Hippel-Lindau protein (VHL), an essential component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for suppressing HIF levels during normoxia. These mice were born at expected frequency and thrived until after 3 months postbirth, when they developed severe progressive heart failure and premature death. VHL-null hearts developed lipid accumulation, myofibril rarefaction, altered nuclear morphology, myocyte loss, and fibrosis, features seen for various forms of human heart failure. Further, nearly 50% of VHL−/− hearts developed malignant cardiac tumors with features of rhabdomyosarcoma and the capacity to metastasize. As compelling evidence for the mechanistic contribution of HIF-1α, the concomitant deletion of VHL and HIF-1α in the heart prevented this phenotype and restored normal longevity. These findings strongly suggest that chronic activation of the HIF pathway in ischemic hearts is maladaptive and contributes to cardiac degeneration and progression to heart failure.
Toward Linking Structure With Function in ATP-Sensitive K+ Channels

Advances in understanding the overall structural features of inward rectifiers and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are providing novel insight into the architecture of ATP-sensitive K+ channels (KATP channels) (KIR6.0/SUR)4. The structure of the K(IR) pore has been modeled on bacterial K+ channels, while the lipid-A exporter, MsbA, provides a template for the MDR-like core of sulfonylurea receptor (SUR)-1. TMD0, an NH2-terminal bundle of five alpha-helices found in SURs, binds to and activates KIR6.0. The adjacent cytoplasmic L0 linker serves a dual function, acting as a tether to link the MDR-like core to the KIR6.2/TMD0 complex and exerting bidirectional control over channel gating via interactions with the NH2-terminus of the KIR. Homology modeling of the SUR1 core offers the possibility of defining the glibenclamide/sulfonylurea binding pocket. Consistent with 30-year-old studies on the pharmacology of hypoglycemic agents, the pocket is bipartite. Elements of the COOH-terminal half of the core recognize a hydrophobic group in glibenclamide, adjacent to the sulfonylurea moiety, to provide selectivity for SUR1, while the benzamido group appears to be in proximity to L0 and the KIR NH2-terminus.
Using Evolutionary Algorithms to Generate Alternatives for Multiobjective Site-Search Problems

Multiobjective site-search problems are a class of decision problems that have geographical components and multiple, often conflicting, objectives; this kind of problem is often encountered and is ...
Highly charged ion interactions with thin insulating films

Abstract The electrical conductance of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices whose ultra-thin aluminum oxide tunnel barriers were irradiated by highly charged ions (HCIs) increases linearly with the fluence of HCIs, while retaining a current–voltage relationship indicative of a tunnel junction. The slope of the MTJ conductance σ c as a function of fluence varies with different tunnel barrier thicknesses d , levels of oxidation (stoichiometry) and charge state q . Since the MTJ conductance after HCI irradiation is due to tunneling, the increased conductance can result from thinning the barrier, reducing the effective tunnel barrier height φ , or both. Measurements of the current–voltage profile provide sufficient degrees of freedom to substantially constrain d and φ provided the reduction of the barrier remains within the assumptions of the commonly used WKB (Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin) tunneling formalism. For the Xe 32+ ions discussed here the perturbation of the tunnel barrier is much weaker than in our previously reported measurements of Xe 44+ and application of WKB is still reasonable. This analysis reveals a trend of decreasing d while φ changes little.
Privacy-preserving collaborative filtering using randomized perturbation techniques

Collaborative filtering (CF) techniques are becoming increasingly popular with the evolution of the Internet. To conduct collaborative filtering, data from customers are needed. However, collecting high quality data from customers is not an easy task because many customers are so concerned about their privacy that they might decide to give false information. We propose a randomized perturbation (RP) technique to protect users' privacy while still producing accurate recommendations.
The square-root unscented Kalman filter for state and parameter-estimation

Over the last 20-30 years, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) has become the algorithm of choice in numerous nonlinear estimation and machine learning applications. These include estimating the state of a nonlinear dynamic system as well estimating parameters for nonlinear system identification (eg, learning the weights of a neural network). The EKF applies the standard linear Kalman filter methodology to a linearization of the true nonlinear system. This approach is sub-optimal, and can easily lead to divergence. Julier et al. (1997), proposed the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) as a derivative-free alternative to the extended Kalman filter in the framework of state estimation. This was extended to parameter estimation by Wan and Van der Merwe et al., (2000). The UKF consistently outperforms the EKF in terms of prediction and estimation error, at an equal computational complexity of (OL/sup 3/)/sup l/ for general state-space problems. When the EKF is applied to parameter estimation, the special form of the state-space equations allows for an O(L/sup 2/) implementation. This paper introduces the square-root unscented Kalman filter (SR-UKF) which is also O(L/sup 3/) for general state estimation and O(L/sup 2/) for parameter estimation (note the original formulation of the UKF for parameter-estimation was O(L/sup 3/)). In addition, the square-root forms have the added benefit of numerical stability and guaranteed positive semi-definiteness of the state covariances.
A High-Performance Rechargeable Iron Electrode for Large-Scale Battery-Based Energy Storage

Inexpensive, robust and efficient large-scale electrical energy storage systems are vital to the utilization of electricity generated from solar and wind resources. In this regard, the low cost, robustness, and eco-friendliness of aqueous iron-based rechargeable batteries are particularly attractive and compelling. However, wasteful evolution of hydrogen during charging and the inability to discharge at high rates have limited the deployment of iron-based aqueous batteries. We report here new chemical formulations of the rechargeable iron battery electrode to achieve a ten-fold reduction in the hydrogen evolution rate, an unprecedented charging efficiency of 96%, a high specific capacity of 0.3 Ah/g, and a twenty-fold increase in discharge rate capability. We show that modifying high-purity carbonyl iron by in situ electro-deposition of bismuth leads to substantial inhibition of the kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction. The in situ formation of conductive iron sulfides mitigates the passivation by iron hydroxide thereby allowing high discharge rates and high specific capacity to be simultaneously achieved. These major performance improvements are crucial to advancing the prospect of a sustainable large-scale energy storage solution based on aqueous iron-based rechargeable batteries. (C) 2012 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.034208jes] All rights reserved.
Punishment and Democracy: Disenfranchisement of Nonincarcerated Felons in the United States

As levels of criminal punishment have risen in the United States, more and more citizens have been disenfranchised because of a felony conviction. This paper provides an overview and analysis of the unique practice of felon disenfranchisement in the United States today. We focus in particular on the political impact of disenfranchising large numbers of nonincarcerated felons—those who have served their entire sentences and those living in their home communities while completing a term of probation or parole. Our discussion is organized around three key issues relating to felon disenfranchisement: (1) the historical and legal origins of this practice; (2) its practical political impact on recent elections; and, (3) the racial dynamics that color both the history and contemporary effects of felon disenfranchisement in the United States. We discuss how felon disenfranchisement laws in many states appear to be out of step with both international practices and public opinion in the United States and consider contemporary policy proposals.Jeff Manza is the coauthor, with Clem Brooks, of Social Cleavages and Political Change: Voter Alignments and U.S. Party Coalitions. With Jeff Manza, Christopher Uggen is coauthor of the forthcoming Locked Out: Felon Disenfranchisement and American Democracy. Research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (No. 9819015) and from the Individual Project Fellowship Program of the Open Society Institute. The authors are indebted to the editors and anonymous reviewers for thoughtful comments and suggestions and to Angela Behrens and Sara Wakefield for research assistance.
The influence of legacy effects and recovery from perturbations in a tritrophic salt marsh complex

. 1. Much has been learned in recent years regarding the influence of environmental conditions on top-down and bottom-up effects acting on insect herbivores. Temporal variation in environmental conditions, however, has gone largely unstudied in spite of undoubtedly strong influences in most systems. 2. A 2-year study was conducted to examine the legacy effects of previous manipulations of host plant quality and parasitism pressure on the top-down and bottom-up effects influencing population densities of the salt marsh planthopper Pissonotus quadripustulatus. 3. For 10 months in 1998, a 2 × 2 factorial experiment was carried out, in which host plant quality was increased by the addition of nitrogen fertiliser, and parasitism pressure was decreased through the use of yellow sticky traps. This was followed by 2 months in the winter with no treatment applications. Treatments were then reversed in 1999 for a further 10 months. 4. In 1998, fertilisation treatments increased plant quality significantly, which resulted in strong effects on P. quadripustulatus density. Parasitism reduction treatments had weaker and time-dependent effects on the herbivore, increasing planthopper density in late summer and autumn. 5. After 2 months without treatments, previous fertilisation treatments were still influencing all response variables measured significantly. The legacy effects of fertilisation persisted for at least 7 months for the host plant, and at least 5 months for the herbivore and parasitoid. 6. Fertilisation treatments in 1999 increased P. quadripustulatus density by approximately the same percentage as in 1998, suggesting that previous reductions in parasitism had no influence on herbivore responses to increased nutrients. Parasitism reduction treatments in 1999, however, resulted in greater increases in herbivore density than in 1998, suggesting that previous increases in nutrients enabled greater responses to reductions in top-down pressure. 7. The results show that the top-down effects of parasitism attenuated more quickly than did the bottom-up effects of increased plant quality through greater nutrient availability. They also suggest that the recent history of nutrient status in an ecosystem may be important in determining the relative strengths of top-down and bottom-up forces.
On Industry Structure and Firm Conduct in Long Run Equilibrium

This paper presents an analysis of long run equilibrium of industry structure and firm conduct allowing for entry and exit, and cost heterogeneity among firms. It investigates the case of firms’ conduct/markups that emerges as the stationary equilibrium from long run evolutionary selection over time. Treating the number of firms as endogenous provides linkages between firms’ conduct and market structure. The implications of cost structure for market equilibrium price, firms' conduct and industry concentration are investigated. The effects of fixed cost and entry/exit on long run industry equilibrium are examined. The analysis shows how globalization can help reduce the firms’ exercise of market power, increase the responsiveness of aggregate supply, and reduce price sensitivity to shocks. It also shows how neglecting either entry/exit or adjustments in firm conduct underestimates the aggregate effects of globalization.
Teasing Apart the Many Effects of Lighting Environment on Opsin Expression and Foraging Preference in Bluefin Killifish

Coloration and color vision covary with lighting in many taxa. Determining the mechanisms underlying these patterns is difficult because lighting environments can have multiple effects on signaling that occur at multiple timescales. Lighting environments can (1) immediately affect signal propagation and transmission, which determine the radiance spectrum reaching the receiver; (2) induce variation in visual systems via developmental plasticity; and (3) lead to genetic differences in visual systems due to a history of selection in different habitats. We tease apart these effects on pecking preference and examine the relationship between pecking preference and opsin expression. Using killifish from two visually distinct populations (clear vs. tea-stained water), we performed crosses (genetics), raised animals under different lighting conditions (developmental plasticity), and assayed the preference to peck at different-colored dots under different lighting conditions (immediate effects). Pecks are interpreted as foraging preference. Developmental plasticity affected both pecking preference and opsin expression. Lighting environments also had immediate effects on pecking preference, but these depended on the lighting conditions animals experienced during development. Genetic effects were detected in opsin expression, but there were no corresponding effects on pecking preference. Overall, only 3.36% of the variation in pecking preference was accounted for by opsin expression.
Abstract 5531: Combination drug delivery using PBM nanoparticle to improve prostate cancer therapy

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Docetaxel is the standard first-line chemotherapy for advanced prostate cancer (PCa). The key challenges in this treatment option are dose-limiting toxicities, acquired resistance, and lack of tumor cell specificity. Adjuvants and docetaxel encapsulation have been proposed to mitigate many of these hindrances. The proposed study evaluated a novel method for targeted delivery of resveratrol alone or in combination with docetaxel at desired rates. We described a proprietary planetary ball milling approach (PBM) that uses a natural polysaccharide (starch; FDA approved) to create a drug-polysaccharide nanoparticle as a core that is subsequently coated with novel folate-conjugated poly (e-caprolactone) / poly (ethylene glycol) co-polymer, which allows binding to high affinity folate receptors present on PCa cells. The resulting PBM nanoparticles were shown to be rapidly internalized and induce significant cancer cell apoptosis at lower doses, than compared to unformulated resveratrol and/or docetaxel. Importantly, negative controls showed that PBM nanoparticles without resveratrol or docetaxel had no toxic effects on PCa cells. Furthermore, our data also suggests that resveratrol potently synergizes with docetaxel to inhibit proliferation and induce 60% cell death in PCa cell lines at concentrations lower than the IC50. Since docetaxel is associated with various debilitating toxicities, a synergistic combination of resveratrol-docetaxel with targeted delivery to tumor cells could provide a more potent therapeutic effect at lower drug concentrations and improve therapeutic index. Citation Format: Rajesh Singh, Shailesh Singh, Guru P. Sonpavde, James W. Lillard. Combination drug delivery using PBM nanoparticle to improve prostate cancer therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5531. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5531
Silencing the self in college settings and adjustment.

The correlations among several measures of silencing the self and scores on the College Adjustment Scale were assessed for male and female students at a midwestern university (N = 143). Analysis sh...
A Tale of Two Transitions: Female Military Veterans During Their First Year at Community College.

Surprisingly few empirical studies examine the experience of veterans as they transition into community college. Using Schlossberg’s transition model and 4S framework—situation, self, supports, and strategies—this article portrays a subset of findings from a qualitative study involving recent military veterans transitioning into community college. Findings comprise biographical vignettes of two female veterans entering their first year of community college. Although the findings align with some existing research, this study illustrates the complex and nuanced issues that veteran students face, including strained finances and lack of familiarity with college structure. For female veterans, these issues are often further complicated by circumstances such as motherhood and marriage.
Expression of WNT5A in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Its Control by TGF-β and WNT7B in Human Lung Fibroblasts

The wingless (Wnt) family of signaling ligands contributes significantly to lung development and is highly expressed in patients with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). We sought to define the cellular distribution of Wnt5A in the lung tissue of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and the signaling ligands that control its expression in human lung fibroblasts and IPF myofibroblasts. Tissue sections from 40 patients diagnosed with IPF or UIP were probed for the immunolocalization of Wnt5A. Further, isolated lung fibroblasts from normal or IPF human lungs, adenovirally transduced for the overexpression or silencing of Wnt7B or treated with TGF-β1 or its inhibitor, were analyzed for Wnt5A protein expression. Wnt5A was expressed in IPF lungs by airway and alveolar epithelium, smooth muscle cells, endothelium, and myofibroblasts of fibroblastic foci and throughout the interstitium. Forced overexpression of Wnt7B with or without TGF-β1 treatment significantly increased Wnt5A protein expression in normal human smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts but not in IPF myofibroblasts where Wnt5A was already highly expressed. The results demonstrate a wide distribution of Wnt5A expression in cells of the IPF lung and reveal that it is significantly increased by Wnt7B and TGF-β1, which, in combination, could represent key signaling pathways that modulate the pathogenesis of IPF.
Mitigation vs. Adaptation: Analytic Models for Policy Assessment

We suggest analytic economic-environmental models that aim to investigate the multi-faced interplay between economic production, industrial pollution, and environmental protection. The considered static and dynamic optimization problems assess a country’s sustainable environmental policy that involves the optimal combination of adaptation and mitigation strategies. A qualitative analysis of obtained solutions leads to relevant conclusions about the ranges of economic-environmental parameters, in which the adaptation and mitigation are viable policy options.
Factors Associated with Paradoxical Survival at Higher Blood Pressures in the Very Old

Paradoxically greater survival for persons aged 85 years and older with higher blood pressures has been reported in a Finnish population study (Br Med J 1988;296:887-9). In a previous report, the authors demonstrated improved 10-year survival with increasing diastolic blood pressure in men (but not in women) aged 75 years and older in the Rancho Bernardo Chronic Disease Study (Br Med J 1989;298:1356-7). However, few of the covariates which could potentially explain this effect were obtained at the visit used in that analysis. In an effort to confirm these reports of paradoxical survival and to explore possible reasons for them, the authors analyzed all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in 795 men and women aged 75-96 years (mean, 80.6), evaluated in 1984-1987 and followed prospectively for an average of 3 years after that comprehensive examination. Of 63 deaths, 48 (76%) were in men; 43 (68%) of all deaths were cardiovascular. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed a significant trend for improved survival with increasing diastolic pressure in men aged 80 years and older versus all-cause mortality (chi 2 p less than or equal to 0.01), and cardiovascular mortality (chi 2 p less than or equal to 0.00). These trends were not evident in men aged less than 80 years or in women in either age group. Results were not explained by differences in the use of antihypertensive medication, pulse pressure, history of hypertension, history of coronary heart disease, isolated systolic hypertension, interval change in diastolic pressure (over an average of 12 years), or by cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, smoking, or body mass index. Thus, the paradoxical relation of improved all-cause and cardiovascular survival in men aged 80 years or older with higher diastolic pressure is not explained by a wide range of biologic and historical factors.