cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A mass spectrometric study of the sublimation of manganese

Abstract The absolute sublimation pressure of manganese has been determined as a function of temperature over the range 1197°-785°K by a combination of mass spectrometric and effusion techniques which provides an internal pressure calibration. At 298°K ΔH subl [Mn(α, s)] = 66·45±0·4 kcal mole −1 by the third law method and 65·78±1·0 kcal mole −1 by the second law method. From 1200° to 990°K, the β⇉α transition temperature, the vapor pressure of Mn is given by R ln P = 67,640 ± 400 T − 3·36 ln T −0·33 × 10 −3 T + 57·46±0·3 . From 990° to 780°K the equation becomes R ln P = 66,896 ± 400 T − 0·73 ln T −3·38 × 10 −3 T + 39·63±0·4 . The literature data are compared and the stabilities of MnF(g) and MnF 2 (g) are recalculated.
An investigation of Harper–Dorn creep at large strains

Abstract Harper–Dorn creep in Al was investigated under the condition of large strains (more than 0.1). In performing the investigation, two Al grades were creep tested at 923 K. The first grade is of 99.9995% purity (99.9995 Al) whereas the second grade is of 99.99% purity (99.99 Al). The results show that 99.99 Al, unlike 99.9995 Al, does not exhibit the Harper–Dorn creep at low stresses; and that the creep curves associated with Harper–Dorn creep in 99.9995 Al exhibit regular, periodic accelerations. An examination of the substructure developed during creep reveals that the details of the substructure in 99.99 Al are significantly different from those characterizing Harper–Dorn creep in 99.9995 Al. In 99.99 Al, an extensive, regular array of equiaxed subgrains is formed. By contrast, in 99.9995 Al, a wide range of substructural features including new grains, boundaries with high and low dislocation densities on opposite sides of the boundary, and localized regions of very high dislocation density, are observed. Consideration of the present data leads to three important findings. First, dynamic recovery is the dominant restoration mechanism during the creep of 99.99 Al, while dynamic recrystallization is the dominant restoration mechanism during the creep of 99.9995 Al. Second, the occurrence of Harper–Dorn creep in Al requires that two conditions be satisfied: high purity Al and very low dislocation density in the annealed samples (10 3 –3×10 4 cm −2 ). Third, while the results verify the Newtonian nature of Harper–Dorn creep at small strains (less than 0.01), they indicate that under the condition of large strains (more than 0.1), the stress exponent is more than 2.
Issues of College Persistence between Asian and Asian Pacific American Students

This article offers an exploration of the Asian Pacific American (APA) ethnic groups that show high rates of departure, and presents strategies and approaches to improving their persistence and graduation rates. A detailed examination of the APA population is presented to identify the subgroups that are underrepresented in higher education and who suffer from high dropout rates. Subsequently, several traditional retention theories are reviewed to determine how they apply to these APA subgroups. Specific barriers to college persistence for these students also are examined. Finally, the article presents strategies and programs designed to improve APA's persistence rates.
FINAL HEIGHT (FH) AND SATISFACTION IN GH DEFICIENT ADULTS WHO WERE TREATED WITH GH IN CHILDHOOD

FINAL HEIGHT (FH) AND SATISFACTION IN GH DEFICIENT ADULTS WHO WERE TREATED WITH GH IN CHILDHOOD
Actin and intermediate filaments stabilize the Chlamydia trachomatis vacuole by forming dynamic structural scaffolds

The obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis replicates within a large vacuole or "inclusion" that expands as bacteria multiply but is maintained as an intact organelle. Here, we report that the inclusion is encased in a scaffold of host cytoskeletal structures made up of a network of F-actin and intermediate filaments (IF) that act cooperatively to stabilize the pathogen-containing vacuole. Formation of F-actin at the inclusion was dependent on RhoA, and its disruption led to the disassembly of IFs, loss of inclusion integrity, and leakage of inclusion contents into the host cytoplasm. In addition, IF proteins were processed by the secreted chlamydial protease CPAF to form filamentous structures at the inclusion surface with altered structural properties. We propose that Chlamydia has co-opted the function of F-actin and IFs to stabilize the inclusion with a dynamic, structural scaffold while minimizing the exposure of inclusion contents to cytoplasmic innate immune-surveillance pathways.
Chemistry and valence of Sb-substitution for Bi in high Tc Bi1−xSbxSrCaCu2Oy and Bi2−xSbxSr2CaCu2Oy superconductors

Abstract The effect of Sb-substitution for Bi has been studied in the high T c superconducting materials Bi 1− x Sb x SrCaCu 2 O y ( T c ∼ 70 K) and Bi 2− x Sb x Sr 2 CaCu 2 O y ( T c ∼ 100 K). For materials synthesized in an oxidizing atmosphere the solubility o f Sb is quite low and its substitution for Bi leads to a complex chemistry which results in the depression of T c with increasing Sb concentration. Mossbauer effect measurements at 121 Sb sites indicate that the valence state is near Sb(V) in both compound systems.
A film producer focuses on issues of social justice and nurses: An interview with Richard Harding

This case study of Richard Harding, a producer currently making a film about the Benghazi Six, includes an introductory biography, an interview with the producer, and a brief conclusion. Harding's commitments to both filmmaking and social justice issues led him to The Benghazi Six and the injustices suffered by these Bulgarian nurses, who were persecuted and imprisoned in Libya for 9 years on false charges of infecting Libyan children with HIV. The film production ran alongside of and aided international efforts to free the nurses and one physician from Libya.
DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF A LIPID TRANSFER PROTEIN GENE IN COTTON FIBER

A full-length cDNA clone, GH3, has been isolated from a cotton fiber cDNA library using a differential screening method. The nucleotide and derived amino acid sequence data show that GH3 encodes a lipid transfer protein (LTP) of 120 amino acids. The presence of a transmembrane signal peptide at the N-terminal of the protein would suggest its possible outer cellular location in fiber cells. Northern analysis indicates that the GH3 gene is developmentally regulated.
How to avoid normalization of particle flow for nonlinear filters, Bayesian decisions, and transport

We describe four distinct ways to avoid normalization of the probability density for particle flow. We have roughly 20 algorithms to compute particle flow, and the three best algorithms avoid computing the normalization of the conditional probability density of the state. We explain why explicit normalization often spoils the flow. This phenomenon has been noticed by other researchers for completely different applications (e.g., weather prediction), but apparently the benefits of avoiding normalization are not well known.
RACE AND AFFIRMING OPPORTUNITY IN THE BARACK OBAMA ERA

I first discuss the Obama administration's efforts to promote racial diversity on college campuses in the face of recent court challenges to affirmative action. I then analyze opposition in this country to “racial preferences” as a way to overcome inequality. I follow that with a discussion of why class-based affirmative action, as a response to cries from conservatives to abolish “racial preferences,” would not be an adequate substitute for race-based affirmative action. Instead of class-based affirmative action, I present an argument for opportunity enhancing affirmative action programs that rely on flexible, merit-based criteria of evaluation as opposed to numerical guidelines or quotas. Using the term “affirmative opportunity” to describe such programs, I illustrate their application with three cases: the University of California, Irvine's revised affirmative action admissions procedure; the University of Michigan Law School's affirmative action program, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2003; and the hiring and promotion of faculty of color at colleges and universities as seen in how I myself benefited from a type of affirmative action based on flexible merit-based criteria at the University of Chicago in the early 1970s. I conclude by relating affirmative opportunity programs for people of color to the important principle of “equality of life chances.”
Site-specific nicking within the adenovirus inverted terminal repetition

Site-specific nicking occurs on the l-strand, but not on the r-strand, of the adenovirus left inverted terminal repeat. Nicks are presumably introduced into double- or single-stranded DNA by a cellular endonuclease in an ATP-independent reaction. The consensus nick site has the sequence: (sequence in text).
Nonlocal resonant optical phonons and the local properties of ultrathin Ge layers on Si(100).

The effect of the degeneracy of the Ge optical modes with the phonons of Si in an epitaxial Ge(100) layer less than 10 \AA{} thick in Si(100) has been studied by Raman scattering. The interaction of the Ge modes with the Si acoustic phonons produces changes in frequency that are small compared to the shifts due to strain. While the Ge-derived modes are resonances of the Ge-Si system, the weak mixing of the Ge and Si modes means the Raman spectra can still be used to characterize the Ge layers.
Plasma Adiponectin Levels in High Risk African-Americans with Normal Glucose Tolerance, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, and Type 2 Diabetes**

Objective: We studied plasma adiponectin, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion before and after oral glucose challenge in normal glucose tolerant, impaired glucose tolerant, and type 2 diabetic first degree relatives of African-American patients with type 2 diabetes. Research Methods and Procedures: We studied 19 subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 8 with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 14 with type 2 diabetes. Serum glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and plasma adiponectin levels were measured before and 2 hours after oral glucose tolerance test. Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and HOMA-β cell function were calculated in each subject using HOMA. We empirically defined insulin sensitivity as HOMA-IR 2.68. Results: Subjects with IGT and type 2 diabetes were more insulin resistant (as assessed by HOMA-IR) when compared with NGT subjects. Mean plasma fasting adiponectin levels were significantly lower in the type 2 diabetes group when compared with NGT and IGT groups. Plasma adiponectin levels were 2-fold greater (11.09 ± 4.98 vs. 6.42 ± 3.3811 μg/mL) in insulin-sensitive (HOMA-IR, 1.74 ± 0.65) than in insulin-resistant (HOMA-IR, 5.12 ± 2.14) NGT subjects. Mean plasma adiponectin levels were significantly lower in the glucose tolerant, insulin-resistant subjects than in the insulin sensitive NGT subjects and were comparable with those of the patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. We found significant inverse relationships of adiponectin with HOMA-IR (r = −0.502, p = 0.046) and with HOMA-β cell function (r = −0.498, p = 0.042) but not with the percentage body fat (r = −0.368, p = 0.063), serum glucose, BMI, age, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1C (%A1C). Discussion: In summary, we found that plasma adiponectin levels were significantly lower in insulin-resistant, non-diabetic first degree relatives of African-American patients with type 2 diabetes and in those with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. We conclude that a decreased plasma adiponectin and insulin resistance coexist in a genetically prone subset of first degree African-American relatives before development of IGT and type 2 diabetes.
Lessons from the Floor: The manufacturing industry can teach us a lot about measuring performance in large-scale Internet services.

The January monthly service quality meeting started normally. Around the table were representatives from development, operations, marketing, and product management, and the agenda focused on the prior month’s performance. As usual, customer-impacting incidents and quality of service were key topics, and I was armed with the numbers showing the average uptime for the part of the service that I represent: MSN, the Microsoft family of services that includes e-mail, Instant Messenger, news, weather and sports, etc.
Combined Experimental and Computational Investigation of the Mechanism of Nickel-Catalyzed Three-Component Addition Processes

The mechanism of nickel-catalyzed couplings of an enone, alkyne, and organozinc has been studied. Adducts of the substrates with nickel(0) have been isolated and characterized, and their reactivity was examined. A potential intermediate was demonstrated to not be kinetically competent in catalytic cyclizations. A computational approach employing the B3LYP density functional method and the 6-31G(d) basis set was used to examine mechanistic possibilities that were consistent with experimental observations, and a modified mechanism for the catalytic cyclizations was formulated. The newly proposed mechanism involves production of an active catalyst that involves a novel interaction between Ni(0) and dimethylzinc.
Congenital duodenal obstruction

Abstract Two cases of upper intestinal obstruction are presented. In one patient there is no question but that the obstruction was of congenital origin because of the findings at operation and the fact that the symptoms dated back to within ten days of birth. Also, other congenital anomalies of the intestinal tract with arrested rotation of the mesentery were found at operation. In the second case there is much evidence that the obstruction is also of a congenital nature because of the history and the fact that this patient had congenital pulmonary cysts which required lobectomy.
Involvement of protein kinase C in responses of rat dorsal horn neurons to mechanical stimuli and periaqueductal gray descending inhibition.

The effects of a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), on the activity and periaqueductal gray (PAG)-induced inhibition of rat dorsal horn neurons of the lumbar spinal cord were tested. A microdialysis fiber was placed through the dorsal horn for the purpose of local application of pharmacological agents. Extracellular single-unit recordings from dorsal horn neurons were made near the microdialysis fiber. TPA was tested on nociceptive dorsal horn cells. There was a significant increase in the background activity and responses to ”brush”, with no changes in responses to pressure and pinch stimuli. TPA also significantly blocked the PAG-induced inhibition of responses to brush, press, and pinch. These effects were eliminated by coadministration of the PKC inhibitor NPC-15437. The solvent, which contained dimethyl sulfoxide, was also tested for its effect on the responses to peripheral mechanical stimuli and PAG-induced inhibition of the dorsal horn neurons. There were no significant changes. This experiment suggests that activation of the PKC second messenger system might increase the activity of dorsal horn neurons and their responses to peripheral stimuli; in addition, the phorbol ester attenuated the PAG-induced descending inhibition of the dorsal horn neuron activity.
Cartilaginous tumors of the jaws and facial regions.

Abstract Cartilaginous tumors of varying degrees of malignancy may arise in the jaws, facial and nasal skeletal regions. Of the thirteen cases of cartilaginous tumor in this region encountered at the Mayo Clinic, which form the basis of this report, ten were cases of chondrosarcoma and three were cases of benign cartilaginous tumor. None of the lesions in this group affected the mandible, although chondrosarcomas of the mandible have been reported. As is true of cartilaginous tumors wherever they occur, differentiation of the benign from the malignant examples arising in this region may be difficult. Even if the cartilaginous tumor is considered to be a benign chondroma or borderline for malignancy, treatment should be radical, preferably en bloc resection getting well around the tumor. Radical surgical removal gives a reasonable chance of cure. With inadequate treatment, chondrosarcomas progress and eventually cause the death of the patient often by intracranial extension. Only in rare instances does the tumor metastasize. The natural history of chondrosarcoma is often of long duration. Therefore, a long follow-up period is required before a clinical cure can be claimed.
Polarized distribution of coated pits and coated vesicles in the rat lens: an electron microscopy and WGA-HRP tracer study.

The presence and distribution of coated pits (CPs) and coated vesicles (CVs) in the rat lens were studied by thm-section electron microscopy (TEM) and wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) as a tracer. TEM revealed that CPs and CVs were ∼ 150 nm in diameter, of which the characteristic clathrin coat was ∼ 20 nm thick. CPs and CVs were found in both epithelium and superficial fiber cells of the entire lens, and were distributed preferentially along the basal membrane facing the lens capsule. It was estimated that more than 80% of CPs and CVs in the entire epithelium were seen along the basal membrane. The number of CPs and CVs along the basal membrane in the equatorial epithelium (4.4 per 10 μm membrane) was similar to that at the central zone (3.8 per 10 μm membrane), but there was a significant increase along the apical and lateral surfaces of the equatorial epithelium compared to that of the central epithelium, although the overall number was considerably smaller. In the lens fibers, CP...
Sequence-Dependent Local Environment in P53 Response Element Probed by Site-Directed Spin Labeling

The p53 response elements (RE) are a family of DNAs that are specifically recognized by the tumor suppressor protein p53. Binding of p53 to REs leads to transcription activation or suppression of a diverse set of genes that regulate a number of key biological processes. The molecular basis of p53-RE interaction has been a topic of intensive studies, however, it remains unclear how this one p53 protein can specifically recognize a large number of DNA targets in order to elicit diverse functions. As sequence dependent properties of DNAs are a key determinant in protein-DNA interaction, information on local structure and dynamic features in p53 RE is important in deciphering p53-RE recognition. Towards this goal, we report results on probing p53-RE using site-directed spin labeling, where a site-specifically attached nitroxide radical is monitored to obtain structural and dynamic information of the parent macromolecule. A nucleotide-independent labeling scheme is used to scan the nitroxide along RE sequences, and continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy is used to monitor the rotational motion of the nitroxide, which encodes DNA structural and dynamic properties at the labeling site. Spectral variations have been observed, with analyses of which reveals sequence-specific local environment within the RE. This will aid in understanding p53 recognition of target DNAs.
Can Businesses Effectively Regulate Employee Conduct? The Antecedents of Rule Following in Work Settings

Achieving employee adherence to organizational rules and policies is critical for successful coordination and functioning within organizations. In this article, we explore the antecedents of such rule-following behavior and present two studies of employees that compare two strategies for achieving rule and policy adherence: (1) an extrinsically oriented command-and-control model and (2) an intrinsically oriented self-regulatory model. The findings of both studies suggest that the influence of the self-regulatory strategy exceeds that of the command-and-control approach. Overall, these studies highlight the potential value of fostering employee rule following via intrinsically oriented self-regulatory mechanisms and suggest strategies for implementing such mechanisms.
Ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy provided useful information for diagnosing pulmonary embolism.

Source Citation Sostman HD, Stein PD, Gottschalk A, et al. Acute pulmonary embolism: sensitivity and specificity of ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy in PIOPED II study. Radiology. 2008;246:941-6....
Notes on fluorine

1. Instead of being present in trifling amounts, fluorine is evidently present in amounts equal to or greater than chlorine.
Using hue scaling to specify color appearance and to derive color differences

The traditional means for specifying color appearance, such as tristimulus colorimetry and matching to standard samples, have drawbacks in many applied settings: they need precise equipment, standardized viewing conditions, and may not work well with many self-luminous sources. Furthermore, the results often tell only about a match and not about appearance. We have a technique for specifying color appearance that is reliable, very rapid, and can be used in any situation, since it requires no additional apparatus: subjects look at a stimulus and then simply state the proportions of their sensations using the four unique hue names, red, yellow, green, and blue; for completeness, they also state the apparent saturation. We have shown that the results are not biased by methodological factors including context and range effects, subjects’ linguistic backgrounds, and amount of practice. The procedure can be repeated quickly whenever viewing conditions change. For analysis, the scaled sensory values elicited by a set of stimuli are used to derive the locations of the stimuli on a color diagram that is based on appearance and that has a uniform metric; we term this a Uniform Appearance Diagram (UAD). the orthogonal axes of this space are red-green and yellow-blue; the location of a stimulus specifies its hue and its distance from the origin specifies its apparent saturation. It would be very useful if the results of our methods could be related to those from other specification systems. We argue that we can do so by deriving "traditional” measures of discriminability from our UADs. For example, we find that distances among stimuli on a UAD can be used to predict wavelength discrimination under the given viewing conditions.
Administrative delays and chronic disability in patients with acute occupational low back injury.

Objectives: This study assessed whether an organizational factor, delays to claim acceptance or administrative delays, had an influence on outcomes for individuals with acute back injuries in the workers' compensation system. Methods: Multivariate logistic regression was used to test whether individuals who experienced administrative delays were more likely to develop chronic disability than those who did not experience delays. Results: Beyond the first 2 weeks, each interval of administrative delay was associated with increased odds of developing chronic disability. Injury severity, physician experience and weeks to medical treatment were additionally very strong predictors for the development of chronic disability. Conclusions: Insurers, employers, and policy makers can significantly reduce chronic disability if controls are adopted to reduce administrative and treatment delays and to direct workers to experienced clinicians.
A study of attachment loss patterns in survivor teeth at 18 months, 36 months and 5 years in community-dwelling older adults

Most of our knowledge regarding the natural history of periodontitis in adults has come from clinical studies of dental patients. However, it is known that dental patients usually are not representative of what actually happens in the population. This paper presents population-based attachment loss trends in survivor teeth to address the following issues; 1) whether attachment loss during 1 period in time is associated with higher risk for attachment loss at a subsequent period in the same subject; 2) whether sites in survivor teeth with deeper periodontal pockets at baseline are more likely to experience future attachment loss; and 3) whether the effect of regular use of dentists' services on attachment loss are demonstrated in a community-dwelling population. In 1988, the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry initiated the Piedmont 65 + Dental Study, which was designed to elicit 800 dentate respondents in the 5-county area who were examined again at 18, 36 and 60 months. Our findings indicated that, for the 3 time periods investigated, attachment loss during the first period was not related to the incidence of attachment loss at a subsequent period for most people. However, for people who experience multiple episodes, the second episode was likely to immediately follow the first episode. This pattern did not occur at the site level where no site experienced more than 2 successive episodes, and a previous episode did not put a site at higher risk for a subsequent episode. Our data also indicated that both baseline pocket depth and irregular dental visits were positively associated with the proportion of sites that demonstrated break-down over the next 5 yr.
Acetylene reduction activity in salt‐tolerant alfalfa and rhizobium

Abstract Twenty‐nine alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., populations and 14 Rhizobium meliloti L. strains, which had survived sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations of 264 and 528 mM, respectively, were tested for nodulation and acetylene reduction activity under in vitro zero NaCl conditions. The most efficient strains were 1027, 1111, (USDA‐Agricultural Research Service collection), RMZ1, and D7, (Utah State University collection). In a second experiment, the 29 alfalfa populations were inoculated with thesefour strains and grown in 0, 44, 88,132, or 176 mM NaCl. Nodule number seedling'’ and acetylene reduction activity differed significantly among alfalfa populations, rhizobium strains and NaCl concentrations; there were also highly significant interactions among these factors. Nodulation of all alfalfa populations was delayed 48–72 h by salt concentrations higher than 132 mM. Sodium chloride concentrations that affected symbiosis were lower than those that affected growth and survival of individual alfalfa ge...
Pulse-Shape Measurements On OMEGA

Direct-drive laser fusion targets require that the irradiation nonuniformity be in the range 1-2% σThis This implies that UV power imbalances between the 24 beamlines of the OMEGA laser system need to be measured to a precision of order 1%, i.e., the system signal-to-noise ratio must be in excess of a few hundred. In this paper we report on the feasibility of making such measurements with a 24-channel streak-camera system.
Characterizing Yang–Mills Fields by Stochastic Parallel Transport

Abstract We give a new stochastic approach to Yang–Mills fields on vector bundles by studying the derivative of the stochastic parallel transport in the vector bundle under a variation of connection. We establish martingale criterions for variations transversal to the gauge orbit and for Yang–Mills fields using variations induced by the flow of vector fields of gradient type on the base manifold. In dimension four we link the local Yang–Mills action to the quadratic variation of the derivative process defined by scalings of the driving Brownian motion in a coordinate chart.
Calculation of Energy Bands in Alkali Halides

The electronic energy bands in LiF, NaCl, and KBr have been calculated using the augmented-plane-wave (APW) method. The usual APW method is improved upon by including nonspherical terms in the potential and by varying the Slater free-electron-exchange approximation in order to match experimental band-gap data. It was found that the nonspherical terms have about an 0.8-eV effect in LiF, a 0.4-eV effect in NaCl, and a 0.1-eV effect in KBr. It was found that if the exchange potential is increased by about 10%, experimental band-gap data can be matched. Transitions calculated from the energy-band calculations were compared with experimental optical-absorption and optical-reflectance data. Agreement is generally good. Using numerical differentiation, the effective mass at the bottom of the conduction band was calculated. The effective masses were found to be approximately $1.2{m}_{e}$ for LiF, $0.6{m}_{e}$ for NaCl, and $0.5{m}_{e}$ for KBr. Experimental values exist only for KBr and are in good agreement.
Experiments on the writing process in magnetic recording

To provide an understanding of the relative recording performance of different tapes the paper determines what takes place when the magnetic field from a writing head acts on the particles in the tape. Methods of measuring the following are described: (1) the shape, size, and position of the recorded transition between two oppositely-magnetized regions as a function of writing current; (2) the depth of recording; and (3) recording demagnetization as a function of density.
Drugs, hERG and sudden death

Early recognition of potential QT/TdP liability is now an essential component of the drug discovery/drug development program. The hERG assay is an indispensable step and a high-quality assay must accompany any investigational new drug (IND) application. While it is the gold standard at present, the hERG assay is too labor-intensive and too low throughput to be used as a screen early in the discovery/development process. A variety of indirect high throughput screens have been used.
Semantics of the MibML Conceptual Modeling Grammar: An Ontological Analysis Using the Bunge-Wang-Weber Framework

A conceptual modeling grammar should be based on the theory of ontology and possess clear ontological semantics to represent problem domain knowledge in a precise and consistent manner. In this paper, we follow the notion of ontological expressiveness and conduct an ontological analysis of a newly-developed conceptual modeling grammar termed MibML (Multiagent-based Integrative Business Modeling Language). The grammar is developed to respond to the emerging needs for a special-purpose conceptual modeling grammar for the MIBIS (multi-agent-based integrative business information systems) universe. We assign ontological semantics to the MibML constructs and their relationship using the BWW (Bunge-Wand-Weber) model. This article provides a starting point to further develop ontological principles and step-by-step guidelines to ensure the straightforward mapping from domain knowledge into MibML modeling constructs.
Melanogenesis and associated cytotoxic reactions: applications to insect innate immunity.

Abstract Insects transmit the causative agents for such debilitating diseases as malaria, lymphatic filariases, sleeping sickness, Chagas’ disease, leishmaniasis, river blindness, Dengue, and yellow fever. The persistence of these diseases provides testimony to the genetic capacity of parasites to evolve strategies that ensure their successful development in two genetically diverse host species: insects and mammals. Current efforts to address the problems posed by insect-borne diseases benefit from a growing understanding of insect and mammalian immunity. Of considerable interest are recent genomic investigations that show several similarities in the innate immune effector responses and associated regulatory mechanisms manifested by insects and mammals. One notable exception, however, is the nearly universal presence of a brown-black pigment accompanying cellular innate immunity in insects. This response, which is unique to arthropods and certain other invertebrates, has focused attention on the elements involved in pigment synthesis as causing or contributing to the death of the parasite, and has even prompted speculation that the enzyme cascade mediating melanogenesis constitutes an ill-defined recognition mechanism. Experimental evidence defining the role of melanin and its precursors in insect innate immunity is severely lacking. A great deal of what is known about melanogenesis comes from studies of the process occurring in mammalian systems, where the pigment is synthesized by such diverse cells as those comprising portions of the skin, hair, inner ear, brain, and retinal epithelium. Fortunately, many of the components in the metabolic pathways leading to the formation of melanin have been found to be common to both insects and mammals. This review examines some of the factors that influence enzyme-mediated melanogenic responses, and how these responses likely contribute to blood cell-mediated, target-specific cytotoxicity in immune challenged insects.
Evaluation of the Complex Transcriptional Topography of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Chondrogenesis for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising cell source for cartilage tissue engineering given their chondrogenic potential. This potential has yet to be fully realized, as the mechanical properties of MSC-based constructs are lower than those of chondrocyte-based constructs cultured identically. The aim of this study was to better understand the transcriptional underpinnings of this functional limitation. Matched chondrocytes and MSCs from three donors were cultured in agarose in a defined medium containing transforming growth factor beta3 (TGF-beta3). We evaluated the compressive mechanical properties and matrix deposition of maturing constructs over 56 days. Transcriptional differences between the two cell types were assessed on day 0 and 28 via microarray analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction; differential deposition of matrix molecules was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Although the mechanical and biochemical properties of cell-seeded constructs improved with culture duration, MSC values plateaued at day 28, and remained lower than chondrocyte values. Using microarray analysis, 324 genes were identified as mis-expressed during chondrogenesis. Differential expression of 18 genes was validated, and differential deposition of proteoglycan 4 and TGF-beta-induced 68 kDa protein (TGFBI) was confirmed. Temporal expression profiles of these 18 genes showed that some genes were never expressed (chondromodulin), some were expressed at lower levels (proteoglycan 4), and some were expressed only at later time points (TGFBI) in MSCs compared to chondrocytes. These findings further define the complex transcriptional topography of MSC chondrogenesis, and provide new benchmarks for optimizing the growth of MSC-based engineered cartilage.
Mechanical properties and microstructure of SiC-reinforced Mg-(2,4)Al-1Si nanocomposites fabricated by ultrasonic cavitation based solidification processing

Abstract Nano-sized SiC enhanced magnesium matrix nanocomposites, Mg-2Al-1SiC with 2% SiC and Mg-4Al-1Si with 2% SiC, were successfully fabricated by ultrasonic cavitation based dispersion of SiC nanoparticles in Mg-(2,4)Al-1Si magnesium alloy melts. As compared to the magnesium alloy matrixes, the mechanical properties including tensile strength and yield strength of the Mg-2Al-1Si/2% SiC and Mg-4Al-1Si/2% SiC nanocomposites were improved significantly, while the ductility of magnesium alloy matrix castings was retained. While there were some SiC micro-clusters in the microstructure of nanocomposites, the SiC nanoparticles were dispersed well outside the areas of micro-clusters. Most micro-clusters were located along the grain boundaries while most separate SiC nanoparticles were embedded inside the grains. TEM study of the interface between SiC nanoparticles and Mg-(2,4)Al-1Si metal matrixes suggested that SiC bonds well with the metal matrixes without forming an intermediate phase.
Piecewise Global Volterra Nonlinear Modeling and Characterization for Aircraft Dynamics

Evaluating global aircraft dynamic behavior by Volterra theory as an efficient nonlinear approximation method is investigated. In previous research, Volterra theory was implemented to evaluate the system behavior in a selected local region, which restricts the ability to capture the aircraft behavior while moving from one flight region to another. The current research presents a global piecewise Volterra kernel approach, which uses submodel Volterra kernels to build global kernels. A piecewise interpolation is employed to switch between the submodels. An approximate nonlinear pitch-plunge model for a high-performance aircraft was used to assess the proposed approach. A set of experimental simulations is conducted to verify the capability of the proposed model. The approach is compared with a global linear approach while employing the nonlinear simulation as the benchmark.
Characteristics of the Homeless Mentally III in Case Management: Differentiation Using Major Diagnostic Categories

The homeless mentally ill are more disabled than other homeless people and require more services, but important variations exist. This study examined relationships between broad Axis I diagnostic clusters and demographic and service variables for 328 clients receiving case management at a community program for the chronic mentally ill homeless. Demographic characteristics, medical history, educational, psychological, and marital history, and case management variables were examined for psychotic, affective, and miscellaneous other clients. Differences were found in such areas as suicide attempts and current suicide status, psychiatric treatment history, education, overall impairment of functioning, length of time homeless, and time in case management but not in status at termination or number of services required. Psychotics had lower adaptive functioning, spent less time in case management, but had as successful outcomes as affective clients. Psychiatric diagnosis provides information that might assist case management for the homeless mentally ill.
Percutaneous Penetration of Three Insecticides in Rats: A Comparison of Two Methods for In Vivo Determination

Percutaneous penetration of three insecticides was studied by two methods. The indirect (excretion analysis) and direct (skin patch removal) methods for determining penetration were compared in rats. Radiolabeled solutions of parathion, carbaryl, and DOT were applied to previously shaved rats at the rate of 4 μg/cm 2 . Recoveries of radioactivity in urine, feces, application site, and various tissues were measured at intervals over a 5-day period. Urinary excretion rates were corrected for incomplete excretion by intraperitoneal applications. In the 5 days following intraperitoneal administration, the urinary excretion of parathion and carbaryl was greater than 80% while less than 5% of DDT was excreted. A good correlation was found between the indirect and direct methods utilized to determine percutaneous absorption rates with the compounds tested at the later time intervals. All compounds showed more than 85% dermal penetration within 5 days. At the early time intervals (
Self-Balancing System for Medical and Physiological Instrumentation

There is a need in medical and physiological instrumentation for a system that can automatically correct baseline shifts. Some cases where this need arises are discussed. A self-balancing system that can be used as a general-purpose unit has been developed and is described. It consists of a binary counter, a digital to analog converter, and logic circuits. The described system automatically balances dc shifts in signals with a range of 6 V. Balancing time is less than 15 ms. The system is designed to work with tape or chart recorders with input range of ± 1 to ± 3 V. Some design parameters of this system are discussed briefly.
Stimulation of DNA synthesis in Balb/c 3T3 cells by peripheral nerve degenerating in vitro.

Abstract The release of mitogenic substances from degenerating peripheral nerves was detected and characterized in vitro. Cultures of serum-starved, subconfluent Balb c 3T3 cells were exposed 24 h to myelinated peripheral nerve fascicles, with [3H]thymidine added during the last 3 h. Cells exposed to peripheral nerves incorporated twice as much [3H]thymidine as control cultures without nerves (P
Specular reflection from woven cloth

The appearance of a particular fabric is produced by variations in both large-scale reflectance and small-scale texture as the viewing and illumination angles change across the surface. This article presents a study of the reflectance and texture of woven cloth that aims to identify and model important optical features of cloth appearance. New measurements are reported for a range of fabrics including natural and synthetic fibers as well as staple and filament yarns. A new scattering model for woven cloth is introduced that describes the reflectance and the texture based on an analysis of specular reflection from the fibers. Unlike data-based models, our procedural model doesn't require image data. It can handle a wide range of fabrics using a small set of physically meaningful parameters that describe the characteristics of the fibers, the geometry of the yarns, and the pattern of the weave. The model is validated against the measurements and evaluated by comparisons to high-resolution video of the real fabrics and to BTF models of two of the fabrics.
3.5 A 16-to-40Gb/s quarter-rate NRZ/PAM4 dual-mode transmitter in 14nm CMOS

Emerging standards in wireline communication are defining a path to data-rates of 40Gb/s and beyond. Most previous standards for these networking applications use NRZ signaling. However, practical signal integrity constraints have led to a renewed interest in also supporting PAM4 for some applications and loss profiles [1-2]. Recently, several transmitters have been reported that operate between 28 and 60Gb/s using NRZ or PAM4 modulation exclusively [2-4]. However, high-speed SerDes building blocks that support both a wide frequency range and multiple forms of modulation provide more compatibility between components and avoid the development of multiple IPs. In addition, these blocks must continue to scale into the next-generation of CMOS process technologies to lower the cost by reducing area and power consumption. This paper presents a dual-mode transmitter (TX) implemented in 14nm CMOS that supports both NRZ and PAM4 modulations and operates from 16 to 40Gb/s. The TX incorporates a 4-tap NRZ FIR filter that is reconfigurable to drive PAM4 levels, quarter-rate clocking with a high-bandwidth 4:1 serializer, a duty-cycle and quadrature-error correction circuit with statistical phase error detection, and compact, multi-layer T-coils for pad capacitance (C pad ) reduction.
The concordance of testicular anatomic location in bilateral cryptorchidism

Abstract Objective To determine the frequency of concordance of testicular anatomical location between both undescended testes based on surgical findings. Background Cryptorchidism occurs in approximately 1% of boys over one year of age, and in 10–20% of these cases, the condition is bilateral. We report a series of 168 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of bilateral undescended testes who underwent surgical exploration and in whom two testes were surgically identified. Methods The testicular location of both testes was stratified according to six anatomic regions. For each patient the anatomic site of each testis, both palpable and impalpable, and the surgical procedure required for orchidopexy were recorded. Results The mean age was 59.3 months (2.5 months–21 years). In 90% of the cases the surgical technique was identical for both sides. Approximately two thirds of the patients were found to have both testes in concordant anatomical locations and in 88% the location of one testis was predictive within one anatomic “step” of the location of the contralateral gonad. Conclusion These findings may have significant implications for counseling families and anticipating the necessary surgical approach required when only one undescended testis has been localized preoperatively.
Effects of Submersed Macrophytes on Dissolved Oxygen, pH, and Temperature under Different Conditions of Wind, Tide, and Bed Structure

ABSTRACT Seasonal data on diurnal dissolved-oxygen concentration (DO), pH, temperature and chlorophyll-a were collected and species composition and vertical structure of macrophyte beds were analyzed in the tidal Potomac River during the 1987 growing season. The relationships among these variables and physical and climatic factors were analyzed. Elevated surface temperatures, DO and pH were found in macrophyte beds in June and August; surface temperatures were also elevated in the dense Hydrilla verticillata dominated bed in October-November after senescence had begun. Bottom DO, pH and temperature were lower than surface values. Bottom temperatures in vegetated sites were highly variable compared with bottom temperatures in unvegetated sites. Tide, wind, vegetative structure and available sunshine interacted in a complex fashion to control the magnitude of the diurnal DO, pH and temperature and the stratification of DO, pH and temperature with depth in vegetated sites. Fluctuations in DO and pH at unvege...
Quantum-dot-based electrochemical immunoassay for high-throughput screening of the prostate-specific antigen.

In this paper, we demonstrate an electrochemical high-throughput sensing platform for simple, sensitive detection of PSA based on QD labels. This sensing platform uses a microplate for immunoreactions and disposable screen-printed electrodes (SPE) for electrochemical stripping analysis of metal ions released from QD labels. With the 96-well microplate, capturing antibodies are conveniently immobilized to the well surface, and the process of immunoreaction is easily controlled. The formed sandwich complexes on the well surface are also easily isolated from reaction solutions. In particular, a microplate-based electrochemical assay can make it feasible to conduct a parallel analysis of several samples or multiple protein markers. This assay offers a number of advantages including (1) simplicity, cost-effectiveness, (2) high sensitivity, (3) capability to sense multiple samples or targets in parallel, and (4) a potentially portable device with an SPE array implanted in the microplate. This PSA assay is sensitive because it uses two amplification processes: (1) QDs as a label for enhancing electrical signal since secondary antibodies are linked to QDs that contain a large number of metal atoms and (2) there is inherent signal amplification for electrochemical stripping analysis—preconcentration of metal ion onto the electrode surface for amplifying electrical signals. Therefore, the highmore » sensitivity of this method, stemming from dual signal amplification via QD labels and pre-concentration, allows low concentration levels to be detected while using small sample volumes. Thus, this QD-based electrochemical detection approach offers a simple, rapid, cost-effective, and high throughput assay of PSA.« less