cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor systems by phospholipid signaling cascades

The 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(1B) receptor systems play central roles in the control of serotonergic neurotransmission and feature prominently in many behaviors and physiological functions. In addition, the regulation of these receptors and their effector mechanisms has been the focus of intense interest because of their potential importance in the therapeutic actions of anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs. Here we describe the regulation of 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(1B) receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity by receptors which activate phospholipid signaling cascades. Although it might be expected that these two highly homologous Gi-coupled receptors would be regulated similarly by activation of phospholipase C (PLC) and phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), we have found that the regulation differs markedly between these receptor systems. Further, our data suggest that the modulation of agonist efficacy at these receptor subtypes is dependent on the nature of receptor coupling to PLC and PLA(2) activation. Moreover, regulation at the level of the effector (e.g., adenylyl cyclase) appears to play a significant role in the regulation of both the 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(1B) receptor systems by the PLA(2) signaling cascade. Such data illustrate multiple levels for control of biochemical signaling cascades within cells and demonstrate that although different receptors may couple to the same effector pathways, the ultimate cellular effects produced by these receptors may differ due to differential cross-talk regulation.
An Evolutionary Algorithm to Generate Ellipsoid Detectors for Negative Selection

This paper introduces hyper-ellipsoids as an improvement to hyper-spheres as intrusion detectors in a negative selection problem within an artificial immune system. Since hyper-spheres are a specialization of hyper-ellipsoids, hyper-ellipsoids retain the benefits of hyper-spheres. However, hyper-ellipsoids are much more flexible, mostly in that they can be stretched and reoriented. The viability of using hyper-ellipsoids is established using several pedagogical problems. We conjecture that fewer hyper-ellipsoids than hyper-spheres are needed to achieve similar coverage of nonself space in a negative selection problem. Experimentation validates this conjecture. In pedagogical benchmark problems, the number of hyper-ellipsoids to achieve good results is significantly (~50%) smaller than the associated number of hyper-spheres.
Heat Transfer in Teeth

Experiments were conducted to determine the thermal resistance between food and teeth during mastication processes and the drinking of beverages. It was found that the assumption of negligible resistance between food and teeth overestimates greatly the resulting temperature gradients. Also, heat transfer coefficients (reciprocal thermal resistance) during drinking and mastication are below 7.0 X 10 -2 calorie/cm2 second°C.
Understanding Links Among Childhood Trauma, Dissociation, and Women's Mental Health

Interrelationships among pathological dissociation, child and adult trauma exposure, and adult mental health symptoms were examined in a sample of low-income, mostly African-American women. Dissociation was significantly related to both trauma exposure and mental health symptoms but did not mediate this relationship. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
A review of numerical simulation of hydrothermal systems / Examen de la simulation numérique des systèmes hydrothermiques

Abstract Many advances in simulating single and two-phase fluid flow and heat transport in porous media have recently been made in conjunction with geothermal energy research. These numerical models reproduce system thermal and pressure behaviour and can be used for heat-transport problems other than those associated with geothermal energy development, such as high-level radioactive waste disposal and heat-storage projects. Although these models are general, additional research is necessary before they can be applied to certain site-specific problems that are concerned with additional processes, such as mass transport and flow in fractured media.
A sperm-supplied product essential for initiation of normal embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans is encoded by the paternal-effect embryonic-lethal gene, spe-11

Loss-of-function mutations in the spe-11 gene in Caenorhabditis elegans result in a paternal-effect embryonic-lethal phenotype: fertilization of wild-type oocytes by sperm from homozygous spe-11 mutant males leads to abnormal zygotic development, whereas oocytes from homozygous spe-11 hermaphrodites when fertilized by wild-type sperm develop normally. Embryos fertilized by sperm from homozygous spe-11 worms fail to complete meiosis and show defects in eggshell formation, mitotic spindle orientation, and cytokinesis. Genetic analysis suggests that the spe-11 gene is expressed before the completion of spermatogenesis and that the wild-type locus encodes a product that is present in sperm and participates, directly or indirectly, in initiating the correct program of early events in C. elegans embryos. Such an ontogenetic role of the spe-11+ gene product in early embryogenesis distinguishes spe-11 mutations from the two paternal-effect mutations identified in Drosophila, ms(3)K81 and pal, which primarily affect chromosome behavior. Analysis of spe-11 provides the first step toward genetic dissection of the functions of the sperm in early embryogenesis in C. elegans.
The Political Behavior of American Catholics: an Assessment of the Impact of Group Integration Vs. Group Identification:

IN RECENT years scholars have given increasing attention to the politics of American Catholics (Reichley 1984; Formicola and Stark 1986; Hoffman 1986; Leege and Welch 1986). Much of this attention has involved comparing the political attitudes and behavior of Catholics with those of non-Catholics (Greely 1977; Lopatto 1985; Reichley 1984 and 1986). Attention has also been given to comparing the political attitudes and behavior of Catholics over time and to explaining variance in Catholics' political attitudes and behavior (Fee 1976; Dionne 1981; Penning 1986). Efforts to explain the political attitudes and behavior of American Catholics suggest that a variety of factors have shaped Catholics' politics. Some studies emphasize the impact of immigration and ethnicity, pointing out that during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, immigrant Catholics tended to settle in Northern cities dominated by the Democratic party (Dionne 1981; Lopatto 1985). There, a close link between the Democratic party and Catholics developed, with the party benefiting from Catholic support and Catholics using the party as a tool to facilitate social assimilation and economic advancement. Although these partisan ties have weakened over the years, they continue to influence American Catholics (Hanna 1979; Kellstedt 1986; Leege and Welch 1986). A second explanation of Catholics' political attitudes and behavior stresses the importance of social class. This explanation suggests that American Catholics, faced with economic discrimination by Protestants, found it exceedingly difficult to prosper financially. An important consequence of this situation was the attraction of Catholics to the Democratic party, with its relatively greater advocacy of social egalitarianism and welfare-state liberalism (Greer 1961; Greeley 1977). Finally, some studies have noted that election-specific, "short-term" variables such as the presence of Catholic candidates for public office have also had an important impact on Catholics' political attitudes and behavior. For example, the nomination of Catholics Al Smith (1928) and John F. Kennedy (1960) as Democratic presidential candidates may have
Regulation of B Cell Activation and Differentiation with Factors Generated by Human T Cell Hybridomas

Human T cell hybridomas were generated by several techniques and the supernatants generated were screened for activity on human B cells. Three general activities were noted; B cell proliferation factor ( BCPF ), B cell differentiation factor (BCDF), and an IgA isotype-specific helper factor. BCPF acts on B cells to induce proliferation without differentiation and is distinct from conventional BCGF. This was documented by BCPF 's inability to synergize with anti-mu Ab in a standard BCGF assay ( Muraguchi & Fauci 1982, Howard et al. 1982, Sieckman et al. 1981), as well as its differential effect on a leukemic B cell preparation, when compared with BCGF. A possible schema for BCPF activity is depicted in Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 3, BCPF acts like Ag in vivo or like anti-mu in vitro, pre-activating B cells and rendering them responsive to BCGF. Figure 4 represents what our data depict, that is that BCPF bypasses the response to BCGF and induces cells to proliferate without pre-activation. The difference in the 2 mechanisms may be concentration-dependent and this possibility is currently being evaluated. It is interesting to speculate that T cells in vivo are capable of initiating B cell activation and may account for polyclonal responses seen with some Ag-specific reactions. BCDF(s) act on post-activated B cells (Figure 3) to induce differentiation to Ig-secreting cells. They appear to be heterogeneous and, therefore are capable of inducing varied responses depending on the B cell subpopulation affected. Figure 3 is deliberately complex demonstrating some of the possible as well as documented BCDF activities including polyclonal differentiation and isotype specific activity in IgA committed B cells. We cannot be certain of the frequency of these BCDF-secreting T cells, but the studies of cells from patients with common variable immunodeficiency and chronic lymphocytic leukemia have helped to dissect out these activities. These data would suggest that these BCDF subgroups are important, as deficiencies in one or more subgroups may result in disease.
The influence of developmental life stage on quality of life in survivors of prostate cancer and their partners

Introduction Although prostate cancer is prevalent, little information is available on how it affects couples’ quality of life (QOL) according to their age cohort. The purpose of this study was to examine how quality of life, self-efficacy and appraisal of the illness experience vary among men with prostate cancer and their partners according to age cohort: middle age (50–64); young-old (65–74); and old-old (75–84). Using an Adult Developmental and Family Stress framework, this study focuses on how normative (developmental stage) and non-normative stressors (prostate cancer) may affect a couple's ability to adapt.
Infraspecific variation among geographically separated collections of Marasmius androsaceus

Comparative morphology, mating compatibility and extracellular laccase approaches were used to provide information on infraspecific variation within geographically separated collections of Marasmius androsaceus. Collections/cultures from North America and Europe were used for these analyses. While all utilized collections belonged to one morphological species, mating compatibility crosses revealed three intersterility groups. Extracellular laccase banding patterns confirmed genetic isolation of intersterility groups I and II.
The epithelial cell cytoskeleton and intracellular trafficking V. Polarized compartmentalization of antigen processing and Toll-like receptor signaling in intestinal epithelial cells

The intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) is exposed at the apical surface to a high concentration of foreign antigen and bacterial products capable of triggering inflammatory responses. Complex intracellular pathways of antigen trafficking and the polarized expression of immunologically active receptors provide additional means to regulate the inflammatory pathways in these cells. In the case of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II heterodimers, surface expression is highly restricted to the basolateral surface, and this also appears to be the case for Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) on polarized T84 human colon cancer cells. Processing of soluble antigen via HLA class II in IEC can occur following internalization from the apical surface but is highly inefficient. In addition, certain bacteria can facilitate the transport of flagellin (the ligand for TLR5) across an intact epithelium. Disruption of the tight junctions between IECs, allowing direct access of antigen and flagellin to the basolateral surface of the cell, dramatically affects the functional outcome HLA class II and TLR5 pathways.
Temperature-sensitive mutants of measles virus produced from persistently infected HeLa cells

A persistent infection with the Edmonston strain of measles virus was established in HeLa cells in the absence of measles virus antibody (HeLaPI cells). By hemadsorption or immunofluoresnce virtually 100 per cent of the cells possessed measles virus components. HeLaPI cells produced no interferon and were not resistant to superinfection with Newcastle disease virus. HeLaPI cells contained both smooth (15--18 nm) and rought (20--35 nm) nucleocapsids as detected by electron microscopy. The virus produced from the HeLaPI cells (MVPI) varied in titer between 1.5 X 10(2) and 5.5 X10(4) PFU/ml, had a smaller plque size and was more heat resistant than wild-type measles virus. MVPI was also found to be temperature-sensitive. The temperature-sensitivity of MVPI was determined by the efficiency of plaquing at 33 degrees and 39 degrees C in Vero cell monolayers. When HeLaPI cells were incubated at 33 degrees C, there was a 50-fold increase in virus production as well as a slight increase in the percentage of cells forming infectious centers compared to HeLaPI cells grown at 37 degrees C. MVPI readily established a persistent infection in HeLa cells which also rleased temperature-sensitive virus.
Effects of uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation on the specific conductance of bimolecular lipid membranes

Abstract Under similar experimental conditions, a variety of uncouplers, including newly synthesized carbonylcyanide phenylhydrazone (CCP) derivatives and new sulfhydryl compounds, have been compared as to their activities in completely releasing respiratory control in rat liver mitochondria and in increasing the specific conductance of bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) by 10-fold. The results indicate that there is no simple correlation between the relative effectiveness of the uncouplers on mitochondrial respiratory control and their effects on the conductance of BLM. It is concluded that the simple concept of uncouplers as proton conductors across the mitochondrial membrane is not an adequate general explanation of their effect on oxidative phosphorylation.
Creative Style and Divergent Production.

In a sample of British working men and women, scores on the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (MI) were compared with divergent production scores on Guilford's Consequences and Alternate Uses tests. On the Consequences test, adaptors and innovators produced approximately equal numbers of common responses, but the innovators produced a higher number of uncommon (remote) responses, and a higher number of responses in total. Innovators also produced more responses than adaptors on the Alternate Uses test. The results are discussed with reference to the distinction between creative style and creative level. Creative style appears to be more strongly, related to some measures of creative level than to others, and the results are consistent with Kirton's view that when solving problems, innovators access a larger cognitive domain than adaptors.
Quantum dynamics of cavity-assisted photoassociation of Bose-Einstein-condensed atoms

We explore the quantum dynamics of photoassociation of Bose-Einstein condensed atoms into molecules using an optical cavity field. Inside of an optical resonator, photoassociation of quantum degenerate atoms involves the interaction of three coupled quantum fields for the atoms, molecules, and the photons. The feedback created by a high-Q optical cavity causes the cavity field to become a dynamical quantity whose behavior is linked in a nonlinear manner to the atoms inside and where vacuum fluctuations have a more important role than in free space. We develop and compare several methods for calculating the dynamics of the atom-molecule conversion process with a coherently driven cavity field. We first present an alternate operator representation for the Hamiltonian from which we derive an improved form of mean field theory and an approximate solution of the Heisenberg-Langevin (HL) equations that properly accounts for quantum noise in the cavity field. It is shown that our improved mean field theory corrects several deficiencies in traditional mean field theory based on expectation values of annihilation and creation operators. Also, we show by direct comparison to numerical solutions of the density matrix equations that our approximate quantum solution of HL equations gives an accurate description of weaklymore » or undriven cavities where mean field theories break down.« less
Continuing regular exercise during pregnancy: Effect of exercise volume on fetoplacental growth

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the null hypothesis that the volume of exercise at different times during pregnancy has no effect on fetoplacental growth. Study Design: Seventy-five women who exercised regularly were evaluated before pregnancy and randomly assigned at 8 weeks' gestation to one of 3 exercise regimens for the remainder of pregnancy. Primary outcome variables included placental growth rate, birth weight, and placental volume at term. Results: The offspring of the women who were randomly assigned to a high volume of exercise in mid and late pregnancy were significantly lighter (3.39 kg vs 3.81 kg) and thinner (8.3% fat vs 12.1% fat) than those offspring born of women who were randomly assigned to reduce their exercise volume after the 20th week. Maternal weight gain, fresh placental volumes, and histomorphometric indices of placental function were greater in the high-low group. Conclusion: These data indicate that a high volume of moderate-intensity, weight-bearing exercise in mid and late pregnancy symmetrically reduces fetoplacental growth, whereas a reduction in exercise volume enhances fetoplacental growth with a proportionally greater increase in fat mass than in lean body mass. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:142-7.)
Effect of the Electropure Process and of the Holding Method of Treating Milk upon Bacterial Endospores

Summary Series of laboratory tests were conducted with some common, spore-forming organisms in order to compare their relative resistance to the Electropure and holding methods of pasteurization. The cultures were from six to eight weeks old when used, and microscopic examinations showed them to contain from 80 to 90 per cent spores. The results obtained in these tests, as shown in table 1 are markedly in favor of the Electropure process. Particular attention is drawn to those results obtained with Bacillus anthracis which is known to be an extremely resistant organism. The percentage reduction in the case of this organism ranged from 0.3 to 2.7 in the holding method, and from 99.5 to 99.7 in the Electropure process. The results of the tests with B. subtilis, B. mycoides, B. mesentericus , and B. megatherium are equally striking. Concluding from the above results concerning spore destruction the Electropure process at 71°C. with momentary holding proved to be superior to pasteurization at 62.8°C. for 30 minutes, in these laboratory tests.
Land-Surface Phenologies from AVHRR Using the Discrete Fourier Transform

The first and second harmonics of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) concisely summarize the amplitude and phase of annual and biannual signals embedded in time-series of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. We applied and evaluated the DFT using monthly composited NDVI data over a 7-year period for a 150 × 150-km study area in southern California. The study area contains strong gradients in environmental conditions and basic vegetation formations. Analysis of the DFT harmonics for six point-locations provided a basis for linking the DFT results to basic vegetation types according their characteristic phenologies. The mean NDVI, or 0th-order harmonic, indicated overall productivity, allowing the differentiation of unproductive, moderately productive, and highly productive sites. The amplitude of the first harmonic indicated the variability of productivity over the year as expressed in a single annual pulse of net primary production. This summarized the relative dominance of evergreen vs. deciduous or annual habit. The phase of the first harmonic summarized the timing of green-up relative to the timing of winter and spring rains. This differentiated rapidly responding annual grasslands, slowly responding evergreen life-forms, and irrigated agriculture. The second harmonic indicated the strength and timing of any biannual signal. This provided information on secondary vegetation types, such as subcanopy grasses beneath evergreen woodlands or mixtures of annual grasslands and irrigated agriculture. The point-based analysis provided the foundation for a regional analysis of the entire study area. The mean NDVI and first- and second-order amplitude and phase, in conjunction with 148 field-sampled polygons, were used to produce an unsupervised classification of basic vegetation formations for the study area. These results were evaluated by comparison with other land cover products, and through assessment using field-sampled test regions.
The Development of Chemosensitivity in Extrasynaptic Areas of the Neuronal Surface after Denervation of Parasympathetic Ganglion Cells in the Heart of the Frog

1. The vagosympathetic trunks innervating the heart of the frog were cut on both sides. Two to 28 days following this denervation the chemosensitivity of the surface of the denervated neurons was explored with iontophoretic microapplication of ACh to restricted areas. 2. While in normally innervated neurons the synaptic areas alone are highly chemosensitive, after denervation the whole cell surface becomes sensitive to ACh. Synaptic transmission fails on the second day (30 to 40 h) after denervation (in frogs kept at 22 to 24 degrees C) and at the same time new chemoreceptive areas start to appear. After 4 to 8 days this development of chemosensitivity has reached a peak and remains at the same level for 4 weeks (the longest period of the present tests). 3. Measurements of chemosensitivity from different cells in different animals were compared. The finely localized chemosensitivity at synaptic areas in normally innervated neurons was of similar magnitude as the uniformly distributed sensitivity in denervated neurons.
Reducing Unwanted Gains During the Cooling Season From a Heat Pipe Augmented Passive Solar Heating System

The heat pipe augmented solar heating system significantly reduces heating loads relative to other conventional passive space heating systems [1–3]. Yet unwanted thermal gains during the cooling season from passive solar systems increase cooling loads and, in extreme cases, may even increase overall space conditioning loads relative to a nonsolar building. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of several design modifications and control strategies for the heat pipe wall to reduce unwanted gains. MATLAB was used to simulate four different unwanted gains reduction mechanisms: 1. shading to block beam radiation from striking the collector, 2. an opaque cover to block all radiation from striking the collector, 3. a mechanical valve in the adiabatic section to eliminate convective heat transfer through the heat pipe into the room, and 4. switching the elevations of the evaporator and condenser sections of the heat pipe to provide heat transfer out of the room during the cooling season. For each mechanism, three different control strategies were evaluated: 1. Seasonal control, for which the prescribed mechanism is deployed at the beginning and removed at the end of the cooling season, 2. ambient temperature-based control, for which the mechanism is deployed if the forecast for the next hour (based on TMY3 weather data) is greater than 65°F, and 3. room temperature-based control, for which the mechanism is deployed if auxiliary cooling was required for the previous hour. For the seasonal strategy, the months for which the unwanted gains reduction mechanism should be deployed to minimize overall space conditioning loads were estimated with a season determination ratio (SD), defined as the monthly ratio of unwanted gains to heating load. Results suggested that SD may be a ‘universal’ parameter that can be applied across a range of climates for quick assessment of its optimal cooling season. With TMY3 data for Louisville, KY, the heat pipe system performed best with ambient temperature-based control. The mechanical valve was the best single mechanism. While in many cases the combination of the valve with a cover or shading produced slightly better performance than the mechanical valve alone, these additional reductions were small. Switching elevations of the evaporator and condenser sections produced little cooling, because of the low thermal emittance of the absorber and low thermal transmittance of the cover, and for the Louisville climate, small diurnal temperature swings during the summer.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Critical current density enhancement and moisture destruction studies of the compound superconductor Y-Ba-Cu-Ag-O

We have fabricated a series of samples of YBa2(Cu1−x Agx)3Oy compounds where 0 ≤ × ≤ 1, with the intention to study the changes in critical current density and the effect of moisture treatment on normal state resistance R in these high transition-temperature superconductors. The samples exhibited a decrease of the transition-temperature Tc vs the Ag concentration x. Tc is about 93 K for YBa2Cu3Oy and 20 KCfor YBa2Ag3Oy, but it is almost unaffected by the presence or Ag for × < 0.2. An enhancement of the critical current density Jc by nearly an order of magnitude for the samples with 0 < × ≤ 0.1 has been observed. Both Jc and R are found to be sensitive to the ambient moisture conditions.
Cdh1 Is Essential for Endometrial Differentiation, Gland Development, and Adult Function in the Mouse Uterus

CDH1 is a cell-cell adhesion molecule expressed in the epithelium to coordinate key morphogenetic processes, establish cell polarity, and regulate epithelial differentiation and proliferation. To determine the role of CDH1 in the mouse uterus, Cdh1 was conditionally ablated by crossing Pgr-Cre and Cdh1-flox mice, and the phenotype was characterized. We found that loss of Cdh1 results in a disorganized cellular structure of the epithelium and ablation of endometrial glands in the neonatal uterus. Cdh1d/d mice lost adherens junctions (CTNNB1 and CTNNA1) and tight junctions (claudin, occludin, and ZO-1 proteins) in the neonatal uterus, leading to loss of epithelial cell-cell interaction. Ablation of Cdh1 induced abnormal epithelial proliferation and massive apoptosis, and disrupted Wnt and Hox gene expression in the neonatal uterus. Although the uteri of Cdh1d/d mice did not show any myometrial defects, ablation of Cdh1 inhibited expression of epithelial (cytokeratin 8) and stromal (CD10) markers. Cdh1d/d mice were infertile because of defects during implantation and decidualization. Furthermore, we showed in the model of conditional ablation of both Cdh1 and Trp53 in the uterus that interrupting cell cycle regulation through the loss of Cdh1 leads to abnormal uterine development. The uteri of Cdh1d/d Trp53d/d mice exhibited histological features of endometrial carcinomas with myometrial invasion. Collectively, these findings suggest that CDH1 has an important role in structural and functional development of the uterus as well as adult uterine function. CDH1 has a capacity to control cell fate by altering directional cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Depotentiation in the Dentate Gyrus of Freely Moving Rats is Modulated by D1/D5 Dopamine Receptors

Hippocampal depotentiation comprises a reversal of tetanization- induced long-term potentiation (LTP) which occurs following low-frequency stimulation. In the CA1 region, it has been reported that agonist activation of D1/D5 dopamine receptors enhances LTP expression and inhibits depotentiation. The role of these receptors in synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus (DG) has not been characterized. This study therefore investigated the role of D1/D5 receptors in LTP and depotentiation in the DG of freely moving rats. Male Wistar rats underwent chronic implantation of a recording electrode in the DG granule cell layer, a bipolar stimulating electrode in the medial perforant path and a cannula in the ipsilateral cerebral ventricle (to enable drug administration). The D1/D5 agonist Chloro-PB dose-dependently inhibited depotentation in the DG. This effect was prevented by the D1/D5 antagonist SCH 23390. Neither D1/D5 agonist nor antagonist had an effect on LTP expression or basal synaptic transmission. These results highlight differences between D1/D5 receptor-involvement in LTP and depotentiation in the CA1 region and DG, and indicate that whereas D1/D5 receptor activation may not be a critical factor in LTP induction in the DG, a differential role for these receptors in the expression of depotentiation, in this hippocampal subfield, may exist.
Life prediction modeling of bus capacitors in AC variable frequency drives

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors are the leading choice for ac variable-frequency drive (VFD) bus filters. Predicting the expected life of these components in this application is complicated by four factors. First, the electrical impedance of aluminum electrolytic capacitors is nonlinear with both frequency and temperature. Second, motor drives produce a spectrally rich ripple current waveform that makes energy loss difficult to compute. Third, the heat transfer characteristic of capacitor banks is dependent on design geometry. Fourth, the expected life of aluminum electrolytic capacitors is extremely sensitive to operating temperature. This paper describes a method for predicting bus capacitor life that addresses these problems by using a multiple component model for capacitor impedance, a motor drive simulation to create ripple current waveforms, a heat transfer model based on bank geometry, and a capacitor life model derived from the device physics of failure. An example is given showing the effect of ac line impedance on the relative expected life.
Septic mice are susceptible to pulmonary aspergillosis.

Clinical data underscores the fact that subsequent high mortality rates occur in patients who survive acute septic episodes. Herein, we described a clinically relevant model of experimental sepsis that we believe will allow further investigation of the manner in which the pulmonary innate immune response is modulated after sepsis. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model, whereby the cecum was partially ligated and punctured nine times with a 21-gauge needle. This procedure was associated with 100% mortality at 3 days after surgery. In contrast, when mice subjected to CLP were treated with antibiotic beginning at 8 hours after surgery, and every 12 hours thereafter until 3 days, ∼60% of the mice survived. Interestingly, CLP survivors quickly succumbed (100% mortality) to pulmonary infection when intratracheally challenged, at day 3 after CLP, with viable Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. No mortality was observed in conidia-challenged sham-operated mice. The defective innate immune response against A. fumigatus in CLP mice could not be explained by a failure of neutrophils to infiltrate the lungs. Instead, gene array analysis revealed that several components of the innate immune response, including the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, were down-regulated. Thus, we describe a system of sepsis-induced innate immune failure in the lungs of C57BL/6 mice.
On the application of K-center algorithms to hierarchical traffic grooming

In this paper, we study a clustering technique for the hierarchical traffic grooming approach in WDM mesh networks. The objective is to minimize the cost of electronic ports, as well as the wavelength requirement of the solution. In the hierarchical grooming approach we have presented in previous work, the first phase is to partition a large mesh network into clusters of nodes. The clustering phase is very important for the final grooming result. Various clustering approaches have been considered in literature; however, not all are suitable for traffic grooming application because they do not take grooming goals into account. In this work, we select a suitable existing clustering algorithm, developed for the K-center problem, and study its performance as a clustering algorithm for hierarchical grooming. We then improve the algorithm, adapting it specifically for the traffic grooming problem. Experimental results show that the improved version generally provides better solutions than the original algorithm, on various traffic patterns, for the general topology grooming problem instances
Animal cruelty: Definitions and sociology

The definition of cruelty used by the author is broad and ambiguous and does not distinguish between acts of sadism, abuse, and neglect that all lead to the suffering of other beings. Some of the research involving animal cruelty is reviewed with the aim of raising questions about the relevance of the painblooddeath (PBD) complex described by Nell.
Plasma-Etched Polymer Waveguides For Intrachip Optical Interconnects

Optical intrachip communication offers the potential advantages of high speed and lack of electrical interference. We report on progress made on an interconnect design using GaAs LEDs, polymer waveguides, and photodiodes in a silicon substrate. The polymer waveguides are fabricated in polyimide or polystyrene materials, and are patterned by reactive ion etching with a tri-level resist system. The photodiodes are of two designs, including one in which the depletion layer lies directly below the waveguide. The LEDs are fabricated from GaAs deposited by MOCVD on a Ge lattice-matching layer placed between the GaAs and the silicon substrate. Test results are presented for the individual components.
The application of a sequence notation to the design of systolic computations

The sequence notation suggested in a previous paper provides a tool for the clear and precise specification of systolic computations. Namely, it separates the static and dynamic levels of the specification. At the static level, the topology of the network and the function of each cell are described by a system of causal equations on sequences, and at the dynamic level, the data flow is described by the elements of the individual sequences.
A frequency response parametrization of all stabilizing controllers for continuous time systems

In this paper, we present an alternative and new interpretation of the Nyquist criterion in terms of Bode plots of the plant and the controller. This result gives a nonparametric characterization of the frequency response of arbitrary order stabilizing controllers. The result shows that the frequency response of any stabilizing controller must satisfy constraints on its magnitude, phase, and rate of change of phase at certain frequencies that are imposed by the frequency response of the inverse plant.
It is not the entropy you produce, rather, how you produce it

The principle of maximum entropy production (MEP) seeks to better understand a large variety of the Earth's environmental and ecological systems by postulating that processes far from thermodynamic equilibrium will ‘adapt to steady states at which they dissipate energy and produce entropy at the maximum possible rate’. Our aim in this ‘outside view’, invited by Axel Kleidon, is to focus on what we think is an outstanding challenge for MEP and for irreversible thermodynamics in general: making specific predictions about the relative contribution of individual processes to entropy production. Using studies that compared entropy production in the atmosphere of a dry versus humid Earth, we show that two systems might have the same entropy production rate but very different internal dynamics of dissipation. Using the results of several of the papers in this special issue and a thought experiment, we show that components of life-containing systems can evolve to either lower or raise the entropy production rate. Our analysis makes explicit fundamental questions for MEP that should be brought into focus: can MEP predict not just the overall state of entropy production of a system but also the details of the sub-systems of dissipaters within the system? Which fluxes of the system are those that are most likely to be maximized? How it is possible for MEP theory to be so domain-neutral that it can claim to apply equally to both purely physical–chemical systems and also systems governed by the ‘laws’ of biological evolution? We conclude that the principle of MEP needs to take on the issue of exactly how entropy is produced.
John Henryism, Depression, and Perceived Social Support in Black Women

John Henryism, a construct developed to describe high effort coping, may help explain the observed health disparities between Blacks and Whites. Previous research suggests that John Henryism is associated with negative physical health factors. However, little research has focused on the relationship between John Henryism and psychological distress. Accordingly, in this exploratory study, we examined the relationships between John Henryism, psychological distress, and well-being in a diverse sample of Black women. Results indicate that there is a negative correlation between John Henryism and depressive symptomatology. This finding is in contrast to past research and suggests that John Henryism may be maladaptive to physical health but not mental health. The limitations and implications of the findings are discussed.
Transmit optimization for frequency division duplex multi-antenna systems

This paper proposes a transmission scheme for frequency division duplex (FDD) multi-antenna systems. The proposed scheme achieves rates close to capacity without requiring explicit feedback of channel state information (CSI) from the receiver. For FDD systems, the conventional assumption is that the channels on the forward and reverse links are completely uncorrelated and hence the transmitter has to rely on feedback from the receiver in order to implement any transmit optimization. However, this assumption of completely uncorrelated channels on the two links is not always a valid assumption. It is argued that in several situations, specifically those in which the base station antenna array is situated high above the terrain, there is partial correlation between the two links. This paper presents a transmission scheme that exploits this correlation between the forward and reverse links in a multi-antenna FDD system. The scheme is designed to be robust in that the performance degrades gracefully in the absence of any correlation between the two links. Simulations show that the proposed scheme indeed achieves near-optimal performance under many different channel conditions.
Ecological systems, nonlinear boundary conditions, and Σ-shaped bifurcation curves

We examine a one-dimensional reaction diffusion model with a weak Allee growth rate that appears in population dynamics. We combine grazing with a certain nonlinear boundary condition that models negative density dependent dispersal on the boundary and analyze the effects on the steady states. In particular, we study the bifurcation curve of positive steady states as the grazing parameter is varied. Our results are acquired through the adaptation of a quadrature method and Mathematica computations. Specifically, we computationally ascertain the existence of6-shaped bifurcation curves with several positive steady states for a certain range of the grazing parameter.
Two-dimensional echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction: prospective analysis of what constitutes an adequate determination.

Abstract 2DE is increasingly being used to determine LVEF. There remain, however, important questions about the 2DE determination of EF: (1) which 2DE formulae correlate best with contrast ventriculography; (2) how often can a particular formula be applied to a large group of patients; and (3) what effect does 2DE quality or the presence of segmental wall motion abnormalities have on the accuracy of echo determined EF? To answer these questions, we prospectively determined the 2DE EF utilizing 10 differen formulae in 65 consecutive patients undergoing contrast ventriculogram within the following 24 hours. We also sought to examine the ability of trained observers to estimate EF from 2DE. The 2DE EF formulae that utilized biplane areas were generally more accurate than single-plane area or diameter only formulae, but were obtainable in fewer patients. The biplane Simpson's rule yielded a correlation with ventriculogram of r = 0.89, but was available in only 34 patients. While the single-plane formulae were slightly less accurate, they were measured in more patients; ellipsoid single-plane apical four-chamber r = 0.80, N=56, and short ellipse r = 0.86, N=47. The measured EF in patients with akinetic segments yielded a greater standard error of the mean, although correlations remained adequate when compared to the normal patient population. The EF from patients with poor quality as compared to good quality echo studies had a slightly greater standard error, but correlations were little affected. Thus biplane formulae for calculating EF yield better correlations, but are available from fewer patients than single-plane formulae. An estimate of EF was sufficiently accurate for most clinical situations and was available in 98% of the patients. The presence of abnormal wall motion or a poor quality 2DE study increased the standard error slightly, but had little effect on correlation with contrast ventriculogram.
A type system for well-founded recursion

In the interest of designing a recursive module extension to ML that is as simple and general as possible, we propose a novel type system for general recursion over effectful expressions. The presence of effects seems to necessitate a backpatching semantics for recursion similar to that of Scheme. Our type system ensures statically that recursion is well-founded---that the body of a recursive expression will evaluate without attempting to access the undefined recursive variable---which avoids some unnecessary run-time costs associated with backpatching. To ensure well-founded recursion in the presence of multiple recursive variables and separate compilation, we track the usage of individual recursive variables, represented statically by "names". So that our type system may eventually be integrated smoothly into ML's, reasoning involving names is only required inside code that uses our recursive construct and need not infect existing ML code, although instrumentation of some existing code can help to improve the precision of our type system.
Effects of Nutrient Manipulations and Grass Removal on Cover, Species Composition, and Invasibility of a Novel Grassland in Colorado

Cover and richness of a 5-year revegetation effort were studied with ,respect to small-scale disturbance and nutrient manipulations. The site, originally a relict tallgrass prairie mined for gravel, was replanted to native grasses using a seed mixture of tall-, mixed-, and short-grass species. Following one wet and three relatively dry years, a community emerged, dominated by species common in saline soils not found along the Colorado Front Range. A single species, Alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides), composed nearly 50% of relative vegetation cover in control plots exhibiting a negative relationship between cover and richness. Seeded species composed approximately 92% of vegetation cover. The remaining 8% was composed of weeds from nearby areas, seed bank survivors, or mix contaminants. Three years of soil nutrient amendments, which lowered plant-available nitrogen and phosphorus, significantly increased relative cover of seeded species to 97.5%. Fertilizer additions of phosphate enhanced abundance of introduced annual grasses (Bromus spp.) but did not significantly alter cover in control plots. Unmanipulated 4-m2 plots contained an average of 4.7 planted species and 3.9 nonplanted species during the 5-year period, whereas plots that received grass herbicide averaged 5.4 nonplanted species. Species richness ranged from an average 6.9 species in low-nutrient, undisturbed plots to 10.9 species in the relatively high-nutrient, disturbed plots. The use of stockpiled soils, applied sparingly, in conjunction with a native seed mix containing species uncommon to the preexisting community generated a species-depauperate, novel plant community that appears resistant to invasion by ruderal species.
The basidiomycete genus Polyporus - an emendation based on phylogeny and putative secondary structure of ribosomal RNA molecules

Summary The fungal genus Polyporus is an assemblage of white-rotting lignicolous basidiomycetes. It has undergone considerable expansion and contraction over a period of two and three quarter centuries. Current generic circumscription of Polyporus has kept the genus non-monophyletic. Species of Polyporus infrageneric group Polyporellus are closely related to some species of Lentinus. We introduce data for ITS2 spacer rRNA secondary structure evolution by quasi-independent comparison with large subunit rRNA phylogeny, and suggest a fraction of primary nuclear rDNA ITS sequence data as novel taxonomic character. A major taxonomic shift is suggested, supported by molecular and morphological characters, and allowing inclusion of species with gilled hymenophores in Polyporus. Two new names are proposed: Polyporus phyllostipes D.KRUGER, nom. nov. and Polyporus gerdai D.KRUGER, nom. nov. Zusammenfassung Die Gattung Polyporus (Basidiomycetes) – eine Emendation auf der Basis von Phylogenie und mutmaslicher sekundarer Struktur der ribosomalen RNA-Molekule
A tool for public analysis of scientific data

The scientific method encourages sharing data with other researchers to independently verify conclusions. Currently, technical barriers impede such public scrutiny. A strategy for offering scientific data for public analysis is described. With this strategy, effectively no requirements of software installation (other than a web browser) or data manipulation are imposed on other researchers to prepare for perusing the scientific data. A prototype showcasing this strategy is described.
Hardware/software organization of a high-performance ATM host interface

A successful hardware/software architecture that resolves performance bottlenecks at the workstation-to-network host interface and offers high end-to-end performance is described. The solution reported carefully splits protocol processing functions into hardware and software implementations. The interface hardware is highly parallel and performs all per-cell functions with dedicated logic to maximize performance. Software provides support for the transfer of data between the interface and application memory, as well as the state management necessary for virtual circuit setup and maintenance. In addition, all higher-level protocol processing is implemented with host software. The prototype connects a RISC System/6000 to a SONET-based asynchronous transfer model (ATM) network carrying data at the OC-3c rate of 155 Mb/s. An experimental evaluation of the interface hardware and software has been performed. Several conclusions are drawn about this host interface architecture and the workstations to which it is connected. >