cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Powder property, microstructure, and creep behavior of a P/M Mo-Si-B based alloy

Abstract This study was the first to apply powder metallurgy for the fabrication of a MoSiBTiC alloy. Spherical MoSiBTiC alloy powders were manufactured by ingot crushing, plasma spheroidization, and gas atomization, and the effects of the powder manufacturing methods on the powder characteristics, sintered microstructures, and creep behaviors were elucidated. The plasma-spheroidized (PS) powder exhibited the highest flowability due to the excellent particle circularity of 0.94; however, its oxygen content was much higher than that of the gas-atomized (GA) powder. The GA powder exhibited an extremely low oxygen content of 390 ppm; however, its flowability was lowered because of many irregular-shaped particles. The consolidation of these powders by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) was completed, and a fully dense sample without any defects could be obtained for all the powders regardless of the flowability. The cross-sectional microstructures of the powder particles were largely varied depending on the powder fabrication methods, which resulted in the formation of different HIP microstructures. The high-temperature creep behavior was strongly dependent on the HIP microstructure. The HIP sample fabricated from the crushed powder exhibited the highest creep resistance due to the coarse microstructure compared to other samples with equiaxed microstructures fabricated from PS and GA powders.
A Circularly Polarized U-Slot Array with High Polarization Purity and Wide Axial Ratio Beamwidth

A circularly polarized antenna array with high-polarization purity and wide axial ratio beamwidth is proposed. The antenna element is a circularly polarized asymmetric U-slot patch. A sequential rotation technique has been implemented that not only improves the circular polarization performance of the array, it also resolves the issue of beam pattern tilt in asymmetric U-slot antenna configurations. The proposed $2 \times 2$ planar array achieves a gain of 13 dBic with a 54 degree axial ratio beamwidth.
New insights into future tropical climate change

The difference between tropical east and west Pacific sea-surface temperatures affects local and global climate, and most climate models suggest a weaker future gradient despite a recent observed increase. Research now suggests the recent trends are due to a transient delay in east Pacific warming driven by cold water upwelling and aerosols.
Depression explains the association between pain intensity and pain interference among adults with neurofibromatosis.

Neurofibromatoses (NFs; NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis) are incurable genetic syndromes characterized by nerve sheath tumors and often accompanied by substantial emotional distress (e.g., depression and anxiety). Pain is also common but understudied in adults with NF and interferes with daily living. In other medical populations, depression and anxiety have a strong association with pain interference. However, research has not explored the relationship of depression and anxiety to pain interference among adults with NF experiencing pain. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that depression and anxiety will mediate the association between pain intensity and pain interference among geographically diverse adults with NF who endorse pain. We used baseline data from an RCT of a mind–body intervention aimed at improving quality of life in adults with NF. Participants (N = 214) who endorsed pain completed measures of demographics, clinical characteristics, baseline pain intensity, pain interference, depression, and anxiety. We constructed a multiple mediation model in R using the lavaan package to test our hypothesis. Preliminary analyses showed differences in pain interference by NF diagnostic subtype (F(2, 206) = 6.82, p = 001). In a model that controlled for NF diagnostic subtype, we found that depression (β = .07, p = .017), but not anxiety (β = -.003, p = .878), partially mediated the association between pain intensity and pain interference. Improving depression has the potential to decrease pain interference among people with NF who experience pain. Clinicaltrials.gov Registration #: NCT03406208
An Energy-Based Discontinuous Galerkin Method with Tame CFL Numbers for the Wave Equation.

We extend and analyze the energy-based discontinuous Galerkin method for second order wave equations on staggered and structured meshes. By combining spatial staggering with local time-stepping near boundaries, the method overcomes the typical numerical stiffness associated with high order piecewise polynomial approximations. In one space dimension with periodic boundary conditions and suitably chosen numerical fluxes, we prove bounds on the spatial operators that establish stability for CFL numbers $c \frac {\Delta t}{h} < C$ independent of order when stability-enhanced explicit time-stepping schemes of matching order are used. For problems on bounded domains and in higher dimensions we demonstrate numerically that one can march explicitly with large time steps at high order temporal and spatial accuracy.
Molecular and genetic characterization of ethylene involvement in mycotoxin-induced plant cell death

Abstract AAL-toxin and the structurally related mycotoxin, fumonisin B1(FB1), cause interveinal cell death in susceptible lines of tomato with morphological characteristics of apoptosis. We observed previously that concomitant with cell death, an increase in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and ethylene occurs, while the addition of inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis or action significantly reduce the amount of dead tissue. Using a molecular approach, we have identified the primary ACC synthase gene family member involved, LE ACS2, and have observed an interesting aspect of its regulation. Fumonisin B1caused the accumulation of LE ACS2 mRNA with a similar time course but to a lower level than did AAL-toxin. Nevertheless, ACC levels were similar for AAL- and FB1-treated tissue. ACC oxidase mRNA was also induced by both mycotoxins, and again AAL-toxin induction was greater than that with FB1. The induction of ACC synthase and ACC oxidase mRNA observed here represents the earliest changes in gene expression noted in this cell death system to date. The effects of theNever ripemutation of tomato, which affects ethylene perception, on toxin-induced cell death also were determined. TheNever ripemutant showed significantly less necrosis or chlorosis in response to the mycotoxins than did its wild type counterpart. These results indicate that alteration in ethylene perception can markedly reduce the amount of tissue damage during this susceptible response. These findings extend our understanding of ethylene-associated signal transduction during plant cell death and suggest strategies for manipulation of cell death to enhance plant disease resistance.
Sequence Alignment Statistics

This chapter gives some simple, useful techniques for approximating the p-values of various types of optimal alignment scores. It starts with general techniques: if, e.g., a dynamic programming computation has probabilistically independent inputs, its successive states form a Markov chain. Thus, if the states are not too numerous, a “Markov computation” yields their distribution. The chapter reviews the three extreme-value distributions, which are relevant to approximating the distribution of random maxima, in the same way the normal distribution is relevant to approximating the distribution of random sums. In general, convergence to an extreme-value distribution is often painfully slow, so the Poisson approximation for counting rare and weakly dependent events can be a more flexible tool for approximating the distribution of maxima. In particular, the extreme-value and Poisson distributionsyield an approximate distribution for the optimal local alignment score of two random sequences, and a finite-size correction can increase the accuracy of statistical approximations if the sequences are relatively short. Moreover, the concept of “islands” permits many statistical approximation problems in local alignment to be transformed to combinatorial problems. Finally, the “Independent Diagonals Approximation” broadens the application of many of the previous methods, and an “Independent Alignments Approximation” converts many alignment variants into the combinatorial problem of determining an “effective length”.
Association of an Endovascular-First Protocol for Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms With Survival and Discharge Disposition

Importance Mortality after an open surgical repair of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) remains high. The role and clinical benefit of ruptured endovascular aneurysm repair (rEVAR) have yet to be fully elucidated. Objective To evaluate the effect of an endovascular-first protocol for patients with an rAAA on perioperative mortality and associated early clinical outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective review of a consecutive series of patients presenting with an rAAA before (1997-2006) and after (2007-2014) implementation of an endovascular-first treatment strategy (ie, protocol) at an academic medical center. Main Outcomes and Measures Early mortality, perioperative morbidity, discharge disposition, and overall survival. Results A total of 88 patients with an rAAA were included in the analysis, including 46 patients in the preprotocol group (87.0% underwent an open repair and 13.0% underwent an rEVAR) and 42 patients in the intention-to-treat postprotocol group (33.3% underwent an open repair and 66.7% underwent an rEVAR; P = .001). Baseline demographics were similar between groups. Postprotocol patients died significantly less often at 30 days (14.3% vs 32.6%; P = .03), had a decreased incidence of major complications (45.0% vs 71.8%; P = .02), and had a greater likelihood of discharge to home (69.2% vs 42.1%; P = .04) after rAAA repair compared with preprotocol patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly greater long-term survival in the postprotocol period (log-rank P = .002). One-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 50.0%, 45.7%, and 39.1% for open repair, respectively, and 61.9%, 42.9%, and 23.8% for rEVAR, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance Implementation of a contemporary endovascular-first protocol for the treatment of an rAAA is associated with decreased perioperative morbidity and mortality, a higher likelihood of discharge to home, and improved long-term survival. Patients with an rAAA and appropriate anatomy should be offered endovascular repair as first-line treatment at experienced vascular centers.
Combining case-based and model-based reasoning for predicting the outcome of legal cases

This paper presents an algorithm called IBP that combines case-based and model-based reasoning for an interpretive CBR application, predicting the outcome of legal cases. IBP uses a weak model of the domain to identify the issues raised in a case, and to combine the analyses for these issues; it reasons with cases to resolve conflicting evidence related to each issue. IBP reasons symbolically about the relevance of cases and uses evidential inferences. Experiments with a collection of historic cases show that IBP's predictions are better than those made with its weak model or with cases alone. IBP also has higher accuracy compared to standard inductive and instance-based learning algorithms.
Free and Exact Radial Wave Functions

The present chapter treats the spatial properties of the scattering process as described by the wave function. After an introduction, in Section XVII.2 the differential equation for the radial wave function (the Schrodinger equation) is derived. Section XVII.3 presents the solutions of the free radial wave equation, and lists some of their properties. The properties of the exact radial wave functions, in particular their asymptotic forms and their connection to the phase shifts and the S-matrix, are discussed in Section XVII.4. In Section XVII.5 the connection between bound states and poles of the S-matrix on the positive imaginary axis is established. Some material about functions of a complex variable, which is needed in this chapter and in Chapter XVIII, is reviewed in a mathematical appendix.
Is There a Contemporaneous Relation Between Exchange Rates and Stock Prices? Evidence from Decisions to Allow the Mexican Peso and Thai Baht to Float

This paper estimates short horizon exchange rate sensitivity with an event study methodology. We look at stock price reactions to very large, unexpected exchange rate changes: the decisions to allow the Mexican peso and Thai baht to float. For both events, we find evidence of a statistically and economically significant contemporaneous relation. Our findings are consistent with the premise that the inability of much of the prior research to observe a contemporaneous relation between exchange rates and company value is due to methodological issues.
DC current sensor for PWM converters

A sensor for inductor current in PWM converters which offers improved performance over presently available sensors is presented. The sensor is based on a saturable transformer, derives power from existing converter waveforms, provides DC isolation, and has inherently wide bandwidth. The sensor is compared to available current sensors. A theory of operation for the sensor is presented, the results of a sensor trial demonstration are reported, and sensor limitations and additional potential applications are discussed. >
Genomic Characterization of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Background Despite a similar histologic appearance, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) tumors have distinct epidemiologic and clinicopathologic differences.
Indic-nuristani sákth-i/án-, ćupti- and Albanian sup

In Indogermanica et Caucasica: Festschrift fur Karl Horst Schmidt zum 65. Geburtstag, edd. R. Bielmeier. and R. Stempel (Berlin: de Gruyter 1994) 38, I have reconstructed the laryngeal heteroclite *s VktH/n- 'thigh'. From the modem languages CDIAL adds more evidence. The basic noun is attested in Ashkun sot and Waigali sōt, whereby we recognize Nuristanī' s valuable contribution.
Toward a General Model of Supervisory Control

The supervisory control paradigm applies to situations where a person allocates his attention among various graphical or alphanumeric displays and intermittently communicates new programs to a computer which itself is in continuous direct control of a physical process. It applies, for example, to piloting or ground control of modern aircraft, to supervision of nuclear power plants and large chemical plants, to monitoring and reprogramming of industrial robots (see preview paper on models in this volume). Figure 1 illustrates the supervisory paradigm. The functions of each of the five elements are listed in the figure below the corresponding box.
Identification of mammalian noggin and its expression in the adult nervous system

The multiple roles of noggin during dorsal fate specification in Xenopus embryos, together with noggin's ability to directly induce neural tissue, inspired an effort to determine whether a similar molecule exists in mammals. Here we describe the identification of human and rat noggin and explore their expression patterns; we also localize the human NOGGIN gene to chromosome 17q22, and the mouse gene to a syntenic region of chromosome 11. Mammalian noggin is remarkably similar in its sequence to Xenopus noggin, and is similarly active in induction assays performed on Xenopus embryo tissues. In the adult mammal, noggin is most notably expressed in particular regions of the nervous system, such as the tufted cells of the olfactory bulb, the piriform cortex of the brain, and the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, suggesting that one of the earliest acting neural inducers also has important roles in the adult nervous system.
Polymer crystallinity and morphology in polysiloxanes. poly(tetramethyl‐p‐silphenylenesiloxane) and poly(tetramethyl‐p‐silphenylene/dimethylsiloxane) copolymers

The crystallinities of polysiloxane homo- and copolymers, measured by DSC and checked by X-ray measurements, are presented. A wide range of crystallization conditions and molecular weight fractions were investigated. The morphological implications of crystallinity changes as a function of molecular weight are discussed in regard to other physical parameters. It is concluded that the dependence of crystallinity and X-ray long period on molecular weight is in accord with a defect interface created via chain entanglements primarily, which are trapped during crystallization. The morphology of the specimens directly reflects their preparative history and molecular weight.
On computing multidimensional discrete Fourier transform

Summary form only given. An algorithm has been developed for computing an N-dimensional discrete Fourier transform of size P/sup R/*P/sup R/*. . .*p/sup Rr/, where P is a prime number and R is a positive integer. The algorithm is based on grouping the input data on hyperplanes orthogonal to some chosen direction and then taking a one-dimensional discrete Fourier transform. An interesting feature of the algorithm is its inherent suitability for parallel/pipelined implementation in hardware. >
SBDSS-a Simulation Based Decision Support System

SBDSS can facilitate operational decision-making in manufacturing environments by helping the decision maker to organize complexity, incorporate quantitative information, knowledge and intuition, consider trade-offs among competing criteria and/or alternatives, synthesize to determine the best alternatives, and communicate the rationale for selecting a strategy to others. SBDSS can be used to supply an effective operational strategy every time there is a change in the objectives of the decision makers and/or the conditions of the production line or characteristics of the products. The SBDSS framework and general architecture are described, and the functionality of different modules of SBDSS, including the user interface, is discussed. An example is presented to demonstrate how the system works. >
Weighted ventriculographic wall motion score for improved survival prediction in patients with coronary artery disease

Global ventricular function parameters such as the ejection fraction and the sum of wall motion scores for segments of the left ventricle are excellent predictors of long-term survival in patients with coronary heart disease. These are usually determined from a monoplane right anterior oblique view. It was hypothesized that a biplane weighted wall motion score that included the left anterior oblique projection might better predict survival. A new score (BISCORE) was derived for 1,433 Mayo Clinic ventriculograms coded by the methods of the Coronary Artery Surgery Study (CASS). Weighting coefficients for each left ventricular segment were derived by the proportional hazards technique, and this resulted in the equation BISCORE = 120 – (8.6 × anterobasal + 3.4 × basal septum + 2.9 × apical + 2.7 × posterolateral + 2.4*diaphragmatic), which yielded a score from 0 (all segments aneurysmal) to 100 (all segments normal). This score stratified the original 1,433 patients into distinct groups by survival. As a single variable it was better than previous wall motion scores and ejection fraction at predicting survival. When prospectively applied to 5,172 Coronary Artery Surgery Study patients, this new score again proved to be a better predictor of survival than previous unweighted scores. Since the new score contains terms from the left anterior oblique ventriculographic projection, it is concluded that this projection adds information to that of the right anterior oblique projection regarding survival. Furthermore, this weighted score appears more highly associated with survival than unweighted scores.
Divergence in signal transduction pathways of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors: Involvement of sphingosine 1-phosphate in PDGF but not EGF signaling

Abstract Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and serum, but not epidermal growth factor (EGF), stimulated sphingosine kinase activity in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts and increased intracellular concentrations of sphingosine 1-phosphate (SPP), a sphingolipid second messenger (Olivera, A., and Spiegel, S. (1993) Nature 365, 557–560). We report herein thatdl-threo-dihydrosphingosine (DHS), a competitive inhibitor of sphingosine kinase that prevents PDGF-induced SPP formation, specifically inhibited the activation of two cyclin-dependent kinases (p34cdc2 kinase and Cdk2 kinase) induced by PDGF, but not by EGF. SPP reversed the inhibitory effects of DHS on PDGF-stimulated cyclin-dependent kinases and DNA synthesis, demonstrating that the DHS effects were mediated via inhibition of sphingosine kinase. DHS also markedly reduced PDGF-stimulated but not EGF-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity and DNA binding activity of activator protein-1. Examination of the early signaling events of PDGF action revealed that DHS did not affect PDGF-induced autophosphorylation of the growth factor receptor or phosphorylation of the SH2/SH3 adaptor protein Shc and its association with Grb2. This sphingosine kinase inhibitor did not abrogate activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase by PDGF. In agreement, treatment with SPP had no effect on these responses but did, however, potently stimulate phosphorylation of Crk, another SH2/SH3 adaptor protein. Moreover, DHS inhibited PDGF-stimulated, but not EGF-stimulated, Crk phosphorylation. Thus, regulation of sphingosine kinase activity defines divergence in signal transduction pathways of PDGF and EGF receptors leading to mitogen-activated protein kinase activation.
Antipsychotics inhibit glucose transport: Determination of olanzapine binding site in Staphylococcus epidermidis glucose/H(+) symporter.

The antipsychotic drug olanzapine is widely prescribed to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. However, it often causes unwanted side effects, including diabetes, due to disruption of insulin-dependant glucose metabolism through a mechanism yet to be elucidated. To determine if olanzapine can affect the first step in glucose metabolism – glucose transport inside cells – we investigated the effect of this drug on the transport activity of a model glucose transporter. The glucose transporter from Staphylococcus epidermidis (GlcPSe) is specific for glucose, inhibited by various human glucose transporter (GLUT) inhibitors, has high sequence and structure homology to GLUTs, and is readily amenable to transport assay, mutagenesis, and computational modeling. We found that olanzapine inhibits glucose transport of GlcPSe with an IC50 0.9 ± 0.1 mM. Computational docking of olanzapine to the GlcPSe structure revealed potential binding sites that were further examined through mutagenesis and transport assay to identify residues important for olanzapine inhibition. These investigations suggest that olanzapine binds in a polar region of the cytosolic part of the transporter, and interacts with residues R129, strictly conserved in all GLUTs, and N136, conserved in only a few GLUTs, including the insulin-responsive GLUT4. We propose that olanzapine inhibits GlcPSe by impeding the alternating opening and closing of the substrate cavity necessary for glucose transport. It accomplishes this by disrupting a key salt bridge formed by conserved residues R129 and E362, that stabilizes the outward-facing conformation of the transporter.
Model-based control for automotive cold start applications

Hydrocarbon emission during start-up of automotive engines has proved to be a thorny problem in powertrain control design due to its requirements conflicting with smooth, reliable start and fast warm-up. This paper surveys research at UC Berkeley toward better design of control algorithms, by capturing more of the physical behavior of the engine, the complexity of the control requirements and the characteristics of the embedded software, by the use of mathematical models. The status and future directions for modeling and control design efforts are outlined.
Surgical considerations for the management and resection of esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Background Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract, but occur rarely in the esophagus. Use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors has revolutionized therapy for GISTs but complete resection remains the treatment of choice. Esophageal GISTs require special consideration regarding perioperative treatment, evaluation, and conduct of operation. Methods We report our experience (from 2000 to 2003) with four patients who underwent resection of esophageal GIST, reviewed consensus management guidelines, and performed a literature review for reported cases. Query of the National Cancer Database was made to assess national experience with esophageal GISTs. Results All four patients had esophageal GISTs successfully differentiated from leiomyomata by immunohistochemistry on fine needle aspirates obtained during endoscopic ultrasound. At the time of resection all tumors were noted to be adherent to tissues other than submucosa that required resection of esophageal muscularis, periesophageal tissue, or mucosa. All patients were thought to have complete resection and were alive at last contact (median, 33 months). Two of four patients recurred, one of whom underwent esophagectomy; the other patient is alive on imatinib. Seven case reports with median follow-up of three years reported no recurrence with either enucleation or esophagectomy. The National Cancer Database contains 33 cases of esophageal GIST reported since 1999. Nine of 24 patients died within six months of diagnosis. Conclusions Esophagectomy is the treatment of choice for esophageal GISTs but requires attention to operative details that emphasize complete en bloc excision of surrounding tissue. Preoperative imatinib may improve resectability.
High dynamic range volume visualization

High resolution volumes require high precision compositing to preserve detailed structures. This is even more desirable for volumes with high dynamic range values. After the high precision intermediate image has been computed, simply rounding up pixel values to regular display scales loses the computed details. In this paper, we present a novel high dynamic range volume visualization method for rendering volume data with both high spatial and intensity resolutions. Our method performs high precision volume rendering followed by dynamic tone mapping to preserve details on regular display devices. By leveraging available high dynamic range image display algorithms, this dynamic tone mapping can be automatically adjusted to enhance selected features for the final display. We also present a novel transfer function design interface with nonlinear magnification of the density range and logarithmic scaling of the color/opacity range to facilitate high dynamic range volume visualization. By leveraging modern commodity graphics hardware and out-of-core acceleration, our system can produce an effective visualization of huge volume data.
The “New Diplomacy” of the Eighteenth Century

Ever since Woodrow Wilson, in the course of his attempts to lay a new and secure basis for peace after the First World War, proclaimed the necessity for “open covenants of peace, openly arrived at,” the methods of diplomacy have been regarded as having had their part in bringing about the outbreak of the First World War, and the demand for a “new diplomacy” has been raised. Although this concept has come into frequent use only in our century, it was soon realized that its history could be raced back into the nineteenth century, but its exact provenance has never been fully established. This article will show that the term can be found even earlier than is generally assumed, namely as early as 1793. As in all such disputes about the origin of a term, it would be ridiculous to maintain that this was definitely the first time this concept made its appearance, but it seems justified to propose that the concept definitely belongs to the second part of the eighteenth century.
Vocal fold injection as a treatment for glottic insufficiency: con.

Correspondence: Clark A. Rosen, MD, University of Pittsburgh Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Mercy Hospital, Building B, Ste 11500, 1400 Locust St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (rosenca@upmc.edu). Financial Disclosure: Dr Rosen is a consultant and medical bureau speaker for Bioform Medical Inc. He has been a recipient of grants from Bioform Medical for research into vocal fold injection materials.
Phospholipase A2 activity in the fat body of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta

We report on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in homogenates prepared from fat bodies of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta. PLA2 activity is responsible for hydrolyzing fatty acids from the sn-2 position of phospholipids. The rate of hydrolysis increased with increasing homogenate protein concentration up to approximately 320 micrograms protein/ml reaction volume. Higher protein concentrations did not appreciably increase the rate of PLA2 activity. As seen in some, but not all PLA2s from mammalian sources, hydrolyzing activity increased linearly with time. The fat body activity was sensitive to pH (optimal activity at pH 8-9) and temperature (optimal activity at approximately 40 degrees C). The activity was associated with fat body rather than hemolymph, because no activity was detected in cell-free serum. The fat body PLA2 activity differs from the majority of PLA2s with respect to calcium requirements. Whereas most PLA2s require millimolar calcium concentrations for full activity, a few PLA2s are calcium-independent. A few others are known to require submicromolar calcium concentrations. The fat body activity appears to be calcium independent. These data show that a PLA2 activity that can hydrolyze arachidonic acid from the sn-2 position of phospholipids is associated with the tobacco hornworm fat body. The biological significance of this activity relates to biosynthesis of eicosanoids. Pharmacological inhibition of PLA2 impairs the ability of this insect to respond to bacterial infections. Since the impairment can be reversed by treatment with exogenous arachidonic acid, the PLA2 activity may be an important step in eicosanoid biosynthesis.
An interface configuration experiment on USML-1

Experiments were carried out for 'exotic' rotationally symmetric containers aboard the first NASA United States Microgravity Laboratory Space Shuttle flight (USML-1). The containers have the property that they admit an entire continuum of distinct equilibrium rotationally-symmetric capillary free-surfaces for a given liquid volume and contact angle. It was found, after the containers were filled in orbit, that an initial equilibrium interface from the symmetric continuum reoriented, when perturbed, to a stable interface that was not rotationally symmetric, as predicted by the mathematical theory.
Interactions of ascorbate and chelated iron in a methylviologen-mediated mehler reaction

— –In the light, isolated spinach thylakoids consumed O2 in the presence of methylviologen, and ascorbate was found to interact with this reaction in various ways. Chelating-resin was used to remove metal impurities from the assay medium. Ascorbate diminished the H202 pool in resin-untreated solutions, while in resin-treated solutions ascorbate had no effect on H2O2 concentrations. A Fenton catalyst (Fe-EDTA) increased O2 uptake in the presence of ascorbate and decreased the amount of O2 recovered by catalase. Ascorbate tripled the rate of the methylviologen-mediated Mehler reaction, and the O2 consumed was liberated to 50% of its original concentration by catalase. Superoxide dismutase reversed the effects of ascorbate on the Mehler reaction rates. These results indicate that ascorbate can stimulate Mehler reactions indirectly by promoting a Fenton-type reaction as well as stimulating Mehler reactions directly by reducing 2O2- to 2H2O2. The promotion of a Fenton-type reaction by ascorbate appears to be the cause of H2O2 depletion in resin-untreated solutions.
Thermal Characterization of the 144 nm GMR Layer Using Microfabricated Suspended Structures

The performance and reliability of GMR heads are influenced by the level of temperature rise, which may occur in the device during the normal operation or during an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event. However, the reliable electro-thermal modeling of the GMR sensor to predict the temperature rise, demands an accurate knowledge of the thermal properties of its constituent materials such as Al2 O3 passivation and GMR layers. The lateral thermal conductivity of the GMR layer, which has not been measured previously, can largely influence the maximum temperature rise in the GMR sensor. The present effort will be directed at thermal characterization of the CoFe/Cu multilayer structures made of extremely thin periodic layers, using steady-state and frequency domain heating and thermometry in suspended bridges. The measurements are performed on several suspended structures with the lengths and widths in the range of 250 to 500 μm and 16 to 20 μm, respectively.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Plasmonic nanoparticle scattering for enhanced performance of photovoltaic and photodetector devices

A variety of approaches are examined for exploiting the optical properties of metal or dielectric nanoparticles, particularly those associated with surface plasmon polariton resonances, to improve the performance of semiconductor photodetectors and photovoltaic devices. Early and recent concepts for employing optical absorption and local electromagnetic field amplitude increases associated with surface plasmon polariton excitation to improve photocurrent generation in organic photovoltaic devices are briefly reviewed. The application of optical scattering properties of nanoparticles to improve transmission of optical power into, and consequently photocurrent response in, Si and a-Si:H photodiodes is then described, and effects related to scattered-wave phase shifts and interference effects between scattered and directly transmitted wave components in producing either enhancement or suppression of photocurrent response at different wavelengths are discussed. Coupling of photons incident normal to the surface of a semiconductor thin-film device into lateral, optically confined paths within waveguide structures formed by refractive index contrast either within the semiconductor structure, or between the semiconductor and surrounding dielectric material, is discussed in the context of early and recent studies of such coupling in silicon-on-insulator photodetectors, and recent work on engineering of photon propagation paths in III-V compound semiconductor quantum well solar cells.
AGU Hydrology Poster Session Authors Polled

A questionnaire was sent in October 1986 to all AGU Hydrology Section members who presented poster papers during the 1985 Spring, 1985 Fall, and 1986 Spring AGU meetings. The objective was to help assess the merit of poster sessions based on the experiences of recent contributors. The questions were designed to provide the authors' perspective on posters and to tell the program chairmen and Hydrology Section executive committee whether we should modify any of our policies toward poster papers. The questionnaire was sent to 66 authors; 45 were returned. Respondents had the option of remaining anonymous, but 80% chose to sign the completed forms. This report summarizes the results of the survey.
Validity of plasma aldosterone-to-renin activity ratio in African American and white subjects with resistant hypertension.

Background Recent reports suggesting that primary aldosteronism (PA) is more common than historically thought have often relied on use of the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) to plasma renin activity (PRA) ratio (ARR) to identify patients with PA. Prior determinations of the validity of the ARR had been generally limited to subjects that could be withdrawn from antihypertensive therapy and to non–African American subjects. Methods and Results The current study was designed to evaluate prospectively the diagnostic value of the ARR in treated African American and white subjects with resistant hypertension. Consecutive subjects referred to a university hypertension clinic for resistant hypertension were evaluated with an early morning ARR and a 24-h urinary aldosterone and sodium. The presence of PA was defined as a suppressed PRA ( 12 μg/24 h) during high dietary sodium ingestion (>200 mEq/24 h). In 58 subjects, PA was confirmed. The ARR was elevated (>20) in 45 of 58 subjects with PA and in 35 of the 207 patients without PA, resulting in a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 83% with a corresponding positive predictive value of 56% and a negative predictive value of 93%. Among African American subjects, the ARR was less sensitive than in white subjects (75% v 80%), but it still had a high negative predictive value (92% v 94%). Conclusions These data indicate that the ARR is valid as a screening test for PA in African American and white patients on stable antihypertensive treatments, but a high percentage of false-positive results precludes using it for accurate diagnosis of PA.
An evaluation of certain indices of eutrophy and maturity in lakes

Data from five Colorado lakes were utilized to test the usefulness of net primary productivity, seston, chlorophyll a and Secchi disc transparency as indices of eutrophy. The four indices were in essential agreement as to the relative degree of eutrophication in each of the five lakes. The concept of maturity is also considered by ranking the Colorado lakes according to several maturity indices: phytoplankton diversity, zooplankton diversity, Margalef's pigment ratio, P/B ratio, and assimilation number. The relative maturity of the lakes shifts considerably, according to which maturity index one utilizes. Specific correlations between maturity indices (e.g., a positive correlation between plankton diversity and pigment ratio) as suggested by Margalef, did not occur in these five lakes. The data from the Colorado lakes suggest that maturity may not be a meaningful concept or, that if it is, it has not been adequately characterized.
Modeling turbulent dissipation at low and moderate Reynolds numbers

The dissipation of kinetic energy is one of the key features of turbulent flows that must be modeled accurately in order to obtain useful engineering predictions. At high Reynolds numbers the assumption of scale separation can be invoked in the modeling of the dissipation process. This paper focuses on the more difficult issue of modeling the dissipation process at moderate and low Reynolds numbers. The low and moderate Reynolds number range is very important for tuning turbulence models and for many practical engineering problems. To approach this problem, an alternative formulation to the classic dissipation scale equation is proposed. The interesting feature of this formulation, an inverse lengthscale equation, is that it captures both the high Reynolds number and low Reynolds number decay limits. A careful assessment of existing data then allows us to clearly identify the region of transition between high and low Re and propose a very simple equation system which can accurately model dissipation at an...
Radiation heat transfer calculations for space structures

A method is presented for the computation of radiant heat flux between arbitrary surfaces which permits a user defined level of accuracy. The method can be applied to directionally dependent surface properties, specular radiation, or solar illumination, and ensures conservation of energy. The method is compared with others to demonstrate its value.
Petrology of fine-grained rock fragments and petrologic implications of single crystals from the Luna 20 soil

Only fine-grained rocks are present in the Luna 20 samples, and coarser-grained rocks are represented by fragments of single crystals. A petrologic study has been made of 47 fine-grained crystalline rocks, microbreccias, and glassy aggregates. In addition, a total of 33 single crystals of pyroxene, plagioclase, olivine, and spinel, in the size range from 125 to 500 microns, have been examined using electron microprobe and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The most abundant fine-grained crystalline rocks in the samples examined are recrystallized anorthositic norite and anorthositic troctolite. Gabbroic rocks, anorthosite, and KREEP basalt are present but not common. Most of the single crystals of pyroxene and plagioclase could have been derived from coarser-grained noritic, troctolitic, and anorthositic rocks. However, three of the 14 pyroxene crystals, and two of the five olivine crystals have Fe/(Fe + Mg) contents greater than 0.45 and are believed to have been derived from mare basalts or related rocks.
Disproportionation of [(py)(NH3)4RuIII] at the N7 of Guanine Nucleosides: Severing the N-Glycosidic Bond

Under optimal conditions, the N7-coordinated complexes trans-[L(py)(NH3)4RuIII] (L = Guo, dGuo, 1MeGuo) disproportionate to give ∼50% trans-[Guo(py)(NH3)4RuII] and a putative RuIV species that yields ∼50% [Gua(py)(NH3)4RuIII]. Disproportionation follows the rate law d[RuII]/dt = ko[RuIII] + k1[OH-][RuIII] (for L = Guo: ko = 2.9 × 10-4 s-1, k1 = 6.4 M-1 s-1) so that the rate-limiting step in the dominant, hydroxide-dependent pathway is not electron transfer between RuIII's, but probably deprotonation of an ammine. Consistent with the ordering of k1's for the ligands (1MeGuo > Guo ∼ dGuo > 9MeGua ≫ Gua), ionization of the purine at N1 or N9 slows the disproportionation by suppressing ammine ionization. Activation parameters for k1 (pH = 11.50) with L = Guo are as follows: ΔH⧧ = 17.4 ± 0.8 kcal/mol (Ea = 18.0 ± 0.8 kcal/mol), and ΔS⧧ = 2.4 ± 0.1 cal/(mol K). Following disproportionation, the appearance of trans-[Gua(py)(NH3)4RuIII] and free ribose is consistent with general acid hydrolysis of the glycosidi...
Complexity of complementizer choice in Japanese: Reply to Ono

Abstract In this reply I attempt to show that the analysis proposed by Ono [Ono, Haruhiko, 2005. On the use of the Speaker (narrator)'s mental attitude to determine the selection of the Japanese complementizer no or koto: a reply to Suzuki Journal of Pragmatics] is inadequate in accounting for complementizer selections in Japanese and that the account presented in [Suzuki, Satoko, 2000. Japanese complementizers: interaction between basic characteristics and contextual factors. Journal of Pragmatics 32, 585–621] is sufficient. Ono's notions of subjective narration, psychological concern, and mental activity are not clearly defined. Further, his proposal, which associates the complementizer koto with the speaker/narrator's psychological concern and no with the lack thereof, does not correctly predict actual complementizer choices. Numerous examples are cited which contradict his claim. For example, no is found in contexts in which the speaker/narrator's psychological concern is clearly involved. In the latter half of the paper the findings in [Suzuki, Satoko, 2000. Japanese complementizers: interaction between basic characteristics and contextual factors. Journal of Pragmatics 32, 585–621] are summarized and defended. Complementizer selection in Japanese is a dynamic and complex process in which multiple factors may come into play. Relevant contextual factors are diverse since contexts are diverse. Even though the account proposed in [Suzuki, Satoko, 2000. Japanese complementizers: interaction between basic characteristics and contextual factors. Journal of Pragmatics 32, 585–621] is sometimes complicated, and perhaps not elegant, it more realistically reflects how a complementizer is chosen in Japanese.
Influence of TRPV1 on Diabetes-Induced Alterations in Thermal Pain Sensitivity

A common complication associated with diabetes is painful or painless diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). The mechanisms and determinants responsible for these peripheral neuropathies are poorly understood. Using both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced and transgene-mediated murine models of type 1 diabetes (T1D), we demonstrate that Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) expression varies with the neuropathic phenotype. We have found that both STZ- and transgene-mediated T1D are associated with two distinct phases of thermal pain sensitivity that parallel changes in TRPV1 as determined by paw withdrawal latency (PWL). An early phase of hyperalgesia and a late phase of hypoalgesia are evident. TRPV1-mediated whole cell currents are larger and smaller in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons collected from hyperalgesic and hypoalgesic mice. Resiniferatoxin (RTX) binding, a measure of TRPV1 expression is increased and decreased in DRG and paw skin of hyperalgesic and hypoalgesic mice, respectively. Immunohistochemical labeling of spinal cord lamina I and II, dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and paw skin from hyperalgesic and hypoalgesic mice reveal increased and decreased TRPV1 expression, respectively. A role for TRPV1 in thermal DPN is further suggested by the failure of STZ treatment to influence thermal nociception in TRPV1 deficient mice. These findings demonstrate that altered TRPV1 expression and function contribute to diabetes-induced changes in thermal perception.
The factorization approach to large-scale linear programming

A unifying concept for large-scale linear programming is developed. This approach, calledfactorization, allows one to isolate the effect of different types of constraints and variables in the algebraic representation of the tableau. Two different factorizations based on a double representation of the tableau are developed. These factorizations are applied to obtain the essential structure of efficient algorithms for generalized upper bounding, coupled block-diagonal problems, set partitioning LPs, minimum cost network flows, and other classes of problems.
Non-genetic individuality: chance in the single cell

The individuality of bacterial cells grown in homogeneous conditions was demonstrated by showing characteristic behavioural differences which persist over their lifespans. Poissonian fluctuation of small numbers of generator molecules can explain this individuality and may apply to such processes as differentiation and asynchrony of cultures.
Local cerebral metabolic effects of the novel cocaine analog, WF‐31: Comparisons to fluoxetine

The effects of the acute administration of the selective serotonin uptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, on rates of local cerebral glucose utilization in rats were compared to those of the novel cocaine analog, [2beta-propanoyl-3beta-(4-isopropylphenyl)-tropane, WF-31, which has greater affinity for serotonin than dopamine transporters, using the quantitative autoradiographic 2-[14C]deoxyglucose method. Locomotor activity was assessed simultaneously. Fluoxetine administration resulted in dose-dependent decreases in locomotor behavior, as well as widespread reductions in rates of metabolic activity in brain areas including raphe nuclei, dorsal and ventral striatum, amygdala, hippocampus, limbic cortex, and thalamus. These effects were largely concentrated in brain regions containing high densities of serotonin transporters as revealed by in vitro autoradiography. In contrast, the acute administration of WF-31 produced more discrete changes in metabolic activity that were localized within the raphe nuclei and in portions of the hippocampal formation. Blockade of WF-31's dopaminergic effects by pretreatment with the antagonist, alpha-flupenthixol, resulted in a pattern of metabolic changes that closely resembled that observed with fluoxetine. These data suggest that the alterations in functional activity produced by both fluoxetine and WF-31 are largely the result of actions on serotonergic systems.