cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Political issues in biotechnology: setting the framework

The debate over the difficult ethical and social policy issues raised by biotechnology has been simmering for a decade. Given the stakes involved and the critical political issues raised by these revolutionary developments in the "new biology," controversies are bound to heighten and the political debate intensify dramatically. Resolution of these issues demands clarification of their boundaries and a broadened dialogue over the social as well as technological consequences of various courses of action. The debate over biotechnology has been marked by increasingly sophisticated discussion of the complexity of the issues. In their own ways, each of these three books adds to the development of a more useful framework for analyzing the social impacts of biotechnology on American society.
End-to-end foodweb control of fish production on Georges Bank

Collie, J. S., Gifford, D. J., and Steele, J. H. 2009. End-to-end foodweb control of fish production on Georges Bank. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 2223-2232.The ecosystem approach to management requires the productivity of individual fish stocks to be considered in the context of the entire ecosystem. We derive an annual end-to-end budget for the Georges Bank ecosystem, based on data from the GLOBEC programme and fisheries surveys for the years 1993-2002. Scenarios based on this budget describe the consequences of various alterations in the Georges Bank trophic web: reduced nutrient input, increased benthic production, removal of carnivorous plankton, and changes in species dominance within fish guilds. Potential yields of cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) are compared with historical catches and estimates of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) from recent stock assessments. The MSYs of cod and haddock can be met if the fish community is restructured to make them the dominant species in their respective diet-defined guilds. A return to the balance of fish species present in the early 20th century would depend on an increase in the fraction of primary production going to the benthos rather than to plankton. Estimates of energy flux through the Georges Bank trophic web indicate that rebuilding the principal groundfish species to their MSY levels requires restructuring of the fish community and repartitioning of energy within the foodweb.
Nucleated deliquescence of salt

We have studied deliquescence on the (001) face of single crystals of NaCl and find that it is a nucleated phenomenon. The phase transition occurs only after the relative humidity exceeds that found over the saturated solution by at least 5%. The contrast between our observations and previous measurements using salt powders or crystallites leads us to the conclusion that deliquescence is controlled by the differences in energy required to solvate ions from the smooth (001) face and from the defect-rich surfaces of particulate samples.
Social Policies and Investment in Health

Jan Vandemoortele argues that universal coverage of an integrated package of good quality basic social services is one of the most effective and least expensive ways for reducing poverty. The international development goals for 2015 will not be met if inter-sectoral complementarities are not better exploited. This point is illustrated through the ‘education vaccine’ against HIV.
Initial steps in pyrimidine synthesis in ehrlich ascites carcinoma

Abstract The pyrimidine specific carbamyl phosphate synthetase (CPSase) and aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase) of the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma have been found to exist as a complex with a molecular weight of 750,000–850,000 on sucrose gradients in the presence of 30% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In the presence of 10% DMSO, the activities separate and the remaining CPSase activity has a molecular weight of 150,000–200,000 while the ATCase now exists as two peaks of activity, with molecular weights of 300,00–400,000 and 525,000–700,000, depending on the exact conditions of the gradient. Dihydroorotase activity was found to co-sediment also with the two ATCase peaks under these conditions. It appears then that ATCase can be associated with CPSase and DHOase and that these first three enzymes of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway may exist as a complex.
Producing Contaminated Citizens: Toward a Nature–Society Geography of Health and Well-Being

A nature–society geography approach to health and well-being demonstrates that socioecological parameters, in addition to economic and political factors, are critical to explaining outcomes of heal...
Quantum-mechanical mean of the ejected-electron energy in strong-field ionization.

A useful criterion for atomic ionization in classical mechanics is the compensated energy,'' which temporally evolves from the negative initial binding energy to a stationary positive value as the electron is ejected. Herein we give the quantum-mechanical analog of this quantity.
A Game-Theoretic Model of Collaboration in Engineering Design

This paper proposes a game-theoretic model that provides insights into conditions when two engineers collaborate on a design project which has both team and individual components. Collaboration of engineers with diverse technical backgrounds, such as those found in cross-functional teams, has been addressed as a key for successful product development. Similarly, the benefit of a team-based-project class is increasingly emphasized in curriculum development. In a single product design, a team project (in which two engineers work together) may be the design of a product base, and an individual project (in which engineers work individually) may be the design of chunks or modules assembled to the base. In a product family design, a team project may be the design of a product platform and an individual project may be the design of modules assembled to the platform that creates product variants. The proposed model assumes that the engineers receive the same evaluation on their team project (whether they actually contribute to the project or not), and independent evaluations on their individual projects. The proposed model identifies conditions that lead to collaboration of two engineers in the team project, which maximizes product performance. The insights obtained from the model and possible implications in design project and curriculum development are discussed.
Maternal Factors as Moderators or Mediators of PTSD Symptoms in Very Young Children: A Two-Year Prospective Study

Research has suggested that parenting behaviors and other parental factors impact the long-term outcome of children’s posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. In a sample of 62 children between the ages of one and six who experienced life-threatening traumas, PTSD was measured prospectively 2 years apart. Seven maternal factors were measured in a multi-method, multi-informant design. Both moderation and mediation models, with different theoretical and mechanism implications, were tested. Moderation models were not significant. Mediation models were significant when the mediator variable was maternal symptoms of PTSD or depression (measured at Time 1), self-report of maternal escape/avoidance coping (measured at Time 2), or self-report emotional sensitivity (measured at Time 2). Greater maternal emotional sensitivity was associated with greater Time 2 PTSD symptoms among children. Observational measures of emotional sensitivity as the mediator were not supported. Correlation of parents’ and children’s symptoms is a robust finding, however caution is warranted in attributing children’s PTSD symptoms to insensitive parenting.
Characteristics of nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds in coal tars during secondary pyrolysis

Abstract Nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic compounds (NPAC) emitted from two types of coal throughout secondary pyrolysis were classified according to fused aromatic ring number. During the very early stages of secondary pyrolysis, neutral NPAC decrease due to direct conversion to soot, similar to what has previously been observed for neutral PAC. As secondary pyrolysis proceeds, neutralization of more polar compounds causes an increase in the nonpolar NPAC, and the 2- and 3-ring NPAC exhibit a greater persistence than their corresponding neutral PAC analogues. Unique trends in 2-ring NPAC for both coal tars during the latter half of secondary pyrolysis, reported here for the first time, can be attributed to a reaction between acetylene and pyridine. Although soot formation is not significantly affected by the small quantity of NPAC present, the observed stability of NPAC under severe thermal conditions suggests that they may be present in emissions.
State of the Union addresses and presidential position taking: Do presidents back their rhetoric in the legislative arena?

Abstract Politicians and presidents are routinely criticized for the mismatch between their policy statements and their legislative actions. While a few studies explore presidents’ support for policy commitments made during their election campaigns, no study systematically examines this relationship for presidents throughout their terms. To determine whether presidents follow through on their policy statements, I examine presidential mentions of three policy areas in State of the Union addresses from 1953 to 2000 and presidents’ subsequent positions on floor votes in Congress. The results indicate that rhetorical attention to economic policy and foreign relations in these speeches increases the chances that presidents will take positions on legislation in these same areas, but there is a disconnect between the rhetoric and their actions on health and social welfare policy. I suggest that this difference can be attributed to their anticipation of success in each policy area because presidents do not want to attach themselves to legislative defeats.
Influence of dietary endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum)-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) seed on fecal shedding of antibiotic resistance-selected Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ewes.

The objectives were to determine the effects of short-term feeding of a toxic endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum)-infected tall fescue seed (Festuca arundinacea, cultivar 'Kentucky 31') on fecal shedding and intestinal concentrations of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and the concentrations of prolactin, cortisol, and NEFA in experimentally inoculated ewes. Twelve ewes (mean BW = 46 +/- 2 kg) were fed a diet containing either high endophyte-infected (HI-E) or low endophyte-infected (LO-E) tall fescue seed for 7 d. Each diet consisted of 50% (as-fed basis) tall fescue seed. Ewes were experimentally inoculated with antibiotic resistance-selected E. coli O157:H7 on d 1 of the feeding treatment, and fecal shedding of inoculated pathogens was monitored daily on d 2 to 6. On d 7, ewes were weighed and euthanized, and tissues and contents were sampled from the ileum, cecum, and rectum for quantitative enumeration of E. coli O157:H7. Urine was collected at euthanization to determine total ergot alkaloid concentrations. Ewes fed HI-E had lower (P 0.36) between treatments. Treatment did not influence (P = 0.30) the occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 in cecal or rectal tissues; however, ileal tissues from HI-E ewes tended (P = 0.12) to have an increased incidence of E. coli O157:H7. Concentrations of NEFA tended (P = 0.12) to be greater in HI-E ewes than in LO-E ewes, whereas cortisol was similar (P = 0.49) for HI-E and LO-E ewes. We conclude that short-term feeding of HI-E tall fescue seed may alter the concentrations of prolactin and NEFA, and may increase fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 in experimentally inoculated ewes.
Can developed economies combat dangerous anthropogenic climate change without near-term reductions from developing economies?

Developing economy greenhouse gas emissions are growing rapidly relative to developed economy emissions (Boden et al. 2010) and developing economies as a group have greater emissions than developed economies. These developments are expected to continue (U.S. Energy Information Administration 2010), which has led some to question the effectiveness of emissions mitigation in developed economies without a commitment to extensive mitigation action from developing economies. One often heard argument against proposed U.S. legislation to limit carbon emissions to mitigate climate change is that, without participation from large developing economies like China and India, stabilizing temperature at 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial (United Nations 2009), or even reducing global emissions levels, would be impossible (Driessen 2009; RPC Energy Facts 2009) or prohibitively expensive (Clarke et al. 2009). Here we show that significantly delayed action by rapidly developing countries is not a reason to forgo mitigation efforts in developed economies. This letter examines the effect of a scenario with no explicit international climate policy and two policy scenarios, full global action and a developing economy delay, on the probability of exceeding various global average temperature changes by 2100. This letter demonstrates that even when developing economies delay any mitigation efforts until 2050 the effect of action by developed economies will appreciably reduce the probability of more extreme levels of temperature change. This paper concludes that early carbon mitigation efforts by developed economies will considerably affect the distribution over future climate change, whether or not developing countries begin mitigation efforts in the near term.
Incidence rates of cranial tremors in essential tremor: a prospective, longitudinal study.

Background: Cranial (head, jaw) tremors develop in a sizable number of essential tremor (ET) patients. They are particularly important because they are a significant source of embarrassment and are especially resistant to treatment. There are no data on the rate at which ET patients develop these cranial tremors. Our aim was to estimate the incidence rate of head and jaw tremors in ET. Methods: Cases, enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal study, were evaluated at baseline and one follow-up visit. The in-person evaluation included questionnaires and a videotaped neurological examination, which was reviewed by a senior movement disorder neurologist for the presence/absence of head and jaw tremors. The mean time between baseline and follow-up assessments was 6.3 ± 2.4 (median = 6.0; range = 1.5-12.4 years). Results: Five (6.3%) of 79 cases developed head tremor by follow-up (incidence rate = 1,012 per 100,000 person years; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0-3,219). Twelve (10.6%) of 113 cases developed jaw tremor by follow-up (incidence rate = 1,692 per 100,000 person years; 95% CI = 0-1,692). Conclusion: These epidemiological data were designed to assist physicians in counseling ET patients when they ask about their risks of developing cranial tremors.
Arthroscopic managementof shoulder stiffness

Abstract Shoulder stiffness may develop insidiously or present after trauma or surgery. When conventional management strategies fail to restore comfort and function, an arthroscopic method of management presents an alternative mode of treatment for the most refractory stiff shoulder. An aggressive arthroscopic release of contracted fibrotic capsule or release of adhesions in the humeroscapular motion interface has proven effective in shoulders of patients with refractory shoulder stiffness. In this article, the clinician will learn our standardized management algorithm and current operative techniques that allow patients to recover functional range and comfort.
Cardiac stem cells in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy – Authors' reply

The paper by Roberto Bolli and colleagues (Nov 26, p 1847) on cardiac progenitor cell treatment for ischaemic heart failure is a milestone in the history of cardiac cell therapy. However, we noticed some points that possibly interfere with interpretation of the results. First, the trial is still ongoing, so why did Bolli and colleagues publish partial results at this time? Why not wait until the trial was completed? Second, 13 analysed patients were from the non-randomised stage of the trial—only ten had undergone random allocation. Moreover, the ratio of treated to control patients (24:32) was reversed (7:3) by the analysis stage, mainly because of patients’ withdrawal. Why did so many control patients lose interest in the study? We are cautious because of our own experience. When one of us (CS) started a cell therapy programme using CD133+ cells delivered during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, a striking improvement in heart function was noted in the initial pilot trial. A partly randomised, open-label trial later showed a clear benefi t of the concomitant cell therapy over CABG surgery alone. Finally, we did a strictly double-blind, fully randomised, placebo-controlled trial (CARDIO133, NCT00462774) and recently analysed the results. Unfortunately, none of the previous positive eff ects were confi rmed. Essentially, we followed the wrong track for nearly 10 years, because we did not strictly adhere to the guidelines on how to do a randomised, controlled clinical trial. We hope this will not be the fate of the SCIPIO concept.
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: Can It Close the “Detection Gap” for Cardiovascular Risk?

Given the high morbidity and mortality and the large societal burden imposed by cardiovascular (CV) disease, there have been many strong interdisciplinary efforts to identify at-risk patients during the past decades. The Framingham study and other population-based studies of CV risk, outcomes, and the effect of therapeutic interventions on both have identified what are now considered the “traditional” modifiable CV risk factors, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle. However, approximately one-third of CV events are not readily attributed to these traditional CV risk factors.1,2 This finding, often called the detection gap, suggests that other nontraditional or “novel” conditions may cause or contribute to CV disease. At the same time, the trend toward lower definition thresholds for traditional CV risk factors (eg, the change in criteria for what constitutes “low” protective high-density lipoprotein levels, from previously less than 0.91 mmol/L (<35 mg/dL) to more recently less than 1.03 mmol/L (<40 mg/dL) for men and less than 1.29 mmol/L (<50 mg/dL) for women has created an additional problem with specificity in that only a comparatively small fraction of patients who have 1 or more “traditional” CV risk factors ultimately develop overt CV disease during their lifetime. Thus, a refined strategy for accurately identifying patients who are at greatest risk of future CV disease and who could most benefit from risk factor modification is needed.
MALDI-TOF/TOF CID Study of Polystyrene Fragmentation Reactions

MALDI-TOF/TOF CID experiments were conducted on a variety of hydroxylated polystyrene precursor ions (m/z 1249.6 (n = 10), 1769.9 (n = 15), 2290.2 (n = 20), 2810.5 (n = 25), and 3330.8 (n = 30)) to examine the influence of molecular weight and collision kinetic energy on the degradation mechanisms. Our study indicates that polystyrene free radicals are formed initially through multiple chain breaks and subsequently undergo a variety of secondary depolymerization reactions to yield predominantly monomer, dimer, and trimer species; the intensity of each species depends on the kinetic energy selected for the CID process. Long-chain “unzipping” is not a major pathway for any of the experimental conditions. Each depolymerization mechanism is presented in detail with experimental and computational data to justify/rationalize its process and kinetic energy dependence. These processes show the complex interrelationships between the various pathways along with preferred production of secondary radicals (which supp...
Analysis of the cuticular proteins of Hyalophora cecropia with two dimensional electrophoresis

The soluble cuticular proteins of defined anatomical regions from different metamorphic stages of the giant silkmoth, Hyalophora cecropia, were characterized by two dimensional electrophoresis. As urea concentrations in 2D gels were increased, some of the cuticular proteins from the larval dorsal abdomen decreased in mobility relative to the molecular weight standards. This decrease was also influenced by the pH and ionic strength of the resolving gel. Clustering of proteins into groups, whose members showed similar behavior under different electrophoretic conditions, was indicative of membership in multigene families. By such criteria, common families were found in cuticles with similar mechanical properties from different metamorphic stages, yet there was evidence that different members of a single family were independently regulated.
Residential Construction Industry in the Early Nineteenth Century

The contract construction industry today represents one of the most important sectors of the American economy. Total new construction in recent decades has accounted for nearly one-half of the Gross Private Domestic Investment, while non-farm residential building alone accounts for nearly one-quarter of GPDI.
Polymerization of phenyl‐substituted butadienes by metal alkyl catalysts

Heterogeneous Ziegler-type catalysts polymerize 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene to form low molecular weight polymers. The polymer prepared with a 3:1 catalyst ratio of aluminum triisobutyl to titanium tetrachloride contains 80–90% cis-1,4-units and the polymer formed by the 1:1 catalyst has 60–70% cis-1,4-structure. No trans-1,4- or 3,4-units are found in any of the polymer samples and the remaining unsaturation is attributed to 1,2-polymerization. Both Ziegler-type catalysts and butyllithium are ineffective for the polymerization of 2,3-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene.
Energy efficient infrastructure for the future cloud

Computing infrastructure is experiencing rapid changes due to the proliferation of mobile devices and expansion of cloud services. IT systems, such as data centers, become the fastest growing industrial sector on energy consumption, doubling its energy footprint every 5 years. In this talk, we will discuss the modern data center infrastructure and explore the philosophy of energy reduction, reuse, and renewal in cloud computing. We examine the opportunities of reducing cloud computing energy consumption through fine-grained sensing and control of both cyber-activates and physical activities and motivate possibilities of alternative data center designs and operations.
A patient with left ventricular thrombus and recurrent stereotypic TIAs

Stereotyped TIAs are presumed to occur secondary to a fixed flow-limiting stenosis of medium/large vessels in the cervicocephalic arterial tree1 or in situ disease of small deep penetrating arteries in the brain.2 We report the unusual case of a patient with recurrent stereotypic TIAs associated with the presence of a left ventricular thrombus and with delayed focal ischemia on the T1-weighted MRI sequence. A 60-year-old nonsmoking Filipino man, with an unremarkable medical history, reported three distinct episodes of sudden-onset right-sided weakness and numbness and difficulty with expression. These episodes occurred every 2 hours over a 6-hour period. The first two spells lasted 10 minutes, and the third spell lasted 20 minutes. On admission, his blood pressure was 155/90 mm Hg and pulse was 61 beats/min. Otherwise, general and neurologic exams were normal. Brain CT showed no evidence of infarct. Because of the temporal and stereotypic nature of his spells, we felt that the patient had a fixed flow-limiting stenosis in his left internal …
Effect of dynamic loading on tensile strength and failure mechanisms in a SiC fibre reinforced ceramic matrix composite

The tensile strength and associated failure micromechanisms have been characterized for a SiC fibrereinforced ceramic matrix composite subject to strain rates approaching 1000 s−1. It is found that behaviour under such conditions is not described by the current matrix fracture/fibre pull-out models. This is a consequence of the rapid and extreme frictional heating produced at the fibre-matrix interface by sliding velocities on the order of 100 ms−1. At sufficiently rapid loading rates, the near-interface matrix appears to melt, and the frictional interface shear resistance is reduced to the point that the fibres debond throughout the specimen, and pull out without failing. This suggests that for sufficiently rapid loading, the stress to fail the composite will approach that merely to create the initial matrix crack, i.e., a stress level well below the ultimate strength normally attainable under quasi-static conditions.
Geoarchaeology and aggradation around Kinet Höyük, an archaeological mound in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey

We examined the alluvial history of the plain near Kinet Hoyuk, an archaeological mound (or Tell) with a sequence of six millennia of occupation on the southeast Mediterranean coast of Turkey, through 17 excavations over a 1000 m transect near the Mound. Excavations ranged from 2 to 6 m deep and up to 20 m across. This low gradient, alluvial plain shows significantly different rates and processes of near-Mound sedimentation, with one unit having nearly 4 m of Late Bronze Age habitation and flood deposits and another having 4 m of Hellenistic channel and floodplain deposition. This flat, alluvial surface turns out to be a rich geoarchaeological landscape that shrouds Early and Late Bronze Age settlements, Hellenistic walls, and two epochs of Roman Roads. One widespread phenomenon was a Hellenistic or earlier paleosol and occupation level covered by channel gravels and overbank deposits mostly from the Hellenistic to the Late Roman period. These channel and floodplain deposits filled in and flattened out the off-Mound settlements, blanketing the Pre-Hellenistic topography and silting in a long active port. This glut of alluvium correlates in time with drier conditions and the most intensive land uses in the watershed, where Roman and Hellenistic sites today are severely eroded.
Prospective evaluation of concurrent paclitaxel and radiation therapy after adjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy for Stage II or III breast cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of concurrent radiation therapy and paclitaxel-based adjuvant chemotherapy, given either weekly or every 3 weeks, after adjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC). Methods and Materials: After definitive breast surgery and AC chemotherapy, 40 patients with operable Stage II or III breast cancer received protocol-based treatment with concurrent paclitaxel and radiation therapy. Paclitaxel was evaluated on 2 schedules, with treatment given either weekly × 12 weeks (60 mg/m 2 ), or every 3 weeks × 4 cycles (135–175 mg/m 2 ). Radiation fields and schedules were determined by the patient's surgery and pathology. The tolerability of concurrent therapy was evaluated in cohorts of 8 patients as a phase I study. Results: Weekly paclitaxel treatment at 60 mg/m 2 per week with concurrent radiation led to dose-limiting toxicity in 4 of 16 patients (25%), including 3 who developed pneumonitis (either Grade 2 [1 patient] or Grade 3 [2 patients]) requiring steroids. Efforts to eliminate this toxicity in combination with weekly paclitaxel through treatment scheduling and CT-based radiotherapy simulation were not successful. By contrast, dose-limiting toxicity was not encountered among patients receiving concurrent radiation with paclitaxel given every 3 weeks at 135–175 mg/m 2 . However, Grade 2 radiation pneumonitis not requiring steroid therapy was seen in 2 of 24 patients (8%) treated in such a fashion. Excessive radiation dermatitis was not observed with either paclitaxel schedule. Conclusions: Concurrent treatment with weekly paclitaxel and radiation therapy is not feasible after adjuvant AC chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. Concurrent treatment using a less frequent paclitaxel dosing schedule may be possible, but caution is warranted in light of the apparent possibility of pulmonary injury.
TSH regulates pendrin membrane abundance and enhances iodide efflux in thyroid cells

Thyroid hormones are essential for normal development and metabolism. Their synthesis requires transport of iodide into thyroid follicles. The mechanisms involving the apical efflux of iodide into the follicular lumen are poorly elucidated. The discovery of mutations in the SLC26A4 gene in patients with Pendred syndrome (congenital deafness, goiter, and defective iodide organification) suggested a possible role for the encoded protein, pendrin, as an apical iodide transporter. We determined whether TSH regulates pendrin abundance at the plasma membrane and whether this influences iodide efflux. Results of immunoblot and immunofluorescence experiments reveal that TSH and forskolin rapidly increase pendrin abundance at the plasma membrane through the protein kinase A pathway in PCCL-3 rat thyroid cells. The increase in pendrin membrane abundance correlates with a decrease in intracellular iodide as determined by measuring intracellular (125)iodide and can be inhibited by specific blocking of pendrin. Elimination of the putative protein kinase A phosphorylation site T717A results in a diminished translocation to the membrane in response to forskolin. These results demonstrate that pendrin translocates to the membrane in response to TSH and suggest that it may have a physiological role in apical iodide transport and thyroid hormone synthesis.
Documentation of damping capacity of metallic, ceramic and metal-matrix composite materials

High-damping materials allow undesirable mechanical vibration and wave propagation to be passively suppressed. This proves valuable in the control of noise and the enhancement of vehicle and instrument stability. Accordingly, metallurgists are continually working toward the development of high-damping metals (hidamets) and high-damping metal-matrix composites (MMCs). MMCs become particularly attractive in weight-critical applications when the matrix and reinforcement phases are combined to provide high-damping and low-density characteristics. In selecting the constituents for an MMC, one would like to have damping capacity data for several prospective component materials. Based upon data which have been published in the scientific literature, a concise documentation is given of the damping capacity of materials by three categories: (a) metals and alloys, (b) ceramic materials, and (c) MMCs.
Intercalibration of microwave sounding unit with short overlaps

NOAA/NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and Research has been reprocessing and recalibrating the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) observations to generate atmospheric temperature dataset with climate quality. So far, observations from the MSU channels 2, 3, and 4 for NOAA 10, 11, 12, and 14 have been recalibrated using a recently-developed SNO (simultaneously nadir overpasses) sequential nonlinear calibration technique and a 20-year long deep-layer atmospheric temperature dataset from 1987 to 2006 has been generated. However, when using the SNO nonlinear technique to intercalibrate the MSU instrument for satellites before NOAA 10, one has to deal with the short overlap issue for satellites between NOAA 9 and NOAA 10. In this study, by extending the spatial distance criterion for the SNO matchups, we generate more SNO samplings for the short-overlapping satellites. We analyze the error characteristics of the SNO matchups when the spatial distance is extended to as large as 650km. We also generate calibration coefficients using the SNO nonlinear sequential intercalibration technique and then analyze how the intercalibration affects the SNO biases with different separation distances. These analyses will be helpful in determining the final calibration coefficients used for generating consistent MSU long-term temperature time series that will include all available satellites.
The influence of microstructure on mechanical properties in Ti-3AI-8V-6Cr-4Mo-4Zr (Beta-C)

The effect of microstructure on mechanical properties of a metastable beta titanium alloy has been investigated, with emphasis on the influence of α-phase precipitation on tensile strength and ductility. A commercial alloy, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Mo-4Zr (Beta-C) has been aged to produce both Type la (obeying the Burgers orientation relation) and Type 2α (not obeying the Burgers relation) as hardening precipitates in the beta matrix. Although a direct comparison of Types 1 and 2α could not be made, there did not seem to be any direct correlation between precipitate type and mechanical properties. Rather, it has been found that overaging to produce a coarse distribution of relatively large (>1000A) noncoherent α precipitates provides the best combination of strength and duc-tility. The same strength can be achieved with a much finer distribution of small (∼100-200A) coherent α precipitates, but with much reduced ductility.
The Microwave Trap and Prospects for Bose-Einstein Condensation

Abstract The microwave trap (MW) was proposed as a method of achieving Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in spin-polarized atomic hydrogen, H↓. We have experimentally demonstrated this new type of atomic trap using the cesium atom. Here we review and discuss the implications and limitations of this trap for BEC.
Potential therapeutic role of natural killer cells in cancer

Cancer immunotherapy is a growing field that aims at restoring and enhancing immune function to combat oncogenic conditions. One target of this field is natural killer (NK) cells. Part of innate immunity, NK cells are able to kill tumor cells without previous priming. Results from stem cell transplants containing alloreactive donor NK cells and in vitro work have evidenced a great antitumor potential. In addition, NK cells are likely to interact with dendritic cells, potent antigen-presenting cells, thus forming a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. This review aims to provide an overview of NK cells with particular emphasis on properties that can and are being targeted in order to potentiate the antitumor activity of these cells.
On the composition of bimetallic near-surface alloys in the presence of oxygen and carbon monoxide

Abstract Periodic, self-consistent density functional theory calculations (GGA-PW91) are used to examine surface segregation in close-packed bimetallic Pt-overlayer alloy surfaces (Pt*/M, M = Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, Ir, Rh, Os, Ru, and Re) in different environments. In particular, we find that the thermodynamically stable surface termination in these Pt*/M alloys can be inverted from Pt-terminated in vacuum to M-terminated under exposure to oxygen (for an M that is more oxophilic than Pt). Interestingly, in many of these alloys, Pt is not driven into the bulk; rather it remains in the first subsurface layer where it enhances oxygen binding through a ligand interaction with the surface metal atoms. On the other hand, exposure to CO provides a much milder driving force for the surface composition inversion. To quantify segregation under catalytically relevant conditions, we constructed approximate phase diagrams for the PtRu system as a function of O2 and CO chemical potential (temperature, pressure). The results show that the surface termination inverts with many orders of magnitude higher CO pressure than with O2.
Anticipating the next meal using meal behavioral profiles: A hybrid model-based stochastic predictive control algorithm for T1DM

Automatic control of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) with subcutaneous (SC) measurement of glucose concentration and subcutaneous (SC) insulin infusion is of great interest within the diabetes technology research community. The main challenge with the so-called ''SC-SC'' route to control is sensing and actuation delay, which tends to either destabilize the system or inhibit the aggressiveness of the controller in responding to meals and exercise. Model predictive control (MPC) is one strategy for mitigating delay, where optimal insulin infusions can be given in anticipation of future meal disturbances. Unfortunately, exact prior knowledge of meals can only be assured in a clinical environment and uncertainty about when and if meals will arrive could lead to catastrophic outcomes. As a follow-on to our recent paper in the IFAC symposium on Biological and Medical Systems (MCBMS 2009) [1], we develop a control law that can anticipate meals given a probabilistic description of the patient's eating behavior in the form of a random meal (behavioral) profile. Preclinical in silico trials using the oral glucose meal model of Dalla Man et al. show that the control strategy provides a convenient means of accounting for uncertain prior knowledge of meals without compromising patient safety, even in the event that anticipated meals are skipped.
Lipomembranous changes in chronic panniculitis

Abstract The clinical and histopathologic findings in 13 patients with lipomembranous changes in the subcutaneous adipose tissue as part of the inflammatory reaction are presented. Nine patients had clinical evidence of vascular disease and four had clinical evidence of connective tissue disease. Histopathologic evidence of endarteritis obliterans, venous stasis, and hemorrhage was present in more than half the patients, and the clinical lesion of liposclerosis was frequently present. These findings suggest that the histologic changes of lipomembranous panniculitis may be the result of an inflammatory reaction in patients who have the liposclerosis of venous insufficiency with connective tissue disease or previous leg ischemia or both.
Toward a mathematical framework for computational imaging

I describe a framework useful for designing computational imaging systems and for assessing their efficacy and performance. I cast the problem as the design of a measurement matrix H followed by post-detection processing with an estimation matrix T. I consider only simple imaging as a vehicle to identify the framework and to motivate discussion.
Profile of recreational paddlefish snaggers on the lower Yellowstone river, Montana.

Abstract In 1993, a questionnaire was administered to 353 recreational snaggers of paddlefish Polyodon spathula at Intake, Montana, an irrigation diversion dam on the lower Yellowstone River and the site of an annual harvest of 500–5,000 paddlefish. Through a questionnaire, snaggers were asked to describe their socioeconomic characteristics; their values, attitudes, and motivations regarding fishing for paddlefish; and their attitudes on specific fishery regulations. Snaggers were most likely to be young or middle-aged men (modal age 30–39) and to be either unemployed or employed in professions yielding an annual income of US$20,000–40,000. Contrary to some stereotypes about snaggers, their values and motivations for snagging were similar to those of other more traditional anglers. Primary motivations for fishing included the opportunity to be outdoors, the experience and thrill of hooking a paddlefish, and to be with friends. A weaker motivation was to obtain meat for consumption (even though snaggers ra...
Supraventricular tachycardia in lown-ganong-levine syndrome: Atrionodal versus intranodal reentry

Abstract The mechanism of the abbreviated atrioventricular (A-V) nodal conduction time and paroxysmal Supraventricular tachycardia in the LownGanong-Levine syndrome was evaluated in six patients. In each the A-H interval increased in response to rapid atrial pacing and atrial extrastimuli; typical dual A-V nodal pathways were demonstrated. In five patients studied at two cycle lengths prolongation of conduction and refractoriness of the “fast” pathway was noted at the shorter basic cycle length. Propranolol prolonged conduction and refractoriness of the “fast” pathway in three patients and in one produced Wenckebach conduction during atrial pacing which did not occur prior to its administration. In three patients the atrium did not appear necessary to sustain Supraventricular tachycardia. These findings suggest that preferential rapidly conducting A-V nodal fibers and intranodal reentry are the responsible mechanisms in those patients with Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome and reciprocating tachycardia.
Black hole complementarity versus locality.

The evaporation of a large mass black hole can be described throughout most of its lifetime by a low-energy effective theory defined on a suitably chosen set of smooth spacelike hypersurfaces. The conventional argument for information loss rests on the assumption that the effective theory is a local quantum field theory. We present evidence that this assumption fails in the context of string theory. The commutator of operators in light-front string theory, corresponding to certain low-energy observers on opposite sides of the event horizon, remains large even when these observers are spacelike separated by a macroscopic distance. This suggests that degrees of freedom inside a black hole should not be viewed as independent from those outside the event horizon. These nonlocal effects are only significant under extreme kinematic circumstances, such as in the high-redshift geometry of a black hole. Commutators of spacelike separated operators corresponding to ordinary low-energy observers in Minkowski space are strongly suppressed in string theory. \textcopyright{} 1995 The American Physical Society.
An approach to determining nearshore bathymetry using remotely sensed ocean surface dynamics

This paper describes a spatially one-dimensional algorithm developed to estimate water depths from remotely sensed information of the water surface, using extended Boussinesq equations. Local phase speed estimates are obtained using a least-squares approach, from spatial profiles of surface elevation/orbital velocity lagged in time. Inversion algorithms have been developed for both linearized and fully nonlinear Boussinesq equations to calculate the depth. In all cases, synthetic input data are generated using a fully nonlinear time-dependent Boussinesq model. Wave conditions including monochromatic and irregular waves are simulated in the model. Mean flow effects are included in the inversion algorithm to account for currents. For monochromatic wave conditions, there is good agreement between the actual and estimated depth and particle kinematics. The fully nonlinear method, as compared to the linearized inversion, improves the depth prediction by 10% for the test case considered. Irregular wave conditions were simulated using time series generated for a TMA spectrum with varying values of the peak enhancement factor. The error in the inverted depths increased in the deeper part of the bathymetry as the wave train become more broad-banded. For monochromatic waves in the presence of weak currents, the modified algorithm (including mean flow effects) is seen to improve the inverted depth by 10%, over the original formulation.
Constant Monitoring of Plasma Luteinizing Hormone by Radioimmunoassay in Individual Rats Following Injection of Hypothalamic Extract

SummarySamples of whole blood were collected continuously over 5-min intervals for a period of several hours from individual, nonanesthetized, cannulated, ovariectomized, estrogen-progesterone-treated rats. Plasma LH concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay of the whole blood after adjustment for hematocrit. The red blood cells influenced the resulting measurements only to the extent to which serum volume was displaced. After the injection of hypothalamic extract, plasma LH concentrations increased 4- to 6-fold within 10 min. Plasma LH concentrations then returned to, but did not fall below, preinjection values. The rate of hormone disappearance from the plasma suggests that, under these conditions, LH release in response to hypothalamic extract is limited to the first few minutes after injection.
Direct Measurement of the Time Dependent Poisson’s Ratio in Rat Tail Tendon During Stress Relaxation

The viscoelastic behavior of tendons and ligaments contributes to the normal function of these tissues. However, the underlying mechanisms for this behavior are still poorly understood. Although stress and strain in the loading direction have been well studied for uniaxial tensile creep and stress relaxation, data on the lateral contraction during these tests are unavailable. This information is necessary to obtain an understanding of the underlying mechanisms of viscoelasticity. The purpose of this study was to begin filling this gap by providing a direct measurement of the Poisson’s ratio as a function of time in rat tail tendon (RTT) samples during uniaxial stress relaxation testing. A further objective of this study was to determine if there exists a correlation between the Poisson’s ratio and the stress during stress relaxation testing.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Sterol synthesis. Preparation and characterization of fluorinated and deuterated analogs of oxygenated derivatives of cholesterol.

Abstract Oxygenated sterols, including both autoxidation products and sterol metabolites, have many important biological activities. Identification and quantitation of oxysterols by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods is greatly facilitated by the availability of authentic standards, and deuterated and fluorinated analogs are valuable as internal standards for quantitation. We describe the preparation, purification and characterization of 43 oxygenated sterols, including the 4β-hydroxy, 7α-hydroxy, 7β-hydroxy, 7-keto, and 19-hydroxy derivatives of cholesterol and their analogs with 25,26,26,26,27,27,27-heptafluoro (F7) and 26,26,26,27,27,27-hexadeuterio (d6) substitution. The 7α-hydroxy, 7β-hydroxy, and 7-keto derivatives of (25R)-cholest-5-ene-3β,26-diol (1d) and their 16,16-dideuterio analogs were also prepared. These d2-26-hydroxysterols and [16,16-2H2]-(25R)-cholest-5-ene-3β,26-diol (1e) were synthesized from [16,16-2H2]-(25R)-cholest-5-ene-3β,26-diol diacetate (2e), which can be prepared from diosgenin. The highly specific deuterium incorporation at C-16 in 1e and 2e should be useful in mass spectral analysis of 26-hydroxycholesterol samples by isotope dilution methods. The Δ5-3β,7α,26- and Δ5-3β,7β,26-triols were regioselectively oxidized/isomerized to the corresponding Δ4-3-ketosteroids with cholesterol oxidase. Also described are 5,6α-epoxy-5α-cholestan-3β-ol, its 5β,6β-isomer, cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol, their F7 and d6 derivatives, and d3-25-hydroxycholesterol, which was prepared from 3β-acetoxy-27-norcholest-5-en-25-one (30). The 43 oxysterols and most synthetic intermediates were isolated in high purity and characterized by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods, including mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Detailed mass spectral assignments are presented, and 1H NMR stereochemical assignments are derived for the C-19 protons of 19-hydroxysterols and for the side chain protons of 30.
Development of the state-contributory supplementary pension insurance in the Czech Republic

Abstract The state-contributory supplementary pension insurance is a popular product in the Czech Republic. According to the Association of Pension Funds of the Czech Republic, as at 31 December 2012 ca. there were 5.15 million registered participants in pension funds (as at 31 December 2011 it was ca. 4.60 million of participants) who had deposited ca. CZK 246.594 billion (as at 31 December 2011 it was ca. CZK 232.052 billion). Pension funds have been showing stable management, however, at the cost of low income. Since its reform was enforced by the government in 2013, supplementary pension insurance has remained a part of the pension scheme. It has become a so called “Pillar III” and the law describes it as supplementary pension savings. The Amendment to the State-Contributory Supplementary Pension Insurance Act, whose target is to reinforce the role of supplementary pension insurance in the creation of total savings for retirement age contains a number of positive elements. The question is whether the amendment will actually meet expectations, i.e. to make the supplementary pension insurance a functional “Pillar III” of the pension scheme as the state-contributory supplementary pension insurance does not fulfil its primary function yet and de facto it is not even capable of competing with life-cycle mutual funds or with other substitutes offered on the financial market without being significantly supported by the state.