cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of interfacial solubility on penetration of metals into dielectrics and the mechanism of failure

Copper solubility in low-k dielectrics has been shown to be a major factor in decreasing the useful lifetime of an interconnect. A number of groups have shown experimentally that increased surface oxygen concentration, increased moisture content in the dielectric, and an increase in interfacial copper concentration from chemical–mechanical polishing all contribute to accelerated failure. Here, we assumed that all these processes led to an increase in the solubility of metal at the SiO2/metal. We systematically varied the value of the interfacial solubility, Ce over a wide range and showed that the solubility strongly affects the distribution of copper and the local electric field within the dielectric. This changes the mechanism by which failure occurs from one where copper must penetrate all the way through the dielectric to one where copper penetration is limited to a thin layer near the surface. The solubility levels required to alter the failure mechanism, 1026–1027 atoms/m3, are within the realm of possibility and have been reported in the context of fabricating Cu-SiO2 resistive switching elements for memory applications.
Pharmacokinetic properties of toceranib phosphate (Palladia™, SU11654), a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in laboratory dogs and dogs with mast cell tumors

Toceranib phosphate (Palladia, SU11654), an oral tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, is under investigation for the treatment of mast cell tumors in dogs. The pharmacokinetics of toceranib phosphate has been characterized in dogs. Means of the following pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated following a 1.0 mg/kg i.v. dose to laboratory beagles: plasma clearance of 1.45 L/kg/h, volume of distribution of 29.7 L/kg, and terminal half-life of 17.7 h. Following single oral doses of 3.25 mg/kg administered to laboratory beagles, mean C(max) estimates ranged from 68.6 ng/mL to 112 ng/mL with t(max) ranging from 5.3 h and 9.3 h postdose. Terminal half-life was estimated at 31 h. Oral bioavailability was 76.9%. There were no statistically significant (P > 0.05) differences with any pharmacokinetic parameter due to fed/fasted state or with time during 13 weeks of every-other-day dosing at 3.25 mg/kg. Toceranib concentrations were proportional with dose over the range of 2.0 to 6.0 mg/kg. The pharmacokinetics of toceranib in client-owned dogs of a variety of pure and mixed breeds with mast cell tumors was similar to that in healthy laboratory dogs. In summary, toceranib phosphate exhibited moderate clearance, a high volume of distribution, and a moderate elimination half-life. After a single oral dose at 3.25 mg/kg, the concentration vs. time curve showed broad, sustained exposure with measurable concentrations for more than 48 h. These pharmacokinetic parameters support every-other-day administration of toceranib phosphate at an initial dose of 3.25 mg/kg for the treatment of mast cell tumors in dogs.
Opening the Contemplative Mind in the Classroom

How we know is as important as what we know. However, contemporary pedagogy and curriculum generally exclude a fundamental way of knowing—the contemplative—from any viable role in education in favor of a rational and empirical approach. As a result, few mainstream teachers or curriculum planners have explicitly integrated the contemplative into the classroom. Yet, contemplative knowing has been described as fundamental to the quest for knowledge and wisdom and complementary to analytic processing. The present article offers educators a rationale for returning the contemplative to education by summarizing research on the impact of contemplation on learning and behavior. It then provides a range of specific approaches for teachers that can be easily integrated into existing curriculum from elementary to university levels. The result of such integration transforms learning and the learner while affecting the very practical concerns of mainstream education.
When is “Obedience” Obedience? Conceptual and Historical Commentary

This article reassesses the role of obedience to authority in the Milgram experiment and in the Holocaust. I argue that the term “obedience” can be used to both describe and explain the behavior of subjects in Milgram's experiment, and that a failure to distinguish the two uses conceptually has led to an inflated sense of the extent to which Milgram's experiment demonstrates underlying obedience to authority. The article also reviews empirical evidence and alternative analyses to show that when authority influences behavior in the experiment, it may do so for reasons other than the subjects' felt obligation to obey. Finally, I suggest that contemporary history presents a more complex and problematic view of the Holocaust than that implied by social psychology's application of obedience to authority.
System = program + users + law

This paper is based on a new approach for dealing with large scale software systems. This approach is based on the concept of a Law-Governed System, which is a triple>program, users, law
Morbid Obesity Is Not an Independent Predictor of Graft Failure or Patient Mortality After Kidney Transplantation

Objective Obesity is often an absolute contraindication to kidney transplant, but an internal analysis of our center's recipients suggests that not all obese populations exhibit poor outcomes. We used national data to compare outcomes in select groups of morbidly obese and normal-weight recipients after kidney transplant. Design This study was a retrospective analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network/United Network for Organ Sharing database. Subjects The study sample consisted of 30,132 morbidly obese (body mass index [BMI] 35-40 kg/m 2 ) and normal-weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m 2 ) patients who underwent primary kidney-only transplantation between 2001 and 2006. Main Outcome Measure Crude 3-year graft and patient survival rates of morbidly obese and normal-weight subgroups were evaluated. Logistic regression modeling compared 3-year graft failure and patient mortality in morbidly obese and normal-weight subgroups with opposite characteristics. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were created for 3-year graft and patient survival. Cox proportional hazard regression modeling was used to determine hazards for patient and graft mortality. Results No differences in crude graft and patient survival rates were seen between normal weight and morbidly obese recipients who were African American, diabetic, and 50 to 80 years of age. Morbidly obese recipients who were nondialysis dependent, nondiabetic, had good functional status, and received living-donor transplants had significantly lower 3-year graft failure and patient mortality risk compared with normal-weight recipients who were dialysis dependent, diabetic, had poor functional status, and received a deceased-donor transplant, respectively ( P Conclusions Morbid obesity is not independently associated with graft failure or patient mortality; therefore, it should not be used as a contraindication to kidney transplantation.
Use of Mechanically Separated Spleen in Frankfurters

Beef and pork frankfurters were produced with 0, 5, 10, and 15% of the meat block being mechanically separated spleen (MSS). No fatting or peelability problems were experienced. Frankfurters were held at 2°C and evaluated at 2-wk intervals for 6 wk. Consumer panelists rated all products acceptable. A bi-monthly laboratory taste panel evaluated all frank furters (except the 15% product) acceptable during storage. Allo-Kramer shear values decreased with increased MSS, Frankfurters with 5, 10, and 15% MSS had 2.2, 3.9, and 4.9 times more iron than the control, respectively. Level of MSS did not influence bacterial numbers.
Calmodulin levels in diabetic mice.

Calcium has been considered to play a role as an intracellular mediator for insulin. Many of the intracellular effects of calcium are mediated through calcium binding proteins, the most important of which is calmodulin. In this study we have demonstrated elevated levels of calmodulin as measured by radioimmunoassay in the abdominal fat, muscle, kidney and heart but not in the liver of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice compared to their controls. Elevated calmodulin levels were also demonstrated in the kidney and heart of genetically obese, diabetic mice (C57 BL/Ks db+/db+) compared to both their heterozygote (db/m) and homozygote (m/m) controls.
Internet: strategic issues for libraries and librarians — a commercial perspective

It is twenty‐five years ago that the primary network, from which Internet has evolved, was created by the US Department of Defence, when it laid down the Advanced Research Project Agency Network: ARPANet.
THE PREVENTION OF CHRONIC PYELONEPHRITIS1,2

SUMMARY There seems to be a definite relationship between urinary tract infection in childhood and chronic pyelonephritis in the adult. The infection may become established in the renal parenchyma of a child and become apparent only after puberty when it is recognised by a late sign such as uraemia, hypertension, or flare-up of active infection during pregnancy. A survey utilising cinefluorographic voiding cysto-urethrography and direct cystometry made on 186 children resulted in positive findings in 103. The majority of these children appeared to have a dysfunction of the bladder outlet similar to that not infrequently seen in the gastric pylorus, oesophagocardial junction and ureteropelvic junction. Correction of this defect by myotomy resulted in improvement in the clinical picture, bacteriological findings, cinefluorographic appearance of the outlet and voiding pressures in most of the children. Reimplantation of ureters which demonstrated vesicoureteral reflux was successful as determined by voiding cysto-urethrography and bacteriological study. Prevention of chronic pyelonephritis can be best accomplished by a diligent search for the lesions predisposing to and facilitating infection in children and correction of these when they are found.
The duodenal progenitor population. II. Age related changes in size and distribution.

Tritiated thymidine (H3-T) autoradiography has been applied to the duodenal progenitor population (crypts of Lieberkuhn) in four age groups of male Swiss albino mice to determine: (1) the size and distribution of the progenitor cell pool; and (2) to characterize the role of individual progenitor cells in previously reported age-related alterations in the proliferative activity of the population. The progenitor cells which incorporated H3-T extended from the first cell below the crypto-villal junction to the last cell (Paneth) at the cryptal base in each age group. However, the majority of labeled progenitor cells were restricted to the central region of the crypt, while a smaller number was found in both the upper and basal portions. Thus, the crypt wall was divided into three zones according to the incidence of labeled cells; (1) zone of minimum cell proliferation (upper region), (2) zone of maximum cell proliferation (central region), and (3) zone of Paneth cells (basal region). The labeling incidence of the maximum zone was 3–5 times that of the minimum or Paneth regions. Comparison of the labeling incidence at the different ages revealed an age-related decrease in the overall frequency of labeled cells throughout the crypt, and particularly in the maximum zone. Estimations of the progenitor cycle duration from the ratio of S-phase duration to the DNA synthetic index revealed an increase in the progenitor cycle duration with age. It appears that the cycle duration increase, rather than a decrease in the size of the functional progenitor pool, may be the reason for theage-related change in the proliferative activity. The labeling frequency of progenitor cells was least (about 1%) at the cryptovillal junction and highest (about 50%) in the central region of the crypt. It is concluded that factors in the microenvironment of the duodenal epithelial cell population may be regulating the proliferative activity of the progenitorcells.
The NIMH Research Program in Panic Disorder: the present and future.

This report presents a brief overview of the current National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) research program in panic disorder and examines some exciting new directions for panic disorder research in the future
Population Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modelling of 24-h Diastolic Ambulatory Blood Pressure Changes Mediated by Axitinib in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background Increased blood pressure (BP) is commonly observed in patients treated with vascular endothelial growth factor pathway inhibitors, including axitinib. Ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) and pharmacokinetic data were collected in a randomised, double-blind phase II study of axitinib with or without dose titration in previously untreated patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Almost sure asymptotic for Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes of Poisson potential

Abstract The objective of this paper is to study the large time asymptotic of the following exponential moment: E x exp { ± ∫ 0 t V ( X ( s ) ) d s } , where { X ( s ) } is a d -dimensional Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process and { V ( x ) } x ∈ R d is a homogeneous ergodic random Poisson potential. It turns out that the positive/negative exponential moment has e c t growth/decay rate, which is different from the Brownian motion model studied by Carmona and Molchanov (1995) for positive exponential moment and Sznitman (1993) for negative exponential moment.
Person recognition by feature fusion

Biometric fusion is an essential procedure in any multi-modal biometric person recognition systems and it can be performed at sensor, feature, score and decision levels. This paper proposes a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm for the fusion of multi-modal biometric data. This method is applied to an Audio-Visual (AV) person recognition database that includes acoustic and visual information. Its superior performance is demonstrated through tests on 40 subjects in the AV database.
General Equilibrium and Welfare in International Trade

General equilibrium is investigated in the tradition of Cournot, Mill, and Marshall, as applied to countries rather than individuals, on the assumption that individual preferences can be aggregated. This includes the competitive equilibrium of free trade, as well as of restricted trade resulting from tariffs, analyzed by Marshall as well as by Johnson. Johnson’s theory of tariff wars is analyzed as an example of Cournot’s theory of duopoly, leading to a Nash equilibrium in contrast to the competitive equilibrium of free trade. Finally, the effect of unstable equilibrium is discussed as presented in recent work by Wan and Zhou, suggesting a new concept of negotiated equilibrium.
Synthesis and Thermoelectric Measurement of Individual Bismuth Nanowires

It has been suggested by theoretical calculations that the thermoelectric figure of merit of bismuth (Bi) nanowires can be much higher than the bulk value because of quantum and classical size effects on electron and phonon transport in the nanowire. Recent advances in nanomaterials synthesis and characterization methods have enabled direct experimental investigation of the nanoscale size effects on thermoelectric properties. In this work, bismuth nanowires are synthesized by vapor deposition into the pores of anodic alumina membranes (AAMs) with variable pore sizes. The thermoelectric properties of individual Bi nanowires obtained from the AAMs were characterized using a new design of a microfabricated device. The presence of a highly stable bismuth oxide coating prohibited good electrical contact with the nanowire, but still allowed for thermal conductivity data to be obtained.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Combination of glycemic and oxidative stress in lens: Implications in augmentation of cataract formation in diabetes

It is well known that the incidence of cataract is higher in diabetics as compared to non-diabetics. Its rate of maturation is also faster in the diabetics. The precise mechanism of this acceleration is not clearly understood. It is hypothesized that this could be a result of the combination of the metabolic and oxidative stress induced by glycemia itself with the age-associated increase in ambient generation of oxyradical species. In the current studies, we have investigated this possibility using the galactose cataract model. Galactosemia was induced by feeding rats a 50% galactose diet. The increased susceptibility of the glycemic lenses to physiological damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) was studied by incubating them in Tyrode in the absence and presence of menadione. The resulting physiological damage to the lens was assessed initially in terms of its ability to maintain Na+-K+ ATPase dependent active transport of potassium ions, as represented by the uptake of rubidium ions. Subsequently, the level of ATP, indexing the general metabolic status, and the level of glutathione (GSH), indexing the status of antioxidant reserve, were also determined. The uptake of rubidium in the normal lenses incubated in the presence of the quinone was depressed to more than 50% of the controls run in the basal medium. A similar depression existed in the galactosemic lenses in comparison to the normal lenses. However, in the presence of menadione, the inhibition of the uptake was accentuated further in the case of galactosemic lenses, the uptake here being only 20% of the normal controls. Similarly, the galactosemic lenses were also more susceptible to menadione dependent decrease in ATP and GSH.
X-ray production cross sections

Recent high-energy measurements of $K$-shell $x$-ray yields produced by proton impact are compared with the binary-encounter-impulse approximation and with previous measurements. The scaling law derived from the binary-encounter model is found to be in good agreement with experiment.
Protein aggregation in live cells: N&B analysis of Huntingtin

The aggregation of the huntingtin (Htt) protein is thought to be responsible for Huntington's disease. One problem is the detection of the different size of aggregates and the stages of aggregation directly in live cells. Recently we develop a method (N&B) to detect the size of aggregates and the number of particles in every pixel of a confocal image. N&B can be performed on the entire cells simultaneously so it is possible to follow the kinetics of aggregation. This method is based on the variance of intensity fluctuations of particles as they diffuse through the excitation volume. We performed experiments in transfected COS7 using different lengths of the polyglutamine sequence (Httex1 97QP-GFP, Httex1 46QP-GFP and Httex1 25QP-GFP). We can determine the presence of units, small aggregates and inclusion bodies in different parts of cell and their time evolution.. We observed the presence of Htt throughout the cell and that oligomer formation starts in the cytoplasm. At higher protein concentration aggregation occurs in the nucleus. When an inclusion body forms in the cytoplasm, all Htt including that in the nucleus, is recruited by the inclusion body. We found aggregates, which have a size of 5-10 protein units, diffusing in membrane tubules. We suggest that these aggregates my represent the precursors for protein nucleation events. We estimated that the inclusion body is formed by hundred of protein units. In different cell types the aggregation follows a similar dynamic. Our studies have shown the protein aggregation size distribution in live and how the nucleation events progress in real time. Support by U54 GM064346 CMC (MD, EG), NIH-P41-RRO3155 (EG), P50-GM076516 (EG,GO).
Error reduction through learning multiple descriptions

Learning multiple descriptions for each class in the data has been shown to reduce generalization error but the amount of error reduction varies greatly from domain to domain. This paper presents a novel empirical analysis that helps to understand this variation. Our hypothesis is that the amount of error reduction is linked to the "degree to which the descriptions for a class make errors in a correlated manner." We present a precise and novel definition for this notion and use twenty-nine data sets to show that the amount of observed error reduction is negatively correlated with the degree to which the descriptions make errors in a correlated manner. We empirically show that it is possible to learn descriptions that make less correlated errors in domains in which many ties in the search evaluation measure (e.g. information gain) are experienced during learning. The paper also presents results that help to understand when and why multiple descriptions are a help (irrelevant attributes) and when they are not as much help (large amounts of class noise).
Incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in a children's hospital in the Washington metropolitan area of the United States, 2003 – 2010

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a major public health threat. In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients with laboratory-confirmed MRSA infections treated at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, District of Columbia between July 2003 and December 2010. The secular trends in the incidence rates of skin/soft tissue and invasive MRSA infections were assessed. Molecular analyses were performed on a subset of patients with invasive infections whose MRSA isolates were available for genotyping. The study identified 3750 patients with MRSA infections. The incidence of MRSA infections peaked in 2007 (incidence rate: 5.34 per 1000 patient-visits) and subsequently declined at a rate of 5% per year. By December 2010, the MRSA incidence rate reached 3.77 per 1000 patient-visits. Seventeen (14.7%) patients with invasive MRSA infections died, and the mortality risk significantly increased if the MRSA infections were healthcare-associated (HA) or if an isolate was resistant to clindamycin and/or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. In conclusion, this study described a descending trend in MRSA infections in children since 2007. Although invasive MRSA infections only accounted for a small portion of the total MRSA infections, they were associated with a high mortality risk. The prevention and control of the spread of MRSA remains a crucial and challenging task.
Conversion electron Mössbauer study of amorphous FeSi thin films

Abstract Amorphous FeSi films deposited at 77 K and at room temperature were studied by CEMS. The CEMS reflection spectra for bulk FeSi show quadrupole splittings, ΔE S , larger by ∼ 0.04 mm sec −1 than ΔE B - the ones shown by transmission spectra. For amorphous FeSi films ΔE was found (a) to decrease with the thickness of the film, and (b) to be by 25% larger for an amorphous film than for a crystallized one (of the same thickness). The crystallization was found to start at 240°C for a 300 A thick film.
A Simulation Framework for Rapid Analysis of Reconfigurable Computing Systems

Reconfigurable computing (RC) is rapidly emerging as a promising technology for the future of high-performance and embedded computing, enabling systems with the computational density and power of custom-logic hardware and the versatility of software-driven hardware in an optimal mix. Novel methods for rapid virtual prototyping, performance prediction, and evaluation are of critical importance in the engineering of complex reconfigurable systems and applications. These techniques can yield insightful tradeoff analyses while saving valuable time and resources for researchers and engineers alike. The research described herein provides a methodology for mapping arbitrary applications to targeted reconfigurable platforms in a simulation environment called RCSE. By splitting the process into two domains, the application and simulation domains, characterization of each element can occur independently and in parallel, leading to fast and accurate performance prediction results for large and complex systems. This article presents the design of a novel framework for system-level simulative performance prediction of RC systems and applications. The article also presents a set of case studies analyzing two applications, Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) and Molecular Dynamics (MD), across three disparate RC platforms within the simulation framework. The validation results using each of these applications and systems show that our framework can quickly obtain performance prediction results with reasonable accuracy on a variety of platforms. Finally, a set of simulative case studies are presented to illustrate the various capabilities of the framework to quickly obtain a wide range of performance prediction results and power consumption estimates.
Cracking in thin multi-layers with finite-width and periodic architectures

Many applications involve thin multi-layers comprised of repeating patterns of different material sections, notably interconnect–dielectric structures in microelectronics. This paper considers a variety of failure scenarios in systems with periodically arranged features within a single layer. Crack driving forces are presented for (i) debonding between alternating material sections in a thin film (i.e. channel and tunnel cracking at material junctions), and (ii) channel cracking in a thin uniform coating above a layer comprised of alternating sections of different materials. The effects of elastic mismatch, feature spacing, crack spacing and residual stress are illustrated for a wide range of parameters. The results presented here illustrate that residual stresses in intact sections can strongly promote cracking in adjacent layers, which is in contrast to analyses of blanket film multi-layers which predict that residual stress in adjacent layers has no effect. An important finding is that decreasing the relative size of low-modulus sections significantly increases the crack driving force in adjacent layers. The implications of these results are discussed in the contexts of critical feature spacing and the impact of incorporating low elastic-modulus sections (such as polymer dielectrics) on thermo-mechanical reliability.
Two conjectures in the homology of local rings

This is a conjecture of the author [6]. Analogous results have been proved by Evens [2] for finite groups and conjectured by Venkov for nilpotent algebras. We show that Conjecture II is true in several classes of local rings for which Conjecture I has been proved. In the process, another class of rings is added to the list for which Conjecture I is true. Tora(k, k) has the structure of a commutative Hopf algebra whose dual Hopf algebra is isomorphic to Ext,(k, k) with the Yoneda product [7]. Our approach in each case will be to show that the primitive elements of TorR(k, k) form a finite dimensional vector space over k, so that dually, Ext,(k, k) is finitely generated. For the convenience of the reader, a description of the Hopf algebra structure on TorR(k, k) is given in Section 1. Also included is a proof of the above mentioned duality. Then Conjecture II is verified for local complete intersections in Section 2 and for a class of local rings first studied by Golod
Ibuprofen Release From Electrospun Nanofibers

Controlled and gradual drug delivery is important in order to improve therapeutic efficiency and to reduce potential toxic effects due to overdose of the particular drug. Electrospun nanofibres have gained much attention for controlled drug delivery as the electrospinning process produces scaffolds with very high surface to volume ratio, while being a very simple and cost-effective process. A wide variety of drugs can be effectively incorporated into the fibers, and the structure and function of the fibers and the drug has been found to be maintained (1, 2).Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The densities of deep‐seated material of the Earth's Crust, as determined by chemical analysis, and the bearing of such densities on the theory of isostasy

A resume was given of the work which had been done by the author, showing that the densities of igneous rocks found at different places on the earth's surface, as computed from chemical analyses, bear a very definite relation to the elevation of the ground at which the rocks are found. The higher the elevation of the earth's surface the less is the density of the igneous rocks. This fact fits in well with the theory of isostasy which postulates that under each topographic feature there is a compensating deficiency or excess in density. The investigations in rock densities and isostasy will give information in regard to the earth's crust that apparently cannot be gained by other means.
Clinical Evaluation of the Locking Compression Plate for Fetlock Arthrodesis in Six Thoroughbred Racehorses

Objective— To report use of a locking compression plate (LCP) for fetlock arthrodesis in Thoroughbred racehorses after catastrophic disruption of the suspensory apparatus. Study Design— Retrospective case study. Animals— Racing Thoroughbreds (n=6) with a catastrophic breakdown injury of the suspensory apparatus. Methods— Medical records (2004–2006) of horses that had fetlock arthrodesis using an LCP were reviewed. Preoperative recorded variables were: age, gender, affected limb, injury type and occurrence, limb support used and time to surgery. Recorded surgical variables were: implants used and cost, surgery time, and anesthetic recovery method. Postoperative recorded variables included: treatment, physical status, complications, and outcome. Results— Of 6 Thoroughbred racehorses that had LCP arthrodesis, 4 were sound for breeding purposes the next year and 2 horses were euthanatized (1 at 16 days, 1 at 68 days) because of proximal interphalangeal joint (PIJ) luxation. No surgical complications were associated with implant application. Postoperative complications were similar to those reported for other arthrodesis techniques. Conclusions— LCP is a viable option for fetlock arthrodesis in Thoroughbred racehorses after catastrophic suspensory apparatus disruption. Clinical Relevance— Adequate fetlock stability can be achieved with an LCP, and although the repair is likely more stable it is ∼3 times more expensive than using a limited contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP) with cortical screws.
Current status of Landau-Ginzburg phenomenological β-parameters in superfluid3He from thermodynamic measurements

Combinations of the Landau-Ginzburg phenomenological β-parameters characterizing superfluid3He have been deduced from several thermodynamic measurements. These β-parameters impose constraints on microscopic models of normal3He, and select the structure of the microscopic order parameter in the superfluid.
A difference between the modes of action of substrate and hormonal inducers of rat liver tryptophan pyrrolase.

THE level of tryptophan pyrrolase can be greatly increased in rat liver by the intraperitoneal injection of tryptophan1, cortisone2 or hydrocortisone3. The administration of adrenocortical hormones is not associated with an increased level of tryptophan in the liver3. Moreover, cortisone is a non-specific inducer, in that it affects the levels of several liver enzyme systems2. Reserpine4 has also been shown to increase the level of activity of tryptophan pyrrolase, and since it does not elicit this response in hypo-physectomized rats, it has been suggested that its effect is mediated by the pituitary–adrenal system5. The present work indicates a qualitative difference in the mode of action of tryptophan on one hand and cortisone and reserpine on the other in the induction of tryptophan pyrrolase.
Measuring distances in proteins by saturation-recovery EPR

We describe a protocol for detecting electron spin–spin interactions between a radical and a metal ion in a protein or protein complex by saturation-recovery electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). This protocol can be used with a protein containing an endogenous metal center and either an endogenous or synthetic radical species. We suggest a two-step approach whereby dipole–dipole or exchange interactions are first detected by continuous-wave EPR experiments and then quantified by saturation-recovery EPR. The latter measurements make it possible to measure long distances to within a few Angstroms. The protocol for making distance measurements by saturation-recovery EPR will take approximately 6 days to complete.
Host Defense Mechanisms Against Nematode Parasites: Destruction of Newborn Trichinella spiralis Larvae by Human Antibodies and Granulocytes

The capacity of human leukocytes from normal donors to kill the nematode Trichinella spiralis in vitro in the presence of serum from infected individuals and complement was studied. Eosinophils and neutrophils attached to the newborn larval stage of the parasite and exerted a cytotoxic effect manifested as complete morphologic destruction of the organism; monocytes also attached to newborn larvae but did not mediate parasite destruction. The cytotoxic effect of granulocytes was dependent on the presence of parasite stage-specific IgG antibodies that appeared within three weeks of infection; these antibodies were distinct from IgM antibodies that reacted with muscle-stage larvae. Complement did not enhance the cytotoxic effect of granulocytes. These results suggest that host defense against T. spiralis in humans is in part mediated by granulocytes and dependent on the presence of IgG antibodies that are directed against the migratory stage of the parasite.
Evaluation of an Integrated Arrival Scheduling and Automated Conflict Detection and Resolution System

Performance of a prototype, ground-based automation system capable of generating fuelefficient, continuous-descent approach trajectories for all arrival aircraft in a given airspace that are also conflict-free and conform to arrival-time metering constraints is evaluated. The prototype system is evaluated using a combination of runway time-in-trail constraints and calibrated airspeed uncertainty magnitudes. This includes a comparison of analysis of two traffic data and airport configuration scenarios (simple and complex). Three metrics are presented: the first is the percentage of cases that meet the time-in-trail constraint to within a 20-second tolerance. Under both scenarios, the performance of the system is degraded when greater airspeed uncertainty is modeled. Also, the system performs better in the simple traffic scenario indicating that traffic mixes and airport configurations might play a role in system performance. The second metric is used to study system safety by determining the minimum scheduling-time buffer necessary to achieve a 60-second minimum time-in-trail interval at the runway. For the simple traffic scenario, a smaller buffer is sufficient as compared to the complex traffic scenario. Also in both traffic scenarios, the higher the airspeed uncertainty, the larger the spacing buffer required to ensure that the minimum spacing requirement is met. The third metric is scheduling precision, which is used for investigating the need for feedback. Results show that during high traffic periods, tighter coupling of the scheduling and resolution generation system may improve performance, but further work is necessary for a definitive answer.
Auditory temporal order and perceived fusion-nonfusion.

A pair of pure-tone sine waves, with the first tone presented randomly to either ear, was presented simultaneously or sequentially. The order of occurrence of the tones (temporal order) and the number of tones perceived (fusion-nonfusion) were judged. Three values of stimulus intensity (40, 55, and 70 dB SPL) and 10 values of stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA; 0, 1, 2, and 4 to 28 msec in 4-msec steps) were varied. Of major importance in this investigation was the relationship between the judgmental tasks of temporal order and fusion-nonfusion. Response time and accuracy were the dependent measures used to assess that relationship. The results of two groups of 10 subjects showed an increase in the percentage of correct nonfusion judgments with increases in stimulus intensity and SOA. For correct judgments of temporal order, no significant intensity or SOA effects were noted. Response time for the fusion-nonfusion task was significantly influenced by both stimulus intensity and SOA. For the response times associated with the temporal order task, intensity was significant. More important to this investigation was the observed Intensity by SOA by Task interaction for response time data. These results suggest a hybrid model, with different processes occurring within different stages of this model.
Computer-aided lung nodule diagnosis using a simple classifier

Abstract Fifty-four solitary pulmonary nodules with diagnosis established with pathological or 2 years of radiographic followup were imaged using CT with a high-resolution protocol without contrast. A thoracic radiologist manually outlined each nodule on a single slice that they chose as most representative of it. Nineteen two-dimensional attenuation, size, and shape features were calculated based on this slice and were input into a OneR and logistic regression classifier. Classifier performance was measured using resubstitution, leave-one-out, and a split training set (42 cases) and test set (12 cases). When testing the classifier using resubstitution OneR achieved 90.9% sensitivity, 71.4% specificity, and 83.3% accuracy while the logistic regression classifier achieved 81.8% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity, and 83.3% accuracy. The OneR classifier in a leave-one-out testing methodology was able to achieve 90.9% sensitivity, 66.7% specificity, and 81.4% accuracy compared to 63.6% sensitivity, 52.4% specificity, and 59.3% accuracy of the logistic regression classifier. When separate training/testing sets were made OneR resulted in 85.7% sensitivity, 60% specificity, and 75% accuracy while logistic regression resulted in 71.4% sensitivity, 40% specificity, and 58.3% accuracy. Thus a simple classifier like OneR can perform better than a more complex classifier.
Effects of ethanol on arachidonic acid incorporation into lipids of a plasma membrane fraction isolated from brain cerebral cortex.

In the presence of ATP, MgCl2, and CoASH, somal plasma membranes isolated from rat cerebral cortex were active in transferring arachidonic acid to phosphatidylinositols, phosphatidylcholines, and triacylglycerols. Ethanol (350-525 mM) added to the incubation mixture inhibited arachidonic acid incorporation into phospholipids, while it enhanced the incorporation into triacylglycerols. Under these conditions, ethanol was found to react with arachidonic acid to form arachidonoyl ethyl ester. The incorporation of labeled arachidonic acid into glycerolipids as well as the synthesis of ethyl esters required the presence of ATP and CoASH for maximal activity. Nevertheless, each uptake process exhibited a unique pH profile. The esterification of arachidonic acid was not specific for ethanol as other aliphatic alcohols (e.g., propanol and butanol) were also able to react with labeled arachidonic acid to form the respective esters. Somal plasma membranes isolated from mice after chronic ethanol administration showed an increase in arachidonoyl transfer to both phospholipids and triacylglycerols. When these membranes were challenged with ethanol (325 mM), those isolated from the chronic ethanol group showed a greater increase in the labeling of triacylglycerols and ethyl esters than those from controls. Thus, different acyltransferases exhibite different responses to the effects of ethanol in vitro and in vivo.
Estimation of the Heat Transfer Coefficient of a Microchannel Heat Sink Using an Optimal Control Technique

Cooling of electronic devices requires the use of heat spreaders whose function is to allow the spreading of the heat flux lines in the 3-D space and to increase the exchange area with the coolant. The objective of this analysis is to estimate the convective heat transfer coefficient of a microchannel heat sink that corresponds to a maximum amount of heat removed from heat source placed on the top surface of the sink. This problem is solved using an optimal control technique in which we control the solution of the heat equation with the convective boundary condition, taking the heat transfer coefficient as the control. A conjugate gradient method is used to solve the optimal control problem. The results show that the temperature distributions corresponding to the controlled solution are lower than those corresponding to the uncontrolled solution. This study can provide guidance in designing micro heat pipe sinks, which have emerged as an effective technique for cooling electronic components.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Structuring an emotional world

Rolls emphasizes the role of emotion in behavior. My commentary provides some balance to that position by arguing that stored social knowledge dominates our behavior and controls emotional states, thereby reducing emotions to a subservient role in behavior.
The Tumor Microenvironment and DNA Repair

Genetic instability is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. As tumors grow, they progressively acquire mutations that ultimately allow them to invade normal tissues and metastasize to distant sites. This increased propensity for mutation also leads to cancers that are resistant to therapeutic intervention. Recent evidence has shown that the tumor microenvironment plays a major role in the etiology of this phenomenon; as tumors are exposed to repeated cycles of hypoxia and reoxygenation, they downregulate a number of DNA repair pathways, thus leading to genetic instability. Understanding the mechanisms involved in this process may provide insights into the development of novel treatment strategies.
Spectroscopic study of jet‐cooled fluoranthene

Fluorescence excitation and single vibronic level (SVL) fluorescence spectra of fluoranthene seeded in an Ar free‐jet are presented. The S1 excitation spectrum builds on a strong 427 cm−1 vibronic false origin. Fluorescence spectra exciting SVL with vibrational energy 0, 427, and 751 cm−1 contain sharp lines, whereas with 1345 cm−1 the fluorescence spectrum is a featureless continuum. The sharp lines have been analyzed and assigned with the help of Raman and IR data. The broad spectrum when exciting 1345 cm−1 above the S1 origin is ascribed to energy redistribution (IVR). The behavior of fluoranthene in light of current understanding of the IVR process is discussed.
The substrate specificity of MutY for hyperoxidized guanine lesions in vivo.

The DNA damage product 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2‘-deoxyguanine (8-oxoG) is a commonly used biomarker of oxidative stress. The mutagenic potential of this DNA lesion is mitigated in Escherichia coli by mu...
Quantum Langevin Equation

It is shown (by means of a perturbation series) that for a class of potentials $V(x)$ the stationary distribution of the solution $x(t)$ of the quantum Langevin equation approaches in the weak-coupling limit ($f\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$) the quantum mechanical canonical distribution of the displacement of the oscillator, subject to the potential $V(x)$, if and only if $E(t)$ is the operator version of the purely random Gaussian process so that, in particular, higher symmetrized averages ${〈E({t}_{1})\ensuremath{\cdots}E({t}_{n})〉}_{s}$ are expressible in terms of pair correlations, in the usual way.
Correlations between Terasaki's HLA class II epitopes and HLAMatchmaker-defined eplets on HLA-DR and -DQ antigens.

Although the determination of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody specificity has traditionally been directed toward HLA antigens, there is now increasing attention to structurally defined HLA epitopes. An understanding of the HLA epitope repertoire is important to acceptable mismatching for sensitized patients and to a new epitope-based matching algorithm aimed to reduce antibody-mediated rejection. There are two strategies to determine the HLA epitope repertoire. Terasaki's group has used an empirical method to analyze the reactivity of single allele Luminex panels with mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and absorbed/eluted alloantibodies with a computer program based on shared residues in the amino acid sequences of reactive alleles. HLAMatchmaker is a theoretical algorithm that predicts HLA epitopes on the HLA molecular surface from stereochemical modeling of epitope-paratope interfaces of antigen-antibody complexes. Our epitope repertoire is based on so-called 'eplets' representing 3-A patches of at least one polymorphic residue on the molecular surface. A comparative analysis has shown that 81/103 Terasaki's HLA class I epitopes are equivalent to individual eplets (n = 50) or pairs of eplets (n = 31) separated far enough to serve as potential contact sites for two complementarity-determining regions of antibody. An additional 12 Terasaki's epitopes (TerEps) correspond to eplets with permissible residue combinations that do not seem to affect epitope specificity. We could not identify corresponding eplets for the remaining 10 TerEps, including 8 that might be considered xeno-epitopes defined by mouse mAbs. Conversely, HLAMatchmaker has 38 additional eplets in well-exposed surface positions that do not have equivalent TerEps, and for many of them, we have found specific antibodies. These findings strengthen the concept that eplets are essential basic units of HLA epitopes and that they provide a better understanding of HLA immunogenicity (i.e. ability to induce an antibody response) and antigenicity (i.e. reactivity with specific antibody).
A new analytic technique for the study of deterrence, escalation control, and war termination

The paper describes work of the RAND Strategy Assessment Center on knowledge-based models of strategic decisionmak ing. The models are more realistic than those focusing exclusively on quantitative calculations and they can provide a mechanism for focusing debate on policy issues where qualitative and quan titative measures must be used conjunctively. Debating the merits of formal rule-based models encourages the participants to con verge on the relative value of alternative variables, details of con text, and definitions.
Evidence of Altered Brain Sexual Differentiation in Mice Exposed Perinatally to Low, Environmentally Relevant Levels of Bisphenol A

Humans are routinely exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogenic chemical present in food and beverage containers, dental composites, and many products in the home and workplace. BPA binds both classical nuclear estrogen receptors and facilitates membrane-initiated estrogenic effects. Here we explore the ability of environmentally relevant exposure to BPA to affect anatomical and functional measures of brain development and sexual differentiation. Anatomical evidence of alterations in brain sexual differentiation were examined in male and female offspring born to mouse dams exposed to 0, 25, or 250 ng BPA/kg body weight per day from the evening of d 8 of gestation through d 16 of lactation. These studies examined the sexually dimorphic population of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) neurons in the rostral periventricular preoptic area, an important brain region for estrous cyclicity and estrogen-positive feedback. The significant sex differences in TH neuron number observed in control offspring were diminished or obliterated in offspring exposed to BPA primarily because of a decline in TH neuron number in BPA-exposed females. As a functional endpoint of BPA action on brain sexual differentiation, we examined the effects of perinatal BPA exposure on sexually dimorphic behaviors in the open field. Data from these studies revealed significant sex differences in the vehicle-exposed offspring that were not observed in the BPA-exposed offspring. These data indicate that BPA may be capable of altering important events during critical periods of brain development.
Instruction in Lighting Design

A technique for teaching interior design lighting at the introductory level is described including the development of instructional objectives, a student project, and the analysis of the assigned course project. The objective of this teaching method was to focus on coordinating aesthetic and environment/behavior criteria, using an architectural programming technique.