cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Information Disclosure and Firm Performance: Evidence from the Dialysis Industry

We study the impact of information disclosure policies on firm performance by exploiting a policy change that provides plausibly exogenous “shocks” to firms’ reputations based on their allocation to coarse performance categories. Medicare grades dialysis firms using three coarse performance categories based on patient survival rates: worse than expected, as expected, and better than expected. We exploit the underlying continuous performance measures used to create these categories to implement a regression discontinuity design. We find firms that just barely fall into the worse than expected category subsequently experience a reduction in patient mortality rates. We provide suggestive evidence that this improvement is driven largely by strategic patient selection. There is no impact of ratings on overall patient volumes, but facilities receiving poor grades treat fewer well-informed patients post- disclosure. We do not find comparable supply-side or demand-side effects for firms that just barely fall into the better than expected category. The overall evidence is consistent with disappointing information being a significant motivator of firm behavior.
Families of Protein Phosphatase 1 Modulators Activated by Protein Kinases A and C: Focus on Brain

Publisher Summary Serine/threonine dephosphorylation modulates the functional status of a large number of phosphoproteins, including ion channels, receptors, transporters, and transcription factors important for brain function. Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) is a principal mediator of serine/threonine dephosphorylation. PP1 activities are regulated through the actions of more than 50 PP1 regulatory subunits and binding partners, many of which are themselves regulated by phosphorylation. This review describes two families of PP1 inhibitors that are regulated through phosphorylation by protein kinases A and C (PKA and PKC). We compare the better understood PKA dependent family of PP1 inhibitors with the more recently-elucidated PKC-dependent family of PP1 inhibitors. Each of these families is well positioned to play important and specific roles in cell signals that are keys for the regulation of physiological processes in a number of organs, including roles in brain that are important for processes including addiction.
The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler Ben Urwand. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2013.

The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler Ben Urwand. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2013.This book has aroused a huge controversy among academic scholars, some of whom arc demanding that Harvard University Press review its publication of the book. Much of the debate stems from academic claims that Urwand's book is deeply anti-Semitic in many of the assorted claims that the author, a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows at Harvard University, presents throughout the book.The reader can decide whether or not The Collaboration warrants all this negative attention. It is a fascinating story and well-written, a book that one will find difficult to put down. The title of the book describes correctly what the author's thesis is: the collaboration between the Nazis and the Hollywood film community, especially the producers, over the making of films that would be acceptable to the Germans. The author does not say anything that most film scholars have not said (or known) before, namely the methods that Hollywood employed to keep the lucrative German film market open by the Nazis during the 1930s, after Hitler took power, through World War II. In order to continue doing business in Germany after Hitler's ascent to power, Hollywood studios agreed not to make films that attacked the Nazis or condemned Germany's persecution of Jews. Urwand reveals this bargain as a "collaboration" (Zusammenarbeit) that drew in a cast of characters ranging from notorious German political leaders such as Goebbels to Hollywood studio heads such as Louis B. Mayer and Jack Warner.Central to the story is Hitler himself, who was obsessed with movies (he saw one almost nightly) and who recognized the power of film to shape public opinion. The Prologue discusses the making of King Kong (1933) and its eventual reception in Germany where it became one of Hitler's favorite films. He was captivated by the story, discussed it often, and had it screened several times. Other chapters are just as illuminating, such as the first chapter ("Hitler's Obsession with Film") which details how Hollywood desperately sought approval by the German film censors to show the antiwar film, All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), in Germany and to show it without censorship. The film's plot is not sympathetic to Germany's loss in World War I so understandably there was concern on the film's reception in that country. In December 1930, his Party rioted against the Berlin screening of All Quiet on the Western Front, which led to a chain of unfortunate events and decisions that lasted over a decade.Fearful of losing access to the German market, all of the Hollywood studios started making concessions to the German government, and, when Hitler came to power in January 1933, the studios, many of them headed by Jews, began dealing with his representatives directly (37). …
Teaching assembly language with a taste of hardware

The Department of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has developed a Digital Systems Laboratory that offers Computer Science and Engineering Technology students state-of-the-art hardware and software tools. This paper briefly describes the activities in a microprocessor and microcontroller course where students learn assembly language programming by carrying out hands-on experiments that provide a taste of electronics hardware, which is normally missing in a regular computer science curriculum.
MinD and role of the deviant Walker A motif, dimerization and membrane binding in oscillation

The ATPase activity of MinD is required for it to oscillate between the ends of the cell and spatially regulate cell division in Escherichia coli. It is a member of a functionally diverse subgroup of ATPases which are involved in activities ranging from nitrogen fixation (NifH) to plasmid segregation (ParA). All members of the subgroup have a deviant Walker A motif which contains a conserved 'signature' lysine that characterizes this subgroup. In the NifH homodimer the signature lysines make intermonomer contact with the bound nucleotides indicating a role in ATP hydrolysis. ATP binding to NifH leads to formation of an active dimer that associates with a partner that is also a dimer. Because ATP hydrolysis is coupled to formation of the complex, the complex is only transient. In the presence of ATP MinD binds MinC and goes to the membrane, however, the ATPase is not stimulated and the complex is stable. Subsequent interaction of this complex with MinE, however, leads to ATPase stimulation and release of the Min proteins from the membrane. The sequential interaction of MinD with these two proteins, which is dictated by the membrane, is critical to the oscillatory mechanism involved in spatial regulation of division.
GONe: Software for estimating effective population size in species with generational overlap

GONe is a user-friendly, Windows-based program for estimating effective size (N(e) ) in populations with overlapping generations. It uses the Jorde-Ryman modification to the temporal method to account for age structure in populations. This method requires estimates of age-specific survival and birth rate and allele frequencies measured in two or more consecutive cohorts. Allele frequencies are acquired by reading in genotypic data from files formatted for either GENEPOP or TEMPOFS. For each interval between consecutive cohorts, N(e) is estimated at each locus and over all loci. Furthermore, N(e) estimates are output for three different genetic drift estimators (F(s) , F(c) and F(k) ). Confidence intervals are derived from a chi-square distribution with degrees of freedom equal to the number of independent alleles. GONe has been validated over a wide range of N(e) values, and for scenarios where survival and birth rates differ between sexes, sex ratios are unequal and reproductive variances differ. GONe is freely available for download at https://bcrc.bio.umass.edu/pedigreesoftware/.
Fricative and plosive perception-identification as a function of phonetic context in CVCVC utterance.

Hypothesis: The largest perceptual influence unit (PIU) for consonant perception-identification is of larger than syllable size and at least of the size CVCVC. The PIU is defined as that number of two or more successive speech sounds which influence the perception-identification of a given sound within that sequence. Each of twenty listeners attempted to identify the centrally occurring consonant /p t k b d g f s ∫ v z / in each of 576 CVCVC nonsense utterances occurring in white noise. The vowel context included combinations of /i α u/ while the outside consonants were both either /θ/ or /m/. Results indicated that plosive and non-sibilant fricative intelligibility varied significantly as a function of trans-consonantal vowel interaction (V C V). Furthermore trans-vowel consonant influence (C V C and/or C V C)significantly affected the intelligibility of almost all of the stimulus sounds. This latter finding, considered together with the former, clearly supports the proposed hypothesis.
Ion Chromatographic Analysis of Sulfate and Nitrate in Ambient Aerosols

Abstract Ion exchange has been known to provide excellent separation of ions since 1850, and ion exchange chromatography has been in use since 1940. However, ion exchange chromatography has not been widely used for the automated analysis of eluted ions because of the background produced by the electrolyte used for elution. H. Small, T. S. Stevens, and W. C. Bauman, (Anal. Chem., 47, 1801 (1975)) recently developed a technique whereby the background is reduced to a minimum with eluant suppression. Eluant suppression allows the use of ion exchange chromatography with conductimetric detection as a sensitive and selective means for the analysis of practically all ionic species. This communication describes the first successful application of ion chromatography (IC) to the analysis of total water soluble sulfate and nitrate in ambient aerosols. Analytical conditions and data on sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy and repeatability are described. The application of this technique to the analysis of atniospheric ...
Syntheses and characterization of iron(II) and iron(III) complexes of a tripodal ligand derived from tris(2-aminoethyl)methane

Abstract The trihydrochloride salt of tris(2-aminoethyl)methane (tram·3HCl) was deprotonated in methanolic potassium hydroxide and reacted with three molar equivalents of imidazole-2-carboxaldehyde to give a new Schiff base ligand, HC(CH2CH2N CH-2ImH)3. The ligand, H3(1), was reacted in situ with iron(II)chloride tetrahydrate. Addition of excess sodium perchlorate resulted in the isolation of the dark red [FeH3(1)](ClO4)2·KClO4. The neutral emerald green iron(III) tripodal complex, Fe(1), was prepared by the aerial oxidation of the iron (II) complex on addition of three equivalents of potassium hydroxide. The complexes are characterized by EA, IR, ESI-MS, Mossbauer, magnetic susceptibility and single crystal XRD. The spectroscopic and structural data support a low spin assignment for both the iron(II) and iron(III) complexes at 295 K. The overall conformation of the tram backbone in these complexes has the apical carbon atom, Cap, pointed away from the iron atom with an average non-bonded distance of 3.83 A. However, Cap is distorted from tetrahedral geometry toward trigonal monopyramidal. This is indicated by a narrowing of the H–Cap–C angles, an expansion of the C–Cap–C angles and a compression along the C–H axis so that Cap approaches the plane defined by its three carbon substituents. Two unusual supramolecular features are exhibited in [FeH3(1)](ClO4)2·KClO4. These are a polymeric [K(ClO4)32−]n anion and a bidentate hydrogen bonding donor, Nimine CH–Cimidazole–NimidazoleH, on each arm of the tripodal ligand. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations using the B3LYP functional were performed on the low spin and high spin states of both complexes. B3LYP correctly predicts that the low spin state is favored in both systems and closely matches the important metrical parameters that are indicative of spin state. B3LYP shows that the Cap-out conformation of the tram backbone would be nearly identical in the low and high spin forms.
Continued fractions, special values of the double sine function, and Stark units over real quadratic fields☆

Abstract Let F be a real quadratic field and m an integral ideal of F . Two Stark units, e m , 1 and e m , 2 , are conjectured to exist corresponding to the two different embeddings of F into R . We define new ray class invariants U m ( 1 ) ( C + ) and U m ( 2 ) ( C + ) associated to each class C + of the narrow ray class group modulo m and dependent separately on the two different embeddings of F into R . These invariants are defined as a product of special values of the double sine function in a compact and canonical form using a continued fraction approach due to Zagier and Hayes. We prove that both Stark units e m , 1 and e m , 2 , assuming they exist, can be expressed simultaneously and symmetrically in terms of U m ( 1 ) ( C + ) and U m ( 2 ) ( C + ) , thus giving a canonical expression for every existent Stark unit over F as a product of double sine function values. We prove that Stark units do exist as predicted in certain special cases.
Basic principles for measurement of intramuscular pressure

We review historical and methodological approaches to measurements of intramuscular pressure (IMP) in humans. These techniques provide valuable measures of muscle tone and activity as well as diagnostic criteria for evaluation of exertional compartment syndrome. Although the wick and catheter techniques provide accurate measurements of IMP at rest, their value for exercise studies and diagnosis of exertional compartment syndrome is limited because of low frequency response and hydrostatic (static and inertial) pressure artifacts. Presently, most information on diagnosis of exertional compartment syndromes during dynamic exercise is available using the Myopress catheter. However, future research and clinical diagnosis using IMP can be optimized by the use of a miniature transducer-tipped catheter such as the Millar Mikro-tip.
Folic acid has a disinhibitory action in the rat hippocampal slice preparation.

The effects of folic acid on synaptic transmission in the hippocampal slice have been studied. Application of folic acid (0.1–1 mM) increased the size of population spikes recorded extracellularly in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer and caused the appearance of multiple population spikes. Intracellular recording revealed that folic acid had no consistent effect on the membrane potential, but greatly reduced the rapid chloride-mediated phase of the inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) evoked by ortho- and antidromic stimulation. The slower, potassium-mediated phase of the IPSP was usually enhanced. Furthermore, folic acid abolished spontaneous IPSPs recorded with potassium chloride-filled microelectrodes. All of these effects were quickly reversible when the drug was washed from the chamber. Finally bath-applied folic acid reduced the hyperpolarization produced by iontophoretically applied GABA. Based on these results, we conclude that folic acid produces its excitatory effects on hippocampal pyramidal cells by a disinbitory action which involves a postsynaptic blockade of GABA responses.
P300 from a single-stimulus paradigm: auditory intensity and tone frequency effects

The P300 component of the event-related brain potential (ERP) was elicited with auditory stimuli in two different tasks. The oddball paradigm presented both target and standard stimuli; the single-stimulus paradigm presented a target but no standard tone stimulus, with the inter-target interval the same as that for the oddball condition. Experiment 1 manipulated stimulus intensity and Experiment 2 manipulated tone stimulus frequency, with the relative target probability maintained 0.20 for both tasks. P300 amplitude and latency were highly similar for the oddball and single-stimulus procedures in both experiments across independent variables. The findings suggest that the single-stimulus paradigm may prove useful in experimental and applied contexts that require very simple ERP task conditions.
Solvent effects in the NMR spectra of cyano compounds

Abstract Novel solvent effects in the NMR spectra of certain cyano compounds are reported.A change in the splitting pattern of the methylene groups of N ‐cyano‐ N ‐methylarylethylamines with a change in solvent was observed in open‐chain alkyl cyano compounds containing a terminal aromatic ring.
The composite biography as a methodological tool for the study of childhood in history

This article presents a composite biography of an orphaned girl and her mother in Medieval London. Though the mother was sound in mind and body, she had no control over her daughters inheritance and place of residence. In addition, her underage daughter was married without her consent. The composite biography can bring to life the otherwise dry renditions of families experiences that are present in court records and other historical documents.
Intersubunit binding domains within tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase

Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) belongs to the aromatic amino acid hydroxylase superfamily, which includes phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The crystal structures for both PAH and TH have been reported, but a crystallographic model of TPH remains elusive. For this reason, we have utilized the information presented in the TH crystal structure in combination with primary sequence alignments to design point mutations in potential structural domains of the TPH protein. Mutation of a TH salt bridge (K170E) was sufficient to alter enzyme macromolecular assembly. We found that the disruption of the cognate intersubunit dimerization salt bridge (K111-E223) in TPH, however, did not affect the macromolecular assembly of TPH. Enzyme peaks representing only tetramers were observed with size exclusion chromatography. By contrast, a single-point mutation within the tetramerization domain of TPH (L435A) was sufficient to disrupt the normal homotetrameric assembly of TPH. These studies indicate that, although the proposed salt bridge dimerization interface of TH is conserved in TPH, this hypothetical TPH intersubunit binding domain, K111-E223, is not required for the proper macromolecular assembly of the protein. However, leucine 435 within the tetramerization domain is necessary for the proper macromolecular assembly of TPH.
A comparison of modern pollen rain and vegetation in southwestern Sichuan Province, China

Abstract Modern pollen rain samples were collected from surface sediment samples at 13 small lakes, 0.5 to 10 ha, along an elevational transect between 1800 and 3900 m using a modified Phleger sampler. A synthesis of the results from the modern pollen rain study here and other pollen rain studies of southwestern China revealed that major forest types were reflected by their pollen rain. High pollen percent values for Pinus and evergreen oaks were found at almost all elevations regardless of whether these taxa were in the surrounding vegetation. Rhododendron, Abies and Lithocarpus/Castanopsis were extremely under-represented by their pollen rain. Tsuga, Betula and deciduous oaks contained comparable or roughly equal percentages for cover values in the vegetation and modern pollen rain. The percentage of Abies and Rhododendron pollen was greatest at high elevation sites where these taxa have their highest percent coverage in the vegetation. A significant number of important taxa in the region were under-represented by their pollen rain. Two methods were effective in dealing with such a large number of under-represented taxa: (1) pollen percentage values for low pollen producing taxa of similar autecological features (e.g. mesic deciduous, sclerophyllous evergreen broadleaved) were summed and examined as a unit, and (2) noting the presence of key pollen types representative of a particular climatic regime, such as Schima, Symplocos and Mallotus whose pollen and plants were found only in lower elevation sites.
Troponins in patients with acute coronary syndromes: biologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic implications.

The cardiac troponins have expanded the spectrum of detectable myocardial injury and enhanced the clinician's ability to identify patients with acute coronary syndromes who are at higher risk for death or recurrent ischemic events. Based on available data, it appears most likely that any reliably detected troponin elevation results from myocyte necrosis. This notion has served as the basis for the recent revision of diagnostic criteria for acute myocardial infarction based on cardiac troponin. Nevertheless, further research is necessary to conclusively refute the possibility that the release of cardiac troponins may also occur in the setting of reversible myocyte injury resulting from cellular ischemia. Such an investigation establishing biologic correlates of troponin elevation is likely to prove valuable in guiding diagnostic terminology as well as in therapy. For example, clinical research finding cardiac troponin elevation to be predictive of intracoronary throumbus and distal microvascular obstruction has been important to the evaluation of troponis for targeting powerful antiplatelet and antithrombin therapies. Whether related to irreversible or reversible injury, the cardiac troponins have blurred the traditional boundaries between unstable angina and myocardial infarction and have evolved as powerful tools for risk stratification and therapeutic decision-making.
Untangling reticulate evolutionary relationships among New World and Hawaiian mints (Stachydeae, Lamiaceae) ☆

The phenomenon of polyploidy and hybridization usually results in novel genetic combinations, leading to complex, reticulate evolution and incongruence among gene trees, which in turn may show different phylogenetic histories than the inherent species tree. The largest tribe within the subfamily Lamioideae (Lamiaceae), Stachydeae, which includes the globally distributed Stachys, and one of the largest Hawaiian angiosperm radiations, the endemic mints, is a widespread and taxonomically challenging lineage displaying a wide spectrum of morphological and chromosomal diversity. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies have showed that while the Hawaiian mints group with Mexican–South American Stachys based on chloroplast DNA sequence data, nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) sequences suggest that they are most closely related to temperate North American Stachys. Here, we have utilized five independently inherited, low-copy nuclear loci, and a variety of phylogenetic methods, including multi-locus coalescence-based tree reconstructions, to provide insight into the complex origins and evolutionary relationships between the New World Stachys and the Hawaiian mints. Our results demonstrate incongruence between individual gene trees, grouping the Hawaiian mints with both temperate North American and Meso-South American Stachys clades. However, our multi-locus coalescence tree is concurrent with previous nrDNA results placing them within the temperate North American Stachys clade. Our results point toward a possible allopolyploid hybrid origin of the Hawaiian mints arising from temperate North American and Meso-South American ancestors, as well as a reticulate origin for South American Stachys. As such, our study is another significant step toward further understanding the putative parentage and the potential influence of hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting in giving rise to this insular plant lineage, which following colonization underwent rapid morphological and ecological diversification.
Software aspect of the CASSM system

This paper deals with the software aspect of the CASSM system. A high level language for large data base management, CASDAL, a compiler for that language, and a cross assembler, CASSMBLR, designed and implemented for the CASSM system are described.
OpenMP application profiling — state of the art and directions for the future

Abstract OpenMP is a successful approach to writing threaded parallel applications. This article describes the state of the art in performance profiling OpenMP applications, covering vendor performance tools and platform independent techniques. The features of the OpenMP profiler ompP are described in detail and an outlook of future directions in this area is given.
Microeconomic Output Supply and Factor Demand Functions in the Agriculture of the Province of Taiwan

Normalized restricted profit functions have been employed in the empirical analysis of agricultural production by Lau and Yotopoulos in a crosssectional study of farms in India. The objective of the present study is to apply the same methodology to the analysis of data from a cross section of farm households in the Province of Taiwan, Republic of China. Two features distinguish this study from the earlier one. First, the number of variable inputs is increased from one to four. Second, the hypothesis of structural change as between successive cross sections is tested. Such a test of structural change may be interpreted as a test of the stability of the estimated production function parameters.
The effect of Reynolds number on boundary layer turbulence

Abstract A new facility for studying high Reynolds number incompressible turbulent boundary layer flows has been constructed. It consists of a moderately sized wind tunnel, completely enclosed by a pressure vessel, which can raise the ambient air pressure in and around the wind tunnel to 8 atmospheres. This results in a Reynolds number range of about 20:1, while maintaining incompressible flow. Results are presented for the zero pressure gradient flat plate boundary layer over a momentum thickness Reynolds number range 1500–15 000. Scaling issues for high Reynolds number non-equilibrium boundary layers are discussed, with data comparing the three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer flow over a swept bump at Reynolds numbers of 3800 and 8600. It is found that successful prediction of these types of flows must include length scales which do not scale on Reynolds number, but are inherent to the geometry of the flow.
A geographical multi-hop routing protocol for street-based networks

Wireless sensor networks have become a viable solution to automating and enhancing some applications. One such application is monitoring street lamps in a city. This paper introduces a routing algorithm for sensors attached to street lamps on the roads of the city. Since this network will reside along man-made roads, the physical layout of the network is restricted and static. In general, the algorithm routes packets from junction to junction until the packet reaches the intended street/avenue. Once the packet reaches the street/avenue on which the destination lies, the nodes route the packet in the direction of the specific destination node. The three main goals of this algorithm are fault-tolerance, reliability, and minimal energy. The results of two test scenarios are presented for a faultless network and a faulty network respectively. For faultless networks, the algorithm was able to achieve near-optimal routing paths from source nodes to destination nodes. In addition, the algorithm is adaptive and robust enough to insure packet delivery to its destination in marginally faulty networks. Hence, the results show that this algorithm is close to fulfilling all three of these goals.
Light scattering research at the university of southern California

Abstract A report of current investigations in light scattering spectroscopy at the U. S. C. Solid State Optics Laboratory is presented.
A characteristic analysis of void waves using two-fluid models

Abstract This paper examines mathematical techniques for evaluating waves in systems of partial differential equations (PDEs), such as those found in the two-fluid modeling of two-phase flows. In particular, this paper is concerned with a characteristic analysis of void waves for two-fluid models of two-phase flow. Such models are comprised of the phasic conservation equations, the interfacial jump conditions and the associated closure laws. The well-posedness of such systems of PDEs is considered herein with respect to the morphology of the mathematical model. Closure involves balancing the number of equations and state variables, as well as specifying all the parameters, initial conditions, and boundary conditions needed in the two-fluid model. In order to avoid algebraic complexity, only fairly simple two-fluid models will be considered in this paper. Nevertheless, the conclusions reached herein are also valid for much more detailed two-fluid models.
RF CMOS or SiGE BiCMOS in RF and Mixed Signal Circuit Design

The dilemma facing the semiconductor company supplying the wireless markets is not trivial. Deciding what technology to choose for commercial applications where the price, time to market and the performance of the chip, makes or breaks the product and sometimes a company as well. This paper attempts to analyze these issues from the perspective of a fables design house. It reviews the technical aspects of the processes that are provided by a number of foundries but sometimes are difficult to compare when BiCMOS and RFCMOS compete for the same application. The paper tries to establish a procedure where a number of figures of merit are compared against each other. Besides the technical aspects also the economical considerations are discussed. Ultimately, it is intended to help the designer/decision maker to decide what process to choose for the wireless or mixed signal and/or system on a chip designs.
Segmentation of the ovine lung in 3D CT Images

Pulmonary CT images can provide detailed information about the regional structure and function of the respiratory system. Prior to any of these analyses, however, the lungs must be identified in the CT data sets. A popular animal model for understanding lung physiology and pathophysiology is the sheep. In this paper we describe a lung segmentation algorithm for CT images of sheep. The algorithm has two main steps. The first step is lung extraction, which identifies the lung region using a technique based on optimal thresholding and connected components analysis. The second step is lung separation, which separates the left lung from the right lung by identifying the central fissure using an anatomy-based method incorporating dynamic programming and a line filter algorithm. The lung segmentation algorithm has been validated by comparing our automatic method to manual analysis for five pulmonary CT datasets. The RMS error between the computer-defined and manually-traced boundary is 0.96 mm. The segmentation requires approximately 10 minutes for a 512x512x400 dataset on a PC workstation (2.40 GHZ CPU, 2.0 GB RAM), while it takes human observer approximately two hours to accomplish the same task.
Importance of Finite Thermal Energy Density and Singular Modes for the Transport of Angular Momentum in Accretion Disks

In thin accretion disks the electromagnetic modes that can transport angular momentum (in the outward direction as needed for accretion to occur) are shown to require, for their excitation, the combined effects of the finite plasma temperature and of the gradient of the rotation frequency Ω(R) in the realistic case where the disk magnetic field has a toroidal component. In particular, the contribution of finite plasma compressibility (▿ · v≠0) is shown to play a key role. Accordingly, the relevant instabilities would not grow out of a cold plasma disk and pre-heating becomes necessary for the occurrence of momentum transport and accretion. The new kind of modes that are found are singular when described by the ideal MHD approximation, corotate with the plasma at the radius where their amplitude is maximum, are non-axisymmetric, and are strongly affected by the gradient of the relevant Doppler shifted frequency ω=ω−n0Ω (n0= toroidal mode number ≠0). The case where a toroidal and a vertical component of the magnetic field are present is considered. Then the minimum value of the parallel, to the field, component of the relevant wave vector is not bound by the height of the disk and the bending of the magnetic field lines by the modes can be optimized to minimize the instability threshold. The ideal MHD equation for the radial amplitude is characterized by two singularities: one corresponds to the radii where ω equals the “slow” magnetosonic mode frequency, that vanishes if the plasma temperature vanishes, and the other to the radii where ω equals the shear-Alfven frequency. The key role is played by the first kind of resonance and the presence of a very small and locally enhanced rate of dissipation (e.g., finite thermal conductivity) is required to “remove” the relevant singularities and produce meaningful growth rates. By contrast, axisymmetric (n0=0) modes, that are shown to acquire a vertical ballooning structure, in a thin disk, are considerably more difficult to excite. The importance of finite compressibility is demonstrated also for this kind of modes.
Participant satisfaction in the African American Study of Kidney disease and hypertension (AASK) pilot study

Seventy-one of the 94 eligible participants of the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) Pilot Study completed a self-administered questionnaire at the end of the study to determine their satisfaction with the study, difficulties encountered during participation, and willingness to join a similar study in the future. Nearly all of the participants (97%) believed that they would directly benefit from the study; treatment and information from physicians (94%), and more knowledge (92%) and closer monitoring (90%) of their physical condition were often cited as the ways in which the AASK Pilot Study helped. The two most commonly reported problems in the study were side effects from antihypertensive drugs (27%) and travel to and from the clinic (25%). Eighty-two percent of those who completed the survey indicated that they would volunteer for a similar study in the future. We conclude that AASK Pilot Study participants believed that they would benefit directly from the trial and that medical aspects of the trial were of major importance. Side effects from antihypertensive drugs and difficulties in travel to and from the clinic were commonly encountered problems and may hinder long-term participation in the AASK Full-Scale Trial.
Comparison Of Optical And Mechanical Methods Of Thickness Measurement

A variety of techniques is used for the measurement of thin film thicknesses of the order of one micrometer. These techniques include stylus profilometry, multiple beam interferometry, dual beam interferometry, guided waves, channel spectra and ellipsometry. The principles underlying each of the techniques are discussed and where available, experimental comparisons of the techniques are presented. Advantages, disadvantages, and sources of error are also discussed.
Some potential applications for intercalation compounds of graphite with high electrical conductivity

Abstract Intercalation compounds of graphite of the acceptor type have potential engineering applications because of their attractive electrical conductivity properties. Two kinds of applications are considered in this paper. The first concerns a composite, formed by enclosing an intercalation compound synthesized from high quality crystalline graphite in a matrix of copper. With this form of composite it is found that there are both intrinsic and extrinsic advantages pertaining to the use of a material that has a conductivity higher than and a density lower than that of copper. The second form is a composite compound of intercalated graphite fibers contained in a matrix of epoxy. Extraordinary advantages in this case result from the fact that while intercalation of the fibers produces an order of magnitude increase in their electrical conductivity, when these fibers are incorporated into an epoxy matrix, the composite conductivity is increased by two orders of magnitude over its pristine fiber counterpart. It is projected that these desirable electrical conductivity characteristics portend large scale uses for the acceptor compounds of graphite as substitutes for the present standard conductors, and as a way of upgrading the performance of carbon/graphite materials.
Opposing Effects of Sirtuins on Neuronal Survival: SIRT1-Mediated Neuroprotection Is Independent of Its Deacetylase Activity

Background Growing evidence suggests that sirtuins, a family of seven distinct NAD-dependent enzymes, are involved in the regulation of neuronal survival. Indeed, SIRT1 has been reported to protect against neuronal death, while SIRT2 promotes neurodegeneration. The effect of SIRTs 3–7 on the regulation of neuronal survival, if any, has yet to be reported. Methodology and Principal Findings We examined the effect of expressing each of the seven SIRT proteins in healthy cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) or in neurons induced to die by low potassium (LK) treatment. We report that SIRT1 protects neurons from LK-induced apoptosis, while SIRT2, SIRT3 and SIRT6 induce apoptosis in otherwise healthy neurons. SIRT5 is generally localized to both the nucleus and cytoplasm of CGNs and exerts a protective effect. In a subset of neurons, however, SIRT5 localizes to the mitochondria and in this case it promotes neuronal death. Interestingly, the protective effect of SIRT1 in neurons is not reduced by treatments with nicotinamide or sirtinol, two pharmacological inhibitors of SIRT1. Neuroprotection was also observed with two separate mutant forms of SIRT1, H363Y and H355A, both of which lack deacetylase activity. Furthermore, LK-induced neuronal death was not prevented by resveratrol, a pharmacological activator of SIRT1, at concentrations at which it activates SIRT1. We extended our analysis to HT-22 neuroblastoma cells which can be induced to die by homocysteic acid treatment. While the effects of most of the SIRT proteins were similar to that observed in CGNs, SIRT6 was modestly protective against homocysteic acid toxicity in HT-22 cells. SIRT5 was generally localized in the mitochondria of HT-22 cells and was apoptotic. Conclusions/Significance Overall, our study makes three contributions - (a) it represents the first analysis of SIRT3–7 in the regulation of neuronal survival, (b) it shows that neuroprotection by SIRT1 can be mediated by a novel, non-catalytic mechanism, and (c) that subcellular localization may be an important determinant in the effect of SIRT5 on neuronal viability.
Examination of the metabolism in vitro of parathion (diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphorothionate) by rat lung and brain.

Abstract These studies have indicated there is present in rat lung microsomes a mixed-function oxidase enzyme system capable of metabolizing parathion to paraoxon and to diethyl phosphorothioic acid. In addition, analogous to previous results using rat liver microsomes, the sulfur atom released in the metabolism of parathion to paraoxon was found to covalently bind to lung microsomes. In contrast to liver, the metabolism of parathion by rat lung microsomes is not inducible by pretreatment of the animals with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene. The metabolism of parathion by lung microsomes is stimulated by NADPH and oxygen and is inhibited by carbon monoxide, anaerobic conditions, SKF-525A and piperonyl butoxide. There is also present in a particulate fraction of rat brain equivalent to microsomes an enzyme or enzyme system capable of metabolizing parathion to paraoxon and to diethyl phosphorothioic acid. The metabolism of parathion to paraoxon by rat brain microsomes is also accompanied by the release and covalent binding of the sulfur atom of parathion. The activity in rat brain microsomes is stimulated by oxygen and NADPH and inhibited by carbon monoxide, anaerobic conditions, SKF-525A and piperonyl butoxide. These data suggest that cytochrome P-450-containing mixed-function oxidase enzyme systems are responsible for the NADPH-stimulaled catalytic activity toward parathion found in rat lung and rat brain microsomes.
A Hardy type inequality for Wm,1(0, 1) functions

In this paper, we consider functions \({u\in W^{m,1}(0,1)}\) where m ≥ 2 and u(0) = Du(0) = · · · = Dm-1u(0) = 0. Although it is not true in general that \({\frac{D^ju(x)}{x^{m-j}} \in L^1(0,1)}\) for \({j\in \{0,1,\ldots,m-1\}}\), we prove that \({\frac{D^ju(x)}{x^{m-j-k}} \in W^{k,1}(0,1)}\) if k ≥ 1 and 1 ≤ j + k ≤ m, with j, k integers. Furthermore, we have the following Hardy type inequality, $$\left\|{D^k\left({\frac{D^ju(x)}{x^{m-j-k}}}\right)}\right\|_{L^1(0,1)} \leq \frac {(k-1)!}{(m-j-1)!} \|{D^mu}\|_{L^1(0,1)},$$ where the constant is optimal.
Impact of adaptive thermal comfort on climatic suitability of natural ventilation in office buildings

Abstract In earlier work [1] , NIST developed a climate suitability analysis method to evaluate the potential of a given location for direct ventilative cooling and nighttime ventilative cooling. The direct ventilative cooling may be provided by either a natural ventilation system or a fan-powered economizer system. The climate suitability analysis is based on a general single-zone thermal model of a building configured to make optimal use of direct and/or nighttime ventilative cooling. This paper describes a new tool implementing this climate suitability methodology and its capability to consider an adaptive thermal comfort option and presents results from its application to analyze a variety of U.S. climates. The adaptive thermal comfort option has the potential to substantially increase the effectiveness of natural ventilation cooling for many U.S. cities. However, this impact is very dependent on the acceptable humidity range. If a dewpoint limit is used, the increase is significant for a dry climate such as Phoenix but much smaller for humid climates such as Miami. While ASHRAE Standard 55 does not impose a limit on humidity when using the adaptive thermal comfort option, the necessity of limiting humidity for other reasons needs to be considered.
On the Importance of the Associative Carboxyl Mechanism for the Water-Gas Shift Reaction at Pt/CeO2 Interface Sites

Periodic density functional theory calculations and microkinetic modeling are used to investigate the associative carboxyl pathways of the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction at the Pt/CeO2 (111) interface. Analysis of a microkinetic model based on parameters obtained from first principles suggests that the turnover frequencies for the CO-assisted associative carboxyl mechanism are comparable to experimental results. However, this microkinetic model containing various associative carboxyl pathways at interface sites cannot explain the experimentally observed activation barriers and reaction orders of Pt/CeO2 catalysts. Considering furthermore that a model of an associative carboxyl mechanism with redox regeneration, also derived from first principles and recently published by us, accurately predicts all kinetic parameters while displaying a 2 orders of magnitude higher turnover frequency, we conclude that at Pt/CeO2 interface sites, the WGS reaction follows a bifunctional Mars–van Krevelen mechanism in which s...
A New, Convenient Method for Labeling Cyclopentadienyl Ligands with Deuterium

A new, convenient, and cost-effective method for labeling cyclopentadienyl ligands with deuterium has been developed. Heating a solution of Cp2Ca-h10 in DMSO-d6 (99.5% D) for 1 h at 150 °C afforded Cp2Ca-d10 (97% D) cleanly in 95% isolated yield. For the ring-substituted bis(1-cyclopentenyl)calcocene, H/D exchange occurred at the 2,5-positions of the 1-cyclopentenyl substituents as well as at the cyclopentadienyl rings. H/D exchange between rac-Ph2C2H2(C5H4)2Ca and DMSO-d6, by contrast, was extremely inefficient and was accompanied by substantial ansa-calcocene decomposition.
Quality management practices and their relationship to buyer’s supplier ratings: a study in the Korean automotive industry

Abstract This research explores if quality management practices are different among suppliers whose performance is rated high, medium, or low by a common buying company and identifies which specific practices contribute to the differences. The entire population of first-tier suppliers to a Korean auto assembler was surveyed to measure use of quality management practices. Useable returns were received from 25% of the suppliers surveyed. To measure conformance quality and overall rating, suppliers were categorized into high, medium, and low performing groups based on the buying company’s data. Multivariate analysis of variance was done using general linear model (GLM-MANOVA) to explore differences in the high-, medium-, and low-performing supplier groups based on their use of quality management practices. No statistically significant differences were found when suppliers were categorized based on conformance quality. However, when categorized based on overall rating, the highest rated suppliers were found to emphasize process management and employee satisfaction to a greater degree than the lowest rated suppliers.
Nickel-on-alumina catalyzed polymethylbenzene dealkylation

Abstract 40% Nickel/Al2O3 is a very active catalyst for polymethylbenzene hydrodealkylation. The initial xylene distribution from 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene contains mostly the ortho isomer. This product distribution is strikingly different from that produced by catalysts functioning by radical or carbenium ion mechanisms. Differential adsorption effects are significant for this very active catalyst. A kinetic model for this reaction has been determined.
Density of defects and spatial entropy in extended systems

Abstract We consider a distribution of defects in the spatial structures of nonlinear fields. For some classes of lattice systems it is shown that a critical density of defects is inversely proportional to a logarithm of a nonlinearity (energy pumping). The relation between the density of defects and the topological entropy of spatial structures of the field is also obtained.
The Spectrum of Convectively Coupled Kelvin Waves and the Madden–Julian Oscillation in Regions of Low-Level Easterly and Westerly Background Flow

AbstractThe zonal wavenumber–frequency power spectrum of outgoing longwave radiation in the global tropics suggests that power in convectively coupled Kelvin waves and the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is organized into two distinct spectral peaks with a minimum in power in between. This work demonstrates that integration of wavelet power in the wavenumber–frequency domain over geographical regions of moderate trade winds yields a similar pronounced spectral gap between these peaks. In contrast, integration over regions of background low-level westerly wind yields a continuum of power with no gap between the MJO and Kelvin bands. Results further show that signals in tropical convection are redder in frequency in these low-level westerly wind zones, confirming that Kelvin waves tend to propagate more slowly eastward over the warm pool than other parts of the world. Results are consistent with the perspective that portions of disturbances labeled as Kelvin waves and the MJO that are proximate to Kelvin wa...