cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cathepsin K in Melanoma Invasion

Cathepsin K (catK) is a lysosomal cysteine protease with strong collagenolytic activity that mediates bone resorption in osteoclasts. Recently, catK expression has been reported in skin and lung fibroblasts, which suggests a role in maintaining homeostasis of the extracellular matrix outside of bone. Matrix degradation is a pivotal step in tumor invasion and metastasis. As other proteases, in particular matrix metalloproteinases and some cathepsins, but not catK, have been described to mediate melanoma invasion, we studied catK in melanoma. Immunostaining revealed strong catK expression in most primary melanomas and all cutaneous melanoma metastases. Melanocytic nevi also demonstrated catK expression, but it was less intense than in melanomas. Melanoma lines express both the pro- and the active form of catK and internalize extracellular collagen into lysosomes. Inhibition of catK greatly reduced melanoma cell invasion through Matrigel basement membrane matrix and increased detection of internalized collagen. We suggest that catK may play an important role in melanoma invasion and metastasis by mediating intracellular degradation of matrix proteins after phagocytosis. Clinical use of catK inhibitors, a class of medication currently in clinical trials for the treatment of osteoporosis, may be a promising avenue for the treatment of melanoma.
Electromagnetically induced polarization conversion

Abstract Electromagnetically induced transparency and polarization conversion due to interference between two polarization-selective plasmonic resonances coexisting in the same planar metamaterial are studied. The metasurface represents a periodic array of two topologically distinct metamolecules combined on the same substrate: i ) monopole antennas connected to wires and supporting a high-Q resonance radiatively coupled to x -polarization, and ii ) dipolar antennas supporting a low-Q resonance coupled to y -polarization. We demonstrate that due to the interaction between these modes through a capacitive coupling between the metamolecules, one can observe a circularly-polarized Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) and thereby achieve an efficient ultra-thin quarter-wave plate.
Direct evidence for the involvement of epoxide intermediates in the biosynthesis of the C18 family of cutin acids

Abstract Cutin, the structural component of plant cuticle, is a polymer of C16 and C18 hydroxy fatty acids. Previous results have suggested that oleic acid undergoes ω-hydroxylation, epoxidation of the double bond, and, finally, hydration of the epoxide to give rise to the three major components of the C18 family of cutin acids. 18-Hydroxy [18-3H]oleic acid and 18-hydroxy-9,10-epoxy[18-3H]stfaric acid have been synthesized and, with these synthetic substrates, the conversion of 18-hydroxyoleic acid to 18-hydroxy-9,10-epoxystearic acid and the hydrolysis of 18-hydroxy-9,10-epoxystearic acid to 9,10,18-trihydroxystearic acid were directly demonstrated in apple fruit skin and in the leaves of apple and Senecio odoris. Trichloropropene oxide, an inhibitor of microsomal epoxide hydrases of animals, specifically inhibited the conversion of [1-14C]oleic acid into 18-hydroxy-9,10-epoxystearic acid and 9,10,18-trihydroxystearic acid, while it had no effect on the conversion of [1-14C]palmitic acid into hydroxylated palmitic acid, a process which does not involve epoxy acid intermediates. Therefore, it appears that this inhibitor affects epoxidation and or epoxide hydration steps involved in cutin biosynthesis.
Metal oxide nanowire growth for nanotechnology-enhanced device applications

This paper presents our on-going nano-epitaxial efforts to grow tin oxide (SnO 2 ), zinc oxide (ZnO), and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) for nanotechnology-enhanced devices. The applicable devices involve piezoelectric energy harvesting devices and nanomaterial-enhanced chemical sensors, with the Systems-level vision involving the piezoelectric energy harvesting devices that could self-power chemical sensors for a stand-alone, self-powered device that could harvest its own power from mechanical vibrations. To this end, device concepts are presented herein and preliminary details for ZnO, SnO 2 , and PZT material synthesis are presented. The growth of nanowires and nanotetrapods are presented for said device applications using vapor-liquid-solid (VLS), solution synthesis, as well as the results from other synthesis processes. Characterization was done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).
Alaska red king crab: A relatively intractable target in a multispecies trawl survey of the eastern Bering Sea

The success with which Alaska's groundfish stocks have been managed is not matched by management of its crab stocks, several of which have been declared overfished. It is unlikely that all species will be sampled equally well in a generic, multispecies trawl survey with a uniform distribution of sampling effort. We evaluated the relative sampling tractability of six species targeted by the eastern Bering Sea stock assessment survey conducted annually by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service to see if there were differences that might explain the dichotomy in management success observed for groundfish and crabs. Using relative niche breadth, Green's Index of spatial patchiness, heterogeneity of variance and abundance-estimate precision, we analyzed 22 years of survey data to conclude that three major crab species, red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus), snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) and Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi), were less tractable than three major fish species, walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) and yellowfin sole (Pleuronectes asper). In particular, our analysis established red king crab as the species for which abundance-estimate precision, niche breadth and sampling efficiency were lowest, patchiness was highest and heterogeneity of variance was the most severe. As a consequence, Bering Sea multispecies sampling is not likely to achieve the same degree of abundance-estimation success for red king crab as it might for other crab or fish species.
Induced Tolerance and “Homologous Disease'”in X-Irradiated Mice Protected with Homologous Bone Marrow.

SummaryCBA mice protected against an otherwise lethal dose of irradiation with isologous CBA bone marrow showed normal rejection of skin grafts from the Cb strain. Irradiated CBA mice protected with Cb or (Cb x CBA) F1 hybrid marrow were tolerant of skin grafts from the Cb strain. Irradiated CBA mice protected with a mixture of marrow from the Cb and CBA strain were not tolerant of skin grafts from the Cb strain. Late mortality (21 to 60 days post-irradiation), after good early protection (21 days) against doses of whole body X-irradiation above the LD100, did not occur in mice protected with isologous bone marrow (where neither the host nor the donor can react immunologically against each other). It occurred in mice protected with homologous marrow from a foreign strain (where both the host strain and the donor strain can potentially react immunologically against each other). It did not occur in mice protected with marrow from an F, hybrid of the irradiated strain (where the host strain can potentially r...
Fab1p is essential for PtdIns(3)P 5-kinase activity and the maintenance of vacuolar size and membrane homeostasis

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae FAB1 gene encodes a 257-kD protein that contains a cysteine-rich RING-FYVE domain at its NH2-terminus and a kinase domain at its COOH terminus. Based on its sequence, Fab1p was initially proposed to function as a phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns(4)P) 5-kinase (). Additional sequence analysis of the Fab1p kinase domain, reveals that Fab1p defines a subfamily of putative PtdInsP kinases that is distinct from the kinases that synthesize PtdIns(4,5)P2. Consistent with this, we find that unlike wild-type cells, fab1Delta, fab1(tsf), and fab1 kinase domain point mutants lack detectable levels of PtdIns(3,5)P2, a phosphoinositide recently identified both in yeast and mammalian cells. PtdIns(4,5)P2 synthesis, on the other hand, is only moderately affected even in fab1Delta mutants. The presence of PtdIns(3)P in fab1 mutants, combined with previous data, indicate that PtdIns(3,5)P2 synthesis is a two step process, requiring the production of PtdIns(3)P by the Vps34p PtdIns 3-kinase and the subsequent Fab1p- dependent phosphorylation of PtdIns(3)P yielding PtdIns(3,5)P2. Although Vps34p-mediated synthesis of PtdIns(3)P is required for the proper sorting of hydrolases from the Golgi to the vacuole, the production of PtdIns(3,5)P2 by Fab1p does not directly affect Golgi to vacuole trafficking, suggesting that PtdIns(3,5)P2 has a distinct function. The major phenotypes resulting from Fab1p kinase inactivation include temperature-sensitive growth, vacuolar acidification defects, and dramatic increases in vacuolar size. Based on our studies, we hypothesize that whereas Vps34p is essential for anterograde trafficking of membrane and protein cargoes to the vacuole, Fab1p may play an important compensatory role in the recycling/turnover of membranes deposited at the vacuole. Interestingly, deletion of VAC7 also results in an enlarged vacuole morphology and has no detectable PtdIns(3,5)P2, suggesting that Vac7p functions as an upstream regulator, perhaps in a complex with Fab1p. We propose that Fab1p and Vac7p are components of a signal transduction pathway which functions to regulate the efflux or turnover of vacuolar membranes through the regulated production of PtdIns(3,5)P2.
Information processing without brains – the power of intercellular regulators in plants

Plants exhibit different developmental strategies than animals; these are characterized by a tight linkage between environmental conditions and development. As plants have neither specialized sensory organs nor a nervous system, intercellular regulators are essential for their development. Recently, major advances have been made in understanding how intercellular regulation is achieved in plants on a molecular level. Plants use a variety of molecules for intercellular regulation: hormones are used as systemic signals that are interpreted at the individual-cell level; receptor peptide-ligand systems regulate local homeostasis; moving transcriptional regulators act in a switch-like manner over small and large distances. Together, these mechanisms coherently coordinate developmental decisions with resource allocation and growth.
Income effects of adjustment to a terms of trade disturbance and the demand for adjustment finance

Abstract This paper shows that when economic adjustment is costly, and therefore takes place gradually, it is optimal to seek external finance in response to permanent as well as transitory shocks, while at the same time adjusting to the disturbance. Sluggish adjustment also creates an asymmetric relationship between (permanent) changes in the terms of trade and optimal foreign borrowing. That is, while a permanent deterioration in the terms of trade generates a demand for foreign loans, so would an improvement. The paper presents suggestive evidence that the effects may be empirically significant, though they arise from effects that are technically second-order of magnitude.
Comparative economic analysis of transportation systems in surface coal mines

ABSTRACT Three transportation systems In surface coal mines; 1- Truck Haulage. 2- Belt Conveying, and 3- Coarse-Coal Slurry Transportation are compared from the operations and cost points of view. Computerized design and cost models were developed and cost data banks were compiled for each system. These models can be used to evaluate transportation systems and layouts that are practiced In most of the U.S. surface coal mines. A typical Midwestern area strip mine was considered for Illustration purposes. Sensitivity analysis on critical parameters such as production rate, transportation distance, etc. were conducted and the outcomes are presented.
Divergent expression of α1-protease inhibitor genes in mouse and human

The alpha1-protease inhibitor proteins of laboratory mice are homologous in sequence and function to human alpha1-antitrypsin and are encoded by a highly conserved multigene family comprised of five members. In humans, the inhibitor is expressed in liver and in macrophages and decreased expression or inhibitory activity is associated with a deficiency syndrome which can result in emphysema and liver disease in affected individuals. It has been proposed that macrophage expression may be an important component of the function of human alpha1-antitrypsin. Clearly, it is desirable to develop a mouse model of this deficiency syndrome, however, efforts to do this have been largely unsuccessful. In this paper, we report that aside from the issues of potentially redundant gene function, the mouse may not be a suitable animal for such studies, because there is no significant expression of murine alpha1-protease inhibitor in the macrophages of mice. This difference between the species appears to result from an absence of a functional macrophage-specific promoter in mice.
Adverse cognitive effects of high-fat diet in a murine model of sleep apnea are mediated by NADPH oxidase activity

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) during sleep, such as occurs in sleep apnea (SA), induces increased NADPH oxidase activation and deficits in hippocampal learning and memory. Similar to IH, high fat-refined carbohydrate diet (HFD), a frequent occurrence in patients with SA, can also induce similar oxidative stress and cognitive deficits under normoxic conditions, suggesting that excessive NADPH oxidase activity may underlie CNS dysfunction in both conditions. The effect of HFD and IH during the light period on two forms of spatial learning in the water maze as well as on markers of oxidative stress was assessed in male mice lacking NADPH oxidase activity (gp91phox⁻/Y) and wild-type littermates fed on HFD. On a standard place training task, gp91phox⁻/Y displayed normal learning, and was protected from the spatial learning deficits observed in wild-type littermates exposed to IH. Moreover, anxiety levels were increased in wild-type mice exposed to HFD and IH as compared to controls, while no changes emerged in gp91phox⁻/Y mice. Additionally, wild-type mice, but not gp91phox⁻/Y mice, had significantly elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in hippocampal lysates following IH-HFD exposures. The cognitive deficits of obesity and westernized diets and those of sleep disorders that are characterized by IH during sleep are both mediated, at least in part, by excessive NADPH oxidase activity.
Single center experience with endoscopic subureteral dextranomer/hyaluronic acid injection as first line treatment in 1,551 children with intermediate and high grade vesicoureteral reflux.

Purpose: In recent years the endoscopic injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid has become an established alternative to long-term antibiotic prophylaxis and the surgical management of vesicoureteral reflux. We determined the safety and effectiveness of the endoscopic injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid as first line treatment for high grade vesicoureteral reflux.Materials and Methods: Between 2001 and 2010, 1,551 children (496 male, 1,055 female, median age 1.6 years) underwent endoscopic correction of intermediate and high grade vesicoureteral reflux using dextranomer/hyaluronic acid soon after the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux on initial voiding cystourethrogram. Vesicoureteral reflux was unilateral in 761 children and bilateral in 790. Renal scarring was detected in 369 (26.7%) of the 1,384 patients who underwent dimercapto-succinic acid imaging. Reflux grade in the 2,341 ureters was II in 98 (4.2%), III in 1,340 (57.3%), IV in 818 (34.9%) and V in 85 (3.6%). Followup ultrasound and voiding...
High temperature rate constants for OH+ alkanes ☆

Rate constants for H-atom abstractions by OH radicals from a series of alkanes (propane, n-butane, i-butane and neo-pentane) have been measured at high temperatures with the reflected shock tube technique using multi-pass absorption spectrometric detection of OH radicals at 308 nm. The experiments represent the first direct measurements of these rate constants at T > 1000 K and span a wide T-range, 797–1259 K. The present work utilized 80 optical passes corresponding to a total path length of ∼7 m. As a result of this increased path length, the high [OH] detection sensitivity permitted pseudo-first-order analysis for unambiguously measuring the total rate constants. The experimental rate constants can be represented in Arrhenius form as, kC3H8+OH=6.671×10-11exp(-1543K/T)cm3molecule-1s-1(797–1248K)kn-C4H10+OH=9.674×10-11exp(-1569K/T)cm3molecule-1s-1(800–1236K)ki-C4H10+OH=9.114×10-11exp(-1654K/T)cm3molecule-1s-1(846–1221K)kneo-C5H12+OH=1.060×10-10exp(-1947K/T)cm3molecule-1s-1(841–1259K) The present results have been combined with prior lower-T measurements to generate three-parameter rate expressions that adequately represent the available direct measurements (within 25%) over a wide temperature regime (250–1250 K). High-level ab-initio electronic structure theory computations of the molecular properties of reactants, products and transition states have been used to estimate theoretical rate constants with conventional transition state theory (CTST). The theoretical rate constants are excellent representations of the available experimental data (deviations less than 25%) and thereby offer a reliable method for extrapolation to higher-T as well as for extracting branching ratios for primary, secondary and tertiary abstractions.
Chlorthalidone Plus Reserpine Versus Hydrochlorothiazide Plus Reserpine in a Stepped‐Care Approach to the Treatment of Essential Hypertension

The efficacy of thiazide-like chlorthalidone, 50 mg, plus reserpine, 0.25 mg, was compared with that of hydrochlorothiazide, 50 mg, plus reserpine, 0.125 mg, in a six-week double-blind study of 57 patients with essential hypertension unresponsive to diet control and diuretic (step 1) therapy. An average decrease in diastolic pressure of 17.0 mm Hg was attained at the end of week 6 by the chlorthalidone/reserpine group; the average drop in the hydrochlorothiazide/reserpine group was 18.6 mm Hg. Both treatment groups displayed greater blood pressure control each week than the preceding week; and, at the end of week 6, both groups attained control of at least 5 mm Hg below the diastolic goal pressure of 90 mm Hg. The chlorthalidone/reserpine-treated group required fewer titrations than the hydrochlorothiazide/reserpine-treated group. There were no reports of frequent or severe side effects with either drug.
Shades of "Pragmatism" in Halakhah: A Model for Legal Reform?

"[W]e must never forget that it is a constitution we are expounding," wrote John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. * He was referring to the United States Constitution, which has endured the rigor of time and the test of social, political, and economic upheaval.2 Embedded in the constitution is the story told by its amendments through which the constitution expanas and contracts. From the Bill of Rights, through the Thirteenth Amendment, Equal Protection, Privi leges and Immunities, and Due Process Clauses, human liberties, and restraints against government have triumphed. 3 These alterations evidence the organic nature of the Document, which enables laws to conform to a pluralistic and often radically changing society. The thesis of this essay argues that Jewish law, known as halakhah, has maintained its viability throughout the ages in much the same way. Halakhah's pragmatic approach to law and
3He-induced free vortices in thin superfluid films☆

Abstract We report analysis of measurements of the thermal conductance of 3 He- 4 He mixture films near the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. It is found that on the superfluid side of the transition our data can be understood by the existence of free vortices induced by the addition of 3 He to 4 He films.
Fast-Track: Article Using Advance Purchase Orders to Forecast New Product Sales

Marketers have long struggled with developing forecasts for new products before their launch. We focus on one data source--advance purchase orders--that has been available to retailers for many years but has rarely been tied together with postlaunch sales data. We put forth a duration model that incorporates the basic concepts of new product diffusion, using a mixture of two distributions: one representing the behavior of innovators (i.e., those who place advance orders) and one representing the behavior of followers (i.e., those who wait for the mass market to emerge). The resulting mixed-Weibull model specification can accommodate a wide variety of possible sales patterns. This flexibility is what makes the model well-suited for an experiential product category (e.g., movies, music, etc.) in which we frequently observe very different sales diffusion patterns, ranging from a rapid exponential decline (which is most typical) to a gradual buildup characteristic of "sleeper" products. We incorporate product-specific covariates and use hierarchical Bayes methods to link the two customer segments together while accommodating heterogeneity across products. We find that this model fits a variety of sales patterns far better than do a pair of benchmark models. More importantly, we demonstrate the ability to forecast new album sales before the actual launch of the album, based only on the pattern of advance orders.
Shielding effectiveness of conductive polymers

The plane wave shielding effectiveness of two new materials, conductive polymers polyacetylene and PBT doped by ion implantation with iodine, is evaluated as a function of frequency, electrical thickness, doping, polarization, and angle of incidence. Conductivity of the polymers, measured in previous investigations by the cavity perturbation technique, is used to compute the overall reflection and transmission coefficients of single and multiple layers of the polymers. The polymers are found to display excellent shielding effectiveness (better than 40 dB over a substantial frequency band). With recent advances in synthesizing stable highly conductive polymers these light-weight mechanically strong materials appear to be viable alternatives to metals for EMI shielding. >
Was there a reformation in the sixteenth century

Reflections on historiographical developments in the history of Christianity tend to be a rather dry matter. Though dry, however, such reflections are important, since historiographical emphases not only tell us where scholarship has been in the past, but also—since we are directed to look at the longe duree—why we are where we are. Historians tend to be, alas, a herd of independent minds, and there are vogues in scholarship no less than there are in haute couture. A generation ago, few historians used such terms as “discourse,” “construction,” “close reading,” “intertextuality” even as monographs—even splendid monographs—on a burgomaster's daughter would have issued only from the pen of a secondary school teacher in Germany.
Accountability for wireless LANs, ad hoc networks, and wireless mesh networks

Accountability is an extremely important issue in computer and network systems. One of the goals of accountability is the capability to trace an event (e.g., the leaking of secure information or an outside attack), even after the event occurred so that the causes can be determined. This article first provides a survey of accountability with a general overview of the topic, using electronic patient records and various computer and network attacks as a model. Then, it describes and analyzes practical framework applications of accountability systems. An insurable network architecture, called A-NET is proposed. Then, an algorithm to achieve true accountable administration is proposed, namely, that an administrator's activities must be accountable. Finally, accountability for wireless LANs, ad hoc networks, and wireless mesh networks are studied.
Precompensation for anticipated erasures in LTI interpolation systems

This paper considers compensation of anticipated erasures in a discrete-time (DT) signal such that the desired interpolation can still be accomplished, with minimum error, through a linear time-invariant (LTI) filter. The algorithms presented may potentially be useful in the compensation of a fault in a digital-to-analog converter where samples are dropped at known locations prior to reconstruction. Four algorithms are developed. The first is a general solution that, in the presence of erasures, minimizes the squared error for arbitrary LTI interpolation filters. In certain cases, e.g., oversampling and a sinc-interpolating filter, this solution is specialized so it perfectly compensates for erasures. The second solution is an approximation to the general solution that computes the optimal, finite-length compensation for arbitrary LTI interpolation filters. The third is a finite-length windowed version of the oversampled, sinc-interpolating solution using discrete prolate spheroidal sequences. The last is an iterative algorithm in the class of projection onto convex sets. Analysis and results from numerical simulations are presented.
Toll-like receptors and skin cancer

The skin, the largest organ in the body, provides the first line of defense against the environment both as a physical barrier and as a key immunological component. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) serve as signaling molecules that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) as well as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and are expressed by various skin cells including keratinocytes and melanocytes, which are the main cell types involved in both non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers. TLRs induce inflammatory responses meant for clearing pathogens, but can ultimately contribute to skin carcinogenesis. In contrast, TLR agonists, specifically targeting TLR7, 8, and 9, have been successfully used as therapeutics for melanoma and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), functioning by recruiting dendritic cells and inducing T-cell responses. Here, we discuss the role TLRs play in skin carcinogenesis as well as the use of TLRs as targets for skin cancer treatment options.
Religious Pluralism and Religious Participation

For more than a decade, sociologists of religion have been debating the answer to a basic question: What is the relationship between religious pluralism and religious vitality? The old wisdom was that the relationship was negative, that pluralism undermines vitality. This view has been challenged by advocates of a supply-side model of religious vitality. They argue that the relationship is positive—that pluralism increases vitality—and this empirical claim has become foundational to the larger project of applying economic theory to religion. We review the relevant evidence and reach a straightforward conclusion: The empirical evidence does not support the claim that religious pluralism is positively associated with religious participation in any general sense. We discuss this conclusion's theoretical implications, and we identify potentially productive directions for future research on religious pluralism, church-state relations, and religious competition. It appears that North Americans are religious in ...
Task scheduling on multicore embedded systems under power and thermal constraints

The trend nowadays is to utilise multiple processors to overcome the limited additional power that can be extracted from a single core. This adds to the challenge of task scheduling on such architectures. Task scheduling should consider the power consumption of concurrently running tasks to avoid going over the maximum power limit. However, often scheduling with power awareness does not guarantee thermal safety. Thermal safety is intended to keep the temperatures of all system components under the maximum allowable temperature at all times. High temperatures can reduce the reliability and the overall functionality of the system. This implies that thermal-aware task scheduling is essential to reduce the system hotspots. In this article, we propose effective solutions to power and thermal-aware scheduling based on an integer linear formulation and genetic algorithms. Results on benchmarks proved the effectiveness and usefulness of our provided techniques.
Place, Age, and Culture: Community Living and Ethnic Identity Among Lebanese American Adolescents

The social ties that exist within an ethnic group are highlighted through the perceptions of adolescent children of Lebanese immigrants and examined to discern the process of acculturation and the ...
The interaction of architecture and operating system design

Today’s high-performance RISC microprocessors have been highly tuned for integer and floating point application performance. These architectures have paid less attention to operating system requirements. At the same time, new operating system designs often have overlooked modern architectural trends which may unavoidably change the relative cost of certain primitive operations. The result is that operating system performance is well below application code performance on contemporary RISCS. This paper examines recent directions in computer architecture and operating systems, and the implications of changes in each domain for the other. The requirements of three components of operating system design are discussed in detail: interprocess communication, virt ual memory, and thread management. For each component, we relate operating system functional and performance needs to the mechanisms available on commercial RISC architectures such as the MIPS R2000 and R3000, Sun SPARC, IBM RS6000, Motorola 88000, and Intel i860. Our analysis reveals a number of specific reasons why the performance of operating system primitives on RISCS has not scaled with integer performance. In addition, we identify areas in which architectures could better (and cost-effectively) accommodate operating system needs, and areas in which operating system design could accommodate certain necessary characteristics of cost-effective highperformance microprocessors. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. CCR-8703049, CCR-8619663, and CCR-8907666, by the Washington Technology Center, by the Digital Equipment Corporation Systems Research Center and External Research Program, and by IBM and AT&T Fellowships. Bershad is now with the School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the ACM copyright notice and the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of the Association for Computing Machinery. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires a fee and/or specific permission. 01991 ACM 0-89791 -380 -9/91 /0003 -0108 . ..$1 .50
The effects of acute and repeated cocaine injections on protein kinase C activity and isoform levels in dopaminergic brain regions

Abstract The present study was designed to assess the effects of acute and repeated cocaine exposure on protein kinase C (PKC) activity and the levels of calcium-dependent isoforms of PKC in mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine brain regions. Animals received repeated injections of saline or cocaine and were challenged with saline or cocaine 24 h or 7 days after the last of their daily injections. Animals were sacrificed 2, 6 or 24 h after the challenge injection and their brains were dissected and used in PKC studies. The data demonstrated that previously reported cocaine-induced increases in PKC activity in the ventral tegmental area are transient and not associated with changes in the levels of calcium-dependent isoforms of PKC. In addition, there was a decrease in membrane-associated PKC activity, with a concomitant increase in the levels of PKCβI in the medial prefrontal cortex 24 h after the last injection of cocaine. These data suggest that changes in PKC activity in the ventral tegmental area may be involved in the initiation of sensitization whereas changes in PKC activity in the medial prefrontal cortex may be related to the expression of the sensitized response to cocaine.
Spatial extended hazard model with application to prostate cancer survival

Summary This article develops a Bayesian semiparametric approach to the extended hazard model, with generalization to high-dimensional spatially grouped data. County-level spatial correlation is accommodated marginally through the normal transformation model of Li and Lin (2006, Journal of the American Statistical Association 101, 591–603), using a correlation structure implied by an intrinsic conditionally autoregressive prior. Efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms are developed, especially applicable to fitting very large, highly censored areal survival data sets. Per-variable tests for proportional hazards, accelerated failure time, and accelerated hazards are efficiently carried out with and without spatial correlation through Bayes factors. The resulting reduced, interpretable spatial models can fit significantly better than a standard additive Cox model with spatial frailties.
Preparation and hydrogenation studies of rhodium(I) catalyst supported on polymer crystal surfaces

In recent years polymers have been utilized as binding sites for transition metal catalysts (e.g. crosslinked polystyrene beads). However, general problems exist with the above system. The rate of reaction depends on the presence of solvents that adequately swell the polystyrene bead in order to allow access to the catalytic sites. Differences in polarity and reactant size can inhibit diffusion into the bead. Recently a new system has been developed whereby tris(triphenyl phosphine) chlororhodium (Wilkinson's catalyst) is bound to the surface of polyethylene single crystals. Polyethylene single crystals have a very high surface to volume ratios allowing for greater ease of reaction compared to the polystyrene system. Diffusion control of the reactant poses no problem as the catalyst is bound to the surface of the crystal rather than the interior (as in the case of polystyrene beads). In addition, many solvents can be used due to the difficulty of dissolving crystalline polyethylene (except at high temperatures). The polyethylene crystals were tested for their catalyst content using neutron activation analysis. Test results showed 3.11 wt% catalyst present on the surface of the PE single crystals. Hydrogenation studies have been conducted using the PE supported catalyst system to show the potential effectiveness of the new system.
A novel model predictive control algorithm for supply chain management in semiconductor manufacturing

Supply chains in semiconductor manufacturing are characterized by integrating dynamics, nonlinearity and high levels of stochasticity. In this paper, we present a novel model predictive control (MPC) algorithm for supply chain management (SCM) in semiconductor manufacturing. A Type II filter is designed to attenuate the integrating noise such as that exhibited by unforecasted customer demand. The selection of the filter gain provides the flexibility to achieve better performance and robustness. The forecast of customer demand plays a critical role in the algorithm. The advantages of this novel MPC algorithm are demonstrated through case studies of a representative supply chain problem in semiconductor manufacturing which involve scenarios of customer demand forecast error and anticipated periodic demand.
Interleukin-6 Production by Endothelial Cells via Stimulation of Protease-Activated Receptors Is Amplified by Endotoxin and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α

Human endothelial cells respond to extracellular proteases, endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS), and inflammatory cytokines. Endothelial cells express several protease-activated receptors (PAR), including the thrombin-activated receptors PAR-1 and PAR-3 and a thrombin-independent, protease-activated receptor, PAR-2. To examine the potential cooperation between PAR and inflammatory stimuli, we investigated the effects of the PAR-1 agonist peptide Ser-Phe-Leu-Leu-Arg-Asn (SFLLRN) and PAR-2 agonist peptide Ser-Leu-Ile-Gly-Lys-Val (SLIGKV) on endothelial cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured in vitro with SFLLRN or SLIGKV in the presence and absence of LPS or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the culture supernatants were assayed. Both SFLLRN and SLIGKV induced detectable levels of IL-6 production in a dose-dependent fashion, with the PAR-1 receptor agonist being more potent. In the presence of all stimulatory concentrations of LPS or TNF-alpha tested, both peptides were found to further enhance IL-6 production. The effects of SFLLRN and SLIGKV were specific, as related peptides with identical amino acid compositions, but lacking in consensus sequences, were biologically inactive either alone or in the presence of LPS. Both the direct and the amplifying effects of PAR agonist peptides on IL-6 production were pertussis toxin sensitive and caused an increase in the intracellular levels of calcium, implicating G-proteins and calcium mobilization in these pathways. Furthermore, the amplifying effect of LPS or TNF-alpha on PAR-mediated cytokine production was associated with corresponding increases in nuclear NF-kappaB proteins. The results demonstrate significant potentiation of PAR-induced signaling by LPS and TNF-alpha and indicate the potential cooperation of proteases and inflammatory stimuli in amplifying vascular inflammation.
A View Of Macro-Defect-Free (MDF) Pastes

The automated analysis of backscattered SEM images from polished surfaces of macro-defect-free cements based on ordinary portland cements is examined. A comparison of several techniques for the determination of pore size distributions in these materials is made.
Intrinsic Conductivity of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Sheets Having a Realistic Geometry

The addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene sheets (GSs) into polymeric materials can greatly enhance the conductivity and alter the electromagnetic response of the resulting nanocomposite material. The extent of these property modifications strongly depends on the structural parameters describing the CNTs and GSs, such as their shape and size, as well as their degree of particle dispersion within the polymeric matrix. To model these property modifications in the dilute particle regime, we determine the leading transport virial coefficients describing the conductivity of CNT and GS composites using a combination of molecular dynamics, path-integral, and finite-element calculations. This approach allows for the treatment of the general situation in which the ratio between the conductivity of the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix is arbitrary so that insulating, semi-conductive, and conductive particles can be treated within a unified framework. We first generate ensembles of CNTs and GSs in the form of self-avoiding worm-like cylinders and perfectly flat and random sheet polymeric structures by using molecular dynamics simulation to model the geometrical shapes of these complex-shaped carbonaceous nanoparticles. We then use path-integral and finite element methods to calculate the electric and magnetic polarizability tensors (αE, αM) of the CNT and GS nanoparticles. These properties determine the conductivity virial coefficient σ in the conductive and insulating particle limits, which are required to estimate σ in the general case in which the conductivity contrast Δ between the nanoparticle and the polymer matrix is arbitrary. Finally, we propose approximate relationships for αE and αM that should be useful in materials design and characterization applications.
Skin Color Biases: Attractiveness and Halo Effects in the Evaluation of African Americans

Since the early days of slavery a bias favoring fair skin has been a significant and discriminatory distinction made by both White and Black Americans. Recent research indicates that African Americans are considered more attractive by others if they have fair skin. Clearly, skin color exerts strong effects on many aspects of African Americans’ lives. Skin color may also affect the beauty and life chances of other non-African American groups since skin color affects perceptions in India, Israel, Korea, Japan, the West Indies, South Africa, Britain, and South America. But, until additional research examining this issue is conducted one cannot be certain that it is true. Hopefully, now that more work is being done examining skin color the public will be made aware of this and additional research examining the impact of skin color in the aforementioned cultures will also be conducted.
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Among Practicing Physicians

W read with interest your editorial entitled “Will Physicians Eventually Become Shift Workers?” Apropos to the ideas mentioned there, we would like to mention the email survey we conducted in 2005 of practicing physicians in our area. An IRB approved questionnaire looking at their sleep habits (total sleep time per night, napping, snoring, observed apneas, chronic illness, medication use, caffeine and other substance consumption, and work hours) and an Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to measure the degree of excessive sleepiness (EDS) was sent by email to the physicians in our area. Out of 861 physicians queried 341 valid responses were received and downloaded into SPSS and analyzed. The non responders did not differ demographically or otherwise from the responders. In our survey 12.5% of subjects had EDS (ESS of 10 or higher) and mean ESS score for all 341 responders was 6. EDS inversely correlated with total sleep time (Pearson’s r = -0.279, p = 0.001). Hours of work per week also inversely correlated with total sleep time (Pearson’s r = -0.158, p = 0.006). No other significant correlations between EDS and other parameters (type of practice, caffeine consumption, alcohol intake, medication use, snoring, observed apneas, chronic illness, sex, marital status, and number of children) were found. Practicing physicians in our group of responders were not sleepier than the general population where the prevalence of EDS is 9.2% -12%. 1,2 The main cause of sleepiness appeared to be sleep deprivation which appeared to be related to extended work hours.
Characterization of tunable single-frequency lasers with an all-fiber interferometer

Tunable single-frequency semiconductor lasers are needed for applications in coherent optical systems: communications; optical sensors; spectroscopy. Desirable characteristics of lasers for heterodyne detection are a narrow linewidth combined with the ability to tune over a large wavelength range. In contrast to lasers for conventional communications. they should be directly frequency modulated (FM) over a large bandwidth without intensity modulation (IM). There is presently a need for a simple technique to monitor the tuning and coherence properties of such sources. We present an all-fiber interferometric apparatus that can be used to measure the tuning rate, range, and linearity of tuning as well as the laser linewidth in quasi-real time. The system was used to characterize cleaved coupled cavity (C3) lasers which-exhibit the above properties with varied bias currents, temperature, modulation frequency, and optical feedback levels. This technique could be used to characterize any of the variety of the two-section lasers recently proposed for tunability.1
Predicting mortality and length of stay of geriatric patients in an acute care general hospital.

Three-hundred-eight geriatric patients (mean age = 76.7 yr, range = 70-94 yr) consecutively admitted to an acute care general hospital were followed up to identify the predictors of in-hospital mortality and long stay. Sociodemographic, medical, and functional data were collected within 24 hours from admission and their correlation with the outcomes assessed by logistic regression analysis. The following variables were shown to be independent predictors of death: use of more than 6 drugs (odds ratio = 3.04, confidence limits = 1.05-8.76); abnormal Mini-Mental State score (o.r. = 1.72, c.l. = 1.05-1.83); low ADL score (o.r. = 2.4, c.l. = 1.07-5.56). Extended stay was significantly and independently predicted by polypharmacy (o.r. = 1.94, c.l. = 1.18-3.2) and comorbidity (o.r. = 2.06, c.l. = 1.24-3.38). The mortality rates of patients with cognitive impairment and polypharmacy with or without functional impairment were 40% and 22%, respectively. The proposed method allows identification of high-risk geriatric inpatients by a simple medical and functional assessment on admission.
Behind Teapot Dome: Some Personal Insights *

Teapot Dome has long stood in the public mind as a conspicuous symbol not only of political corruption but of degenerate business morality as well. An examination of the charges against Albert B. Fall, therefore, though necessarily concerned with political and personal rather than business data, touches the interest of students of business history, whose natural concern lies in identifying the factual basis for incidents which have become part of the folklore of American business.
Vasopressin and cAMP stimulate electrogenic chloride secretion in an IMCD cell line

Previously, we demonstrated that the mIMCD-K2 cell line, derived from the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) of a transgenic mouse, secretes Cl- by an electrogenic mechanism [N. L. Kizer, B. Lewis, and B. A. Stanton, Am. J. Physiol. 268 (Renal Fluid Electrolyte Physiol. 37): F347-F355, 1995]. The objective of the present study was to characterize the cellular mechanisms of electrogenic Cl- secretion (IscCl) and to determine whether arginine vasopressin (AVP) and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) stimulate IscCl. To this end, we measured IscCl across monolayers of mIMCD-K2 cells mounted in Ussing-type chambers. AVP increased IscCl with a Michaelis constant (Km) of 2.1 +/- 0.7 x 10(-12) M. 1-Desamino-8-D-AVP, a specific V2 receptor agonist, increased IscCl from 3.3 +/- 0.4 to 17.4 +/- 1.3 microA/cm2, 8-(4-Chlorophenylthio)-cAMP, a cell-permanent analogue of cAMP, a second messenger of AVP, increased IscCl from 1.4 +/- 0.3 to 15.2 +/- 1.2 microA/cm2. Furosemide and bumetanide, inhibitors of Na(...
Application of 230 MHz Wireless Cellular Network in Smart Rural Power Network

This paper analyses the feature of communication network in rural power network,puts forward the problems,such as economic,security and stability,which fiber,GPRS,PLC and data radio existed in rural power communication network,introduces the 230M wireless cellular technology and network characteristic.For the issues such as wide range of network and poor infrastructure,this paper provides the solution which applied to the smart rural power network.The solution effectively increases the number of Web terminal access,improves the network flexibility and reliability.It has the broad application prospects in smart rural power network.
Plasma nitriding at low temperature for 0Cr17Ni12Mo2 austenitic stainless steel

Ion nitrided on 0Cr17Ni12Mo2 austenitic stainless steel samples with different kinds of parameters was studied,and the microhardness of samples were analyzed.The surface morphology of ring sample before corroded and after corroded were observed using optical microscope.The surface composition of the samples nitrided with different parameters was analyzed with XRD.The results indicate that average hardness of samples’ surface exceeds 1000 HV0.1 when furnace pressure is 0.4 kPa and nitrided temperature is at 350 ℃ for 12 h,meanwhile,good bearing corrosion performance could be achieved as well.