cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and Application of Preliminary TOGA Model for CO 2 -EOR with Comparison to Resistivity Data

Author(s): Doughty, Christine | Abstract: A new TOUGH code, TOGA (Transport of Oil, Gas, Aqueous), is used to model enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from a South Texas field where a combination of water, CO2, and WAG (water-alternating-gas) injection wells are located in the down-dip region of a fault block, with oil and natural gas production occurring from wells located up-dip. The reservoir is composed of interlayered sands and shales at a depth of about 2000 m. TOGA considers three fluid phases (oil, gas, and aqueous), and multiple components. Oil field data including compositional analysis of stock-tank oil, gas-oil ratio, and gas gravity are used to determine the composition of oil and gas phases. Initial conditions for aqueous saturation are determined from a depth to surface resistivity survey conducted prior to the onset of CO2 injection and Archie’s Law. Simulation results after several years of EOR operations are then converted back to resistivity maps and compared to images created by time-lapse depth-to-surface resistivity surveys. These surveys show a strong increase in resistivity, interpreted as the replacement of aqueous phase by injected CO2. In contrast, preliminary TOGA results show that injected CO2 displaced more oil than water, suggesting that the three-phase relative permeability curves used to describe the interference of fluid phases need to be modified. Limited information on the composition of produced fluids provides another data set for comparison with model results. Model variations including using different relative permeability curve parameters and WAG cycle durations yielded improved model matches to the field data. The practical simplifications needed to simulate an actual operating oil field and the limited amount of field operation data available preclude using the present model to get an accurate history match or to make detailed predictions. Rather, the modeling is intended to illustrate the general trends occurring during CO2-EOR and to indicate where more detailed information is needed.
Discovery of dual targeting PEGylated BG-P1600-TAT to norepinephrine transporter (NET) and thyrointegrin αvβ3 in the treatment of neuroblastoma.

Abstract Polymer-drug conjugates are growing in interest as novel anticancer agents for targeted cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to synthesize a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) conjugated anticancer drug for neuroblastoma, which is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood and the deadliest tumor of infancy. In our previous studies, we designed and synthesized a dual targeting agent using benzylguanidine (BG) conjugated with the high affinity thyrointegrin αvβ3 antagonist TriAzole Tetraiodothyroacetic acid (TAT) via non-cleavable bonding to PEG400 to make BG-P400-TAT and its derivatives as agents against neuroblastoma. Here, we improved the pharmacodynamic properties and increased the solubility by changing the polymer length to 1600 molecular weight. The TAT group, which acts as an integrin αvβ3 antagonist, and the BG group, which can be taken up by neuroblastoma cells through the norepinephrine transporter (NET) system, are conjugated to PEG1600 to make BG-PEG1600-TAT. The binding affinity of BG-PEG1600-TAT was 40-fold higher to integrin αvβ3 versus BG-P400-TAT and was associated with greater anticancer activities against neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-F1 and SKNAS) implanted in SCID mice along with broad spectrum anti-angiogenesis activities versus the FDA approved anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody Avastin (bevacizumab). In conclusion, our novel dual targeting of NET and αvβ3 receptor antagonist, BG-P1600-TAT demonstrated broad spectrum anti-angiogenesis and anti-cancer activities in suppressing neuroblastoma tumor progression and metastasis. Thus, BG-PEG1600-TAT represents a potential clinical candidate for targeted therapy in neuroblastoma management.
Speech-Driven Spectrotemporal Receptive Fields Beyond the Auditory Cortex.

Abstract We recently developed a method to estimate speech-driven spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs) using fMRI. The method uses spectrotemporal modulation filtering, a form of acoustic distortion that renders speech sometimes intelligible and sometimes unintelligible. Using this method, we found significant STRF responses only in classic auditory regions throughout the superior temporal lobes. However, our analysis was not optimized to detect small clusters of STRFs as might be expected in non-auditory regions. Here, we re-analyze our data using a more sensitive multivariate statistical test for cross-subject alignment of STRFs, and we identify STRF responses in non-auditory regions including the left dorsal premotor cortex (dPM), left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), and bilateral calcarine sulcus (calcS). All three regions responded more to intelligible than unintelligible speech, but left dPM and calcS responded significantly to vocal pitch and demonstrated strong functional connectivity with early auditory regions. Left dPM's STRF generated the best predictions of activation on trials rated as unintelligible by listeners, a hallmark auditory profile. IFG, on the other hand, responded almost exclusively to intelligible speech and was functionally connected with classic speech-language regions in the superior temporal sulcus and middle temporal gyrus. IFG's STRF was also (weakly) able to predict activation on unintelligible trials, suggesting the presence of a partial ‘acoustic trace’ in the region. We conclude that left dPM is part of the human dorsal laryngeal motor cortex, a region previously shown to be capable of operating in an ‘auditory mode’ to encode vocal pitch. Further, given previous observations that IFG is involved in syntactic working memory and/or processing of linear order, we conclude that IFG is part of a higher-order speech circuit that exerts a top-down influence on processing of speech acoustics. Finally, because calcS is modulated by emotion, we speculate that changes in the quality of vocal pitch may have contributed to its response.
Study of Metallurgical Reaction and Electromigration Mechanism in Microbump with Embedded Cu Ball

The concern about the reliability and need for the miniaturization has stimulated intense development efforts to yield new viable joint structures. One such development is to achieve the joint without a Cu pillar by instead integrating an embedding ball of Cu within the solder joint. With the ball occupying the joint volume, the use of solder is considerably reduced, preventing an IMC phase formation with the complete consumption of Sn in the solder. While this new joint structure has its benefits, there are also unknowns in terms of the failure mechanism induced by electromigration (EM). This paper addresses the concerns about the reliability and need for the miniaturization of microelectronic packages. We have carried out extensive studies of the solder joint with an embedded Cu ball in order to provide answers to a few key questions, and this paper reports a few outstanding findings. The samples used in our study are a microjoint with a ∼50um diameter Cu ball. The microstructure, specifically IMC growth at Cu-ball/solder interfaces, was characterized with its exposure to various thermal and EM loads. To our surprise, the resultant findings suggest that such a structure does not necessarily offer better resistance against EM-induced failure, nor does it offer much management against IMC growth. One notable finding is that EM failure occurs without the expected impedance because the EM flux is in fact intensified with the Cu ball in a limited amount of Sn. Also found is the possibility of an accelerated growth of IMC at the surface of the solder joint when the diffusion barrier coated on Cu ball is prevented IMC formation in center of the joint. The mechanism by which EM and the reaction-induced failure is accelerated by the ball, will be presented along with in-depth characterization results.
Tocqueville Unveiled: The Historian and His Sources for The Old Regime and the Revolution (Book Review)

(2004). Tocqueville Unveiled: The Historian and His Sources for The Old Regime and the Revolution. History: Reviews of New Books: Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 69-69.
An Analysis of Routing Techniques for Mobile and Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper,we compare the performance of two on-demand and one pro-active algorithms for multi-hop,ad hoc networks and variants of the algorithms.We showthat on-demand algorithms react well to transient conditions such as high node mobility in combination with low network load,but are unlikely to provide the best performance under heavy network loads.
Precision of Reinnervation and Synaptic Remodeling Observed in Neuromuscular Junctions of Living Frogs

Repeated in vivo observations were used to study regenerated nerve terminals in neuromuscular junctions of the adult frog Rana pipiens. Sartorius junctions in living animals were stained with the fluorescent vital dye RH414 and viewed with video fluorescence microscopy. Each junction was observed in the intact muscle and then again 7, 10, and 13 weeks after nerve crush. At 13 weeks, junctions were determined to be mono- or polyneuronally innervated using intracellular recording. Between 7 and 13 weeks, most identified junctions were reinnervated less precisely and completely than described previously. Although some of the original synaptic gutters were reoccupied by regenerated terminal branches, other gutters were only partially occupied, and many appeared abandoned. Junctions showing precise recapitulation of original terminal arborizations comprised a small number of the total examined, as did those where reinnervation was very imprecise. Striking differences in the precision of reinnervation were found within the muscle such that distal terminals regenerated more precisely and completely than did proximal terminals. Terminals in reinnervated muscles were more dynamic than terminals in unoperated muscles over equivalent times. In singly innervated junctions, terminal growth was favored over regression. In doubly innervated junctions, regressive events were more common. Imprecise reinnervation is explained in terms of multisite innervation of muscle fibers and the activity dependence of synaptic stability. We hypothesize that when axons reinnervate the second or third junctions on a fiber, they do so less precisely, because the activity restored by reinnervation of the first junction renders later sites less attractive or less stable.
THE INTERACTION OF AIR BAGS WITH UPPER EXTREMITIES

Sixteen excised cadaveric upper extremities mounted to a four degree-of-freedom universal joint that functioned as a shoulder were studied. The upper extremity position was a `natural' driving posture in a one-hand turn crossover maneuver which represents a `worst case' for deployment of an air bag into a forearm. Resulting forearm moments were used to develop logistic injury risk functions for ulna and ulna/radius fractures of female forearms in the worst case position under air bag deployment. For 50% risk of ulna or ulna/radius fractures, the dummy forearm moment is 61 N-m. For 50% risk of fracture of both the ulna and the radius, the dummy forearm moment is 91 N-m.
Local Therapy Options for Oligometastatic Disease in the Liver

Our understanding of metastatic disease is constantly evolving. Survival outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver are poor, although a subset of patients with limited or “oligometastatic” disease may exist in a therapeutic window amenable to aggressive local intervention. The purpose of this review is to describe and compare the range of non-surgical local treatment options available for the treatment of oligometastatic colorectal disease involving the liver.
Discrepancy between Black-Scholes and Binomial Option Premia

It has been demonstrated that European option premia computed with a binomial lattice, as first described by Cox, Ross, and Rubinstein (CRR, 1979), do not have a closed-form solution (Georgiadis, 2011). This stems from a lack of hypergeometricity, an artifact of Gosper’s algorithm, and naturally engenders the question of the magnitude of the discrepancy from true value. This paper compares premia for European option values from a CRR lattice with the Black-Scholes model and assesses the discrepancy for increasingly refined meshes. Results over a range of the parameter space indicate that the discrepancy is meaningful for even moderately large portfolios. Thus, attention should be focused on the lack of convergence of lattice-based option valuation to any meaningful asymptotic constant.
Biochemical Aspects of Neurotransmitter Receptors

The sections in this article are: 1 Nicotinic Receptor 1.1 Isolated Receptors 1.2 Ligand Binding 2 Membrane-Bound Receptor 3 Biosynthesis and Metabolism of Receptors 4 Appendix 4.1 Treatment of Kinetic and Binding Data
Finding Large Planar Subgraphs and Large Subgraphs of a Given Genus

We consider the MAXIMUM PLANAR SUBGRAPH problem — given a graph G, find a largest planar subgraph of G. This problem has applications in circuit layout, facility layout, and graph drawing. We improve to 4/9 the best known approximation ratio for the MAXIMUM PLANAR SUBGRAPH problem. We also consider a generalization of the previous problem, the MAXIMUM GENUS D SUBGRAPH problem — given a connected graph G, find a maximum subgraph of G of genus at most D. For the latter problem, we present a simple algorithm whose approximation ratio is 1/4.
Computational modeling of biologically active molecules using NMR spectra

The molecular structure and NMR chemical shift information of a compound can be combined to form powerful models of biological activity. NMR spectral data and structure information can be combined on a structural template analogous to 3D-QSAR methodology or orientation independently in spectral space. Surprisingly, quantitative spectrometric data-activity relationship (QSDAR) models built on structure templates are inferior to multi-dimensional QSDAR models built in spectral space. 3D-QSDAR modeling could be useful for estimating chemical toxicity, risk assessment of environmental contaminants and drug lead-compound identifications.
Processing Induced Strain Relaxation in BaTiO3 Films

The development of integrated electronic devices has resulted in an increased interest in the study of ferroelectric ceramic films on silicon prepared by diverse methods. Some of these studies aim at the development of films whose ferroelectric properties equal or approximate those of the bulk ceramic. It is therefore important to attain a better understanding of the microstructure of these films and the relationship between the microstructure and the different film preparation methods. This study examines the strain field in such a film as a function of annealing time. The technique chosen was grazing incidence x-ray scattering (GIXS), and the material, thin films of BaTiO3 deposited on silicon (111) single crystals by metallo-organic deposition (MOD). The BaTiO3 {110} and {101} reflections were monitored. A substantial relaxation of the d-spacing of planes parallel to the surface was measured after a 64 hour annealing. The d-spacing of planes perpendicular to the surface remained essentially unchanged.
Solar Cooling With Ice Storage

Solar photovoltaics (PV) is hampered by the lack of solar radiation during peak energy demand hours of the day, e.g. 5–8pm. The ability to shift the PV power curve and make the energy accessible during peak hours can be accomplished through pairing solar PV with energy storage technologies. A system of combining solar PV and ice thermal storage in order to operate conventional heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) units has been developed. The hybrid air conditioning system (HACS) consists of an array of PV panels running a DC compressor which operates a conventional HVAC unit using R134a that has two evaporators. A simple test run consisting of cycling the glycol solution through the glycol air handler with all other components shut down was performed. The glycol air handler ran for 6 hours and the initial cooling power was 4.5 kWth.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Individual differences make a difference in the trajectories of simulated schools of fish

Abstract A simulation model was designed in which each individual in a group can be programmed with a different set of movement decision rules based on: the distance of others within the group, velocity of individuals, its own previous vector (momentum), and biased (leadership) or random influences. This paper focuses on the role of variability in the group composition and its determination of group stratification and group trajectory. The ratio of one or two of these variables was varied systematically in a group of eight and the resulting group stratification and group trajectory was recorded. Individuals which were programmed with attraction/repulsion functions which led to smaller nearest neighbor distances ended up at the center of groups. The greater the number of individuals following this function in a group the higher the group turning rate and the slower the group velocity. The relationship between composition and trajectory was not linear but seemed to depend on the intermediate shape of the group which was formed. Groups composed of individuals with different velocities were cohesive, like all of the groups studied, but never acquired a forward trajectory. Random influences of individuals had a very small, but significant, influence on the trajectory of groups. In contrast, minor biased movements by one or two individuals in a group (e.g., one move in 15 by one individual in a group of eight) had a strong influence in determining the direction and speed of the group. These individuals with biased movements did not necessarily take up lead positions, but exercised their influence from within the group. For pure groups (i.e., all following the same rules) of individuals programmed to group tightly, group size had a significant effect on trajectory, with larger groups moving more slowly. However, for pure groups of individuals programmed to group more loosely, group size had less effect on trajectory. The programmed momentum of individuals had little effect on trajectory. The results of this paper provide a set of predictions of how a group would behave if individuals based their movement decisions primarily on the position of other individuals in their environment. It is the first simulation study to address the issue of how variation in group composition (i.e., individual differences) may influence group stratification and group trajectory.
Spectral quality of two fluorescent UV sources during long-term use

— The characteristics of a fluorescent ultraviolet (UV) lamp (UVB-313), UV-B transmitting cellulose diacetate (CA) and UV-B absorbing polyester (PE) films were determined during actual use. Although lamp emission was stable between 70 and 386 h of burn time (longer times were not investigated), the absorbance of UV-B and UV-A radiation by CA and PE films, respectively, increased with time when wrapped around lamps. As a result, the irradiance of lamp/filter combinations decreased steadily (even when CA films were presolarized for 10 h), making it necessary to compensate by adjusting the height of the lamp bank or by changing filters frequently. Note that corrective action is required for UV-A controls (PE films) as well as UV-B experimental treatments (CA films). Changing filters is preferable, since aging of CA filters caused shifts in the ratio of UV-B to UV-A. However, in spite of these shifts, the normalized spectrum of weighted biologically effective UV-B radiation did not change to a large extent.
The First Year of Federal Aid in Fish Restoration: The Dingell - Johnson Act in Operation

(1952). The First Year of Federal Aid in Fish Restoration: The Dingell - Johnson Act in Operation. The Progressive Fish-Culturist: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 135-147.
The Application of a Total Quality Management Approach to Support Student Recruitment in Schools of Music.

One of the greatest challenges music programme administrators face is that of recruiting students for their programmes. This article suggests that administrators should investigate the benefits of implementing a comprehensive total quality management programme in their institutions. The core values, techniques and tools embodied in the Total Quality Management approach provide a proven approach to quality management and process improvement. The article describes the principles of Total Quality Management and the efforts of a team of teachers and stakeholders of a mid-sized music department at a public university to apply this method to the difficult problem of student recruiting.
In-NetDC: The Cloud in Core Networks

Emerging applications demand more efficient ways to handle the large amount of traffic they generate and send across sites. The current architecture of Content Delivery Network locates nodes at the network edges with fixed and pre-determined capacity, which is not suitable for dynamic behaviour of many services. This letter proposes an alternative approach that employs data centres in core locations and eliminates the need for capacity planning. This can be done on-demand, offering a variety of available locations and pay-as-you-go schemes. Through realistic emulations and a real testbed, we illustrate that our framework enables better performance than existing approaches and gives good incentives for network providers to implement the scheme due to potential new source of revenue.
Decoding movement trajectories through a T-maze using point process filters applied to place field data from rat hippocampal region CA1

Firing activity from neural ensembles in rat hippocampus has been previously used to determine an animal's position in an open environment and separately to predict future behavioral decisions. However, a unified statistical procedure to combine information about position and behavior in environments with complex topological features from ensemble hippocampal activity has yet to be described. Here we present a two-stage computational framework that uses point process filters to simultaneously estimate the animal's location and predict future behavior from ensemble neural spiking activity. First, in the encoding stage, we linearized a two-dimensional T-maze, and used spline-based generalized linear models to characterize the place-field structure of different neurons. All of these neurons displayed highly specific position-dependent firing, which frequently had several peaks at multiple locations along the maze. When the rat was at the stem of the T-maze, the firing activity of several of these neurons also varied significantly as a function of the direction it would turn at the decision point, as detected by ANOVA. Second, in the decoding stage, we developed a state-space model for the animal's movement along a T-maze and used point process filters to accurately reconstruct both the location of the animal and the probability of the next decision. The filter yielded exact full posterior densities that were highly nongaussian and often multimodal. Our computational framework provides a reliable approach for characterizing and extracting information from ensembles of neurons with spatially specific context or task-dependent firing activity.
The effects of carbamazepine on an appetitive-to-aversive transfer task: comparison to untreated and phenytoin

Abstract 1. Concerns over negative consequences resulting from chronic maintenance with antiepileptic medications have led to increased research regarding such impairments, often with disparate results. The authors have previously reported that phenytoin profoundly impairs the ability of adult rats, in comparison to controls. To learn a tone-signaled active avoidance response after learning a tone-signaled appetitive response (Banks, 1995; Banks, 1999). Such results lend further support to the suggestion that pharmacological treatment itself can produce cognitive difficulties that are comparable to those experienced by epileptic patients (Meador, 1994; Smith ., 1987). 2. In the present experiments, the authors have continued their investigation of antiepileptic compounds by treating rats with carbamazepine, another commonly prescribed “first-line defense” antiepileptic medication. In comparison to intact animals, carbamazepine-treated rats demonstrate variable deficiencies in the acquisition of the secondarily acquired avoidance response. 3. This result is in agreement with the finding for phenytoin-treated animals, albeit to a lesser degree. Continuing experiments are needed to investigate the relative nature of the deficits produced by such antiepileptic medications, as well as the underlying neurobilogical mechanism(s).
The behaviour of the real exchange rate and current account

This paper investigates the joint dynamic response of the current account and the real exchange rate to permanent and temporary shocks using structural VAR models for seven developed and five developing countries. Due to the ambiguity of the unit roots test, model specification based on both stationary and non-stationary current accounts are employed. Capital flows are also included to capture external shocks as well as potential structural breaks due to financial liberalization. We find that the differences between the results when the current account is modelled as stationary and non-stationary are non-trivial. Changes inthe current account are mainly driven by temporary shocks such as monetary shocks or disturbances while real exchange rate fluctuations are dominated by permanent shocks.
Wintertime PM2.5 and PM10 Source Apportionment at Sacramento, California.

The chemical mass balance (CMB) model was applied to winter (November through January) 1991-1996 PM2.5 and PM10 data from the Sacramento 13th and T Streets site in order to identify the contributions from major source categories to peak 24-hr ambient PM2.5 and PM10 levels. The average monthly PM10 monitoring data for the nine-year period in Sacramento County indicate that elevated concentrations are typical in the winter months. Concentrations on days of highest PM10 are dominated by the PM2.5 fraction. One factor contributing to increased PM2.5 concentrations in the winter is meteorology (cool temperatures, low wind speeds, low inversion layers, and more humid conditions) that favors the formation of secondary nitrate and sulfate aerosols. Residential wood burning also elevates fine particulate concentrations in the Sacramento area. The results of the CMB analysis highlight three key points. First, the source apportionment results indicate that primary motor vehicle exhaust and wood smoke are significant sources of both PM2.5 and PM10 in winter. Second, nitrates, secondarily formed as a result of motor-vehicle and other sources of nitrogen oxide (NOx), are another principal cause of the high PM2.5 and PM10 levels during the winter months. Third, fugitive dust, whether it is resuspended soil and dust or agricultural tillage, is not the major contributor to peak winter PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the Sacramento area.
Heat-free photochemical tissue welding with 1,8-naphthalimide dyes using visible (420 nm) light

We have newly designed and synthesized a class of photochemical 1,8-naphthalimide dyes. Photochemical investigation strongly suggests that these dyes function as photoalkylation agents following activation to an intermediate state by visible light (circa 420 nm) excitation. The activated species reacts readily with nucleophilic amino acid residues; e.g., tryptophan, tyrosine, cysteine, and methionine. One such dye, 1,14-bis(N-hexyl-3'-bromo- 1,8'-naphthalimid-4'-yl)-1,4,11,14-tetraazatetradecane-5,10-dione, incorporating two reactive 1,8-naphthalimide groups at each end of an intervening structural bridge has been used to achieve photochemical or photoactivated bonding (welding) of collagenous dura mater sheets to each other. Weld shear strengths of up to 425 gm/cm 2 (1.14 X 10 4 Nt/m 2 ) have been obtained.
Separation of microheterogeneous components of bovine metmyoglobin and investigation of possible causes of the microheterogeneity.

Abstract The microheterggeneity of metmyoglobin (metMb) refers to the several fractions of metMb that can be separated by ion exchange chromatography or electrophoresis. Although the microheterogeneity has been established for several species of mammals, the cause for the microheterogeneity has not been found. Edmundson and Hirs (1) suggested that the metMb fractions separated by ion exchange chromatography may differ in amide content, and Edmundson (2) found that three of the five glutamine residues (8, 91 and 152) in sperm whale myoglobin were labile to hydrolysis to the acid form. Akeson and Theorell (3) used CM-cellulose chromatography to separate and to purify three microheterogeneous components from horse skeletal muscle. They found peptide differences by peptide mapping but no amide differences were found. A study of sperm whale metMb by Hardman et al . (4) led to the separation of four components by CM-cellulose chromatography and by polyacrylamide electrophoresis. The components from CM-cellulose columns agreed in relative amounts and relative charge to the components separated by electrophoresis but no attempt was made to show the identify of these components from the two different separatory systems. Atassi (5, 6) has found 10 to 12 components in whale metMb by CM-cellulose chromatography but gel electropheris showed fewer components. Other investigators have found metMb microheterogeneity in human (7), bovine (8), seal and porpoise (9, 10) and tuna (11) muscle. We have studied bovine metMb in an attempt to account for the difference between the components separated by ion exchange chromatography or by electrophoresis. Our results provide an explanation for the behavior of metMb on CM-cellulose columns (12) that helps to explain the number of different components found by different investigators. In this paper, we report that metMb fractions separated by CM-cellulose chromatography are heterogeneous by electrophoresis, that peptide differences exist between CM-cellulose fractions, that same of the fractions separated by electrophoresis disappear in 8M urea, and that several feasible explanations for the microheterogeneity can be ruled out.
Commentary on Crowley et al.’s Research Priorities for Economic Analysis of Prevention

Economic theory provides a textbook ideal for how to conduct efficiency analysis that determines optimal resource allocation. The real world is not, however, an ideal place. This article suggests that common sense should be allowed to temper zealous commitment to textbook ideals. The spirit and the process of economic evaluation may be as important as the “final answer” expressed as a summary statistic.
Stochastic averaging using elliptic functions to study nonlinear stochastic systems

In this paper, a new scheme of stochastic averaging using elliptic functions is presented that approximates nonlinear dynamical systems with strong cubic nonlinearities in the presence of noise by a set of Ito differential equations. This is an extension of some recent results presented in deterministic dynamical systems. The second order nonlinear differential equation that is examined in this work can be expressed as % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qeguuDJXwAKbacfiGaf8hEaGNbamaacqGHRaWkcaWGJbadcaaIXaGc% cqWF4baEcqGHRaWkcaWGJbadcaaIZaGccqWF4baEdaahaaWcbeqaai% aaiodaaaGccqGHRaWkcqaH1oqzcaWGMbGaaiikaiab-Hha4jaacYca% cqWFGaaicuWF4baEgaGaaiaacMcacqGHRaWkcqaH1oqzdaahaaWcbe% qaaiaaigdacaGGVaGaaGOmaaaaruWrL9MCNLwyaGGbcOGaa43zaiaa% cIcacqWF4baEcaGGSaGae8hiaaIaf8hEaGNbaiaacaGGSaGae8hiaa% IaeqOVdGNaaeikaiaadshacaqGPaGaaiykaiabg2da9iaaicdaaaa!645D!\[\ddot x + c1x + c3x^3 + \varepsilon f(x, \dot x) + \varepsilon ^{1/2} g(x, \dot x, \xi {\text{(}}t{\text{)}}) = 0\] where c 1 and c 3 are given constants, ξ(t) is stationary stochastic process with zero mean and e≪1 is a small parameter. This method involves the laborious manipulation of Jacobian elliptic functions such as cn, dn and sn rather than the usual trigonometric functions. The use of a symbolic language such as Mathematica reduces the computational effort and allows us to express the results in a convenient form. The resulting equations are Markov approximations of amplitude and phase involving integrals of elliptic functions. Finally, this method was applied to study some standard second order systems.
Geophysical character of the proposed eastern extension of the Garlock fault and adjacent areas, eastern California

A geophysical investigation was conducted over Kingston Wash in eastern California to determine if the Garlock fault extends east of the Death Valley fault zone beneath the wash as had been proposed by Davis and Burchfiel. The geophysical data reveal magnetic and gravity lineaments that trend northwest (N80°W) across the wash. Geologic data from adjacent outcrops suggest that the geophysical lineament represents a left-lateral strike-slip fault. The lineament is thus interpreted to be a part of the Garlock fault which extends 25 to 30 km eastward from the Death Valley fault. The eastern extension passes south of the southern Salt Spring Hills and north of the Silurian Hills. The length of the proposed Garlock fault beyond the Death Valley fault requires recalculation of the amount of extension in the Basin-Range terrain of southern Death Valley. In light of the additional length, extension on the order of 100% is implied for the region.
Role of S-nitrosoglutathione mediated mechanisms in tau hyper-phosphorylation

Hyperphosphorylation and polymerization of microtubule-associated protein tau into paired helical filaments (PHFs) is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we report that neuronal tau hyperphosphorylation under AD conditions is regulated by S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), an endogenous nitric oxide carrier molecule. In cultured rat cortical primary neurons, we observed that GSNO treatment decreased the β-amyloid (Aβ₂₅₋₃₅)-induced pathological tau hyperphosphorylation (Ser396, Ser404, and Ser202/Thr205). The decreased tau hyperphosphorylation correlated with decreased activity of calpain and decreased p35 proteolysis into p25 and Cdk5 activation. GSNO treatment also attenuated the Aβ₂₅₋₃₅-induced activation of GSK-3β which is known to play critical role in tau hyperphosphorylation in addition to Cdk5. Consistent with above studies using cultured neurons, we also observed that systemic GSNO treatment of transgenic mouse model of AD (APPSw/PS1(dE9)) attenuated calpain-mediated p35 proteolysis and Cdk5/GSK-3β activities as well as tau hyperphosphorylation. In addition, GSNO treatment provided neuro- and cognitive protection in APPSw/PS1(dE9) mice. This study describing the GSNO-mediated regulation of tau hyperphosphorylation and cognitive function, for the first time, suggests for therapeutic potential of GSNO as neuro- and cognitive-protective agent for AD.
Biological monitoring of wood-smoke exposure

It has been clearly established that exposure to wood smoke is associated with a variety of adverse health effects in humans. However, we still have much to learn about the relationship between wood-smoke exposure and disease, including determination of what should be considered a "safe" level of exposure, and whether wood smoke should be regulated separately from other sources of air pollution. To help answer these questions, improved measures of exposure in populations exposed to wood smoke are required. In this mini-review we discuss how biomarkers of exposure can be used to complement the current suite of methods used to assess wood-smoke exposures. We critically review the compounds that are currently being evaluated as biomarkers of exposure to wood smoke, and we identify the strengths and weaknesses of these compounds. We find that, in general, these compounds show promise in situations where wood-smoke exposures are high, but where exposures are low non-wood-smoke sources are likely to be the major determinants of biomarker levels. We also outline a research framework that will move this field forward and maximize the potential for wood-smoke biomarkers to add value to epidemiological studies of wood-smoke health effects.
Drag and dislodgment of an intertidal macroalga: consequences of morphological variation in Mastocarpus papillatus Kützing

Abstract Survival of intertidal macroalgae depends on their ability to withstand the large hydrodynamic forces generated by breaking waves, an ability that may be a function of both the morphology and size of the plant. Mastocarpus papillatus Kutzing is an intertidal red alga that exhibits a broad range of morphologies varying in papillar length and density, thallus thickness, and degree of branching. Drag was measured in a flow tank on single female gametophyte thalli spanning a broad range of morphologies and sizes. The drag coefficients of M. papillatus are highly variable, but this variation decreases at high water velocities (3–4 m · s−1). Other intertidal macroalgae have similar ranges of drag coefficients at high water velocities. Regression analysis indicates that drag force is primarily determined by the planform area of the thallus and is not strongly influenced by morphology. The diameter of stipes (where mechanical failure most often occurs) of mature thalli do not increase in proportion to the area supported, suggesting that thalli in habitats with heavy wave action may be size-limited regardless of their morphology. Calculations predict that maximum thallus size may be limited by water velocities that occur on exposed coasts.
A simulation study of growth inhibition and predator resistance in Hydractinia echinata

Abstract Field abundance patterns of Hydractinia echinata indicated the possibility that inhibitory interactions were responsible for the prevalence of this hydroid on subtidal piling substrata. A model is described which was used to augment field experiments in substantiating that predator resistance and non-aggressive spatial competition were essential attributes responsible for these observed spatial patterns. These attributes are considered to be of major adaptive significance to long-lived colonial organisms such as Hydractinia which also exhibit low rates of larval recruitment and pre-emptively utilize substratum space via vegetative growth. This model emphasizes the sessile nature of the invertebrates which comprise these communities and the importance of vegetative growth to colonial species as a means to secure substrata. The explicit inclusion of a two-dimensional spatial analogue was considered imperative because of priority effects related to larval settlement patterns, the inhibition of settlement by resident adult organisms, and growth inhibition resulting in non-transitive competitive interactions. The importance of the consideration of spatial position is discussed in terms of competitive relationships, growth form and habitat selection.
URINARY EXCRETION OF PHENOLIC ACIDS IN HUMAN SUBJECTS ON A GLUCOSE DIET.

Abstract Paper Chromatographic studies on urinary phenolic acids were done in 4 human subjects during ingestion of an ad lib diet and again during 3 days when dietary intake consisted only of glucose. Most of the phenolic acids were found to originate from exogenous sources. All subjects exhibited the same excretion of phenolic acids on the glucose diet and it was possible to identify all but one of these compounds. The need for rigid dietary control in studies on urinary excretion of phenolic acids is emphasized.
Time-dependent antihypertensive effect of carteolol--a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist with partial agonist activity.

The antihypertensive effect of Carteolol (0.5 to 60 mg daily), a β-adrenoceptor antagonist with partial agonist activity, was studied in a double-blind parallel protocol. A 3-wk placebo period was followed by an 8-wk treatment period during which patients received 0.5, 2.5, 20, and 60 mg in an increasing (group 1) or decreasing (group 2) manner for successive 2-wk intervals, followed by a 2- to 6-wk withdrawal period. Resting supine and standing blood pressures (BP) and heart rates (HR) were measured at each visit. Isometric handgrip exercise and treadmill exercise were used to evaluate β-blockade. Plasma Carteolol concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay. Recumbent BP fell from 154 ± 101100 ±2 to 143 ± 10184 ± 11 mm Hg for group 1 and from 153 ± 101100 ±3 to 138 ± 14178 ±8 mm Hg for group 2 after 8 wk of treatment. HR was unchanged. The greater reduction in BP for each dose was observed with the later administrations, but was not related to serum concentration. β-Blockade was evident at all doses of Carteolol. Carteolol is an effective antihypertensive. Duration of Carteolol therapy, independent of dosage, is important in its effectiveness. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1984) 35, 301–306; doi:10.1038/clpt.1984.34
Electrophilic Attack on the Carbon Terminus of a Niobium-Bound Formaldehyde Ligand

The niobocene formaldehyde complex Cp‘2Nb(Cl)(η2-CH2O) (1, Cp‘ = η5-C5H4SiMe3) reacts with [Ph3C][BF4] to give an alkoxide (2) of formula [Cp‘2Nb(Cl)(OCH2CPh3)][BF4] and with HBF4·OEt2 to give analogue 4 ([Cp‘2Nb(Cl)(OMe)][BF4]); these processes constitute examples of electrophilic attack on the formaldehyde carbon, instead of the more typical addition at oxygen. Compound 2 is hydrolyzed to Cp‘2Nb(Cl)(OBF3) (3), a Lewis acid adduct of the corresponding metal oxide; both 2 and 3 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography.
PPAR-γ ligands and amino acid deprivation promote apoptosis of melanoma, prostate, and breast cancer cells

The PPAR-gamma ligands, 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) and ciglitazone, and the PPAR-alpha ligand, WY-14643, were examined for their effects on proliferation and apoptosis of A375 melanoma, DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer, and MB-MDA-231 breast cancer. While 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) inhibited proliferation of A375 melanoma, ciglitazone was inactive against this and the other cell lines. Restriction of specific amino acids known to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis sensitized all cell lines to ciglitazone, and the combined effects were greater than the individual effects of either treatment. WY-14643 alone or in combination with amino acid deprivation was inactive. Normal fibroblasts were resistant to the treatments.
Growth Hormone-Dependent Effects of Human Serum on the in Vitro Growth Characteristics of Human Skin Fibroblasts

Skin fibroblasts derived from either a normal child or from untreated hypopituitary children become progressively more rounded and finally detach and float free when cultured in medium containing serum from growth hormone (GH)-deficient patients. In contrast, human fibroblasts cultured in medium supplemented with serum obtained from hypopituitary children during successful treatment withgrowth hormone exhibit normal monolayer confluency. These observations are compatible with the explanation that serum from GH-deficient children lacks a GH-dependent component which is essential for the normal in vitro growth of human skin fibroblasts.
Reaction Kinetics of End-Functionalized Chains at a Polystyrene/ Poly(methyl methacrylate) Interface

Forward recoil spectrometry (FRES) has been used to monitor the extent of reaction between model end-functional polymers at a PS/PMMA interface. Bilayer samples comprising a high molecular weight polystyrene layer containing 8.5 wt % of amino-terminal deuterated polystyrene (dPS-NH2 )o n an anhydride-terminal poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-anh) layer were annealed at 174 °C for various periods. Significant reaction with the PMMA-anh, indicated by an interfacial excess, was observed with three molecular weights (M ) 22 000, 37 000, and 92 000 g/mol) of dPS-NH2. The measured growth of the interfacial excess with time for all three molecular weights could not be well described with recent theories of diffusion-controlled interfacial reactions. A model that incorporates polymer chain reactivity fit the data better, with reaction rate constants k ) 0.20, 0.055, and 0.042 kg mol -1 s -1 for dPS-NH2-22, -37, and -92, respectively. Furthermore, a novel trilayer sample geometry showed that the reactive dPS chains can diffuse throughout the PS matrix and sample the PS/PMMA interface several times before a significant amount of reaction occurs. The results of this study are consistent with other experimental systems where the in situ copolymer formation is limited by reaction rate, rather than the diffusion of reactive chains through the bulk.
Dirichlet and Bergman Spaces of HolomorphicFunctions on the Unit Ball of ℂn

Let B denote the unit ball in ℂn, n ≥ 1, and let τ and \(\widetilde{\nabla\hskip-4pt}\hskip4pt\) denote the volume measure and gradient with respect to the Bergman metric on B. In the paper we consider the weighted Dirichlet spaces \({{\cal D}_{\gamma}}\), \(\gamma > (n-1)\), and weighted Bergman spaces \({A^p_{\alpha}}\), \(0 n\), of holomorphic functions f on B for which \(D_{\gamma}(\,f)\) and \(\Vert\, f\Vert_{A^p_{\alpha}}\) respectively are finite, where \(D_{\gamma}(\,f)=\int_B (1-\vert z\vert^2)^{\gamma}\vert\widetilde{\nabla\hskip-4pt}\hskip4pt f(z)\vert^2d\tau(z),\) and \(\Vert\, f\Vert^p_{A^p_{\alpha}}=\int_B(1-\vert z\vert^2)^{\alpha}\vert\, f(z)\vert^pd\tau(z).\) The main result of the paper is the following theorem.
Cartilage Nucleoside Triphosphate (NTP) Pyrophosphohydrolase

When 1 mM ATP was added to ambient media of canine cartilage in organ culture or canine chondrocytes in monolayer culture, PPi was generated linearly over 4 hours. The appearance of PPi was related to an ecto-enzyme based upon its ability to act upon extracellular substrate, to generate extracellular products, failure to detect enzyme activity in supernatant media, failure to increase activity by cell disruption, and susceptibility to digestion by extracellular trypsin. The enzyme responsible for PPi generation is nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) pyrophosphohydrolase, which acts upon a number of purine and pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates. This enzyme may play a role in generation of extracellular PPi which participates in calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal formation.
The Contemporary Presidency: Meeting the Freight Train Head On: Planning for the Transition to Power

In the seventy-four days between the November 7 election and the inauguration on January 20, the next president will need to form his White House team, designate fourteen cabinet secretaries, deliver his inaugural address, present his agenda to the nation, and send to Congress a budget of around $1.8 trillion. He can only effectively do so if he has planned his transition from an early point. In interviews for the White House Interview Program, the authors identify five elements as important to getting off to a successful start: (1) focus now on people and process, (2) avoid constraining commitments in the campaign, (3) choose top White House staff first, (4) learn from predecessors, and (5) develop a strategic plan for policy proposals.