cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphology of biaxially stretched poly(ethylene terephthalate) films

Abstract Cast poly(ethylene terephthalate) films were biaxially drawn and subsequently heat-set. All films were drawn 3.5×, at fixed width and at 90°C, in the machine direction (MD). and subsequently drawn to various degrees in the transverse direction (TD). The structure of the films, before and after heat treatment, was investigated using refractive index and density measurement, wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM study was performed using intrinsic phase-contrast imaging of thin foils microtomed at an angle to the MD. The MD-drawn material exhibits crystallization in the form of thin fibrillar crytals with chain axes along the MD. TD drawing disrupts this structure and ultimately produces a second crystal population with chain axes along the TD. Subsequent heat treatment produces a fibrillar-to-lamellar transition and a subsequent increase in the degree of crystallinity. Throughout these processes (100) is parallel to the film plane, while (010) ...
An analysis of wave phenomena in a dielectric waveguide with periodic metal strips

An analysis of a dielectric waveguide periodically loaded with metal strips is presented. Numerical results are obtained from the formulation based on Galerkin's procedure in a space-harmonic domain. Experimental studies are conducted to correlate with theoretical results and to study the effect of finite length of the grating.
Risk stratification using the society of thoracic surgeons program

In an era of progressive cost containment and public scrutiny, the wisdom of aggressive surgical therapy for high-risk candidates has been questioned. At our center in the previous 24 months, 728 patients with coronary artery disease were entered into The Society of Thoracic Surgeons national database, and the hospital outcomes plus length of stay were analyzed. Patients were separated according to the predicted mortality based on the groupings in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database: 0 to 5% (453 patients); 5% to 10% (126 patients); 10% to 20% (96 patients); 20% to 30% (17 patients); and 30% and greater (36 patients). There was a close correlation with the predicted rates of mortality. Importantly, the preoperative risk stratification demonstrated a strong correlation with the significant morbidity and excessive length of stay in the highest-risk groups (predicted risk of 20% to > or = 30%). The incidences of the most common complications in the group with the highest predicted risk (> or = 30%) were 28%, renal failure; 33%, ventilator dependence; and 17%, cardiac arrest. In addition, at short-term follow-up (6 to 8 months), a 24.3% mortality was identified in patients with a predicted mortality that exceeded 20%. These data quantify the risks and morbidities associated with the care of seriously ill patients with coronary artery disease and demonstrate the need for professional and public discussions focusing on the association of a high preoperative risk status and the consumption of resources.
Inevitable, influential, or unnecessary? Exploring the utility of genetic explanation for delinquent behavior

In the field of criminology there have been a few recent articles addressing genetic influence on delinquent behavior. The scarcity of research within the field of criminology into genetic influence may be the result of two intertwined factors: methodological difficulties and the lack of a theoretical framework to guide research. The current research addressed these two issues in determining if genetic factors are a necessary part of the delinquency equation. Using Harris' group socialization theory as a framework, the results from the random effects regression and DF analyses indicated that there was a utility to genetic explanations of delinquent behavior. The results further implicated the importance of gene-environment interactions in understanding the true impact of genetic influence on behavior. Implications of the results are discussed.
Acetylene Chemisorption on Sn/Pt(100) Alloys†

Adsorption and reaction of acetylene on a hexagonally reconstructed (5 × 20)-Pt(100) surface and two ordered Sn/Pt(100) alloy surfaces were investigated using temperature programmed desorption spectrometry (TPD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Vapor deposition of Sn onto a Pt(100) single-crystal substrate was used to form two Pt−Sn alloys, the c(2 × 2) and (3√2×√2)R45° Sn/Pt(100) structures with θSn = 0.5 and 0.67 ML, respectively, depending on the initial Sn concentration and annealing temperature. Acetylene nearly completely decomposed during TPD on Pt(100) in the absence of Sn, forming hydrogen, which then desorbs as H2, and surface carbon. This decomposition, associated with irreversible dissociative adsorption, was strongly suppressed on the two Pt−Sn alloy surfaces, and a large acetylene desorption peak in TPD was observed. Additionally, 15% of the adsorbed acetylene monolayer was converted to gaseous benzene duri...
Experimental study of isovector spin sum rules

We present the Bjorken integral extracted from Jefferson Lab experiment EG1b for $0.05l{Q}^{2}l2.92\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$. The integral is fit to extract the twist-4 element ${f}_{2}^{p\ensuremath{-}n}$ which appears to be relatively large and negative. Systematic studies of this higher twist analysis establish its legitimacy at ${Q}^{2}$ around $1\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$. We also performed an isospin decomposition of the generalized forward spin polarizability ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{0}$. Although its isovector part provides a reliable test of the calculation techniques of chiral perturbation theory, our data disagree with the calculations.
Hydrogeology of Glacial-Terrain Lakes, with Management and Planning Applications

Abstract The subject of the relationship between groundwater and lakes is characterized by sparse information and, in general, has received limited attention by hydrologists. Nevertheless, the hydrogeologic regime of lakes must be adequately assessed in order to intelligently manage lakes and their related shorelands. This paper is a compilation of hydrogeologic data for numerous lakes in North America and presents a preliminary classification framework for lakes based on hydrogeologic considerations. The classification leads to systematic categorization of lake types for planning and management purposes. The main hydrogeologic factors for assessing lake environments are: (1) regime dominance , the relative magnitude of groundwater in the total water budget of a lake; (2) system efficiency , a description of the rate aspects of surface and groundwater movement through a lake system; and (3) position within a groundwater flow system . We indicate the significance and difficulty of measuring these descriptive characteristics and provide examples of each category. Additionally, a variety of lake-related activities that illustrate the value of hydrogeologic information for planning and management purposes are presented.
Cervical lymphadenopathy: study of 251 patients.

Correct diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy is often a great challenge. The objective of this case study is to describe the distribution of the most common causes of unclear neck swellings presented in an ENT-Department and to evaluate the clinical history, examination and laboratory findings. In a retrospective study at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Homburg/Saar, 251 patients were enrolled with clinical and ultrasound signs of cervical lymphadenopathy as well as lymph node extirpation for histopathological evaluation. 127 patients (50.6 %) had a histological malignant finding. The distribution of the most common pathological conditions was as follows: Non-specific reactive hyperplasia n = 89 (35.5 %), metastases n = 86 (34.3 %), lymphoma n = 41 (16.3 %), granulomatous lesions n = 15 (6 %), abscess formations n = 5 (2 %), necrotic lymphadenitis and Castleman’s disease one case of each, lymph node with normal architecture n = 7 (2.8 %), and neck masses mimicking lymphadenopathy n = 6 cases (2.4 %). The following factors identified by multivariate logistic regression were significantly associated to malignant lymphadenopathy: increasing age, generalized lymphadenopathy and history of malignant disorder, fixed neck masses and increasing diameter in ENT examination, bulky lesion, absence of hilus, blurred outer contour, protective role of the long form and decreasing Solbiati-index values by ultrasound B-Mode gray scale examination. Level II contained more benign lymphatic lesions, while the malignancy rate in level IV and V was enhanced. Laboratory parameters significantly associated to malignancies were CRP, LDH and thrombocytopenia. Patients with persisting cervical lymphadenopathy and over 3 weeks of antibiotic treatment should be considered for early biopsy, especially if some of the risk factors, pointed out in this study, are present.
Scalability evaluation of cluster size for MapReduce applications in elastic compute clouds

The MapReduce programming model is a widely accepted solution to address the rapid growth of the so-called big-data processing demands. Various MapReduce applications with a huge volume of input data can run on an elastic compute cloud composed of many computing instances. This elastic compute cloud is best represented by a virtual cluster, such as Amazon EC2. Performance prediction of MapReduce applications would help in understanding their scalability pattern. However, it is challenging due to the complex interaction of the MapReduce framework and the underlying highly-parameterized virtualized resources. Furthermore, MapReduce's high-dimension space of configuration paremeters which adds to the prediction complexity. We have evaluated a series of representative MapReduce applications on Amazon EC2, and identified how the cluster size affects the execution times. The scaling curve of all applications are studied to discover the scalability pattern. Our major findings are as follows: (1) The execution times of MapReduce applications follow a power-law distribution, (2) For map-intensive applications, the power-law scalability starts from a small cluster size, and (3) For reduce-intensive applications, the power-law scalability starts from a lager cluster size. We attempted to fit our scalability performance results using three regression methods: polynomial regression, exponential regression and power regression. By measuring the Root Squared Mean Error (RSME), the power regression performs best at performance prediction compared with the other methods evaluated. This was the case across all the benchmark applications studied. Our performance prediction methods will aid cloud users in choosing appropriate computing resources, both virtual and physical, from small-scale experimental test runs for cost saving.
Epidermal growth factor and insulin-like growth factor I stimulate the hydrolysis of the insulin-sensitive phosphatidylinositol-glycan in BC3H-1 myocytes.

BC3H-1 myocytes contain a phospholipid(s) which is labeled with [3H]inositol, [3H]glucosamine, and [3H]myristate [a phosphatidylinositolglycan (PI-glycan)], and which is hydrolyzed by insulin induced activation of a specific phospholipase C. Similarly, epidermal growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-I provoke rapid increases in the hydrolysis of this PI-glycan, suggesting that derived signaling substances may be important in the action of agonists which activate tyrosine kinase type receptors.
Shrinking patches and slippery rafts: scales of domains in the plasma membrane

Abstract Many types of experiment show that the plasma membranes of cells are patchy and locally differentiated into domains. Some of these domains seem to arise through the confinement of diffusible membrane proteins. Others might arise through lipid–lipid interactions. Both types of domain are transient on a biological timescale but both could create local conditions that enhance molecular interactions, such as those that occur in receptor-mediated signaling.
pKa and Aggregation of Bilirubin: Titrimetric and Ultracentrifugation Studies on Water-Soluble Pegylated Conjugates of Bilirubin and Fatty Acids†

A water-soluble conjugate (1) with intact carboxyl groups was prepared by addition of poly(ethylene glycol) thiol (MPEG-SH) regiospecifically to the exo vinyl group of bilirubin. (1)H and (13)C NMR and absorbance spectroscopy in CDCl(3) and DMSO-d(6) confirmed the assigned structure and showed that pegylation did not disrupt the hydrogen-bonded ridge-tile conformation of the pigment moiety. Aqueous solutions of 1 were optically clear, but NMR signals were seen only from the MPEG portion and none from the tetrapyrrole, consistent with dissolved assemblies containing aggregated bilirubin cores within mobile polyether chains. On alkalinization (pH >12), signals from the pigment moiety reappeared. Titrimetric measurements on 1 in water showed the pK(a)'s of the two carboxyl groups to be similar (average 6.42). Control studies with pegylated half-esters of succinic, suberic, brassylic, thapsic, and 1,20-eicosanedioic acid showed that pegylation per se has little, if any, effect on carboxyl ionization. However, aggregation increases the apparent pK(a) by approximately 1-2 units. The molecularity of bilirubin in solution was further characterized by ultracentrifugation. Over the pH range 8.5-10 in buffer, bilirubin formed multimers with aggregation numbers ranging from approximately 2-7. Bilirubin is monomeric in DMSO or CHCl(3) at approximately 2 x 10(-)(5) M, but aggregation occurred when the CHCl(3) was contaminated with trace adventitious (perhaps lipoidal) impurities. These observations show that aggregation increases the pK(a)'s of aliphatic carboxylic acids relative to their monomer values in water. They are consistent with earlier (13)C NMR-based estimates of approximately 4.2 and approximately 4.9 for the aqueous pK(a)'s of bilirubin and similar studies of bilirubin in micellar bile-salt solutions. Together with earlier work, they confirm that the pK(a)'s of bilirubin are about normal for aliphatic carboxyls and suggest that the high (>7.5) values occasionally reported, including those based on CHCl(3) partitioning, are artifacts of aggregation or technique.
Effect of freezing grape berries and heating must samples on extraction of components and composition parameters of red wine grape varieties

Juices from grape samples subjected to two storage methods (fresh and frozen) and two post-homogenisation treatments (21°C and 71°C) were examined for extraction of grape berry components and compared to a microvinified wine made from the same lot of fresh grapes. Cabernet Franc (Vitis vinifera) and Cynthiana (Vitis aestivalis) grapes were evaluated in 2003. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera), Chambourcin (interspecific hybrid) and Cynthiana grapes were evaluated in 2004. Fresh grapes from each variety were sampled, analysed and prepared for microvinification. Frozen grapes of all varieties were thawed and analysed at the same time. For all varieties in both years, heating the must of fresh or frozen grapes increased the titratable acidity (11-58%), tartaric acid levels (12-110%), potassium content (15-62%), darkness (31-97%), red colour (54-1517%) and total red pigment values (36-1171%) of juice as compared to the juice from unheated must. For all varieties in 2004, heating the must from fresh or frozen grapes increased total phenolics (43-619%) of juice as compared to the juice from unheated must. Compared to fresh grape processing, freezing the grapes and then processing at 21°C or 71°C had varying results (increases and decreases) regarding the extraction of components in all varieties and both years but usually provided juice with composition most similar to that of the red wine produced by microvinification. Although the degree of extraction of individual components in the juice is influenced by selection of grape storage and must processing procedures, consistency of handling and procedure provided consistent results with low variability.
pH dependent inactivation of solubilized F1F0 ATP synthase by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide: pKa of detergent unmasked aspartyl-61 in Escherichia coli subunit c

The pH dependence of the reaction of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide with the essential aspartyl-61 residue in subunit c of Escherichia coli ATP synthase was compared in membranes and in a detergent dispersed preparation of the enzyme. The rate of reaction was estimated by measuring the inactivation of ATPase activity. The reaction with the detergent dispersed form of the enzyme proved to be pH sensitive with the essential aspartyl group titrating with a pKa=8. However, when measured with E. coli membranes, the reaction proved to be pH insensitive. The results suggest that the reacting aspartyl-61 residues are shielded from the bulk aqueous solvent when in the membrane, but then become aqueous-accessible following detergent solubilization.
Selecting an intervention time for intravascular enzymatic cleavage of peptide linkers to clear radioisotope from normal tissues.

Protease degradable linkers have been proposed to improve the therapeutic index (TI) (i.e., tumor to normal tissue) of molecular targeted radioisotope therapy by reducing unbound radiotargeting age...
Formal Performance Analysis for Faulty MIMO Hardware

Sources of noise such as quantization, introduce randomness into register transfer level (RTL) designs of complex systems. In previous work, we introduced a formal approach to compute the performance metrics for these designs with high confidence. We defined the performance metrics as properties in a probabilistic temporal logic. We then used probabilistic model checking to verify these properties for RTL and thereby guarantee the statistical performance. In this work, we enhance our previous approach in order to include the effects of permanent and transient faults that may be present in the lower levels of hardware implementation. We then formally analyze the vulnerability of performance of RTL designs to faults that are present at different locations. If a performance requirement is not met, we employ probabilistic model checking with a diagnostic property that can be used to identify the broad cause of performance degradation. In this work, we describe our entire approach by considering RTL designs corresponding to multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems. We illustrate our enhanced approach on the Viterbi decoder which is a nontrivial component of MIMO system designs.
Private Infrastructure: Ten Commandments for Sustainability

The last five years have seen a significant increase in the participation of the private sector in infrastructure development, particularly in developing countries. This trend has received a great deal of attention from practitioners, as reflected by the many conferences and seminars that are taking place and the number of articles that are being written about it. Statistics confirm the growth of private sector participation, particularly in emerging markets, but also in most developed countries. However, the projects that have reached closure seem to be below the expectations that have been created. The apparent gap between the amount of interest stirred and the relatively few completed projects call for an answer to a key question: Is this a passing fad or does it reflect a permanent change in the way infrastructure is provided? The answer depends largely on how the transition process is handled and how the new framework is managed.
Invertebrate nerve-muscle systems

Abstract Recent studies of invertebrate motor nerves and muscles are summarized, with particular attention given to insects and crustaceans. Skeletal muscles, generally, are innervated by both excitatory and inhibitory motoneurons. Excitatory motoneurons may fire in short bursts and elicit rapid, twitch-like contractions (phasic motoneurons) or they may fire in long bursts and produce slow, graded contractions (tonic motoneurons). Inhibitory motoneurons form axo-axonal synapses with excitatory motoneurons (presynaptic inhibition) and neuromuscular synapses (postsynaptic inhibition). Only a few neurons innervate each muscle, but each forms thousands of synapses. Skeletal muscle fibers may contract rapidly (few msec) or slowly (few sec). The former (phasic fibers) have short sarcomeres (2–4 μ m); the latter (tonic fibers) have long sarcomeres (6–14 μ m). Inhibitory motoneurons release γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which increases chloride ion conductance. Excitatory motoneurons in arthropods may release glutamic acid, while those of annelids and molluscs release acetylcholine; both transmitters increase sodium and potassium ion conductance. Most motoneurons respond to injury with axonal degeneration followed by regeneration which restores neuronal integrity. However, crustacean motor axons do not degenerate after isolation from their somata and when stimulated directly, release transmitter in a normal fashion. Certain molluscan muscles (catch muscles) maintain tension long after the end of neural activation. Relaxation is achieved through relaxing nerves which release 5-hydroxytryptamine.
Opto-mechanical platforms for cell force study

Microsystems are providing key advances in studying single-cell mechanical behaviours. The mechanical interaction of cells with their extracellular matrix is fundamentally important for cell migration, division, phagocytes and apoptosis. As the displacement and scales of cellular phenomena is comparable to optical wavelength, optical metrology offers superior resolution and real-time imaging capabilities to measure cell forces and subcellular behaviour as compared to its traditional counterparts. This review Letter discusses the principles, formation and methodological aspects of building opto-mechanical systems in studying cell forces. The authors report current advances of various opto-mechanical systems in studying different aspects of cell mechanics.
Some personality traits of superior university students

A personality study was carried out using 100 Summa Cum Laude college students: 50 males and 50 females matched on race, age, sex, and education with normal control subjects. The subjects were white and attended several universities. Each subject was administered the full scale MMPI of 566 questions. For the males, statistically significant differences were found on six subscales. These were Hysteria, Psychopathic Deviate, Masculinity/Femininity, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia and Social Inversion. For the females, statistically significant differences were found for the same subscales as for the males except for the Si (social inversion subscale). Statistical analysis of the data were computed using Fisher's t -test to test for intergroup differences. The high achieving males and the high achieving females showed highly similar personality profiles. The mean profile differences were interpreted and the following are the major findings: a. The high achieving male subjects differed statistically on six subscales from their pared mates: Hy, Pd, Mf, Pt, Sc and Si. The high achieving female subjects differed from their controls on five subscales: Hy, Pd, Mf, Pt, and Sc. b. The results reveal more negative personality traits than have, heretofore, been reported by other investigations of the gifted college student. c. A high degree of similarity was noted between the mean MMPI profiles of the high achieving males and the high achieving females except for the social inversion subscale. d. The results suggest that certain personality traits are associated with high academic achievement. These traits are not necessarily those considered to be healthy or desirable traits.
What Every Therapist Should Know, Be and Do: Contributions from Humanistic Psychotherapies

Humanistic psychologists have made major contributions to the theory, practice and research in psychotherapy. Many of their contributions are applicable to a variety of therapeutic approaches. In this article I articulate what I believe to be some of the most useful things for all practitioners to consider incorporating into their therapeutic practice. Carl Rogers’ contributions are considered to be universal and foundational since his strong emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and the importance of empathic responding are considered to be core aspects of effective therapies. A variety of humanistic therapists have emphasized the importance of working with client emotion, effective use of the self, relational involvement and depth, working within the client’s frame of reference, focusing on the self-concept, being present and helping clients embrace choice and responsibility, all of which are addressed in this article.
Cheilosia corydon (Diptera: Syrphidae), a Candidate for the Biological Control of Musk Thistle in North America

In Italy, larvae of the syrphid fly, Cheilosia corydon (Harris) (=grossa Fallen), infest the flower buds, stems, and roots of Carduus nutans L. and C. pycnocephalus L. (Compositae), both serious weeds in the United States. The fly was studied as a candidate biological control agent of musk and Italian thistle in North America. The host range of C. corydon is narrow, restricted to plants of the tribe Cardueae. Cirsium crassicaule (Green) Jeps., a threatened U.S. species, was marginally suitable as a host in laboratory trials. In open-field oviposition tests, using replicated and randomized plantings, no oviposition was observed on any U.S. Cirsium species tested, including C. crassicaule . Our data indicate that C. corydon is sufficiently host specific to introduce into the U.S. for the biological control of musk and Italian thistle.
Adaptive, feature-specific spectral imaging classifier

We describe our design for an adaptive, feature-specific spectral imaging classifier. The system utilizes adaptive spectral codes to spectrally-classify multiple spectral locations in parallel.
Defect in Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor α-inducible Fatty Acid Oxidation Determines the Severity of Hepatic Steatosis in Response to Fasting *

Fasting causes lipolysis in adipose tissue leading to the release of large quantities of free fatty acids into circulation that reach the liver where they are metabolized to generate ketone bodies to serve as fuels for other tissues. Since fatty acid-metabolizing enzymes in the liver are transcriptionally regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), we investigated the role of PPARα in the induction of these enzymes in response to fasting and their relationship to the development of hepatic steatosis in mice deficient in PPARα (PPARα−/−), peroxisomal fatty acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX−/−), and in both PPARα and AOX (double knock-out (DKO)). Fasting for 48–72 h caused profound impairment of fatty acid oxidation in both PPARα−/− and DKO mice, and DKO mice revealed a greater degree of hepatic steatosis when compared with PPARα−/− mice. The absence of PPARα in both PPARα−/− and DKO mice impairs the induction of mitochondrial β-oxidation in liver following fasting which contributes to hypoketonemia and hepatic steatosis. Pronounced steatosis in DKO mouse livers is due to the added deficiency of peroxisomal β-oxidation system in these animals due to the absence of AOX. In mice deficient in AOX alone, the sustained hyperactivation of PPARα and up-regulation of mitochondrial β-oxidation and microsomal ω-oxidation systems as well as the regenerative nature of a majority of hepatocytes containing numerous spontaneously proliferated peroxisomes, which appear refractory to store triglycerides, blunt the steatotic response to fasting. Starvation for 72 h caused a decrease in PPARα hepatic mRNA levels in wild type mice, with no perceptible compensatory increases in PPARγ and PPARδ mRNA levels. PPARγ and PPARδ hepatic mRNA levels were lower in fed PPARα−/− and DKO mice when compared with wild type mice, and fasting caused a slight increase only in PPARγ levels and a decrease in PPARδ levels. Fasting did not change the PPAR isoform levels in AOX−/− mouse liver. These observations point to the critical importance of PPARα in the transcriptional regulatory responses to fasting and in determining the severity of hepatic steatosis.
Segregation of efferent connections and receptive field properties in visual area V2 of the macaque

V2 is a visual area of the macaque monkey which is at the second level in a recently proposed hierarchy of cortical visual areas1. Histochemical staining for cytochrome oxidase (CO) in V2 reveals a pattern of alternate thick and thin CO-rich stripes separated by CO-sparse interstripes2,3. These subregions receive distinct inputs from neurones in CO-rich and CO-sparse zones arrayed within the superficial layers of V1 (refs 4,5). Are output projections from V2 to higher visual areas also segregated? Using an anatomical double-label paradigm, we have now demonstrated that V2 cells projecting to two of its major target areas, MT and V4 (refs 6, 7), are arranged in stripe-like clusters which are largely segregated from one another and which are closely related to the pattern of CO stripes. Concomitant electrophysiological recordings from V2 indicate that groups of cells having similar receptive field properties are clustered within the subregions defined by these anatomical techniques.
Body-wave strain and the earthquake volume

Abstract The strain produced by body waves in the vicinity of the earthquake is employed in the definition of the earthquake volume. The definition is applicable to artificial seismic events. Distances from the focus at which a given maximum strain was attained during the event, are presented as a function of magnitude and focal depth. The computed strains are compared with strains measured and reported for a number of earthquakes and nuclear explosions. The earthquake volume shows a distinct decrease with focal depth. The strains produced by body waves during the earthquake throw some light on the stress state in the vicinity of the focus, and are considered to be able to yield information of the rate of tectonic strain accumulation.
On endomorphism rings of modules over henselian rings 1

(1990). On endomorphism rings of modules over henselian rings. Communications in Algebra: Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 1323-1335.
Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) protects cultured equine Leydig cells from undergoing apoptosis

Abstract Leydig cells located in the interstitial space of the testicular parenchyma produce testosterone which plays a critical role in the maintenance and restoration of spermatogenesis in many species, including horses. For normal spermatogenesis, maintaining Leydig cells is critical to provide an optimal and constant level of testosterone. Recently, an anti-apoptotic effect of IGF-I in testicular cells in rats has been reported, but a similar effect of IGF-I on equine Leydig cells remains to be elucidated. If IGF-I also protects stallion testicular cells from undergoing apoptosis, then IGF-I may have potential as a treatment regime to prevent testicular degeneration. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-apoptotic effect of IGF-I on cultured equine Leydig cells. Testes were collected from 5 post-pubertal stallions (2–4 years old) during routine castrations. A highly purified preparation of equine Leydig cells was obtained from a discontinuous Percoll gradient. Purity of equine Leydig cells was assessed using histochemical 3β-HSD staining. Equine Leydig cells and selected doses of recombinant human IGF-1 (rhIGF-I; Parlow A.F., National Hormone and Peptide Program, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center) were added to wells of 24 or 96 well culture plates in triplicate and cultured for 24 or 48h under 95% air:5% CO 2 at 34°C. After 24 or 48h incubation, apoptotic rate was assessed using a Cell Death Detection ELISA kit. Significantly lower apoptotic rates were observed in equine Leydig cells cultured with 5, 10, or 50ng/ml of rhIGF-I compared with control cells cultured without rhIGF-I for 24h. Exposure to 1, 5, 10 or 50ng/ml of rhIGF-I significantly decreased apoptotic rate in equine Leydig cells cultured for 48h. After 48h incubation, cells were labeled with Annexin V and propodium iodine to determine the populations of healthy, apoptotic, and necrotic cells by counting stained cells using a Nikon Eclipse inverted fluorescence microscope. As a percentage of the total cells counted, significantly lower numbers of apoptotic cells were observed in cells treated with 10 (9%) or 50ng/ml (10%) of rhIGF-I compared with cells cultured without rhIGF-I (control, 22%). In this study, the results from the two assays indicated that rhIGF-I protected equine Leydig cells from undergoing apoptosis during cell culture for 24h or 48h. In conclusion, IGF-I may be an important paracrine/autocrine factor in protecting equine Leydig cells from undergoing apoptosis.
Salvage of substandard in vitro technetium Tc-99m-labeled red blood cells.

Autologous red blood cells (RBCs) radiolabeled with technetium Tc-99m in vitro using the UltraTag RBC kit (Mallinckrodt Medical, St. Louis, Mo.) are indicated for blood pool imaging, including cardiac first-pass and gated equilibrium imaging, and for detection of sites of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.1 Radiochemical purity must exceed 90% by United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards2 and typically is greater than 95%.1 This high degree of radiochemical purity is especially desirable for use of Tc-99m RBCs in studies of GI bleeding, because even minimal levels of free pertechnetate potentially interfere with image interpretation.3 Occasionally, however, preparations of Tc-99m RBCs exhibit substandard radiochemical purity due to various factors such as low patient hematocrit,4,5 inadequate volume of blood sample,6 excessive Tc-99m sodium pertechnetate volume,6,7 excessive generator in-growth time,1,7 excessively aged generator eluates,7 anticoagulant sequestration of stannous ions,1,5,6,8,9 or drug interference.10–13 In these situations, a procedure to salvage the substandard product (i.e., a remedial action to improve radiochemical purity to an acceptable level) would be a valuable means to allow dispensing and administration of the product, thereby avoiding the time, effort, and costs associated with undertaking a repeat preparation procedure in its entirety.
Effect of Water and Serum Absorption on Wear of Unirradiated and Crosslinked UHMWPE Orthopaedic Bearing Materials

In addition to confounding mass-based wear measurements in serum-lubricated hip simulator experiments, fluid absorption by the acetabular cups may simultaneously modify the wear resistance of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) from which they are composed. To decouple the fluid absorption and wear processes enabling clearer investigation of this effect, absorption was first imposed during an initial stage where UHMWPE was exposed to pressurized (10MPa) fluid. This was followed by a second stage, where resultant wear behavior was assessed by a multidirectional pin-on-flat technique that, though still providing a serum-lubricating environment, does not promote the simultaneous fluid absorption occurring in hip simulator testing. Both unirradiated and highly-crosslinked UHMWPE were investigated, each with both bovine calf serum and water soaking exposures of duration to 129 days. The pressurized soaking of a highly-crosslinked UHMWPE decreased its wear resistance, causing an increase in wear rate by approximately 50% during subsequent serum-lubricated multidirectional pin-on-flat sliding tests as compared to non-soaked material. The magnitude of this effect did not appear to depend on whether the soaking fluid was water or serum, nor did it appear to depend on soak time provided it was at least of a 14-day duration during which more rapid transient fluid absorption occurs. Such soaking did not produce as pronounced an effect on unirradiated UHMWPE, at its lack of wear resistance likely causes the absorption-affected surface region to the completed removed within the earliest stages of sliding contact.© 2004 ASME
Predictive factors for conversion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Abstract Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has replaced open cholecystectomy for the treatment of gallbladder disease. However, certain cases still require conversion to open procedures. Identifying these patients at risk for conversion remains difficult. This study identifies risk factors that may predict conversion from a laparoscopic to an open procedure. Methods: From January 1996 to January 2000, a total of 1,347 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF). A retrospective analysis of 34 parameters including patient demographics, clinical history, laboratory data, ultrasound results, and intraoperative details was performed. Stepwise, multivariate logistic regression was used to determine those variables predicting conversion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results: Seventy-one (5.3%) laparoscopic cholecystectomies required conversion. Multivariate analysis revealed that for all cases, a white blood cell count >9 (2.9 greater odds ratio [OR] of conversion P = 0.006) and a gallbladder wall thickness >0.4 cm (7.2 OR, P 30 kg/m 2 (5.6 OR, P = 0.02) predicted conversion. For patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy, a body mass index >40 kg/m 2 (33.1 OR, P = 0.01) and a wall thickness >0.4 cm (24.7 OR, P 2 (5.3 OR, P = 0.01) predicted conversion in patients undergoing nonelective cholecystectomies. Conclusions: Obese patients with acute cholecystitis undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy have an increased chance of conversion. Likewise, patients with multiple comorbid diseases undergoing nonelective laparoscopic cholecystectomy are more likely to require conversion. Finally, in an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, morbidly obese patients with chronic cholecystitis and a thickened gallbladder wall are more likely to require conversion. These factors can help counsel patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with regards to the probability of conversion to an open procedure.
Decreased microRNA-214 levels in breast cancer cells coincides with increased cell proliferation, invasion and accumulation of the Polycomb Ezh2 methyltransferase.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, which regulate gene expression by inhibiting translation or promoting degradation of specific target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Alteration of the levels of a number of miRNAs is common in solid and hematological tumors. We have shown previously that miR-214 regulates Ezh2 in skeletal muscle and embryonic stem cells. The current study was aimed at examining the role of miR-214 in breast cancer where miR-214 levels are reduced but whether this phenomenon bears a functional relevance is unknown. MiR-214 expression was inversely correlated with Ezh2 mRNA and protein levels in breast cancer cell lines and at least one copy of the miR-214 alleles was found to be deleted in 24% (6/25) of primary breast tumors. Experimental increase of miR-214 in breast cancer cell lines correlated with reduction of Ezh2 protein levels, a known marker of invasion and aggressive breast cancer behavior. Supporting a direct targeting mechanism, miR-214 decreased luciferase activity from a construct containing the Ezh2 3′ untranslated region. Expression of miR-214 specifically reduced cell proliferation of breast cancer cells and inhibited the invasive potential of a highly metastatic breast cancer cell line. These findings indicate that reduced miR-214 levels may contribute to breast tumorigenesis by allowing abnormally elevated Ezh2 accumulation and subsequent unchecked cell proliferation and invasion.
Unidirectional Reflectance of Imperfectly Diffuse Surfaces

The unidirectional reflectance of an imperfectly diffuse surface is defined in terms of the surface radiance and the equivalent hemispherical radiance of the source. Equations relating the unidirectional reflectance to the directional reflectance, the polar and azimuthal angles for incident and reflected energy, and the voltage signal of a phototube detector are derived. A reflectometer is described for measuring the monochromatic unidirectional reflectance over the visible region of the spectrum and data of a magnesium oxide coating, two white paints, and a dull and polished aluminum surface are presented.
Bayesian inversion of data from effusive volcanic eruptions using physics‐based models: Application to Mount St. Helens 2004–2008

[1] Physics-based models of volcanic eruptions can directly link magmatic processes with diverse, time-varying geophysical observations, and when used in an inverse procedure make it possible to bring all available information to bear on estimating properties of the volcanic system. We develop a technique for inverting geodetic, extrusive flux, and other types of data using a physics-based model of an effusive silicic volcanic eruption to estimate the geometry, pressure, depth, and volatile content of a magma chamber, and properties of the conduit linking the chamber to the surface. A Bayesian inverse formulation makes it possible to easily incorporate independent information into the inversion, such as petrologic estimates of melt water content, and yields probabilistic estimates for model parameters and other properties of the volcano. Probability distributions are sampled using a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo algorithm. We apply the technique using GPS and extrusion data from the 2004–2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens. In contrast to more traditional inversions such as those involving geodetic data alone in combination with kinematic forward models, this technique is able to provide constraint on properties of the magma, including its volatile content, and on the absolute volume and pressure of the magma chamber. Results suggest a large chamber of >40 km3 with a centroid depth of 11–18 km and a dissolved water content at the top of the chamber of 2.6–4.9 wt%.
The Benefits of Clustering in Shared Address Space Multiprocessors: An Applications-Driven Investigation

Clustering processors together at a level of the memory hierarchy in shared address space multiprocessors appears to be an attractive technique from several standpoints: Resources are shared, packaging technologies are exploited, and processors within a cluster can share data more effectively. We investigate the performance benefits that can be obtained by clustering on a range of important scientific and engineering applications in moderate to large scale cache coherent machines with small degrees of clustering (up to one eighth of the total number of processors in a cluster). We find that except for applications with near neighbor communication topologies this degree of clustering is not very effective in reducing the inherent communication to computation ratios. Clustering is more useful in reducing the the number of remote capacity misses in unstructured applications, and can improve performance substantially when small first-level caches are clustered in these cases. This suggests that clustering at the first level cache might be useful in highly-integrated, relatively fine-grained environments. For less integrated machines such as current distributed shared memory multiprocessors, our results suggest that clustering at the first-level caches is not very useful in improving application performance; however our results also suggest that in an machine with long interprocessor communication latencies, clustering further away from the processor can provide performance benefits.
Designed Sequence-Specific Minor Groove Ligands

▪ Abstract In the past decade, a general design for sequence-specific minor groove ligands has evolved, based on the natural products distamycin and netropsin. By utilizing a basic set of design rules for connecting pyrrole, imidazole, and hydroxypyrrole modules, new ligands can be prepared to target almost any sequence of interest with both high affinity and specificity. In this review we present the design rules with a brief history of how they evolved. The structural basis for sequence-specific recognition is explained, together with developments that allow linking of recognition modules that enable targeting of long DNA sequences. Examples of the affinity and specificity that can be achieved with a number of variations on the basic design are given. Recently these molecules have been used to compete with proteins both in vitro and in vivo, and a brief description of the experimental results are given.
Hybrid nanoplasmonic-photonic resonators for efficient coupling of light to single plasmonic nanoresonators

We show that efficient coupling of lightwave is possible to an individual plasmonic nanoresonator in a hybrid plasmonic-photonic resonator structure. The proposed hybrid structure consists of a photonic microresonator strongly coupled to a plasmonic nanoresonator. The theory and simulation results show that more than 73% of the input power in the waveguide can be coupled to the localized resonance mode of the plasmonic nanoresonator.
Microfabrication and Characterization of SiO 2 Microcantilever for High Sensitive Moisture Sensor

As an outstanding sensor platform, surface-stress sensing microcantilevers have potential application in moisture detection. To enlarge the deflection of the microcantilever under surface stress induced by specific reactions, a new SiO2 microcantilever is developed which features a much lower Young's modulus than conventional Si or SiNx microcantilevers. For comparing SiO2 cantilever with Si cantilevers, simulation of the cantilever sensor is given, resulting in good agreement with the experimental data. To fabricate this device, a new fabrication process using isotropic combined with anisotropic dry etching to release the SiO2 microcantilever beam by ICP (inductively coupled plasma) was developed and investigated. Attributed to the high sensitivity, significant deflection amplitude of the surface modified SiO2 microcantilever was observed upon exposure to one percentage relative humidity.
A Climatology of Surface Cloud Radiative Effects at the ARM Tropical Western Pacific Sites

AbstractCloud radiative effects on surface downwelling fluxes are investigated using datasets from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) sites in the tropical western Pacific Ocean (TWP) region. The Nauru Island (Republic of Nauru) and Darwin, Australia, sites show large variability in sky cover, downwelling radiative fluxes, and surface cloud radiative effect (CRE) that is due to El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Australian monsoon, respectively, whereas the Manus Island (Papua New Guinea) site shows little intraseasonal or interannual variability. At Nauru, the average shortwave (SW) surface CRE varies from −38.2 W m−2 during La Nina conditions to −90.6 W m−2 during El Nino conditions. The average longwave (LW) CRE ranges from 9.5 to 15.8 W m−2 during La Nina and El Nino conditions, respectively. At Manus, the average SW and LW CREs vary by less than 5 and 2 W m−2, respectively, between the ENSO phases. The variability at Darwin is even larger than at Nauru, with average SW (LW) ...
From fuzzy logic to extended fuzzy logic - A first step

Fuzzy logic adds to bivalent logic an important capability - a capability to reason precisely with imperfect information. Imperfect information is information which in one or more respects is imprecise, uncertain, incomplete, unreliable, vague or partially true. In fuzzy logic, results of reasoning are expected to be provably valid, or p-valid for short. Extended fuzzy logic adds an equally important capability - a capability to reason imprecisely with imperfect information. This capability comes into play when precise reasoning is infeasible, excessively costly or unneeded. In extended fuzzy logic, p-validity of results is desirable but not required. What is admissible is a mode of reasoning which is fuzzily valid, or f-valid for short. Actually, much of everyday human reasoning is f-valid reasoning.