cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exotic Corn Lines with Increased Resistant Starch and Impact on Starch Thermal Characteristics

AbstractTen parent corn lines, including four mutants (dull sugary2, amylose-extender sugary2, amylose-extender dull, and an amylose-extender with introgressed Guatemalen germplasm [GUAT ae]) and six lines with introgressed exotic germplasm backgrounds, were crossed with each other to create 20 progeny crosses to increase resistant starch (RS) as a dietary fiber in corn starch and to provide materials for thermal evaluation. The resistant starch 2 (RS2) values from the 10 parent lines were 18.3–52.2% and the values from the 20 progeny crosses were 16.6–34.0%. The %RS2 of parents was not additive in the offspring but greater RS2 in parents was correlated to greater RS2 in the progeny crosses (r = 0.63). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measured starch thermal characteristics, revealing positive correlations of peak gelatinization temperature and change in enthalpy with %RS2 (r = 0.65 and r = 0.67, P ≤ 0.05); however, % retrogradation (a measure of RS3) and retrogradation parameters did not correlate...
Entity based translation language model

Bridging the lexical gap between the user's question and the question-answer pairs in Q&A archives has been a major challenge for Q&A retrieval. State-of-the-art approaches address this issue by implicitly expanding the queries with additional words using statistical translation models. In this work we extend the lexical word based translation model to incorporate semantic concepts. We explore strategies to learn the translation probabilities between words and the concepts using the Q&A archives and Wikipedia. Experiments conducted on a large scale real data from Yahoo Answers! show that the proposed techniques are promising and need further investigation.
SOME PARAMETERS OF BEHAVIORAL CONTRAST AND ALLOCATION OF INTERIM BEHAVIOR IN RATS

Two experiments examined the effects of baseline reinforcement rate and component duration on behavioral contrast and on re-allocation of interim behavior in rats. Positive behavioral contrast occurred during multiple variable-interval 10-second extinction (VI 10 EXT) after a multiple VI 10 VI 10 baseline condition, but not during multiple VI 60 EXT following multiple VI 60 VI 60 baseline. Component duration had no significant effect on contrast. These results differed from those found in studies of pigeons' key pecking. Contrast was accompanied by an increased rate of drinking in the changed component, but drinking in the constant component did not decrease. These results are not consistent with the competition theory of contrast, but are consistent with the predictions based on the matching law. However, no current theory seems to account for all instances of behavioral contrast.
A history of low birth weight alters recovery following a future head injury: a case series.

Objective: Low birth weight (LBW; below 2500 grams) is a general risk factor for a variety of neurodevelopmental difficulties. However, these children may remain more vulnerable to neurologic and environmental insults occurring years later. This prospective case series reports on children who sustained a mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in middle childhood but who had also been born with birth weights below 2500 grams.Participants: Participants were 14 children with mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), 5 of whom had birth weights under 2500 grams (LBW) and 9 children with normal birth weight (NBW). All participants were drawn from a larger study on the long-term cognitive and behavioral impact of pediatric TBI and were matched on age, estimated socioeconomic status (SES), and severity of TBI (with NBW children actually having a slightly worse overall injury severity).Results: At baseline, both groups exhibited similar scores on WJ-R Letter Word Identification and C...
Is queueing theory dead

Abstract There have been reports of the demise of queueing theory. This paper presents the results of a search for the remains, and includes an inquiry into the facts of the case. We found that alleged victim (age 80) alive and thriving, and looking forward to another decade of vigorous activity.
Seismic Records of the 2004 Sumatra and Other Tsunamis: A Quantitative Study

Following the recent reports by YUAN et al. (2005) of recordings of the 2004 Sumatra tsunami on the horizontal components of coastal seismometers in the Indian Ocean basin, we build a much enhanced dataset extending into the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as far away as Bermuda and Hawaii, and also expanded to five additional events in the years 1995–2006. In order to interpret these records quantitatively, we propose that the instruments are responding to the combination of horizontal displacement, tilt and perturbation in gravity described by GILBERT (1980), and induced by the passage of the progressive tsunami wave over the ocean basin. In this crude approximation, we simply ignore the island or continent structure, and assume that the seismometer functions de facto as an ocean-bottom instrument. The records can then be interpreted in the framework of tsunami normal mode theory, and lead to acceptable estimates of the seismic moment of the parent earthquakes. We further demonstrate the feasibility of deconvolving the response of the ocean floor in order to reconstruct the time series of the tsunami wave height at the surface of the ocean, suggesting that island or coastal continental seismometers could complement the function of tsunameters.
A multi-server queueing model with server consultations

Abstract We consider a multi-server queueing model in which the arrivals occur according to a Markovian arrival process. One of the servers, henceforth referred to as the main server, offers consultation to fellow servers (referred to as regular servers) apart from serving the customers. A regular server may request a consultation only when serving a customer and is offered consultation on a first-come-first-served basis by the main server. The main server gives a preemptive priority to regular servers (for consulting) over customers. Thus, the main server can undergo interruptions during his/her servicing the customers. Under the assumptions of exponential services and consultations, the model is analyzed in steady-state using the well-known matrix-analytic methods. Illustrative numerical examples to bring out the qualitative nature of the model under study are presented.
The Role of Alternative Cost in Project Design and Selection

Introduction, 417. — I. The basic model, 418. — II. Choices only among explicit alternatives — government choice pre-emptive, 421. — III. Choices only among explicit alternatives — government choice determinative, 425. — IV. Addition of implicit alternatives, 427. — V. Summary and conclusions, 429.
Cloud-Level Penetrative Compressible Convection in the Venus Atmosphere

Abstract A two-dimensional, nonlinear, fully compressible model of a perfect gas is used to simulate cloud-level penetrative convection in the Venus atmosphere from 40 to 60 km altitude. Three cases with different amounts of solar heating are considered: 60%, 80%, and 100% subsolar heating conditions corresponding to maximum internally heated Rayleigh numbers of 4.0 × 106, 5.4 × 106, and 6.8 × 106, respectively. Cloud-level convection is characterized by cold, narrow downwellings that deeply penetrate (∼5 km) the underlying stable layer. The horizontal spacing of the downwellings is 15–30 km, an order of magnitude smaller than observed cloud-top cells in ultraviolet images. The penetrating head of the downflow is both mechanically forced upward and compressionally heated by the underlying stable layer. The local compressional heating rate induced by penetration is four orders of magnitude larger than the solar heating rate. Although slightly larger in magnitude, the calculated vertical velocities at 54-km...
Helping Teachers become Leaders.

For school improvement, more teachers need to function as leaders. Understanding the various dimensions of teacher leadership is requisite knowledge for encouraging the development of more teachers as leaders. Teacher leaders can fulfill multiple roles as they encounter obstacles in schools. The author addresses the challenge of supporting teachers in leadership roles, presents a model, and recommends ways for administrators and teacher educators to shape teacher leaders.
Formation of Formaldehyde in Interstellar Clouds

Formaldehyde is widely distributed in the Galaxy. In diffuse clouds, the densities seem to be typically several times 10−8 cm−3. To explain the presence of H2CO in dense clouds, Herbst and Klemperer1 have advocated the sequence of radiative association illustration followed by dissociative recombination illustration In reaction (1), the stabilisation is achieved by the emission of a photon produced in a vibrational transition and Herbst and Klemperer1 require a rate coefficient of about 10−17 cm3 s−1. Open image in new window Open image in new window
Model-independent jets plus missing energy searches

We present a proposal for performing model-independent jets plus missing energy searches. Currently, these searches are optimized for mSUGRA and are consequently not sensitive to all kinematically accessible regions of parameter space. We show that the reach of these searches can be broadened by setting limits on the differential cross section as a function of the total visible energy and the missing energy. These measurements only require knowledge of the relevant standard model backgrounds and can be subsequently used to limit any theoretical model of new physics. We apply this approach to an example where gluinos are pair-produced and decay to the LSP through a single-step cascade and show how sensitivity to different gluino masses is altered by the presence of the decay chain. The analysis is closely based upon the current searches done at the Tevatron and our proposal requires only small modifications to the existing techniques. We find that within the minimal supersymmetric standard model, the gluino can be as light as 125 GeV. The same techniques are applicable to jets and missing energy searches at the Large Hadron Collider.
Postcolonial Constructions of HIV/AIDS: Meaning, Culture, and Structure

As a field of inquiry, postcolonial health communication seeks to apprehend processes implicated in the construction of “primitive” versus “modern” with respect to issues of health. In the case of HIV/AIDS, the sociocultural representations of the disease have a profound impact on how the disease is configured medically and symbolically in dominant cultural imagination. Postcolonial constructions of disease are mobilized around the political and economic interests of the dominant power structures in global spaces. In this article, a thematic analysis of the constructions of HIV/AIDS in India in the mainstream U.S. news media was conducted. A corpus of news articles from the Lexis-Nexis database was created with the keywords “HIV,” “AIDS,” and “India.” Three themes emerged from the study: (a) India as a site of biomedical control; (b) the economic logics of HIV/AIDS; and (c) AIDS, development, and the “Third World.”
Lithium counteracts carbamazepine-induced leukopenia while increasing its therapeutic effect

A well-known and potentially therapeutic effect of lithium is its production of an absolute leukocytosis (Mayfield and Brown 1966; Murphy et al. 197 1; Shopsin et al. 197 1; Fisman et al. 1973; Perez-Cruet et al. 1978; Rossof and Fehit 1978; O’Connell 1979), probably as a direct result of pluripotent stem cell stimulation (Gallicchio and Chen 1980, 1981; Levitt and Quesenberry 1980), and/or enhanced colony-stimulating factor production (Harker et al. 1977; Richman et al. 198 1). This benign effect has been successfully employed in the treatment of a variety of conditions associated with depressed granulocytes, such as Felty’s syndrome (Gupta et al. 1975, 1976; Kaplan 1976), canine cyclic neutropenia (Hammond and Dale 1980, 1982), congenital neutropenia (Barrett et al. 1977), idiopathic granulocytopenia (Blicharski et al. 1980), cancer chemotherapy-induced granulocytopenia (Greco and Brereton 1977; Stein et al. 1977; Turner et al. 1979; Lee and Hopkins 1980; Lyman et al. 1980; Steinherz et al. 1980), and neuroleptic-induced granulocytopenia (Yassa et al. 1978; Yassa and Ananth 1981), although there are also reports of lithium’s lack of effect in a variety of granulocytopenic disorders (Kaplan 1976; Chan et al. 1980, 1981; Barrett 1980; Stein et al. 1981). Carbamazepine (CBZ; Tegretol), an imipraminelike anticonvulsant and antikindling agent attaining a growing respectability as an extremely effective treatment for a variety of psychiatric conditions (Tunks and Dermer 1977; Ballenger and Post 1980; Folks et al. 1982; Hakola and Laulumaa 1982; Lipinski and Pope 1982; Neppe 1982, 1983; Nolen 1983; Moss and James 1983; Garbutt and Lossen 1983; Keisling 1983; Post et al. 1983; Klein et al. 1984; Post and Uhde 1984), has had to contend with an early reputation as an inducer of both leukopenia and, rarely, aplastic anemia (Pisciotta 1975). Leukopenia occurs transiently in about 10% and persistently in about 2% of CBZ-treated patients and has not been shown to be associated with the development of aplastic anemia (Livingston et al. 1974; Hart and East 1982), a condition with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 20,000 (Pisciotta 1983) to 1 in 50,000 (Hart and Easton 1982). Joffe et al. (1985) have more recently documented the clinically insubstantial decreases in leukocytes secondary to CBZ.
Regulation of nitrate and ammonium uptake in the Greenland Sea

The uptake of nitrate and ammonium was investigated experimentally during early spring 1989 in the Greenland Sea, with particular attention placed on the roles of irradiance, nitrogen concentrations and nitrateammonium interactions. The phytoplankton assemblage was dominated by the colonial prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis pouchetii. Nitrate concentrations ranged from undetectable at the end of the cruise to greater than 10 μM, and ammonium levels ranged from less than 0.1 to 1.9μM. The uptake of both nitrate and ammonium as a function of irradiance was found to be a saturation response. Photoinhibition occurred and was found to be greater for ammonium uptake. Ammonium uptake also saturated at irradiance levels five times lower than those needed to saturate nitrate uptake. Nitrate and ammonium uptake as a function of nitrogen concentration also was characterized by a saturation response, with the estimated half-saturation constant (Ks) value for nitrate uptake being 0.29 μM. Elevated ammonium concentrations inhibited nitrate uptake, and the response appeared to be one of exponential decrease with increasing concentrations of ammonium. The most important factor in the Greenland Sea influencing ammonium uptake during the spring was irradiace, while both irradiance and ammonium concentrations played major roles in regulating nitrate uptake and new production.
Spectrally arbitrary patterns over finite fields

An n × n zero–nonzero pattern &#x1d49c; is spectrally arbitrary over a field &#x1d53d; provided that for each monic polynomial r(x)∈&#x1d53d;[x] of degree n, there exists a matrix A over &#x1d53d; with zero–nonzero pattern &#x1d49c; such that the characteristic polynomial p A (x) = r(x). In this article, we investigate several classes of zero–nonzero patterns over finite fields and algebraic extensions of ℚ. We prove that there are no spectrally arbitrary patterns over &#x1d53d;2 and show that the full 2 × 2 pattern is spectrally arbitrary over &#x1d53d; if and only if F contains at least five elements. We explore an n × n pattern with precisely 2n nonzero entries that is spectrally arbitrary over finite fields &#x1d53d; q with , as well as ℚ. We also investigate an interesting 3 × 3 pattern for which the algebraic structure of the finite field rather than just the size of the field is a critical factor in determining whether or not it is spectrally arbitrary. This pattern turns out to be spectrally arbitrary over
Understanding estimated glomerular filtration rate: implications for identifying chronic kidney disease.

Purpose of reviewGlomerular filtration rate (GFR) can be estimated using serum markers such as serum creatinine (SCr) or cystatin C. This review presents new insights into estimated GFR based on theory, validation studies, SCr assay standardization, cystatin C, and longitudinal comparison with measu
From phlogiston to caloric: chemical ontologies

The ‘triumph of the anti-phlogistians’ is a familiar story to the historians and philosophers of science who characterize the Chemical Revolution as a broad conceptual shift. The apparent “incommensurability” of the paradigms across the revolutionary divide has caused much anxiety. Chemists could identify phlogiston and oxygen, however, only with different sets of instrumental practices, theoretical schemes, and philosophical commitments. In addition, the substantive counterpart to phlogiston in the new chemistry was not oxygen, but caloric. By focusing on the changing visions of chemical body across the revolutionary divide with a more sensitive probe into the historical actors’ material manipulations and linguistic usage, we can historicize their laboratory realities and philosophical agenda. An archeology of chemical bodies that configures the fragile stability of the material worlds chemists created in succession promises a philosophical horizon that would recognize our hybrid (natural–artificial) environment as an evolving investigative object of science.
Strategies for integrating international material into the introductory women's studies course

Abstract Because the introductory women's studies course at the University of Arizona fulfills a general education requirement and enrolls large numbers of students not majoring in Women's Studies, certain strategies for using information by and about international women have proven more successful than others. A major first achievement has been the instructor's own literacy in and comfort with international/cross-cultural materials. This paper describes the reading materials and films that have proven effective, despite student resistance, and the evaluation tools used for assessing the success of this internationalizing process.
Lateral supracerebellar transtentorial approach to a middle fossa epidermoid tumor

A 40-year-old patient was admitted with a 9-month history of headaches and multiple episodes of generalized seizures. Investigations revealed a medial temporal epidermoid tumor that extended into the suprasellar region. The tumor was surgically resected using a lateral supracerebellar-transtentorial approach. The rationale for the surgical approach and its validity in this clinical situation is discussed.
MEMS resonators with extremely low vibration and shock sensitivity

MEMS resonator-based oscillators have demonstrated extreme low susceptibility to acceleration. Specifically, oscillators were built employing 100nm-gap electro-statically transduced polysilicon MEMS resonators. An oscillator based upon the Lame-mode of a square-shaped resonator anchored at four corners demonstrated a measured acceleration sensitivity of Γ in-plane = 2.1ppb/g and Γ out-of-plane =3.8ppb/g. An oscillator referencing the same design resonator with an additional anchor at the center measured even lower acceleration sensitivity by 5×, Γ out-of-plane = 0.74 ppb/g. These measured values are on-par with the current low-G sensitivity quartz-based oscillators. In separately performed drop tests, these oscillators have shown only −7.7 ppm frequency deviation through an 11,000G impact, which corresponds to an acceleration sensitivity of 0.70 ppb/g. Such extremely low sensitivity to vibrations and shocks enables the use MEMS resonators in environments with extremely high accelerations such as in military and aerospace applications.
Experience with Health Coach-Mediated Physician Referral in an Employed Insured Population

BACKGROUND Given increasing interest in helping consumers choose high-performing (higher quality, lower cost) physicians, one approach chosen by several large employers is to provide assistance in the form of a telephonic “health coach” — a registered nurse who assists with identifying appropriate and available providers.
Oxidation of vitamin E, vitamin C, and thiols in rat brain synaptosomes by peroxynitrite☆

Abstract Peroxynitrite is formed by the reaction of Superoxide with nitric oxide, an important neurotransmitter. Incubation of rat brain synaptosomes with peroxynitrite resulted in the consumption of antioxidant substances such as α-tocopherol, ascorbate, and thiols. Membrane cholesterol was not oxidized under the same conditions. α-Tocopherol and ascorbate in synaptosomes were oxidized very rapidly by peroxynitrite. In contrast, previous reports in the literature have shown that peroxynitrite treatment did not oxidize tocopherol in human plasma. Peroxynitrite in sufficient concentrations oxidized all of the tocopherol and ascorbate in synaptosomes. Thus, the oxidant is able to diffuse to the different membranes in synaptosomes and oxidize tocopherol in all of them. α-Tocopherol is converted quantitatively to tocopherolquinone during the oxidation. Significant amounts of thiols (at least 30% of the total thiols) do not seem to be accessible to oxidation by peroxynitrite. However, the concentration of thiols is much higher than those of tocopherol and ascorbate. Addition of the hydroxyl radical quenchers benzoate or mannitol or the enzymes Superoxide dismutase or catalase (alone or together) did not affect the oxidation of tocopherol and ascorbate by peroxynitrite, whereas cysteine and glutathione blocked the oxidation. Therefore, reactive oxygen species may not be directly involved as intermediates in oxidations induced by peroxynitrite. The latter is a potent oxidizing agent that can oxidize substances such as tocopherols, ascorbate, and thiols in the immediate vicinity of its formation. The antioxidant nutrients ascorbate and tocopherol could play important roles in protecting brain from oxidative damage induced by peroxynitrite.
A Long-Lived, Substrate-Hydroxylating Peroxodiiron(III/III) Intermediate in the Amine Oxygenase, AurF, from Streptomyces thioluteus

The amine oxygenase AurF from Streptomyces thioluteus catalyzes the six-electron oxidation of p-aminobenzoate (pABA) to p-nitrobenzoate (pNBA). In this work, we have studied the reaction of its reduced Fe2(II/II) cofactor with O2, which results in generation of a peroxo-Fe2(III/III) intermediate. In the absence of substrate, this intermediate is unusually stable (t1/2 = 7 min at 20 °C), allowing for its accumulation to almost stoichiometric amounts. Its decay is accelerated ∼105-fold by the substrate, pABA, implying that it is the complex that effects the two-electron oxidation of the amine to the hydroxylamine. The nearly quantitative conversion of pABA to pNBA by solutions containing an excess of the intermediate suggests that it may also be competent for the two subsequent two-electron oxidations leading to the product.
Optimal robust credible sets for contaminated priors

Abstract In robust Bayesian analysis, it is of interest to find the optimal robust credible set, viz: the smallest set with posterior probability at least, say γ, with respect to each prior in the class. Here, we derive the optimal robust credible set for the e-contamination class of priors with arbitrary contaminations.
Assembly and functionalization of 3D photonic crystals

A number of approaches, including holography and self-assembly, have been proposed as pathways to large area periodic structures, however, for many applications, simple self-assembled structures are not sufficient. It remains unclear how to add function to such structures in an efficient fashion, be this introduction of aperiodic features such as optical cavities and waveguides, functional materials including ferroelectrics, metals, and quantum dots, or the incorporation of high refractive index materials, for example Si and GaAs. In this paper I will focus on our latest results on the use of electrochemical deposition to form three-dimensionally periodic structures out of Ni. Details on emission from these structures can be found in [1]. In my lecture, I will also discuss optical manipulation, and DNA-directed assembly as pathways to complex 3D structures.
HIV-1 Tat promotes premature brain aging

Background It is estimated that by 2015, about half of all HIV-positive individuals will be older than 50 due to the introduction of the HAART. Yet those over 50 progress to AIDS faster than adults in their 20s or 30s, and those in the younger age bracket still exhibit illnesses and clinical conditions commonly associated with older people, such as HIVassociated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), certain cancers, liver and bones diseases. For the most part, the reasons for this have remained a mystery. In support of the eradication failure, studies showed the persistence of HIV-1 in brain cells as well as the presence of viral proteins in CSF. This notion was supported by the compelling neuropathological data suggesting that the loss of Synaptic Plasticity occurs with the ongoing presence of virus and despite HAART. Clinically, these neuropathological data manifest by a gradual loss of working memory and learning disability that may manifest by symptoms similar to the ones observed in aged brain. Anatomically, working memory and learning ability functions are assured by neurons of the hippocampus, a brain area known-to-be affected by HIV-1 proteins such as gp120.
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor inhibits osteoclastogenesis

MIF is an important regulator of innate and adaptive immunity, which is produced by a variety of cell types including activated T cells and macrophages. We examined the effects of MIF on osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow (BM) cultures from WT and MIF-deficient (KO) mice as well as the bone mass of MIF KO mice. Exogenous MIF inhibited osteoclast formation in BM cultures by decreasing fusion in cells that were treated with M-CSF and RANKL. However, inhibition of OCL formation by MIF treatment was not mediated by fusion-related molecules in heterogeneous bone marrow cultures. BM cultures from MIF KO mice that were treated with M-CSF and RANKL, PTH or vitamin D had significantly increased OCL number compared to cells from WT mice. MIF also significantly inhibited OCL formation in cultures of RAW 264.7 cells that were treated with RANKL. In addition, the number of CFU-GM and Mac-1(+) cells in the BM of MIF KO mice was greater than in WT controls. Trabecular bone volume (TBV) in the femurs and vertebrae of MIF KO mice was decreased compared to WT mice. In addition, serum bone resorption and formation markers were decreased in MIF KO mice compared to WT mice. These results demonstrate that MIF has inhibitory effects on OCL formation in vitro. We also found that BM cell cultures from MIF KO mice had an increased capacity to form osteoclasts. Furthermore, MIF KO animals had significantly decreased TBV with low turnover. We conclude that MIF is an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis in vitro, which may regulate bone turnover via indirect mechanism in vivo.
The laser gyro

One of the most dramatic recent developments in optical technology is the laser gyro, which combines the properties of the optical oscillator, the laser, and general relativity to produce an integrating rate gyroscope. This gyro measures rotation in inertial space, but does not use a spinning mass as conventional gyros do. Because of the absence of spinning mass, the gyro's performance is not affected by accelerations; and it can sense very high rates with great accuracy. Other important advantages of the laser gyro are lack of special cooling, low power consumption, and simplicity of construction.
Fine Structure and Biomineralization of the Mucilage in Envelopes of Trachelomonas lefevrei (Euglenophyceae)1

Envelope development in Trachelomonas lefevrei (Deflandre) begins with the production of short, coarse mucilaginous strands, morphologically similar to the mucilage produced by non-enveloped euglenoids. These initial mucilaginous secretions subsequently become impregnated with manganese (Mn) and/or iron (Fe). Continued mucilage secretion and mineralization results in a mature envelope that is characteristic for the species. When these mature envelopes are treated with oxalic acid to remove the Mn and Fe, the envelopes collapse and are composed only of short, coarse mucilaginous strands similar to those present during early stages of development, prior to their mineralization. Brief treatment with 10 mM EDTA renders dark envelopes colorless, and our EM-EDS analyses show that this corresponds to a loss of Mn from the envelope; however, if Fe is present in the envelope, it is unaffected by the brief treatment. The mucilage present during early stages of envelope development and that remaining after complete demineralization is also morphologically similar to the mucilage in the plug at the anterior end of the envelope.
Research and development at the structural materials information center

Abstract The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has initiated a Structural Aging Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to identify potential structural safety issues related to continued service of nuclear power plants and to establish criteria for evaluating and resolving these issues. One of the tasks in this program focuses on the establishment of a Structural Materials Information Center where long-term and environment-dependent properties of concretes and other structural materials are being collected and assembled into a data base. These properties will be used to evaluate the current condition of critical structural components in nuclear power plants and to estimate their future performance during the continued service period.
Charged Lepton Flavor Violation: Latest Results and Future Plans of the MEG Experiment

Abstract Charged lepton flavor violation processes are ideal probes for new physics due to the suppression of Standard Model backgrounds. Currently, the MEG collaboration is searching for μ + → e + γ decay with unprecedented precision and has recently published a new analysis based on data collected in the years 2009–2011. This resulted in an upper limit on the branching ratio of 5.7 · 10 −13 at 90% confidence level, which represents a four times more stringent limit than the previous world best limit set by MEG. The details behind this result, as well as the current status and future plans of theMEG experiment are reported here.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUBJECTS WITH EARLY ONSET PITUITARY DWARFISH (PD)

Congenital or early onset PD is relatively rare. We present below certain characteristics of 10 cases with very early onset of growth failure and GH deficiency, proven by two provocative tests:
Design of an Optimal Sequence of Interrelated Sampling Plans

Abstract A description is given of the interacting effects which exist between quality control stations associated with the various stages of manufacture of a product, and how these interactions influence the optimal choice of sampling plan for a given station. The applicability of the mathematical theory of dynamic programming to the design of an optimal sequence of such interrelated plans is demonstrated, along with a general description of this theory. In order to illustrate the dynamic programming solution procedure, a digital computer program is discussed which solves a simplified version of the above design problem. Extension of this program to the solution of more general multistage decision problems is also considered.
Use of a cyclic sulfite as an epoxide surrogate in the regioselective synthesis of a carbocyclic ring-enlarged 4′,1′a-methano oxetanocin analogue

Abstract Although cyclic sulfites are less reactive than their cyclic sulfate counterparts, the present work shows that cyclic sulfite 15a is a useful synthon for the convergent synthesis of carbocyclic nucleosides. Target compound 6, which represents a rigid carbocyclic nucleoside mimic of anti-HIV active 9-[2′,3′-dideoxy-3′-C-(hydroxymethyl)-β-erythro-pentofuranosyl]adenine (3), was obtained after regioselective ring opening of 15a with adenine and radical-induced deoxygenation of the extra hydroxyl group.
PIG--the pathogen interaction gateway.

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) play a vital role in initiating infection in a number of pathogens. Identifying which interactions allow a pathogen to infect its host can help us to understand methods of pathogenesis and provide potential targets for therapeutics. Public resources for studying host–pathogen systems, in particular PPIs, are scarce. To facilitate the study of host–pathogen PPIs, we have collected and integrated host–pathogen PPI (HP–PPI) data from a number of public resources to create the Pathogen Interaction Gateway (PIG). PIG provides a text based search and a BLAST interface for searching the HP–PPI data. Each entry in PIG includes information such as the functional annotations and the domains present in the interacting proteins. PIG provides links to external databases to allow for easy navigation among the various websites. Additionally, PIG includes a tool for visualizing a single HP–PPI network or two HP–PPI networks. PIG can be accessed at http://pig.vbi.vt.edu.
Computerized measurement of viscoelastic properties of macromolecular solutions: Frequency dependence over and extended range of solvent viscosity

The modified Birnboim transducer and a computerized data acquisition and processing system (DAPS) for the measurement of viscoelastic properties of macromolecular solutions are described. The apparatus has a continuous frequency range from 0.01 to ca. 700 Hz and a viscosity range from 2 to ca. 30,000 poise (sample volume 1 to 1.5 cm2). Sample temperature is controlled to within 0.002°C from −30°C to +80°C. Working displacements are 102 to 104 A. The DAPS is designed for precise determinations of the magnitudes and relative phasing of two sinusoidally time-varying electrical signals (0.02%, 0.02°, respectively, for signals > 2 V peak) from 10−2 to 105 Hz. Cross-correlation techniques are used for noise rejection. For frequencies below 30 Hz values of the storage (G') and loss (G″) components of the complex shear modulus (G*) of 1 dyne/cm2 are determined to within 10% and 4%, respectively, for liquids of moderately low viscosity. Proportionately higher measurement accuracies for typical values of G' and G″ and the wide frequency and viscosity ranges permit extrapolation to infinite dilution and studies of limited molecular flexibility for many polymer—solvent systems.
Predictions of Separated and Transitional Boundary Layers Under Low-Pressure Turbine Airfoil Conditions Using an Intermittency Transport Equation

A new transport equation for the intermittency factor was proposed to predict separated and transitional boundary layers under low-pressure turbine airfoil conditions. The intermittent behavior of the transitional flows is taken into account and incorporated into computations by modifying the eddy viscosity, t , with the intermittency factor, y. Turbulent quantities are predicted by using Menter s two-equation turbulence model (SST). The intermittency factor is obtained from a transport equation model, which not only can reproduce the experimentally observed streamwise variation of the intermittency in the transition zone, but also can provide a realistic cross-stream variation of the intermittency profile. In this paper, the intermittency model is used to predict a recent separated and transitional boundary layer experiment under low pressure turbine airfoil conditions. The experiment provides detailed measurements of velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and intermittency profiles for a number of Reynolds numbers and freestream turbulent intensity conditions and is suitable for validation purposes. Detailed comparisons of computational results with experimental data are presented and good agreements between the experiments and predictions are obtained.
Drugged druggists: The convergence of two criminal career trajectories

In-depth interviews with 50 recovering, drug-addicted pharmacists reveal two distinct paths of entry into drug use. One group (N = 23), termed “recreational abusers,” was drawn into the euphoric effects of prescription drugs. The other group (N = 27), termed “therapeutic self-medicators,” began using prescription drugs for medicinal reasons. These two distinct modes of entry eventually converged into a single, common criminal career trajectory with common themes observable among all mature deviants. Early differentiation, followed by subsequent convergence of behaviors and motivations, suggests that some theorists and practitioners alike may have erroneously concluded that they have discovered multiple, static types of crime and criminals when they in fact have examined a single criminal-deviant career at different points along its dynamic trajectory.
History of Evidence-Based Practices: An Interview with Jose Szapocznik.

This interview with Dr. Szapocznik reveals the importance of building an intervention on the foundation of empirical evidence and family systems theory. Szapocznik is the director of the Center for...
Time course of supine and standing shifts in total body, intracellular and extracellular water for a sample of healthy adults

Traditional tetrapolar bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) is performed with the participant supine for 10 min. New vertical analyzers are penetrating clinical, home and fitness markets, but have body water values that differ from supine reference measures. The minimum time standing prior to assessment does not appear in the literature. We investigated the time course of body water shifts in healthy adults undergoing 30-min assessments in supine and vertical positions. While seated, participants were prepped for standard tetrapolar electrode placement. Starting position was counterbalanced and body water measurements were taken every 5 min for 30 min in both positions. Participants sat for 2 min prior to switching positions. Of the 64 participants, three were unable to stand for 30 min; their data were excluded. Body size differences were minimized via computation of relative (%) change between time intervals for total body water (TBW), extracellular water (ECW) and intracellular water (ICW). ECW and ICW shifted in opposite directions while participants were supine; as ECW decreased at each time point, ICW increased (P<0.0125). Likewise, when participants stood, ECW increased incrementally (P<0.0125), but the decreases in ICW were not significant. At each time interval, the changes in supine ECW and ICW differed from the standing values (P<0.05). No postural or time differences were found for %change TBW. For TBW, 5 min appears sufficient for fluid stabilization in either position. Supine ECW and ICW stabilization require more than 30 min as does standing ECW.
Dissipative Melting as a Mechanism for Core Formation

Cosmochemical studies strongly favor a near-homogeneous accretion of the earth. These studies also show that core segregation probably occurred within the first 100,000 years of earth history. Mechanisms of core formation have received relatively little attention. The principal purpose of this paper is to examine dissipative melting as a possible mechanism for core segregation. For a large iron body migrating through the mantle, the potential energy lost by the body is dissipated by frictional heating. If the body has a radius greater than about 30 km, the frictional heating is sufficient to melt a path through which the body can fall. If the iron body is liquid (as expected) with a low viscosity, it would penetrate the mantle as a diapir. The problem of an immiscible liquid body melting its way through a solid is solved, and a family of diapir shapes is obtained. It is found that dissipative heating may be a viable mechanism for core segregation if sufficiently large bodies of liquid iron can form.
Cross-linking of C-terminal Residues of Phospholamban to the Ca2+ Pump of Cardiac Sarcoplasmic Reticulum to Probe Spatial and Functional Interactions within the Transmembrane Domain

Interactions between the transmembrane domains of phospholamban (PLB) and the cardiac Ca2+ pump (SERCA2a) have been investigated by chemical cross-linking. Specifically, C-terminal, transmembrane residues 45-52 of PLB were individually mutated to Cys, then cross-linked to V89C in the M2 helix of SERCA2a with the thiol-specific cross-linking reagents Cu2+-phenanthroline, dibromobimane, and bismaleimidohexane. V49C-, M50C-, and L52C-PLB all cross-linked strongly to V89C-SERCA2a, coupling to 70-100% of SERCA2a molecules. Residues 45-48 and 51 of PLB also cross-linked to V89C of SERCA2a, but more weakly. Evidence for the mechanism of PLB regulation of SERCA2a was provided by the conformational dependence of cross-linking. In particular, the required absence of Ca2+ for cross-linking implicated the E2 conformation of SERCA2a, and its enhancement by ATP confirmed E2 x ATP as the conformation with the highest affinity for PLB. In contrast, E2 phosphorylated with inorganic phosphate (E2P) and E2 inhibited by thapsigargin (E2 x TG) both failed to cross-link to PLB. These results with transmembrane PLB residues are completely consistent with cytoplasmic PLB residues studied previously, suggesting that the dissociation of PLB from the Ca2+ pump is complete, not partial, when the pump binds Ca2+ (E1 x Ca2) or adopts the E2P or E2 x TG conformations. V49C of PLB cross-linked to 100% of SERCA2a molecules, suggesting that this residue might have functional importance for regulation. Indeed, we found that mutation of Val49 to smaller side-chained residues V49A or V49G augmented PLB inhibition, whereas mutation to the larger hydrophobic residue, V49L, prevented PLB inhibition. A model for the interaction of PLB with SERCA2a is presented, showing that Val49 fits into a constriction at the lumenal end of the M2 helix of SERCA, possibly controlling access of PLB to its binding site on SERCA.
Heterojunction band lineups in Si-Ge alloys using spatially resolved electron-energy-loss spectroscopy

We describe a new method for determining band lineups at semiconductor heterojunctions, applicable to Si-Ge systems. Spatially resolved transmission electron-energy-loss spectroscopy is used to detect bulk core-to-conduction-band transitions in alloys. The core levels then provide relatively accurate ``reference levels'' for aligning bands across an interface. This approach eliminates the major sources of experimental uncertainty in other methods, while permitting the study of local regions within more complex structures (e.g., real devices). Valence-band offsets in Si-Ge systems are found to vary linearly with Ge content, reaching 0.78 eV (strain-averaged) for interfaces between pure Ge and Si.
Improved efficiency in micellar liquid chromatography using triethylamine and 1-butanol as mobile phase additives to reduce surfactant adsorption.

The effect of triethylamine as a mobile phase modifier on chromatographic efficiency in micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) is reported for nine different columns with various bonded stationary phases and silica pore sizes, including large-pore short alkyl chain, non-porous, and perfluorinated. Reduced plate height (h) versus reduced velocity (ν) plots were constructed for each column and the A' and C' terms calculated using a simplified Van Deemter equation introduced in our previous work. To further explore the practicality of using triethylamine in the micellar mobile phase, the efficiency of nine polar and non-polar substituted benzenes was studied on seven columns. Surfactant adsorption isotherms were measured for five columns with three micellar mobile phases to understand the relationship between adsorbed surfactant, mobile phase additive, and column efficiency. Clear improvements in efficiency were observed with the addition of 2% (v/v) triethylamine to a 1-butanol modified aqueous micellar mobile phase. This finding is supported by the lower amount of surfactant adsorbed onto the stationary phase when TEA is present in the mobile phase compared to an SDS only or a 1-butanol modified SDS mobile phase.
Interface properties of CVD grown graphene transferred onto MoS2(0001)

Heterostructures of dissimilar 2D materials are potential building blocks for novel materials and may enable the formation of new (photo)electronic device architectures. Previous work mainly focused on supporting graphene on insulating wide-band gap materials, such as hex-BN and mica. Here we investigate the interface between zero-band gap semiconductor graphene and band-gap semiconductor MoS2 as a potential building block for entirely 2D-material based semiconducting devices. We show that solution transfer results in water trapping at the interface which may be removed by annealing to ∼300 °C in a vacuum. After removal of the water, by high temperature annealing, ultraflat graphene is obtained on MoS2 with only a very weak moire pattern observable in scanning tunneling microscopy images due to lattice mismatch and random alignment of graphene with respect to the MoS2 substrate. Photoemission spectroscopy indicates interface dipole formation, p-type doping of graphene by ∼0.09 eV downward shift of the Fermi-level below the Dirac point, and a negative space charge region in bulk MoS2. Interestingly, valence band spectra of the graphene covered MoS2 surface indicate a band gap narrowing of the MoS2 surface by ∼0.1 eV. This band gap reduction at the surface is further evidence that interlayer van der Waals interactions critically influence the band structure of 2D-layered dichalcogenides and suggest that interfacing with dissimilar van der Waals materials allows tuning of their electronic properties.
Passive radiative cooling below ambient air temperature under direct sunlight

A multilayer photonic structure is described that strongly reflects incident sunlight while emitting heat selectively through an atmospheric transparency window to outer space; this leads to passive cooling under direct sunlight of 5 degrees Celsius below ambient air temperature, which has potential applications in air-conditioning and energy efficiency.
Transforming growth factor-beta blocks protein kinase-A-mediated iodide transport and protein kinase-C-mediated DNA synthesis in FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells.

Recent studies have shown that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) alters DNA synthesis and iodide metabolism in human, porcine, and rat thyroid cells. In the present work we studied the mechanism of TGF beta action in FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells. The cells were treated with TGF beta in the presence of TSH, growth factors, and cellular modulators for various periods of time; then, [3H]thymidine incorporation and DNA content were measured as indicators of DNA synthesis, and [125I]iodide uptake was measured to assess cell function. TGF beta (10 ng/ml) inhibited TSH-induced DNA synthesis and iodide uptake. TGF beta also inhibited DNA synthesis induced by insulin-like growth factor-I, fibroblast growth factor, and endothelial cell growth factor. The protein kinase-A (PKA) activator 8-bromo-cAMP increased both iodide uptake and DNA synthesis; TGF beta inhibited 8-bromo-cAMP-induced [125I]iodide uptake, but not [3H]thymidine incorporation. The protein kinase-C (PKC) activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate...
Error associated with a reduced order linear model of a spur gear pair

The paper proposes a reduced-order analytical model of a spur gear pair which consists of two identical spur gears, two identical flexible shafts, and four identical rolling element bearings of a given radial stiffness. The error associated with the undamped eigensolution is estimated by a comparison with a benchmark finite element model.