cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microstructure and performance of block copolymer modified epoxy coatings

Abstract The effects of two diblock copolymers, poly(ethylene-alt-propylene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEP–PEO) and poly(1,2-butadiene)-b-poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (PB–P2VP) on the mechanical properties of epoxy coatings were studied. Both modifiers self-assembled into spherical micelles of 10–20 nm diameter in cured bulk epoxy. This morphology was preserved in 15 μm thick coatings; however, micelle segregation to the coating/substrate interface was also observed. The critical strain energy release rate, G1c, of bulk thermosets was enhanced by up to fivefold with the addition of block copolymers. Likewise, the abrasive wear resistance of thin coatings increased with modifier inclusion. The results showed that at 5 wt.% of loading, block copolymers were able to impart a 40% increase in abrasive wear resistance to modified coatings over neat ones. Block copolymer modifiers did not sacrifice the modulus and glass transition temperature of bulk thermosets and coatings, or the hardness and transparency of coatings.
Ownership Patterns of U.S. Joint Ventures Abroad and the Liberalization of Foreign Government Regulations in the 1980s: Evidence from the Benchmark Surveys

Data from the Benchmark Surveys of the Commerce Department show the beginning of a global liberalization in government restrictions on foreign equity in the 1980s. This was manifested in a small but unmistakable across-the-board reduction in the share of 50-50 and minority affiliates out of all U.S. affiliates in a country. Across countries there remains a huge variation in this proportion, and the second part of the paper seeks to statistically explain this variation in a cross-sectional regression analysis.
Confocal imaging of xenobiotic transport across the choroid plexus.

Abstract “You can see a lot by looking.”—Yogi Berra Confocal microscopy is a tool by which the distribution of fluorescent compounds within living, complex tissues can be mapped at submicrometer resolution and quantitated. This laboratory has used confocal imaging and quantitative image analysis to visualize transport of xenobiotics across intact rat and mouse choroid plexus. For both organic anions and organic cations, transport from CSF to blood is a three-step process involving: uptake at the apical membrane of the epithelial cells, transcellular transport and efflux at the basolateral membrane. Both transmembrane steps are carrier-mediated and concentrative. In the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells, all fluorescent xenobiotics studied partition between diffuse and punctate compartments, some of which appear to be mobile. Use of confocal imaging in combination with transport inhibitors, treatments that alter metabolism and ion gradients and tissue from genetically altered mice, has allowed us to characterize transport at specific membrane sites and begin to identify the responsible transporters at the molecular level.
The Advanced Fuel Cycle Facility (AFCF) Role in the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), launched in February, 2006, proposes to introduce used nuclear fuel recycling in the United States (U.S.) with improved proliferation-resistance and a more effective waste management approach. This program is evaluating ways to close the fuel cycle in a manner that introduces the most advanced technologies of today and builds on recent breakthroughs in U.S. national laboratories while drawing on international and industry partnerships. Central to moving this advanced fuel recycling technology from the laboratory to commercial implementation is the development and siting of three proposed GNEP facilities: the Consolidated Fuel Treatment Center (CFTC), the Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR), and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Facility (AFCF). These three projects are envisioned to introduce used fuel separations, advanced fuel fabrication, and fast reactor technology in a manner that efficiently recycles material, produces the most energy out of the existing inventory of used fuel, and improves our ability to manage nuclear waste. The CFTC and ABR will depend on industry involvement and will not be covered by this paper. This paper will cover key considerations for the AFCF. The AFCF will provide the U.S. with the capabilities required to evaluate technologies that separate used fuel into reusable material and waste in a proliferation-resistant manner. The separations technology demonstration capability is coupled with a remote transmutation fuel fabrication demonstration capability in an integrated manner that demonstrates advanced safeguard technologies.© 2008 ASME
Joint Commission's requirements for warfarin dosing guidelines.

I wish to thank Wittkowsky et al.[1][1] for helping me clarify a point related to my article that appeared in AJHP .[2][2] First, readers should know that after my article was written (mid-2009), the Joint Commission revised National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) 3E and the written warfarin dosing
Cleavage Formation in Norway: The Contextual Dimension

To explore the mechanism underlying the formation and persistence of cleavage structures the author applies a contextual approach in the case of Norway where regional variation in political cleavages persists over time. This study focuses on the time period between 1890 and 1930, the formative years of the Norwegian party system. The premise of the argument is that a factor contributing to persisting patterns of electoral mobilization is the location of new voters in patterns of social interaction deriving from the class composition in different regions. Initial electoral mobilizations coupled with enduring social structures can be carried on for a long time. These social conditions may pose high costs of mobilization to new parties in a political system. The article shows the persistence of a distinct class composition across regions in Norway and demonstrates the contextual effect by examining the behaviour of new voters in the 1900 election. It evaluates the contextual argument against other party incentives for mobilization by means of a statistical model that incorporates contextual incentives in addition to incentives deriving from electoral rules and political competition.
Electronic Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring: A Primer for the Critical Care Nurse

Fetal assessment is an essential component of nursing care for a pregnant woman who is critically ill. If the fetus has reached the gestational age for which electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) is possible, intermittent or continuous fetal assessment with EFM may be used. Most nurses who specialize in adult intensive care nursing do not have the education or clinical experience to interpret EFM data. Collaboration with perinatal care providers is necessary to insure that fetal assessments are timely and accurate and that nursing interventions based on the data are appropriate. When perinatal providers participate as members of the team caring for critically ill pregnant women, terminology and physiologic parameters may be used that are not standard or routinely used in the ICU setting. The physiologic and hemodynamic changes that occur during pregnancy add another dimension to the nursing care required. This article reviews common terms used to describe fetal status and appropriate nursing interventions used in caring for the critically ill pregnant woman.
Laboratory experiments of tsunami run-up and withdrawal in patchy coastal forest on a steep beach

Laboratory experiments were carried out to study tsunami flow dynamics in the presence of patchy macro-roughness, representing coastal forest, on a 1:10 steep beach. The experimental setup included four cross-shore rows of roughness patches affixed to the dry beach in a staggered array, such that 12 % of the staggered array region had higher roughness. The flow field during run-up and withdrawal was quantified using point measurements of velocity and flow depth at 20 locations, while high-resolution video was used to track bore position during run-up. Data analysis revealed that while inundated area was marginally impacted when patchy roughness was present, flow depths and flow force were, respectively, increased by more than 40 and 30 % in some areas within the patch array; a decrease in flow force was also observed in some areas. Alongshore variation in flow depth, induced by the roughness patches, was most pronounced during withdrawal. These findings suggest that patchy macro-roughness, like that created by coastal forest, will simultaneously lead to increased protection in some areas and decreased protection in others.
Laser-induced selective nitration of three cycloalkanes

Nitrated compounds are used as explosives and propellants. Laser-induced chemistry possesses the potential to drive some reactions in an efficient and selective manner, and may be useful in driving nitration reactions toward specific products. The results of several successful attempts to laser induce the reactions of nitrogen oxides with three cycloalkanes are reported. Specifically, the tunable, continuous-wave carbon dioxide infrared laser was used to drive the reaction between nitrogen dioxide and cyclopropane, cyclobutane and cyclopentane under a variety of reaction conditions. The optimization analysis of the reaction conditions is presented. In addition to the formation of nitrocycloalkanes, the other products formed were either from ring cleavage or from nitration or oxidation of ring fragments. By examining the impact of various reaction conditions on the product arrays, it was possible to find optimum conditions for producing the nitrocycloalkanes while minimizing side products.
Perioperative hypnosis reduces hospitalization in patients undergoing the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum.

Purpose: To assess whether perioperative hypnosis can reduce the length of hospitalization and alter the need for postoperative analgesics in patients undergoing the Nuss procedure. Materials and M...
A 30-month follow-up of hyperactive children.

A 30-month follow-up study of 26 clinically selected hyperactive children was carried out to investigate sample composition and predictors of outcome. Outcome was measured in terms of continued need for stimulant medication at 30 months. Significant differences were found in the hyperactive group in terms of age, psychometric assessment, and family structure. A large number of hyperkinetic children came from single-parent families, but a significant proportion of these did not require medication. In the follow-up study, IQ was found to be the most important predictor of continued need for medication at 30 months. This indication of severity in the group still requiring medication at 30 months was confirmed by maternal, teacher and clinician ratings, and objective tests of sustained attention (vigilance) and inhibition. A large number of young hyperactives (aged 48–71 months) showed significant discrepancies, in both directions, between the verbal and performance components of the Wechsler IQ.
Endoscopic approach for carotid artery surgery

Although recent advances in the treatment of carotid artery stenosis have included endovascular angioplasty and stent placement, carotid endarterectomy is still the approach of choice for carotid disease and is one of the most commonly performed operations today. Minimally invasive surgeries involving the neck have recently been performed for thyroid and parathyroid diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an endoscopic approach for carotid artery surgery in a large animal model. Eight 25- to 30-kg pigs were used. Animals underwent endoscopic carotid dissection with carbon dioxide insufflation at 10 mmHg. A 1.5- to 2-cm arteriotomy was made in the common carotid artery. Four animals underwent direct arteriotomy closure, and four animals underwent synthetic patch graft placement using intracorporeal suturing techniques. Open examination of the operative site and carotid angiograms were performed at the end of the procedure. Operative time was recorded in the last four cases. All animals tolerated the procedure well and carotid artery repair was successfully performed in all cases using a four-trocar technique. The entire extent of the cervical common and internal carotid arteries was exposed up to the cranial base. Cranial nerves and cervical structures were clearly visualized and preserved. No bleeding occurred at the end of the procedure. Carotid giograms confirmed patent, nonstenotic vessels in all cases. Endoscopic approach for carotid surgery is technically feasible in the porcine model. This approach may represent a valuable option for surgery of the carotid artery since it offers the advantages of minimally invasive techniques while maintaining the benefits of surgical arterial repair.
Sterols in marine invertebrates. 49. Isolation and structure elucidation of eight new polyhydroxylated sterols from the soft coral Sinularia dissecta

1316 cm-'; MS, mle (relative intensity) 217 (M', 4), 175 (13), 174 (loo), 162 (16), 159 (28), 56 (15), 43 (36). Anal. Calcd for Cl3HI5NO2: C, 71.86; H, 6.86; N, 6.45. Found: C, 72.10; H, 6.98; N, 6.49. The ketone 32 was reduced in a similar way as that of 7a to give 33 (85%). 6,7-Dihydro-5hydroxy1,6,6-trimethyl-3,4-benzazepin-2(5H)-one (33): mp 188-189 "C (from ethanol); 'H NMR (CDC13) b 1.14 (s,3 H, MeCMe), 2.10 (s,3 H, MeCMe), 2.62 and 2.90 (ABq, J = 14 Hz, 2 H,NCH,),3.08 (9, 3 H,NMe),3.57 (8, 1 H,HCOH), 4.20 (s, 1 H, OH), 7.2-7.8 (m, 4 H, Ar H); IR (KBr) 3305 (OH), 1625 (amide), 1595, 1428, 1256, 1058 cm-l; MS, mle relative intensity) 219 (M', 100), 190 (61), 161 (56), 44 (100). Anal. Calcd for C13H1,N02: C, 71.20; H, 7.82; N, 6.39. Found C, 71.20; H,
The association between alcohol-related arrests and college football game days

Abstract Binge drinking has been tied to specific occasions, such as certain holidays and sporting events. However, previous research has relied almost exclusively upon self-reports of university students to document these associations. In order to address this limitation, the present study examined patterns of alcohol-related offenses occurring within the context of holidays and collegiate football games. Public arrest records from a university town with a successful NCAA Division I football program were examined for 30 days: 10 holidays, 10 college football “home game” days, and 10 control days. In total, 944 arrests were associated with the 30 study days. Results indicated football game days were associated with the highest number of arrests ( F = 24.76, 2/27 df, p SD = 35.4) arrests on each football game day, compared to 12.3 ( SD = 8.8) arrests on non-game “control Saturdays,” and 11.8 ( SD = 6.3) arrests on holidays. Offenses committed on game days generally occurred closer to the football stadium than crimes committed on holidays or control days ( F = 165.05, 2/941 df, p
Of Bodies, Families, and Communities: Refiguring the 1918 Influenza Pandemic

The Spanish influenza of 1918 has been called a "forgotten pandemic," lost in the archives amidst records of the Great War, the armistice, and the new era of modernity ushered in by these cata- clysmic events. It was not that Spanish flu did not keep pace with the war in terms of destruction of life. Estimates of the flu's death toll hover around fifty million people in a single year, while World War I was responsible for about eight and a half million casualties. 1 It was that the war had such a powerful hold on cultural memory. As Paul Fussell (quoting Vernon Scannell's poem, "The Great War") observes in The Great War and Modern Memory, "'The war that was called Great invades the mind . . .' and that war detaches itself from its normal location in chronology and its accepted set of causes and effects to become Great in another sense—all-encompassing, all- pervading, both internal and external at once, the essential condition of consciousness in the twentieth century." 2 The "Great Influenza," it seems, made for a less compelling story. Alfred W. Crosby points out its conspicuous absence from modern history textbooks and from the oeuvres of the great American writers in the 1920s. John Dos Passos, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway—none of these authors treated the flu in any detail in their work. 3 "It is especially puzzling," says Crosby dryly, "that among those Americans who let the pandemic slip their minds were many members of that group of supposedly hypersensitive young people who were to create some of the greatest masterpieces of American literature, i.e. 'the lost genera- tion' for so many of whom World War I, the other great killer of the era, was the central experience of their lives." 4 In his account, by the end of the decade, the pandemic seemed destined to become a mere footnote in literary history.
A prototype system for temporal reconstruction of financial accounting standards

Abstract This paper presents a prototype system to support the temporal reconstruction of financial accounting standards (FASs). The FASs have been subject to rapid expansion, increased complexity and frequent changes (amendments), which in combination make it difficult to determine the accurate rendering of FASs at specific points in time. The prototype allows a user to specify an FAS (e.g., SFAS 35) along with a date. In return, the system presents the user with an FAS that has been reconstructed to incorporate all amendments subsequent to the issuance of the original FAS, but as of the user specified date. The prototype, in effect, permits the dynamic and continuing codification of a particular FAS. Accounting principles must be applied to specific accounting problems that exist at specific points in time. This prototype enables the user to quickly determine the complete status of an FAS as of a user determined date.
The Effects of Semantic and Syntactic Instruction on User Performance and Satisfaction in Search User Interface Design

Search engines have the potential to assist users in a variety of information retrieval tasks. Unfortunately, field studies show that they consistently fail to meet the usability goals of effective and efficient performance. Two of the primary drawbacks are that users do not apply correct semantic logic and syntax in their queries. This study investigates the use of targeted search hints, a form of in-line help, to improve query construction. The results show that search hints can improve performance, but with interactions that designers must consider. Some hints increase the time required to construct queries. Compound hints can also lead to reduced performance. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Primary visual cortex volume and total neuron number are reduced in schizophrenia

A number of studies that assessed the visual system in subjects with schizophrenia found impairments in early visual processing. Furthermore, functional imaging studies suggested changes in primary visual cortex activity in subjects with schizophrenia. Interestingly, postmortem studies of subjects with schizophrenia reported an increased density of neurons in the primary visual cortex (Brodmann's area 17, BA17). The observed changes in visual processing may thus be reflected in structural changes in the circuitry of BA17. To characterize the structural changes further we used stereological methods based on unbiased principles of sampling (Cavalieri's principle and the optical fractionator) to estimate the total volume and neuron number of BA17 in postmortem brains from 10 subjects with schizophrenia and 10 matched normal comparison subjects. In addition, we assessed cortical thickness. We found a marked and significant reduction in total neuron number (25%) and volume (22%) of BA17 in the schizophrenia group relative to the normal comparison subjects. In contrast, we found no changes in neuronal density or cortical thickness between the two groups. Subjects with schizophrenia therefore have a smaller cortical area allocated to primary visual perception. This finding suggests the existence of a schizophrenia-related change in cortical parcellation.
Optimizing the Intrinsic Signal-to-Noise Ratio of MRI Strip Detectors

An MRI detector is formed from a conducting strip separated by a dielectric substrate from a ground plane, and tuned to a quarter-wavelength. By distributing discrete tuning elements along the strip, the geometric design may be adjusted to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a given application. Here a numerical electromagnetic (EM) method of moments (MoM) is applied to determine the length, width, substrate thickness, dielectric constant, and number of tuning elements that yield the best intrinsic SNR (ISNR) of the strip detector at 1.5 Tesla. The central question of how strip performance compares with that of a conventional optimized loop coil is also addressed. The numerical method is validated against the known ISNR performance of loop coils, and its ability to predict the tuning capacitances and performance of seven experimental strip detectors of varying length, width, substrate thickness, and dielectric constant. We find that strip detectors with low-dielectric constant, moderately thin-substrate, and length about 1.3 (±0.2) times the depth of interest perform best. The ISNR of strips is comparable to that of loops (i.e., higher close to the detector but lower at depth). The SNR improves with two inherently-decoupled strips, whose sensitivity profile is well-suited to parallel MRI. The findings are summarized as design “rules of thumb.”
Salmonid B lymphocytes demonstrate organ dependent functional heterogeneity.

Abstract The passive hemolytic plaque assay was used to examine the functional heterogeneity of antibody producing cells in salmonid immune organs. In this study, the antibody response to Vibrio anguillarum antigens was induced by the injection of a somatic antigen extract. This antigen was also coated onto sheep red blood cells (SRBC) for plaque forming cell (PFC) determination. Previous studies have demonstrated that this response is antibody dependent and antigen specific ( Kaattari and Irwin, 1985 ). The present study was focused upon the heterogeneity of antibody producing cells that arise in the spleen, anterior and posterior kidney of immunized coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ). The functional heterogeneity of lymphocytes was assessed by histogram analysis of the antigen inhibition profiles of the plaque forming responses. These analyses have revealed that the anterior kidney lymphocytes possess a much more restricted profile of antibody specificities than do lymphocytes from the posterior kidney or spleen. These data suggest that B cell repetoires differ among the immune organs of salmonids.
Monitoring surface reactions with scanning tunneling microscopy: CO oxidation on p(2 × 1)-O pre-covered Cu(110) at 400 K

Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is used to study the oxidation of CO on O pre-covered Cu(110) in the steady state at 400 K at the atomic level. There is a strong preference for CO to react with oxygen along the p(2 × 1) oxygen rows. The reaction appears to occur initially at the outer edge of an oxygen island, creating defects in the overlayer structure. Once created, oxygen overlayer defects are more reactive than non-defect sites and play a dominant role in sustaining the reaction. Copper atoms that make-up the p(2 × 1) oxygen overlayer structure add to terrace edges after oxygen supply is exhausted and do not form small Cu islands that could eventually lead to surface roughening.
Crewmember Trust in the Trident Submarine Internal Communication Subsystems during Normal and Emergency Operating Conditions

Submarine internal communications subsystems vary widely in their design and capabilities. As a result, submarine crews may feel that internal communications differ in reliability and place associated levels of trust in them, especially during emergency operating conditions. We examined a US Navy Trident submarine crew as they used the internal communications subsystems during a four-day period at sea. The results showed that crewmembers' level of trust in the submarine's internal communications subsystems was significantly reduced during emergency operating conditions. Specifically, we noted that the submarine's wire free communication system as well as its sound powered phone systems received the lowest trust ratings. Interviews conducted with the crewmembers revealed several problems associated with these types of communication subsystems. The most often cited problems included poor durability, maintainability, effective range, battery life, freedom of movement, and sound quality. Designers should addr...
Healing of the medial collateral ligament after a combined medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament: Comparison of repair and nonrepair of medial collateral ligament tears in rabbits

The optimal treatment for a combined injury of the medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments is controversial, and the question remains as to whether repair of the medial collateral ligament and reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament improves healing of the medial collateral ligament. We compared reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with and without repair of the medial collateral ligament in a rabbit model of a combined injury of these two ligaments. The anterior-posterior translation and varus-valgus rotation of the knee, the structural properties of the femur-medial collateral ligament-tibia complex, and the mechanical properties of the midsubstance of the medial collateral ligament were evaluated immediately after surgery and at 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Repair of the medial collateral ligament led to significantly less varus-valgus rotation of the knee than did no repair, but the anterior-posterior translation of the knees in the repair and nonrepair groups were not significantly different at any study time. At 12 weeks, the cross-sectional area and ultimate load in the repair group were 60 and 53% greater, respectively, than in the nonrepair group. Among 12 specimens that were repaired (six specimens at 6 weeks and six specimens at 12 weeks), failure occurred within the midsubstance in four (two at each time period); in all of the specimens that were not repaired, failure occurred at the tibial insertion site. There was no significant difference between the modulus of the midsubstance in the repaired and the nonrepaired medial collateral ligaments. Thus, the improved structural properties of the femur-medial collateral ligament-tibia complexes that were repaired resulted from an increase in cross-sectional area of the repaired medial collateral ligament and healing of the tibial insertion site. Postoperative healing time had little effect on the tensile properties. In this rabbit model, repair of the medial collateral ligament with reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament may lead to better healing of the medial collateral ligament in the early phase than does reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament alone.
Eccentric Circumpolar Vortices in a Barotropic Atmosphere

Recent investigations (LA SEUR, 1954) have shown that on many occasions the circulation of the middle troposphere possesses a marked eccentricity; i.e., the center of symmetry of the flow is found at a considerable distance from the geographic pole. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1958.tb02027.x
Induced density changes in 193-nm excimer-laser-damaged silica glass: a kinetic model

Silica glass exposed to pulsed UV excimer laser irradiation undergoes optical changes that can include either an optical path increase or a decrease. During a given exposure the sign of the induced optical path change can reverse as a function of pulse count. The reduced optical path and sign reversal are only observed in H 2 -containing glasses, and at high exposure fluence only optical path increase is observed. In past work we proposed an induced density change model invoking a dynamic equilibrium density to explain the high fluence experiments. Here we present a model that extends the density model to the low fluence regime by allowing the equilibrium density to be a function of the time-dependent break-up of the silica network during exposure. The network break-up is tracked by calculation of the induced SiH concentration in the glass. The agreement of optical path change obtained from experimental data with that deduced from the kinetic approach covers a wide range of exposure fluence and molecular hydrogen concentration. Using the model one can predict the change in optical path that arises from the excimer laser exposure.
Reactive surface area control of the dissolution kinetics of biogenic silica in deep-sea sediments

Abstract Flow-through dissolution experiments demonstrate that the specific reactive surface area of biogenic silica decreases significantly with depth in surficial sediments of the Southern Ocean. Specific surface areas obtained from nitrogen gas BET adsorption isotherms, however, do not exhibit the systematic changes of the specific reactive surface area inferred from the kinetic experiments. Furthermore, the decrease in surface reactivity of the siliceous skeleton fragments continues at depths in the sediments where there is no longer a net release of silicic acid to the pore waters. Thus, the specific reactive surface changes most likely reflect a progressive reduction of the surface density of reactive sites (aging) during burial, rather than the preferential dissolution of a more reactive fraction of siliceous debris deposited from the water column. The observed aging of the silica surfaces has important consequences for the benthic regeneration of nutrient silicic acid from deep-sea sediments.
Modulation spectroscopy using the beam-foil light source

When a beam of ions passes through a thin exciter foil, certain radiation emitted by the beam particles can exhibit time-periodic intensity variations. These variations can be induced by external E and H fields, or they can be the result of the field-free atomic structure itself. Intensity modulations observed so far in beam-foil spectroscopy can be divided into three classes: (1) Quantum mechanical interference of fine structure levels. This is a QM resonance arising from time-dependent populations of emitting states having different transition probabilities. The resonance is induced by external constant electric fields. (2) Initial coherent superpositions of radiating states. This results from the creation of ML alignment at the instant of excitation by the foil. The modulations are field free and are observed in polarized light. (3) Rotating electric dipole in a magnetic field. When alignment occurs, the intensity of the beam radiation after excitation satisfies the relation I(t) = = I0[1+Acos(2γHt)] e−αt. The modulation will be a function of the magnetic field H and the gyromagnetic ratio γ. These effects can be used to study Lamb shifts, g-values, fine structure levels, and interaction processes.
Ultrastructural analysis of β-amyloid-induced apoptosis in cultured hippocampal neurons

Abstract Following treatment with the β-amyloid (Aβ) 25–35 analog, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the morphological changes in cultured hippocampal neurons during the course of degeneration. Ultrastructural analysis revealed focal cell surface blebbing and rapid condensation of nuclear chromatin. Changes in cytoplasmic morphology included prominent vacuole formation, dispersal of polyribosome rosettes and the disappearance of the golgi complex, smooth endoplasmic reticulum and microtubules with increased cytoplasmic electron density. Mitochondria and limited rough endoplasmic reticulum remained intact throughout the process of cell death. These results provide additional evidence suggesting Aβ-induced cell death in vitro occurs via an apoptotic mechanism.
Establishment of uncertainty ranges and probability distributions of actinide solubilities for performance assessment in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

The Fracture-Matrix Transport (FMT) code developed at Sandia National Laboratories solves chemical equilibrium problems using the Pitzer activity coefficient model with a database containing actinide species. The code is capable of predicting actinide solubilities at 25 C in various ionic-strength solutions from dilute groundwaters to high-ionic-strength brines. The code uses oxidation state analogies, i.e., Am(III) is used to predict solubilities of actinides in the +III oxidation state; Th(IV) is used to predict solubilities of actinides in the +IV state; Np(V) is utilized to predict solubilities of actinides in the +V state. This code has been qualified for predicting actinide solubilities for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Compliance Certification Application in 1996, and Compliance Re-Certification Applications in 2004 and 2009. We have established revised actinide-solubility uncertainty ranges and probability distributions for Performance Assessment (PA) by comparing actinide solubilities predicted by the FMT code with solubility data in various solutions from the open literature. The literature data used in this study include solubilities in simple solutions (NaCl, NaHCO{sub 3}, Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, NaClO{sub 4}, KCl, K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, etc.), binary mixing solutions (NaCl+NaHCO{sub 3}, NaCl+Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, KCl+K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, etc.), ternary mixing solutions (NaCl+Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}+KCl, NaHCO{sub 3}+Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}+NaClO{submore » 4}, etc.), and multi-component synthetic brines relevant to the WIPP.« less
235-ring coupled-resonator optical waveguides

Silicon microring coupled-resonator optical waveguides (CROWs) with up to 235 unit cells are fabricated and measured. These are the longest CROW structures made, and both amplitude and group delay variation measurements are reported.
Effects of topiramate on sodium-dependent action-potential firing by mouse spinal cord neurons in cell culture.

Purpose The effects of topiramate (TPM) on sodium-dependent action potentials were studied by using cultured mouse spinal cord neurons. Methods The ability of TPM to limit (block) depolarization-induced spontaneous repetitive firing (SRF) was determined and compared with corresponding effects of phenytoin (PHT) and lamotrigine (LTG) in cultured mouse spinal neurons. Results Topiramate at concentrations of > or =3 microM caused a voltage-sensitive and time-dependent limitation of SRF that was associated with a decrease in the velocity of the upstroke of the action potential. At high concentrations (30-600 microM), TPM rapidly blocked SRF in about one third of the neurons tested and did not affect SRF in about one third. In some neurons, TPM caused an intermittent limitation (sputtering) of SRF (approximately 30% of the neurons) or blocked SRF only after a delay of several seconds (approximately 10%). This complex pattern of effects is distinctly different from that of PHT and LTG, in which the effect was always a rapid limitation or complete blockade of SRF. Another difference between TPM and the other anticonvulsants (AEDs) is that the effects of TPM were more dependent on the length of time the neurons were exposed to the compound and the intensity or duration of neuronal activity. Conclusions The results of this study do not support the concept that Na+ channel blockade is the primary mechanism responsible for the anticonvulsant activity of TPM.
Economic impact of pharmacist-reimbursed drug therapy modification

Objectives To determine (1) the frequency of the different types of drug therapy modification claims paid by a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM), (2) PBM cost savings and return on investment (ROI), and (3) patient savings from pharmacist-reimbursed drug therapy modifications. Design Cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive study. Setting Midwest United States in 2006. Patients Not applicable; 767 paid therapeutic interchange service claims from the PBM database were analyzed. Intervention Descriptive statistics for PBM costs and cost savings to the PBM and to patients were calculated using all prescription fills. Main outcome measure ROI calculated by dividing net savings across all fills by net costs. Results Claims were paid to pharmacists for drug therapy modifications to allow tablet splitting, drug therapy changes, and switching noncovered drugs. Tablet splitting provided the largest cost savings to the PBM, accounting for slightly more than one-third of the claims and representing more than one-half of the prescription fills. Switching drugs not covered provided the largest cost savings to patients. Overall, the PBM saved a mean of $20.31 per prescription fill, and patients saved $14.76 per prescription fill. Mean overall ROI to the PBM was 3.55. Conclusion Payment for pharmacist interventions can be an economic benefit for both patients and third-party payers. The cost savings for payers likely will dictate the endorsement of pharmacist-reimbursed programs and economic incentives offered to pharmacists and pharmacies.
Early identification of radiation accident victims for therapy of bone marrow failure

Ionizing radiation damages the lymphohematopoietic system via direct effects on viability and/or function of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and via abnormal production of cytokines (i.e., growth factors). Other tisues that have a rapid turnover (including the gastrointestinal tract and skin) are also profoundly affected by acute radiation exposure. A major issue in selection of appropriate therapy for bone marrow failure (i.e., the bone marrow syndrome) is early assessment of radiation dose. Although several biological markers are available for assessing dose received, the absolute polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) and/or lymphocyte counts, together with clinical presentation (i.e., time to onset of nausea and vomiting, etc.) still provide the most practical and timely assessment of radiation dose. Limited information is available regarding CD34-positive cell frequency as a measure of radiation-induced damage to the bone marrow. Since a subpopulation of radioresistant hematopoietic stem cells may persist after exposure to high-dose radiation, the primary goal of therapy is to provide an adequate number of lymphohematopoietic stem cells for a finite (rather than indefinite) period, after which endogenous stem cells may reinstate lymphohematopoiesis. A model is presented which describes the hypothesis that stem cell clonal repopulation over time is distinct in transplant recipients who have received moderate compared to high-dose radiation exposures. Since some individuals receiving high levels of radiation and presenting with rapidly declining PMN counts spontaneously recover lymphohematopoiesis, better tools (including CD34-positive cell analysis) must be developed to select the appropriate therapy for exposed individuals. Stem Cells 1997; 15(suppl 2): 275-285
Fluorescence enhancement of uridine diphosphogalactose 4-epimerase induced by specific sugars

Abstract It has been found that 5′-uridylic acid (5′-UMP) and some specific sugars, related to induction and repression of the biosynthesis of UDPGal-4-epimerase, exerted a concerted action on UDPGal-4-epimerase fluorescence. This is manifested by a severalfold increase of blue fluorescence due to bound DPNH of epimerase. Among the uridine nucleotides, 5′-UMP (at 10−4 m ) is highly active. Other 5′-mono- or diphosphonucleosides were much less active. Synthetic UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose were inactive. The specific sugars (10−2–10−3 m ) which show strong activity are d -fucose > d -galactose > d -glucose > d -xylose, and l -arabinose; l -fucose and sucrose are inactive.
Relationship of steroid and pituitary hormones to myocardial calcification in the mouse.

SummaryHydrocortisone administered at daily levels above 0.25 mg for 15 days consistently induced calcification of the myocardium in adolescent female mice. The male was less affected than the female and the concurrent administration of testosterone to the female alleviated the condition; ovariectomy afforded no protection to the heart. Both hydrocortisone and ACTH were quite ineffective in inducing the deposition of calcium in the heart of the hypophysectomized mouse. Moreover, the administration of growth hormone with hydrocortisone or ACTH aggravated this condition. Lactogenic hormone, DOCA and estradiol had no effect.
A Gigawatt-level solar power satellite using Intensified Efficient Conversion Architecture

An Intensified Efficient Conversion Architecture (InCA) is proposed as a way of obtaining the high values of specific power needed to make Space Solar Power (SSP) viable. Unlike photovoltaic conversion, where converter mass scales linearly with power, gas turbine conversion offers strong advantages in specific power at the Gigawatt levels needed for SSP. Cycle efficiencies of 80 percent can be reached with intensifed sunlight, existing high-temperature materials and a helium gas cycle. By combining the passive radiator part of the thermal management system with the collector and antenna structures, specific power of 1.61 kWe/ kg is predicted for a converter satellite delivering 1 GWe of AC power at the ground. Prospects exist for up to 3.4 kWe/kg. This compares to the 0.15 kW/kg of the best present-day conceptions of photovoltaic power converters. This approach promises to make full-scale SSP economically viable much earlier than expected from prior work.
Space charge effects in cyclotron gas stopper

Abstract The cyclotron gas stopper is a newly proposed device to stop energetic rare isotope ions from projectile fragmentation reactions in a helium-filled chamber [1] , [2] . The radioactive ions are slowed down by collisions using a buffer gas inside a cyclotron-type magnet and are extracted via interactions with a radio frequency (RF) field applied to a sequence of concentric electrodes (RF carpet). The present study focuses on a detailed understanding of space charge effects in the ion extraction region. The space charge is generated by the ionized helium gas created by the stopping of the ions and eventually limits the beam rate. Particle-in-cell simulations of a two-component (electron–helium) plasma interacting via Coulomb forces were performed in the space charge field created by the stopping beam.
Effect of competitive interactions between manganese and copper on cellular manganese and growth in estuarine and oceanic species of the diatom Thalassiosira1,2

We investigated the relationship between growth rate and cellular manganese concentrations for an estuarine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana (clone 3H) and a related oceanic species Thassiosira oceanica (clone 13-1). Both species were exposed to a matrix of low manganese and cupric ion activities using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-trace metal ion buffered seawater media. The growth rate of Mn-limited cultures was related to the cellular concentration of Mn, which in turn was directly related to manganese ion activity an d inversely to cupric ion activity. The interaction between manganese and cupric ion activities in controlling cellular manganese and growth rate could be explained quantitatively by competitive binding models in which copper competitively blocked either cellular manganese uptake or the binding of manganese within intracellular pools. Clone 13-1, isolated from Mn-poor Sargasso seawater, was able to grow more rapidly at low manganese ion activities than clone 3I-I, isolated from a eutrophic estuary, provided that cupric ion activity remained below ca. 10-l’ mol *liter-‘. Adaptation of 13-1 to growth at low Mn activities appeared to involve two mechanisms: a greater ability for cellular uptake of manganese and a lower cellular manganese requirement (i.e. Mn cell quota) for growth. Comparison of our data with estimates of manganese and cupric ion activities in marine waters suggests that manganese deficiency could be important in controlling phytoplankton growth rate or community composition in some marine waters.
Mutual-Information Noise Benefits in Brownian Models of Continuous and Spiking Neurons

The Ito calculus shows that noise benefits can occur in common models of continuous neurons and in random spiking neurons cast as stochastic differential equations. Additive Gaussian noise perturbs the neural dynamical systems as additive Brownian diffusions. The first of two theorems uses a global Lipschitz continuity condition to characterize a stochastic resonance (SR) noise benefit in models of continuous neurons that receive random subthreshold inputs. Brownian diffusions produce an SR noise benefit in the sense that they increase the neuron's mutual information or bit count if the noise mean falls within an interval that depends on model parameters. The second theorem extends an earlier SR result for the random spiking Fitz-Hugh-Nagumo neuron model by replacing a firing-rate approximation with exact stochastic dynamics. This gives an interval-based sufficient condition for an SR noise benefit.
Stability for semidiscrete Galerkin approximation of neutral delay equations

We consider the issue of stability for semidiscrete Galerkin approximations of neutral delay-differential equations. We recall recent results which show how a reforming of the energy state space can be used to obtain a dissipative inequality which implies exponential stability of the solution semigroup associated with the delay differential equation. We then show in detail how the norm is used to construct finite dimensional semidiscrete Galerliin approximations which preserve the stability behavior of the original neutral equation. In applications to optimal control problems, it is important that semi-discrete approximation schemes have this property.
REDfly: a Regulatory Element Database for Drosophila

Summary: Bioinformatics studies of transcriptional regulation in the metazoa are significantly hindered by the absence of readily available data on large numbers of transcriptional cis-regulatory modules (CRMs). Even the richly annotated Drosophila melanogaster genome lacks extensive CRM information. We therefore present here a database of Drosophila CRMs curated from the literature complete with both DNA sequence and a searchable description of the gene expression pattern regulated by each CRM. This resource should greatly facilitate the development of computational approaches to CRM discovery as well as bioinformatics analyses of regulatory sequence properties and evolution. Availability: http://redfly.ccr.buffalo.edu Contact: mshalfon@buffalo.edu
A comparison of two micromachined inductors (bar- and meander-type) for fully integrated boost DC/DC power converters

Two micromachined integrated inductors (bar- and meander-type) are realized on a silicon wafer by using modified, IC-compatible, multilevel metallization techniques. Efforts are made to minimize both the coil resistance and the magnetic reluctance by using thick electroplated conductors, cores, and vias. In the bar-type inductor, a 25-/spl mu/m thick nickel-iron permalloy magnetic core bar is wrapped with 30-/spl mu/m thick multilevel copper conductor lines. For an inductor size of 4 mm/spl times/1.0 mm/spl times/110 /spl mu/m thickness having 33 turns of multilevel coils, the achieved specific inductance is approximately 30 nH/mm/sup 2/ at 1 MHz. In the meander-type inductor, the roles of conductor wire and magnetic core are switched, i.e., a magnetic core is wrapped around a conductor wire. This inductor size is 4 mm/spl times/1.0 mm/spl times/130 /spl mu/m and consists of 30 turns of a 35-/spl mu/m thick nickel-iron permalloy magnetic core around a 10-/spl mu/m thick sputtered aluminum conductor lines. A specific inductance of 35 nH/mm/sup 2/ is achieved at a frequency of 1 MHz. Using these two inductors, switched DC/DC boost converters are demonstrated in a hybrid fashion. The obtained maximum output voltage is approximately double an input voltage of 3 V at switching frequencies of 300 kHz and a duty cycle of 50% for both inductors, demonstrating the usefulness of these integrated planar inductors.