cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of global and partitioning schemes for scheduling rate monotonic tasks on a multiprocessor

The authors study GRMS, a global scheduling scheme for rate monotonic tasks on a multiprocessor. Several admission control algorithms for GRMS are presented, both for hard and soft real-time tasks. The average performance of these admission control algorithms is compared with the performance of known partitioning schemes. The result of these comparisons outlines some situations where one scheme is preferable over the other. Partitioning schemes are better suited for hard real-time systems, while a global scheme is preferable for soft real-time systems.
Isolation and sequence of canine xenopsin and an extended fragment from its precursor.

Abstract Canine xenopsin and a 27 residue segment of its precursor immediately surrounding the xenopsin moiety were isolated from acidic extracts of stomach. The six C-terminal residues of canine xenopsin, H-Phe-His-Pro-Lys-Arg-Pro-Trp-Ile-Leu-OH, were identical to those in Xenopus xenopsin Xenopus pro-xenopsin (∼33% homology) and to the related Xenopus precursors, pro-levitide, pro-PGL a , pro-magainin and pro-caerulein. These results, indicating evolutionary conservation of xenopsin and a portion of its precursor, suggest that this peptide has important biologic function(s).
Elevated Risk for Invasive Meningococcal Disease Among Persons With HIV

Background An association between HIV and invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) has been suggested by several previous studies but has not been fully described in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy in the United States. Objective To estimate the risk for IMD and death in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in New York City (NYC) and the contribution of CD4(+) cell count and viral load (VL) to IMD risk. Design Comparison of the incidence rate of IMD among PLWHA with that among HIV-uninfected persons. Surveillance data on IMD for patients aged 15 to 64 years from 2000 to 2011 were matched to death and HIV registries to calculate IMD risk and case-fatality ratios. A subset of PLWHA who had a CD4(+) cell count and VL measurement near the time of their IMD infection was included in age-matched case-control analyses to assess HIV markers and IMD risk. Setting Retrospective cohort from communicable disease surveillance. Patients 265 persons aged 15 to 64 years with IMD during 2000 to 2011. Measurements Meningococcal and HIV data abstracted from surveillance and registry databases, including CD4(+) cell counts and VL. Results The average annual incidence rate of IMD was 0.39 cases per 100 000 persons. The relative risk for IMD among PLWHA in NYC during 2000 to 2011 was 10.0 (95% CI, 7.2 to 14.1). Among PLWHA, patients with IMD were 5.3 times (CI, 1.4 to 20.4 times) as likely as age-matched control patients to have CD4(+) counts less than 0.200 × 10(9) cells/L. Limitation Missing data on smoking status and comorbidity. Conclusion People living with HIV/AIDS in NYC are at increased risk for IMD. Cost-effectiveness and vaccine efficacy studies are needed to evaluate the value of a national recommendation for routine meningococcal vaccination of PLWHA. Primary funding source New York City Tax Levy.
Splitting Factor Analysis and Multi-Class Boosting

We develop splitting factor analysis (SFA), a novel linear model selection technique for dimension reduction that seeks to optimize the discriminative ability of the nearest neighbor classifier for data classification and labeling. We also discuss methodology for data kernelization that can be used in conjunction with any model selection technique. Applied to SFA, it leads to KSFA, a powerful new technique for the analysis of datasets with essential nonlinearities underlying their structures. For computational efficiency in the analysis of large datasets, we combine weak KSFA classifiers with multi-class boosting techniques. Several applications to image-based classification are discussed.
Long-wave infrared imaging of vegetation for detecting leaking CO 2 gas

The commercial development of microbolometer uncooled long-wave thermal infrared imagers in conjuncture with advanced radiometric calibration methods developed at Montana State University has led to new uses of thermal imagery in remote sensing applications. A novel use of these calibrated imagers is imaging of vegetation for CO2 gas leak detection. During a four-week period in the summer of 2011, a CO2 leak was simulated in a test field run by the Zero Emissions Research and Technology Center in Bozeman, Montana. Thermal infrared images were acquired, along with visible and near-infrared reflectance images, of the exposed vegetation and healthy control vegetation. The increased root-level CO2 concentration causes plant stress that results in reduced thermal regulation of the vegetation, which is detectable as an increased diurnal variation of infrared emission. . In a linear regression, the infrared data were found to have a strong coefficient of determination and clearly show the effect of the CO2 on the vegetation.
Crystal structure of yeast Sco1

The Sco family of proteins are involved in the assembly of the dinuclear CuA site in cytochrome c oxidase (COX), the terminal enzyme in aerobic respiration. These proteins, which are found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, are characterized by a conserved CXXXC sequence motif that binds copper ions and that has also been proposed to perform a thiol:disulfide oxidoreductase function. The crystal structures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae apo Sco1 (apo-ySco1) and Sco1 in the presence of copper ions (Cu–ySco1) were determined to 1.8- and 2.3-A resolutions, respectively. Yeast Sco1 exhibits a thioredoxin-like fold, similar to that observed for human Sco1 and a homolog from Bacillus subtilis. The Cu–ySco1 structure, obtained by soaking apo-ySco1 crystals in copper ions, reveals an unexpected copper-binding site involving Cys181 and Cys216, cysteine residues present in ySco1 but not in other homologs. The conserved CXXXC cysteines, Cys148 and Cys152, can undergo redox chemistry in the crystal. An essential histidine residue, His239, is located on a highly flexible loop, denoted the Sco loop, and can adopt positions proximal to both pairs of cysteines. Interactions between ySco1 and its partner proteins yeast Cox17 and yeast COX2 are likely to occur via complementary electrostatic surfaces. This high-resolution model of a eukaryotic Sco protein provides new insight into Sco copper binding and function.
Anastrepha edentata and Other Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) Detected on Key Largo, Florida

Several Anastrepha species (Diptera: Tephritidae) are quarantine pests of commercial fruits in the New World. Florida is home to one such pest, the introduced Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Caribbean fruit fly), plus three other Anastrepha species that are not considered of economic importance (Foote et al. 1993; Sutton & Steck 2005). One of these latter species, Anastrepha edentata Stone, is particularly mysterious, as no host has ever been reported from anywhere in its known range of South Florida and Puerto Rico (Norrbom 2004). We attempted to document its phenology and discover its host(s) through bait trapping and rearing from fruit collections in Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, Key Largo, Florida, during 1994-1996. Some fruit samples were also taken from Long Key State Park, Long Key, Florida, during the same period and during earlier periods. Both areas are subtropical West Indian hardwood forests. Ten to 16 plastic McPhail traps baited with torula yeast/borax tablets dissolved in water were suspended on the branches of small trees. Traps were hung 2 m off the ground, placed at 50-100-m intervals along a narrow, unpaved trail in the park, and were checked weekly from 25 Feb 1994 to 23 Feb 1996. In total, 21 A. edentata adults were trapped on 10 different occasions (Table 1). This is the first substantial collection of the species since 1934-1937, when the fly was first discovered and trapped in relatively large numbers during an intensive fruit fly survey in South Florida (Brown 1937; Clark et al. 1996). The fly has been captured on only a handful of other occasions (see Norrbom 2007 and records of the Florida Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry (FDACS/ DPI) and Florida State Collection of Arthropods (FSCA)), despite extensive, routine fruit fly trapping in nearby suburban Key Largo plus other Florida Keys and large areas of Monroe
In Situ Degradation Kinetics: Evaluation of Rate Determination Procedure

Abstract In situ digestion profiles from dry matter, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber from alfalfa hay, and dry matter from orchardgrass hay were selected to compare methods to describe kinetically degradation rates. The four methods were 1) least squares regression of logarithmic-transformed residuals without correction for ruminally undegradable residue, 2) method 1, with correction for undegradable residue, 3) curve peeling, and 4) nonlinear iterative least squares regression. Not correcting data sets for undegraded residue resulted in rate constants for all chemical components of forage approximately one-third as fast compared with results correcting each fermentation point. Neutral detergent fiber of alfalfa hay and dry matter from orchardgrass hay exhibited single component linear degradation profiles; however, alfalfa hay dry matter and acid detergent fiber each exhibited two distinct linear component profiles. Methods 2, 3, and 4 estimated the following rate constants for alfalfa hay dry matter and acid detergent fiber: 7.5, 22.3, and 17.4%/h and 4.4, 25.2, and 8.8%/h, respectively. The nonlinear method tended to underestimate lag and potential extent of degradation to achieve a best fit curve for alfalfa acid detergent fiber and tended to overestimate potential extent of degradation when one linear component existed. One specific method may not be adequate to describe all degradation profiles.
Hypertension in Kazaks is more than just gene polymorphism.

Although matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression is found to be elevated after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the slow elevation of MMP levels and the lack of clinical outcome data do not currently make MMPs useful biomarkers for therapeutic decision making or risk stratification in ACS. They do, however, remain an active area of investigation as a therapeutic target. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
A role for leukotriene antagonists in atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing skin condition that affects over 2% of the population. The pathophysiology of this disease is not completely understood, but immunologic abnormalities and the subsequent release of inflammatory mediators play a central role. Treatment with glucocorticoids has long been the standard of care, but their use is limited by their adverse effect profile. Leukotrienes (LTB4, LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4) are metabolites of arachidonic acid produced through the 5-lipoxygenase pathway. They play an important role in inflammatory and atopic conditions. LT modulating agents have been used with success in asthma. Recently, there has been increased interest in the potential utility of LT antagonists in atopic dermatitis. In vitro and in vivo data have demonstrated that LTs may play a key role in atopic dermatitis. The 2 different types of LT-modulating agents are 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors and LT receptor antagonists. Since the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor acts at an earlier step in the LT synthetic pathway, it has the ability to alter the production of all the LTs, including LTB4, while the receptor antagonists target only the cysteinyl LTs, LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4. This reduction of LTB4 activity may point to a therapeutic advantage in using LT synthesis inhibitors as opposed to LT receptor antagonists for atopic dermatitis. Clinical evidence of the use of LT agents in atopic dermatitis is limited, but initial results have been promising and these agents may one day serve as corticosteroid-sparing treatments for atopic dermatitis.
Is intestinal neuronal dysplasia a disorder of the neuromuscular junction

Abstract Intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND) is a malformation of the enteric plexus and clinically resembles Hirschsprung's disease. The pathogenesis of IND is not known. There is no information available regarding the nature of the neuromuscular junction in this disease. The authors examined immunohistochemically full-thickness biopsy specimens from 14 patients (aged 3 weeks to 26 months) with IND and 10 age-matched controls, using monoclonal antibodies to growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43), synaptophysin, and neuralcell adhesion molecule (NCAM) as neuromuscular junction markers. In the normal bowel, GAP-43, synaptophysin, and NCAM immunoreactivity was abundant in the submucous and myenteric plexuses as well as in the muscularis mucosae and circular and longitudinal muscle layers. However, of the biopsy specimens from patients with IND, five had absence of GAP-43, synaptophysin, and NCAM immunoreactivity in muscularis mucosae and the circular and longitudinal muscle layers; five had no immunoreactivity in the longitudinal muscle; and four had no immunoreactivity in the muscularis mucosae. The submucous and myenteric plexuses of all patients with IND displayed strong immunoreactivity for GAP-43, synaptophysin, and NCAM. The findings demonstrate that patients with IND have defective innervation of the neuromuscular junction of the affected bowel.
Task-dependent impedance and implications for upper-limb prosthesis control

Modern-day prosthetic limbs are currently unable to imitate the versatile interaction behaviors of real human arms. Although humans can vary the impedance of their arms, commercially available prosthetic limbs have impedance properties that cannot be directly controlled by users. We investigate the hypothesis that user-selectable prosthesis impedance properties could improve the user's ability to interact effectively with a variety of environments. We report the results of a series of human subject studies exploring this hypothesis using either a virtual prosthesis or a robot arm as a prosthesis proxy. We observed human performance with different stiffness and damping levels in the prosthesis proxy in two one-degree-of-freedom tasks: (1) a force minimization task and (2) a trajectory tracking task. The virtual prosthesis studies focus on human performance in an ideal simulated system to avoid limitations of a physical implementation, whereas the robot arm study focuses on performance changes that result from limitations of physical robotic hardware. The virtual prosthesis results showed that task-dependent impedance can improve user performance and that users can evaluate the effects of changing impedance. The robot arm results showed similar performance benefits of task-dependent impedance in a physical robotic system. These studies identified areas in which non-ideal characteristics of the physical system limited users' performance; most notably, the physical system could not achieve the low damping levels that helped subjects reduce contact forces in the virtual prosthesis studies. Thus, we identify some design considerations for prostheses with user-selectable impedance that can achieve useful impedance ranges for improving user performance.
Microbial control of the fruit tree leafroller,Archips argyrospila [Lep.: Tortricidae] in California

Field populations of larvae of the fruit tree leafrollerArchips argyrospila (Wlk). were practically eliminated following spray application ofBacillus thuringiensis Berliner serotype III at 192 and 80×106 I.U. per litre on the host trees,Cercis occidentalis. Spray applications of lower rates ofB. thurienginsis serotype III at 18.9 and 32.1×106 I.U. per litre and mist application ofB. thuringiensis serotype 1 at 8.0 and 16.0×106 I.U. per litre gave partial control of populations ofA. argyrospila larvae. A granulosis typeBaculovirus, applied by hand sprayer at 1.4×109 granules/ml produced approximately 50% reduction of 5th instarA. argyrospila larvae onC. occidentalis trees. It was concluded thatB. thuringiensis and the granulosis typeBaculovirus are promising control agents forA. argyrospila larvae.
Improving the performance of interest point detectors with contrast stretching functions

The initial stage of many computer vision algorithms such as object recognition and tracking is to detect interest points on an image. Some of the existing interest point detection algorithms are robust to illumination variations to a certain extent. We have recently proposed the contrast stretching technique to improve the repeatability rate of the Harris corner detector under large illumination changes 5 . In this paper the contrast stretching technique has been incorporated into two scale invariant interest point detectors, specifically multi-scale Harris and multi-scale Hessian detectors. We show that, with the adoption of contrast stretching technique, the performances of these detectors improve not only under illumination variations but also under variations of viewpoint, scale, blur, and compression. In addition, we discuss GPU implementation of the proposed technique.
Genetic Basis of Natural Variation in D. melanogaster Antibacterial Immunity

Many genes involved in Drosophila melanogaster innate immune processes have been identified, but whether naturally occurring polymorphism in these genes leads to variation in immune competence among wild flies has not been tested. We report here substantial variability among wild-derived D. melanogaster in the ability to suppress infection by a Gram-negative entomopathogen, Serratia marcescens. Variability in immune competence was significantly associated with nucleotide polymorphism in 16 innate immunity genes, corresponding primarily to pathogen recognition and intracellular signaling loci, and substantial epistasis was detected between intracellular signaling and antimicrobial peptide genes. Variation in these genes, therefore, seems to drive variability in immunocompetence among wild Drosophila.
Electrode “Polarization” in Alkali‐Containing Glasses

A model is proposed to explain the phenomenon of electrode “polarization” in glasses containing alkali oxides. The application of a dc potential to Pt electrodes on an alkali-containing glass causes a large electric field to develop in the immediate vicinity of the anode. This high-field region is formed by local dissociation of the alkali oxides and displacement of the dissociated ions from the region. A major hypothesis of the model is that the nonbridging oxygen ions in this region can move and can determine the electrical characteristics of the sample. Large electric fields can also develop at a partially blocking cathode as a result of the pileup of alkali ions beneath the cathode surface. Permanent compositional changes occur near both electrodes under such conditions. The model was confirmed by dc electrical measurements, electron-microprobe data, and oxygen-evolution data. Important physical parameters of the model were calculated from the data.
Presynaptic Translation: Stepping Out of the Postsynaptic Shadow

The ability of the nervous system to convert transient experiences into long-lasting structural changes at the synapse relies upon protein synthesis. It has become increasingly clear that a critical subset of this synthesis occurs within the synaptic compartment. While this process has been extensively characterized in the postsynaptic compartment, the contribution of local translation to presynaptic function remains largely unexplored. However, recent evidence highlights the potential importance of translation within the presynaptic compartment. Work in cultured neurons has shown that presynaptic translation occurs specifically at synapses undergoing long-term plasticity and may contribute to the maintenance of nascent synapses. Studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that Fragile X proteins, which regulate mRNA localization and translation, are expressed at the presynaptic apparatus. Further, mRNAs encoding presynaptic proteins traffic into axons. Here we discuss recent advances in the study of presynaptic translation as well as the challenges confronting the field. Understanding the regulation of presynaptic function by local protein synthesis promises to shed new light on activity-dependent modification of synaptic architecture.
The contemplative organization

As part of a qualitative research project to map the use of contemplative practices in secular settings, in‐depth interviews were conducted with 79 people who have founded or lead organizations where contemplative practices play a key role. In a number of interviews, contemplative practices were introduced into the workplace not only as ancillary stress‐reduction techniques for individuals, but as a core part of the organization's structure. As interviewees described how their organizations function, a number of characteristics pointed toward “the contemplative organization” as an emerging model of an organization that infuses a contemplative approach into the workplace. Such an organization strives to incorporate contemplative practices into all aspects of work; embody and explore organizational mission and values; move between cycles of action and reflection; balance product with process; and have an organizational structure that reflects a contemplative philosophy. Interviewees also reported the impact...
Psychoneuroimmunology of depression: clinical implications.

Psychoneuroimmunology is a field that investigates the interactions between the brain and the immune system. One important goal of this field of research is to translate basic research in order to understand how behavior affects health and resistance to disease in humans. This review evaluates the impact of depression on morbidity and mortality risk and asks whether neuroimmune mechanisms contribute to this association. Examples are drawn from three diseases: cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, the potential for biobehavioral interventions to impact psychological adaptation and the course of immune related disease is discussed.
Kinetic Responses of β-Catenin Specify the Sites of Wnt Control

Despite more than 30 years of work on the Wnt signaling pathway, the basic mechanism of how the extracellular Wnt signal increases the intracellular concentration of β-catenin is still contentious. Circumventing much of the detailed biochemistry, we used basic principles of chemical kinetics coupled with quantitative measurements to define the reactions on β-catenin directly affected by the Wnt signal. We conclude that the core signal transduction mechanism is relatively simple, with only two regulated phosphorylation steps. Their partial inhibition gives rise to the full dynamics of the response and subsequently maintains a steady state in which the concentration of β-catenin is increased.
A pore‐scale numerical model for flow through porous media

A pore-scale numerical model based on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is described for modelling fluid flow phenomena in porous media. Originally developed for astrophysics applications, SPH is extended to model incompressible flows of low Reynolds number as encountered in groundwater flow systems. In this paper, an overview of SPH is provided and the required modifications for modelling flow through porous media are described, including treatment of viscosity, equation of state, and no-slip boundary conditions. The performance of the model is demonstrated for two-dimensional flow through idealized porous media composed of spatially periodic square and hexagonal arrays of cylinders. The results are in close agreement with solutions obtained using the finite element method and published solutions in the literature. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On multisystem coupling through function request shipping

In a multisystem database system with a function request shipping approach, the databases are partitioned among the multiple systems and a facility is provided to support the shipping of database requests among the systems. This is in contrast to a data sharing multisystem approach in which all systems have direct access to the shared database. The performance of the two approaches is compared, emphasizing generic issues that affect the function shipping approach. A methodology is presented for partitioning the databases and routing transactions among the systems so as to minimize the fraction of remote function calls, while balancing the load among systems. Estimates of the resulting remote function calls, mirror transaction setups, and multisystem two-phase commits are obtained. Results of simulation and approximate analysis are presented.
Methodology for evaluation of image segmentation algorithms on medical images

In this paper, we propose a methodology for evaluating medical image segmentation algorithms where the only information available is boundaries outlined by multiple expert observers. In this case, the results of the segmentation algorithm can be evaluated against the multiple observers' outlines. We have derived statistics to enable us to find whether the computer-generated boundaries agree with the observers' hand-outlined boundaries as much as the different observers agree with each other. We illustrate the use of this methodology by evaluating image segmentation algorithms on two different applications in ultrasound imaging. In the first application, we attempt to find the epicardial and endocardial boundaries from cardiac ultrasound images, and in the second application, our goal is to find the fetal skull boundaries from prenatal ultrasound images.
SPASE 2.0: a standard data model for space physics

SPASE—for Space Physics Archive Search and Extract—is a group with a charter to promote collaboration and sharing of data for the Space Plasma Physics community. A major activity is the definition of the SPASE Data Model which defines the metadata necessary to describe resources in the broader heliophysics data environment. The SPASE Data Model is primarily a controlled vocabulary with hierarchical relationships and with the ability to form associations between described resources. It is the result of many years of effort by an international collaboration (see http://www.spase-group.org) to unify and improve on existing Space and Solar Physics data models. The genesis of the SPASE group can be traced to 1998 when a small group of individuals saw a need for a data model. Today SPASE has a large international participation from many of the major space research organizations. The design of the data model is based on a set of principles derived from evaluation of the existing heliophysics data environment. The development guidelines for the data model are consistent with ISO-2788 (expanded in ANSI/NISO Z39.19) and the administration for the data model is comparable to that described in the ISO standards ISO-11179 and ISO-20943. Since the release of version 1.0 of the data model in 2005, the model has undergone a series of evolutions. SPASE released version 2.0 of its data model in April 2009. This version presents a significant change from the previous release. It includes the capability to describe a wider range of data products and to describe expert annotations which can be associated with a resource. Additional improvements include an enhanced capability to describe resource associations and a more unified approach to describing data products. Version 2.0 of the SPASE Data Model provides a solid foundation for continued integration of worldwide research activities and the open sharing of data.
Distribution of 13 trace metals in pig heart tissue

Abstract The concentrations of 13 trace metals in 17 discrete anatomic sites of 11 pig hearts have been determined by emission spectrometry. The metals determined were copper, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, chromium, nickel, cesium, barium, strontium, cadmium, aluminum, tin, and lead. Anatomic sites sampled included aorta, main pulmonary artery, right superior vena cava, tricuspid valve, mitral valve, pulmonary valve, aortic valve, right atrium, left atrial appendage, right ventricle (free wall), left ventricle (free wall), left ventricle-papillary muscle, interventricular septum, crista supraventricularis, sinus node, atrioventricular node and His bundle, and left bundle branch. Statistical analysis of the data incorporated a multivariate analysis of variance and a Duncan analysis. The results showed that certain tissues of the cardiovascular system have distinctive trace metal contents.
Schmid's law deviation in molybdenum

Abstract The observation that the critical resolved shear stress is dependent upon the text axis in body-centered cubic metals is important in developing an adequate theory of strength in these materials. Therefore, it is important that effects due to substructure or impurity variation on the yield stress be carefully separated from the true orientation dependence. This was accomplished by growing single crystals of molybdenum along the 〈110〉 axis so that specimens having either a 〈100〉 or 〈110〉 tensile axis could be prepared from the same parent single crystal. The yield strength of the crystals was then measured as a function of temperature from 78°K to 298°K. It was found that the CRSS in the 〈110〉 tensile axis was 30% greater than for the 〈100〉 tensile axis when tested at 78°K. This result differs greatly from previous work on crystals that had been grown along a specific axis and then mechanically tested along the same axis. The present results strongly indicate that much of the orientation effect of previous work is actually due to a variation in the impurity content of test specimens.
Transient decrease of liver cytosolic glutathione S-transferase activities in rats given 1,2-dibromoethane or CCl4

Abstract In vivo treatment of fasted male rats with 1,2-dibromoethane (DBE) (0.4 mmol/kg) or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) (4 mmol/kg) was found to rapidly alter the activities of liver cytosolic and microsomal glutathione S-transferases. Microsomal activites towards chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) were increased 2 h after either treatment. Cytosolic activities towards CDNB and 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene (DCNB), but not 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)-propane (ENPP), were selectively and transiently decreased after either treatment. Time course studies in DBE animals indicated that the decrease in cytosolic activity was not evident until 2 h although liver glutathione (GSH) concentrations were diminished within 15 min. In contrast, in CCl4 animals the decrease in cytosolic activity was evident within 15 min and was not accompanied by diminished GSH concentrations. By 4 h, cytosolic activities had rebounded to control levels in both DBE and CCl4-treated animals. Kinetic studies of the enzyme in liver cytosol from animals 2 h after treatment with DBE or CCl4 indicated that both treatments decreased the apparent Vmax while neither treatment altered the apparent Km. This pattern of change allows exclusion of a simple competitive mechanism of enzyme inhibition, but cannot distinguish between reversible non-competitive inhibition and irreversible inhibition. It is possible that the observed decreases in the activities of the abundant cytosal enzyme are due to ‘sacrificial’ covalent linkages between the enzyme and reactive metabolites of DBE or CCl4.
Channel characterization and modeling for satellite communications on the move

We present results from recent measurements of a 20 GHz satellite communications on-the-move channel. The measurements were made in late autumn 2004 in the vicinity of Boston, MA, where the elevation angle to the satellite is approximately 41deg. In approximately 25% of the data sets, the distribution of blocked intervals and the autocorrelation of the channel state are consistent with a two-state Markov model. Based on observations of the data, we propose guidelines for partitioning data sets to preserve stationarity of the statistics
Hybrid finite element formulation for periodic piezoelectric arrays subjected to fluid loading

The effect of fluid loading on a structure embedded with a periodic distribution of piezoelectric transducers is considered in a hybrid formulation that involves a finite element formulation for the structure and transducers that is coupled to an analytical series representation of the acoustic field in the fluid. The passive fluid loading redefines the stiffness matrix via a radiation impedance term. Modal analysis of the array can be effected for elastic vibrations, open and close circuited electrical boundary conditions. General damping in the stiffness as well as dielectric constants is considered. Sensor and actuator equations are then formulated. The sensor equation is illustrated for the case of a known incident plane harmonic wave obliquely incident on the array
Gastric banding in patients >65 years of age: The Cleveland clinic Florida experience

Purpose: Morbid obesity is rapidly becoming a major public health concern. Additionally, the incidence of obesity is further increasing in the older population. The aim of this study was to assess all patients who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) for morbid obesity who were 65 years of age to determine the benefit of this procedure in this patient population. Methods: From 1400 bariatric surgeries, we assessed 31 (2.21%) patients 65 years of age and older who underwent LAGB between 2001 and October 2004, after IRB approval. All procedures were performed laparoscopically and the INAMED band was use in each case. Results: The mean age was 70.25 years; the average initial body mass index (BMI) was 42 kg/m and the average of the last BMI taken was 35 kg/m (p 0.001). The mean postoperative follow-up period was 11 months; one patient died due to a severe cardiac arrhythmia. 97% of patients had 2 or more comorbidities: 17 had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), 13 had osteoarthritis (OA), 22 had hypertension (HTN), 13 had hypercholesterolemia (HCH), and 12 had diabetes. 88% of patients with OSA, 33% of those with OA, 29% with HCH, 57% with HTN, and 44% of the patients diabetes improved their condition. Conclusions: LAGB is a safe and beneficial procedure in the elderly population. PII: S1550-7289(05)00193-0
Anisotropy of gallium contributes to false classification with antimony and bismuth

Abstract As for most metals, the conductivity of liquid gallium is less than that of the solid phase. Those two have reported the reverse, and on this account have likened gallium to antimony and bismuth, are thought to have used values for a non-polycrystalline solid.
The Relationship of Job Satisfaction With Substitutes of Leadership, Leadership Behavior, and Work Motivation

Abstract A self-report questionnaire was administered to 125 adult Americans between the ages of 20 and 46 years, to examine the predictive values of substitutes of leadership, leadership behavior, and work motivation in relation to job satisfaction. The results of independent regression analyses revealed that all but subordinate substitutes were significant predictors of job satisfaction. In the stepwise analysis, task substitutes, organizational substitutes, consideration leadership behavior, initiating structure leadership behavior, and work motivation were significant and together accounted for 54% of the total variance of job satisfaction. In both the stepwise and independent analyses, work motivation (expectancy theory) and consideration leadership style affected levels of job satisfaction more than any other variables. The study included an analysis of the aggregate population by occupation. The individual results from assembly workers, middle managers, and executives were used to examine the predi...
Aminopyridines as acylation catalysts for tertiary alcohols

Abstract The acylation of unreactive alcohols with acid anhydrides is greatly facilitated by the addition of a catalytic (0.02–0.1 equivalent) amount of a 4-dialkylaminopyridine. The reaction is faster in nonpolar than in polar solvents and acetyl chloride is not as effective as acetic anhydride. Several pyridine, pyridazine, and quinoline derivatives have been examined as potential acylation catalysts. Of the systems examined, only a few of the 4-substituted pyridines were found to be acylation catalysts, the most effective being 4-pyrrolidinopyridine 4 and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-4-(4-pyridyl)guanidine 8. The reaction of t-butanol with an isocyanate is also accelerated by the presence of 4 but not as much as in the case of acylations. The cause of the pronounced effect of these pyridine species in catalyzing acylation reactions seems to be a combination of the increased donor ability of the 4-substituent and the stabilizing effect that this substituent has on an acyl pyridinium intermediate.
Predicting LER PSD caused by mask roughness using a mathematical model

ABSTRACT EUV masks have replicated multilayer roughness from the substrate or the deposition process which causeline edge roughness (LER) during imaging. We have developed a model, based on the assumption that theroughness is small, that is able to analytically calculate the LER and LER Power Spectral Density (PSD) forany illumination source, defocus, and pitch. We evaluated the model for typical mask roughness values andvaried illumination and other parameters to determine how the roughness induced LER behaves under di erentimaging conditions.Keywords: Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography, Mask Roughness, LER, Speckle, Power Spectral Density 1. INTRODUCTION Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) pushes photo-lithography resolution limits by reducing the wavelengthto 13.5 nm. Refractive optics are infeasible at this wavelength because most materials have an index of refractionnear 1 and strong absorbtion. Instead Si and Mo multilayers on a low thermal expansion substrate are used. EUVmasks, then, are mirrors made of reective multilayers. These mirrors may not be perfectly at due to roughnesson the substrate or roughness introduced during deposition of the multilayer. While an ideal multilayer wouldproduce a perfectly uniform wavefront, a roughened multilayer will produce a wavefront with phase roughness.
Radio frequency emissions from a runaway electron avalanche model compared with intense, transient signals from thunderstorms

[1] We present a one-dimensional model of a runaway electron avalanche in a thunderstorm electric field. Previous simulations have calculated the ionization rates and energy distribution functions for runaway electrons, for various atmospheric values of E/p, through the solution of the modified relativistic Boltzmann equation. We use the field- and pressure-dependent ionization rates in a hydrodynamic macroscopic treatment. The runaway electron avalanche modeled here includes the production of runaway and low-energy electrons, electric field relaxation, electron attachment, and runaway electron loss. The model ambient electric field is established from two disks of charge with a sinusoidally spatially varying charge density of 9 nC/m3 peak amplitude. The peak ambient electric field from this configuration is 538 kV/m at 5 km. The numerically calculated radio frequency radiation exhibits relativistic effects. We hypothesize that runaway electron avalanches are sources of intense HF/VHF impulses radiated from within electrified clouds. The results from this case study are compared with ground-based and FORTE satellite observations of HF and VHF radiation observed during the rise portion of narrow bipolar pulses (NBP). Given the specified rates and ambient environment, the radiation electric field HF and VHF spectra covering 3–25, 26–48, and 60–66 MHz are in agreement with observations for limited angular ranges. The modeled peak radiation electric field in the time domain is just below one standard deviation from the observed mean for NBPs.
8 Color, 10‐parameter flow cytometry to elucidate complex leukocyte heterogeneity

We developed the chemistry, instrumentation, and software technologies needed to measure, simultaneously and independently, eight different fluorescent molecules on individual cells. Conjugation of these fluorochromes to monoclonal antibodies is straightforward; all immunofluorescence staining is accomplished with direct stains only. We built a hybrid flow cytometer with eight fluorescence detectors and two light scatter channels, with excitation provided by three spatially separated laser beams emitting at 407 nm, 488 nm, and 595 nm. The fluorescence compensation required to make the data orthogonal is of sufficient complexity that it cannot be performed manually; thus, we use software to compensate the data post hoc, based on data collected from singly stained compensation control samples. In this report, we evaluate the 8 color staining technology. Of the seven fluorochromes other than fluorescein, six have a useful brightness at least as great as fluorescein. Three of the fluorochromes (phycoerythrin, allophycocyanin, and the Cy5 resonance energy tandem of phycoerythrin) are considerably brighter than fluorescein and are useful for detecting antigens expressed at low levels. Finally, we show the power and utility of the 8 color, 10-parameter technology using staining experiments on both human and murine immune systems. Cytometry 29:328‐339, 1997. r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of winds on stratification and circulation in a partially mixed estuary

[1] Numerical experiments are conducted to investigate how axial winds affect stratification and circulation in the partially mixed estuary of Chesapeake Bay. In the absence of rotational effects, stratification in the estuary decreases following both down-estuary and up-estuary winds, but stratification experiences larger reduction and takes longer to recover under up-estuary winds. In the presence of rotational effects, wind-driven lateral circulations cause the lateral straining of density field and weaken the shear in the along-channel flows. Under the down-estuary winds, a counterclockwise lateral circulation steepens isopycnals in the cross-channel sections, while the Coriolis force acting on it decelerates the downwind current in the surface layer and the upwind-directed current in the bottom layer. Under the up-estuary winds, a clockwise lateral circulation flattens isopycnals in the cross-channel sections and reduces the shear between the surface and bottom currents. Hence, in the presence of rotational effects, the lateral straining offsets the effects of longitudinal straining such that the asymmetry in stratification reduction is significantly reduced between the down-estuary and up-estuary winds. Regime diagrams based on Wedderburn (W) and Kelvin (Ke) numbers are constructed to summarize the net effects of winds on estuarine stratification during both wind perturbation and postwind adjustment periods.
Organ donation after cardiac death from withdrawal of life support in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Abstract Objective: Donation after cardiac death (DCD) or donation of organs after removal of life support is an accepted means of organ retrieval that usually occurs in the setting of sudden illness but has not been described in people with progressive neurologic illness. We report DCD in two people with progressive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: Case series at an academic medical center of two men with progressive ALS who underwent withdrawal of artificial life support, rapid cardiac death, and subsequent organ donation. The primary outcome was donation of organs in concordance with patient and family wishes. Results: Both patients underwent peaceful withdrawal of life support in the presence of family, and multiple organs were donated. Conclusions: Patients may legally and ethically refuse life-sustaining care. These patients considered their lives to be more burdensome than beneficial near the end of their lives, both carefully planned the time and circumstance of their deaths, and both...
The polarization properties of reflectance from coastal waters and the ocean-atmosphere system

The polarization characteristics of the water leaving radiance can provide information on bio-optical properties and composition of coastal water and can be used as well as a tool for the separation of chlorophyll fluorescence from elastic reflectance spectra. We report the results of simulations using a coupled ocean-atmosphere vector radiative transfer code (NASA GISS) to obtain the polarized reflectance for various water compositions typical for coastal zones, as function of wavelength and sun/sensor geometry. Results show that even for sensor orientations outside of the principal scattering plane, the polarization can nearly approach the maximum values observable in the principal scattering plane thereby minimizing undesirable sun glint effects. Simulations are complemented by laboratory and field measurements in Chesapeake Bay and near Sapelo Island, GA. We also report the results of the fluorescence retrieval from reflectance spectra using polarization discrimination as well as fluorescence line height (FLH) algorithms. Performance of these algorithms is analyzed in conjunction with the relationship between fluorescence magnitude and chlorophyll concentrations in the conditions typical for coastal waters.
Permeability evolution during the formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments

[1] Fluxes of gas, energy, and fluid (water with dissolved gas) are known to control the distribution of gas hydrate and free gas in gas hydrate reservoirs, but theoretical studies have so far not focused on the effect of sediment properties (e.g., permeability) on these fluxes during the formation of gas hydrate deposits. Using a transient, one-dimensional, two-phase (gas hydrate and fluid) numerical model based on a coupled conservation approach, we examine permeability clogging during gas hydrate formation in end-member porous media and fractures initially lacking hydrate and determine the resulting changes in fluid and advective energy flux. Gas hydrate accumulates most rapidly at depth in both systems, a result consistent with borehole logging and seismic studies on the Blake Ridge. Consideration of the ratio of surface area to fluid volume explains model results that imply more rapid permeability reduction in the porous media system and more uniform hydrate formation as a function of depth in the fracture system. Depending on fluid flux, fracture aperture, or pore sizes, and other factors, the timescale for permeability clogging due to the accumulation of gas hydrate ranges from thousands to millions of years. Regenerating gas hydrate to a concentration of 10–15% of pore space in marine settings with fluid fluxes characteristic of Hydrate Ridge or Blake Ridge requires 103–105 years, meaning that hydrate deposits in these settings cannot be viewed as a naturally renewable resource. These results also imply that significant time is required to reestablish gas hydrate deposits after large-scale dissociation events associated with global-scale climate change.