cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Haloaniline-induced in vitro nephrotoxicity: effects of 4-haloanilines and 3,5-dihaloanilines.

Haloanilines are widely used as chemical intermediates in the manufacture of pesticides, dyes and drugs. The purpose of this study was to examine the in vitro nephrotoxic effects of the four 4-haloaniline and four 3,5-dihaloaniline isomers using renal cortical slices obtained from the kidneys of untreated, male Fischer 344 rats. Renal cortical slices were incubated with a haloaniline hydrochloride (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mM, final concentration) or vehicle for 2 h, and toxicity determined by monitoring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and changes in tissue gluconeogenesis capacity. At the concentrations tested, none of the 4-haloanilines increased LDH release. 4-Bromoaniline reduced gluconeogenesis at the lowest concentration (0.1 mM), but 4-iodoaniline 2.0 mM induced the largest decrease in gluconeogenesis (92%↓). Among the 3,5-dihaloanilines, 3,5-dibromoaniline proved to be the most potent nephrotoxicant and 3,5-difluoroaniline the least potent nephrotoxicant. LDH release was increased by the dibromo (1.0 and 2.0 mM), dichloro (2.0 mM) and diiodo (2.0 mM) derivatives, but not by 3,5-difluoroaniline. These results demonstrate that 3,5-dihaloanilines are generally more potent nephrotoxicants in vitro than the 4-haloaniline isomers, and that bromo and iodo substitutions enhanced the nephrotoxic potential of aniline to the greatest degree.
Diagnosis of intraocular lymphoma.

Purpose: To review current techniques for the diagnosis of intraocular lymphoma. Methods: Literature review. Results: There are a limited number of small case series and case reports reporting the diagnosis of intraocular lymphoma. Limitations in the ability to diagnose lymphoma through cytologic examination of the vitreous has led to investigations into immunohistochemistry either manually or by automated cytofluorography, intraocular cytokine determinations, and polymerase chain reaction of the vitreous or tissue lymphoid cells to detect gene rearrangements in the IgH, bcl-2, or T-cell receptor gamma gene. Data regarding diagnostic efficiency of the various testing strategies is limited by small patient numbers. Careful handling of the vitreous specimen and adequate laboratory and pathological support is critical. Conclusions: Despite a proliferation of new techniques for the diagnosis of intraocular lymphoma, none is clearly superior. Use of multiple testing strategies may improve diagnostic yield.
PN junction formation in 6HSiC by acceptor implantation into n-type substrate

Abstract A1 and B implantations were performed into n-type 6H-bulk SiC and epitaxial layers at both room temperature and 850°C. Annealings were performed in the temperature range of 1100–1650°C in a SiC crucible. For single-energy implants, the implant gettered to the 0.7Rp location for annealing temperatures ≥1400°C. For the 850°C implanted samples the RBS yield in the annealed material is comparable to the yield in the as-grown material, indicating a good lattice recovery. A maximum activation of 18% for Al-implanted samples was observed. PN junction diodes were made using Al-implanted material.
The onset of Arctic sea-ice snowmelt as detected with passive- and active-microwave remote sensing

Daily acquisitions from satellite microwave sensors can be used to observe the spatial and temporal characteristics of the Arctic sea-ice snowmelt onset because the initial presence of liquid water in a dry snowpack causes a dramatic change in the active-and passive-microwave response. A daily sequence of backscatter coefficient images from the NASA scatterometer (NSCAT) clearly shows the spatially continuous progression of decreasing backscatter associated with snowmelt onset across the Arctic Ocean during spring 1997. A time series of the active NSCAT backscatter and a scattering index from the passive Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) show similar trends during the time of the melt onset. An NSCATsnowmelt-onset detection algorithm is developed using the derivative of the backscatter with respect to time to select a melt-onset date for each pixel, generating a melt map for the Arctic sea ice. Comparison between this melt map and one previously generated from an SSM/I scattering index shows the NSCAT algorithm predicts the onset occurs 1−10 days earlier than the SSM/I-based algorithm for most portions of multi-year ice.
Modular electron donor group tuning of frontier energy levels in diarylaminofluorenone push-pull molecules.

Push–pull organic molecules composed of electron donor diarylamines at the 2- and 2,7-positions of fluorenone exhibit intramolecular charge-transfer behaviour in static absorption and emission spectra. Electrochemical and spectral data combined in a modular electronic analysis model show how the donor HOMO and acceptor LUMO act as major determinants of the frontier molecular orbital energy levels.
The complexity and redundancy of epithelial barrier function.

Recent analyses of mummified or long-frozen human specimens have revealed that the outermost layer of our skin, the epidermis, is one of the most durable soft tissues of the body. The major function of the epidermis is to provide a protective barrier, and recent work now suggests that evolution has
The endolysosomal system and AMD: Insights from a novel genetically engineered mouse model

In phagocytic cells, the endolysosomal system is a crucial regulator of both phagocytosis and autophagy, thereby helping to maintain cellular homeostasis. Prime examples of this are retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells, which are not only among the most actively phagocytic cells, continuously phagocytosing shed photoreceptor outer segments (OS), but also are post-mitotic cells having high metabolic activity and a high rate of autophagy. For proper RPE function, and to ensure the functional integrity of the neural retina, both phagocytosis and autophagy need to be in balance. We show that in the RPE, bA3/A1-crystallin is required for normal lysosomal-mediated waste removal. Our studies suggest that bA3/A1-crystallin acts via the AMPK-mTORC1 signaling pathway. Based on our findings, we postulate that loss of bA3/A1-crystallin inhibits these signaling pathways, leading to a defect in the V-ATPase-mediated acidification of the lysosomal machinery. Since bA3/A1-crystallin has been reported to be present in human drusen and a possible role for lysosomes in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been suggested, it is possible that perturbation of normal phagocytosis/autophagy in RPE could cause some manifestations of AMD.
Evolution of cave living in Hawaiian Schrankia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) with description of a remarkable new cave species

Although temperate cave-adapted fauna may evolve as a result of climatic change, tropical cave dwellers probably colonize caves through adaptive shifts to exploit new resources. The founding populations may have traits that make colonization of underground spaces even more likely. To investigate the process of cave adaptation and the number of times that flightlessness has evolved in a group of reportedly flightless Hawaiian cave moths, we tested the flight ability of 54 Schrankia individuals from seven caves on two islands. Several caves on one island were sampled because separate caves could have been colonized by underground connections after flightlessness had already evolved. A phylogeny based on approximately 1500 bp of mtDNA and nDNA showed that Schrankia howarthi sp. nov. invaded caves on two islands, Maui and Hawaii. Cave-adapted adults are not consistently flightless but instead are polymorphic for flight ability. Although the new species appears well suited to underground living, some individuals were found living above ground as well. These individuals, which are capable of flight, suggest that this normally cave-limited species is able to colonize other, geographically separated caves via above-ground dispersal. This is the first example of an apparently cave-adapted species that occurs in caves on two separate Hawaiian islands. A revision of the other Hawaiian Schrankia is presented, revealing that Schrankia simplex, Schrankia oxygramma, Schrankia sarothrura, and Schrankia arrhecta are all junior synonyms of Schrankia altivolans. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 156, 114–139.
Improving cyclic performance of Si anode for lithium-ion batteries by forming an intermetallic skin

An intermetallic NiSix coating layer was introduced on the Si surface by sputtering Ni onto Si, followed by heat-treatment. The resulting chemically bonded NiSix layer, unlike physically coated layers that typically can crack and detach from Si surfaces upon repeated cycling, remains connected with the bulk Si as a skin-like protective surface.
An Approach to the Emotional Support of Fatally Ill Children

When children with leukemia were en couraged to ask questions about their ill ness, they asked many. These questions were straightforward, demonstrating their interest in learning about their illness, and emphasiz ing their need to place events in perspective. Much of the staff's initial fear and appre hension regarding their ability to deal with problems centering around life and death were gradually resolved as they began to ap proach these problems with the information gathered from the children rather than with the preconceived prejudices obtained from other adults.
Crack Bifurcation in Laminar Ceramic Composites

Crack bifurcation was observed in laminar ceramic composites when cracks entered thin Al2O3 layers sandwiched between thicker layers of Zr(12Ce)O2. The Al2O3 layers contained a biaxial, residual, compressive stress of ∼2 GPa developed due to differential contraction upon cooling from the processing temperature. The Zr(12Ce)O2 layers were nearly free of residual, tensile stresses because they were much thicker than the Al2O3 layers. The ceramic composites were fabricated by a green tape and codensification method. Different specimens were fabricated to examine the effect of the thickness of the Al2O3 layer on the bifurcation phenomena. Bar specimens were fractured in four-point bending. When the propagating crack encountered the Al2O3 layer, it bifurcated as it approached the Zr(12Ce)O2/ Al2O3 interface. After the crack bifurcated, it continued to propagate close to the center line of the Al2O3 layer. Fracture of the laminate continued after the primary crack reinitiated to propagate through the next Zr(12Ce)O2 layer, where it bifurcated again as it entered the next Al2O3 layer. If the loading was stopped during bifurcation, the specimen could be unloaded prior to complete fracture. Although the residual stresses were nearly identical in all Al2O3 layers, crack bifurcation was observed only when the layer thickness was greater than ∼70 μm.
Space Vehicle Environment

vised June 15, 1959. 60p. Presented at the National Summer Meeting of the Insti-tute of Aeronautical Sciences, Los Angeles, July 8-11, Various physical space attributes of the natural envronment in the solar system are estimated and discussed. A survey was made of the characteristics of solar radiations, the effects of solar and other thermal radiations on vehicle temperature, the characteristics of the earth's magnetic fields and other magnetic fields in space, the earth's exosphere and the solar corona, cosmic rays, and meteoroids. Estimates of the probability of vehicle skin penetration by meteoroids are aIso presented. (auth)
Integrals and derivatives for correlated Gaussian functions using matrix differential calculus

The matrix differential calculus is applied for the first time to a quantum chemical problem via new matrix derivations of integral formulas and gradients for Hamiltonian matrix elements in a basis of correlated Gaussian functions. Requisite mathematical background material on Kronecker products, Hadamard products, the vec and vech operators, linear structures, and matrix differential calculus is presented. New matrix forms for the kinetic and potential energy operators are presented. Integrals for overlap, kinetic energy, and potential energy matrix elements are derived in matrix form using matrix calculus. The gradient of the energy functional with respect to the correlated Gaussian exponent matrices is derived. Burdensome summation notation is entirely replaced with a compact matrix notation that is both theoretically and computationally insightful. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An electronic paging system for the hearing impaired

An electronic paging system which is used to assist teachers of hearing impaired students in a classroom setting is described. The system can be used by a teacher to alert a student that his or her attention should be diverted to another part of the classroom, be it toward the teacher, the blackboard, or some other location. The electronic paging system is a modified version of an electromagnetic loop system. The primary elements of the transmitter are a telephone keypad, tone generation chip and power amplifier. The primary elements of the receiver are two bandpass filters, an AND gate and a DC motor which serves as the vibrating element. >
A microprocessor design project in an introductory VLSI course

An introductory very large scale integration (VLSI) design course has been taught at the University of Michigan (USA) since 1980. In 1990, it was redesigned around a simple 8-bit microprocessor project in the format described in this paper; in 1996, the project was updated to a 16 bit reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor. The authors describe the course philosophy, content, and the baseline architecture from which class projects begin. The key features of the course are: close coordination of lectures and project activity; prompt and regular feedback on design work; and a schedule which spreads the workload over the full term. In this course, students learn VLSI fundamentals and good design methodology that will be important throughout their careers.
A satellite chronology of the May–June 2003 eruption of Anatahan volcano

Abstract The first recorded eruption of Anatahan began at approximately 17:00 local time on May 10, 2003. Here, we present observations made by a suite of Earth-orbiting satellites of the heat, ash and gas emitted from the volcano before, during and after the eruption. No thermal or sulphur dioxide emissions are apparent in MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder), EP TOMS (Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) satellite images acquired prior to the eruption. However, within 24 h of eruption onset, the University of Hawaii's near-real-time satellite thermal monitoring system ‘MODVOLC’ detected the eruption and confirmed Anatahan's eastern caldera as the center of the activity. Although the eruption was initially phreatic, it quickly transitioned into a magmatic phase that culminated in the emplacement of a dacitic lava dome. The onset of the magmatic phase is recorded by MODVOLC as an order of magnitude increase in the heat flux from the volcano after May 16, indicative of fresh lava at the surface, relative to low values (50–90 MW) observed during the initial phreatic phase. MODVOLC detected thermal emission from the volcano on a further 22 occasions during the next 2 weeks, allowing us to quantitatively document temporal variations in thermal output during the eruption. We use MODIS, EP TOMS and AIRS data to document ash and sulphur dioxide emissions from Anatahan covering the period May 10–June 13, 2003. Using daily satellite observations in conjunction with ground-based estimates, we arrive at a total SO 2 discharge of ∼ 0.51 Mt for the ∼ 1 month of activity, of which ∼ 0.11 Mt was emitted during activity on May 10–12. Decreases in measured SO 2 flux prior to the observation of a lava dome on June 4 indicate that the emerging dome may have blocked the upper conduit and inhibited degassing during this period. A new episode of dome growth was detected by MODVOLC on April 12, 2004. So far, the level of thermal emission during the recent period of activity is substantially lower than that observed during the May–June 2003 eruption.
Effects of dietary protein sources on mohair growth and body weight of yearling Angora doelings.

Fifty-one yearling Angora doelings (20+/-0.6kg initial body weight (BW)) were used to determine effects of different dietary protein sources on BW change and mohair growth. Diets consisted of approximately 40% roughage and 18-19% CP (DM basis), of which two-thirds was supplied by corn gluten meal (CG), cottonseed meal (CT), hydrolyzed feather meal (FT) or menhaden fish meal (FI); DM intake was restricted at approximately 0.7kg/day. During the 94-day experiment, fleece-free ADG was greatest (P 0.05) at 4 and 6h, but was generally lower for CG and FT than for CT and FI immediately before feeding (29, 33, 26 and 37mM; S.E. 2) and at 2h after feeding (44, 57, 45 and 51mM for CG, CT, FT and FI, respectively; S.E. 3). In conclusion, the different protein supplements had dissimilar effects on ADG (greatest for FI) and mohair growth (greatest for CG). Factors responsible for these results are unclear, and the range of experimental or production conditions under which comparable findings might occur are unknown and deserve further study.
Approach to the Patient with Persistent or Recurrent Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Reoperative parathyroid surgery may be required in patients who have persistent primary hyperparathyroidism after an unsuccessful operation and in patients who had an initially successful exploration but develop recurrent disease at an interval greater than 6 months postoperatively. Additionally, patients who have had significant surgery in the cervical region, particularly total thyroidectomy, should be considered in this group because they pose identical technical challenges that in the past have resulted in suboptimal cure and complication rates. These patients require a meticulous review of their historical, biochemical, imaging, and operative data to confirm the diagnosis, to evaluate the possibility of familial forms of hyperparathyroidism, and to confirm the indications for surgery. Once a patient is deemed an appropriate surgical candidate, sequential imaging is required to yield a roadmap to guide surgical intervention. These reoperative procedures require an experienced parathyroid surgeon armed with intraoperative adjuncts to locate the offending parathyroid gland(s) and remove them while minimizing collateral injury, particularly to the recurrent laryngeal nerves. These patients are also at increased risk of postoperative hypocalcemia that can be life-threatening. Despite these concerns, an experienced endocrine team can diagnose persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism, localize residual abnormal parathyroid glands, and perform surgical intervention with success and complication profiles that approximate those achieved in the unexplored patient.
Nano-mechanical Characterization of Polypropylene Fibers Exposed to Ultraviolet and Thermal Degradation

Nano-indentation studies using atomic force microscopy (AFM) was conducted to investigate the effect of accelerated ultra violet (UV) and thermal degradation on mechanical properties of Polypropylene textile fibers. The Polypropylene fibers with initial stabilizers were exposed to UV degradation using Q-UV Panel Weatherometer. The effect of degradation on gradation of Young’s modulus values across fiber cross-section was investigated by doing progressive nano-indentation from the surface to the center of the fiber. It was identified that UV degradation initially increases the Young’s modulus values from center to surface of the fibers until 120 hours of exposure and the values show decreasing trend at 144 hours of exposure. The Young’ modulus values at 144 hours of exposure are less than those of unexposed fibers. To investigate thermal degradation effect on Polypropylene fibers, the fibers were exposed to 125oC as a function of number of weeks in increments of one week to four weeks. Results indicate that the thermal exposure did not have much impact on variation of Young’s modulus values for the first three weeks and showed an increase in Young’ modulus values at the surface when they are exposed to four weeks. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Wide Angle X-ray Spectroscopy (WAXS) were performed to identify the oxidation bonds and crystallinity. The increase in Young’s modulus values of Polypropylene fibers exposed to UV and thermal degradation is attributed to increase in crystallinity.
Necrotizing Hepatitis in a Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia)

An adult male domestic pigeon (Columba livia) was presented for necropsy following natural death after a period of chronic weight loss and severe intestinal ascariasis. Histopathologic examination of the liver found moderate to marked, multifocal necrotizing hepatitis with large, basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. Transmission electron microscopy of affected hepatocytes demonstrated numerous intra- and perinuclear icosahedral virions arranged in a lattice structure, consistent with adenoviral infection.
Efficient PGA LFSR Implementation Whitens Pseudorandom Numbers

Linear feedback shift registers (LFSR) are commonly utilized in digital communication system simulations as noise and data sources because they are easily implemented and require minimal resources. However, the LFSR exhibits a deficiency common to all multiplicative congruential pseudorandom number generators (PNG). This class of PNG exhibits a correlation between successive values that gives an undesired low-pass characteristic to the generated sequence. This characteristic can affect the simulation results when whiteness of the pseudorandom random sequence is assumed. Several techniques have been proposed to mitigate this deficiency. In this paper we demonstrate how one of these proposed techniques, multiple-bit skip-ahead, can be efficiently implemented in programmable gate array hardware (PGA) so that under specific conditions, the computational complexity and required hardware resources are minimal.
An annotated bibliography of methods for analysing correlated categorical data

This paper provides an annotated bibliography of over 100 articles concerning methods for analysing correlated categorical response data. Most of the papers listed here concern categorical regression models and estimation, with particular emphasis on binary responses. The papers are classified by several characteristics which group them according to common themes. The bibliography serves as a reference of methods for analysts of correlated categorical data, as well as for persons interested in methodologic work in this active area of statistical research.
Robust and self-repairing formation control for swarms of mobile agents

We describe a decentralized algorithm for coordinating a swarm of identically-programmed mobile agents to spatially self-aggregate into arbitrary shapes using only local interactions. Our approach, called SHAPEBUGS, generates a consensus coordinate system by agents continually performing local trilaterations, and achieves shape formation by simultaneously allowing agents to disperse within the defined 2D shape using a Contained Gas Model. This approach has several novel features (1) agents can easily aggregate into arbitrary user-specified shapes, using a formation process that is independent of the number of agents (2) the system automatically adapts to influx and death of agents, as well as accidental displacement. We show that the consensus coordinate system is robust and provides reasonable accuracy in the face of significant sensor and movement error.
Fast top-k similarity queries via matrix compression

In this paper, we propose a novel method to efficiently compute the top-K most similar items given a query item, where similarity is defined by the set of items that have the highest vector inner products with the query. The task is related to the classical k-Nearest-Neighbor problem, and is widely applicable in a number of domains such as information retrieval, online advertising and collaborative filtering. Our method assumes an in-memory representation of the dataset and is designed to scale to query lengths of 100,000s of terms. Our algorithm uses a generalized Holder's inequality to upper bound the inner product with the norms of the constituent vectors. We also propose a novel compression scheme that computes bounds for groups of candidate items, thereby speeding up computation and minimizing memory requirements per query. We conduct extensive experiments on the publicly available Wikipedia dataset, and demonstrate that, with a memory overhead of 21%, our method can provide 1-3 orders of magnitude improvement in query run-time compared to naive methods and state of the art competing methods. Our median top-10 word query time is 25 us on 7.5 million words and 2.3 million documents.
Relation of Alleles of the Sodium-Potassium Adenosine Triphosphatase α2 Gene with Blood Pressure and Lead Exposure

Lead is associated with elevated blood pressure, although the mechanism of action is unknown. Genetic differences in sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na(+)-K(+)ATPase) could explain some of the variation in the strength of the blood pressure-blood lead relation that has been observed in previous studies. In 1996-1997, the authors studied the association of blood pressure, hypertension prevalence, and polymorphisms in the gene for the alpha 2 subunit of Na(+)-K(+)ATPase (ATP1A2) among 220 former organolead manufacturing workers from New Jersey. Subjects were genotyped for a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) on the ATP1A2 gene. The association between blood lead and blood pressure was stronger among persons who were homozygous for the variant allele. Genotype was also associated with hypertension (adjusted odds ratio = 7.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.9, 31.4). Finally, the variant allele was 1.8 times more common among African Americans than among Caucasians. The RFLP may indicate susceptibility to the effect of lead on blood pressure. Moreover, the alpha 2 gene (or a closely linked gene) may contribute to the pathophysiology of hypertension. However, because the number of subjects (especially African Americans) with the susceptible genotype in this study was small, these observations should be considered preliminary.
The Status of Women As Students and Professionals in Political Science

In the background stood the obvious fact, well documented elsewhere,' that in the progress over career development hurdles from undergraduate majors in political science through to active roles as adult professionals in the discipline, women show much more marked rates of attrition than men. Clearly a substantial proportion of the extra attrition arises because of a choice on the part of the female at one point or another in favor of a conventional sex role within the family, with a consequent abandonment of career aspirations. However, increasing numbers of women would like to maintain a mix of family and career roles, and there is reason to believe that the current structure of opportunities raises artificial obstacles to such professional participation, and loses important talent to the profession.
Coadministration of Sorafenib with Rottlerin Potently Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Migration in Human Malignant Glioma Cells

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase C (PKC) are activated in the majority of gliomas and contribute to tumor cell growth and survival. Sorafenib (Bay43-9006; Nexavar) is a dual-action Raf and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor that blocks receptor phosphorylation and MAPK-mediated signaling and inhibits growth in a number of tumor types. Because our initial studies of this agent in a series of glioma cell lines showed only partial growth inhibition at clinically achievable concentrations, we questioned whether inhibition of PKC signaling using the PKC-delta inhibitor rottlerin might potentiate therapeutic efficacy. Proliferation assays, apoptosis induction studies, and Western immunoblot analysis were conducted in cells treated with sorafenib and rottlerin as single agents or in combination. Sorafenib and rottlerin reduced proliferation in all cell lines when used as single agents, and the combination produced marked potentiation of growth inhibition. Flow-cytometric measurements of cells stained with Annexin V-propidium iodide and immunocytochemical assessment of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor release demonstrated that addition of rottlerin resulted in significantly higher levels of apoptosis than sorafenib alone. In addition, the combination of sorafenib and rottlerin reduced or completely inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and Akt and down-regulated cell cycle regulatory proteins such as cyclin-D1, cyclin-D3, cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk)4, and cdk6 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Our results clearly indicate that inhibition of PKC-delta signaling enhances the antiproliferative effect of sorafenib in malignant human glioma cell lines and support the examination of combinations of signaling inhibitors in these tumors.
Electromagnetic Resonances of a Straight Wire

With an interest in finding wires and distinguishing them from other electrically conducting objects, we have looked for an electromagnetic “fingerprint” in terms of resonances of a straight wire of length 2h and radius a. The resonances of the wire are formulated using the theory of the linear antenna, leading to an integral equation for the current on the wire. Complex-valued resonant frequencies are defined as those for which the homogeneous integral equation for the current on the wire has non-zero solutions. By applying a variational technique we obtain approximate numerical solutions for the resonant frequencies and their widths. A table of the first five resonances is given for several ratios of wire half-length h to wire radius a. In a subsequent paper we propose to extend the method described here to deal with wires on an earth-air interface, for example as used to command the detonation of improvised explosive devices.
Automatic generation of critical-path tests for a partial-scan microprocessor

We present our experiences generating scan-based critical-path tests for the partial-scan Alpha 21364 microprocessor, including the effects of crosstalk and multiple-inputs switching on path delay. Insufficient scan penetration made this difficult [D.Bhavsar (2002)], but a new ATPG algorithm increased our coverage. Comparison with actual silicon shows interesting results; we explain them with statistical analysis, factoring the effect of statistical process variation into the effects of crosstalk and multiple-input switching on delay. Finally, we draw conclusions about how to help make future designs amenable to speed testing.
The New Black Bourgeoisie

The emergence of a British ethnic minority business class over the past decade promises much for the future of black people, but may deliver very little in terms of material improvement. Like its U.S. counterpart, which grew in the aftermath of the 1960's disorders, the British Black bourgeoisie is a product of post-riot developments. Many members of Britain's Afro-Caribbean and South Asian populations have lost faith in their power collectively to change society and are focusing on improving themselves as individuals. But a hitherto undetected form of racism threatens to undermine the efforts of the Black bourgeoisie to turn its particular successes into something more permanent for the black population generally. Business owners are forced to practice "racism-by-proxy," deliberately excluding blacks from their workforces.
Codes of Ethics Can Be Unethical

The average person might assume that codes of professional ethics are themselves ethical. Indeed, one would expect such codes to be beacons of light that provide clear-cut guidance on ethical rules of conduct. Unfortunately, the facts can be quite different than the perceptions. Ethics codes can be used to perpetuate unethical practices like price-fixing, monopoly and restraints on trade. They can be self-serving tools that some profession uses to feather the nests of its members at the expense of the general public. Economists refer to this practice as rent-seeking. The author discusses the fact that codes of ethics have been used in the past to protect members of the profession rather than the public interest and cites examples.
Demineralization in tetraplegic and paraplegic man over time.

The aim of the present study was to compare bone mineral density (BMD in g/cm 2 ) in the lumbar spine and three hip regions of male spinal cord injured subjects at various times post injury to age-matched able-bodied controls and to correlate their BMDs to their age and level of their spinal cord lesion. Patients and controls were stratified into three 20 year age groups (20-39, 40-59, and 60 + years of age). BMD measurements were obtained using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, Lunar Model DPX). BMD levels taken within the first year of injury were not significantly lower than the age-matched able-bodies controls. The 20-39 year old patients injured longer than 1 year had significantly lower (P ≤ 0.01) BMDs in their femoral region than both their age matched controls and the 20 - 39 year old acutely injured (injured for less than 1 year) patients. Although femoral BMDs of both paraplegic and quadriplegic patients 40-59 and 60 + years of age decreased over time, none showed significant bone loss in this region until 10 years after their injury. These results indicate that spinal cord injury associated bone loss occurs most dramatically in the femoral region of young men. These results also indicate that initial bone mass loss does not occur prior to 1 year post-injury to the extent that it is detectable by densitometry, or at least it did not occur in our patients.
Development of High-K Inorganic/Organic Composite Material for Embedded Capacitors

次世代高密度パッケージなどのキャパシタ内蔵基板向けの層間絶縁材料として, サブμm以下のチタン酸バリウム (BaTiO3) 粒子をエポキシ樹脂に高充てん分散し高誘電率化した有機一無機複合材料の検討を行った。粒子表面状態制御によるマトリックス樹脂への良分散, 粒子粒径分布の最適化などを行い, 粒子を79体積%と高充てんした。膜厚10μmの試料において比誘電率は130 (1MHz) を得, 静電容量密度は10nF/cm2以上となった。高周波領域 (GHz) においても比誘電率は100以上であることを確認した。その他, 誘電特性の温度依存性, 機械特性, レーザ加工性についても評価した。
Influence of ashing techniques on the analysis of trace elements in biological samples : II. Dry ashing.

Dry ashing and wet ashing are two commonly used methods for the preparation of biological materials for trace element analysis by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In this paper, National Bureau of Standards (NBS) bovine liver was dry ashed at 450°C for 24 h in silica glass (Vycor) or procelain crucibles; the resulting ash was dissolved in either concentrated nitric or hydrochloric acid. Dry ashing efficiency was evaluated by comparing iron, copper, zinc, and manganese concentrations of the samples with the values certified by NBS. Highest recoveries were obtained by dry ashing in silica glass (Vycor) crucibles. Dissolving the resultant ash in either hydrochloric or nitric acids did not significantly alter the results. A comparison between dry and wet ashing shows the latter method to be superior for the preparation of biological tissues for analysis of iron, copper, zinc, and manganese.
Evaluation of antihypertensive drugs in dogs with angiotensin-induced hypertension.

SummaryMarked and sustained elevation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure results from the continuous iv infusion of angiotensin II in anesthetized dogs.The administration of hydralazine, sodium nitrite, and hexamethonium (10 mg/kg, iv) produced a fall in blood pressure in angiotensin-induced hypertensive dogs. However, hydralazine failed to produce a hypotensive response in normotensive dogs. This suggests the possibility that antihypertensive drugs may be evaluated in dogs made acutely hypertensive by angiotensin II infusion.
Role of epidural and patient-controlled analgesia in site-specific laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Limited data are available comparing epidural and patient-controlled analgesia in site-specific colorectal surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate 2 modes of analgesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic right colectomy (RC) and low anterior resection (LAR). METHODS Prospectively collected data on 433 patients undergoing laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted colon surgery at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed from March 2004 to February 2009. Patients were divided into groups undergoing RC (n = 175) and LAR (n = 258). These groups were evaluated by use of analgesia: epidural analgesia, "patient-controlled analgesia" alone, and a combination of both. Demographic and perioperative outcomes were compared. RESULTS Epidural analgesia was associated with a faster return of bowel function, by 1 day (P < .001), in patients who underwent LAR but not in the RC group. Delayed return of bowel function was associated with increased operative time in the LAR group (P = .05), patients with diabetes who underwent RC (P = .037), and patients after RC with combined analgesia (P = .011). Mean visual analogue scale pain scores were significantly lower with epidural analgesia compared with patient-controlled analgesia in both LAR and RC groups (P < .001). CONCLUSION Epidural analgesia was associated with a faster return of bowel function in the laparoscopic LAR group but not the RC group. Epidural analgesia was superior to patient-controlled analgesia in controlling postoperative pain but was inadequate in 28% of patients and needed the addition of patient-controlled analgesia.
A software frequency response analysis method to monitor degradation of power MOSFETs in basic single-switch converters

The efforts on more reliable power conversion systems are gaining momentum in the recent years. Majority of the studies concerning reliability of power switches focus on the package related failures, mainly caused by the thermal stress. The basic failure precursor for this type of stress has been identified as increased on-state resistance for power MOSFETs in recent literature. However, calculation of on-state resistance requires a voltage sensing circuit which can block the high voltage across the switch during off-state not to damage the measurement or control unit. This also limits the implementation as it requires additional hardware. This paper proposes a software frequency response analyzing algorithm to determine the health status of the power MOSFETs through evaluating the variation in the plant model using the same DSP that is used for control purposes. The proposed concept has been analyzed for basic single-switch converters, and experimentally verified on a dc/dc boost converter.
MRI with ferumoxytol: A single center experience of safety across the age spectrum

Purpose To summarize our single-center safety experience with the off-label use of ferumoxytol for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to compare the effects of ferumoxytol on monitored physiologic indices in patients under anesthesia with those of gadofosveset trisodium. Materials and Methods Consecutive patients who underwent ferumoxytol-enhanced (FE) MRI exams were included. Adverse events (AEs) were classified according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0. In a subgroup of patients examined under general anesthesia, recording of blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and end-tidal CO2 was performed. A comparable group of 23 patients who underwent gadofosveset-enhanced (GE) MRI under anesthesia with similar monitoring was also analyzed. Results In all, 217 unique patients, ages 3 days to 94 years, underwent FE-MRI. No ferumoxytol-related severe, life-threatening, or fatal AEs occurred acutely or at follow-up. Two patients developed ferumoxytol-related nausea. Between-group (FE- vs. GE-MRI) comparisons showed no statistical difference in heart rate (P = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 96–113 bpm), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (P = 0.74, 95% CI 44–52 mmHg), oxygen saturation (P = 0.76, 95% CI 94–98%), and end-tidal CO2 (P = 0.73, 95% CI 31–37 mmHg). No significant change in MAP (P = 0.12, 95% CI 50–58 mmHg) or heart rate (P = 0.25, 95% CI 91–105 bpm) was noted between slow infusion of ferumoxytol (n = 113) vs. bolus injection (n = 104). Conclusion In our single-center experience, no serious AEs occurred with the diagnostic use of ferumoxytol across a wide spectrum of age, renal function, and indications. Because of the limited sample size, firm conclusions cannot be drawn about the generalizability of our results. Thus, vigilance and monitoring are recommended to mitigate potential rare adverse reactions. Level of Evidence: 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;45:804–812.
An electronic microfluidic switch using dielectrophoresis for control of microparticles

By making use of the advantages offered by micro and nanotechnologies, we aim to develop technologies which will decrease cost, increase assay speed, and improve limit of detection in biomolecular assays. Increasing sensitivity can enable earlier detection, and also can allow for identification of low-abundance markers that are not detectable with current techniques. We have previously developed a microfluidic platform capable of detecting enzyme activity at the attomolar level [1]. In order to transform this technology into a high throughput multiplexed assay, while maintaining low cost, instead of using microfluidic valves which requires extensive tubing and external pumps, it is desirable to achieve fluidic control of microparticles electrically. Using modern VLSI techniques, routing of hundreds or even thousands of electrodes and interconnects on a silicon chip is trivial compared to the requirement of connecting hundreds of tubes to a fluidic chip, which can become a plumbers nightmare.
E23: More about Love and Death

I hope you did not take the DNA’s featured in my problem 22.5 to faithfully reflect reality. Remember, we are in the Illusory World of Mathematics! To whet your appetite for the problem, I invented the bacterium bacillus anthracis, causing anthrax (death), in problem 22.5.(A). In problem 22.5.(B), I went even further by imagining the bacterium bacillus amoris, causing love. I was inspired by a talk by a Ph.D. student Martin Klazar that I attended in 1996 during my long term visit of Charles University in the beautiful Prague, Czech Republic. Now Martin is a professor at that same university.
Pricing Networks with Selfish Routing

Abstract : We study the negative consequences of selfish behavior in networks and economic means of influencing such behavior. We focus on a simple model of selfish routing, defined by Wardrop and first studied from a theoretical computer science perspective by Roughgarden and Tardos. In this model, we are given a directed network in which each edge possesses a latency function, describing the common latency (delay) experienced by all traffic on the edge as a function of the edge congestion. There is a fixed amount of traffic wishing to travel from a source vertex s to a sink vertex t, and we assume that the traffic comprises a very large population of users, so that the actions of a single individual have negligible effect on network congestion. A common way to measure the quality of an assignment of traffic to s-t paths is by the sum of all travel times the total latency. We assume that each network user acts selfishly and routes itself on a minimum-latency path, given the network congestion due to the other users. In general such a selfishly motivated assignment of traffic to paths (a Nash equilibrium) does not minimize the total latency; put differently, the outcome of selfish behavior can be improved upon with coordination.
The C-Terminal Region of Bacillus subtilis SwrA Is Required for Activity and Adaptor-Dependent LonA Proteolysis.

SwrA is the master activator of flagellar biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis, and SwrA activity is restricted by regulatory proteolysis in liquid environments. SwrA is proteolyzed by the LonA protease but requires a proteolytic adaptor protein, SmiA. Here, we show that SwrA and SmiA interact directly. To better understand SwrA activity, SwrA was randomly mutagenized and loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutants were localized primarily to the predicted unstructured C-terminal region. The loss-of-function mutations impaired swarming motility and activation from the Pfla-che promoter. The gain-of-function mutations increased protein stability but did not abolish SmiA binding, suggesting that SmiA association was a precursor to, but not sufficient for, LonA-dependent proteolysis. Finally, one allele abolished simultaneously SwrA activity and regulatory proteolysis, suggesting that the two functions may be in steric competition.IMPORTANCE SwrA is the master activator of flagellar biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis, and its mechanism of activation is poorly understood. Moreover, SwrA levels are restricted by SmiA, the first adaptor protein reported for the Lon family of proteases. Here, we show that the C-terminal region of SwrA is important for both transcriptional activation and regulatory proteolysis. Competition between the two processes at this region may be critical for responding to cell contact with a solid surface and the initiation of swarming motility.
An Implicit Gauge Condition for Auxiliary Potentials in Inhomogeneous Media

Auxiliary potentials are indispensable mathematical tools in classical electromagnetic theory and other branches of physics. The curl of the electric and magnetic vector potentials is defined through relationships to field variables; this is ambiguous because the curl is unchanged by adding the gradient of an arbitrary scalar potential. These redundant degrees of freedom are eliminated through gauge fixing, wherein a relationship between the vector potential’s divergence and the scalar potential is specified. Explicitly, defining this relationship leads to difficulties in inhomogeneous media. This communication presents an implicit gauge that avoids these difficulties and generalizes the Lorenz gauge to inhomogeneous propagation media.
Crystal structures of two new six-coordinate iron(III) complexes with 1,2-bis(diphenyl-phosphane) ligands

Structural characterization of the ionic complexes [FeCl2(C26H22P2)2][FeCl4]·0.59CH2Cl2 or [(dppen)2FeCl2][FeCl4]·0.59CH2Cl2 (dppen = cis-1,2-bis­(di­phenyl­phosphane)ethyl­ene, P2C26H22) and [FeCl2(C30H24P2)2][FeCl4]·CH2Cl2 or [(dpbz)2FeCl2][FeCl4]·CH2Cl2 (dpbz = 1,2-bis­(di­phenyl­phosphane)benzene, P2C30H24) demonstrates trans coordination of two bidentate phosphane ligands (bis­phosphanes) to a single iron(III) center, resulting in six-coordinate cationic complexes that are balanced in charge by tetra­chlorido­ferrate(III) monoanions. The trans bis­phosphane coordination is consistent will all previously reported mol­ecular structures of six coordinate iron(III) complex cations with a (PP)2X2 (X = halido) donor set. The complex with dppen crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group C2/c as a partial-occupancy [0.592 (4)] di­chloro­methane solvate, while the dpbz-ligated complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 as a full di­chloro­methane monosolvate. Furthermore, the crystal studied of [(dpbz)2FeCl2][FeCl4]·CH2Cl2 was an inversion twin, whose component mass ratio refined to 0.76 (3):0.24 (3). Beyond a few very weak C—H⋯Cl and C—H⋯π inter­actions, there are no significant supra­molecular features in either structure.