cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic Approach for Power Capacity Specification of Wind Energy Storage Systems

To accommodate the wind power fluctuations, a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) consisting of a battery energy storage system (BESS) and a supercapacitor is evaluated in this paper. A probabilistic approach for economically determining the power capacity specification for the HESS is proposed. This method would allow the capacities of the BESS and the supercapacitor to be properly designed to optimize the characteristics of high energy density of the BESS and high power density of the supercapacitor. Results show that the supercapacitor within the HESS helps to process the high frequency fluctuations, which contributes to the extension of the BESS lifetime. In addition, the supercapacitor helps to address the peaks in wind power fluctuations without the severe penalty of round-trip losses associated with a BESS. The proposed approach has been simulated using real wind data from an existing wind power plant in Iowa.
Conformational Dynamics of Poly(acrylic acid). A Study Using Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy

The conformational dynamics of poly(acrylic acid) induced by pH change is reported here. Poly(acrylic acid) immobilized on gold surface was exposed to pH changes, and the conformational changes thus induced were followed in real time using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. The temporal profile of the stretching−coiling phenomenon showed a minimum point, which was proposed to be arising due to the contradictory behavior of two different property changes in the polymeric system. Normally surface plasmon resonance (SPR) response would be a convoluted effect of the thickness and refractive index changes, but the behavior observed here, where the SPR response is predominantly governed by either one of the two, is unique and to the author's knowledge is a feature that is observed for the first time. Analysis of the kinetics of the angle change revealed that it takes longer for the polymer to stretch than it takes for it to collapse, with the kinetic rate constants varying by at least an order of magnitude...
The IBM ASIC/SoC methodology--A recipe for first-time success

This paper describes the methodology employed by the IBM Microelectronics Division for the design of its Blue LogicÂ® application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs. This methodology is used by both IBM ASIC and SoC designers, as well as OEM customers. A key focus of the IBM ASIC/SoC methodology, outlined in the first section of this paper, is the first-time-right methods of design and verification that maximize correct operation of the chip upon product integration. The second section of this paper describes advances in methodology that deal with the physical effects of shrinking device geometries and enable design using the performance and density capabilities available in the new technologies, and methodology advances that have improved design turnaround time (TAT) for large, complex designs. Upcoming nanometer-level technologies present new opportunities to integrate systems on a single chip, including functional components of mixed libraries and mixed analog and digital design. The final section of this paper outlines strategies that are enabling SoC design at these levels.
Near-infrared arrays for SIRTF, the Space Infrared Telescope Facility

SIRTF, and other infrared space astronomy projects, require detector arrays with extremely high sensitivity. It is a goal of SIRTF to achieve background limited performance at all wavelengths. Especially critical is the spectral region around 3 micrometers , where the detector current due to the zodiacal background radiation is a minimum. For background limited operation, at a spectral resolution of 100, the dark current must be less than 0.1 e-/s/pixel. The detector noise must be less than the noise given by fluctuations in the number of zodiacal background photons ( 90%), radiation hardness, minimal image latency, and excellent photometric accuracy and stability. Many of the performance goals have been met with Santa Barbara Research Center's 256 X 256 InSb arrays.
Conformations of Unfolded S. cerevisiae Cytochrome c Probed by Fluorescence Energy Transfer Kinetics

Employing fluorescence energy transfer kinetics, we have shown that substantial populations of compact molecules are present in GuHCl-denatured CX-dansyl-labeled (X = 39, 85, 102) S. cerevisiae iso-1 cytochrome c. Fully 40% of unfolded molecules are in compact conformations in the C39 protein.
Neutron enhancement from relativistic electron beam-dense plasma focus interactions

Abstract A pulsed relativistic electron beam has been injected into a dense plasma focus device. With beam/ focus coincidence the emission of neutrons is increased almost five-fold over the average level emitted by the focus device alone.
The Arkansas Galaxy Evolution Survey: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe

Work done to date on the SMBH mass function has brought to light some interesting puzzles, the best known of which is cosmic downsizing. The solution to this problem is based upon the methodology by which we determine SMBH masses, which comes mainly from studies of active galaxies. The most massive SMBHs cease to be active at earlier epochs than their less massive counterparts, thus leading to an apparent decrease in the SMBH mass function with time. The larger SMBHs should still be present in the local Universe, but they lie in quiescent galaxies. This lack of certainty reflects the biggest gap in the observational record – the mass of SMBHs in quiescent galaxies.
Opportunities Lost, Possibilities Found Shared Leadership and Inclusion in an Urban High School

This qualitative study examines the communication between and among participants during the planning process for inclusion in an urban high school. Participant groups (administrators and teachers) were found to be “talking past one another.” Engaging in dialogue was difficult due to the parties' perceptions of each other, their perception of each other's work and priorities, and role expectations. Shared leadership is offered as a framework for moving inclusion forward in urban high schools.
Amine Derivatives of Cyanuric Chloride III*: Piperazines and Ethylenediamines

A series of basically-substituted s -triazines was prepared by condensing cyanuric chloride and 2,4-diamino-6-chloro- s -triazine with monoethoxycarbonyl and mono-alkyl piperazines and ethylenediamines. Use was made of ultraviolet absorption spectra in characterizing the substituted 5-triazine salts which gave erratic results on elemental analyses. Several of the 5-triazines showed in vitro but no in vivo activity against Endamoeba histolytica in rats. One of the compounds produced a significant diuresis when administered orally to dogs.
CP violation in charged-kaon decay.

The CP-violating asymmetry [\ensuremath{\Gamma}(${K}^{+}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$) -\ensuremath{\Gamma}(${K}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$)]/[\ensuremath{\Gamma} (${K}^{+}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$)+\ensuremath{\Gamma}(${K}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ \ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$)] is determined by CP violation in kaon decay amplitudes. We derive an expression for this asymmetry in the standard six-quark model including CP violation from both strong and electromagnetic penguin-type diagrams.
A monetarist model of inflation

Abstract We consider an overlapping generations model with new money introduced via autocorrelated lump-sum transfers. Hence, the own rate of return on money is fixed, implying that (dynamic) neutrality may fail due to inflation tax effects. We derive a condition, less restrictive than serial independence of monetary growth rates, which is necessary as well as sufficient for neutrality. We determine whether various properties of the joint distribution of monetary growth rates and inflation rates which are weaker than neutrality—for example, positive correlation between the two—can be expected to obtain in general settings.
Book Review: The Handbook of Research on Ethnic Minority Enterprise

The Handbook of Research on Ethnic Minority Enterprise, by Leo-Paul Dana. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2007. ISBN 9781843768340
Editors’ Introduction: The Use of Teacher Value-Added Measures in Schools: New Evidence, Unanswered Questions, and Future Prospects

Teacher accountability based on teacher value-added measures could have far-reaching effects on classroom instruction and student learning, for good and for ill. To date, however, research has focused almost entirely on the statistical properties of the measures. While a useful starting point, the validity and reliability of the measures tell us very little about the effects on teaching and learning that come from embedding value added into policies like teacher evaluation, tenure, and compensation. We pose dozens of unanswered questions, not only about the net effects of these policies on measurable student outcomes, but about the numerous, often indirect ways in which these and less easily observed effects might arise. Drawing in part on other articles in the special issue, we consider perspectives from labor economics, sociology of organizations, and psychology. Some of the pathways of these policy effects directly influence teaching and learning and in intentional ways, while other pathways are indire...
A simple and sensitive experiment for measurement of JCC couplings between backbone carbonyl and methyl carbons in isotopically enriched proteins.

A simple 2D difference experiment is described that allows quantitative measurement of 13C−13C J couplings between backbone carbonyl and side-chain carbons. Precise 3JCC values were measured from data recorded in just 2 h for a 1-mM solution of the 20-kD complex between the protein calmodulin and a 26-residue synthetic peptide. The J couplings aid in determining the χ1 angles of valine, isoleucine and threonine residues, and in making stereospecific assignments of the Val Cγ methyl groups. Error analysis indicates that the uncertainty in the derived J couplings is generally less than ca. 0.3 Hz.
Plasmodium falciparum acyl carrier protein crystal structures in disulfide-linked and reduced states and their prevalence during blood stage growth

Acyl Carrier Protein (ACP) has a single reactive sulfhydryl necessary for function in covalently binding nascent fatty acids during biosynthesis. In Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most lethal form of malaria, fatty acid biosynthesis occurs in the apicoplast organelle during the liver stage of the parasite life cycle. During the blood stage, fatty acid biosynthesis is inactive and the redox state of the apicoplast has not been determined. We solved the crystal structure of ACP from P. falciparum in reduced and disulfide-linked forms, and observe the surprising result that the disulfide in the PfACP cross-linked dimer is sequestered from bulk solvent in a tight molecular interface. We assessed solvent accessibility of the disulfide with small molecule reducing agents and found that the disulfide is protected from BME but less so for other common reducing agents. We examined cultured P. falciparum parasites to determine which form of PfACP is prevalent during the blood stages. We readily detected monomeric PfACP in parasite lysate, but do not observe the disulfide-linked form, even under conditions of oxidative stress. To demonstrate that PfACP contains a free sulfhydryl and is not acylated or in the apo state, we treated blood stage parasites with the disulfide forming reagent diamide. We found that the effects of diamide are reversed with reducing agent. Together, these results suggest that the apicoplast is a reducing compartment, as suggested by models of P. falciparum metabolism, and that PfACP is maintained in a reduced state during blood stage growth. Proteins 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Seismic inversion for geophysical prospecting

For the purposes of oil exploration impulses of seismic waves are generated by a source at the ground surface and the backscattered vibrations are received by an array of geophones laid out also on the ground surface. The signal from each receiver as a function of time is recorded digitally for later processing. Typically a seismic `survey’ consists of many such `source gathers’ for many different positions of the source and receiver array. Treating the earth as an elastic medium the problem is to deduce the elastic parameters of the subsurface material and its density as functions of position from the data recorded at the surface. Mathematically this is an inverse problem in elastic wave scattering. On January 6, 1995 Robert Burridge from Schlumberger-Doll Research described the inverse problem and some steps towards its solution.
Full wave three-dimensional simulation of Maxwell's equations for the electrical characterization of high-speed interconnects

A complete three-dimensional full wave time-domain analysis of microstrip-type interconnections is presented. The analysis technique used in the transmission line matrix (TLM) method of electromagnetic simulation using the newly developed symmetrical condensed node. No TEM-quasistatic assumptions are required; therefore, all electromagnetic interactions-such as surface waves and radiation effects-are accounted for. Several practical structures are examined, and comparisons are made to other methods and with measurements where available. >
Capability Models and Their Applications in Planning

One important challenge for a set of agents to achieve more efficient collaboration is for these agents to maintain proper models of each other. An important aspect of these models of other agents is that they are often not provided, and hence must be learned from plan execution traces. As a result, these models of other agents are inherently partial and incomplete. Most existing agent models are based on action modeling and do not naturally allow for incompleteness. In this paper, we introduce a new and inherently incomplete modeling approach based on the representation of capabilities, which has several unique advantages. First, we show that the structures of capability models can be learned or easily specified, and both model structure and parameter learning are robust to high degrees of incompleteness in plan traces (e.g., with only start and end states partially observed). Furthermore, parameter learning can be performed efficiently online via Bayesian learning. While high degrees of incompleteness in plan traces presents learning challenges for traditional (complete) models, capability models can still learn to extract useful information. As a result, capability models are useful in applications in which traditional models are difficult to obtain, or models must be learned from incomplete plan traces, e.g., robots learning human models from observations and interactions. Furthermore, we discuss using capability models for single agent planning, and then extend it to multi-agent planning (with each agent modeled separately by a capability model), in which the capability models of agents are used by a centralized planner. The limitation, however, is that the synthesized "plans" (called c-plans) are incomplete, i.e., there may or may not be a complete plan for a c-plan. This is, however, unavoidable for planning using partial and incomplete models (e.g., considering planning using action models learned from partial and noisy plan traces).
Dissociating medial frontal and posterior cingulate activity during self-reflection

Motivationally significant agendas guide perception, thought and behaviour, helping one to define a ’self’ and to regulate interactions with the environment. To investigate neural correlates of thinking about such agendas, we asked participants to think about their hopes and aspirations (promotion focus) or their duties and obligations (prevention focus) during functional magnetic resonance imaging and compared these self-reflection conditions with a distraction condition in which participants thought about non-self-relevant items. Self-reflection resulted in greater activity than distraction in dorsomedial frontal/anterior cingulate cortex and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, consistent with previous findings of activity in these areas during self-relevant thought. For additional medial areas, we report new evidence of a double dissociation of function between medial prefrontal/anterior cingulate cortex, which showed relatively greater activity to thinking about hopes and aspirations, and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, which showed relatively greater activity to thinking about duties and obligations. One possibility is that activity in medial prefrontal cortex is associated with instrumental or agentic self-reflection, whereas posterior medial cortex is associated with experiential self-reflection. Another, not necessarily mutually exclusive, possibility is that medial prefrontal cortex is associated with a more inward-directed focus, while posterior cingulate is associated with a more outward-directed, social or contextual focus.
Recurrent selection to alter seed phytic acid content and iron bioavailability in maize

Most of the phosphorus (P) in cereal grains is in the form of phytic acid, a potent inhibitor of iron absorption that cannot be digested by monogastric livestock or humans. High phytate content in staple crops contributes to the high incidence of iron deficiency in developing countries. Low phytic acid (lpa) maize mutants are seen as a potential strategy to improve iron bioavailability, but they have poor seed quality. Our objective was to develop both low and high phytic acid maize populations using recurrent selection, and to compare agronomic qualities and iron bioavailability of these two types of maize, as well as compare them with lpa mutant maize. Three cycles of selection were carried out in two broad-based synthetic populations, BS11 and BS31. Our research found that recurrent selection produced a significant difference in phytic acid content between the high and low BS11 populations (P 0.05). The BS11LPA maize population had improved germination relative to lpa mutant inbred lines (13-16%, P 0.05).
A COMPARISON OF 3,3-DIMETHYL-1-PHOSPHABUTYNE AND 3,3-DIMETHYLBUTYNE AS DIENOPHILES FOR DIELS-ALDER REACTION. AN AM1 SEMIEMPIRICAL STUDY

An AM1 semiempirical study of Diels-Alder reactions was performed with 3,3-dimethyl-1-phosphabutyne as dienophile. 1,3-Cyclohexadiene and α-pyrone were used as dienes and the results were compared with those for 3,3-dimethylbutyne as dienophile. From the generated transition structures, the activation energies and bond orders were calculated. The progress of the reaction was determined on the basis of bond orders of new bonds forming in the transition structures and used for the determination of relative reactant reactivity. The activation energies for transformation of bicyclic Diels-Alder adducts to derivatives of λ3-phosphinines and benzene were evaluated, and a competitive reaction for generation of these compounds was discussed. The AM1 prediction of the reaction conditions and the product of the reaction was compared with the experimental data.
Secure wireless communications: Secret keys through multipath

Secure wireless communications is a challenging problem due to the shared nature of the wireless medium. Most existing security protocols apply cryptographic techniques for bit scrambling at the application layer by exploiting a shared secret key between pairs of communicating nodes. However, more recent research argues that multipath propagation - a salient feature of wireless channels - provides a physical resource for secure communications. In this context, we propose a protocol that exploits the inherent randomness in multipath wireless channels for generating secret keys through channel estimation and quantization. Our approach is particularly attractive in wideband channels which exhibit a large number of statistically independent degrees of freedom (DoF), thereby enabling the generation of large, more-secure, keys. We show that the resulting keys are distinct for distinct pairwise links with a probability that increases exponentially with the key-size/channel DoF. We also characterize the probability that the two users sharing a common link generate the same key. This characterization is used to analyze the energy consumption in successful acquisition of a secret key by the two users. For a given key size, our results show that there is an optimum transmit power, and an optimum quantization strategy, that minimizes the energy consumption. The proposed approach to secret key generation through channel quantization also obviates the problem of key pre-distribution inherent to many existing cryptographic approaches.
Influenza enhances caspase-1 in bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic volunteers and is associated with pathogenesis

Background The leading cause of asthma exacerbation is respiratory viral infection. Innate antiviral defense pathways are altered in the asthmatic epithelium, yet involvement of inflammasome signaling in virus-induced asthma exacerbation is not known. Objective This study compared influenza-induced activation of inflammasome and innate immune signaling in human bronchial epithelial cells from volunteers with and without asthma and investigated the role of caspase-1 in epithelial cell antiviral defense. Methods Differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells from volunteers with and without asthma were infected with influenza A virus. An inflammasome-specific quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction array was used to compare baseline and influenza-induced gene expression profiles. Cytokine secretion, innate immune gene expression, and viral replication were compared between human bronchial epithelial cells from volunteers with and without asthma. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate caspase-1 and PYCARD colocalization. Tracheal epithelial cells from caspase-1–deficient or wild-type mice were infected with influenza and assessed for antiviral gene expression and viral replication. Results Human bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic volunteers had altered influenza-induced expression of inflammasome-related and innate immune signaling components, which correlated with enhanced production of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Specifically, influenza-induced caspase-1 expression was enhanced and localization differed in human bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic volunteers compared to volunteers without asthma. Influenza-infected tracheal epithelial cells from caspase-1–deficient mice had reduced expression of antiviral genes and viral replication. Conclusion Caspase-1 plays an important role in the airway epithelial cell response to influenza infection, which is enhanced in asthmatic volunteers, and may contribute to the enhanced influenza-related pathogenesis observed in vivo.
Fault Tolerance in Transform-Domain Adaptive Filters Operating With Real-Valued Signals

Fault-tolerant adaptive filters (FTAFs) rely on inherent learning capabilities of the adaptive process to compensate for transient (soft) or permanent (hard) errors in the hardware implementation. In this paper, the use of the Walsh-Hadamard transform is first analyzed as a computationally efficient way of achieving adaptive fault tolerance, where a zero padding strategy is used to compensate for faulty filter coefficients. It is then shown that a fast-Fourier-transform (FFT)-based transform-domain FTAF operating on real-valued signals can provide a similar degree of fault tolerance without introducing redundancy in the form of zero padding. The complex arithmetic provides inherent fault-tolerant capabilities. This is achieved by using only the real part of the error to drive the coefficient updates. In the case of an N-tap filter, the FFT-based FTAF can protect up to N-2 filter coefficients.
The ISEE-C Vector Helium Magnetometer

The ISEE-C vector helium magnetometer is a slightly modified instrument that originally served as the spare unit for the Pioneer 10 and 11 missions to Jupiter. The essential features of the instrument are described and the speciflcations are tabulated. Scientific objectives and minor modifications needed for the ISEE mission are discussed briefly.
Thalamocortical dysrhythmia syndrome: MEG imaging of neuropathic pain

Abnormal thalamocortical dynamics have been proposed as the underlying mechanism for a subset of neurological and psychiatric disorders that include centrally generated pain. Spectral analysis and independent component-based localization of neuromagnetic signals reveal ongoing theta-range activity localized to physiologically significant cortical regions in a group of subjects with well-characterized central and peripheral lesions. In addition, recordings from subjects who failed to obtain relief from spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and from those in whom SCS was successful further delineate thalamocortical dysrhythmias as a mechanism that underlies chronic pain.
The influence of flange compliance and mechanical loading on the tissue response to percutaneous devices.

The failure of most percutaneous devices (PD) is caused by infection initiated by a lack of a tight seal at the skin–device interface. This interface can be disrupted by both extrinsic and intrinsic forces. Many stress reduction methods have been proposed, the most common being the application of a subcutaneous flange. It is widely believed that the bending compliance of the flange plays a significant role in the success or failure of a PD. A study was conducted to observe the effect of flange compliance on local host response in both a functional and nonfunctional setting. Two PDs having flanges with different bending rigidities were implanted percutaneously in goats (n = 8). After a healing period of 2 weeks, half of these devices were externally stimulated with a random load. All the implants were retrieved after 4 weeks and evaluated histologically. The tissue capsule was significantly thicker and the incidence of severe fibrosis and/or necrosis was higher at the flange rim of the functional implants, irrespective of flange compliance. The more compliant devices were encapsulated with a thick fibrous capsule more frequently than the less compliant ones, irrespective of functional status. The more compliant devices also had a greater incidence of foreign body giant cells in the corner region and elicited severe acute inflammation at the corner and top of the flange more frequently than the less compliant implants. Numerous areas of degenerating foreign body giant cells accompanied with fibroblastic proliferation and dystrophic mineralization were identified in many of the capsules beneath the flanges. It was concluded that the rigid implants elicited a more desirable tissue response than the compliant implants while the functional implants elicited a less desirable response than the nonfunctional ones. There was no synergistic or antagonistic relationship between the functional status of the device and flange compliance. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Lens Opacities Associated with Performance-Based and Self-Assessed Visual Functions

Objective To investigate the relationship of lens opacities to performance-based and self-assessed visual function in persons free of other ocular comorbidities. Design Cross-sectional cohort study. Participants Beaver Dam Eye Study participants. Methods Lens photographs were taken and graded by protocols for age-related lens opacities. During the study evaluation, best-corrected visual acuity, near vision, and contrast sensitivity (performance-based visual functions) were measured. Questions were asked about visual function in particular settings (self-assessed visual functions). Results After the exclusion of other ocular comorbidities, performance-based visual functions were associated significantly ( P ≤0.001 for each association) with severity of lens opacities, including relatively early lens opacities. Self-assessed visual functions were associated less consistently with severity of lens opacities ( P Conclusions Lens opacities across the range of severities were associated with measurable decreases in visual functions; the associations, especially for self-assessed functions, tended to be greater at older ages. It is likely that successful measures to decrease the severity of lens opacities will have a greater impact on older persons.
Sporadic observation of the Fleischmann-Pons heat effect

An examination has been made of the heat production at ten palladium electrodes, each prepared in a different way. Seven of these produced heat during D2 evolution in a D2-O2 electrolysis cell (no recombination attempted) which coincided precisely with the prediction of classical electrochemical theory, and thus eliminated the suspicion of heat through unintended D2-O2 recombination. Three electrodes clearly produced an excess heat of ~2-5 watts-cm -3 . The heat was observed for periods of 10-33 hrs. In one electrode the excess heat production "shut off" (after 33 hrs) with no apparent cause: it did not return in five days of further electrolysis. Fleischmann and Pons (1) reported the production of heat during the electrolysis of D2O at a Pd cathode and Pt anode in excess of that predicted by the electrochemical theory for the heat production in cells. Some of the measurements even indicated that the total energy out of the cell as heat was greater than that going in as electricity. The paper attracted attention because it was suggested that the excess heat was due to D-D fusion occurring in Pd at high overpotential. A principal difficulty, since the announcement in March 1989, has been that many electrochemically inexperienced investigators have tried, but failed, to reproduce the alleged heat (however, cf. Huggins (2), Landau (3), McKubre (4), Appleby and Srinivasan (5), Wadsworth (6)). In this note, we report the observation of this excess heat effect in three electrodes out of ten prepared and examined. The calorimeter used in the study was of the heat transfer type. The cell is a glass cylinder 10 cm. high and 5 cm in diameter. The cap is made of 1 cm thick Teflon with holes for the electrodes, the Joule heater and the temperature probe. The cell is placed inside another glass cylinder 12 cm. high and 7 cm. in diameter. For good heat transfer the space between the cylinders is filled with ethylene glycol. The assembly is immersed in a constant temperature bath (0.01°C accuracy) and the temperature difference between the bath and the cell is monitored with thermistor thermometers (Omega 700 series thermistors with 0.01°C resolution). The calorimeter was calibrated by passing different amount of direct current through the electric heater (resistance 275 Ω) in the solution of 0.1 M LiOD (made by dissolution of Li in D2O) and noting the potential drop across it. For each value of the electrical power put in, steady state temperature difference (monitored on a y-t recorder) was noted and plotted to yield a
Steroid Δ4-5α-reductase and 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the rat epididymis

Epididymal δ4-5α-reductase and 3ahydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities have been measured in intact and in experimental animals. It has been found that the level of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in the caput-corpus epididymis does not differ from that of the cauda epididymis. This enzyme's activity in the caputcorpus and cauda epididymis was decreased to 15% of control by castration but could be maintained at control levels in both castrated animals receiving doses of testosterone that maintained the weights of ventral prostate and seminal vesicles and in animals whose efferent ducts were transected. Higher doses of testosterone did not further increase the level of epididymal 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. δ4-5α-Reductase activity was five times higher in the caput-corpus than in the cauda epididymis of intact animals. The activity of this enzyme was lowered to undetectable levels by castration in both epididymal segments. Administration of testosterone at doses sufficient to main...
Successful use of intravenous dexmedetomidine for magnetic resonance imaging sedation in autistic children.

OBJECTIVES: Autism and autism spectrum disorders (A/ASD) represent a family of neurodevelopmental conditions that are associated with overactive, difficult-to-control behaviors. Sedating these patients for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) poses challenges. Children with A/ASD were examined against clinical controls to determine the effectiveness and safety of intravenous (IV) dexmedetomidine for deep sedation. METHODS: The quality assurance data on all of the children who received IV dexmedetomidine sedation for MRI between July 2007 and December 2012 were reviewed. Patients in both groups were sedated by an intensivist-based team with a standard plan of 2 μg/kg IV dexmedetomidine administered for 10 minutes followed by an infusion of 1 μg · kg(-1)· hour(-1). The amount of IV dexmedetomidine was titrated to the deep level of sedation. A total of 56 patients in the A/ASD group and 107 in the control group were sedated with no reported sedation failures. Sedation parameters were compared between the A/ASD and control groups using analysis of covariance models, controlling for age, sex, and weight. RESULTS: Children in the A/ASD group were predominantly male (73%) and older (6.1 ± 0.3 years) than children in the control group (56%; 5.0 ± 0.2 years; P < 0.05 for both). Procedure time was significantly shorter for patients in the A/ASD group than in control patients (34.6 ± 2.4 vs 44.3 ± 1.6 minutes; P < 0.05). The A/ASD and control groups required a similar IV bolus of dexmedetomidine (2.6 μg/kg ± 0.1 vs 2.4 μg/kg ± 0.10; P = 0.29), with a significantly lower infusion dose in the A/ASD group (0.74 μg/kg ± 0.05 vs 0.89 μg/kg ± 0.03; P < 0.05). Heart rates were similar in the A/ASD group and the control group (67.0 beats per minute ± 1.6 vs 69.3 ± 1.1 beats per minute; P = 0.250). There were no complications. Recovery time was approximately 7 minutes longer in the A/ASD group than in the control group, but this was nonsignificant (101.2 ± 3.5 minutes vs 94.2 ± 2.4 minutes; P = 0.12). Analyses were performed using analysis of covariance methods and generalized linear models to control for age, sex, and weight. CONCLUSIONS: Children with A/ASD can be successfully sedated for MRIs with IV dexmedetomidine without complications.
Record linkage using Stata: Preprocessing, linking, and reviewing utilities

In this article, we describe Stata utilities that facilitate probabilistic record linkage—the technique typically used for merging two datasets with no common record identifier. While the preprocessing tools are developed specifically for linking two company databases, the other tools can be used for many different types of linkage. Specifically, the stnd_compname and stnd_address commands parse and standardize company names and addresses to improve the match quality when linking. The reclink2 command is a generalized version of Blasnik's reclink (2010, Statistical Software Components S456876, Department of Economics, Boston College) that allows for many-to-one matching. Finally, clrevmatch is an interactive tool that allows the user to review matched results in an efficient and seamless manner. Rather than exporting results to another file format (for example, Excel), inputting clerical reviews, and importing back into Stata, one can use the clrevmatch tool to conduct all of these steps within Stata. This helps improve the speed and flexibility of matching, which often involves multiple runs.
Acid Content of Scent Fluid from Acanthocephala femorata, A. declivis, and A. granulosa (Hemiptera: Coreidae)

The major component of the defensive scent fluids from the true bugs Acanthocephala femorata (F.), A. granulosa (Dallas), and A. declivis (Say) has been found to be trans-2-hexenal (Blum et al. 1961, McCullough 1967). An acid, present in quantities small enough to elude detection by some procedures, also has been found in the fluid of all 3 species by microtitrimetry with 0.032 N NaOH to phenolphthalein end point, as Table 1 summarizes.
Radiation-Enhanced Aqueous Dissolution of Minerals

Mineral samples of varying petrology, exposed to ion irradiation and subsequently immersed in water or exposed to a humid environment, show up to 60% depletion of specific surface atoms (Mg, Ca, K, and Na) — a depletion that is enhanced 26,000x compared to unirradiated surfaces. Surface depletions of irradiated minerals exposed to water were measured using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Irradiations were performed with 4 keV Ar+ ions at fluences from 1014 – 1019 ion cm-2; samples were subsequently exposed to liquid water or humid air (35o C and 70% RH). Analyses were done before irradiation, after irradiation, and after exposure to water, allowing identification of changes in composition due solely to ion irradiation or combined with water exposure. Before water exposure, we observe no significant change in stoichiometry of the minerals for ion fluences <1018 ions cm-2. We find incongruent depletion of 60% Mg for forsterite after exposure to humidity or three minutes (or more) water immersion. Augite undergoes reduction in the surface concentration of approximately 30% Mg, 40% Ca, and 55% Na after 1.9 x 1017 Ar cm-2 and immersion in HPLC water (pH: 6.8) for three minutes. Depth profiles of the irradiated, water exposed, minerals show that the depth of the depleted region is on the order of the ion range, ~15nm. In addition, preliminary results for albite, anorthoclase, and microcline in water show significant depletions of Na, Na and K, and K, respectively, from the mineral surface.
Estimating technical potential for rooftop photovoltaics in California, Arizona and New Jersey

Abstract Due to the explosive growth of cumulative installed capacity of solar photovoltaic technology across the US in the last five years, industry attention has started to shift to understanding market saturation levels, at which year-over-year growth would be expected to decline significantly. On the residential and commercial scales, the saturation point in the market for distributed PV installations is directly dependent on physical roof space availability. This paper details the multi-level estimation methodology used to estimate rooftop PV potential in the commercial and residential sectors in three leading states: California, Arizona, and New Jersey, which combined account for two-thirds of the cumulative installed PV capacity in the U.S. The estimation methodology shows significant growth potential for rooftop PV in the residential and commercial sectors in these leading states, conservatively estimating that rooftop PV could provide 35%, 43%, and 61% of state electricity demand in New Jersey, Arizona, and California, respectively. According to the results of this analysis, these states could increase current installed distributed PV capacity by 20 times, 30 times, and 40 times, respectively.
Research on Group Security Policy Based Management Architecture for Virtual Private Network

Group policy based management architecture is proposed to solve complexity problem of security tunnel management in large-scale VPN network.In this architecture,communication entities are aggregated into different security groups,and group policy is used to regulate security protection mechanism for communications among group members.For each VPN device,tunnel relationships are computed automatically via extension of corresponding group policy.This architecture is both efficient and scalable,and is supposed to have promising perspective.
Cardiovascular implantable electronic device function and longevity at autopsy: an underestimated resource

Background The feasibility and safety of postmortem cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED; pacemaker or defibrillator) retrieval for reuse has been shown. To date, studies indicate a low yield of reusable postmortem CIEDs (17%–30%). Objective The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a higher rate of reusable CIEDs would be identified upon postmortem retrieval when an institutional protocol for systematic and routine acquisition, interrogation, reprogramming, and manufacturer analysis was used. Methods Over a 6-year period, all subjects referred for autopsy underwent concomitant CIED pulse generator retrieval and enrollment in the Johns Hopkins Post-Mortem CIED Registry. CIEDs were interrogated, reprogrammed, and submitted for manufacturer analysis. Results In total, 84 autopsies had CIEDs (37 pacemakers, 47 implantable cardioverter-defibrillators). CIEDs were implanted 2.84 ± 2.32 years before death, with 30% implanted Conclusion When a protocol for systematic and routine postmortem CIED retrieval, interrogation, reprogramming, and analysis was used, we noted that >60% of pacemakers and >50% of defibrillators demonstrated normal functional status with projected longevities >7 years on average. Formation of a national hospital-based "CIED donor network" would facilitate larger scale charitable efforts in underserved countries.
Primary Lateral Sclerosis and Early Upper Motor Neuron Disease: Characteristics of a Cross-Sectional Population.

Objectives The goals of this study were to characterize clinical and electrophysiologic findings of subjects with upper motor neuron disease and to explore feasibility of clinical trials in this population. Methods Twenty northeast amyotrophic lateral sclerosis consortium (northeast amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) sites performed chart reviews to identify active clinical pure upper motor neuron disease patients. Patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia or meeting revised El Escorial electrodiagnostic criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were excluded. Patients were classified into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of minor electromyography (EMG) abnormalities. Results Two hundred thirty-three subjects with upper motor neuron disease were identified; 217 had available EMG data. Normal EMGs were seen in 140 subjects, and 77 had minor denervation. Mean disease duration was 84 (±80) months for the entire cohort with no difference seen between the 2 groups. No difference was seen in clinical symptoms, disability, or outcome measures between the 2 groups after correcting for multiple comparisons. Conclusions Minor EMG abnormalities were not associated with phenotypic differences in a clinical upper motor neuron disease population. These findings suggest that subtle EMG abnormalities can not necessarily be used as a prognostic tool in patients with clinical upper motor neuron disease. This study also demonstrates the availability of a large number of patients with upper motor neuron diseases within the northeast amyotrophic lateral sclerosis network and suggests feasibility for conducting clinical trials in this population.
AN ESCHERICHIA COLI MUTANT WITH AN ALTERED INDUCIBLE rec+/lex+ DEPENDENT DNA REPAIR PATHWAY

ABSTRACT The mutant DM1285, a spontaneous derivative of DM1187 ( lex A spr tif sfi ) (PNAS 74 :300–304), makes turbid plagues with +phage, and clear plaques with inds phage. DM1285 maps at the lex A locus at 90 min. on the E. coli K-12 genetic map. After addition of nalidixic acid or mitomycin C, the mutant DM1285 exhibits unusual kinetics of induction of protein X, the rec A gene product (PNAS 74 :5280–5284). At concentrations of mitomycin C (20μg/ml) which induce the rec A protein in the wild type strain, JM1( lex A+ spr + sfi +), only a small amount of rec A protein is induced in strain DM1285. After nalidixic acid addition (25μg/ml), the rec A protein is synthesized at an increasing rate with time in JM1 and DM1187; in DM1285, only a burst of rec A protein synthesis occurs. Two dimensional gel anlysis demonstrated that the pI of the rec A protein in strain DM1285 was not altered, as compared to its parent, DM1187. Survival of UV-irradiated phage was two - four times higher on unirradiated DM1285 as compared to unirradiated JM1. However, UV-irradiation of DM1285 resulted in no greater than a five-fold increase in survival of the irradiated phage, whereas UV-irradiation of JM1 resulted in a 20–50 fold increase in phage survival.
Predictors without Borders: Behavioral Modeling of Product Adoption in Three Developing Countries

Billions of people around the world live without access to banks or other formal financial institutions. In the past several years, many mobile operators have launched "Mobile Money" platforms that deliver basic financial services over the mobile phone network. While many believe that these services can improve the lives of the poor, in many countries adoption of Mobile Money still remains anemic. In this paper, we develop a predictive model of Mobile Money adoption that uses billions of mobile phone communications records to understand the behavioral determinants of adoption. We describe a novel approach to feature engineering that uses a Deterministic Finite Automaton to construct thousands of behavioral metrics of phone use from a concise set of recursive rules. These features provide the foundation for a predictive model that is tested on mobile phone operators logs from Ghana, Pakistan, and Zambia, three very different developing-country contexts. The results highlight the key correlates of Mobile Money use in each country, as well as the potential for such methods to predict and drive adoption. More generally, our analysis provides insight into the extent to which homogenized supervised learning methods can generalize across geographic contexts. We find that without careful tuning, a model that performs very well in one country frequently does not generalize to another.
Characterization of a PEGylated protein therapeutic by ion exchange chromatography with on-line detection by native ESI MS and MS/MS

Detailed profiling of both enzymatic (e.g., glycosylation) and non-enzymatic (e.g., oxidation and deamidation) post-translational modifications (PTMs) is frequently required for the quality assessment of protein-based drugs. Challenging as it is, this task is further complicated for the so-called second-generation biopharmaceuticals, which also contain "designer PTMs" introduced to either enhance their pharmacokinetic profiles (e.g., PEGylated proteins) or endow them with therapeutic activity (e.g., protein-drug conjugates). Such modifications of protein covalent structure can dramatically increase structural heterogeneity, making the very notion of "molecular mass" meaningless, as ions representing different glycoforms of a PEGylated protein may have nearly identical distributions of ionic current as a function of m/z, making their contributions to the mass spectrum impossible to distinguish. In this work we demonstrate that a combination of ion exchange chromatography (IXC) with on-line detection by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) and methods of ion manipulation in the gas phase (limited charge reduction and collision-induced dissociation) allows meaningful structural information to be obtained on a structurally heterogeneous sample of PEGylated interferon β-1a. IXC profiling of the protein sample gives rise to a convoluted chromatogram with several partially resolved peaks which can represent both deamidation and different glycosylation patterns within the protein, as well as varying extent of PEGylation. Thus, profiling the protein with on-line IXC/ESI/MS/MS allows it to be characterized by providing information on three different types of PTMs (designer, enzymatic and non-enzymatic) within a single protein therapeutic.