cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine Chemical Manipulations of Microscopic Liquid Samples. 2. Consuming and Nonconsuming Schemes

Microscopic liquid particles can be manipulated chemically using a suitable diffusional microburet (DMB), whose tiny tip plugged with a diffusion membrane acts as a well-defined diffusional transfer channel. In part 1 of this work (Gratzl et al. Anal. Chem. 1999, 71, 2751-2756), we discussed the simplest DMB-based operation: addition, i.e., loading a droplet with a chemical that accumulates there without any chemical reaction occurring. Since in this process no consumption of the delivered molecules in the target droplet takes place, addition is a nonconsuming scheme. In this work, another type of nonconsuming scheme is explored, which is the subtraction of a substance from droplets via a DMB. This process has no analogy among macroscopic chemical operations. Both addition and subtraction occur according to an exponential asymptotic process when diffusion is at quasisteady state inside the DMB tip. These nonconsuming operations were characterized using the transport of microscopic quantities of Lucifer Yellow CH, a fluorescent dye, under a fluorescent microscope. The third basic type of chemical manipulation is when the substance delivered by a DMB is consumed in the target droplet instantaneously by a fast chemical reaction. This consuming scheme was studied by delivering EDTA into droplets containing Pb2+ ions and a color indicator. These microscopic titrations were monitored using gray scale transmittance images of the droplets as recorded versus time. A unified theory of the three basic DMB operations is also presented.
A mesonic model of - baryon - baryon vertices

The coupling constants and form factors of the , and vertices are studied with a composite model. These form factors satisfy a set of coupled integral equations with the Born amplitudes and higher-order interactions dominated, respectively, by two-pion intermediate states and -loop corrections to the vertices. Upon solving the relevant equations self-consistently, we found that the loop corrections are unimportant for the vertex but quite significant for the and vertices. With the known values of - baryon, - baryon, and coupling constants as inputs, the model predicts a compatible with that given by the meson-exchange potentials, but a slightly weaker . The composite model also predicts soft - baryon - baryon form factors having a momentum-space range between 400 and , in agreement with other recent theoretical findings. We discuss the implications of our findings on nuclear reaction studies.
The Flypaper Effect Revisited: Intergovernmental Grants and Local Governance

Abstract Local governance arrangements shape the incentives of local actors, which may in turn influence fiscal choices. By emphasizing the role of local government institutions in local fiscal choices, we seek to bridge between median voter and Leviathan models prevalent in the literature. We then offer some preliminary evidence to support this explanation by empirically testing several propositions regarding the flypaper effect in intergovernmental grants. One limitation of the median voter model is that the model does not consider political institutions and their influences on government expenditures. In this study, we attempt to capture the influence of political dynamics in determining public expenditures by considering institutional variables. Test results show that the political institutional variables could be one of the explanation variables for the flypaper effect.
Reinvestigation of the Effects of Hormones and Sugars on Xylogenesis in Cultured Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberoses) Tuber Slices, with Particular Emphasis on the Effects of Different Methods of Media Preparation and Tissue Analysis

Summary This paper summarizes a reinvestigation of the effects of hormones and sugars on tracheary element differentiation in cultured tuber slices of Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus tuberoses ), with particular emphasis on differences in methodology which might account for conflicting results obtained by different laboratories as well as in our own laboratory. In this study we have obtained generally lower tracheary element percentages than previously reported, a consequence at least in part of different cell counting methods. The alkaline maceration previously used makes it difficult to count the many small cells present in cytokinin-containing media, a situation which leads to an artificially high tracheary percentage. Gibberellic acid, as previously reported from this laboratory, inhibits both cell proliferation and tracheary element differentiation. This contrasts with a number of reports from other laboratories where a generally stimulatory effect on differentiation was found. The different results presumably depend on different tuber varieties, media and culture conditions. However, we have found that the inhibitory effect of gibberellic acid is surprisingly independent of whether the hormone is autoclaved or filter-sterilized. It has been reported that autoclaving destroys the activity of the hormone. Abscisic acid increases cell number by fifty percent while drastically inhibiting tracheary element differentiation. The previously reported effect of a glucose-sucrose combination in inhibiting tracheary element differentiation was found to depend on autoclaving. In filter-sterilized media no inhibitory effect of this sugar combination was seen. Two known pyrolytic products of autoclaved sugar, 5-hydroxymethylaldehyde and levulinic acid, were tested and found not to be inhibitory to xylogenesis. Anatomy of the tissue correlates strongly with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) concentration, with discrete vascular nodules at low NAA levels and a more generalized distribution of tracheary elements at high NAA levels. Benzylaminopurine addition to a medium containing low NAA levels produces a tissue anatomy which resembles that of tuber slices grown on high NAA levels in the absence of exogeneous cytokinin.
Use conditions and efficiency measurements of DC power optimizers for photovoltaic systems

No consensus standard exists for estimating annual conversion efficiency of DC-DC converters or power optimizers in photovoltaic (PV) applications. The performance benefits of PV power electronics including per-panel DC-DC converters depend in large part on the operating conditions of the PV system, along with the performance characteristics of the power optimizer itself. This work presents a case study of three system configurations that take advantage of the capabilities of DC power optimizers. Measured conversion efficiencies of DC-DC converters are applied to these scenarios to determine the annual weighted operating efficiency. A simplified general method of reporting weighted efficiency is given, based on the California Energy Commission's CEC efficiency rating and several input/output voltage ratios. Efficiency measurements of commercial power optimizer products are presented using the new performance metric, along with a description of the limitations of the approach.
Environmental effects on egg development and hatching success in Jordanella floridae, a species with parental care

Male flagfish Jordanella floridae provide parental care in the form of nest guarding, cleaning and fanning. Patterns of egg development, hatching success and disease in the absence of parental care across a range of physical environments that flagfish naturally experience were observed. Egg hatching success increased with salinity but was unaffected by temperature. Egg development rate, on the other hand, increased with temperature but was unaffected by salinity. Furthermore, disease (most likely fungus on the eggs) was the primary source of mortality. Thus, the results suggest that, in this species, parental care of the eggs can only significantly increase offspring fitness by reducing disease and that the value of care will overall be reduced in saline environments because eggs hatch readily there, in the absence of care.
Numerical modeling of fine particle plume transport in a large lake

Abstract A new concept of Zebra mussel control for power plants is to release Nalco molluscicide H-130 M during intake of cooling water to deactivate the mussels, followed by releasing fine clay to absorb the remaining molluscicide prior to discharge. To predict the fate and impact of a low concentration fine particle plume upon its release to receiving waters, a three dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic and a mud transport model were employed under various wind conditions and different particle settling speeds. The hydrodynamic model was verified against flow velocity vertical profiles measured by two ADCPs (Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers) deployed in the study region during the late fall. Good agreement between the measured and simulated alongshore current vertical profile at the near shore location (1 km) was achieved, however the model had difficulty in replicating the measured offshore current in the near shore region and the velocity vertical profile 5 km offshore. A simplified computational solution using an extended domain of receiving waters with a closed boundary was proposed in this study. Five particle plume transport scenarios were examined with the 3D mud transport model. Generally, in spite of very strong offshore discharge flow, the particle plumes do not extend more than 2 km away from the shoreline in all tested scenarios. The numerical modeling method used in this study can be applied to solve similar coastal zone transport problems if the flow is unstratified and mainly travels along and close to shore.
Self-Interest or Altruism, What Difference?:

This paper discusses the difficulties involved in relaxing the self-interest assumption as it is traditionally used in conjunction with the assumption of rationality. A formal model of altruistic behavior is developed and employed in the analysis of the problems of burden-sharing among rational allies. It is demonstrated that altruistic behavior among political actors is not, in general, sufficient to remove all areas of contention between the actors although the scope of disagreement is shown to be narrowed by altruistic behavior. Additional applications of the model of non-self-interested behavior are presented and suggested.
An overview of the basic physical properties of MgB2

Abstract The basic physical properties of MgB 2 have been well established over the past two years of intensive research. At this point there is a general consensus about the values for the isotope shift, critical fields, most of the salient length scales, and general anisotropies. In this paper we will review the determination of these parameters and set the stage for further, more detailed discussions of specific aspects of the physics of MgB 2 .
Charged tetracaine as an inactivation enhancer in batrachotoxin-modified Na+ channels

Two distinct types of local anesthetics (LAs) have previously been found to block batrachotoxin (BTX)-modified Na+ channels: type 1 LAs such as cocaine and bupivacaine interact preferentially with open channels, whereas type 2 LAs, such as benzocaine and tricaine, with inactivated channels. Herein, we describe our studies of a third type of LA, represented by tetracaine as a dual blocker that binds strongly with closed channels but also binds to a lesser extent with open channels when the membrane is depolarized. Enhanced inactivation of BTX-modified Na+ channels by tetracaine was determined by steady-state inactivation measurement and by the dose-response curve. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) was estimated to be 5.2 microM at -70 mV, where steady-state inactivation was maximal, with a Hill coefficient of 0.98 suggesting that one tetracaine molecule binds with one inactivated channel. Tetracaine also interacted efficiently with Na+ channels when the membrane was depolarized; the IC50 was estimated to be 39.5 microM at +50 mV with a Hill coefficient of 0.94. Unexpectedly, charged tetracaine was found to be the primary active form in the blocking of inactivated channels. In addition, external Na+ ions appeared to antagonize the tetracaine block of inactivated channels. Consistent with these results, N-butyl tetracaine quaternary ammonium, a permanently charged tetracaine derivative, remained a strong inactivation enhancer. Another derivative of tetracaine, 2-(di-methylamino) ethyl benzoate, which lacked a 4-butylamino functional group on the phenyl ring, elicited block that was approximately 100-fold weaker than that of tetracaine. We surmise that 1) the binding site for inactivation enhancers is within the Na+ permeation pathway, 2) external Na+ ions antagonize the block of inactivation enhancers by electrostatic repulsion, 3) the 4-butylamino functional group on the phenyl ring is critical for block and for the enhancement of inactivation, and 4) there are probably overlapping binding sites for both inactivation enhancers and open-channel blockers within the Na+ pore.
Spontaneous intraperitoneal vesical rupture in association with neuropathic bladder

Spontaneous bladder rupture in association with a neuropathic bladder is an uncommon but life-threatening occurrence with only 18 previously reported cases. We report spontaneous intraperitoneal bladder rupture in 2 ttraplgie patients, review the literature, and discuss the pathogenesis and management.
Simultaneous gas absorption and consecutive reversible chemical reactions

Abstract The influence of the consecutive reversible chemical reactions A + B ⇌ E ⇌ P on the rate of liquid phase mass transfer is considered in t When the molecular diffusion is accompanied by second order complex reactions, the theory predicts a mass transfer rate less than that of mass transfer
Interaction of High-Energy Protons and Alpha Particles with Iodine-127

Iodine was bombarded with protons ranging in energy from 0.25 to 6.2 Bev and with 0.25-, 0.50-, and 0.72-Bev alpha particles. Reactions of the type ($p, \mathrm{pxn}$), ($p, 2pxn$), ($p, p{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$), ($p, p2{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$), ($p, n{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$), and ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, \ensuremath{\alpha}\mathrm{xn}$) to produce iodine, tellurium, antimony, and cesium isotopes were investigated. Upper limits in the range 0.01 to 0.1 mb were found for cross sections of reactions to produce ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{127}$ and ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{127}$. For ${\mathrm{Te}}^{127}$, upper limits in the range of 1 to 2 mb were found. This and other studies of reactions in which the product has the same mass number as that of the target are discussed in terms of the initial interaction. At all incident energies studied, the cross section for the formation of ${\mathrm{I}}^{126}$ via the ($p, \mathrm{pn}$) or ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, \ensuremath{\alpha}n$) reaction is significantly higher than that of the other ($p, \mathrm{pxn}$) or ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, \ensuremath{\alpha}\mathrm{xn}$) reactions, with the possible exception of ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, \ensuremath{\alpha}4n$). The ($p, \mathrm{pn}$) and probably the ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, \ensuremath{\alpha}n$) reactions appear to be due primarily to knock-on collisions with surface neutrons. The excitation functions for the production of iodine isotopes by proton bombardment decrease between 0.25 and 0.72 Bev but remain relatively constant for higher energies. The ($p, 2pxn$) reactions show a similar effect, but with the excitation functions becoming constant at about 2 Bev. These results are compared with Monte Carlo calculations of the proton-initiated nucleon cascade and of the subsequent evaporation of light particles.
Lead and uranium stain artefacts in electron microscopy: a technique for minimizing their occurrence.

SUMMARY A new technique is presented which significantly reduced the occurrence of artefacts by eliminating the air-stain interface when staining thin sections of biological material. It is designed for simultaneous treatment of large numbers of samples. The experiment described deals mainly with the specific staining problems encountered when using grids coated with Formvar.
Human information seeking: Online searching of bibliographic citation networks

Abstract The strategies, heuristics, and tradeoffs involved in online searching of bibliographic citation networks are discussed. Results from the field of citation analysis are used to describe the mathematical structure of citation networks. An experimental environment called DBASE (Data Base Access and Search Environment) is discussed and its use in two studies of human information seeking behavior considered. Variables examined in these studies included the nature of the search question and the interconnectivity of the data base.
Sodium Chloride and Rutile-Related Structure Systems

Oxide materials usually have NaCl, rutile, perovskite, CaF2, corundum, and spinel types of structures. If our focus is on functionality and mixed valence compounds, rutile-, perovskite-, and CaF2-type structures are the most frequently observed ones. As stated previously our aim is to reveal the intrinsic connections among the phases which exhibit these types and their related structures rather than tabling the existing structures and compounds. It is easiest if we start with the NaCl-type structure to explore the fundamental linkage among these structures. This chapter concentrates on NaCl and rutile-related structures.
Supervisors’ Experiences of Providing Difficult Feedback in Cross-Ethnic/Racial Supervision

Seventeen clinical supervisors were interviewed regarding their experience of providing difficult feedback in cross-ethnic/racial supervision, and their responses were analyzed using consensual qualitative research (CQR). European American supervisors described supervisees of color who had difficulty in their clinical work with culturally different clients. These supervisors then shared with supervisees their concern that supervisees’ interpersonal skills may negatively affect their clinical and/or supervision work. Supervisors of color described European American supervisees who exhibited insensitivity toward clients of color in session or during supervision. These supervisors shared their concern that supervisees’ lack of cultural sensitivity may negatively affect their clinical work. These contrasting feedback experiences had a profound effect on supervisory relationships and the processes within supervision.
Re-evaluating the Objectives for Undergraduate Research

Several authors have cited the success of undergraduate research programs in recruiting graduate students. However, while a significant number of undergraduates change their career plans based on undergraduate research programs, a large number of the participants enter the programs already planning on attending graduate school. Therefore, the objectives of undergraduate research programs should be reevaluated in order to produce programs that provide the optimal benefit to both undergraduate and faculty participants. Critical thinking is the basis of the research process, and undergraduate researchers' critical thinking skills can be enhanced through their research experience. The research experience may also improve the participants' vocabulary in their field, which has been shown to improve conceptual understanding. In this paper, assessment methods to evaluate the success of undergraduate research programs on meeting these important objectives are discussed; the participants' ability to think critically and their field vocabulary are assessed by other means than with a self- evaluation by the participants.
Study of porous silicon morphologies for electron transport

Field emitter devices are being developed for the gigatron, a high-efficiency, high frequency and high power microwave source. One approach being investigated is porous silicon, where a dense matrix of nanoscopic pores are galvanically etched into a silicon surface. In the present paper pore morphologies were used to characterize these materials. Using of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of both N-type and P-type porous layers, it is found that pores propagate along the crystallographic direction, perpendicular to the surface of (100) silicon. Distinct morphologies were observed systematically near the surface, in the main bulk and near the bottom of N-type (100) silicon lift-off samples. It is seen that the pores are not cylindrical but exhibit more or less approximately square cross sections. X-ray diffraction spectra and electron diffraction patterns verified that bulk porous silicon is still a single crystal. In addition, a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM) were successfully applied to image the 40 /spl Aring/ gold film structure which was coated upon a cooled porous silicon layer. By associating the morphology study with the measured emitting current density of the oxidized porous silicon field emission triode (OPSFET), techniques for the surface treatment of porous silicon will be optimized. >
Shoaling waves produced by offshore winds

Directional spectra obtained from Doppler shifts mapped by a coherent, X-band, airborne radar show that offshore winds can produce shoaling waves on the same coastline. When wind blows offshore at an angle, the dominant wind wave does not propagate in the wind direction. Combined with refraction, this effect can produce shoaling waves. Data collected by the airborne radar are shown to be in good agreement with the JONSWAP parameterizations of dominant wave period and significant wave height.
Institutional Affiliation of Contributors to the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 1973–83

History of reviews of contributions to the American Journal of Agricultural Economics are examined. Total pages, pages per capita all faculty, and per teaching research faculty of contributors to the American Journal of Agricultural Economics for 1979–83 are reported for land grant institutions. Rankings are provided. There are also averages for 1973–79 and 1980–83.
WLAN security: current and future

Wireless LAN deployment improves users' mobility, but it also brings a range of security issues that affect emerging standards and related technologies.
PRIX: indexing and querying XML using prufer sequences

We propose a new way of indexing XML documents and processing twig patterns in an XML database. Every XML document in the database can be transformed into a sequence of labels by Prufer's method that constructs a one-to-one correspondence between trees and sequences. During query processing, a twig pattern is also transformed into its Prufer sequence. By performing subsequence matching on the set of sequences in the database, and performing a series of refinement phases that we have developed, we can find all the occurrences of a twig pattern in the database. Our approach allows holistic processing of a twig pattern without breaking the twig into root-to-leaf paths and processing these paths individually. Furthermore, we show that all correct answers are found without any false dismissals or false alarms. Experimental results demonstrate the performance benefits of our proposed techniques.
Adaptation of a web-based, open source electronic medical record system platform to support a large study of tuberculosis epidemiology

In 2006, we were funded by the US National Institutes of Health to implement a study of tuberculosis epidemiology in Peru. The study required a secure information system to manage data from a target goal of 16,000 subjects who needed to be followed for at least one year. With previous experience in the development and deployment of web-based medical record systems for TB treatment in Peru, we chose to use the OpenMRS open source electronic medical record system platform to develop the study information system. Supported by a core technical and management team and a large and growing worldwide community, OpenMRS is now being used in more than 40 developing countries. We adapted the OpenMRS platform to better support foreign languages. We added a new module to support double data entry, linkage to an existing laboratory information system, automatic upload of GPS data from handheld devices, and better security and auditing of data changes. We added new reports for study managers, and developed data extraction tools for research staff and statisticians. Further adaptation to handle direct entry of laboratory data occurred after the study was launched. Data collection in the OpenMRS system began in September 2009. By August 2011 a total of 9,256 participants had been enrolled, 102,274 forms and 13,829 laboratory results had been entered, and there were 208 users. The system is now entirely supported by the Peruvian study staff and programmers. The information system served the study objectives well despite requiring some significant adaptations mid-stream. OpenMRS has more tools and capabilities than it did in 2008, and requires less adaptations for future projects. OpenMRS can be an effective research data system in resource poor environments, especially for organizations using or considering it for clinical care as well as research.
Procarbazine, Lomustine, and Vincristine (PCV) Chemotherapy for Anaplastic Astrocytoma: A Retrospective Review of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Protocols Comparing Survival With Carmustine or PCV Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Purpose: To determine any differences in outcome for patients with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) treated with adjuvant carmustine (BCNU) versus procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) database was reviewed for patients with newly diagnosed AA treated according to protocols that included either BCNU or PCV adjuvant chemotherapy. All patients were treated with radiation therapy. The outcome analysis included overall survival, taking into account patient age, extent of resection, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), and treatment group (BCNU v PCV). Stratified and nonstratified Cox proportional hazards models were used, as well as an analysis using matched cases between the groups. Results: A total of 257 patients were treated with BCNU according to RTOG protocols 70-18, 83-02, and 90-06; 175 patients were treated with PCV according to RTOG protocol 94-04. All pretreatment characteristics except KPS were well balanced by treatment group; 61% of the BCNU group had a KPS of 90 to 100 compared with 73% of the PCV group (P 5 .0075). No statistically significant difference in survival was observed in any age group or by KPS or extent of surgery. The stratified analysis also showed no trends for improved survival by treatment group (P 5 .40). The Cox model identified only age, KPS, and extent of surgery as important variables influencing survival, not treatment group. Matching cases between groups using age, KPS, and surgery resulted in 133 matched pairs. No difference in survival was observed (P 5 .41). In a Cox model in which each matched pair is a strata, there was no difference between groups (P 5 .20). Conclusion: Using this retrospective analysis, there does not seem to be any survival benefit to PCV chemotherapy. Future phase III studies for patients with AA may need to consider whether BCNU or PCV is used in the control arm. J Clin Oncol 17:3389-3395. r 1999 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Encapsulation of an Integrated Neural Interface Device With Parylene C

Electronic neural interfaces have been developed to restore function to the nervous system for patients with neural disorders. A conformal and chronically stable dielectric encapsulation is required to protect the neural interface device from the harsh physiological environment and localize the active electrode tips. Chemical vapor deposited Parylene-C films were studied as a potential implantable dielectric encapsulation material using impedance spectroscopy and leakage current measurements. Both tests were performed in 37degC saline solution, and showed that the films provided an electrically insulating encapsulation for more than one year. Isotropic and anisotropic oxygen plasma etching processes were compared for removing the Parylene-C insulation to expose the active electrode tips. Also, the relationship between tip exposure and electrode impedance was determined. The conformity and the uniformity of the Parylene-C coating were assessed using optical microscopy, and small thickness variations on the complex 3-D electrode arrays were observed. Parylene C was found to provide encapsulation and electrical insulation required for such neural interface devices for more than one year. Also, oxygen plasma etching was found to be an effective method to etch and pattern Parylene-C films.
Back to Our Roots An Invitation to Strengthen Disciplinary Arguments via the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

This article argues for a scholarly research agenda in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) for the broad discipline of professional communication by distinguishing SoTL from other types...
Parenting a Child with a Disability: The Role of Social Support for African American Parents:

this article examines (a) the impact of having a child with a disability on parents’ mental and physical health among urban-dwelling african americans and (b) the extent to which positive and negative social interactions with family members other than the spouse moderate the impact of child’s disability on parental adaptation. analyses are based on a probability sample of african americans living in milwaukee, Wisc. the analytic sample includes 48 parents of children with a disability and 144 comparison group parents of nondisabled children. Results showed that having a child with a disability is associated with more somatic symptoms. However, the negative consequences of the child’s disability on parents’ mental health are reduced when parents receive greater positive support from family.
Incorporation of MODIS landcover data to improve land surface parameterization in the COAMPS numerical weather prediction model

The vegetation and soil properties at the land surface exert significant influence over short-term weather forecasts of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. The Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) derives the necessary land surface properties from the USGS 1-km global land-use/land-cover (LULC) database, which is based on historical AVHRR data. A methodology has been developed to incorporate the LULC data, derived from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors, into the COAMPS model, running on nested domains - centered over Mississippi Gulf Coast
Transamination Is Required for α-Ketoisocaproate but Not Leucine to Stimulate Insulin Secretion

It remains unclear how α-ketoisocaproate (KIC) and leucine are metabolized to stimulate insulin secretion. Mitochondrial BCATm (branched-chain aminotransferase) catalyzes reversible transamination of leucine and α-ketoglutarate to KIC and glutamate, the first step of leucine catabolism. We investigated the biochemical mechanisms of KIC and leucine-stimulated insulin secretion (KICSIS and LSIS, respectively) using BCATm−/− mice. In static incubation, BCATm disruption abolished insulin secretion by KIC, d,l-α-keto-β-methylvalerate, and α-ketocaproate without altering stimulation by glucose, leucine, or α-ketoglutarate. Similarly, during pancreas perfusions in BCATm−/− mice, glucose and arginine stimulated insulin release, whereas KICSIS was largely abolished. During islet perifusions, KIC and 2 mm glutamine caused robust dose-dependent insulin secretion in BCATm+/+ not BCATm−/− islets, whereas LSIS was unaffected. Consistently, in contrast to BCATm+/+ islets, the increases of the ATP concentration and NADPH/NADP+ ratio in response to KIC were largely blunted in BCATm−/− islets. Compared with nontreated islets, the combination of KIC/glutamine (10/2 mm) did not influence α-ketoglutarate concentrations but caused 120 and 33% increases in malate in BCATm+/+ and BCATm−/− islets, respectively. Although leucine oxidation and KIC transamination were blocked in BCATm−/− islets, KIC oxidation was unaltered. These data indicate that KICSIS requires transamination of KIC and glutamate to leucine and α-ketoglutarate, respectively. LSIS does not require leucine catabolism and may be through leucine activation of glutamate dehydrogenase. Thus, KICSIS and LSIS occur by enhancing the metabolism of glutamine/glutamate to α-ketoglutarate, which, in turn, is metabolized to produce the intracellular signals such as ATP and NADPH for insulin secretion.
New observations on blood pressure in marine Crustacea

The pressures that drive blood in the circulatory systems of marine Crustacea are substantially higher than previously supposed. In recordings from the heart of nine species, absolute pressures (mean of systolic and diastolic) range from 6.7 cm-H2O to 36.0 cm-H2O. No relationship is apparent between blood pressure in these species and either wet weight or heart rate. It is proposed that the maintenance of high internal pressures may be of functional significance in Crustacea, both in urine formation by ultrafiltration and in molting.
Hirschman optimal transform DFT block LMS algorithm

In this paper a new block LMS algorithm is introduced. This algorithm is based on a fast HOT convolution developed by our group. We call our algorithm the block HOT-DFT LMS algorithm. Our algorithm uses the premise that the filter size is much smaller than the block size. Our developed algorithm is very similar to the block DFT LMS algorithm, but provides a reduced computational complexity of about 30%. The computational efficiency of the block HOT-DFT LMS algorithm is verified and its convergence analysis is analyzed.
The role of the alliance and techniques in predicting outcome of supportive-expressive dynamic therapy for cocaine dependence.

We examine the complex relations among therapeutic alliance, adherence to Supportive-Expressive Therapy (SET), therapist competence, and their interactions in predicting change in drug use. Experts rated early therapy sessions of cocaine dependent patients (n 108) randomized to SET as part of the Collaborative Cocaine Treatment Study. Moderate adherence to SET and competent delivery of SET were separately associated with poorer outcome. Further, strong alliance combined with low levels of SET adherence was associated with a better outcome than moderate or high levels. Moreover, the usage of nonprescribed techniques (i.e., Individual Drug Counseling [IDC]) by SET therapists predicted better outcome in a subsample (n 36), and SET patients receiving high levels of IDC adherence had less predicted drug use compared with those with high levels of SET techniques. Overall results may suggest that decreasing cocaine use through straightforward drug counseling techniques instead of trying to help patients understand the reasons for their use is a better initial road to recovery.
β-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase III (FabH) Is Essential for Bacterial Fatty Acid Synthesis

β-Ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthase III (KAS III, also called acetoacetyl-ACP synthase) encoded by the fabH gene is thought to catalyze the first elongation reaction (Claisen condensation) of type II fatty acid synthesis in bacteria and plant plastids. However, direct in vivo evidence that KAS III catalyzes an essential reaction is lacking, because no mutant organism deficient in this activity has been isolated. We report the first bacterial strain lacking KAS III, a fabH mutant constructed in the Gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis IL1403. The mutant strain carries an in-frame deletion of the KAS III active site region and was isolated by gene replacement using a medium supplemented with a source of saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids. The mutant strain is devoid of KAS III activity and fails to grow in the absence of supplementation with exogenous long-chain fatty acids demonstrating that KAS III plays an essential role in cellular metabolism. However, the L. lactis fabH deletion mutant requires only long-chain unsaturated fatty acids for growth, a source of long-chain saturated fatty acids is not required. Because both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids are required for growth when fatty acid synthesis is blocked by biotin starvation (which prevents the synthesis of malonyl-CoA), another pathway for saturated fatty acid synthesis must remain in the fabH deletion strain. Indeed, incorporation of [1-14C]acetate into fatty acids in vivo showed that the fabH mutant retained about 10% of the fatty acid synthetic ability of the wild-type strain and that this residual synthetic capacity was preferentially diverted to the saturated branch of the pathway. Moreover, mass spectrometry showed that the fabH mutant retained low levels of palmitic acid upon fatty acid starvation. Derivatives of the fabH deletion mutant strain were isolated that were octanoic acid auxotrophs consistent with biochemical studies indicating that the major role of FabH is production of short-chain fatty acid primers. We also confirmed the essentiality of FabH in Escherichia coli by use of a plasmid-based gene insertion/deletion system. Together these results provide the first genetic evidence demonstrating that FabH conducts the major condensation reaction in the initiation of type II fatty acid biosynthesis in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Effects of Low‐Pressure Oxidation on the Surface Composition of Single Crystal Silicon Carbide

We report on thermodynamic modeling and experimental studies of the reaction of oxygen with the 4H- and 6H-SiC surfaces at high temperatures T. It is observed that this reaction leads to the growth of passivating SiO2 layers at high pressures P(O2), etching of the surface at lower P(O2), and enhancement of the surface segregation of carbon at still lower P(O2). A unified P(O2)–T phase diagram for the reaction of O2 with SiC is presented and a thermodynamic model predicting these three distinct reaction regions is described. Evidence for the thermal decomposition of the SiO2 layer due to its reaction with the SiC substrate is also presented.
An Analytically Tractable Approximation for the Gaussian Q-Function

In this letter we propose an approximation for the Gaussian Q-function that enables simpler evaluation of important communication system performance metrics. The approximation enables derivation of closed-form expressions for metrics such as average symbol, bit and block error probabilities which are known to be analytically involved as they require computation of the expectation of Q-function and its integer powers, for any m of Nakagami-m fading. The tightness of the approximation is verified by simulations. The usefulness of the approximation is demonstrated by obtaining a simple closed form expression for the average symbol error probability of differentially encoded QPSK in Nakagami-m fading.
Characterization of atmospheric plasma as a surface preparation process for the bonding of space composite materials

There is a growing interest in the use of atmospheric plasma treatment techniques for the surface preparation of fiber-reinforced composite hardware before bonding. In this article, we will discuss the effects of atmospheric plasma treatment on the chemical and physical properties of two types of composites (cyanate ester and epoxy) and the resultant mechanical properties. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to investigate the surface morphology and chemistry of the treated composites and were correlated to lap shear bond strengths. We observed a strong correlation between the increases in lap shear strength with the surface carboxyl concentration of the composite after treatment as verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Changes in surface roughness appeared to be secondary in nature. As a result, we have separated the mechanical contributions caused by etching-induced surface roughness from chemical contributions due to formation of specific reactive surface func...
Effects of Power/Ground Via Distribution on the Power/Ground Performance of C4/BGA Packages

The effects of the distribution of power and ground vias in C4/BGA type of packages are studied. Two types of via distributions are evaluated. One type is that vias are concentrated in the core area. The other type is that vias are uniformly distributed across the package. The performances of power and ground supplies of packages are evaluated through their resonance characteristics, impedances and effective inductances. It is found that the lowest package resonant frequency is increased by adding power and ground vias in the package. It is also found that, there are no significant differences in the lowest resonant frequencies between the two types of via distributions, but the centered via distribution results in substantially lower effective inductance of the package.
Two-Stage Stochastic Email Synthesizer

This paper presents the design and implementation details of an email synthesizer using two-stage stochastic natural language generation, where the first stage structures the emails according to sender style and topic structure, and the second stage synthesizes text content based on the particulars of an email structure element and the goals of a given communication for surface realization. The synthesized emails reflect sender style and the intent of communication, which can be further used as synthetic evidence for developing other applications.
Abstract W MP19: MRI Voxel-Based Profiling of Tissue Viability and Ischemia in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Elimination of Time as a Treatment Barrier?

BACKGROUND: Despite its proven efficacy in acute ischemic stroke, thrombolytic treatment rates are exceedingly low. A common barrier is a prerequisite estimation of finite event duration. Whole-brain MR DWI-FLAIR comparative methods of hyperacute-acute ischemic match/mismatch are currently under investigation as a potential surrogate for unknown duration. Profiles that reflect field ischemia but not viability may not detect important voxel-level heterogeneity and, consequently, areas that may potentially benefit from revascularization. Voxel-based MR methods that assess viability (PWI) and ischemia (DWI-FLAIR) may afford a more informative measure to determine and expand treatment eligibility. METHODS: Consecutive, treated M1 ischemic stroke patients with serial MRI were analyzed with voxel-based, volumetric measures of DWI, FLAIR, and PWI for match/mismatch. Co-registration of Day 0 DWI, PWI, and FLAIR with Day 5/discharge FLAIR was then followed by ROI analysis of the affected MCA field. Day 0 DWI, PWI, FLAIR and Day 5/discharge FLAIR voxels were pooled into average populations according to positivity. Serial voxel-populations were then quantified at Day 0 and at Day 5/discharge individually and group-wise. Data processing and analysis were performed with MatLab, 3DSlicer, and Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: 38 treated M1 occlusive patients (mean age 65 years, 25 female) underwent a voxel-based analysis of DWI, PWI, and FLAIR at day 0 and FLAIR at day5/discharge. At baseline, 93% of the affected MCA field was DWI-/PWI+/FLAIR-; 7% was DWI+/PWI+/FLAIR-; and ~3% was FLAIR+. At day 5/discharge, 36% of baseline at-risk field (DWI-/PWI+); >95% of baseline field undergoing ischemia (DWI+/PWI+); and 94% of baseline ischemic tissue (FLAIR+) were FLAIR+. CONCLUSIONS: Voxel-based analyses of DWI, PWI and FLAIR on serial MRI reveal heterogeneity of voxel status at baseline and in tissue fate, and provide a dynamic tissue profile in treated M1 ischemic stroke. Over 1/3 of baseline viable tissue became ischemic at day 5 suggesting nearly 2/3 of the field remained viable. Future evaluations of voxel-based approaches that profile viability and ischemia are warranted to validate this methodology and its potential to expand acute stroke treatment eligibility.
A novel biologically active acid stable liposomal formulation of docosahexaenoic acid in human breast cancer cell lines.

Abstract Purpose The risk of breast cancer can be influenced by certain dietary components, such as the amount and type of dietary fatty acids ingested. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a component of fish oil, is known to suppress rat mammary carcinogenesis, reduce cell growth and induce apoptosis in human breast cancer cell lines. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel nanoliposomal formulation that would encapsulate a concentrated amount of DHA and utilize lipids that could protect DHA from pH fluctuations and oxidation. Methods We developed an acid stable liposome formulation of DHA by utilizing ether and phytanyl lipids similar in structure to those found in Archaea, known to endure high acidity and temperature; we compared its biological activities with free DHA in human breast cancer cells. Results The mean size of the liposomal DHA was 137 ± 12 nm with a slightly negative charge; the encapsulation efficiency of DHA in the liposomes as determined by LC-MS/MS ranged from 60 to 80%; our formulation is resistant to oxidation and stable over a range of pH (1.0–7.4) at 37 °C for a duration of two hours. In MCF-7 cells, liposomal DHA (IC 50 38.8 μM) significantly reduced cell viability more effectively than free DHA (IC 50 72.5 μM, p = 0.0017). In MDA-MB-231 cells, liposomal DHA was also marginally more effective. Liposomal DHA was more effective than free DHA in inducing apoptosis in both cell lines. It altered proteins involved in cell growth, cell cycle, and apoptosis more effectively than free DHA in both cell lines; it up-regulated p21 and cleaved PARP, while P-AKT and P-S6 were down-regulated. Conclusions We developed a novel biologically active acid stable liposomal DHA as a potentially useful formulation for breast cancer prevention.
Impact of a Low Concentration of Dopants on the Distribution of Gap States in a Molecular Semiconductor

We investigate the distribution of valence and tail states in copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) upon the introduction of minute amounts of the p-dopant molybdenum tris[1,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)ethane-1,2-dithiolene] (Mo(tfd)3), using a combination of electron spectroscopy and carrier transport measurements. Density of gap states, conductivity, and hole-hopping activation energy are measured. We observe the progressive filling (and deactivation) of the deepest tail states by charges introduced by the dopants, as well as significant broadening of the CuPc density of states. Simulations relate this broadening to the electrostatic and structural disorder induced by the dopant in the CuPc matrix.
Event management: the heart of the quality program.

Learning from mistakes or failures is the purpose of a laboratory's event management system. Laboratories that systematically and effectively learn from failures which occur especially from small mistakes and problems rather than from consequential adverse events, are rare. An effective event management program often requires a cultural sea change that emphasizes a process of detection and reporting of errors that is without reprisal. An approach to development of such an event management program is described in this article. Steps of event management including engagement of the staff, tools used, steps of evaluation, application to all elements of laboratory management, and culture change necessary are discussed.