cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Load Balancing for Mining of Molecular Structures using Genetic Algorithm

Graph mining techniques for analyzing large collections of molecules to find regularity or patterns among molecules of a specific class, such as finding common properties in large numbers of drug candidates, finding molecular features that inhibit the desired reaction etc. is an important research issue in bioinformatics as well as molecular informatics. In this context, finding frequent graphs has received increasing attention over the past years. But, the computational complexity of the underlying problem and the large amount of data to be explored essentially render traditional sequential algorithms practically useless. To address such problems a distributed algorithm is adopted to find the frequent sub-graphs and to discover interesting patterns in molecular compounds. However, this problem is characterized by a highly irregular search tree, whereby reliable workload prediction is very hard. Therefore, a genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to solve the dynamic load-balancing problem of highly irregular search tree.
Responses of upper Chesapeake Bay to variations in discharge of the Susquehanna river

Upper Chesapeake Bay can be defined as the segment of the bay extending from its head seaward to the mouth of the Potomac Estuary. The Susquehanna River Estuary provides approximately 87% of the total freshwater input to this reach of the bay. With infrequent exceptions, resulting from summer and early fall hurricanes, the Susquehanna River has a well-defined seasonal flow pattern typical of mid-latitude rivers: high discharge in late winter and early spring, followed by low-to-moderate discharge throughout the summer and autumn. Within this general seasonal framework, there are large year-to-year variations in the magnitude of the early spring freshet and of the summer-fall period of low flow. The large seasonal variations in river flow produce significant responses to this fluctuating signal which are manifested in variations in the milieu of upper Chesapeake Bay. Stratification, circulation, sedimentation, nutrient levels, dissolved oxygen levels, and a number of other important and characteristic properties and processes of the upper bay all are closely coupled to variations in discharge of the Susquehanna River. Effects are not limited to the bay proper. Renewal of the tributary estuaries of the upper bay is controlled by variations in flow of the Susquehanna River.
The influences of coitus-associated alcohol use and relationship quality on partner-specific protective sex practices by adolescent females

Conclusions: The lack of association between alcohol-use concordance and relationship quality indicates that alcohol use by one or both individuals does not necessarily interfere with the development of a meaningful romantic relationship. However the increase in the likelihood of unprotected intercourse as a function of increasing coital-associated alcohol use within the sexual partnership suggests a dyad-based lifestyle “dose-effect” which is additive with the effect of relationship closeness on unprotected intercourse. These findings suggest that health care professionals should attend to both relationship closeness and relationship lifestyle in order to evaluate young women’s risks for sexually transmitted infections. (excerpt)
Universal off-axis light transmission properties of the bright state in perfectly compensated liquid crystal devices

We studied the off-axis light transmission characteristics of the bright state of common liquid crystal device modes. The dark state of these device modes is optically compensated to have minimum light transmittance at all angles. Our research shows there is an unexpected universal shape of the off-axis light transmission value in its bright state, regardless of what liquid crystal mode is used. To understand this surprising fact, we consider simple dark and bright state models in terms of phase retardation and transmittance.
Organophosphate pesticide inhibition of cholinesterase in laboratory animals and man and effects of oxime reactivators.

Abstract The responses of rabbit whole blood cholinesterase following intervaneous infusion or percutaneous application of dialkylphosphate inhibitors and injection of oxime enzyme reastivators. The experiments were conducted to determine the structure‐activity relationships of the inhibitors and the reactivators, establish the mechanisms of enzyme inhibition, and investigate other factors affecting the toxicity of organophosphate esters including percutaneous absorption and conversion of dithioates to the more reactive respective ozones. Intravenous infusion of dialkylphosphate esters produced dose and time dependent inhibition, followed by a spontaneous, but incomplete recovery . The lack of complete recovery was not totally due to the “aging”; phenomona as measurable enzyme reactivation could be induced subsequent to the spontaneous recovery. The need for revision of the enzyme inhibition model is discussed.
Muon pair production in proton-nucleon interactions and new parton radiative processes

An examination of experimental data bearing on the production of muon pairs in nucleon-nucleon interactions demonstrates the existence of a large continuum for pairs with invariant masses less than 1.0 GeV/c/sup 2/. The ratio of the pairs to the production of pions, I (..mu mu..)/I (..pi../sup 0/), is of the order of 5 x 10/sup -5/ in the fragmentation region. The production of the pairs obeys Feynman scaling in the fragmentation region; the cross sections d/sup 2/sigma/dm dx are nearly the same for the interactions of 28-GeV protons and 150-GeV protons and the assumption of scaling is consistent with less detailed measurements at 400 GeV over a region of Feynman x such that 0.15 < x < 0.6 and for values of the invariant mass m < or approx. = 1.0 GeV/c/sup 2/. The invariant-mass spectrum of this continuum varies with x; the mean mass changes from about 450 MeV/c/sup 2/ at x = 0.2 to about 700 MeV/c/sup 2/ for x approx. = 0.6. The dimuon production varies with the target nucleus as A/sup 2/3/ in an x region where meson production varies as A/sup 0.55/. The production is discussed in terms of parton bremsstrahlung, the annihilation of partonmore » pairs produced by the hadron interaction (the Bjorken-Weisberg process) and line broadening of rho-meson production.« less
Training individuals to label nonverbal facial cues

In recent years, a considerable amount of research on nonverbal behavior has focused on identifying facial cues of various emotions. This study attempted to examine the effects of training individuals to accurately label facial affects of happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, disgust, and neutral. The treatment period extended over three, one-hour group presentations based on Ekman and Friesen's (1975) model of training individuals to accurately label emotions from facial expressions. The posttest demonstrated that the experimental group significantly improved its ability to accurately label facial affect following the training program.
Minimal data collection: imaging from limited-angle data using prior knowledge

We describe a method for generating a high resolution image or target identifier from limited sampled noisy Fourier data. These data are assumed to be collected from either limited-angle tomographic data or limited-angle scattering data. In extreme cases of, for example, only backscatter data being measured, little useful image information can be deduced directly from the available measurements. However, if some a prior knowledge about the support and/or internal features of the object can be assumed, this information can be incorporated into a spectral estimation technique we refer to as the PDFT. This technique has a closed form solution that estimates the image and is easily regularized in the Miller-Tikhonov sense. We have studied how the availability of less and less data affects the resulting image quality when using the PDFT. We explain the trade-offs between reducing the number of measurements (e.g. for time or radiation exposure considerations) and the resulting image fidelity. We also discuss how little data need be measured to be able to identify a given object when good a priori information is available. Examples using real data are presented.
Coping, competence, and aggression prevention: Part 2. Universal school-based prevention

Abstract Coping—competence theory yields a structural model of the development of persistent aggression in which current challenge encounters determine future life outcomes and competence. Driven by this model, universal, school-based prevention programs would aim in multiple ways to promote prosocial coping among high-risk, resilient, and advantaged youth from kindergarten through high school. Expected benefits of prosocial coping would include: less aggressive behavior, fewer adverse life outcomes (e.g., school dropout, police arrest, teen pregnancy, conduct, mood, and substance-use disorders), and a more competent self-definition and social reputation. Five stages are described that may prove useful in creating prosocial schools and neighborhoods supportive of youth in transition away from antisocial coping and deviant peers.
The quality of prehospital ischemic stroke care: compliance with guidelines and impact on in-hospital stroke response.

Background A number of emergency medical services (EMSs) performance measures for stroke have been proposed to promote early stroke recognition and rapid transportation to definitive care. This study examined performance measure compliance among EMS-transported stroke patients and the relationship between compliance and in-hospital stroke response. Methods Eight quality indicators were derived from American Stroke Association guidelines. A prospective cohort of consecutive, EMS-transported patients discharged from 2 large Midwestern stroke centers with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke was identified. Data were abstracted from hospital and EMS records. Compliance with 8 prehospital quality indicators was calculated. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed to measure the association between prehospital compliance and a binary outcome of door-to-computed tomography (CT) time less than or equal to 25 minutes. Results Over the 12 month study period, 186 EMS-transported ischemic stroke patients were identified. Compliance was highest for prehospital documentation of a glucose level (86.0%) and stroke screen (78.5%) and lowest for on-scene time less than or equal to 15 minutes (46.8%), hospital prenotification (56.5%), and transportation at highest priority (55.4%). After adjustment for age, time from symptom onset, and stroke severity, transportation at highest priority (odds ratio [OR], 13.45) and hospital prenotification (OR, 3.75) were both associated with significantly faster door-to-CT time. No prehospital quality metric was associated with tissue-plasminogen activator delivery. Conclusions EMS transportation at highest priority and hospital prenotification were associated with faster in-hospital stroke response and represent logical targets for EMS quality improvement efforts.
Tetraphenyl‐group IV B compounds: Flexible molecules with high symmetry crystals. I. Assignment of low frequency infrared and Raman bands

The vibrational spectroscopy of tetrephenylmethane and tetraphenyltin have been studied by Raman and far IR spectroscopy. The polarized spectra were recorded at both room temperature and low temperature (below 50 K) for oriented single crystals grown from solution. The optical quality and symmetry of these crystals, especially the unusually high (S4) site symmetry, provides a unique oppurtunity for the study of a large, flexible molecule in a well‐defined geometry and environment. Very large extinction and polarization ratios are observed for these crystals. Using the six unique Raman and two unique IR spectra, the published x‐ray data, and group theory, the observed vibrational bands can be assigned symmetry types. The eight spectral experiments highly overdetermine the assignment of the vibrations to the three (A, B, and E) symmetry classes. The results show many previously unreported low frequency bands. The polarization studies show a number of near degeneracies that cannot be resolved in unpolarized ...
The existence of a critical salt concentration for particle release

Abstract A critical salt concentration (CSC) was found to exist in the water sensitivity of Berea sandstone. If the salinity of the permeating fluid falls below the CSC, the sandstone permeability is significantly reduced as a result of clay particles being released from the pore walls and blocking the pore throats. However, when changes in salinity occur above this threshold value, clay particles are not released from the pore walls in the sandstone and therefore no reduction in core permeability occurs. The CSC was determined by core flood experiments in conjunction with particle analysis of core effluent samples. The CSC exists only in the case of monovalent cations and is virtually nonexistent for cations having a valence greater than one. Even among monovalent cations the CSC varies considerably and it decreases with increasing ion exchange affinity of the clay for the counterion. For polyvalent counterions, the release of clay particles is effectively prevented due to the strong ion-exchange affinity of clay for the counterion. The critical salt concentration was also found to depend on the temperature, but not on the flowrate, of the electrolyte solution. The temperature dependence has been explained by using the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory of stability of colloidal dispersions.
Spin Fluctuations at the Surface of Vanadium

The finite-temperature magnetic properties of the (100) surface of vanadium have been studied by means of spin-fluctuation theory. It is found that the surface contribution to the magnetic susceptibility exhibits strong temperature dependence having its origin in the appearance of large localized moments at the surface. These moments show antiferromagnetic interactions. These findings are in agreement with recent experiments.
RESOLVING THE CONTROVERSY OVER TIN AND GALLIUM MELTING IN A RECTANGULAR CAVITY HEATED FROM THE SIDE

commonly accepted answer to the problem in the scientific community. In this work, we summarize earlier works and present a grid-refinement study for several discretization schemes with emphasis on tin melting and some results for gallium melting. Simulations are carried out with the enthalpy method. The flow cell structure is analyzed in detail, while some results are provided for the heat transfer and the melting rate. Our results show that the multicellular structure is the correct numerical solution and that the flow structure has a strong influence on other features of the solution. We also provide a detailed discussion of earlier results in order to clarify important issues and bring a final answer to the controversy.
SU-E-T-684: A Comprehensive Dosimetric Study of Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Using Three Dimensional (3D) Conformal Radiation Therapy, Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Volumetric Modulated Radiation Therapy (VMAT), Passive Scattering and Modulated Scanning Proton Therapy (PT)

Purpose: This study is to evaluate different radiation therapy modalities in pancreas cancer treatment and to explore the potential role of organs‐at‐risk (OARs) sparing using proton therapy (PT). Methods: Seven consecutive pancreatic cancer patients who had been previously treated with passive‐scattering PT were identified. The clinical target volume (CTV) include the pancreatic tumor bed as well as the adjacent high risk nodal areas. Treatment plans were generated using three‐field and four‐field 3DCRT, five‐field IMRT, two‐arc VMAT, two‐field passive‐scattering and modulated‐scanning PT. All plans delivered 50.4Gy to the initial planning target volume (PTV). 98% of PTV is covered by 95% of the prescription dose and 98% of CTV received 98% prescription dose. Posterior and right posterior oblique proton beams were used to minimize the range uncertainty and improve PT robustness. Pencil beam scanning (PBS) fields with single field uniform dose technique was used for modulated‐scanning PT. Results: All proton plans significantly reduced patient's body integrated dose. Both modulated‐scanning and passive‐scattering PT offer lower doses to the left kidney (mean and V18Gy) and bowel (mean and V20Gy). Modulated‐scanning PT reduced average stomach's mean dose to 168.2 cGy compare to 3‐field 3DCRT (1618.9 cGy P=0.0059), 4‐field 3DCRT (1565.3 cGy P=0.0062) IMRT (1003.47 cGy P=0.0162) and VMAT (1213.4 cGy P=0.0163), and average right kidney's mean dose to 765.7 cGy compared to 3‐field 3DCRT (2205.6 cGy P=0.0013), 4‐field 3DCRT(1825.9 cGy P=0.0009), IMRT(1515.5 cGy P=0.0028) and VMAT (1470.6 cGy P=0.0013). Moreover, modulated‐scanning PT offer lower bowel V20Gy(15.07%) compared to the passive‐scattering PT(28.18% P=0.006). However, IMRT and VMAT offer better target conformity compared to passive‐scattering PT (Passive‐scattering Conformity Index 80% =2.10±0.4, vs IMRT CI80=1.59 ±0.10 P=0.007, vs VMAT CI80=1.44 ±0.15 P=0.0015)Conclusion: The dosimetric advantage of modulated‐scanning PT points to the possibility of treating tumor bed and comprehensive nodal areas while providing a more tolerable treatment course.
A numerical study of a persistent cold air pool episode in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to simulate a persistent cold air pool (CAP) episode observed in December 2010 during the Persistent Cold Air Pool Study (PCAPS) field campaign in Salt Lake Valley, Utah. The availability of intensive observations from PCAPS, especially the added vertical profiles, allows for an in-depth analysis of CAP structure and evolution and model evaluation beyond what was done in similar work before. Comparisons of the WRF simulation with surface observations and upper air soundings indicate that WRF is capable of simulating the observed spatial and temporal variation of the valley atmosphere during the CAP episode. The model also successfully captures the formation and removal of the persistent temperature inversion. Process analysis helps quantify the contribution of various physical processes to the buildup and breakup of the inversion. The inversion developed due primarily to a rapid warming above the valley by synoptic subsidence and warm advection and to strong radiative cooling within the valley under clear sky conditions. The inversion was lifted when strong southerly winds entered the valley from the gap mixing out the cold air in the valley. Synoptic-scale cold advection above the valley contributed to the inversion removal by weakening the inversion from aloft. Sensitivity experiments suggested that the WRF simulation of the CAP episode is more sensitive to large-scale initialization fields with North American Mesoscale Model outperforming North American Regional Reanalysis and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Eta analysis than to the choice of boundary layer parameterizations and land surface models.
Interspecific Communication in Cooperative Herding: Acoustic and Visual Signals from Human Shepherds and Herding Dogs

and Summary Visual displays from dog to sheep and acoustic signals from shepherd to dog were analyzed during cooperative herding by human shepherds and Border collie dogs. Unlike other breeds, Border collies herded livestock by approaching it in the stalking posture of a hunting mammalian predator. Data on mature trained and immature untrained Border collies showed that the posture was innate, but was refined by training and experience. Selection for behavioral rather than morphological traits has resulted in stereotyped breed-specific behavior but considerable morphologic variation. The whistle signal repertoires of 14 shepherd/dog herding teams showed a strong correlation between acoustic structures and messages of whistles that intended to stimulate or inhibit the dog's activity toward stock. No correlation was found between acoustic structures used for directional messages. Stimulating signals were short, rapidly repeated notes, with a tendency to rise in frequency. Inhibiting signals were prolonged, descending single notes. Comparable acoustic structures in non-human primate and avian repertoires suggest that the observed correlation is found in similar contexts in those groups. We hypothesize that the appropriate use of these acoustic structures increases the probability of the desired response from the canid receivers.
Application of Gold Compositional Analyses to Mineral Exploration in the United States

ABSTRACT Antweiler, J.C. and Campbell, W.L., 1977. Application of gold compositional analyses to mineral exploration in the United States. J. Geochem. Explor., 8: 17–29. Native gold is a mineral composed of Au, Ag and Cu in solid solution and it usually contains one or more trace metals as lattice impurities, as mineral inclusions, in grain boundaries or in surface coatings. Alloy proportions of Au, Ag and Cu, together with certain other elements, can be thought of as constituting a gold “signature”. Gold is associated with a great variety of ore deposits and has characteristic signatures for each of several types of ore deposits. Signatures for gold derived from igneous-metamorphic, hypothermal, mesothermal and epithermal deposits reflect conditions of ore formation by their content of Ag, Cu and characteristic associated elements. At higher temperatures of ore formation, gold has low Ag and high Cu content, and Bi and Pb are the most abundant trace elements. But at lower temperatures of ore formation, Ag is high, Cu is low, and Pb is the most abundant trace element. The same trend in gold signatures is observable in gold mining districts, such as Central City, Colorado, where zoning as shown by mineral assemblages indicates ore deposition at progressively lower temperatures as the distance from a central high-temperature zone increases. The signatures of gold may be useful in searching for porphyry Cu deposits. Signatures from Butte (Montana), Mineral Park (Arizona) and Cala Abajo (Puerto Rico), on the basis of limited sampling, are similar and distinctive. They are characterized by a similar assemblage of trace elements and are relatively high in both Ag and Cu. Another application of gold compositional data is in tracing placer gold to its bedrock source. For example, the Ag content of placer gold in the Tarryall district of Colorado differed from that of nearly all of the bedrock sources of gold found by early prospectors. However, one lightly prospected area peripheral to the Tertiary quartz monzonite stock at Montgomery Gulch contains gold with a Ag content similar to that of the placer gold. This area is the most likely source of the gold in the productive placers and may be a potential exploration target. Gold signatures may be useful in prospecting for metals other than gold. Several metals of low crustal abundance – notably Sn, W, Mo and the Pt group metals – are detected in analyses of some gold samples and may indicate economic deposits of these metals.
A Probable Mixed-Function Supraoperon in Pseudomonas Exhibits Gene Organization Features of Both Intergenomic Conservation and Gene Shuffling

Sequencing of an 8182-bp chromosomal region in Pseudomonas stutzeri revealed the major portion of an apparent mixed-function supraoperon (defined as a nested organization of transcriptional units encoding gene products which function in more than one biochemical pathway). A nearly identical supraoperon organization was apparent in the unpublished Pseudomonas aeruginosa genome database, where the complete Pseudomonas supraoperon was deduced. The serC(pdxF)–aroQp·pheA–hisHb–tyrAc–aroF–cmk–rpsA supraoperon encodes 3-phosphoserine aminotransferase, a bidomain chorismate mutase/prephenate dehydratase, imidazole acetol-phosphate aminotransferase, cyclohexadienyl dehydrogenase, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase, cytidylate kinase, and ribosomal protein S1. The member genes were identified by homology analysis, enzyme assay, and/or functional complementation. Although SerC(PdxF) and HisHb exercise their primary functions in serine, pyridoxine, and histidine biosynthesis, they also have critical catalytic roles in provision of the sidechain amino groups of tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. The likelihood of supraoperon-wide translational coupling is suggested by the highly compressed intergenic spacing (including overlapping stop and start codons), as well as by possible hairpin structures in mRNA which may sequester some of the ribosome-binding sites and thus provide a mechanism for translational coupling. A comparison of the organization of the supraoperon genes in other organisms represented in the database revealed unmistakable conservation of the linkage of these genes across wide phylogenetic boundaries, albeit with considerable gene shuffling. At least remnants and shuffled portions of the entire supraoperon are distributed throughout the Gram-negative bacteria with the hisHb–tyrA–aroF gene block being conserved as distantly as the gram-positive bacteria. Such conservation of mixed-function genes may reflect the selective value of still-unknown global relationships of protein–protein interaction or regulation.
SU-E-T-629: Dosimetric Effect of Different Commissioning Data on the SBRT of Small Lung Tumors

Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric effect of different linac commissioning data on the stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT) of small lungtumors. Methods: Small‐sized scanning ion chambers such as CC13 and CC04 (IBA Dosimetry) are commonly used to collect beam data for TPS commissioning. However, their volume‐averaging effect is non‐ negligible. Their dosimetric effect on the SBRT of lungtumors was investigated by commissioning the TPS (Pinnacle ver. 9.0) using CC13 and CC04 scanned beam data and compared with the beam model using a diode scanned beam data. Treatment plans were generated for 6 SBRT of lungtumors using each beam model, with a dose grid of 4×4×4 mm3. An additional plan for each case was generated using the diode model with a dose grid of 2×2×2 mm3 and served as the standard. Six to eight conformal coplanar fields using 6 MV photon beams were used for all the plans. PTV volumes ranged from 15.7 cc to 86.1 cc, with the average dimensions ranged from 2.2 cm to 5.2 cm. Important dosimetric parameters, including target coverage, conformal index, and normal structure sparing, were evaluated. Differences of more than 5% were considered significant. Results: Significant differences were seen among plans with different beam models. Differences in PTV coverage of up to 10% were seen, and differences in conformal indices were up to 23%. Significant differences were also seen in normal organ sparing, including the lung and chest wall. In general, the smaller the PTV was, the larger the difference. Dose grid of 4×4×4 mm3 was found to be adequate, resulting in less than 3% difference in most cases when compared with the standard. Conclusions: For SBRT of lungtumors, it is important to minimize the volume‐averaging effect of the beam data used for TPS commissioning to ensure consistent results.
A new approach to overcome the overflow problem in computer-aided analysis of nonlinear resistive circuits

This paper is addressed to the so-called overflow problem commonly encountered in the computer simulation of nonlinear resistive circuits containing rapidly varying nonlinearities—such as exponentials found in the models of diodes and transistors. A novel approach which makes use of the arc-lengths of the nonlinear characteristic curves as the variables of iteration is proposed. It is proved, under rather mild conditions, that the arc-length approach not only overcomes the overflow problem, but also leads to a more rapid rate of convergence. Moreover, it is proved that for most practical diode-transistor circuits, the region of convergence associated with the arc-length approach is larger and the convergence of the Newton-Raphson algorithm is not sensitive to the initial guess. Since it is more difficult to make good initial guesses when the size of the network is large, in so far as choosing the initial guess is concerned, the advantage for using the arc-length approach over the conventional approach increases with the size of the network. Extensive numerical experiments confirm the superior convergence property of this approach even for circuits which violate the sufficient conditions invoked by the rigorous mathematical proofs. Although the approach is applicable to a much wider class of nonlinear networks, particular emphasis is focused on diode-transistor networks in this paper.
On the Stability of the Periodic States of the Triode Oscillator

1. Appleton and van der Pol have shown that in a simple Triode or Dynatron generating circuit the anode potential v is related to the time t by a differential equatior of the typewhere f (v) is a power series in v, and may be written
An elastic-plastic plane stress solution using the incremental theory

Abstract A numerical procedure is presented to determine the elastic-plastic plane stress distribution for a rectangular plate acting under any type of partial edge loading. The incremental theory of Prandtl-Reuss is used in conjunction with a Ramberg-Osgood stress-strain relationship. A linear partial differential equation is arrived at through the required load-history dependent constitutive equations. The necessity of incompressible material throughout both the initial and subsequent stress range is eliminated. Finally, because of the assumed Ramberg-Osgood equation, a solution in plasticity can be carried out without any fixed yield point. A finite difference scheme is incorporated to solve the partial differential equation and application is made considering a highly concentrated boundary loading. Comparison between the plastic and elastic solution shows that for increasing load situations, the plastic effective stress is larger than an elastic equivalent effective stress in the so-called plastic region.
Production of a 173Lu target for neutron capture cross section measurements

Lutetium has been used as a radiochemistry detector to measure neutron fluence in NTS tests. A measure of the neutron capture cross sections on 173Lu is needed to improve the interpretation value of the Lu radiochemistry isotopic ratios. A natural hafnium target was irradiated with protons to produce neutron poor lutetium radioisotopes. The short lived species were allowed to decay prior to chemical processing resulting in predominantly 173Lu with a small amount of 174Lu. This material was deposited on a titanium foil for use in the neutron capture cross section measurement.
Explicit analytical solutions for liquid infiltration into capillary tubes: Dynamic and constant contact angle

We derive new analytical solutions for liquid infiltration into a gas-filled capillary tube, whose inlet is connected to a liquid reservoir held at a constant pressure. We generalize the Lucas-Washburn theory to account for a model for dynamic contact angle that assumes the nonequilibrium Young force to depend linearly on the velocity of the gas-liquid interface. Like Lucas and Washburn, we neglect inertial forces. Using the Lambert function, we derive explicit analytical solutions for the interface position, velocity, and acceleration as a function of time. Consistent with previous work, which used more general models for dynamic contact angle, we can distinguish between five infiltration scenarios: horizontal infiltration, upward infiltration (capillary rise), as well as steady-state, accelerating, and decelerating downward infiltration. We determine the mutually exclusive conditions for the different infiltration scenarios to occur in terms of the nondimensional parameters that define the problem. Moreover, we develop 2D and 3D diagrams that show which parameter combination results in which infiltration scenario. Our analytical solutions are also valid in the limit where the dynamic contact angle becomes constant. For a constant contact angle, accelerating downward infiltration occurs only if the initial interface is not located at the tube inlet but further down the tube. For the special case in which the contact angle is constant, the liquid pressure at the tube inlet is equal to the gas pressure, and the interface is initially located at the tube inlet, our solution for upward infiltration is identical to a solution previously reported in the literature.
Recovery of chorda tympani nerve function following injury

The chorda tympani (CT) nerve carries taste information from the anterior tongue to the brain stem. Injury to the chorda tympani may result in loss or distortion of taste information. This study examined changes occurring in the hamster peripheral taste system during recovery from injury. The hamster chorda tympani nerve was crushed in the middle ear and the animals were allowed to survive from 2 to 16 weeks. At 2 weeks, CT fibers had degenerated distal to the crush site. Up to 16 weeks after crush, there were 67% fewer myelinated fibers in regenerated nerves than in controls. The mean area of the Ca(2+)-ATPase-stained core of the fungiform taste buds was significantly smaller than in controls 2 weeks after injury, but recovered to control values by 4 weeks. Electrophysiological responses to taste stimuli were recorded from the chorda tympani distal to the injury. No responses were seen after 2 weeks; weak and unstable responses were seen after 3 weeks. By 4-8 weeks, relative responses to taste stimuli were similar to control responses, but the variability of the responses to sucrose was significantly greater than that in controls. The frequency of responses to the water rinse following taste stimuli, particularly sucrose, was also greater in the regenerated nerves. The abnormal electrophysiological responses to sucrose may be the result of the differential rate of return of fiber types and/or the transduction mechanisms. In some ways, recovery of the peripheral gustatory system after damage to the chorda tympani nerve recapitulates the later stages of taste bud development.
Growth and Intestinal Morphology of Male Turkeys as Influenced by Dietary Supplementation of Amylase and Xylanase

Three diets, a control and two diets supplemented with an enzyme cocktail premix containing either amylase or xylanase, were each fed to 100 male poults (10 replicates of 10 poults per pen) from 0 to 5 wk of age to observe the effects upon body weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency. The amylase-supplemented diet significantly increased feed efficiency through the first 2 wk and significantly increased body weight gain and feed intake through the first 3 wk. Xylanase supplementation did not improve growth or feed efficiency over the control. Mean villus length within the jejunum and ileum was significantly increased at 2 and 3 wk of age by dietary supplementation of amylase when compared with the control and xylanase diets. These findings suggest that the increased growth associated with the amylase diet during 0 to 3 wk can, in part, be explained by the increase in absorptive surface area, allowing for increased digestion of available nutrients coupled with increased enzyme activity for carbohydrate degradation from the supplemental enzymes.
Michigan: A Bicentennial History

Highlights important events and personalities in and enquiry into the almost legendary promise Michigan has offered explorers, settlers, and developers throughout its history.
Effects of adsorption-induced microstructural changes on separation of xylene isomers through MFI-type zeolite membranes

Various factors were found to affect the performance of MFI-type zeolite membranes in separating xylene isomers (p-xylene, PX; o-xylene, OX) by pervaporation. In this work the effect of membrane microstructure, membrane quality, and pervaporation operating conditions were investigated using three membrane microstructures: random, c-oriented, and h,0,h-oriented. Operation under pervaporation conditions means that high loadings of PX will be present in the framework; therefore, the role of PX–framework and PX–OX interactions needs to be taken into consideration. Single component experiments demonstrated that the order of experimentation with OX and PX will affect the ideal selectivity. Multi-component studies showed that membrane performance is highly dependent on the relative concentration of the isomers in the feed; the higher the PX concentration the lower the selectivity observed. However, although high selectivity (∼18) was observed at low PX concentrations in the feed, it was not stable over time. Similar trends were observed for all membrane microstructures but differences in the selectivity values occurred. The structural deformation caused by high loadings of PX into the silicalite crystal affects each microstructure differently, ultimately leading to differences in performance.
HLA Immune Function Genes in Autism

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes on chromosome 6 are instrumental in many innate and adaptive immune responses. The HLA genes/haplotypes can also be involved in immune dysfunction and autoimmune diseases. It is now becoming apparent that many of the non-antigen-presenting HLA genes make significant contributions to autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, it has been reported that autism subjects often have associations with HLA genes/haplotypes, suggesting an underlying dysregulation of the immune system mediated by HLA genes. Genetic studies have only succeeded in identifying autism-causing genes in a small number of subjects suggesting that the genome has not been adequately interrogated. Close examination of the HLA region in autism has been relatively ignored, largely due to extraordinary genetic complexity. It is our proposition that genetic polymorphisms in the HLA region, especially in the non-antigen-presenting regions, may be important in the etiology of autism in certain subjects.
Molecular Mechanisms of Proton Permeation across Lipid Membranes- Effect of Cholesterol

Despite years of study the mechanisms by which H+ permeate lipid membranes are not well understood 1, 2. H+ flux differs from that of other ions in that H+ conductance is not dependent on the actual [H+] in the solution. Combining careful permeability measurements with structural analyses of lipid bilayers using X-ray diffraction, we have developed models of water, solute and H+ permeation across membranes; the models include various headgroups, chain lengths and extent of unsaturation3,4. We compared H+ permeability with physical parameters of the lipids, such as area/lipid, hydrocarbon thickness, bending modulus and compressibility modulus. Similar to water and solutes, in membranes composed of a single phospholipid, H+ permeability varied linearly with area/lipid, and was unrelated to other physical parameters. On this basis, in single component lipid systems, the rate limiting step for H+ permeation is hypothesized to be penetration of the proton from the aqueous medium into the lipid bilayer. When cholesterol is a component of the bilayer, water permeability decreases (15.8 ±0.58 x 10−3 cm/s in absence and 6.8 ± 0.57 x 10−3 cm/s in presence of cholesterol respectively). In contrast H+ permeability increases as the proportion of cholesterol increases in the bilayer (0.056 ± 0.006 cm/s in absence and in presence of cholesterol 0.113 ± 0.005 cm/s). We conclude that mechanisms of H+ permeability differ markedly from those of water and solutes. We have developed and are testing a new model for H+ permeation, which defines how cholesterol enhances H+ flux, while impeding water and solute fluxes.
Expression of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E predicts clinical outcome in patients with mantle cell lymphoma treated with hyper-CVAD and rituximab, alternating with rituximab, high-dose methotrexate, and cytarabine

BACKGROUND: Oncogenic AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling has recently been shown to contribute to tumor survival and proliferation in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) through its downstream effector eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), which may control cyclin D1 protein levels. However, the clinical significance of eIF4E expression in MCL is unknown. METHODS: The authors investigated the prognostic significance of eIF4E expression in 70 MCL patients uniformly treated with hyper-CVAD and rituximab, alternating with the rituximab, high-dose methotrexate, and cytarabine regimen (R-hyper-CVAD). eIF4E expression was assessed using tissue biopsy specimens obtained before treatment, immunohistochemical methods, and a highly specific monoclonal antibody. Failure-free (FFS) and overall (OS) survival were used as endpoints in univariate and multivariate survival analysis. RESULTS: High eIF4E expression was found in 28 (40%) MCL tumors. After a median follow-up of 51 months for survivors, the 5-year FFS was 20.6% for patients with high eIF4E expression, compared with 63.5% for patients with low or no eIF4E expression (P = .01, log-rank). Similarly, the 5-year OS was 40.1% for patients with high eIF4E expression, compared with 73.8% for patients with low or no eIF4E expression (P = .018, log-rank). In multivariate analysis, eIF4E expression was associated with poorer FFS and OS, along with age >60 years and high β2–microglobulin in the final prognostic model. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, eIF4E, which seems to recapitulate most of the biologic effects of mTOR signaling in MCL, is an independent predictor of clinical outcome in MCL patients uniformly treated with the R-hyper-CVAD regimen. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Protection against enteric salmonellosis in transgenic mice expressing a human intestinal defensin

Genetically encoded antibiotic peptides are evolutionarily ancient and widespread effector molecules of immune defence. Mammalian defensins, one subset of such peptides, have been implicated in the antimicrobial defence capacity of phagocytic leukocytes and various epithelial cells, but direct evidence of the magnitude of their in vivo effects have not been clearly demonstrated. Paneth cells, specialized epithelia of the small intestinal crypt, secrete abundant alpha-defensins and other antimicrobial polypeptides including human defensin 5 (HD-5; also known as DEFA5). Although antibiotic activity of HD-5 has been demonstrated in vitro, functional studies of HD-5 biology have been limited by the lack of in vivo models. To study the in vivo role of HD-5, we developed a transgenic mouse model using a 2.9-kilobase HD-5 minigene containing two HD-5 exons and 1.4 kilobases of 5'-flanking sequence. Here we show that HD-5 expression in these mice is specific to Paneth cells and reflects endogenous enteric defensin gene expression. The storage and processing of transgenic HD-5 also matches that observed in humans. HD-5 transgenic mice were markedly resistant to oral challenge with virulent Salmonella typhimurium. These findings provide support for a critical in vivo role of epithelial-derived defensins in mammalian host defence.
Surface-enhanced Raman probes of neurotransmitters

SERS of catecholamines and histamines is discussed. The SERS of histamines is partially assigned. The use of cellulose acetate electrodes for SERS in matrices with a high protein burden is described.
A multisite randomized trial of a motivational intervention targeting multiple risks in youth living with HIV: initial effects on motivation, self-efficacy, and depression.

Abstract Purpose Interventions targeting multiple risk behaviors are needed for youth living with HIV (YLH). A randomized clinical trial compared Healthy Choices, a four session motivational intervention targeting two of the three risk behaviors (HIV medication adherence, sexual risk behavior and substance use) to multidisciplinary specialty care alone. This article presents intermediary outcomes available at 3-month follow-up, variables proposed to be precursors to behavior change (motivation, self-efficacy, and depression). Methods YLH (N = 186) with at least one of the three problem behaviors were recruited from four sites in the Adolescent Trials Network and one non–Adolescent Trials Network site, and were assessed at baseline and 3 months. Results Of the 94 youth randomly assigned to the treatment condition, 84% received at least one session, 67% received at least two sessions, 56% received at least three sessions, and 49% completed all four sessions. In intent-to-treat analysis, only depression was significantly improved in the treatment group as compared with controls. However, in per-protocol analysis, youth receiving at least two sessions of the intervention also showed significant improvements in motivational readiness to change as compared with youth in the control condition. Conclusion Results suggest the potential benefits of clinic-based motivational interventions for YLH who access these interventions. Delivering interventions in the community using an outreach model may improve access. Analysis of subsequent time points will determine effects on actual behavior change.
Three years' experience with an all-digital nuclear medicine department

We describe our all-digital, filmless, department of nuclear medicine, which has been fully operational for 3 years. The approach to the design and implementation of a nuclear medicine picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is discussed, as well as enhancements found to be necessary or desirable during our 3 years of experience using the system. Studies are initially viewed on remote monitors in the reading room, and transferred from multiple vendor's computers to the PACS by floppy disc network. Scans are analyzed on networked image workstations using a variety of software imaging tools. Reports are dictated into a digital voice storage system, allowing the referring physician immediate telephone access. The dictated report is typed into a computer, electronically edited, reviewed, billed, and printed for appropriate distribution on an integrated medical information system. The final report is stored on the PACS, along with the scan image and other patient information on 1-gigabyte removable optical discs. Two networked optical disc drives allow us to have approximately 3 years of our department's studies available instantly, allowing recall of previous studies for comparison with the current scan. Emergency night and weekend studies are sent via modem over normal phone lines to the on-call physician, who has a similar image workstation at home. Digital image storage allows for easy manipulation of the data, such as gray scale manipulation and cine (movie) display. Cost analysis shows significant savings compared with a film-based department. We conclude that an all-digital nuclear medicine department is practical, cost effective, and beneficial to both patients and staff.
Accurate System-level TSV-to-TSV Capacitive Coupling Fault Model for 3D-NoC

TSV-based 3D-NoC has been introduced as a viable solution for integrating more cores on a chip, while imposing smaller footprint area and better timing performance as compared to 2D-NoC. However, TSV-to-TSV coupling is increasingly impacting the reliability of 3D-NoCs due to large size of TSVs. Addressing this issue, various resilient approaches have been recently proposed. But they have been evaluated by uniform random distributions fault modelling, which results in 26%-99% inaccuracy. We propose a system-level TSV-to-TSV coupling fault model that models the capacitive coupling effect, considering thermal impact, with circuit-level accuracy. This model can be plugged into any system-level TSV-based 3D-NoC simulator. It is also capable of identifying faulty TSV bundles and evaluating the efficiency of alternative resilient TSV-based 3D-NoC designs at the system-level.