cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aberrant subcellular localization of peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase in the Zellweger syndrome and rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata.

Fibroblasts from patients with the inherited disorder Zellweger syndrome have few or no peroxisomes; multiple biochemical processes that normally occur in this organelle are defective. Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punc- tata (RCDP) is another inherited disorder in which two unrelated peroxisomal metabolic processes, plasmalogen synthesis and phytanic acid oxidation, are impaired despite the normal appearance of peroxisomal structure. It was previously reported that one of the enzymes of peroxisomal fatty acid ,f3-oxidation, 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (P-keto- thiolase), was present in precursor rather than mature form in both of these diseases. Immunofluorescent staining for peroxisomal ,f3-ketothiolase showed the immunoreactivity to be localized in subcellular particles in fibroblasts from both Zellweger syndrome and RCDP patients, even though the former lack normal peroxisomes. Immunoblot studies were performed to determine the subcellular location of the thiolase precursor in fractionated fibroblasts from Zell- weger and RCDP patients. In both disorders, thiolase immunoreactivity was detected in subcellular fractions hav- ing a lower density than normal peroxisomes and mito- chondria, and was resistant to digestion by proteinase K. The density of the thiolase precursor-containing fractions was similar to that of peroxisomal membrane "ghost" fractions recently described by Santos et al. (J Biol Chem 263:10502-10509, 1988). Our results suggest that these are not empty membrane vesicles but contain at least one peroxisomal matrix protein. Furthermore, they exist not only in cells in which normal peroxisomes fail to form (Zellweger syndrome), but also in some cells which have catalase-containing peroxisomes (RCDP). (Pediatr Res 27: 304-310,1990)
Dominance reversal resulting from aggressive responses evoked by brain telestimulation

Abstract Stimulation of lateral and anterior hypothalamic sites in male rhesus monkeys resulted in aggressive attacks directed against other group members. New groups were formed in which the stimulated animals were subordinate. It was found that aggressive attacks against the dominant animals were readily evoked and were sufficient, after several days, to cause a permanent reversal of dominance.
Bernoulli maps of the interval

The ergodic properties of expanding piecewiseC2 maps of the interval are studied. It is shown that such a map is Bernoulli if it is weak-mixing. Conditions are given that imply weak-mixing (and hence Bernoulliness).
Evaluation of Potential Water Quality Trading Sites with Network Analysis

A precise trading ratio can help researchers to estimate an accurate water quality trading (WQT) result on both economic and environmental benefits. Most WQT studies focus on the market structure and price of credits, seldom address spatiotemporal variations of environmental uncertainties. Previous study showed the site-specific phenomena of the edge-of-field pollutant load is significant. Likewise stream delivery, lake detention may also have potential to affect the WQT results in space and time scale. This study attempts to analyze and evaluate the potential trading partners based on GIS network analysis techniques with site-specific trading ratios on pollutant load uncertainty and delivery effects. The delivery scenarios based on network connectivity, sources, and constraints coupled with land management scenarios were simulated at Lower Kansas subbasin in northeastern Kansas. The total nitrogen and phosphorus load reductions of between management scenarios as the trading targets had been simulated along stream network in the watershed. Several weighted factors such as flow length, travel time or flow rate were included in the network delivery analyses. The potential trading partners were then prioritized according to the final delivered load reductions under different scenarios within the watershed.
Recent range expansion and distributional limits of the nine‐banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the United States

Abstract. Prior to the mid 1850s armadillo dispersal may have been inhibited by native subsistence hunters, the Rio Grande acting as a physical hindrance, and natural habitat barriers posed by fire-maintained grasslands. European colonists settled south Texas in mass during the latter half of the 19th century and largely removed existing impediments to armadillo range expansion, effectively releasing the species into the United States. The speed of the armadillo's natural range expansion after 1850 was probably accelerated by human travel and commerce into and out of its historic range in south Texas on a proliferation of roadways and railroads. This translocation process will likely continue and, combined with natural dispersal, will provide the armadillo the opportunity to ultimately become established in any habitats in the United States in which it can survive. Limits to future distribution will likely be determined by climatic factors, and may be bounded by regions receiving at least 38 cm annual precipitation and having mean January temperatures >−2°C, or fewer than 24 total annual freeze days. Armadillos may have already approached a precipitation-defined boundary to the west and a distribution on the Great Plains limited by winter temperature minima. They may be expected to continue their advance up the East Coast to about the region of 41° North Latitude, decreasing to 39° North Latitude across the midwestern states. Future introductions on the West Coast may result in the establishment of armadillo populations in suitable habitats from California to Washington, an event that has already taken place with another tropical mammal emigrant, the opossum.
Fabrication of ultrathin mirrors for adaptive and space optics

We describe the optical fabrication of thin glass shells which will be combined with rigid active supports for adaptive secondary mirrors and for space optics. These applications require glass shells about 2 mm thick, with diameters up to about 1 m for adaptive optics and possibly 6 m for space optics. The extreme flexibility presents unique fabrication challenges which are overcome by a simple adaptation of traditional glassworking techniques. Here we describe the fabrication of concave spherical shells 20 cm and 55 cm diameter. A method of handling and supporting the thin substrates for loose abrasive grinding and polishing is demonstrated and some variations on this approach are compared. Extension of the technique to aspheric adaptive secondary mirrors and to ultra-light mirrors up to 6 meters in diameter is discussed. The subsequent integration and optical testing of a 55 cm shell with a 36 point active support is reported.
Consequences of terbium (111) binding on the conformation and enzymatic activity of Guinea pig liver transglutaminase

Calcium ions are crucial for expression of transglutaminase activity. Although lanthanides have been reported to substitute for calcium in a variety of protein functions, they did not replace the calcium requirement during transglutaminase activity measurements. Furthermore, lanthanides strongly inhibited purified liver transglutaminase activity using either casein or fibrinogen as substrates. Terbium (III) inhibition of transglutaminase-catalyzed putrescine incorporation into casein was not reversed by the presence of 10–200 fold molar excess of calcium ions (Ki for Tb(III)=60 µM). Conformational changes in purified liver transglutaminase upon Tb(III) binding were evident from a biphasic effect of Tb(III) on transglutaminase binding to fibrin. Low concentrations of Tb(III) (1 µM to 10 µM inhibited the binding of transglutaminase to fibrin, whereas higher concentrations (20 µM to 100 µM promoted binding. Conformational changes in purified liver transglutaminase consequent to Tb(III) binding were also demonstrated by fluorescence spectroscopy due to Forster energy transfer. Fluorescence emission was stable to the presence of 200 mM NaCl and 100 mM CaCl2 only partially quenched emission. Purified liver transglutaminase strongly bound to Tb(III)-Chelating Sepharose beads and binding could not be disrupted by 100 mM CaCl2 solution. Our data suggest that Tb(III)-induced conformational changes in transglutaminase are responsible for the observed effects on enzyme structure and function. The potential applications of Tb(III)-transglutaminase interactions in elucidating the structure-function relationships of liver transglutaminase are discussed.
Paper: Self-tuning leader-follower games

The optimization of a class of linear discrete-time stochastic systems with unknown parameters and multiple decision-makers or controllers each having his own single-stage quadratic objective is considered. Based on a centralized information pattern, a steady-state solution is obtained for the stochastic adaptive leader-follower game problem. It is shown that this class of leader-follower game problems can be transformed to an equivalent class of multiple-input-multiple-output self-tuning control problems with a single decision-maker. The convergence of the multiple-input-multiple-output self-tuning controller is established and applied to the leader-follower game. A numerical simulation illustrates the proposed self-tuning algorithm for an adaptive leader-follower strategy.
Unusual tear in inoue balloon during percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty in a patient with calcific mitral stenosis

An unusual tear in an Inoue balloon during dilatation of calcific mitral stenosis is presented and its mechanisms discussed. An abnormal sequence of inflation indicates a possible tear.
Conserved gene order at the nuclear periphery in Drosophila

Whether higher-order chromatin organization is related to genome stability over evolutionary time remains elusive. We find that regions of conserved gene order across the genus Drosophila are larger if they harbor genes bound by B-type lamin (Lam) and Suppressor of Under-Replication (SUUR), two proteins located at the nuclear periphery. Low recombination rates and coexpression of genes in regions of conserved gene order do not explain the lower probability of disruption in these regions by genome rearrangements. Instead, we find a significant colocalization between evolutionarily stable genomic regions associated with Lam and sequences thought to regulate local gene expression, which have the potential to impose constraints on genome rearrangement. At least in the genus Drosophila, localization of particular genomic regions at the nuclear periphery is intimately associated with their long-term integrity during evolution.
Elastic moduli, yield stress, and ultimate stress of cancellous bone in the canine proximal femur

Elastic moduli, yield stress and ultimate compressive stress were determined for cancellous bone from the femoral head and neck regions of the canine femur. Unconfined compression tests were performed on 5 mm cubic samples which were cut from two femurs. Elastic moduli were measured in three orthogonal directions, and the yield stress and ultimate stress were measured along the proximal-distal axis. The results from this investigation support previous assumptions that the mechanical behavior of canine cancellous bone is qualitatively similar to human cancellous bone. The canine cancellous bone was observed to be anisotropic in elastic modulus. For two thirds of the cubic specimens tested, the elastic modulus was largest in the load-bearing, proximal-distal direction. A linear relationship between yield stress and elastic modulus was observed for canine bone, as is typical of human bone. A similar linear relationship between ultimate stress and elastic modulus was observed. Thus, for canine bone as well as for human bone, failure appears to be governed by a strain level which is position independent. The yield strain of 0.0259 and ultimate strain of 0.0288 for canine bone were both less than the yield strain of 0.0395 reported for human bone.
Stable dry powder formulation for nasal delivery of anthrax vaccine

There is a current biodefense interest in protection against anthrax. Here, we developed a new generation of stable and effective anthrax vaccine. We studied the immune response elicited by recombinant protective antigen (rPA) delivered intranasally with a novel mucosal adjuvant, a mast cell activator compound 48/80 (C48/80). The vaccine formulation was prepared in a powder form by spray-freeze-drying (SFD) under optimized conditions to produce particles with a target size of D(50) = 25 μm, suitable for delivery to the rabbit nasal cavity. Physicochemical properties of the powder vaccines were characterized to assess their delivery and storage potential. Structural stability of rPA was confirmed by circular dichroism and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, whereas functional stability of rPA and C48/80 was monitored by cell-based assays. Animal study was performed using a unit-dose powder device for direct nasal application. Results showed that C48/80 provided effective mucosal adjuvant activity in rabbits. Freshly prepared SFD powder vaccine formulations or powders stored for over 2 years at room temperature elicited significantly elevated serum PA-specific and lethal toxin neutralization antibody titers that were comparable to that induced by intramuscular immunization with rPA. Nasal delivery of this vaccine formulation may be a viable alternative to the currently licensed vaccine or an attractive vaccine platform for other mucosally transmitted diseases.
A focal plane normal-flow measurement chip

ABSTRACT In this paper, we present the algorithm and operation of an aVLSI chip that can extract normal optical flow by using thegradient approach without interfering with the imaging process. This approach is feasible for scaling to larger arrayswithout affecting the processing or the processing area. Our system has a 92x52 photosensitive array of APS pixels atthe core with processing circuits on the periphery. We discuss the approach and the different blocks in the design andthen demonstrate the working of the individual blocks and of the system as a whole. The chip outputs the image, thespatial and temporal gradients and the normal flow at the read-out frame-rate with no penalty to the imaging process.The chip occupies an area of 4.5 mm2 and consumes 2.6 mW (at 1dd= 5V). Once normal flow is obtained, the chip canbe used to compute focus of expansion, time to contact and many other motion properties of images that can be used tocontrol robots. Tracking systems can use the velocity and segmentation of moving objects can be realized using motiondiscontinuity.Keywords: Normal Flow, Optical Flow, focal-plane, APS Pixel.
Reducing the consistency strength of an indestructibility theorem

Using an idea of Sargsyan, we show how to reduce the consistency strength of the assumptions employed to establish a theorem concerning a uniform level of indestructibility for both strong and supercompact cardinals. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Differential effects of hyperphenylalaninemia on the development of the brain in the rat

Abstract Rats made hyperphenylalaninemic from 13 to 21 days of age by subcutaneous injections of 4 mg/g of l -phenylalanine/day exhibit a 12% reduction in brain weight and a 20.5% reduction in cerebellar weight when compared to control siblings. There was a 29.7% decrease in the DNA content of the cerebellums of the hyperphenylalaninemic animals; the RNA-DNA ratio was slightly elevated when compared to controls but the protein-DNA ratio remained constant. The cerebral hemispheres were examined in 5 severely affected animals and 5 control siblings. The DNA content of the hemispheres was similar in the hyperphenylalaninemic and control groups. In the hyperphenylalaninemic group there was a marked reduction in the cerebral RNA-DNA and protein-DNA ratios, and lipid synthesis was severely curtailed (65.2% of control values). The reduction was most marked in the formation of galactolipids (41.8% of controls) and proteolipid proteins (50.0% of controls), suggesting that the formation of myelin can be significantly reduced in the cerebrum without a decrease in DNA. However, the chemical composition of the myelin membrane isolated from hyperphenylalaninemic animals closely resembles that of controls at 21 days of age. It is suggested that those synthetic processes which take place at the most rapid rate during the experimental period are most vulnerable to the insult.
An introduction to a dynamic plant-wide optimization strategy for an integrated plant

Abstract In this paper, we develop a dynamic real-time optimization (RTO) strategy for an integrated plant. The steady-state assumption in conventional RTOs severely limits frequency of optimization and precludes the use of dynamic degrees of freedom available in the plant (e.g. storage capacities), resulting in suboptimal economic performances. Other approaches that attempt to synchronize the frequency of the plant-level optimization to that of the local-unit-level model predictive controllers can be sensitive to local disturbances and model uncertainty in high-frequency parts of plant dynamics. We reason that a logical middle ground is to perform a dynamic optimization but at a rate significantly lower than the model predictive controllers in order to keep the modeling and computational requirements at a reasonable level for the optimization. We discuss the obtaining of a reduced-order model for a chosen optimization frequency and the interfacing of the real-time optimizer with unit controllers. Two examples are given to compare the various approaches.
IL-4-DEPENDENT INDUCTION OF BCL-2 AND BCL-XLIN ACTIVATED T LYMPHOCYTES THROUGH A STAT6- AND PI 3-KINASE-INDEPENDENT PATHWAY

Abstract Both B and T lymphocytes require ongoing signals to maintain their viability. The pleiotropic cytokine interleukin (IL-) 4 plays an important role in the maintenance of activated T cells, perhaps reflecting induction of the anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 and Bcl-X L . However, it is not known which of the signalling pathways known to link the IL-4 receptor with transcription regulation are required, or if the levels of Bcl-2/X induction under such physiologic conditions are sufficient to account for the anti-apoptotic effects of IL-4. We report here that although blockade of pathways (PI 3-kinase and pp70 S6 kinase) recruited by the IRS-1/2 adaptor proteins inhibited the anti-apoptotic function of IL-4, Bcl-2/X induction were normal. These findings were recapitulated in primary and culture-adapted T cells whose Stat6 signalling pathway also was defective. These results demonstrate that both the Stat6 and PI 3-kinase pathways can be dispensable for Bcl-2/X induction by IL-4, thus suggesting the involvement of an additional signal transduction pathway. Moreover, the preservation of Bcl-2/X induction despite inhibition of the anti-apoptotic function of IL-4 indicates that this cytokine activates additional protective mechanisms.
Fine‐needle aspiration of large cell lymphoma in a patient with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia: A case report and review of the literature

We describe a patient with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and Sjogren's disease who developed a large B-cell lymphoma. We discuss the differential diagnoses of fine-needle aspirations of a localized mass from such patients and review the literature of the association between agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and lymphoma.
Primary Voters as Retrospective Voters

Although retrospective evaluations of the economy and other issues have been hypothesized as major determinants of vote choice in national and congressional elections, there has been little systematic analysis of retrospective voting in presidential primary elections. Using the 1980 Democratic primary, the author examines the influence of perceptions of the economy and other retrospective issues in selecting a party's nominee for the presidency. Although the voters' family financial situation was a significant determinant of vote choice, voters' perceptions of Carter's handling of the economy exhibited the greatest relative impact in the model. Retrospective evaluations of the energy crisis and foreign affairs, as well as ideological orientation (representing "prospective" evaluations), were also found to have an important impact on vote choice in the presidential primaries. In short, this study demonstrates that, when a primary is contested by an incumbent president, primary voters behave in a similar ma...
Normal state a.c. conductivity of YBa2Cu3O7-δ

Abstract We have measured the a.c. conductivity of fully oxygenated and oxygen deficient polycrystalline and single crystal YBaCuO samples. We find no evidence for a frequency dependent conductivity in the frequency range d.c. to 1 GHz. We also measured the dielectric constant K for oxygen deficient samples. While the single crystal shows a low K, the polycrystalline samples show a very large K (K≈600), which we ascribe to capacitive coupling between grains.
Stratigraphic filtering of seismic waves: The influence of mode conversion multiples on P -wave and S -wave phase and attenuation

We demonstrate how multiples, generated at the interfaces of plane parallel beds, modify the propagation characteristics of an originally coherent seismic wave. For waves propagating at an angle to the bedding plane we find that theSV andP-waves couple so that neither is a pure mode. TheSH-wave, while modified in its propagation characteristics by multiples, remains a pure mode. The coupling ofSV-multiples into the quasi-P-mode appears weaker than the coupling ofP-wave multiples into the quasi-SV mode; at least this is so for the two simple cases of (a) density fluctuations only and (b) correlatedV p andV s fluctuations which conserve Poisson's ratio. We also find that the coupling is sensitive to both the angle of propagation and frequency. In addition there is a cut-off angle forP-wave multiples influencing the quasi-SV mode. Propagation angles larger than the cut-off permit theP-multiples to modify the phase of the quasi-SV mode, but not its effective attenuation. No such cut-off effect is found for SV-multiples influencing the quasi-P mode, whose angle-dependent and frequency-dependent phase distortion and effective attenuation are influenced both byP-wave multiples andSV-multiples. In view of the mathematical complexity of the expressions describing the phase, and effective attenuation of modes when allowance is made forP-andS-wave multiples, we strongly advocate numerical coding of the major mathematical formulae. By so doing a systematic study can be undertaken of the frequency and offset dependence of seismic waves as a function of seismic source input and power spectral behavior of the fluctuations in density and elastic constants of beds. It is our opinion that the full mathematical expressions are too involved to permit an analytic, systematic investigation to be given of the phase and attenuation of seismic waves with any degree of sophistication or generality.
Mass transport through PDMS/clay nanocomposite membranes

Poly(dimethylsiloxane)/clay nanocomposite membranes have been synthesized and mass transport properties through those nanocomposite membranes have been investigated. The effect of mechanical deformation on the transport properties of the PDMS (nanocomposite) membranes has also been studied. With the introduction of clay particles into the polymer matrix, mass transport is reduced, likely due to the longer diffusion path, which slows the diffusion process. The effect of membrane extension on diffusion is more complicated. Under small deformation, the permeation flux decreases, but under high deformation, it shows an enhanced diffusion. As the clay particle concentration increased, the effect of external deformation is reduced, and an enhanced diffusion is observed. On a synthetise des membranes en nano-composites de polydimethysiloxane et d'argile dans le but d'etudier leurs proprietes de transfert de matiere. L'effet de la deformation mecanique sur les proprietes de transfert de ces membranes a egalement ete etudie. Avec l'introduction des particules d'argile dans la matrice des polymeres, le transfert de matiere est reduit, probablement en raison du chemin de diffusion qui est plus long, ce qui ralentit le processus de diffusion. L'effet de l'extension des membranes sur la diffusion est plus complique. Sous faible deformation, le flux de permeation diminue, mais sous forte deformation, la diffusion est amelioree. Lorsque la concentration de particules d'argile augmente, l'effet de la deformation externe est reduit, et une meilleure diffusion est observee.
Increased renal angiotensin II AT1 receptor function in obese Zucker rat.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) via the activation of AT1 receptors and subsequent stimulation of the tubular sodium transporters increases sodium and water reabsorption in the proximal tubule. An enhanced tubular action of Ang II is implicated in obesity related hypertension; however, the mechanism of such a phenomenon is unknown. Present study was designed to determine the AT1 receptor numbers and function in the proximal tubule of obese and lean Zucker rats. Obese Zucker rats were hypertensive and hyperinsulinemic. The plasma renin activity was similar in the lean and obese rats. Angiotensin II stimulated the Na,H‐exchanger (NHE) activity in the proximal tubule, but the stimulatory response was markedly greater in obese than in lean rats. Similarly, Ang II caused greater inhibition in cAMP accumulation in the proximal tubule of obese compared to lean rats. The [125I]sar‐Ang II binding revealed a 100% increase in the AT1 receptor number in the brush border membrane (BBM) of obese compared to lean rats. The West...
Ultra-Long Barium Titanate Nanowire Arrays for Low Frequency Energy Harvesting Applications

Piezoelectric nanowires (NWs) have recently attracted immense interest due to their excellent electro-mechanical coupling behavior that can efficiently enable conversion of low-intensity mechanical vibrations for powering or augmenting batteries of biomedical devices and portable consumer electronics. Specifically, nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) composed of piezoelectric NWs offer an exciting potential for energy harvesting applications due to their enhanced flexibility, light weight, and compact size. Compared to the bulk form, high aspect ratio NWs can exhibit higher deformation to produce an enhanced piezoelectric response at a lower stress level. NEMS made of conventional semiconducting vertically aligned, ZnO NW arrays have been investigated thoroughly for energy harvesting; however, ZnO has a lower piezoelectric coupling coefficient as compared to many ferroelectric ceramics which limits its piezoelectric performance. Amidst lead-free ferroelectric materials, environmentally-friendly barium titanate (BaTiO3) possesses one of the highest piezoelectric strain coefficients and thus can enable greater energy transfer when used in vibrational energy harvesters. In this paper, a novel NEMS energy harvester is fabricated using ultra-long (∼40 μm long), vertically aligned BaTiO3 NW arrays which has a low resonant frequency (below 200 Hz) and its AC power harvesting capacity from low amplitude base vibrations (0.25 g) is demonstrated. The design and fabrication of low resonant frequency vibrational energy harvesters has been challenging in the field of MEMS/NEMS since the high stiffness of the structures results in resonant frequency often greater than 1 kHz. However, ambient mechanical vibrations usually exist in the 1 Hz to 1 kHz range and thus highly complaint ultra-long, NW arrays are beneficial to enable efficient energy conversion. Through the use of this newly developed synthesis process for the growth of highly compliant, ultra-long BaTiO3 NW arrays, it is shown that piezoelectric NWs based NEMS energy harvesters capable of harnessing this low frequency ambient vibrational energy can be conceived.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Doppler images of the spotted RS CVn star HD 26337 : 1984-87.

Doppler images of the spot distribution on HD 26337 (EI Eri) for the years 1984-87 are presented. These images were derived using maximum entropy digital image reconstruction on time-resolved spectroscopy of the Ca I 6439-A line. All the images are characterized by a large spot with several appendages straddling the rotation pole. The image from 1987 marks the appearance of two equatorial spots. The existence of polar spots on RS CVn stars appears to be not only a common phenomenon, but a long-lived one as well. This polar spot underwent significant changes from year to year
The effect of shear bands on service properties of ti-6ai-2sn-4zr-2mo-0.1si forgings

The effect of shear bands on the elevated temperature tensile, creep, and fatigue properties of Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo-0. ISi (Ti-6242) forgings has been established. Evaluations on forgings containing and not containing shear bands demonstrated that the effect is very small if not negligible in tensile and fatigue loading. For these types of loading, observations were explainable on the basis of the fact that the shear bands are regions of somewhat higher hardness than the remainder of the forging, and, thus, failure tended to nucleate away from the shear bands. In contrast, shear bands had a noticeable effect on stress-rupture properties. The deleterious effects under this type of loading were ascribed to microscopic processes such as enhanced diffusion along shear bands.
On the regional implications of air pollution control

THIS PAPER SHOWS THE MANNER IN WHICH REGIONAL CONSIDERATIONS ENTER INTO AND COMPLICATE THE DESIGN OF AN EFFICIENT SET OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL POLICIES. THE NATURE OF INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN REGIONAL VARIATIONS AND OPTIMAL POLICY SELECTION ARE IDENTIFIED. MANDATORY VEHICLE INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE AS A SPECIFIC NEAR-TERN EMISSION CONTROL POLICY IS EXAMINED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT FOR REGIONS CHARACTERIZED BY A HIGH CO PROBLEM, A SIMPLE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IS AN EFFICIENT POLICY FOR ACHIEVING SOME IMPROVEMENT IN AIR QUALITY. USE OF THE SAME PROGRAM FOR A REGION HAVING A HIGH HC PROBLEM IS HIGHLY INEFFICIENT. /DOT/
Early Identification of Individuals with Poorly Controlled Diabetes Undergoing Elective Surgery: Improving A1C Testing in the Preoperative Period.

Objective: To describe a process improvement strategy that increased the identification of individuals with poorly controlled diabetes (glycated hemoglobin [A1C] ≥8%) undergoing elective surgery at a major academic medical center and increased their access to specialist care.Methods: An algorithm was developed to ensure A1C measurements were obtained as per the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists/American Diabetes Association (AACE/ADA) guidelines. The diabetes management team worked collaboratively with anesthesiologists, surgeons, and preoperative nurse practitioners to improve the glycemic control of patients with an A1C ≥8%.Results: Before implementing the program, A1C testing was recorded in 854 out of 2,335 (37%) patients with diabetes seen in the preoperative clinic from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012. The program was instituted in February 2013. From February 2013 to February 2014, A1C testing occurred in 1,236 out of 1,334 (93%) patients with diabetes. After excluding those sc...
Selective induction of renal microsomal cytochrome P-450-linked monooxygenases by 1,1-dichloroethylene in mice

Intraperitoneal administration of a single dose of 1,1-dichloroethylene (DCE) to C57 B1/6N mice (125 mg/kg) caused a selective 6- to 10-fold increase in renal microsomal 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD), without affecting benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activity (AHH) or total microsomal cytochrome P-450 content. The observed increases did not result from in vitro activation of the enzymes or from any analytical artifact. Moreover, studies with actinomycin D and cycloheximide demonstrated that the increases resulted from de novo enzyme synthesis. Maximal enzyme induction was observed after a DCE dose of approximately 125 mg/kg, and the induced enzyme decayed rapidly, returning to control levels in about 3 days. Compared to female mice, male mice had higher basal levels of renal EROD and ECOD and were more responsive to the inductive effects of DCE; this correlated with corresponding differences in microsomal cytochrome P-450 levels. Starvation of mice for 24 or 48 hr increased renal EROD and ECOD activities in both male and female mice, but not the extent observed after DCE. The present results support the view of multiple renal cytochrome P-450 isozymes.
Selected MMPI items that identified college women who reported early sexual abuse.

This study examined whether MMPI items could be used to discriminate between 41 college women who reported having experienced sexual abuse as children and 73 who did not report childhood sexual abuse. A set of 63 items were identified which correctly classified 84% of the subjects.
Occlusion of the macular capillaries in sickle cell hemoglobin C disease.

Isolated macular infarction has been re­ ported in sickle cell (SS) disease.' While Welch and Goldberg and Goldberg alone' summarized the proliferative aspects of sickle retinopathy (PSR) in hemo­ globin C (SC) disease, the association of macular capillary occlusions has not been re­ ported previously. This report documents this association, which may be easily over­ looked and yet can readily account for de­ creased visual acuity.
A 1.7GHz 1.5W CMOS RF Doherty Power Amplifier for Wireless Communications

A fully differential Doherty PA is implemented in 0.13mum CMOS with MIM capacitors and a die size of 2.8times3.2mm2. The prototype achieves a maximum output power of 1.5W at 1.7GHz with a drain efficiency of 39%. The peak PAE is 36% (33% with off-chip balun) including the driving stages and is >18% for a 10dB range of output power
Verification of Transactional Memory in POWER8

Transactional memory is a promising mechanism for synchronizing concurrent programs that eliminates locks at the expense of hardware complexity. Transactional memory is a hard feature to verify. First, transactions comprise several instructions that must be observed as a single global atomic operation. In addition, there are many reasons a transaction can fail. This results in a high level of non-determinism which must be tamed by the verification methodology. This paper describes the innovation that was applied to tools and methodology in pre-silicon simulation, acceleration and post-silicon in order to verify transactional memory in the IBM POWER8 processor core.
Is Gergen's Relational Being Relational Enough?

Gergen's book is a wonderful contribution, attempting to be relational both in content and in style. Nevertheless, the author's social constructionist underpinnings raise a few friendly questions. These questions revolve around four issues: (a) an extreme form of co-active freedom is evident in Gergen's work; (b) this extreme freedom minimizes other aspects of the natural, temporal, and moral context of meaning-making; (c) this minimization implies that Gergen has not overcome dualism; and (d) this residual dualism renders human meaning-making almost arbitrary.
Control of Cavitating Flows: A Perspective

This is a summary of our research on unsteady partial cavitation and ventilated partially and supercavitating flows with special emphasis on control strategies. We draw upon our experience with a variety of projects ranging from the experimental and numerical description of sheet/cloud cavitation to the control of high-speed supercavitating bodies. In addition, our numerical simulations of partially cavitating hydrofoils indicate that there is a regime where the potential exists for feedback control of gust-induced oscillations. These efforts are in the incubation stage. The purpose of this presentation is to provide our perspective on the problems and opportunities for control of cavitation and to encourage a healthy interchange of ideas at this workshop.
Roles of Prostaglandins and Nitric Oxide in the Effect of Endothelin-1 on Renal Hemodynamics

It is known that endothelin-1 stimulates the release of nitric oxide and prostaglandins in various vascular beds. We designed the present study to analyze the roles of prostaglandins and nitric oxide in the effect of endothelin-1 on the regulation of renal hemodynamics and renin release. We used N ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and meclofenamic acid to inhibit the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandins, respectively. With a nonfiltering kidney model, renal blood flow was reduced 21% in dogs treated with L-NAME and 18% in dogs treated with meclofenamic acid. Inhibition of nitric oxide and prostaglandins, however, produced opposite effects on estimated glomerular hydraulic pressure: L-NAME increased glomerular hydraulic pressure from 63.1±0.9 to 64.6±1.3 mm Hg ( P <.01), and meclofenamic acid reduced glomerular hydraulic pressure from 63.3±1.4 to 59.8±1.6 mm Hg ( P <.01). Endothelin-1 infusion produced a dose-dependent reduction in renal blood flow after blockade of nitric oxide and prostaglandins. The responses of glomerular hydraulic pressure were different in the two groups during endothelin-1 infusion. Endothelin-1 progressively reduced glomerular hydraulic pressure in a dose-dependent fashion in the meclofenamic acid group. However, endothelin-1 slightly increased glomerular hydraulic pressure until the infusion rate reached 5.0 ng/kg per minute. At that rate, endothelin-1 reduced glomerular hydraulic pressure from 63.3±1.4 to 47.0±1.4 mm Hg in the meclofenamic acid group ( P <.01), a more than 25% reduction, whereas at the same dose, endothelin-1 reduced glomerular hydraulic pressure only less than 2% in the L-NAME group. In addition, blockade of nitric oxide and prostaglandins did not alter the inhibitory effect of endothelin-1 on renin release in the nonfiltering kidney. Therefore, the present study demonstrates that the release of nitric oxide and prostaglandins might modulate the effects of endothelin-1 on the renal circulation. The present findings suggest that the differential vasoconstrictive effects of endothelin-1 on preglomerular and postglomerular vessels are associated with its stimulation of nitric oxide and prostaglandin production.
Direct De-Ionized Water-Cooled Semiconductor Laser Package for Photodynamic Therapy of Esophageal Carcinoma: Design and Analysis

Effective delivery of the activation light for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of internal organs is a challenge. In this paper, we present a direct de-ionized water-cooling semiconductor laser package design for PDT of esophageal carcinomas. This self-sustained photonic light delivery system is designed to provide the correct amount of light dose for optimal treatment. The direct de-ionized water-cooling technique discussed in this paper not only removes heat efficiently but also results in a high optical power output. Voltage-current and power-current characteristics, and near field optical patterns for unidirectional and direct de-ionized water-cooling, are used to show the validity of the technique. Modeling of fluid flow is conducted to investigate the effect of flowing water over the laser package.
Reality check for data mining

Data-mining tools let business managers make profitable use of the massive quantities of information their companies collect. This article looks at two particularly useful data-mining applications.
Convective heat exchange in tunnel kilns

In calculating the coefficients of heat transfer by convection in tunnel kilns for the longitudinal surfaces of the setting with a latticed column structure Eq. (1) is recommended, for the longitudinal surfaces of the setting with solid columns Eq. (9); and for transverse surfaces in the setting Eq. (14). The resulting coefficients of heat transfer can be made more accurate by multiplying them by the value η, determined from Eq. (2).
A Voronoi Cell finite element model for particle cracking in elastic-plastic composite materials

Abstract In this paper, a small deformation Voronoi Cell finite element model is developed for damage in particle reinforced composite materials by particle cracking and splitting. It incorporates a ductile elastic-plastic matrix material containing any dispersion of brittle elastic inclusions of arbitrary shapes and sizes. Damage initiation by micro-cracking or splitting of the inclusions is assumed to follow a maximum principal stress theory or Rankine criterion. Complete particle cracking or splitting is assumed at the onset of damage. The model accounts for microstructure evolution through progressive particle fracture in complex morphologies without any user interference. Various micro-structural morphologies are simulated to verify the effectiveness of the model. Analysis of real microstructures from optical micrographs of AlSiMg composite systems, is conducted to demonstrate the promise of this numerical model.
Bradykinin-induced changes in myo-inositol 1,2-(cyclic)phosphate in rabbit papillary collecting tubule cells

Abstract Rabbit renal pipillary collecting tubule cells were harvested and grown in primary cultures. When labeled with myo -[2- 3 H]inositol and extracted under neutral conditions, a metabolite undetected under acidic extraction was observed on resolution by anion-exchange chromatography and which eluted under similar conditions with authentic dl - myo -inositol 1,2-(cyclic)phosphate; the mass spectrum of its pentakis(trimethylsilyl) derivative contains an identical ratio of selected ion fragments to the authentic standard. Bradykinin, demonstrated previously to increase labeling of free inositol polyphosphates, increases labeling of inositol 1,2 cyclic phosphate but over a time course subsequent to the formation of inositol trisphosphate. These observations are consistent with the model that bradykinin induces hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate which precedes hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol in renal papillary collecting tubule cells.
Understanding Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

The diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome was once debated in the world of vascular surgery. Today, it is more understood and surprisingly less infrequent than once thought. Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is composed of three types: neurogenic, venous, and arterial. Each type is in distinction to the others when considering patient presentation and diagnosis. Remarkable advances have been made in surgical approach, physical therapy, and rehabilitation of these patients. Dedicated centers of excellence with multidisciplinary teams have been developed and continue to lead the way in future research.
Heat Shock Protein 65-Reactive T Cells Are Involved in the Pathogenesis of Non-Antigenic Dimethyl Dioctadecyl Ammonium Bromide-Induced Arthritis

Dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA) (C38H80NBr) is a nonantigenic lipoid material. DDA-induced arthritis (DIA) in the Lewis (LEW) (RT.1l) rat is a new experimental model for human rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DIA is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. However, the precise self/foreign Ags associated with the disease process in DIA are not yet known. We observed that LEW rats with DIA spontaneously raised a vigorous T cell response both to 65-kDa self (rat) heat shock protein (Rhsp65) and mycobacterial hsp65 (Bhsp65), but not to another arthritis-related Ag, bovine collagen type II. The T cell response to Rhsp65 was focused predominantly on determinant regions 120–134 and 213–227 of the self protein. Interestingly, pretreatment of adult LEW rats using either a mixture of peptides 120–134 and 213–227 of Rhsp65 or a low nonarthritogenic dose of DDA induced protection against subsequent DIA. Intriguingly, the protection induced by the latter was associated with spontaneous priming of T cells specific for peptide 213–227 of Rhsp65. Similarly, LEW rats neonatally tolerized against either Rhsp65 or Bhsp65 were significantly protected from subsequently induced DIA at adult stage, showing the disease-modulating attribute of the hsp65-specific T cells. Taken together, the above findings demonstrate that the hsp65-directed T cell repertoire is of significance in the pathogenesis of autoimmune arthritis induced by nonantigenic DDA. Like other animal models of RA involving hsp65, these first insights into the disease-associated Ags in the DIA model would pave the way for further understanding of the immunological aspects of induction and regulation of RA.
Full thermal parametric model for power WL-CSP design

A new type of full thermal parametric model for power wafer level chip scale package (WL-CSP) is developed in this paper, which includes parametric WL-CSP and its adaptive parametric JEDEC thermal test board. By employment of the parametric model, package geometry parameters and the trace layout for PCB can easily be changed to meet the requirement of design, so that the influence of all geometry parameters to thermal performance can be investigated fast for the whole series of WL-CSP packages. The entire thermal simulation, including meshing, loading/boundary condition, solving, and post processing, is automated with ANSYS® parametric design language (APDL) coding. This paper introduces the construction of the parametric model for WL-CSP design, and both JEDEC low effective thermal board and high effective thermal conductivity boards with and without thermal vias are included in the model. To study impact of solder ball number, die size, terminal pitch on thermal resistances or parameters, extensive modeling tasks are run and related results are systemically investigated. As verification, a WL-CSP with 6 balls is actually tested finally, and results show that it is a good match between actual measurement and simulation results.
A Plastic Fracture Mechanics Prediction of Fracture Instability in a Circumferentially Cracked Pipe in Bending—Part I: J-Integral Analysis

A method of evaluating the J-integral for a circumferentially cracked pipe in bending is proposed. The method allows a J-resistance curve to be evaluated directly from the load-displacement record obtained in a pipe fracture experiment. It permits an analysis for fracture instability in a circumferential crack growth using a J-resistance curve and the tearing modulus parameter. The influence of the system compliance on fracture instability is discussed in conjunction with the latter application. The importance of using a J-resistance curve that is consistent with the type of constraint for a given application is emphasized. The possibility of a pipe fracture emanating from a stress corrosion crack in the heat-affected zones of girth-welds in Type 304 stainless steel pipes was investigated. The J-resistance curve was employed. A pipe fracture experiment was performed using a spring-loaded four-point bending system that simulated an 8.8-m long section of unsupported 102-mm-dia pipe. An initial through-wall crack of length equal to 104 mm was used. Fracture instability was predicted to occur between 15.2 and 22.1 mm of stable crack growth at each tip. In the actual experiment, the onset of fracture instability occurred beyond maximum load at an average stable crack growth of 11.7 to 19more » mm at each tip. 24 refs.« less
Multi-core acceleration of chemical kinetics for simulation and prediction

This work implements a computationally expensive chemical kinetics kernel from a large-scale community atmospheric model on three multi-core platforms: NVIDIA GPUs using CUDA, the Cell Broadband Engine, and Intel Quad-Core Xeon CPUs. A comparative performance analysis for each platform in double and single precision on coarse and fine grids is presented. Platform-specific design and optimization is discussed in a mechanism-agnostic way, permitting the optimization of many chemical mechanisms. The implementation of a three-stage Rosenbrock solver for SIMD architectures is discussed. When used as a template mechanism in the the Kinetic PreProcessor, the multi-core implementation enables the automatic optimization and porting of many chemical mechanisms on a variety of multi-core platforms. Speedups of 5.5x in single precision and 2.7x in double precision are observed when compared to eight Xeon cores. Compared to the serial implementation, the maximum observed speedup is 41.1x in single precision.