cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An arbiter based on-chip droop detector system

This paper presents a new design of supply droop detector system with a 10-20mV resolution at a very fast sampling rate (3GHz) in IBM 45nm SOI process. The detector system samples noisy supply voltage and stable reference voltages, and these sampled voltages are converted into different propagation delay values by using current starved inverters. Simple arbiters are used to convert these propagation delay differences into digitally reconstructed supply droop voltage. In addition, the detector has only 1 clock latency; a digital value of supply droop voltage is available after one clock cycle. This new droop detector system can greatly assist an adaptive frequency scaling system with a digital control and short latency.
Failure Process of Rock Sample Observed by AE Source Locating Technique under Uniaxial Compression

A series of uniaxial-compression tests were conducted on some representative brittle rock specimens, such as granite, marble and dolerite. A multi-channel, high-speed AE signal acquiring and analyzing system was employed to acquire and record the characteristics of AE events and demonstrate the temporal and spatial distribution of these events during the rupture-brewing process. The test result showed that in the primary stage, many low amplitude AE events were developed rapidly and distributed randomly throughout the entire specimens. In the second stage, the number of AE increased much slower than that in the first stage, while the amplitude of most AE events became greater. Contrarily to the primary stage, AE events clustered in the middle area of the specimen and distributed vertically conformed to the orientation of compression. The most distinct characteristic of this stage was a vacant gap formed approximately in the central part of the specimen. In the last stage, the number of AE events increased sharply and their magnitude increased accordingly. The final failure location coincidently inhabited the aforementioned gap. The main conclusion is that most macrocracks are developed from the surrounding microcracks existed earlier and their positions occupy the earlier formed gaps, and the AE activity usually becomes quite acute before the main rupture occurs.
Rapid vascular glucose uptake via enzyme-assisted subcutaneous infusion: enzyme-assisted subcutaneous infusion access study.

BACKGROUND Enzyme-assisted subcutaneous infusion (EASI), with subcutaneous human recombinant hyaluronidase pretreatment, may offer an alternative to standard intravenous (IV) access. OBJECTIVES This study's objectives were to assess paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic [EMTP])-placed EASI access in volunteers to determine (1) feasibility of EMTP EASI access placement; (2) subject/EMTP ratings of placement ease, discomfort, and overall EASI vs IV preference; and (3) speed of intravascular uptake of EASI infusate. METHODS Twenty adults underwent 20-gauge IV placement by 4 EMTPs, receiving a 250-mL maximal-rate IV bolus of normal saline. Next, each subject received in the other arm a 20-gauge EASI access line (with 1-mL injection of 150 U of human recombinant hyaluronidase), through which was infused 250 mL D5NS (1 g glucose was labeled with stable tracer 13C). Blood draws enabled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) assessment of 13C-glucose uptake. Intravenous access and EASI access were compared for time parameters and subject/EMTP ratings. Data were analyzed with median and interquartile range, Kruskal-Wallis testing, Fisher exact test, and regression (GC/MS data). RESULTS Intravenous access and EASI access were successful in all 20 subjects. Compared with EASI access (all placed in <15 seconds), IV access took longer; but the 250-mL bolus was given more quickly via IV access. EMTPs rated EASI easier to place than IV; pain ratings were similar for IV and EASI. The GC/MS showed intravascular uptake at all time points. CONCLUSIONS Enzyme-assisted subcutaneous infusion is faster and easier to initiate than IV access; intravascular absorption of EASI-administered fluids begins within minutes.
B Cells, Not Just for Antibody Anymore

B cell antibody production is thought to be crucial for protection against virus infection. In this issue of Immunity, Moseman et al. (2012) illustrate an antibody-independent role for B cells in macrophage activation that prevents virus dissemination after subcutaneous infection.
Surgical treatment of anterior basal meningiomas

Meningiomas of the anterior skull base account for 40% of all intracranial meningiomas. Of these, almost half are sphenoid wing meningiomas; the other half are tuberculum sella tumors or olfactory groove tumors. Anterior clinoidal (medial sphenoid wing) meningiomas are a subcategory of the sphenoid wing meningiomas; they fall into one of three categories according to the presence of an interfacing arachnoidal membrane between the tumor and the cerebral vessels. Meningiomas of the tuberculum sella arise from the tuberculum sella, chiasmatic sulcus, limbus sphenoidale, and the diaphragma sella; they may extend into both optic canals. Olfactory groove meningiomas arise more anteriorly than do the tuberculum sella meningiomas and may be symmetrical around the midline or extend to one side or the other; at least 15% grow into the ethmoid sinuses. This paper addresses the clinical presentation, preoperative evaluation, and surgical procedures used for treating tumors of the tuberculum sella, the olfactory groove, and the anterior clinoid.
Reverse-engineering a Watermark Detector based on a More Precise Model

Detection results obtained from an oracle can be used to reverse-engineer the underlying detector structure, or parameters thereof. In particular, if a detector uses a common structure like correlation or normalized correlation, detection results can be used to estimate feature space dimensionality, watermark strength, and detector threshold values. Previous estimation techniques used a simplistic but tractable model for a watermarked image in the detection cone of a normalized correlation detector; in particular a watermarked image is assumed to lie along the axis of the detection cone, essentially corresponding to an image of zero magnitude. This produced useful results for feature spaces of fewer dimensions, but increasingly imprecise estimates for larger feature spaces. In this paper we model the watermarked image properly as a sum of a cover vector and approximately orthogonal watermark vector, offsetting the image within the cone, which is the geometry of a detector using normalized correlation. This symmetry breaking produces a far more complex model which boils down to a quartic equation. Although it is infeasible to find its symbolic solution even with the aid of computer, our numerical analysis results show certain critical behavior which reveals the relationship between the attacking noise strength and the detector parameters. The critical behavior predicted by our model extends our reverse-engineering capability to the case of detectors with large feature space dimensions, which is not uncommon in multimedia watermarking algorithms.
The physical oceanographic environment during the CCE-LTER Years: Changes in climate and concepts

Abstract The California Current System (CCS) has been studied by the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations program for many decades. Since 2004, the Southern California Bight (SCB) and the oceanic region offshore has also been the site for the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, which has established long-term observational time series and executed several Process Cruises to better understand physical–biological variations, fluxes and interactions. Since the inception of the CCE-LTER, many new ideas have emerged about what physical processes are the key controls on CCS dynamics. These new perspectives include obtaining a better understanding of what climate patterns exert influences on CCS physical variations and what physical controls are most important in driving CCE ecological changes. Physical oceanographic and climatological conditions in the CCS varied widely since the inception of the CCE-LTER observational time series, including unusual climate events and persistently anomalous states. Although the CCE-LTER project commenced in 2004 in the midst of normal ocean conditions near the climatological means, over the following decade, El Nino/Southern Oscillation conditions flickered weakly from warm to cold, with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) generally tracking that behavior, while the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO) evolved to persistent and strong positive conditions after 2007, indicative of enhanced upwelling from 2007 to 2012. Together the combined impact of the negative PDO state (La Nina conditions) and positive NPGO state (increased upwelling conditions) yielded remarkably persistent cool conditions in the CCS from late 2007 to early 2009 and from mid-2010 through 2012. The broad-scale climate variations that occurred over the North Pacific and CCS during this time period are discussed here to provide physical context for the CCE-LTER time series observations and the CCE-LTER Process Cruises. Data assimilation fits, using the Regional Ocean Modeling System four-dimensional data assimilation framework, were successfully executed for the 1-month time period surrounding each of the Process Cruises. The fits provide additional information about how the physical flows evolve during the course of the multi-week Process Cruises. Relating these physical states to the numerous biological measurements gathered by the CCE-LTER time series observations and during the Process Cruises will yield vital long-term perspective of how changing climate conditions control the ocean ecosystem in this region and information on how this important ecosystem can be expected to evolve over the coming decades.
Distribution of Radiolabeled Subvisible Microspheres after Intravenous Administration to Beagle Dogs

The distribution and fate of intravenously administered microspheres in four size ranges were studied using Beagle dogs as an animal model. Administration of a dosage labeled with 200 μCi of cerium-141 permitted γ-camera observation. Animals were scanned upon dosing and again after 2 and 24 hr and 1, 2, and 4 weeks. The dogs were sacrificed after the 4-week scan to quantitate the final distribution. Whole organs were excised and homogenized, and the total radioactivity was determined by analyzing representative samples in a well counter. Image analysis revealed no distribution differences between bolus administration and 30-min infusion of doses of equal particle size and count. Spheres in the 25-, 15-, and 8-μm ranges lodged by the time necessary to secure the first image (approximately 20 min) and did not undergo any observable relocation; the 3-μm spheres appeared to be delayed in the lung. Well counting revealed that essentially all of the 25- and 15-μm doses and the major part of the 8-μm spheres were accounted for in the lungs after 4 weeks. Traces of the 8-μm spheres also were found in the liver, spleen, heart, and kidneys. Of the 3-μm spheres, over 75% were recovered in the liver, 17% in the spleen, 3% in the lung, and trace amounts in the kidneys and heart. Radioactivity in other organs and blood was negligible.
DETECTION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IN MECONIUM USING POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION.† 1801

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of congenital infections. The recent availability of anti-viral therapy makes timely diagnosis critical to prevent significant morbidities. Viral cultures have prolonged recovery time and serologic tests have limited sensitivities. Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)is a highly sensitive and rapid test which has been evaluated in a number of specimen types for CMV. The meconium which accumulates as early as the second trimester may be a good source of CMV. This study aims to develop an extraction procedure using PCR to detect CMV in the meconium.
EFFECT OF PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH DISCRIMINANDA ON DIFFERENTIAL CONDITIONING

Different amounts of reversal training: None, 4 reinforced trials to the white alley (4W+) and 4 nonreinforced trials to the black (4B−), 10W+ vs 10B−, and 30W+ vs 30B−, were given prior to differential instrumental reward conditioning, B+ vs W−. Speeds of 20 male hooded rats per group were measured on the 4 trials given per day. Both average speeds and individual Ss' discrimination scores showed that as more predifferential trials were given, more trials to discrimination were required on the reversed differentiation problem. The results were discussed in terms of some basic assumptions made by frustration theories of nonreward.
Haematologic consequences of viral infections including serum iron status

Twenty-seven children with mumps or chickenpox were taken as a model to evaluate the haematological consequences of viral infections including serum iron status. Blood samples were obtained from all patients at presentation and on the 21 st day of the disease. While haemoglobin, haematocrit, and meam corpuscular volume levels were similar in two measurements (P>0.05), the mean leucocyte, absolute lymphocyte and thrombocyte counts, mean serum iron, serum iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation levels were lower at presentation than on the 21 st day of the disease. The serum iron levels were below 30 μg/dl in 16 (59.2%) patients at presentation while only 4 (14.8%) had low values on 21 st day. Twenty-four (88.9%) patients had an increment in the serum iron binding capacity levels and 2 (7.6%) reached values above the normal range on the 21 st day. Int 21 (77.8%) patients, the transferrin saturation levels were below the expected ranges at presentation but 26 (96.3%) showed an increment on the 21 st day. However, the mean ferritin level was higher at presentation. Therefore, during the evaluation of patients for anaemia, the presence of a recent acute viral infection should be documented so as to avoid unnecessary iron medication.
The Terror of Natural Right – Republicanism, the Cult of Nature, and the French Revolution

Dan Edelstein, The Terror of Natural Right – Republicanism, the Cult of Nature, and the French Revolution (2009), xi + 337 (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, $40.00, paperback $25.00). Dan Edel...
Power Aspects of the Tennessee Valley Authority's Program

I. The power program of the Authority may be treated independently of other objectives. — This program represents a new development in federal power policy, 378. — II. An analysis of the provisions of the Act relating to power, 379; constitutional limitations on a federal agency in the electricity field, 383; legislative limitations on the activities of the Authority in the Tennessee Valey area, 389. — III. Objectives of the Authority's power program, 393. — Significance of these objectives for the problem of cost calculation, 396. — The problem of investment allocation, 398. — The problem of the interest rate, 407. — The determination of the price of acquired properties, 410. — IV. Conclusions, 412.
Developmental regulation of two nuclear RNA binding proteins, p34 and p37, from Trypanosoma brucei

We have previously reported the purification of two closely related nucleic acid binding proteins, p34 and p37, from Trypanosoma brucei and the cloning and sequencing of the two genes encoding these two proteins. The predicted primary structures of the two proteins are nearly identical with one major and several minor differences. Three sequence motifs have been identified in both proteins: an N-terminal alanine, proline, and lysine rich domain, one and a half internal consensus RNA binding domains, and a C-terminal KKDX repeat region. p34 and p37 bind preferentially to heterogeneous RNA as compared with other nucleic acids. Here, we report the developmental regulation of the expression of these two highly related proteins and their intracellular localization in T. brucei. The results indicate that these two RNA binding proteins are differently regulated through the Trypanosoma brucei life cycle. The steady state level of p34 transcript and protein are highest in the procyclic form. In bloodstream form, however, the p34 message is readily detectable, while the protein is not detectable. The p37 transcript level is nearly as high as that for p34 in procyclic form, while the p37 protein level is low. In bloodstream form p37 protein does correlate with the relative abundance of the steady state mRNA level. The two proteins have been localized to the nucleus by immunofluorescent confocal microscopy and subcellular fractionation.
Magnetic circular dichroism of the carbon tetrahalides in the nx → σ* region

Abstract The magnetic circular dichroism spectra of carbon tetrachloride in the vapor phase and of carbon tetrabromide and tetraiodide in cyclohexane solution have been investigated in the region of the n x → σ * valence transitions. Assignments have been made in terms of the transitions 1 A 1 → 1,3 T 2 T 2 (3t 2 → 3a 1 ) and 1 A 1 → 3 ET 2 (e → 3a 1 ).
Glucose Control in Mayo Clinic Intensive Care Units

Background: Safe and effective glucose control in the intensive care unit (ICU) continues to be actively pursued. Large clinical trials have examined the safety and efficacy of insulin infusion protocols in medical and surgical ICUs. We report experiences of a single-center standardized nurse-driven insulin infusion protocol in three ICUs in an observational quality-improvement study. Method: We analyzed the hourly point-of-care arterial blood glucose obtained during ICU insulin infusion protocol (protocol A) with a glucose target of 80–130 mg/dl in medical and surgical ICUs in February 2009. Following Normoglycemia in Intensive Care Evaluation and Survival Using Glucose Algorithm Regulation (NICE-SUGAR) study results, the protocol was amended (protocol B) to achieve target glucose of 110–150 mg/dl. The performance of protocol B was assessed in the ICUs in May 2010 and compared with protocol A with respect to glucose concentrations and rates of severe (<40 mg/dl) and moderate (40–60 mg/dl) hypoglycemia. Results: With protocol A, in medical (n = 44) and surgical (n = 164) ICUs taken together, median glucose was 119 mg/dl, with severe and moderate hypoglycemia rates 1.4% (3/208) and 7.7% (16/208), respectively, which were significantly lower than those reported by the NICE-SUGAR and the Leuven studies. With protocol B, in medical (n = 44) and surgical (n = 167) ICUs taken together, median glucose was 132 mg/dl, with severe and moderate hypoglycemia of 0 % (0/211) and 0.5% (1/211), respectively. Conclusion: The current ICU insulin infusion protocol (protocol B) reduces severe and moderate hypoglycemia without compromising glucose control when compared with protocol A. This could potentially impact patient-important outcomes.
Interesting properties of the discrete cosine transform

Among the various image data compression methods, the discrete cosine transform (DCT) has emerged as a popular method in gray-scale image compression. This paper presents detailed analyses of several interesting properties of the DCT, which can be described in three parts: the frequency characteristics, the filtering properties, and the subband properties. These analyses provide insights into the following topics: (1) the frequency distribution of the DCT in terms of the Fourier transform components, (2) the filtering characteristics of the DCT, and (3) the use of the DCT as subband filters. Surprisingly, based on our analyses, the DCT behaves very much like subband filters, with potential applications not only to image data compression but also to image analysis. The formulas presented in this paper have been checked for correctness by computer simulations, and applications to image data compression have been demonstrated with simulation results.
Zero‐temperature‐coefficient biasing point of a fully‐depleted SOI MOSFET

The gate characteristics (ID–VGS) of fully depleted, lightly doped, enhanced SOI n-MOSFET are simulated over a wide range of operating temperature (300–600 K) by using the SILVACO TCAD tools. Simulation results show that there exists a biasing point where the drain current and the transconductance are temperature independent. Such a point is known as the zero-temperature coefficient (ZTC) bias point. The drain-current ZTC points are identified in both the linear and saturation regions. The transconductance ZTC exists only in the saturation region. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 37: 366–370, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10920
Field observations of oceanic mixed layer dynamics and picophytoplankton photoacclimation

To explore the relationship between mixing dynamics in the surface ocean and picophytoplankton optical properties, we measured the distributions of single cell fluorescence in Prochlorococcus populations throughout a diel cycle. Two time series were conducted in the N. Atlantic, and both showed a shoaling of the mixed layer, due to surface warming or a rain-formed surface layer. These dynamics, coupled with the diel cycle of solar irradiance, drove the development of a depth gradient in mean red fluorescence of Prochlorococcus, due to photoacclimation, in the newly-stratified layer. Furthermore, the frequency distribution of single-cell fluorescence within field populations appears to have responded to changing mixing and photoacclimation dynamics, with photoacclimation in the absence of strong mixing generally resulting in a reduced variance in fluorescence within sample populations. Nighttime mixing in the absence of photoacclimation reversed this process and resulted in increased variation of single-cell fluorescence. Departures from normality in observed distributions suggest vertical mixing time-scales that are slightly longer than time-scales of photoacclimation. The behavior of the mean and variance, and possibly the third and fourth moments, of single-cell optical properties is consistent with photoacclimation in response to the physical dynamics.
Inverse Acyl Phosph(on)ates: Substrates or Inhibitors of β-Lactam-Recognizing Enzymes?

Abstract Acyl phosph(on)ates represent a new class of inhibitors of β-lactam—recognizing enzymes. Previously described members of this class were aroyl phosph(on)ates. These compounds have been shown to acylate and/or phosphylate the active site serine residue, leading to either transient or essentially irreversible inhibition [Li, N., and Pratt, R. F. (1998) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120 , 4264–4268]. The present paper describes the synthesis and evaluation as inhibitors of an inverse pair of acyl phosph(on)ates that incorporate the amido side chain that represents a major substrate specificity determinant of these enzymes. Thus, N -(phenylacetyl)glycyl phenyl phosphate and benzoyl N -(benzyloxycarbonyl)aminomethyl phosphonate were prepared. The former of these compounds was found to be a substrate of typical class A and C β-lactamases and of the DD-peptidase of Streptomyces R61; it thus acylates the active site serine. In contrast, the latter compound was an irreversible inhibitor of the above enzymes, probably by phosphonylation of the active site serine. With each of these enzymes therefore, the amido side chain rather than the acyl group dictates the orientation of the bound phosph(on)ate and thus the mode of reaction.
Substrate temperature dependence of the growth kinetics and opto-electronic properties of a-Si:H films deposited by RF glow discharge

Abstract We report the effects of the substrate temperature T s on the growth kinetics and the opto-electronic properties of a-Si:H films deposited by rf glow discharge. In the low rf power regime, we observe an increase of the a-Si:H deposition rate and a decrease of the a-Si:H work function as we increase the substrate temperature. Moreover, the density of bulk defect states shows a broad minimum as a function of T s . In particular, a-Si:H films with defect densities as low as 2×10 15 cm −3 can be deposited at 150°C. However, preliminary light-soaking experiments show that light-induced degradation is stronger for a-Si:H deposited at lower T s .
Computer failure caused loss of Mars spacecraft

A computer error that occurred 5 months before NASA lost contact with the Mars Global Surveyor on 2 November 2006 led to the spacecraft's eventual battery failure and subsequent loss of orientation. This is according to a 13 April preliminary report from an internal NASA review board. The report,“Mars Global Surveyor Spacecraft Loss of Contact,” is available at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mgs/
Ethics and the Interrogation of Prisoners: An Update

The issue of interrogation of detainees has received much attention in the psychological literature and by the media. Some estimate that more than 300 articles have been published in psychological journals on this topic. This article reiterates the content of the Presidential Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security and provides a brief history and background. This is followed by a section on the torture of prisoners and the role of psychologists. It includes discussion of resolutions passed by American Psychological Association (APA) on this topic and briefly reviews criticisms of these resolutions. The article concludes with a summary concerning the current status and reviews the referendum sent to APA members on whether APA members can work in detention settings that exist in violation of international law or the U.S. Constitution. Pro and con statements are discussed as is the formation of a task force to implement the referendum which was passed by a vote of 8792 in favor and 6,157 op...
Vibrational Structuring in Optical Activity

The role which vibration can play in the ultraviolet- visible-range manifestations of optical activity is considered. The rotatory strength for individual vibronic bands as well as the rotatory strength integrated over all vibrational structure is developed. Rotatory strength of mixed sign appears as the analog of mixed polarization in ordinary absorption. Such developments can be carried out within the Born-Oppenheimer adiabatic approximation or in a manner appropriate to pseudo-Jahn-Teller effects. It can be shown that the study of vibronic structuring in circular dichroism, for example, can materially aid the assignment of vibrations, the assessment of the degree of “forbidden” character, the identification of “hot bands,” andthe analysis of strong, intermediate, and weak vibronic coupling with near-degenerate electronic levels. Some experimental examples are considered.
An extensible static analysis tool for COBOL programs

Software tools are an important part of the programming environment. Perhaps one of the most pervasive type of software tools is the “static analyzer”, as exemplified by cross reference listing tools, and call graph generators. In this paper, we describe an “extensible” static analysis tool (CESAT) which is based on the use of a data base management system and associated query language. The use of the dbms query language allows an virtually unlimited number of tools to be easily constructed, resulting in an “extensible” software tool.
Comparison of Functional Characteristics of Modified Corn Gluten Meal In Vitro and in an Emulsified Meat Model System

Corn gluten meal (CGM) was pH-adjusted (6.6) and particle-size reduced (MC7, 7 μm; MC38, 38 μm) then compared with native CGM and soy protein isolate (SPI) for emulsifying activity (EA) and emulsifying stabilization (ES), oil-binding capacity (OBC), and water-holding capacity (WHC) in vitro and in an emulsified meat model system. MC7 and MC38 had EA, ES, and OBC, which was superior to native CGM; no significant change occurred in water solubility. In 1% and 2% NaCl solution, MC7 and MC38 resulted in more stable emulsions than SPI. In an emulsified meat model system, SPI had superior ES to CGM-based substances; however, reheated cook losses did not differ.
Fracture of nanoporous thin-film glasses

Fracture of nanoporous thin-film glasses is a significant challenge for the integration of these mechanically fragile materials in emerging microelectronic and biological technologies. In particular, the integration of these materials has been limited by accelerated cracking rates in moist environments leading to premature failure. Here, we demonstrate how cracking is affected by aqueous solution chemistry, and reveal anomalously high crack-growth rates in hydrogen peroxide solutions frequently encountered during device processing or when in use. Kinetic mechanisms involving the transport and steric hindrance of reactive hydrogen peroxide molecules at the crack tip are proposed. Thin-film design strategies that involve energy dissipation by local plasticity in thin ductile layers on increasing the resistance to cracking of nanoporous glass layers is demonstrated. Understanding how aqueous solutions influence cracking and associated device reliability is a fundamental challenge for these promising materials to be viable candidates for new technologies.
Horace Cayton: Reflections on an unfulfilled sociological career

This article examines the abbreviated sociological career of Horace Cayton, the co-author of Black Metropolis and one of the most talented young black sociologists in the 1930s-1940s. In seeking to explain why Cayton failed to continue his promising sociological career, this article focuses on: his feelings of racial alienation; his inability to locate a theoretical paradigm in mainstream sociology through which he could express his anger about American racism; the narrow range of job opportunities open to blacks in sociology; his desire to become a novelist and, thereby, attain the intellectual freedom not afforded by mainstream sociology to protest American race relations; and, finally, his failure to comprehend the psychological perils of assimilation.
Can atherosclerotic lesions regress? Angiographic evidence in humans

Evidence that atherosclerotic lesions can regress is derived from autopsy findings in starved human populations, animal-model studies of induced atherosclerosis, and clinical trials using angiography. Three angiographic trials, with a total of 317 subjects, have demonstrated stabilization of lesions. One of these trials has revealed clear evidence of lesion regression.
Barnase and Barstar

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of two small bacterial proteins, barnase and barstar. Barnase is a ribonuclease, and barstar is its specific inhibitor. Barnase, an extracellular enzyme secreted by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain H (IAM1521), is one of a family of small microbial ribonucleases. Known homologs, in addition to those from other species of Bacillus , include products of several Streptomyces strains and the group of fungal enzymes related to ribonuclease T1. Barstar is an even smaller protein, with 89 amino acids. Produced intracellularly by the same organism, it is a specific inhibitor of barnase. Although barstar has two cysteine residues, it is now clear that these do not form a disulfide bond and probably carry free sulfhydryls in vivo . Barstar (CCAA), a mutant with alanines in place of its two cysteines, is functional in vitro and in vivo . This chapter discusses the gene structure of barnase and barstar. It explains concepts related to barnase–barstar complex and barnase–barstar reaction. It also describes barnase, barstar, and the folding problem. The chapter elaborates in detail about barnase and barstar homologs. The chapter concludes with a discussion on practical applications of barnase.
Ranking stability and super-stable nodes in complex networks

Pagerank, a network-based diffusion algorithm, has emerged as the leading method to rank web content, ecological species and even scientists. Despite its wide use, it remains unknown how the structure of the network on which it operates affects its performance. Here we show that for random networks the ranking provided by pagerank is sensitive to perturbations in the network topology, making it unreliable for incomplete or noisy systems. In contrast, in scale-free networks we predict analytically the emergence of super-stable nodes whose ranking is exceptionally stable to perturbations. We calculate the dependence of the number of super-stable nodes on network characteristics and demonstrate their presence in real networks, in agreement with the analytical predictions. These results not only deepen our understanding of the interplay between network topology and dynamical processes but also have implications in all areas where ranking has a role, from science to marketing.
New non-photodynamic (type B) phototoxic molecules

This report completes the examination of the 3 butadiynes substituted with phenyl and thienyl groups, and their related thiophene molecules. With the exception of 2,5-diphenylthiophene, they are all non-photodynamic (type B) phototoxic compounds.
Not All Metacognition Is Created Equal

To promote metacognitive thinking, professors can help students articulate their motives and decisions during problem-solving activities.
Parent Advocacy for Culturally Diverse Gifted Students

(2005). Parent Advocacy for Culturally Diverse Gifted Students. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 44, Gifted Education, pp. 138-147.
Effect of epidural analgesia on fetal head malpositioning at vaginal delivery

Abstract Objective: To determine if nulliparous women receiving labor epidural analgesia (LEA) with combined local anesthetic/narcotic infusions are more likely to have malpositioning of the fetal vertex at delivery when compared with women not receiving epidural analgesia. Study design: Retrospective cohort analysis of nulliparous women with spontaneous labor delivered during a 12-month period immediately before the availability of on-demand LEA (Before group), and a similar group of nulliparas delivered during the 12 months after LEA was available on request (After group). The primary outcome variable was a nonocciput anterior position of the fetal head at vaginal delivery. Results: The frequency of LEA increased from 1.2% in the Before period to 83.6% in the After period. Fetal head malpositioning (occiput transverse or posterior position) at vaginal delivery occurred in 29 of 422 (6.9%) women delivered in the Before period, compared with 21 of 346 (6.1%) in the After period ( P = NS). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of fetal head malpositioning between the Before and After periods after patients were stratified according to mode of delivery (Mantel–Haenszel weighted relative risk = 0.94, 95% CI 0.6–1.4). The sample size was sufficient to exclude a doubling in the incidence of fetal head malpositioning associated with on-request labor epidural analgesia. Conclusions: Providing on-request labor epidural analgesia with combined local anesthetic/narcotic to nulliparous women in spontaneous labor does not result in a clinically significant increase in the frequency of fetal head malpositioning at vaginal delivery.
Why wouldn't we cry? Love and loss along a river in decline

Abstract Along the upper reaches of the Ganga in the Indian Himalayas, devotees of the river and its Hindu Goddess decry the changes that are effecting the sanctity and continuity of its flow. Concerns include the impacts of development projects such as hydroelectric dams and the implications of climate shifts such as altered precipitation, warming temperatures, and melting glaciers. These forces of change are frequent subjects of commentary for those that fear the river's potential demise. This article draws from ethnographic research from 2008 to 2009 to highlight two of the main emotions cited by river devotees when they speak of its condition: love and loss. The feelings of intimacy are sometimes expressed through talk of identity ( pehchaan ) and in demands to ensure the river's uninterrupted flow. Expressions of loss are also shared verbally, through discourse, and they are evident in moments when people respond to significant changes in the river's appearance. After addressing discourses of concern for the Ganga, the article closes with the Government of India's decision to cancel the contested dams on the river's upper regions and to declare it an “eco-sensitive zone”. Such measures are important recognitions of emotive linkages with and dependencies on nature.
Solar electric propulsion system technology

Achievements in the solar electric propulsion system technology program (SEPST 3) are reported and certain propulsion system-spacecraft interaction problems are discussed. The basic solar electric propulsion system concept and elements are reviewed. Hardware is discussed only briefly, relying on detailed fabrication or assembly descriptions reported elsewhere. Emphasis is placed on recent performance data, which are presented to show the relationship between spacecraft requirements and present technology.
Trends in Natural Resource Commodity Prices: Deterministic or Stochastic?

Abstract The type of trend, be it stochastic or deterministic, exhibited by the price of a resource commodity should play a critical role in the development and empirical verification of theories which may explain its long run behavior. The nature of the trend, however, can only be discerned through empirical testing. To this end, we present a menu of unit root testing procedures for characterizing observed trends in any economic time series, including natural resource commodity prices. We examine the prices of 11 resource commodities. The evidence suggests that five price series exhibit stochastic trends, while the remaining six price series appear to be stationary around a deterministic trend.
Personalized hypermedia and international privacy

Personalized hypermedia systems may be in conflict with privacy concerns of computer users, and with privacy laws that are in effect in many countries.
Heteroatom-Doped Carbon Nanostructures as Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts in Acidic Media: An Overview

This paper provides an overview of the studies that were conducted in our laboratories in the last decade on hetero-atom doped carbon structures as potential oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for PEM fuel cells. These studies include evaluating the potential of nitrogen doped carbon nanostructures as cathode catalysts for proton exchange membrane and direct methanol fuel cells and examining the nature of the transition metal used as growth catalysts in synthesis of these materials, through activity and in situ and ex situ characterization experiments. These studies also shed some light on the ongoing debate about the differences and similarities between two classes of materials used for ORR, namely FeNC and CNx catalysts, through activity and stability tests, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Mossbauer spectroscopy, temperature-programmed techniques and selective poisoning experiments designed to probe the active sites.
Nanomechanics and intermolecular forces of amyloid revealed by four-dimensional electron microscopy

The amyloid state of polypeptides is a stable, highly organized structural form consisting of laterally associated β-sheet protofilaments that may be adopted as an alternative to the functional, native state. Identifying the balance of forces stabilizing amyloid is fundamental to understanding the wide accessibility of this state to peptides and proteins with unrelated primary sequences, various chain lengths, and widely differing native structures. Here, we use four-dimensional electron microscopy to demonstrate that the forces acting to stabilize amyloid at the atomic level are highly anisotropic, that an optimized interbackbone hydrogen-bonding network within β-sheets confers 20 times more rigidity on the structure than sequence-specific sidechain interactions between sheets, and that electrostatic attraction of protofilaments is only slightly stronger than these weak amphiphilic interactions. The potential biological relevance of the deposition of such a highly anisotropic biomaterial in vivo is discussed.
Optimal design techniques for kinematic couplings

Abstract Kinematic couplings are well known to the precision engineering community as simple devices that provide rigid, repeatable connection between two objects through usually six local contact areas. They serve many applications that require 1) separation and repeatable engagement, and/or 2) minimum influence that an imprecise or unstable foundation has on the stability of a precision component. Typically, the coupling design process starts by arranging or adapting one of two classic configurations, the three-vee coupling or the tetrahedron-vee-flat coupling, to suit the geometry of the application. It is often sufficient to analyze only the contact stresses and perhaps the coupling stiffness when the configuration remains fairly conventional (i.e., planar) and the application is not particularly demanding. Otherwise, effort spent optimizing the configuration through additional analysis and/or testing is well worthwhile. This paper proposes several optimization criteria and presents analysis techniques for optimizing kinematic coupling designs. The general modeling approach uses [6 × 6] transformation matrices to reflect contact stiffness matrices to a common coordinate system where they are added together as a parallel combination, for example. This method has wider applications particularly for flexure systems, which will be the subject of a future article. In addition, the reader may find the kinematic coupling designs presented in this paper useful for future applications.
The Problem of Politics in the French Revolution

Reminiscing about her encounters with Zhang Zhilian, who was a professor at Peking University and a specialist in the French Revolution and French history, Hunt offers her thoughtful reflections on the issue of politics in modern times. She states that during revolutionary times, such as the French Revolution, one becomes more aware of the multilayered meaning and processes of politics. It is also during revolutionary times that the intricate and intrinsic relationship between politics and society is displayed in its fullest sense, and its revelation demands an interdisciplinary as well as a comparative perspective.
On the mechanics of crack closing and bonding in linear viscoelastic media

The mechanics of quasi-static crack closing and bonding of surfaces of the same or different linear viscoelastic materials is described. Included is a study of time-dependent joining of initially curved surfaces under the action of surface forces of attraction and external loading. Emphasis is on the use of continuum mechanics to develop equations for predicting crack length or contact size as a function of time for relatively general geometries; atomic and molecular processes associated with the healing or bonding process are taken into account using a crack tip idealization which is similar to that used in the Barenblatt method for fracture. Starting with a previously developed correspondence principle, an expression is derived for the rate of movement of the edge of the bonded area. The effects of material time-dependence and the stress intensity factor are quite different from those for crack growth. A comparison of intrinsic and apparent energies of fracture and bonding is made, and criteria are given for determining whether or not bonding can occur. Examples are given to illustrate use of the basic theory for predicting healing of cracks and growth of contact area of initially curved surfaces. Finally, the effect of bonding time on joint strength is estimated from the examples on contact area growth.
Atmospheric carbontetrafluoride (CF4): Sources and trends

Concentrations of carbontetrafluoride (CF4) observed at the south pole suggest that this inert trace gas is accumulating in the earth's atmosphere at about 1.3 (0.8-2) pptv/yr. This amounts to an average increase of about 1.8 (1-3) × 1010 gms/yr and can be explained by the estimated emissions of CF4 from aluminum manufacturing. Although it is still not possible to determine how much, if any, of the present atmospheric content of CF4 is from natural sources, it appears that these sources are small (≦109 gm/yr) and therefore will be extremely difficult to identify and evaluate.
Library management: The latest fad, a dismal science, or just plain work?

This paper traces the development of management as a “science” and into the 1970s as one management “fad” replaces another. A sample of “fads” is discussed and some contrarian viewpoints expressed.
Phylogenetic relationships of closely related potyviruses infecting sweet potato determined by genomic characterization of Sweet potato virus G and Sweet potato virus 2

Complete nucleotide sequences of Sweet potato virus G (SPVG) and Sweet potato virus 2 (SPV2) were determined to be 10,800 and 10,731 nucleotides, respectively, excluding the 3′-poly(A) tail. Their genomic organizations are typical of potyviruses, encoding a polyprotein which is likely cleaved into 10 mature proteins by three viral proteinases. Conserved motifs of orthologous proteins of viruses in the genus Potyvirus are found in corresponding positions of both viruses. Pairwise comparisons of individual protein sequences of the two viruses with those of 78 other potyviruses show that P1 protein and coat protein (CP) of both viruses are significantly large, with the SPVG CP as the largest among the all the known species of the genus Potyvirus. The extended N-terminal region of the P1 protein is conserved in the potyviruses and ipomovirus infecting sweet potato. A novel ORF, PISPO, is identified within the P1 region of SPVG, SPV2, Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV), and Sweet potato virus C (SPVC). The C-terminal half of CP is highly conserved among SPFMV, SPVC, SPVG, SPV2, and Sweet potato virus-Zimbabwe. Phylogenetic analysis based on the deduced CP amino acid sequences supports the view that these five viruses are grouped together in a SPFMV lineage. The analysis also reveals that Sweet potato virus Y and Ipomoea vein mosaic virus are grouped with SPV2 as one species, and these two viruses should be consolidated with SPV2.
Studying Status/Role-Sets as Ersatz Network Positions in Mass Surveys:

A method is described for interviewing a random sample of persons drawn from a large population so as to describe role-sets defining statuses in the population social structure. The key to the method is a connection between the concept of an at tor's network position in social structure and combinations of attributes that define statuses in the social structure. With data obtained in a survey interview with a randomly selected respondent, it is possible to describe the relational pattern defining his "ersatz network position" in the population social structure from which he has been drawn. Given ersatz network positions for a representative sample, it is possible to test hypotheses concerning satus/role-sets in terms of which the population is stratified.
Measurement of cell growth in tissue culture with a phenol reagent (folin-ciocalteau).

SummaryAn analytical method for the measurement of cell growth in tissue culture is described, based on the Lowry method for the determination of protein, and employing a phenol reagent (Folin-Ciocalteau) for color development. The results, referred to a bovine serum albumin standard, may be converted to dry weight, nitrogen or cell count by appropriate conversion factors. Those factors are here given for 7 human cell lines and 1 mouse line.