cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the chargeability and separability of oat groat particles through sieving combined with triboelectrification-based approach

Abstract The possibility of fractionation of dehulled oat groat particles was assessed through combined sieving and tribo-electrostatic separation approach. Through this process, oat groats were initially sieved at six different aperture sizes of 53 to 425 μm, resulting in the production of twelve different fractions including six starch-rich fractions as well as six bran-rich fractions among which the bran-rich fractions had significantly higher protein concentration (15.5–19.6%) compared to the starch-rich fractions (9.7–14.0%). A linear relationship (R2 = 0.9554) was found between protein content and mean particle diameters (D50) of all sieved fractions. The tribo-charging behavior of all sieved fractions was assessed as a function of particle size and protein content. Bran-rich particles despite their large particle sizes were acquired higher charge-to-mass (nC/g) ratios compared to starch-rich fractions at the laminar air flow rate (Re = 2091) in contact with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tribo-charging tube. To exclusively evaluate the tribo-charging behavior of the fractions as a function of protein content, the specific charge (nC/g) values were recalculated to charge density (nC/m2) values and a three-stage incremental trend was observed between charge density and protein content of the fractions at the laminar air flow rate. Starch-rich fractions exhibited totally different tribo-charging behavior at the turbulent (Re = 4182) air flow rate due to the large surface-to-volume ratio of their fine small particles that resulted in enhanced particle–wall collisions and eventually acquisition of higher specific charge values compared to their equivalent sieved bran-rich fractions. The starch-rich fraction sieved at aperture size of 106 μm with protein content of 10.1% was further fractionated through single- and multi-stage tribo-electrostatic separation processes where its protein content was sharply enhanced by ~80% equivalent to over 55% protein separation efficiency.
Spiritual Roots of the Land: Hierarchy and Relationships of the Religious Cosmologies of Humans and Their Environment in the Maroantsetra Region of Madagascar

The spiritual cosmology for the local Betsimisaraka and Tsimihety in the Maroantsetra region, northeastern Madagascar, is a complex network of actors struggling between good and evil. The spiritual pantheon of this cosmology intervenes in the daily lives of all Malagasy and mediates their relationship with their environment. The purpose of this report is to describe the relationships and hierarchies in the spiritual cosmology and explain how this cosmology and moral framework of good versus evil affect human-environment interactions. Local people and the spiritual cosmology are mutually constitutive, where local people’s belief and sacrifice for the spiritual realm perpetuates its existence, while the spiritual cosmology shapes local identities and creates a unique sense of place and interaction with the environment. It is critical for conservation managers to understand local people’s cosmology because it speaks directly to the ways in which they value the land. Local people find the land to be both productive in its utility and also a space of spiritual communion and moral structure. Without this recognition, conservation managers cannot hope to engage local people in protecting forested areas when the value system incentivizing protection is highly divergent. This is not a call to use local people’s spiritual beliefs to further the goals of conservation. Rather, it is my hope that conflicts may be avoided by conservation managers understanding sources of potential tension, synergy and solidarity based on divergent conceptions of ecological, productive and spiritual functions of the land.
Methods of shield analysis for protection against electrons in space

It is anticipated that many future manned space operations will be radiation limited and that laminated wall structures and the use of new materials will be required to reduce radiation exposure. Methods for electron shield analysis are reviewed in light of anticipated needs in the space program. The most general method is still the Monte Carlo method, which is of limited usefulness for shield analysis due to excessive computer requirements. Methods based on energy deposition coefficients or energy transmission and reflection factors are quite accurate, but are currently limited to aluminum shield material. Analytical methods based on Mar's approximation for the electron transmission factor are relatively general and computer efficient but seriously underestimate shield requirements. A correction to methods using Mar's approximate transmission factor is derived herein and results in a slightly conservative estimate of shield requirements. Techniques for laminated shield design are still lacking.
Power Efficient Folding of Pipelined LMS Adaptive Filters with Applications to Wireline Digital Communications

In this paper, a new two-step algorithm is introduced for power efficient implementation of the folding algorithm transformation of the LMS adaptive FIR filters. The first step handles the scheduling within the folding sets to reduce the switching activity using a greedy algorithm solution for the traveling sales person (TSP) NP-hard problem. The greedy algorithm gives a sub-optimal solution of the TSP problem with low implementation cost. For a typical word-length, and for large folding factors, the projected reduction in switching activity can be as large as 50%. HEAT tool was used to simulate the effect of this reduction using a typical Baugh-Wooley multiplier and the reduction in power consumption for a wireline equalization implementation was found to lie between 25% and 60%. The new algorithm is based on a simple breadth-first search approach and can be easily performed for one time only when the filter is geared to the steady-state mode. The second step involves optimal pipelining of the folded hardware elements for minimum power. The tradeoff between the number of pipelining levels and the power consumption is evaluated. To compensate for the LMS degradation due to pipelining, a 1-pole IIR compensator is introduced in the error loop for relaxed LMS. The IIR based relaxation outperforms the relaxed lookahead pipelining by 2-3 dB of output error. Another feature of the IIR relaxation is the “smoothing” nature of the filter, thus reducing the effective switching activities on the multiplier input. The combined effect of the two techniques can lead to power savings up to 65% compared to a normal folded structure. Simulations for the combined techniques are carried out for the digital subscriber loop channel and significant savings in power are demonstrated.
REOPENING OF THE DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS AFTER INDOMETHACIN (INDO) CLOSURE

Reopening of the ductus arteriosus after INDO closure is now the major problem with INDO treatment. Among 148 infants treated with INDO, 91% responded by closing their ductus after INDO. However, 27% of the responders subsequently reopened their ductus ( 1500g=12%). 70% of the infants, who were retreated with INDO after reopening of their ductus, were still responsive to INDO and closed their ductus again. In full-term lambs (150d), the ability of the ductus to relax or contract depends on the amount of Lt→Rt shunt (shunt) through its lumen. To see if ductus constriction in preterm lambs caused this same loss of ductus responsiveness, we used 42 lambs (delivered by C-section at 120-147d, and ventilated 6.6±0.5 hr) and measured ductus resistance and shunt by microspheres. 25 lambs had "moderate" ductus constriction (shunt >10% C.O. [40±5%]); 17 had "tight" constriction (shunt <10% C.O.). Following hemodynamic measurements the ductus was studied in vitro. Ductuses ≥135d, that were "tightly" constricted before sacrifice, had a significantly diminished ability to contract (to O2+INDO) and relax (to PGE2) compared to "moderately" constricted ductuses ≥135d. However, "tightly" constricted ductuses ≤134d: 1) had the same ability to relax to PGE2 as "moderately" constricted ductuses, and 2) had twice the contracting ability as "tightly" constricted ductuses ≥135d. This persistence of responsiveness, following ductus constriction in immature lambs, may account for the high reopening rate after closure in preterm infants.
Photovoltaic environmental health and safety electronic bulletin board service

An electronic bulletin board system (BBS) has been established by the Biomedical and Environmental Assessment Group, Brookhaven National Laboratory, for the Photovoltaics Technology Division, US Department of Energy. The purpose of the BBS is to provide a forum for the ongoing exchange of information related to the environmental, health, and safety aspects of photovoltaic cell manufacture. This BBS is available, at no charge, to organization engaged in photovoltaic cell research, development, and production. Individuals with access to a microcomputer, modem, and communications software can call into the BBS and join ongoing discussions. Users of the BBS may also electronically access reports, models, and databases which relate to the environmental, health, and safety aspects of photovoltaic cell manufacture. >
Systemic amyloidosis presenting with angina pectoris.

Cardiac amyloidosis can present as angina pectoris associated with coronary flow reserve abnormalities despite normal coronary angiograms. This finding may have major therapeutic and prognostic imp...
The Communication Triad: A Participatory Model for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Communication

As an area of research, instructional communication has struggled to map out the role of communication in the teaching process (Sprague, 1992). More recently, the scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) movement has emphasized the importance of applying the same systematic, informed rigor in our teaching that we do in our research pursuits (Cohen, 1997; Cohen, Barton & Fast, 1999). Both concepts share considerable overlap and stem from the desire to improve education. But how can one advance the SOTL beyond buzzword status and put it into substantive practice? For communication educators, the key to applying scholarly rigor to the improvement of their teaching lies first in embracing all sides of the communication discipline and then in capitalizing on the many similarities between what they are teaching (communication) and the act of good teaching itself. These prerequisites are vital to a full understanding of the discipline and to generating thoughtful questions about how its teaching might be improved. This paper proposes a model that facilitates discipline-wide understanding for communication educators by illustrating the connections between three components of the discipline—professional practice, the classroom, and the research academy. The model suggests that familiarity with each of the three components increases our purview of the discipline and enables a more thoughtful inquiry into the teaching of communication.
EFFECT OF VIEWING GEOMETRY ON REMOTELY SENSED NET RADIATION MEASUREMENTS FOR VEGETATED AND NON-VEGETATED SURFACES

Increased use of remotely sensed data for estimation of land-surface climatological variables such as the radiation and energy balance has underscored the need to understand errors inherent in remote sensing systems. The effects of viewing geometry on the signal received at the sensor have been examined for a variety of surface types, but systematic study of how sensor viewing geometry may introduce error into remote measurements of surface climate parameters is lacking. In this paper, close-range remote sensing is used to assess error caused by viewing geometry in remote measurements of net radiation, an important surface climate variable. Estimates of net radiation were made by inserting remotely sensed values of albedo and surface temperature into the surface radiation budget equation. Two contrasting surfaces, one vegetated and one bare, were evaluated at seven view angles and five azimuth angles. The remote net radiation measurements for each combination of view and azimuth angle then were compared t...
Correlation between fibrinogen binding to human platelets and platelet aggregability

Fibrinogen is essential for aggregating platelets with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and was recently shown to bind to platelets stimulated with ADP. The present work confirms the specific and saturable nature of the platelet-fibrinogen interaction. Binding of 125iodine-labeled fibrinogen to human gel-filtered platelts was maximal at 1 min, and the receptors were saturated when the fibrinogen concentration in the suspending medium approached 0.8 mg/ml. Assuming that one fibrinogen molecule interacts with a single receptor, experiments with 9 normal donors revealed the presence of 12,896 +/- 2456 receptors per platelet. Much of the bound material dissociated from platelets after incubation with apyrase or EDTA. Binding was markedly inhibited at pH 6.5, in the presence of EDTA, and with platelets from 3 thrombasthenic patients but not with those from a patient with the Bernard-Soulier syndrome. Fibrinogen binding was also virtually absent with platelets that had been incubated with EDTA for 8 min at 37 degrees C and pH 7.8. These platelets could not aggregate when mixed with ADP and adequate CaCl2 and fibrinogen, although they could still change their shape. Thus, ADP-induced binding of fibrinogen correlates with platelet aggregability.
Direct conversion in the heart: a simple twist of fate

In a recent issue of Nature, Qian et al (2012) show that by injecting adult mouse hearts with a few transcription factors on a retroviral vector, they can switch cardiac fibroblasts—the workhorse supporting cells of the heart—into cardiomyocytes, the beating muscle cells driving the contractile forces that pump blood. When injected into the hearts of mice with induced myocardial infarctions, the treatment reduced the size of the infarct and improved cardiac function to a modest but significant degree. Until now, cell replacement therapies have dominated the research landscape of cardiac regenerative medicine. This study hints that a gene therapy approach for in‐situ reprogramming may provide an alternative for generating new cardiomyocytes within failing hearts.
Transport properties of ZrNiSn-based intermetallics

Intermetallic compounds of the form MNiSn, where M is titanium, zirconium, or hafnium, are semiconductors with band gaps on the order of 0.2 electron volts. Due to their large conduction band masses, they show promise as thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit. In order to assess this potential, we have studied the thermoelectric properties of pure and doped ZrNiSn and Zr/sub 0.5/Hf/sub 0.5/NiSn mixed crystals. Upon doping with Sb the resistivity can be reduced by a factor of 20-40 with a reduction in the Seebeck coefficient of only a factor of two. The resulting power factors of doped samples at room temperature are comparable to those of state of the art thermoelectric materials. The thermal conductivity of Zr/sub 0.5/Hf/sub 0.5/NiSn is reduced strongly relative to ZrNiSn but must be reduced further to obtain a large figure of merit. The transport properties of these materials are very sensitive to annealing conditions.
Marching to a Different Drummer: New Trends in Medieval Icelandic Scholarship. A Review Article

European medievalists are familiar with diplomas, charters, and laws as sources of evidence for medieval Iceland, although these are less abundant here than elsewhere. The true distinction in Iceland, however, are its sagas, those remarkably detailed narratives written during the thirteenth century largely by unnamed authors and, for our purposes, normally divided into family and contemporary sagas. The former, spanning the period between the late ninth and the early eleventh centuries, recount the stories of Norwegians and their immediate offspring as they left their pagan homeland to settle in Iceland, where they accepted Christianity around the year 1000. Focusing on the more distant descendants of these colonists in the twelfth and thirteenth
Hajdu‐Cheney syndrome: Evolution of phenotype and clinical problems

Hajdu-Cheney syndrome is a rare, autosomal dominant disorder comprising acroosteolysis of the distal phalanges with associated digital abnormalities, distinctive craniofacial and skull changes, dental anomalies, and proportionate short stature. The clinical and radiologic characteristics of Hajdu-Cheney syndrome develop and progress with age. Many of the medical problems that arise in this syndrome cluster in specific age ranges. Case reports of six affected individuals in two additional families and a summary of the English literature is presented with emphasis on the changing physical findings and medical sequelae over time.
Supramolecular aggregation in 4,4'-bipyridin-1,1'-ium dichloride, 4,4'-bipyridin-1,1'-ium dinitrate and 4,4'-bipyridin-1-ium bromide.

4,4'-Bipyridin-1,1'-ium dichloride [C 10 H 10 Cl 2 N 2 (I)] and 4,4'-bipyridin-1,1'-ium dinitrate [C 10 H 10 N 4 O 6 (II)] have been prepared and the crystal structures determined at 90.0 (2) K. Molecules of (I) are linked by two chlorine-bridged, three-centered N-H...Cl hydrogen bonds into chains along the b axis. The chains are coupled by weak C-H...Cl interactions into a molecular ladder along the c direction. In (II) each nitrate is coordinated to four bipyridinium ions through the interplay of the N-H...O and C-H...O contacts, resulting in a three-dimensional zigzag sheet on the ab plane. The sheets stack along the c axis. In 4,4'-bipyridin-1-ium bromide monohydrate [C 10 H 9 N 2 + .Br - .H 2 O (III)] the bipyridinium ions are linked by three-center N-H...N' hydrogen bonds in a head-to-tail fashion to form chains along the b axis. The chains are linked by C-H...Br and C-H...OH 2 into a three-dimensional framework.
Polarization-maintaining picosecond oscillator based on quantum dot SESAM

We report a simple, environmentally-stable, passively mode-locked Yb-based fiber oscillator operating at 1035 nm with pulse duration of ~5 ps. Mode-locking was achieved using a saturable absorber mirror. The output of the laser exhibited a polarization extinction ratio >20 dB with the implementation a polarization maintaining fiber cavity and a polarization sensitive fiber coupler. The laser outputted near transform-limited pulses at 25-100 MHz at a pump threshold of 20-30 mW. We have tested operation of the laser using two different saturable absorber mirror structures: multiple quantum wells and quantum-dots at 1035 nm. Pulse properties and laser performance were comparable using quantum-dots and multiple quantum wells as the saturable absorber.
Influence of four grazers on periphyton communities associated with clay tiles and leaves

This study assessed the individual effects of three mayflies (Paraleptophlebia sp., Ephemerella subvaria McDunnough and Epeorus sp.) and one caddisfly (Psilotreta sp.) on periphyton communities associated with clay tiles and leaves. Algal densities were estimated for leaf discs and tiles from experimental chambers (with individual grazers) and control chambers (i.e., no grazers). Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of leaf discs and tiles also were taken for all mayfly grazing experiments. Densities of algae on leaf discs were two to five times lower than on tiles. Mouthpart morphology influenced how different insects grazed the periphyton community. Paraleptophlebia had ‘typical’ collector-gatherer mouthparts and had no effect on diatom densities associated with leaves whereas diatom densities on grazed tiles were higher than densities on tiles from control chambers. Epeorus had ‘brusher’ mouthparts and had little impact on diatom densities regardless of substratum type. The other two grazers had the blade-like mandibles of a scraper. Psilotreta did not reduce the numerical abundance of diatoms on either substratum, but did alter community structure by significantly reducing densities of stalked Gomphonema olivaceum and large species of Navicula and Nitzschia; densities of smaller diatoms (Achnanthes spp) increased. However, E. subvaria reduced densities of most algal species regardless of size on both substrata and also significantly altered community structure. SEMs of substrata grazed by mayflies showed reductions in fungal hyphae on all grazed leaf discs, decreases in filamentous algal forms on grazed tiles, and greatly shortened stalks of G. olivaceum (Paraleptophlebia only). Thus, periphyton communities are different on leaves versus tiles and grazers with different mouthpart morphologies have varying effects on both algal and heterotrophic microbial community structure.
Impact of surgical resection for subdiaphragmatic paragangliomas

Subdiaphragmatic paraganglioma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor for which scarce data exist regarding long-term patient outcome following resection. The aim of this study was to determine the association of surgical resection with survival. A retrospective study at a tertiary care center was performed. Demographics, genetics, histology, and operative details were reviewed. Patients were grouped according to margin status (R0, R1, or R2) and survival calculated. A total of 50 patients with subdiaphragmatic paragangliomas underwent primary resection from 1999 to 2012. Median age at operation was 46 years, with a median tumor size of 6.0 cm. Of these patients, 30 (60 %) had a R0 resection, 11 (22 %) had a R1 resection, and 9 (18 %) had a R2 resection. There was no operative mortality, and 17 (34 %) patients had metastatic disease. Six (12 %) patients died, four (8 %) of whom had metastatic disease. Univariate analysis identified that age >50 years (p = 0.02) and undergoing a R2 resection (p = 0.03) were associated with a shorter overall survival (OS). Those with metastases at some point after their initial diagnosis had a shorter disease-free survival (DFS) than those without metastases (p = 0.04). Of 27 patients tested, 12 (44 %) had a germline succinyl dehydrogenase B (SDHB) mutation. SDHB immunohistochemistry identified 18 patients (of 27 who underwent staining) who had loss of SDHB expression in which 7 of 11 patients (63 %) who underwent genetic testing had a genetic mutation. Surgical resection of subdiaphragmatic paraganglioma is safe. Survival was longest in patients who were younger, with no metastases, or had a R0 or R1 resection. Patients who test negative for a germline mutation should undergo SDHB immunostaining to identify potential hereditary carriers missed by current genetic testing.
Integrating target analysis and tabu search for improved scheduling systems

Abstract This paper explores the integration of the Artificial Intelligence/Operations Research approach known as target analysis with tabu search to create a more effective system for machine scheduling. Target analysis is designed to give heuristic and optimization procedures the ability to learn what rules are best for solving particular classes of problems. The authors focus on the development of rules that depend on memory functions to incorporate diversifying elements in a tabu search method which is tailored to find optimal or near optimal solutions for a class of single machine scheduling problems with delay penalties and setup costs.
Free-breathing 3-dimensional steady-state free precession coronary magnetic resonance angiography: comparison of four navigator gating techniques

This work compared the performance of four navigator gating algorithms [accept/reject (A/R), diminishing variance algorithm (DVA), phase ordering with automatic window selection (PAWS) and retrospective gating (RETRO)] in suppressing respiratory motion artifacts in free-breathing 3D balanced steady-state free precession coronary MRA. In 10 volunteers, the right coronary artery (RCA) or the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was imaged (both if time permitted) at 1.5 T with the four gating techniques in random order. Vessel signal, vessel contrast and motion suppression were scored by the consensus of two blinded readers. In 15 imaged vessels (nine RCA and six LAD), PAWS provided significantly better image quality than A/R (P<.05), DVA (P=.02) and RETRO (P=.002). While the quality difference between A/R and DVA was not statistically significant, both algorithms yielded significantly better image quality than RETRO. PAWS and DVA were the most efficient algorithms, providing an approximately 20% and 40% relative increase in average navigator efficiency compared to A/R and RETRO, respectively.
The Relationship between Circulating Ecdysteroids and Chela Allometry in Male Tanner Crabs: Evidence for a Terminal Molt in the Genus Chionoecetes

Abstract Whether male Tanner crabs, Chionoecetes bairdi, undergo a terminal molt associated with a change in claw allometry has long been debated. We measured molting hormone levels in captured male C. bairdi to assess the potential for molting. We plotted a frequency histogram of chela height to carapace width ratios and found a bimodal distribution of crabs with a ratio of approximately 0.18 separating the two modes. Male crabs with a ratio less than 0.18 were classified as “small-clawed” (SC) while crabs with a ratio greater than 0.18 were classified as “large-clawed” (LC). Circulating molting hormones between SC and LC crabs were compared. Significantly lower ecdysteroid levels were found in LC crabs, indicating that this morphotype had negligible potential for molting. Circulating ecdysteroids were measured in SC males of different shell conditions (soft, new, old, and very old) and no significant differences were found. This research suggests that the molt to LC morphology is a terminal molt. The re...
Exploring the Role of Strategic Relationship Management in the Formation of Publics

This current article aims to fill the gap in research by examining the strategic importance of relationship management in the understanding of publics. It aims to explore how relationships can be managed strategically to influence the formation of important publics through influencing the perceptual variables in the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS, J. Kim & Grunig, 2011). In other words, how relationships can be managed strategically to bring value to an organization through potentially fostering or cultivating different types of publics that are critical to organizations. This article is a conceptual piece laying out the necessity of studying the formation of and potential change in publics using a quasi-cross-situational approach. Given the importance of understanding publics as well as the complexity in the process of how these publics are formed and how they might be changed, research should start to delve into exploring factors that will influence the perceptual variables of different pu...
Condensed-matter physics: Catching relativistic electrons.

Low-energy electrons have been found to mimic relativistic high-energy particles in cadmium arsenide. This defines the first stable '3D Dirac semimetal', which holds promise for fundamental-physics exploration and practical applications.
L-leucine, L-methionine, and L-phenylalanine share a Na(+)/K (+)-dependent amino acid transporter in shrimp hepatopancreas.

Hepatopancreatic brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV), made from Atlantic White shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), were used to characterize the transport properties of 3H-l-leucine influx by these membrane systems and how other essential amino acids and the cations, sodium and potassium, interact with this transport system. 3H-l-leucine uptake by BBMV was pH-sensitive and occurred against transient transmembrane concentration gradients in both Na+- and K+-containing incubation media, suggesting that either cation was capable of providing a driving force for amino acid accumulation. 3H-l-leucine uptake in NaCl or KCl media were each three times greater in acidic pH (pH 5.5) than in alkaline pH (pH 8.5). The essential amino acid, l-methionine, at 20 mM significantly (p 0.05) and may represent an l-methionine- and cation-independent transport system. 3H-l-leucine influxes in both NaCl and KCl incubation media were hyperbolic functions of [l-leucine], following the carrier-mediated Michaelis–Menten equation. In NaCl, 3H-l-leucine influx displayed a low apparent K M (high affinity) and low apparent J max, while in KCl the transport exhibited a high apparent K M (low affinity) and high apparent J max. l-methionine or l-phenylalanine (7 and 20 mM) were competitive inhibitors of 3H-l-leucine influxes in both NaCl and KCl media, producing a significant (p < 0.01) increase in 3H-l-leucine influx K M, but no significant response in 3H-l-leucine influx J max. Potassium was a competitive inhibitor of sodium co-transport with 3H-l-leucine, significantly (p < 0.01) increasing 3H-l-leucine influx K M in the presence of sodium, but having negligible effect on 3H-l-leucine influx J max in the same medium. These results suggest that shrimp BBMV transport 3H-l-leucine by a single l-methionine- and l-phenylalanine-shared carrier system that is enhanced by acidic pH and can be stimulated by either Na+ or K+ acting as co-transport drivers binding to shared activator sites.
Magnetotransport study in semiconductor quantum well systems

Abstract The electronic magnetotransport in semiconductor quantum wells is studied within the context of a many-body Green's function approach applicable in the presence of electric and magnetic fields. The regime studied ranges from 2–30 T and 0–15 kV cm −1 for magnetic and electric fields respectively. The quantum wells specifically investigated are the Al x Ga 1− x As/GaAs/Al x Ga 1− x As and the GaAs/Ga y In 1− y As/GaAs systems, for x =0.27 and y =0.87 Al and Ga concentrations, respectively, at low temperature. The results obtained are compared with experimental data for both the longitudinal and transverse magnetoresistance when available. The low magnetic field calculations include up to 60 Landau levels when the electron concentration is high. The quantum well potentials are modeled in a variational wavefunction scheme. The calculations include electron scattering contributions due to impurities and phonons.
GLAST large area telescope — daily survey of high energy sky

Abstract GLAST Large Area Telescope was proposed to NASA in 1999 as a follow-up of EGRET on-board Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory by an international collaboration. The proposal has been approved as a part of the GLAST observatory mission in its capability to explore a wide range of astrophysics with 5–40 times higher sensitivity and extended energy coverage (20MeV to 300GeV) than EGRET. The instrument consists of 16 towers of e+e- pair tracker, 16 blocks of segmented electro-magnetic calorimeter, and a set of anti-coicidence plastic scintillator tiles covering the tracker towers. It will have 5–10 times larger on-axis effective area, 6 times wider field-of-view (FOV), and up to 5 times better angular resolution when compared with EGRET. The Large Area Telescope will cover about 40% of the sky above the Earth's horizon in its FOV at any given time and will scan nearly the entire Universe every orbit (∼ 90min): about 20% of Gamma-Ray Bursts will be observed from the onset of the bursts to the initial after-glow phase; all longer-lasting transients and variabilities will be detected daily at the improved sensitivity. The instrument has been prototyped twice between 1995 and 2001, designed almost to the Flight Model by the international collaboration of the US (NASA and DoE), France, Italy, Japan, and Sweden. The first prototype consisted of one tower of e+e- pair trackers, one block of segmented calorimeters and a smaller set of anti-coicidence plastic scintillator tiles (Beam Test Engineering Model, BTEM), which was put into e + , p , and γ beams at SLAC in the winter of 1999–2000. It was subsequently modified for a balloon experiment (Balloon Flight Engineering Model, BFEM) and flown at Palestine, Texas in August 2001. Data collected in the test experiments have been analyzed and compared with predictions of computer simulation codes such as Geant4. These studies have confirmed validity of the basic design, brought up a few issues for further improvement, and gathered data on the cosmic-ray background expected in the orbit. All subsystems of GLAST-LAT are scheduled to be completed and come to SLAC in 2005 for integration. The integrated instrument will go through a set of tests before being integrated onto the spacecraft. The spacecraft will be put into a Low Earth Orbit (altitude ∼ 450–550km) in the fall of 2006 and the LAT will begin collecting data after the commissiong phase. The astronomical gamma-ray data collected in the observation will be processed by the LAT team and archived for public use GLAST Science Support Center at Goddard Space Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The effects of diagrams and time-compressed instruction on learning and learners’ perceptions of cognitive load

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of diagrams and time-compressed instruction on learning and learners’ perceptions of cognitive load. The following design factors, visuals (visuals and non-visuals) and time-compressed instruction (0%-normal paced, 25, and 50%) were presented to 216 university students to analyze learning in a multimedia environment. Participants listened to audio instruction of the heart and those in the visuals condition viewed 19 diagrams that corresponded to the verbal instruction. The dependent variables consisted of four achievement tests: drawing, identification, terminology, and comprehension. Review behaviors (back and replay buttons) and learners’ perceptions of cognitive load served as additional dependent variables. The results of this study indicate that listening to normal or moderately compressed (25%) instruction in a multimedia environment supports learning. At these speeds, cognitive load is not increased thus allowing learners to gain a conceptual understanding of the material.
Mast Cell Activation Disorders

Disorders associated with mast cell activation range from relatively common IgE-mediated disease and chronic urticaria to rarer conditions such as mastocytosis or monoclonal mast cell activation disorder. Mast cell activation disorders can be mechanistically classified into primary (associated with abnormal production of mast cells that carry pathologic markers of clonality), secondary (normal mast cells activated in reaction to a microenvironmental trigger), and idiopathic (no etiology is found). Clinical presentations, diagnostic criteria as well as general principles of a stepwise therapy approach are discussed.
Transverse instabilities in a three-dimensional non-linear chain

Abstract The influence of transverse fluctuations on the dynamics of longitudinal excitations in a non-linear three-dimensional (3D) chain is investigated. Analysis of the discrete as well as the continuum model shows that a transverse fluctuation is coupled to the longitudinal direction except in a specific case. Further, it is found that a hard core nature of the potential will favor the longitudinal motion while the transverse motion tends to disturb the longitudinal motion. The present investigation shows that although a propagating pulse has a focusing ability it is extremely sensitive to transverse fluctuation.
Optimal evolutionary reconstructions with a parsimony graph

The current approach to constructing evolutionary trees uses base sequences, such as DNA, and parsimony to determine the best tree. Most parsimony algorithms typically use heuristic algorithms, which try to search in an efficient way for one optimal tree, although there are an exponential number of labellings for the tree and more than one of these may be optimal. This paper presents an algorithm for building a unique data structure, in linear time, termed a parsimony graph that contains all parsimonious reconstructions of the sequences in the internal nodes of the tree. Using this parsimony graph, we can extract information, such as average parsimony distance on each edge, to help identify closely correlated DNA regions.
Synthesis of serotonin by neurons of the myenteric plexus in situ and in organotypic tissue culture.

Previous studies have suggested that serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the mammalian myenteric plexus. The present study was done to test this hypothesis by determining whether neurons of the myenteric plexus synthesize 5-HT from L-trypophan. Isolated strips of longitudinal muscle with attached myenteric plexus took up L-tryptophan by a saturable transport mechanism Km 4.7 × 10−5M; Vmax 6.7 nmoles/g/min). These strips also synthesized tritiated serotonin ([3H]5-HT) and [3H]5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid from L-[3H]tryptophan. This synthesis of [3H]5-HT was antagonized by prior treatment of guinea pigs with p-chlorophenylalanine. The drug treatment did not interfere with tryptophan uptake as did inclusion of p-chlorophenylalanine with L-[3H]tryptophan in vitro and thus probably decreased synthesis of [3H]5-HT by inhibiting tryptophan hydroxylase. Organotypic tissue cultures of intestine, lacking mucosa, argentaffin cells or mast cells also converted L-[3H]tryptophan to [3H]5-HT and [3H]5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Examination of the myenteric plexus from chemically sympathectomized (6-hydrpxydopamine) animals given L-tryptophan and a monoamine oxidase inhibitor for formaldehyde-induced histofluorescence revealed a diffuse yellow fluorophore in the myenteric plexus with the spectral characteristics of 5-HT. Pretreatment with p-chorophenylalanine prevented development of the diffuse fluorescence induced by L-tryptophan but revealed clusters of fluorescent neuronal cell bodies. The fluorescence of these cell bodies also had the spectral characteristics of the 5-HT fluorophore. Organotypic tissue cultures of intestine, grown for 3 weeks, and then dried and exposed to gaseous formaldehyde contained groups of fluorescent neuronal cell bodies. Their fluorescence was enhanced by adding L-tryptophan and an inhibitor of monoamine oxidase to the culture medium. This fluorescence also had the spectral characteristics of 5-HT. We conclude that the myenteric plexus synthesizes 5-HT from L-tryptophan. The responsible neurons survive in culture and are therefore intrinsic to the gut itself. These observations support the hypothesis that 5-HT is a transmitter of neurons in the mammalian myenteric plexus.
Application of isoproterenol inhibits diabetic-like changes in the rat retina

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness to working-age adults. We have recently shown that surgical removal or genetic manipulations to eliminate sympathetic neurotransmission produces many of the retinal changes similar to rodent diabetic retinopathy with normal glucose levels. We hypothesized that application of a beta-adrenergic receptor agonist, isoproterenol, could reach the retina to elicit normal cellular signaling and inhibit the functional and morphological markers of early stage diabetic retinopathy in the rat. Rats were made diabetic by injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. Within 3 days of diabetes-induction, rats were placed into 1 of 3 groups (control, diabetes, or diabetic + isoproterenol). Dose and time course studies were done for isoproterenol using a PKA ELISA and CREB analyses. Once the optimal dose and time course were established, electrical activity of the retina was analyzed by electroretinogram each month for the 8-month study. Western blotting was done for insulin receptor signaling and Akt and ELISA analyses for TNFalpha concentration and cleavage of caspase 3 at 2- and 8-months of diabetes. Diabetes-induced degeneration of neural cells and retinal thickness were assessed at 2 months, while degenerate capillaries were quantitated at 8 months of treatment. Daily application of 50 mM isoproterenol was effective in inhibiting the diabetes-induced loss of a- and b-wave and oscillatory potential amplitudes in the electroretinogram. Isoproterenol blocked the increase in TNFalpha and apoptosis in the diabetic retina. The numbers of degenerate capillaries were also reduced in the treated + diabetes retina. These data strongly suggest that loss of beta-adrenergic receptor signaling may be a key factors in early stage diabetic retinopathy. Resolution of this loss of adrenergic receptor signaling can inhibit some of the hallmarks of diabetic retinopathy in the retina.
Grating-over-Lens Holographic Spectrum Splitting Concentrating Photovoltaics

In this summary, simulation and experimental results are reported for a holographic grating-over-lens spectrum splitting geometry. Spectrum splitting is presented as an alternative that avoids lattice and current matching limitations of multi junction tandem cells.
Assessment of semi-empirical mass transfer correlations for pervaporation treatment of wastewater contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons

Assessment of mass transfer characteristics of pervaporation (PV) treatment of wastewater contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons is of great importance for water treatment plant operators conducting initial evaluation, process optimization, and process economics. While a membrane plays a central role in pervaporation processes and separation efficiency, the mass transfer in the liquid layer next to the membrane surface is of equal, if not greater importance. It is one of the few process parameters that can be adjusted in situ to manipulate the outcome of a pervaporation process. In this study, a bench scale pervaporation experiment of removing a common chlorinated hydrocarbon from water was carried out and the results of it were compared to the ones based on well-known semi-empirical correlations. The mass transfer coefficients from the experiments, ranging from 0.8×10−5∼2.5×10−5 m/s under the operating conditions, are higher than those predicted by the correlation. The corresponding separation factors under varying flow velocities are determined to be between 310∼950.
Synthesis and SAR studies of trisubstituted purinones as potent and selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonists.

Abstract A series of trisubstituted purinones was synthesized and evaluated as A2A receptor antagonists. The A2A structure–activity relationships at the three substituted positions were studied and selectivity against the A1 receptor was investigated. One antagonist 12o exhibits a Ki of 9 nM in an A2A binding assay, a Kb of 18 nM in an A2A cAMP functional assay, and is 220-fold selective over the A1 receptor.
Incidence and Patterns of Distant Metastases for Patients With Early-Stage Breast Cancer After Breast Conservation Treatment

Abstract Background Breast conservation treatment (BCT), consisting of breast conservation surgery followed by definitive radiation therapy (RT), has been shown to be effective for early-stage breast cancer. Patterns of metastatic failure by specific anatomic site are not well described in the literature. Methods A total of 1754 patients with stage I or II invasive carcinoma of the breast treated with BCT between 1977 and 2003 were identified. Patients were scored based on first site of metastasis: bone, brain, lung, liver, or other. Non–breast cancer deaths, contralateral breast cancer, and second malignancies were treated as competing risks events. Cumulative incidence functions for each competing event were calculated using competing risk methodology. Univariate analysis was performed to determine the hazard ratio (HR) associated with patient and tumor characteristics. Results The most common event was non–breast cancer death (16.5% at 15 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 13.9%-19.4%). The most common exclusive first site of metastasis was bone (5.9% at 15 years). The 4 most common anatomic sites of distant metastases as the first exclusive event were bone (41.1%), lung (22.4%), liver (7.3%), and brain (7.3%). Conclusion The present study has demonstrated the site-specific risks of metastases. These data support current clinical practice of screening for site-specific metastatic disease after BCT based on concerning patient-specific signs or symptoms.
Reaction Kinetic Measurements on Single Crystal Catalysts: Methanol Decomposition on Ni(111),

A simple apparatus and methodology are presented for reaction kinetic measurements over clean single crystal catalysts in ultrahigh vacuum. Three useful quantities are simultaneously measured in one isothermal experiment: (1) steady-state reaction rate constant (f/sub SS//sup R/), (2) surface coverage of stable intermediates at steady state (theta/sub SS/(CO), theta/sub SS/(H)), and (3) zero coverage reactive sticking coefficient (S/sub 0//sup R/) of the reactant. The decomposition of methanol to CO(g) and H/sub 2/(g) on Ni(111) is used as a model reaction. The observed dependence of steady-state decomposition rate on temperature is modeled using S/sub 0//sup R/(T) and the fraction of empty surface sites. This ''site blocking'' model qualitatively fits the reaction kinetics from 300 to 500 K. Previously, measurements of S/sub 0//sup R/ revealed a deuterium kinetic isotope effect (KIE) in the reaction of methanol with a clean Ni(111) surface (S.M. Gates, J.N. Russell, Jr., and J.T. Yates, Jr., Surface Sci. 146, 199(1984). CH/sub 3/OH and CD/sub 3/OH are 1.5 times more reactive at zero coverage than CH/sub 3/OD (300 to 400 K). This observation is now extended to steady-state reaction conditions (SS). The ratio f/sub SS//sup R/(O-H)/f/sub SS//sup R/(O-D) has a maximum value of 2.2 at 363 K and decreasesmore » monotonically to about 1 at 500 K. The kinetic isotope effect is also observed from measurements of theta/sub SS/(CO), the steady-state CO surface coverage. Addition of products (CO or H/sub 2/) to the steady-state reaction decreases the decomposition rate by decreasing the number of empty surface sites. 13 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs..« less
Cross-Layer Techniques for Optimizing Systems Utilizing Memories with Asymmetric Access Characteristics

Non-volatile memory technologies promise a variety of advantages for memory architectures of next generation computing systems. However, these capabilities come at the cost of some inefficiencies governing the operation of these memories. The most well understood is the asymmetry of access. In order to most effectively take advantage of the benefits of these memory technologies in terms of density and reduced static power in systems while mitigating access complexity an one-size fits all method is not sufficient for all types of applications. Instead, cross-layer techniques that include the compiler, operating system, and hardware layer can extract characteristics from the application that can be used to deliver the highest possible performance while minimizing power consumption for systems using these memories.
Influence of Drug Formulation on OATP1B-Mediated Transport of Paclitaxel

Taxane antineoplastic agents are extensively taken up into hepatocytes by OATP1B-type transporters before metabolism and excretion. Because the biodistributional properties imposed upon these agents by different solubilizers drive clinically important pharmacodynamic endpoints, we tested the hypothesis that the in vitro and in vivo interaction of taxanes with OATP1B transporters is affected by the choice of drug delivery system. Transport of paclitaxel, docetaxel, and cabazitaxel was studied in vitro using various cell lines transfected with OATP1B1, OATP1B3, or the rodent equivalent OATP1B2. Pharmacokinetic studies were done in wild-type and OATP1B2-knockout mice in the presence or absence of polysorbate 80 (PS80) or Kolliphor EL (formerly Cremophor EL; CrEL). Paclitaxel and docetaxel, but not cabazitaxel, were transported substrates of OATP1B1, OATP1B3, and OATP1B2, and these in vitro transport processes were strongly reduced in the presence of clinically relevant concentrations of PS80 and CrEL. When paclitaxel was administered without any solubilizers, deficiency of OATP1B2 in mice was associated with a significantly decreased systemic clearance because of a liver distribution defect ( P = 0.000484). However, this genotype dependence of paclitaxel clearance was masked in the presence of PS80 or CrEL because of significant inhibition of OATP1B2-mediated hepatocellular uptake of the drug ( P Cancer Res; 74(11); 3137–45. ©2014 AACR .