cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in the rat is inhibited by aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase.

Abstract This study assessed the role of de novo nitric oxide (NO) production in the pathogenesis of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) by using aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). which preferentially inhibits the cytokine- and endotoxin-inducible isoform of NOS versus the constitutive isoforms consisting of endothelial and neuronal NOS. The maximum clinical severity of EAE and the duration of illness were significantly reduced or totally inhibited by twice daily subcutaneous injection of 100 mg/kg body weight AG. Histochemical staining for NADPH diaphorase, which detects enzymatic activity of NOS, revealed positive reactivity in untreated EAE rats both in parenchymal blood vessel walls and in anterior horn cell neurons, while normal rats and rats with EAE treated with AG showed predominantly the neuronal positivity. Moreover, this NADPH staining pattern was further supported by the immunohistochemical findings that endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression was increased in blood vessels in the inflamed lesions of untreated EAE rats and that inducible NOS (iNOS) was detected in some infiltrating inflammatory cells, while treatment with AG could significantly reduce both iNOS and eNOS production. These results suggest that: (i) both iNOS and eNOS are upregulated in inflamed areas of the rat central nervous system in EAE; (ii) increased NO production plays a role in the development of clinical signs in EAE; and (iii) selective inhibitors of iNOS and/or eNOS may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of certain autoimmune diseases.
Electrochemical interaction between silver and sulfur in sodium sulfide solutions

Corrosion of silver and gold in sulfur-containing environments has been an industrial problem. The current study is concerned with the corrosion reaction behavior of silver in sodium sulfide solutions. An electrochemical investigation of silver corrosion has been carried out using a potentiostat, and the resulting corrosion products have been identified with the help of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. The effect of a concentration of sodium sulfide, pH, temperature, and electrical potential on the corrosion behavior of silver was investigated using Tafel plots and potentiodynamic polarization. The corrosion products under the conditions studied were found to be mainly silver sulfide and occasionally silver oxide. The corrosion rate was found to be positively influenced by both the pH of the solution and the concentration of sodium sulfide.
Urocortin interaction with corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) binding protein (CRF-BP) : a novel mechanism for elevating ‘free’ CRF levels in human brain

Here we demonstrate that urocortin, a new mammalian member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neuropeptide family has high affinity for both the recombinant human CRF binding protein (CRF-BP) and for a membrane-associated form of the protein solubilized from postmortem human cerebrocortical brain tissue. The rank order of binding potency for both the human recombinant CRF-BP and for the solubilized human brain CRF-BP is: urotensin > hCRF > urocortin > sauvagine. The bound hCRF/hCRF-BP complex was detected in the postmortem human brain tissue using an ELISA assay specific for the hCRF/hCRF-BP complex. A large proportion (65%) of the endogenous hCRF was found to be complexed to the CRF-BP and thus unavailable for CRF receptor activation. Incubation of human brain postmortem tissue extracts with urocortin and urotensin resulted in a dramatic decrease in hCRF/hCRF-BP levels and a concomitant increase in "free' hCRF levels. Thus, urocortin and other putative CRF-related peptides may elevate endogenous levels of "free' hCRF in brain by displacing hCRF from the binding protein. These data define an indirect endogenous mechanism for activation of CRF receptors by new mammalian members of the CRF family of neuropeptides.
Rotating flow past an elliptic-cylindrical bump of large aspect ratio

Very slow flow of a rapidly rotating fluid past a right cylindrical obstacle of heightd<h on one of two co-rotating parallel planes, separated by a distanceh, is studied. The elliptic boundaryvalue problem for the geostrophic flow is formulated quite generally, and solutions are given for an infinitely-long ridge and an elliptic cylinder. A modified Ekman number,E *≡v/Ωd 2e, where e is the inverse aspect ratio of the cylinder, characterizes the latter solution. ForE *<1, the fluid flows around a stagnant Taylor column over the elliptic cylinder; forE *≫1, the fluid flows over the cylinder as though it were an infinitely-long ridge;E *=O(1) shows part of the fluid flowing over, and part around, the cylinder. The drag increases from orderE −1/4 to orderE −1 asE * increases from small to large values.
Angular dependence of nucleation field in magnetic recording particles

Nucleation field of particles used for magnetic recording increases sharply for large angles between the applied field and the particle easy axis. This effect is shown to be consistent with the magnetization curling mechanism in these particles.
Molecular diffusion on surface tethered polymer layers: coupling of molecular thermal fluctuation and polymer chain dynamics

The dynamics of single probe molecules on surface-tethered poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) layers is studied by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. It is surprisingly observed that molecular surface dynamics on polymer layers is much slower than that on surfactant monolayers, despite stronger interfacial interactions for the latter case, suggesting a strong coupling of molecular thermal fluctuation and polymer chain dynamics. The effect of collective dynamics of polymer chains on the surface diffusion of adsorbed molecules is further examined with varied polymer grafting density and thickness. At low grafting density or large brush thickness, the resulting surface inhomogeneity of PNIPAM layers from the respective polymer mushroom conformation and low polymer end-segment density leads to the significant slowing down in the surface diffusion of adsorbed probe molecules. An optimal range in brush thickness to facilitate molecular surface dynamics is observed, where PNIPAM layers adopt the brush conformation with high polymer end-segment density.
Overexpression of manganese superoxide dismutase in DU145 human prostate carcinoma cells has multiple effects on cell phenotype.

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that the gene for manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is a candidate tumor-suppressor gene. The present study was designed to study the effect of overexpression of MnSOD on cultured human prostate carcinoma cells. METHODS DU145 human prostate carcinoma cells were transfected with the cDNA for manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), and two clones overexpressing MnSOD activity were subsequently characterized by comparison with parental and plasmid control-transfected cells. RESULTS One clone overexpressing MnSOD had no change in other antioxidant enzymes (AEs) (nonadapted), while a second clone showed an increase in catalase activity (adapted). Sensitivity of parental, plasmid control-transfected, and MnSOD cDNA-transfected cells to agents that generate oxidative stress correlated with AE profiles. Both clones overexpressing MnSOD activity showed increased reactive oxygen species levels under basal cell culture conditions. Both clones overexpressing MnSOD activity showed inhibition of cell growth in vitro and in vivo compared with parental and plasmid control-transfected cells. Flow cytometry studies using mitochondrial-specific probes showed equal mitochondrial mass in all cell lines, but altered mitochondrial membrane potential in MnSOD-overexpressing clones compared with parental or plasmid control-transfected cells. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest novel mechanisms by which MnSOD overexpression may modulate the malignant phenotype, with potential applications in developing new therapies for prostate cancer. Prostate 35:221–233, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Black-white differences in serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity.

Abstract The mean serum creatine phosphokinase activities of hospitalized black male and female, and white male and female psychiatric patients were established. The effects of both race and sex on mean serum creatine phosphokinase activities were both highly significant. Black males had significantly higher mean serum creatine phosphokinase activity than white males, black females and white females. White males and black females had significantly higher mean serum creatine phosphokinase levels than white females but were not significantly different from each other. Age, height and weight did not contribute to the difference between races. There was a trend for mean serum creatine phosphokinase activity to be greater for dark skinned black males than light skinned black males but this trend was not present in black females. The standard deviation of each subject's mean serum creatine phosphokinase activity was highly correlated with the mean. The levels of serum creatine phosphokinase activity found in these subjects were significantly greater than those previously observed with the method of Rosalki (J. Lab. Clin. Med., 69 (1967) 696).
Motion generated in the unstable cervical spine during the application and removal of cervical immobilization collars.

Background Many studies have compared the restriction of motion that immobilization collars provide to the injured victim. No previous investigation has assessed the amount of motion that is generated during the fitting and removal process. The purpose of this study was to compare the three-dimensional motion generated when one-piece and two-piece cervical collars are applied and removed from cadavers intact and with unstable cervical spine injuries. Methods Five fresh, lightly embalmed cadavers were tested three times each with either a one-piece or two-piece cervical collar in the supine position. Testing was performed in the intact state, following creation of a global ligamentous instability at C5-C6. The amount of angular motion resulting from the collar application and removal was measured using a Fastrak, three-dimensional, electromagnetic motion analysis device (Polhemus Inc., Colchester, VT). The measurements recorded in this investigation included maximum values for flexion/extension, axial rotation, medial/lateral flexion, anterior/posterior displacement, axial distraction, and medial/lateral displacement at the level of instability. Results There was statistically more motion observed with application or removal of either collar following the creation of a global instability. During application, there was a statistically significant difference in flexion/extension between the one-piece (1.8 degrees) and two-piece (2.6 degrees) collars, p = 0.009. There was also a statistically significant difference in anterior/posterior translation between the one-piece (3.6 mm) and two-piece (3.4 mm) collars, p = 0.015. The maximum angulation and displacement during the application of either collar was 3.4 degrees and 4.4 mm. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between the one-piece and two-piece collars during the removal process. The maximum angulation and displacement during removal of either collar type was 1.6 degrees and 2.9 mm. Conclusions There were statistically significant differences in motion between the one-piece and two-piece collars during the application process, but it was only 1.2 degrees in flexion/extension and 0.2 mm in anterior/posterior translation. Overall, the greatest amount of angulation and displacement observed during collar application was 3.4 degrees and 4.4 mm. Although the exact amount of motion that could be deleterious to a cervical spine-injured patient is unknown, collars can be placed and removed with manual in-line stabilization without large displacements. Only trained practitioners should do so and with great care given that some motion in all planes does occur during the process.
13C chemical shift and 13C-15N dipolar tensors for the peptide bond: [1-13C]glycyl[15N]glycine·HCl·H2O

Abstract The 13 C chemical shift and 13 C- 15 N dipolar tensors have been determined for single crystals of the dipeptide [1- 13 C]glycyl[ 15 N]glycine·HCl·H 2 O. The 13 C chemical shift tensor is axially asymmetric with σ 11 , σ 22 , and σ 33 values of −115.6, −48.6, and 40.6 ppm, respectively, from benzene. The σ 22 component lies approximately along the carbonyl bond and the most shielded component, σ 33 , is perpendicular to the plane defined by the amide oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. Dipolar splittings in NMR spectra of the doubly labeled material also allow determination of a C-N bond length, yielding a value of 1.39 A which is in good agreement with previous X-ray crystallographic studies.
Extinction of sequential conditioned inhibition

Extinction of inhibition was examined in three pigeon autoshaping experiments. In Experiment 1, a sequential conditioned inhibitor (CI) lost inhibitory power after extinction trials. In Experiment 2, this loss of inhibition was replicated, and the effect was general to both the original target and a transfer target that was separately trained in an inhibition design. In Experiment 3, two CIs were trained simultaneously and two sequentially, and one of each was extinguished; all were tested simultaneously and sequentially. The results show that sequential testing is a necessary component for observing loss of inhibition. This is not consistent with an actual loss of inhibitory associations. It is suggested that the extinction trials either decrease processing of the CI, or extinguish its excitatory properties, to which some of the inhibition may be conditioned.
Banks, short-term debt and financial crises: theory, policy implications, and applications A comment

Abstract A modern banking crisis is a substantially different species of animal from a historical banking panic. And, in modern banking crises, contractions in bank lending or large scale withdrawals of resources from the banking system do not generally occur.We must, therefore, look elsewhere for the causes of the recessions and the other real effects that appear to be associated with banking crises. The best current evidence appears to be that these consequences derive from changes in the rate of growth of bank liabilities that are used in payments. And, this observation seems to argue for the importance of analyzing banking crises in environments where there are explicit interconnections between the banking system and the monetary/payments system. Such analyses do, in fact, exist. Examples appear in the work of Champ, Smith, and Williamson (1996), and Chang and Velasco (2000).
Cortical development: Layers of complexity

Studies of spontaneous mutant mice with neurological phenotypes, particularly the cloning and analysis of the genes responsible, are shedding light on the complex processes that lead to formation of the deceptively simple layered structure of the cerebral cortex.
Thermal Properties of Teeth

Recent measurements of the density and specific heat of teeth, as well as values of thermal di ff usivity based on thermal conductivity measurements, are reported. The values obtained for thermal di~usivity were within 10% (for enamel) and 25% (for dentin) of values previously reported in the literature.
Evaluation of planar halogenated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in estuarine sediments using ethoxyresorufin‐O‐deethylase induction of H4IIE cells

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and planar halogenated hydrocarbons (PHHs), including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in fractionated sediment extracts from the Hudson-Raritan estuary and Newark Bay, New Jersey, USA, as part of a comprehensive risk assessment. Contributions of PCDDs/PCDFs, PCBs, and PAHs to the total toxic equivalents (TEQs) were measured using an H4IIE bioassay and calculated from instrumentally determined concentrations using international toxic equivalency factors. The H4IIE TEQs of whole and fractionated extracts were compared to calculated TEQs to investigate the applicability of the bioassay approach for evaluating 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylease induction by PHHs and PAHs present together in complex mixtures. Although 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin contributed from 41 to 79% of the calculated TEQs from PCDDs/PCDFs and planar PCBs in all sediments sampled, the PAH-containing fractions accounted for >80% of the total TEQs determined either instrumentally or by bioassay. Calculated TEQs from PAHs, based on reported toxic equivalency factors for only seven PAHs, were severalfold greater than the bioassay-derived TEQs of PAH-only fractions of the sediment extracts. Significant correlations were observed between bioassay and instrumentally determined toxic equivalents in the more purified fractions but not in fractions only purified by size-exclusion or argentate chromatographies alone.
Examining Social Class and Work Meaning Within the Psychology of Working Framework

In this article, we used the psychology of working framework to examine how social class relates to the experience of meaningful work with two samples of working adults. In Study 1, participants in...
Search for α-helical propensity in the receptor-bound conformation of glucagon-like peptide-1

To elucidate the receptor-bound conformation of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a series of conformationally constrained GLP-1 analogues were synthesized by introducing lactam bridges between Lys(i) and Glu(i)(+4) to form alpha-helices at various positions. The activity and affinity of these analogues to GLP-1 receptors suggested that the receptor-bound conformation comprises two alpha-helical segments between residues 11-21 and 23-34. It is notable that the N-terminal alpha-helix is extended to Thr(11), and that Gly(22) plays a pivotal role in arranging the two alpha-helices. Based on these findings, a highly potent bicyclic GLP-1 analogue was synthesized which is the most conformationally constrained GLP-1 analogue reported to date.
Secure VoIP Using a Bare PC

Bare PC applications do not use an operating system or hard disk. We present a lightweight VoIP security scheme for a bare PC softphone that consists of an RSAbased key exchange, AES voice encryption, and SHA-1 data integrity and authentication. The scheme is easily extended to incorporate replay protection and a key derivation function as specified in SRTP for example. Experimental results comparing this security scheme on bare PC and Windows softphones show that the bare PC softphone has packet inter-arrival times (delta) that are closer to the ideal value, and intrinsic jitter values that are smaller and less variable. Moreover, the total time to complete the key exchange, and the time to generate RSA keys of various sizes or a number of RSA keys of a given size are significantly less on the bare PC softphone.
Randomized Phase III Study of Exatecan and Gemcitabine Compared With Gemcitabine Alone in Untreated Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Purpose Exatecan mesylate is a hexacyclic, water-soluble, topoisomerase-1 inhibitor. Exatecan has single-agent and combination activity with gemcitabine in advanced pancreatic cancer. A multicenter, randomized, phase III trial comparing exatecan plus gemcitabine versus gemcitabine alone in advanced pancreatic cancer was conducted. Patients and Methods Eligibility criteria included Karnofsky performance status ≥ 60%, locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and no prior chemotherapy. Radiation alone for locally advanced disease was permitted. Patients were randomly assigned on a 1:1 basis. For the exatecan plus gemcitabine arm, exatecan 2.0 mg/m2 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 were administered on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks. Gemcitabine alone was dosed at 1,000 mg/m2 up to 7 weeks in the first cycle, then once a week for the first 3 weeks of a 4-week cycle. Tumor assessment was performed every 6 weeks. The primary end point was overall survival. An intent-to-treat analysis was used. Results ...
NSLS control monitor and its upgrade

The NSLS Control Monitor is a real-time operating system designed for the microprocessor subsystems that control the machine hardware in the NSLS facility. Its major functions are to control the hardware in response to the commands from the host computers, monitor hardware status and report errors to the alarm handler. The software originally developed for the Multibus micros has been upgraded to run on the VME-based systems. The upgraded monitor provides ethernet communication with the new system and serial link with the old system. The dual link is the key feature for a smooth and nondisruptive transition at all levels of the control system. This paper describes the functions of the various modules of the monitor and future plans. >
Why Battered Women Do Not Leave, Part 1 External Inhibiting Factors Within Society

There is an urgent need to identify the factors that impede battered women's flight from violent relationships. This article is organized into two articles: Part 1 centers on external inhibiting fa...
Thermal Stability and Morphological Transformations of Aucore-Coshell Nanocrucibles

Aucore−Coshell nanoparticles were synthesized by a wet-chemical method in organic solvent and their thermal stability was studied by annealing experiments over a wide temperature range (200−450 °C). During heating, atoms within the core−shell nanoparticles migrate to transform their initial core−shell morphology to a stable “peanut” structure. We show that this morphological transformation occurs by a well-defined series of energy minimization steps that sequentially reduce the energy due to intraphase grain boundaries within the cobalt shell, the interface energy between the gold core and the cobalt shell, and the overall strain energy.
The Prediction of Hydraulic Fracture Azimuth Through Geological, Core, and Analytical Studies

Results of 10 different methods for determining the maximum horizontal principal stress direction at the DOE's Multi-Well Experiment site in the Piceance Basin, Colorado show remarkable consistency. The methods included surface geological observations (e.g. fracture mapping, lineament analysis, and faulting), analyses of oriented core from the Multi-Well Experiment (e.g. strain relaxation, differential strain analysis, acoustic velocity anisotropy, natural fractures), and computer modeling of expected stresses caused by topographic loads. The mean direction predicted for the maximum horizontal principal stress is N79 X 6/sup 0/W. The very small standard deviation about this prediction of 5 X 5/sup 0/ indicates the extreme consistency among the methods. Similar methods could be utilized in other low permeability reservoirs to determine stress orientation and hence hydraulic fracture propagation direction.
Interaction between Olivine and Water Based on Density Functional Theory Calculations

The understanding of the interaction of water with mineral surfaces is fundamental for the description of solid–liquid interface reactions such as adsorption and desorption of solutes in natural an...
Neuropsychological and emotional changes during simulated microgravity: effects of triiodothyronine alendronate, and testosterone.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: We present the results of a two-experiment study designed to evaluate the neurocognitive and psychological effects of six-degree head-down bedrest and pharmacologic interventions (3,5,3′-triiodothyronine; T3) implemented to enhance the muscle and bone atrophy associated with simulated microgravity. Subsequently, the effects of countermeasures (alendronate and testosterone) administered to retard or reverse these T3 plus bedrest enhanced atrophic changes, were evaluated. Each participant was tested weekly for 5 weeks during Bedrest or non-bedrest (Up) conditions with the Neurobehavioral Evaluation System 2 (NES2), the Symptom Check List 90 Revised (SCL-90-R), and the Coping Responses Inventory (CRI). Resultant data were subjected to repeated measures, between groups analysis of variance testing for all 82 neurocognitive and psychological test measures. RESULTS: In Experiment 1, participants in the Placebo-Bedrest condition performed better on several neurocognitive measures compared to participants in the T3-Up condition. However, participants in the Placebo-Bedrest condition also reported more confusion. In Experiment 2 (countermeasure trials), superior coordination was observed for participants in the Testosterone-T3 condition over those in the Alendronate-T3 condition, but just the opposite for reaction time. Also, testosterone and to a lesser degree, alendronate, were associated with less self-reported emotional distress than T3 plus bedrest alone. CONCLUSION: Triiodothyronine, alendronate, and testosterone each influence participant response to simulated microgravity. Between group differences for significant findings were substantial and averaged 1.62 standard deviations. Although the observed neurocognitive effects likely pose no immediate danger for research participants, the significantly greater level of self-reported psychological symptoms by T3-Placebo and Placebo-Bedrest treated participants is of clinical importance.
INFLUENCE OF STARVATION, TEMPERATURE, AND pH ON CULTURABILITY OF ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7

In farm and food processing environments Escherichia coli O157:H7 can survive for days to months. In this study, we investigated the influence of starvation, pH (pH 4 or 7), temperature (4, 10 and 22C), and exposure to chlorine (50, 100, 150, 200 ppm) on culturability of E. coli O157:H7. The culturable cell population in PBS decreased to an undetectable level at 4C and 10C, but not at 22C during the experimental period. Cells suspended in PBS adjusted to pH 4 lost culturability more rapidly than at pH 7. Culturable cells were not detectable after exposure to chlorine, however, viable cell populations in the range of 1 – 2 log remained stable for 5 days. During loss of culturability two distinct morphological cell populations emerged; typical rod shaped and coccoid shaped cells. In this study, independent of exposure to chlorine, conditions of low temperature and low pH had the greatest influence on entry of E. coli O157:H7 into a VNC state.
Optimization of Natural Procedures Leads: Discovery of Mylotarg™, CCI-779 and GAR-936

Drug Discovery and Development is a challenging and complex process that involves the dedicated multidisciplinary efforts of many R&D functions. Breakthroughs in innovation and process refinements have dominated drug discovery during the last decade, which have been aimed at increasing efficiencies and, thus, reducing cycle time. Despite these technological advances, the number of new chemical entities (NCEs) approved for human use has declined from an average of 53 NCEs during the 1980s to 41 NCEs per year in the 1990s1,2. At the turn of the century, the deciphering of the human genome will lead to an explosion in genomic technologies and, subsequently, to the identification and characterization of new targets for new small molecule ligands. Meeting these demands will require a well-integrated discovery effort and the application of many developmental functions at the earlier stages of the R&D process to increase the “hit rate” for identifying clinical candidates that reach NDA registration (Figure 1).
Existing Medicaid Beneficiaries Left Off The Affordable Care Act’s Prevention Bandwagon

The recent health reform law promotes access to preventive care through new insurance coverage requirements. Most private insurance plans, Medicare, and Medicaid expansion programs are required to cover US Preventive Services Task Force A- and B-rated services without cost sharing. However, because the Affordable Care Act treats newly eligible and existing Medicaid beneficiaries differently, all adult Medicaid beneficiaries within a state might not be eligible for the same preventive services. This study reviewed Medicaid programs across the country and found that most states do not cover all of these recommended services as preventive measures for adults. As a result, existing adult Medicaid beneficiaries might not have coverage of the same important preventive services that most other insured people have. In addition, aspects of how preventive services are defined in many states result in confusion about coverage parameters, potentially creating an additional access barrier for existing Medicaid benefic...
Sequence stratigraphy of nonmarine Jurassic–Cretaceous rocks, central Cordilleran foreland-basin system

An analysis of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous Morrison and Cedar Mountain Formations of Utah and Colorado has resulted in a general sequence-stratigraphic model for nonmarine rocks. In this model, nonmarine deposition is governed by changes in basin accommodation development and corresponding shifts in depositional base level. These fluctuations result in deposition of systematically varying facies and architectural elements that allow nonmarine depositional sequences to be recognized. Internally, nonmarine depositional sequences comprise three systems tracts—degradational, transitional, and aggradational—which are analogous to the lowstand, transgressive, and highstand systems tracts of marine depositional sequences. Degradational systems tracts overlie sequence-bounding unconformities and consist of relatively coarse-grained, low-sinuosity fluvial deposits that are either contained within incised valleys or deposited as widespread, thin sheets above shallow erosion surfaces. Transitional systems tracts represent an increase in basin accommodation development following degradational systems-tract deposition. They are marked by the transition from laterally continuous, low-sinuosity fluvial channel sandstones and conglomerates to lenticular and ribbon-like, meandering and anastomosing channel sandstones. Aggradational systems tracts are characterized by meandering-anastomosing channel sandstones and abundant fine-grained overbank and lacustrine deposits. The Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous nonmarine rocks of the study area contain three depositional sequences. The first of these, the UJ-1 sequence, consists primarily of an aggradational systems tract overlain by a sequence-bounding unconformity. However, the lower parts of this sequence are transitional with older marine rocks and can be considered the late stages of a marine highstand systems tract. The upper Morrison sequence (UJ-2) consists of degradational, transitional, and aggradational systems tracts. Above the UJ-2 sequence are a sequence-bounding unconformity and degradational and transitional systems tracts of the LK-1 sequence represented by the Buckhorn Conglomerate. The Buckhorn is overlain by a sequence-bounding unconformity and transitional-aggradational systems tracts of the LK-2 sequence that is composed of the upper part of the Cedar Mountain Formation. The Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous sequences in Utah and Colorado can be traced regionally and correlated with nonmarine depositional sequences in central Utah and sequences that contain nonmarine, transitional, and marine rocks in central Wyoming. These sequences were deposited in the back-bulge, forebulge, and distal foredeep depozones of the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous foreland-basin system.
GUT scale inflation and leptogenesis

We reconsider supersymmetric hybrid inflation in which inflation is associated with the breaking of a gauge symmetry G to H, with the symmetry breaking scale M~1016 GeV. The models discussed feature a spectral index $n_s\geqslant0.98$ while $\textrm {d}n_{s}/\textrm {d}\ln k\lesssim10^{-3}$ and the tensor to scalar ratio $r\lesssim10^{-4}$ . If G corresponds to SO(10) or one of its rank five subgroups, the observed baryon asymmetry is naturally explained via leptogenesis.
Effect of GDF-7 deficiency on tail tendon phenotype in mice

The subfamily of growth/differentiation factors (GDFs) known as GDFs 5, 6, and 7 appears to be involved in tendon maintenance and repair, although the precise nature of this role has yet to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of GDF-7 in tendon maintenance by studying tail tendon fascicle gene expression, composition, and material property strain rate dependency in 16-week-old male and female GDF-7 deficient mice. GDF-7 deficiency did not affect the biochemical composition of tail tendon fascicles, nor did it significantly affect the tensile material properties obtained at either slow (5%/s) or fast (50%/s) strain rates. Further, no difference was found between genotypes in the strain rate sensitivity of any tensile material property. Consistent with the compositional analyses, QRT-PCR data did not reveal any differences of twofold or greater in the gene expression levels of collagens I, III, V, nor in the proteoglycans decorin, fibromodulin, lumican, biglycan, versican, or aggrecan. Gdf5 expression was upregulated twofold in GDF-7 deficient tail tendons, and Bmp7 expression was downregulated twofold. No notable differences in expression levels for Bmp1-6 or Gdf6 were detected. GDF-5 protein levels were 50% higher in GDF-7 deficient tail tendon compared to wild type tail tendon. The results of this study support the intriguing possibility that compensation by Gdf-5 may be at least in part responsible for the absence of a strong phenotype in GDF-7 deficient mice.
The impact of total productive maintenance practices on manufacturing performance

In this paper we investigate the relationship between Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and manufacturing performance (MP) through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). We find that TPM has a positive and significant relationship with low cost (as measured by higher inventory turns), high levels of quality (as measured by higher levels of conformance to specifications), and strong delivery performance (as measured by higher percentage of on-time deliveries and by faster speeds of delivery). We also find that the relationship between TPM and MP can be explained by both direct and indirect relationships. In particular, there is a significant and positive indirect relationship between TPM and MP through Just-In-Time (JIT) practices. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Effects of long-term consumer manipulations on invasion in oak savanna communities

Consumer-plant interactions can alter the outcome of biological invasions when native and exotic plants differ systematically in their resistance to and/or tolerance of consumer impacts. Given evidence for indirect interactions and shifts in plant communities from the few existing long-term studies, it is clear that long-term studies are a critical component for understanding the role of consumers in plant invasions. Moreover, studies of the role of consumers in mediating invasions have focused on the effects of exotic consumers, while the effects of native consumers on invasion have received little attention. Here we examine the long-term impact of a largely native vertebrate consumer community on native and exotic understory plants and recruitment of native oaks in a California oak savanna. We sampled plant community composition, oak recruitment, and soils inside and outside of 10 exclosures (mean area ¼ 1000 m 2 ) that had been in place for an average of 32 years. Plots with consumers present had 41% more exotic species, 31% higher cover of exotic species, and 33% lower richness of native herbaceous perennials, suggesting that native consumers may play an important role in mediating invasion in this system. The presence of oak canopies had a strong impact on the plant community independent of consumer effects, with greater recruitment of oaks, higher cover of native shrubs, and lower cover of exotic species cover under oak canopies. The concordant variation of native tree canopy and native woody plants suggests that adult oaks provide a refuge for their seedlings and other native woody plants. Thus, the widespread loss of native oaks has likely increased exotic invasion into an important refuge for native species in the California oak savanna ecosystem.
A method for maintaining a constant potential variation during galvanostatic regulation of electrochemical impedance measurements

An algorithm is described in which galvanostatic regulation of electrochemical impedance measurements is conducted with an amplitude of current perturbation that is adjusted at each frequency to yield a desired variation in potential. Measurements at previous frequencies are used to estimate the value of the impedance at the target frequency. The algorithm was implemented using LabView for Windows® on an IMB-compatible computer. Experimental results illustrate artifacts which can arise as a result of galvanostatic measurement with a fixed current amplitude or as a result of potentiostatic measurements for systems with a changing corrosion potential.
Magnetic flux density produced by finite-length twisted-wire pairs

Twisting a wire pair is often used to reduce the wire's low frequency magnetic flux density impinging upon spatially adjacent circuitry. Typically, predictions of the magnetic flux density due to the twisted-wire pair are based upon mathematical formulations for infinite-length wires. In the present work, expressions for predicting the quasistatic magnetic flux density near a finite-length, current-carrying twisted-wire pair are derived. These equations are numerically integrated, and the results compared with the magnetic flux density from the corresponding straight-wire pair, thereby yielding results useful for electromagnetic compatibility analyses. Additionally, approximate far-zone magnetic flux density equations are developed, and their range of validity established. These equations are useful for magnetic flux density estimations at distances further removed from the twisted-wire pair than the usual ones encountered in a typical enclosure. Also, they show that the large near-zone reduction of the magnetic flux density magnitude obtained by twisting the wire pair, relative to the straight-wire pair, is not available in the far-zone.
Takeovers of Privately Held Targets, Methods of Payment, and Bidder Returns

We examine bidder returns at the announcement of a takeover proposal when the target firm is privately held. In stock offers, bidders experience a positive abnormal return, which contrasts with the negative abnormal return typically found for bidders acquiring a publicly traded target. On the other hand, bidders experience no abnormal return in cash offers. Our analysis suggests that the positive wealth effect is related to monitoring activities by target shareholders and, to an extent, reduced information asymmetries.
Adverse Effects of Tattoos and Piercing on Parent/Patient Confidence in Health Care Providers

First impressions based on practitioner appearance often form the basis for preliminary assumptions regarding trust, confidence, and competence, especially in situations where patients or family members do not have an established relationship with the physician. Given their growing prevalence, we strove to further investigate whether visible tattoos or piercings on a medical provider affects a patient's perception of the provider's capabilities and their trust in the care that would be provided. A survey using photographs of simulated practitioners was administered to 314 participants split between rural and urban locations. Study volunteers rated tattooed practitioners with lower confidence ratings when compared with nontattooed practitioners and reported greater degrees of discomfort with greater degrees of facial piercing. We concluded that these factors adversely affect the clinical confidence ratings of practitioners, regardless of the gender, age group, or location of participants.
GPU acceleration for PCA-based statistical static timing analysis

Timing analysis is one of the most widely used techniques in digital IC designs. It is increasingly over-loaded by growing circuit sizes and complexities arising from nanometer VLSI technologies. One well-known challenge is process variations, which need to be addressed in timing analysis at least by considering different process corners. Adaptive circuit design, a promising technique for handling variations, further needs statistical static timing analysis (SSTA), which is much more time consuming than variation-oblivious timing analysis. This work explores GPU (Graphic Processing Unit) based parallel computing techniques for accelerating SSTA. Previous works on GPU acceleration are mostly for Monte Carlo based SSTA. By contrast, we focus on SSTA using PCA (Principal Component Analysis), which is intrinsically more efficient. We develop a new batch-based task scheduling algorithm and investigate other speedup techniques such as latency hiding. Experiments are performed on ISPD'13 benchmark suite, which has circuits of over 100K gates. Compared to sequential SSTA, our approach can achieve the identical timing results with average speedup of 22X and 134X on conventional circuits and adaptive circuits, respectively. Our approach is also compared with GPU-based Monte Carlo SSTA and obtains 39X speedup with 0.77% error on timing yield estimation.
Nanostructured Electrode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The use of nanostructured materials in lithium-ion batteries is reviewed with discussion of commercialization or potential for commercialization. Nanomaterials have the advantages of shorter distances for transport of ions or electrons and accommodation of strains associated with lithium insertion. These advantages enable the use of high-capacity electrode materials and offer the possibility of improved rate capability or cycle life. Nanostructuring has enabled the use of inexpensive, low-conductivity electrode materials, such as lithium iron phosphate and lithium titanate, and has resulted in the commercialization of batteries with these materials. Conversion-type electrode materials and lithium alloys, which offer significantly higher charge-storage capacity compared to conventional intercalation-type materials, have also been enabled by nanotechnology. The use of carbon nanostructures and carbon-based nanocomposites in lithium-ion electrodes is also discussed.
Abstract W P164: Effects of Extracranial Carotid Stenosis on Intracranial Blood Flow

Objectives: To determine the effects of degree of stenosis, stenosis length, and residual lumen on intracranial blood flow in patients with extracranial carotid stenosis. Methods: Records of patients who underwent stenting for extracranial carotid stenosis at our institution between 2004-2012 and had flow rates obtained using quantitative magnetic resonance angiography were retrospectively reviewed. Measurements of degree of stenosis, stenosis length, and residual lumen were made from cerebral angiography images. Results: 18 patients had both complete anatomic and flow data available. Mean age was 66 years. Degree of stenosis ranged from 60% to 90%. 61% had symptomatic stenosis. Univariate analysis demonstrated that higher percentage of stenosis and smaller residual lumen (mm) are associated with a significant decrease in ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA) flow ( P =0.027 and P =0.007, respectively). Stenosis length (mm) was not significantly associated with ipsilateral ICA flow ( P =0.08). On multiple regression analysis, both degree of stenosis and residual lumen remained predictive of ipsilateral ICA flow ( P =0.005 and P =0.007, respectively). Neither degree of stenosis, stenosis length, or residual lumen were significantly associated with ipsilateral MCA flow (P=0.38, 0.18, and 0.86, respectively), and baseline ICA flow was not predictive of ipsilateral MCA flow ( P =0.37). Conclusions: Degree of stenosis and residual lumen diameter are highly predictive of ICA, but not MCA flow, in the setting of carotid stenosis. Local hemodynamic effects of the stenosis do not translate directly to the distal vasculature, as intracranial flows can be maintained through collateral flow. Figure: Ipsilateral ICA flow and residual lumen. Increasing residual lumen is associated with significant ipsilateral ICA flow increase ( P =0.007, correlation coefficient=0.61).
Human adaptations in food, energy, and water systems

The impacts of recent natural disasters highlight the hidden vulnerabilities in society’s food, energy, and water systems and the potential for climate change to amplify these social liabilities. Some have pointed to technological solutions to reduce vulnerabilities and to build resiliency into food, energy, and water systems (FEWS). While technological advances to upgrade human systems, e.g., in agriculture, urban planning, pollution abatement, and green energy development, are critical, these technical advances are insufficient on their own. Effective FEWS management depends on understanding human decision-making, including adaptations to new environmental, social, or economic changes and the responses of individuals and communities to new technologies intended to improve FEWS resilience and sustainability. This paper draws on multiple social science perspectives, including decision science, economics, and sociology, to consider the fundamental role that human behavior and adaptations play in FEWS. We discuss the importance of accounting for human behavior within a coupled human-natural systems framework in which a range of human adaptations and feedbacks are considered, including how humans might respond directly to press-pulse dynamics and indirectly through their adoption of new technology. Following a brief summary of key concepts of decision-making theory at individual and community scales, we then focus on migration and land use changes, the two types of human adaptations that are particularly important for FEWS modeling and management. The paper concludes with a discussion of key knowledge gaps and research needs in the social sciences related to human adaptations in the context of FEWS.
Stability of Liquid Films

Macroscopic thin liquid films are entities that are important in biophysics, physics, and engineering, as well as in natural settings. They can be composed of common liquids such as water or oil, rheologically complex materials such as polymers solutions or melts, or complex mixtures of phases or components. When the films are subjected to the action of various mechanical, thermal, or structural factors, they display interesting dynamic phenomena such as wave propagation, wave steepening, and development of chaotic responses. Such films can display rupture phenomena creating holes, spreading of fronts, and the development of fingers. The present work examines, through the solution of a onesided evolution equation as an initial value problem with periodic boundary conditions, the various mechanisms that affect the stability of liquid films. The numerical program employed to solve the non-linear evolution equation is validated by comparing the results produced with previously published data. The wavenumber associated with various destabilizing mechanisms is extracted. The effect of pinned boundary conditions versus periodic boundary conditions will be discussed.© 2010 ASME
Determination of sodium 2-( 4-methoxy phenoxy) propionate in foods by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

Objective To develop a method for the determination of sodium 2-( 4-methoxyphenoxy) propanoate in foods by solid-phase extractiom( SPE) and high-performance liquid chromatography( HPLC). Methods Samples were dissolved with ammonia solution( 1∶9,V / V) and purified by SPE cartridges. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Kromasil C18column( 250 mm × 4. 6 mm × 5 μm) using phosphoric acid solution( 1∶1,V / V,p H = 3. 0)-methanol as mobile phase.Detection was performed at 224 nm. Results Linearity was in the range of 0. 50 mg / L ~ 50. 0 mg / L with determination coefficient( r) of 0. 9995. Recoveries were in the range of 87. 4% ~ 99. 0%,and the relative standard deviations were less than5. 0%. The limit of quantification was 1. 0 mg / kg. Conclusion The developed method has the advantages of simple pretreatment,efficient separation and high reproducibility,and it can be applied to the routine analyses for the determination of sodium2-( 4-methoxyphenoxy) propanoate in foods.