cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of Integrated Biorefineries

Chapter 21 provides a brief discussion of sample approaches for conceptual design of a biorefinery and techno-economic assessment of a biorefinery.
North America, Archaeology of

Archaeological research in North America, which began in earnest about 150 years ago, extends across a vast and highly diverse region that encompasses Canada, Greenland, the United States (excluding Hawaii), and northern Mexico. The extensive region is often divided into ten smaller geographical areas, within which most archaeologists focus their research, becoming experts in a particular area's prehistoric, protohistoric, or historic periods. The field has been closely aligned to American anthropology since its founding, a factor that has greatly affected the kinds of research problems and methods employed. Current research is addressing the timing and life ways of the first inhabitants, the great diversity of hunter–gatherer societies, the advent of horticulture, the rise of settled communities with powerful chiefs and religious specialists, and the consequences of European exploration and colonization on native societies. This article describes the field, presents a brief history of research, outlines the current state of North American archaeology, and considers future directions.
The association of cognitive impairment as screened by the Mini-Cog with long term post-hospitalization outcomes.

Abstract Background Prior studies have suggested that patients with cognitive impairment are at increased risk for adverse post-hospitalization outcomes. We aimed to determine if cognitive status assessed by the Mini-Cog, a quick bedside screening test, is associated with long-term outcomes. Methods In this secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study, 668 patients >65 years of age admitted to a tertiary care academic hospital over a two-year period were screened for cognitive impairment with the Mini-Cog within 24 h of admission. We performed multivariable regression adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, principal diagnoses and functional status to determine association between cognitive impairment and discharge to post-acute care, 90-day readmission and one-year mortality. Results Overall 35% screened positive for cognitive impairment. Those with impairment were older (median age 83 versus 78), less likely to be admitted from home and had lower functional independence and self-reported performance scores (p Conclusion Cognitive impairment as screened for by the Mini-Cog was not associated with readmission, length-of-stay, or 1-year mortality but was associated with discharge to post-acute care. Other tools such as frailty assessment may be more useful in predicting these outcomes in hospitalized older adults.
Nonzero coefficients in restrictions and tensor products of supercharacters of Un(q)

Abstract The standard supercharacter theory of the finite unipotent upper-triangular matrices U n ( q ) gives rise to beautiful combinatorics based on set partitions. As with the representation theory of the symmetric group, embeddings of U m ( q ) ⊆ U n ( q ) for m ⩽ n lead to branching rules. Diaconis and Isaacs established that the restriction of a supercharacter of U n ( q ) is a nonnegative integer linear combination of supercharacters of U m ( q ) (in fact, it is polynomial in q). In a first step towards understanding the combinatorics of coefficients in the branching rules of the supercharacters of U n ( q ) , this paper characterizes when a given coefficient is nonzero in the restriction of a supercharacter and the tensor product of two supercharacters. These conditions are given uniformly in terms of complete matchings in bipartite graphs.
Coupled Generative Adversarial Network for Heterogeneous Face Recognition

Abstract The large modality gap between faces captured in different spectra makes heterogeneous face recognition (HFR) a challenging problem. In this paper, we present a coupled generative adversarial network (CpGAN) to address the problem of matching non-visible facial imagery against a gallery of visible faces. Our CpGAN architecture consists of two sub-networks one dedicated to the visible spectrum and the other sub-network dedicated to the non-visible spectrum. Each sub-network consists of a generative adversarial network (GAN) architecture. Inspired by a dense network which is capable of maximizing the information flow among features at different levels, we utilize a densely connected encoder-decoder structure as the generator in each GAN sub-network. The proposed CpGAN framework uses multiple loss functions to force the features from each sub-network to be as close as possible for the same identities in a common latent subspace. To achieve a realistic photo reconstruction while preserving the discriminative information, we also added a perceptual loss function to the coupling loss function. An ablation study is performed to show the effectiveness of different loss functions in optimizing the proposed method. Moreover, the superiority of the model compared to the state-of-the-art models in HFR is demonstrated using multiple datasets.
Left Valvar Morphology Is Associated With Late Regurgitation in Atrioventricular Canal Defect

Background Left atrioventricular valve regurgitation (LAVVR) after atrioventricular canal (AVC) repair remains a significant cause of morbidity. Papillary muscle arrangement may be important. To investigate the implications of left mural leaflet morphology, we examined anatomic characteristics of the LAVV to determine possible associations with postoperative LAVVR. Methods All patients with biventricular AVC repair at our institution between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016, with necessary imaging were retrospectively reviewed. We assessed papillary muscle structure and novel measures of the left mural leaflet from preoperative echocardiograms and the degree of LAVVR from the first and last available follow-up echocardiograms. Associations with degree of early and late postoperative LAVVR were assessed with t tests, analysis of variance, or χ2 or Fisher exact tests, and multivariable logistic regression. Results There were 58 of 156 patients (37%) with significant (moderate or severe) early postoperative LAVVR, and 30 of 93 (32%) had significant LAVVR after 6 or more months. Fewer patients with closely spaced or asymmetric papillary muscles had moderate or severe late LAVVR vs those with widely spaced papillary muscles (17% vs 40%, P = .019). Controlling for weight at operation, genetic syndromes, and bypass time, widely spaced papillary muscles increased the odds ratio for late LAVVR to 3.6 (P = .026). Larger mural leaflet area was also associated with late LAVVR on univariable (P = .019) and multivariable (P = .023) analyses. One-third of patients with significant late LAVVR had no significant early postoperative regurgitation. Conclusions Mural leaflet and papillary muscle anatomy are associated with late LAVVR after AVC repair. Late regurgitation can develop in the absence of early LAVVR, suggesting different mechanisms.
1×4 VCSEL arrays with uniform spectral and noise properties by using rotationally asymmetric oxide aperture for 400 Gbit/s applications

In the recent decade, the growth of data centers is being driven by spreading of cloud computing and its relevant technologies. As of now, 100 Gbit/s optical interconnects have been widely used in the data-centers, and the trend is about to be switched to 400 Gbit/s data-rate. Multi-mode VCSELs are employed for the reasons of the lower cost and power consumption in a short-distance range. 400 Gbit/s transceivers are equipped with an 1×8 or a pair of 1×4 VCSEL arrays. Especially, 400GBASE-SR4.2 (BiDi) uses two different wavelengths for each 1×4 array. In such case, sufficient uniformity in terms of optical output, bandwidth, relative intensity noise (RIN) and spectral width properties could be keys to success in 400 Gbit/s applications. Variations of optical output and bandwidth over a processed wafer can be suppressed by maturing the epitaxial growth and fabrication procedures. In contrast, spectral and noise properties are strongly coupled to transverse mode properties of VCSELs, which are controlled by a shape of the oxide aperture. In this work, we report uniform spectral and noise characteristics of 1×4 VCSEL arrays by introducing a rotationally-asymmetric oxide aperture. The rotationally-asymmetric aperture VCSELs show less variation in root-mean-square (RMS) spectral width and RIN compared with circular-aperture VCSELs. The rotationally-asymmetric aperture is capable of splitting degenerated modes in spectral domain. Uniformity in the performance of optical output, 3dB bandwidth and RIN are verified in 1×4 arrays for both 850 nm and 910 nm VCSELs. 53.125 Gbit/s PAM-4 modulation is then performed with different temperatures of 25 and 90℃, which shows the capability of our VCSEL arrays for 400 Gbit/s applications.
Digenic Heterozygous Mutations in SLC34A3 and SLC34A1 Cause Dominant Hypophosphatemic Rickets with Hypercalciuria

Context Hypophosphatemia and metabolic bone disease are associated with hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets with hypercalciuria (HHRH) due to biallelic mutations of SLC34A3 encoding the NPT2C sodium-phosphate cotransporter and nephrolithiasis/osteoporosis, hypophosphatemic 1 (NPHLOP1) due to monoallelic mutations in SLC34A1 encoding the NPT2A sodium-phosphate cotransporter. Objective To identify a genetic cause of apparent dominant transmission of HHRH. Design and setting Retrospective and prospective analysis of clinical and molecular characteristics of patients studied in 2 academic medical centers. Methods We recruited 4 affected and 3 unaffected members of a 4-generation family in which the proband presented with apparent HHRH. We performed clinical examinations, biochemical and radiological analyses, and molecular studies of genomic DNA. Results The proband and her affected sister and mother carried pathogenic heterozygous mutations in 2 related genes, SLC34A1 (exon 13, c.1535G>A; p.R512H) and SLC34A3 (exon 13, c.1561dupC; L521Pfs*72). The proband and her affected sister inherited both gene mutations from their mother, while their clinically less affected brother, father, and paternal grandmother carried only the SLC34A3 mutation. Renal phosphate-wasting exhibited both a gene dosage-effect and an age-dependent attenuation of severity. Conclusions We describe a kindred with autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets in which whole exome analysis identified digenic heterozygous mutations in SLC34A1 and SLC34A3. Subjects with both mutations were more severely affected than subjects carrying only one mutation. These findings highlight the challenges of assigning causality to plausible genetic variants in the next generation sequencing era.
Prevalence of Comorbidities and Risks Associated with COVID-19 Among Black and Hispanic Populations in New York City: an Examination of the 2018 New York City Community Health Survey.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected Blacks and Hispanics in New York City (NYC) disproportionately. This study aims to assess the relationship of race/ethnicity with COVID-19 associated factors such as hypertension, diabetes, neighborhood poverty, and frontline work, in NYC. The 2018 New York City Community Health Survey was used to examine the association of hypertension, diabetes, and neighborhood poverty level with race/ethnicity in log-binomial regression models. Number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and the distribution of frontline workers were acquired from the US Census, the State of New York Department of Labor, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Neighborhoods with high poverty level had a greater risk of hypertension among Blacks (relative risk (RR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4, 1.9–6.4) and diabetes among Hispanics (RR, 95% CI: 5.5, 2.2–14.0), compared with Whites in the lowest poverty neighborhoods. Disproportionately greater percentages of frontline workers were comprised of Blacks (29.4%, 95% CI: 29.3–29.5%) and Hispanics (35.5%, 95% CI: 35.3–35.6%). Predominantly Black and Hispanic boroughs with greater level of poverty had one ICU bed per 900 adults of 60 years of age or older, compared with one ICU bed per 452 in predominantly White boroughs with less poverty. The greater prevalence of the factors associated with COVID-19 infection and adverse outcomes puts Black and Hispanic populations in NYC at a greater risk. These factors are also related to poverty and should be mitigated together with reducing racial/ethnic inequities.
Chex Mix™ Data Analysis Activity.

This article presents a pedagogical strategy that uses Chex MixTM as a visual and physical means of helping students learn data analysis. The manipulative is used to guide students to a deeper leve...
Mechanisms and disease consequences of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading chronic liver disease worldwide. Its more advanced subtype, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), connotes progressive liver injury that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Here we provide an in-depth discussion of the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms that lead to progressive liver injury, including the metabolic origins of NAFLD, the effect of NAFLD on hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, bile acid toxicity, macrophage dysfunction, and hepatic stellate cell activation, and consider the role of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors that promote fibrosis progression and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in NASH.
Nevoid Malignant Melanoma vs. Melanocytic Nevus

Malignant melanomas that histologically resemble ordinary benign melanocytic nevi remain one of the most difficult diagnoses in dermatopathology. These diagnostically challenging malignant neoplasms have been described in the literature using variable terminology in part due to their low incidence and to the paucity of large inter-institutional studies with long-term clinical follow-up. This chapter highlights the histological and immunohistochemical features that help distinguish nevoid melanomas from ordinary nevi. These features are further discussed in the expanded differential diagnosis with other unusual melanocytic neoplasms (benign and malignant) that also must be considered.
Chapter 20 Role of Cytokines in Leukocyte Activation: Phagocytic Cells

Publisher Summary Cytokines are ubiquitous messenger molecules, produced not only by inflammatory cells but also by a wide variety of different cell types throughout the body. Cytokines have been shown to have effects on most in vitro functions of both neutrophils and monocytes-macrophages. The effector functions of phagocytic cells require stimuli that activate these cells. This chapter discusses information known about the effects of cytokines on phagocytic cellular functions associated with activation. Cytokines represent a more physiological stimulus for phagocytic cell activation compared to the biochemical stimuli used in vitro to define phagocyte activation states. They have been shown to both stimulate and inhibit the activation of phagocytes. The timing, dose, or combinations of cytokines to which phagocytic cells are exposed, markedly influence the type, duration, and degree of phagocytic cell effector response. Cytokines represent an important part of the language of the inflammatory response, and additional studies should more clearly define the precise role cytokines play in controlling in vivo phagocytic cell function.
Decision Trees and Decision Rules

This chapter contains sections titled: Decision Trees C4.5 Algorithm: Generating a Decision Tree Unknown Attribute Values Pruning Decision Trees C4.5 Algorithm: Generating Decision Rules CART Algorithm & Gini Index Limitations of Decision Trees and Decision Rules Review Questions and Problems References for Further Study ]]>
Action potential bursts modulate the NMDA-R mediated spike timing dependent plasticity in a biophysical model

Spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) requires the temporal association of presynaptic and postsynaptic action potentials (APs). However, some synapses in the CA1 region of the hippocampus are suprisingle unreliable at signaling the arrival of single spikes to the postsynaptic neuron [4]. In such unreliable synapses pairing of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and single APs at low frequencies is ineffective at generating plasticity [2], [3]. A recent computational study [7] has shown that the shape of the STDP curve strongly depends on the burst interspike interval in the presence/absence of inhibition when a presynaptic dendritic burst and a postsynaptic somatic spike were paired together. In this study, we investigate via computer simulations the conditions under which STDP is affected when now a high frequency somatic burst instead of a single spike is paired with another dendritic spike. We show that during such pairing conditions in the absence of inhibition a symmetric STDP profile with a distinct positive LTP region is evident at 10-30ms interstimulus interval and flat LTD tails at all other interstimulus intervals. The symmetry is preserved at all burst interspike intervals. When inhibition is present, the STDP profile shape into a Mexican hat shaped one or an inverted symmetrical one with flat LTP tails.
Genetic control of the antibody response to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide in mice. III. Analysis of genes governing the expression of regulatory T cell activity.

SUMMARY Recombinant-inbred strains of mice, as well as the progenitor strains from which they were derived, were evaluated with respect to the capacity of B cells to respond to an optimally immunogenic dose of Type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III) and the amount of suppressor and amplifier T cell activity present. None of these functional activities was found to be linked to genes within the major histocompatibility (H-2) or the IgCH allotype complex, and several autosomal genes appeared to govern the expression of each of these characteristics.
Comparison of Motility and Flow Cytometric Assessments of Seminal Quality in Fresh, 24‐Hour Extended and Cryopreserved Human Spermatozoa

Functional differences among fresh 24-hour extended and cryopreserved human spermatozoa were assessed using both computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) and flow cytometry. The objective was to determine if there were interrelationships among various qualitative parameters of the fresh and treated samples when assessed by these two automated methods. Fertile donor specimens (n = 15) were split and examined for sperm motility and curvilinear velocity using CASA within 1 hour postejaculation, after 24 hours in TEST-yolk buffer at 5 degrees C and after cryopreservation in TEST-yolk-glycerol medium. Flow cytometric analyses were performed on 24-hour extended and cryopreserved (CP) samples after fluorescent staining with rhodamine 123 to quantify mitochondrial function and carboxydimethyl fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide to assess plasma membrane integrity. The percentages of spermatozoa with functional mitochondria and intact membranes along with the proportion of dead cells were identified and quantified by flow cytometry. Quadrant analyses of these data were used to determine the relative red and green fluorescent intensities. The initial sperm motility was correlated to the motility observed for the 24-hour stored and the CP samples. The sperm velocity of both the initial and the 24-hour extended samples was correlated to the velocity of CP samples. As for the comparison of the two automated methods for assessing seminal quality, the only sperm motion parameter that was correlated with a sperm population identified by flow cytometry (quadrant 4) was the curvilinear velocity of the sperm after 24 hours storage (r = 0.69) and after cryopreservation (r = 0.74). The present findings indicate that additional research is needed to determine if prefreeze analyses of donor sperm could be useful in predicting the post-thaw integrity of CP samples and, thereby, be useful in screening potential semen donors.
Web-services modeling for e-marketplace

Web-services enabled e-marketplaces are based on human initiatives. Initiatives for buying or selling products between customers and merchants or initiatives for supplying products among merchants, in the supply chain. One serious challenge that we continue to face, in spite of growing number of recent contributions in the area of Web-services for e-commerce, is the lack of appropriate support for managing e-marketplace initiatives. As they are subjected to change and evolution, this paper deals with them using an approach for Web-services modeling using processes. The framework models and performs requests for purchasing or providing products, also complex business interactions among merchants involved in the supply chain. By so doing, the Web is transformed into a distributed computational network.
β-Strand mimics based on tetrahydropyridazinedione (tpd) peptide stitching

Short peptides featuring a tetrahydropyridazinedione (tpd) backbone tether exhibit reduced conformational flexibility external to the heterocyclic constraint. Analysis by NMR, molecular modeling and X-ray crystallography suggests both covalent and non-covalent stabilization of extended peptide conformations. An efficient solid-phase protocol was developed for the synthesis of a new class of β-strand mimics based on oligomeric tpd subunits.
A Review of “Local Climate Action Planning”

The article reviews the book "Local Climate Action Planning," by Michael R. Boswell, Adrienne I. Greve and Tammy L. Seale.
A feedforward neural network for CMOS VLSI implementation

A feedforward neural network circuit model suitable for CMOS VLSI implementation is introduced. The model captures the principles of operation of artificial neural nets, and is suitable for analog all-MOS VLSI circuit implementations. Each unit consists of a control device and one operational amplifier which is implemented with two CMOS inverters in series. A control device is implemented with one n-MOS and one p-MOS transistors to model biasing. A single n-MOS transistor is used to connect the output of a unit of one layer to the input of the next layer. All the connection weights are set by applying analog signals to the gates of these transistors. >
Antigen Receptor Molecules: Inhibition by Antiserum against Kappa Light Chains

Rabbit antiserum against mouse kappa chains, the predominant class of light chains found in mouse immunoglobulins, inhibits the immune response in vitro of mouse spleen cells to erythrocyte antigens. The inhibition becomes irreversible if the mouse spleen cells are treated briefly with both antiserum to kappa chains and complement.
An Unsuspected Cause for Metabolic Acidosis in Chronic Renal Failure: Sorbent System Hemodialysis

• A severe metabolic acidosis was produced in a patient with chronic renal failure by hemodialysis using a sor­ bent system to regenerate bicarbonate dialysate with an initial bicarbonate concentration of 60 mEq/L. The acido· sis resolved with standard single-pass hemodialysis. In five additional patients, the bicarbonate concentration of the dialysate with the sorbent system was noted to be low and quite variable (mean ± SO, 16.5 ± 8.3 mEq/L, range 5 mEq/L to 39 mEq/L). The low dialysate bicarbonate failed to correct metabolic acidosis and, in fact, was capable of further lowering the serum bicarbonate. The capacity of the regenerating cartridge to release protons makes this form of dialysis a potential cause for metabolic acidosis. The safety of the sorbent system dialysis, at least in the bicarbonate mode, requires further evaluation.
Prioritized packet fragmentation for H.264 video

We introduce a cross-layer priority-aware packet fragmentation scheme to enhance the quality of H.264 compressed bitstreams over bit-rate limited error-prone links in packet networks. The H.264 slices are prioritized in the encoder based on their cumulative mean square error (CMSE) contribution towards the received video quality. Specifically we derive the optimal fragment size for each priority level which achieves the maximum expected weighted goodput at different encoded video bit rates and slice sizes. The packet fragmentation scheme uses slice discard in the buffer. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme provides considerably improved video quality.
Providing Item Feedback in Computer-Based Tests: Effects of Initial Success and Failure

This study investigated the effects of providing item feedback on student achievement test performance and anxiety, and how these effects may be moderated by the amount of success and students experience on the initial items of the test. Introductory statistics students were randomly assigned to six forms of a computer-based algebra test that differed in terms of (a) the difficulty of the first five items, and (b) the type of item feedback provided. Although test performance was not affected significantly by differences among the test forms, student anxiety levels were significantly increased when administered the test form using difficult initial items and providing item feedback along with a running score total. Implications for the use of item feedback in computer-based testing are discussed.
USING RADIO FREQUENCY PENETRATION DEPTH TO PROBE LAYERED SUPERCONDUCTORS

Measuring the electrical resistivity of layered superconductors yields interesting information regarding the mixed and normal state of the system. Because of the high degree of anisotropy of many systems it becomes impossible to distinguish between the relatively small resistivity associated with ρxy and the much larger ρzz using traditional 4 lead techniques. Moreover, dissipation associated with vortex pining masks the crossover from superconducting to normal state. Recent development of radio frequency (rf) techniques in milli-second pulsed high magnetic fields have resulted in a powerful tool to investigate metals and superconductors at extremes in H-T space. The rf technique is sensitive to changes in the most conducting regions of the sample, hence the in-plane resistivity is measured. By measuring the change in skin depth as a function of applied magnetic field and temperature, a reliable method for mapping the upper critical field is realized. Direct comparison with thermodynamic measurements such as magnetization and thermal conductivity show compelling agreement.
Effects of molecular level surface roughness on electroosmotic flow

Electroosmotic flow is widely used to transport and mix fluids in micro- and nanofluidic systems. Though essentially all surfaces exhibit certain degrees of roughness, the effects of surface roughness on electroosmotic flow is not well-understood. In this paper, we investigate how the electrical double layer and electroosmotic flow are affected by molecular level surface roughness by using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results indicate that, when the thickness of the electrical double layer is comparable to the height of surface roughness, presence of sub-nanometer deep concave regions on a rough surface can alter the electrical double layer near the surface, and reduce the electroosmotic flow significantly.
The effect of anesthesia and surgery on heart rate variability in dogs

Heart rate variability (HRV) may be useful for objective assessment of stress and pain in animals. The objective of this study was to describe the effect of anesthesia and surgery on HRV in dogs. We hypothesized that surgery would decrease HRV to a greater degree and for a longer duration than anesthesia alone. Four healthy male dogs (29 ± 2 kg) were instrumented for ambulatory ECG monitoring. Continuous ECG data was obtained for 1 day prior to, and 6 days following anesthesia alone (ANES) or anesthesia plus unilateral stifle arthrotomy (ANSX). The anesthetic protocol included xylazine (0.5 mg kg–1 IM), morphine (0.5 mg kg–1 IM), atropine (0.04 mg kg–1 IM), thiopental (10 mg kg–1 IV) and isoflurane in oxygen. A single dose of morphine (0.5 mg kg–1 IM) was administered at extubation. Time domain analysis of HRV was performed on 5 minutes epochs of artefact- and arrhythmia-free ECG data obtained at 12 noon and 12 midnight on each of the seven experimental days. Mean RR interval, standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN), and the standard deviation of successive differences in RR intervals (SDSD) were compared to baseline for ANES and ANSX. Pain scores obtained during the day were also evaluated. Significance was set at p < 0.01. There were no differences between groups for any baseline data. Mean RR interval did not differ from baseline on days 1–6 in ANES or ANSX. SDNN and SDSD values at noon were not different from baseline on days 1–6 in ANES or ANSX. At midnight on days 1 and 2, SDNN was significantly decreased from baseline in ANSX, and on day 1 a significant difference between groups existed. ANSX values of SDSD at midnight were significantly decreased from baseline and ANES on day 1. Pain scores for ANSX were significantly greater than baseline on days 1–3, and different from ANES on days 1–5. These results suggest that HRV is decreased following anesthesia plus surgery, and that changes in HRV may be associated with pain.
Review of Redesigning Women: Television after the network era

Redesigning Women: television after the network era AMANDA D. LOTZ Urbana, IL, University of Illinois Press, 2006 224 pp., tables, bibliography and index, $50.00 (cloth), $25.00 (paper) Redesigning...
Generation of an S(α,β) Covariance Matrix by Monte Carlo Sampling of the Phonon Frequency Spectrum

Abstract Formats and procedures are currently established for representing covariances in the ENDF library for many reaction types. However, no standard exists for thermal neutron inelastic scattering cross section covariance data. These cross sections depend on the material's dynamic structure factor, or S ( α , β ) . The structure factor is a function of the phonon density of states (DOS). Published ENDF thermal neutron scattering libraries are commonly produced by modeling codes, such as NJOY/LEAPR, which utilize the DOS as the fundamental input and directly output the S ( α , β ) matrix. To calculate covariances for the computed S ( α , β ) data, information about uncertainties in the DOS is required. The DOS may be viewed as a probability distribution function of available atomic vibrational energy states in a solid. In this work, density functional theory and lattice dynamics in the harmonic approximation were used to simulate the structure of silicon dioxide (α-quartz) to produce the DOS. A range for the variation in the partial DOS for silicon in α-quartz was established based on limits of variation in the crystal lattice parameters. Uncertainty in an experimentally derived DOS may also be incorporated with the same methodology. A description of possible variation in the DOS allowed Monte Carlo generation of a set of perturbed DOS spectra which were sampled to produce the S ( α , β ) covariance matrix for scattering with silicon in α-quartz. With appropriate sensitivity matrices, it is shown that the S ( α , β ) covariance matrix can be propagated to generate covariance matrices for integrated cross sections, secondary energy distributions, and coupled energy-angle distributions.
A new calibration method for mixer delay measurements that requires no calibration mixer

Making phase and group delay response measurements on mixers and frequency converters has traditionally been a difficult and complicated process, requiring either modulated-signals (and demodulation), two-tone signals (a special form of modulation) or a system with a reference or reconverting mixer and a calibration or “golden” mixer. This paper presents a method to measure the phase response of a mixer on a VNA calibrating the input and output phase response independently, computing the transfer response directly using a phase reference, and is traceable to national standards. This method, for the first time, eliminates the need for any other mixer, reference or calibration, in the test system.
A carrier enzyme basis for ammonium excretion in teleost gill. NH+4-stimulated Na-dependent ATPase activity in Opsanus beta.

1. 1. Branchial Na+ K+-ATPase specific activity is some 20% greater in hyposahne adapted Opsanus beta than in SW specimens. 2. 2. Ouabain insensitive ATPase (Mg2+-ATPase) specific activities were similar, while whole body-activity differences in low salinity and SW adapted fish could be accounted for by the 30% difference in extractable gill protein. 3. 3. NH4+ ion was 15% more effective at dephosphorylation of the microsomal Na-dependent phosphoenzyme than either Rb+ or K+. and revealed a maximal ATPase affinity (Km = 0.2 mM) within the physiological range of blood [K+]. 4. 4. Similar properties as pH optima, ATP and Mg2+Km's. ouabain sensitivity, percent recoveries and subcell distribution indicated that the NH+4-stimulation acts through the Na+ K+ -ATPase carrier enzyme and may be resonsible for the Na+/NH+4 exchange in Opsanu beta.
Template tailoring: Accurate determination of heterozygous alleles using peptide nucleic acid and dideoxyNTP

Measurement of the length of DNA fragments plays a pivotal role in genetic mapping, disease diagnostics, human identification and forensic applications. PCR followed by electrophoresis is used for DNA length measurement of STRs, a process that requires labeled primers and allelic ladders as standards to avoid machine error. Sequencing-based approaches can be used for STR analysis to eliminate the requirement of labeled primers and allelic ladder. However, the limiting factor with this approach is unsynchronized polymerization in heterozygous sample analysis, in which alleles with different lengths can lead to imbalanced heterozygote peak height ratios. We have developed a rapid DNA length measurement method using peptide nucleic acid and dideoxy dNTPs to “tailor” DNA templates for accurate sequencing to overcome this hurdle. We also devised an accelerated “dyad” pyrosequencing strategy, such that the combined approach can be used as a faster, more accurate alternative to de novo sequencing. Dyad sequencing interrogates two bases at a time by allowing the polymerase to incorporate two nucleotides to DNA template, cutting the analysis time in half. In addition, for the first time, we show the effect of peptide nucleic acid as a blocking probe to stop polymerization, which is essential to analyze the heterozygous samples by sequencing. This approach provides a new platform for rapid and cost-effective DNA length measurement for STRs and resequencing of small DNA fragments.
Modeling of Natural Organic Matter Transport Processes in Groundwater

A forced-gradient tracer test was conducted at the Georgetown site to study the transport of natural organic matter (NOM) in groundwater. In particular, the goal of this experiment was to investigate the interactions between NOM and the aquifer matrix. A detailed three-dimensional characterization of the hydrologic conductivity heterogeneity of the site was obtained using slug tests. The transport of a conservative tracer (chloride) was successfully reproduced using these conductivity data. Despite the good simulation of the flow field, NOM breakthrough curves could not be reproduced using a two-site sorption model with spatially constant parameters. Preliminary results suggest that different mechanisms for the adsorption/desorption processes, as well as their spatial variability, may significantly affect the transport and fate of NOM.
Convection-Evaporation Feedback in the Equatorial pacific

The coupling between convection and surface evaporation is investigated to assess the importance of evaporative cooling in regulating the tropical sea surface temperature. It is found that such a coupling is scale dependent. On timescales of several days, convective activity enhances surface evaporation, which together with the decrease of surface solar radiation, acts to cool the sea surface. However, on scales of climatic interest, convection acts to reduce surface evaporation. High sea surface temperature gives rise to more convective activity, which through interaction with the large-scale circulation, increases the low-level large-scale convergence and decreases the surface wind, leading to low evaporation in spite of the increased surface-air humidity difference. Therefore, although individual convective events can significantly enhance surface evaporation on short timescales, the long-term average effect of convection is to suppress surface evaporation at high SST due to its interaction with the large-scale circulation. One potential implication of this result is that evaporative cooling on climate timescales may not provide a negative feedback on the sea surface temperature of warm oceans with convectively disturbed tropospheres.
Fulminant Hepatitis During Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Apparently Immunocompetent Adults: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Two apparently immunocompetent adult patients developed acute fulminant hepatitis during presumptive primary herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection without any visible mucocutaneous lesions. HSV hepatitis was not suspected in the case of patient 1, who died without treatment. Patient 2 was empirically treated with acyclovir because of the triad of high fever, leukopenia, and markedly elevated levels of aminotransferases, and this patient survived. Most immunocompetent patients with fulminant HSV hepatitis do not have visible mucocutaneous ulcers, and HSV is frequently not considered as a cause of acute hepatitis. In summary, fulminant hepatitis can occur during HSV infections, the diagnosis is frequently missed or delayed because of the absence of mucocutaneous ulcerations, and patients who receive early empirical treatment with acyclovir can survive this illness.
Thermal expansion of compressed He II

Abstract This is the first of a series of two papers dealing with measurements of the isobaric thermal expansion coefficient, α p , of compressed He II. In this paper we describe the experimental details and present the results of measurements of α p from 0.5 to 1.5°K at pressures of 3, 6, 12, and 24 atm. A p − T locus of α p = 0 is found to intersect the melting curve at 0.59°K. The entropy of compression is calculated over the region investigated. Finally the implication of a volume maximum on the melting curve is discussed. A subsequent paper will analyze these and other related data in terms of the Landau model of phononroton excitations.
An EGF receptor/Ral-GTPase signaling cascade regulates c–Src activity and substrate specificity

c-Src is a membrane-associated tyrosine kinase that can be activated by many types of extracellular signals, and can regulate the function of a variety of cellular protein substrates. We demonstrate that epidermal growth factor (EGF) and β-adrenergic receptors activate c-Src by different mechanisms leading to the phosphorylation of distinct sets of c-Src substrates. In particular, we found that EGF receptors, but not β2-adrenergic receptors, activated c-Src by a Ral-GTPase-dependent mechanism. Also, c-Src activated by EGF treatment or expression of constitutively activated Ral-GTPase led to tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3 and cortactin, but not Shc or subsequent Erk activation. In contrast, c-Src activated by isoproterenol led to tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc and subsequent Erk activation, but not tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin or Stat3. These results identify a role for Ral-GTPases in the activation of c-Src by EGF receptors and the coupling of EGF to transcription through Stat3 and the actin cytoskeleton through cortactin. They also show that c-Src kinase activity can be used differently by individual extracellular stimuli, possibly contributing to their ability to generate unique cellular responses.
[3H]MK801 binding to the NMDA receptor/ionophore complex is regulated by divalent cations: evidence for multiple regulatory sites.

Abstract We have examined the ability of divalent and trivalent cations to regulate [ 3 H]MK801 binding to the N-methyl-D- aspartate operated ionophore of rat brain membranes. In EDTA-washed membranes that are nominally free of glutamate and glycine the cations Ba 2+ , Ca 2+ , Co 2+ , La 3+ , Mn 2+ ,and Sr 2+ increased [ 3 H]MK801 binding in the range 0.01–10 mM, depending on the cation studied. At higher concentrations (0.1–30 mM) these cations all inhibited binding. In contrast, Cd 2+ , Hg 2+ , Mg 2+ , Ni 2+ and Zn 2+ inhibited binding at all concentrations tested. The addition of maximally effective concentrations of glutamate (100 μM) and glycine (30 μM) increased binding by some 200% above control. In the presence of glutamate and glycine all cations except Sr 2+ only inhibited binding, while the stimulation produced by Sr 2+ was markedly diminished. The potency of most of the divalent cations tested was increased in the presence of glutamate and glycine. In contrast, Cd 2+ and Zn 2+ became less potent, while the potency of Hg 2+ did not change. Thus, it appears that cations regulate the function of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor/ ionophore complex by interacting with at least two separate sites.
Free carrier effects as a complicating variable in the analysis of strained silicon

We characterize free carrier effects in silicon waveguides due to electronic non-idealities such as dielectric fixed charges and interface states, independently considering SiO 2 , SiNx and Al 2 O 3 cladding layers. These effects are shown to impact both the passive and active properties of silicon waveguides.
Phase I trial of valproic acid and lenalidomide in patients with advanced cancer

Purpose The objectives of this study were to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of valproic acid (VPA) and lenalidomide.
The spill-over theory reversed: The impact of regional economies on the commercialization of university science

Abstract The concept of regional technology spill-overs created by university research is one of the most enduring theories within the economic geography and innovation management fields. This article introduces an alternative perspective on academic commercialization, arguing that the quality of a university's regional environment can significantly impact a university's success in commercializing science. Recent research on university technology transfer stresses the importance of personal contacts between academic and industry scientists in driving commercialization. The social structure of the regional economy in which a university is embedded will strongly influence the density of contacts linking university scientists with individuals in industry, and through doing so, impact the density of networks through which university knowledge can be commercialized. Social network analysis is used to examine the quality of social ties linking industry and university scientists within the San Francisco and Los Angeles California biotechnology industries over the 1980–2005 period. Results support the theory that the existence of strong social networks linking inventors heightens university commercialization output. Despite similar university research endowments, universities in San Francisco have dramatically commercialization outputs than San Francisco, which is correlated with the existence of cohesive inventor networks linking industry and university scientists in this region, but not Los Angeles. Moreover, longitudinal analysis shows that the commercialization output of San Francisco universities increased substantially starting in the early 1990s, the time period in which cohesive inventor networks emerged in the region.
THE “FREEDOM AND AUTHORITY MEMORANDUM”: A PHILOSOPHICAL ADDENDUM IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION

This article is a philosophical investigation of the “Freedom and Authority Memorandum”, written by A.W. Jones then Director‐General of Education in South Australia. The article has several purposes. First, it is an example of the contribution that philosophy can make to the formulation of educational policy. Second, it compares and contrasts two institutional styles for the purpose of elucidating the kind of bureaucratic organization commended by the memorandum. Third, the article attempts to demonstrate that contractual consent theory, in and of itself, does not dissolve many of the most serious problems that revolve around ideas of freedom and authority. Last, the article illustrates why, given the assumptions of institutional collectivism, the commitment to institutional individualism implicit in the “freedom and Authority Memorandum” cannot necessarily lead to happiness.
Effect of human chorionic gonadotropin on induced ovine corpora lutea during the anestrous season

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of additional gonadotropic support on induced corpora lutea of anestrous ewes. In one series of experiments, ewes were superovulated and half the ewes received an i.v. injection of 500 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on day 5 after ovulation. Corpora lutea were collected from both groups on day 10 after ovulation. Dissociated corpora lutea collected from ewes which received additional hCG contained proportionately more large luteal cells than did those from control ewes (P
Student Use of Scaffolding Software: Relationships with Motivation and Conceptual Understanding

This study was designed to theoretically articulate and empirically assess the role of computer scaffolds. In this project, several examples of educational software were developed to scaffold the learning of students performing high level cognitive activities. The software used in this study, Artemis, focused on scaffolding the learning of students as they performed information seeking activities. As 5th grade students traveled through a project-based science unit on photosynthesis, researchers used a pre-post design to test for both student motivation and student conceptual understanding of photosynthesis. To measure both variables, a motivation survey and three methods of concept map analysis were used. The student use of the scaffolding features was determined using a database that tracked students’ movement between scaffolding tools. The gain scores of each dependent variable was then correlated to the students’ feature use (time and hits) embedded in the Artemis Interface. This provided the researchers with significant relationships between the scaffolding features represented in the software and student motivation and conceptual understanding of photosynthesis. There were a total of three significant correlations in comparing the scaffolding use by hits (clicked on) with the dependent variables and only one significant correlation when comparing the scaffold use in time. The first significant correlation (r = .499, p < .05) was between the saving/viewing features hits and the students’ task value. This correlation supports the assumption that there is a positive relationship between the student use of the saving/viewing features and the students’ perception of how interesting, how important, and how useful the task is. The second significant correlation (r = 0.553, p < 0.01) was between the searching features hits and the students’ self-efficacy for learning and performance. This correlation supports the assumption that there is a positive relationship between the student use of the searching features and the students’ perception of their ability to accomplish a task as well as their confidence in their skills to perform that task. The third significant correlation (r = 0.519, p < 0.05) was between the collaborative features hits and the students’ essay performance scores. This correlation supports the assumption that there is a positive relationship between the student use of the collaborative features and the students’ ability to perform high cognitive tasks. Finally, the last significant correlation (r = 0.576, p < 0.01) was between the maintenance features time and the qualitative analysis of the concept maps. This correlation supports the assumption that there is a positive relationship between the student use of the maintenance features and student conceptual understanding of photosynthesis.