cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors for Alzheimer’s disease: Past, Present, and Potential Future

Alzheimer’s Diseases (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive neuronal loss leading to cognitive decline. Although there is yet to be a cure nor a way to reverse the neuronal damage, there are current treatments to amend some of the cognitive symptoms associated with AD. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEi) are the primary agents of choice and have had profound implications throughout the past decades. AChEi such as donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine mediates and increases cholinergic activities in the central nervous system (CNS), and have been shown to improve and preserve cognition in AD patients. Beyond the current drugs on the market, investigational discoveries continue to explore the potential of safer and more efficacious AChEi agents for the treatment of AD. There have been quite a few challenges, given the high failure rates. Yet, these very trials and studies have been a fundamental step towards better understanding the treatments of AD and have provided some insight on the potential to surpass what is currently available.
Twenty-Three Years of Hypocretins: The "Rosetta Stone" of Sleep/Arousal Circuits

The discovery of the hypocretins/orexins (HCRTs) has revolutionized sleep science in the last two decades. A combination of anatomical tracing methods, optogenetics, and pharmacology is delineating a blueprint of functional inputs and outputs of the HCRT system. Here, we discuss several models of HCRT action that involve the integration between physiological variables, circadian output, and sleep homeostasis. Generation of activity maps during the sleep-wake cycle at the cellular level will allow investigators to decipher computational frameworks modeling operations of HCRT networks.
Some Comments on the Qualitative Relationship between Heat and Work, and on the Limiting Efficiencies of Heat Engines

The equation dS = δw/T advanced by Lewis and Randall for the entropy change of the irreversible transformation of an amount of work δd into heat at temperature T, is here used to establish that while in the limit of T = ∞°K those two energy forms become qualitatively identical and thus completely transformable into one another; in the limit of T = 0°K on the other hand, their difference in quality becomes the maximum possible, fact that when combined with the particulars of heat to work conversion at this temperature limit, leads, contrary to current thermodynamic wisdom, to a zero efficiency of conversion.
Sans constraints? feature diagrams vs. feature models

In this paper we study constraints--inter-dependencies between basic features in a feature model which are not captured by diagrams. We offer a method for the removal of these constraints and explain why their removal require an (inevitable) exponential increase to the tree size. We show that the elimination of constraints makes it possible to provide an efficient solution for the feature editing problem, recently raised by Thum, Batory and Kastner. We tie feature models with computer science fields which may appear very foreign to our domain, including circuit complexity, graph algorithms and algebraic complexity. The objective of this tie is double folded: drawing the attention of the foreign community to the problems we address in our field, and to suggest the use of current results in these fields for better understanding of the mathematics behind the modeling of software product lines.
Nosogenic Prehension of the Nasus by a Neonate: A Resumption of Fetal Posture

Six children in this pediatric practice have suffered accidental glass door injury during the last 18 months. Five of these accidents involved the familiar aluminum frame storm doors and four accidents occurred at play. The experience in this practice and throughout the country indicates a significant increase in the number of such injuries. The problem is thus defined as a distinct hazard of childhood. It is necessary to alert both pediatrician and parent to the danger of storm and other glass doors and to the possibility of replacing easily broken glass, in whole or part, with a safety material. In addition, there is a distinct need for legislation that will eventually eliminate unsafe glass in doors.
Abstract 20369: Direct Medical Expenditures and Healthcare Utilization Associated With Resistant Hypertension in the United States

Background: Resistant hypertension (HTN) is associated with an increased risk of major adverse outcomes, but whether greater healthcare expenditures and utilization are linked to this condition has...
Insufflation vs intubation during esophagogastroduodenoscopy in children

Summary Objectives: We compared adverse airway events during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in children managed with insufflation vs intubation. Background: Optimum airway management during EGD in children remains undecided. Methods/materials: Following IRB approval and written informed parental consent, children between 1 and 12 years of age presenting for EGD were randomized to airway management with insufflation (Group I), intubation/awake extubation (Group A), or intubation/deep extubation (Group D). All subjects received a standardized anesthetic with sevoflurane in oxygen. Using uniform definitions, airway adverse events during and after EGD recovery were recorded. Categorical data were analysed with Chi-square contingency tables or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate. Results: Analyzable data were available for 415 subjects (Group I: 209; Group A: 101; Group D: 105). Desaturation, laryngospasm, any airway adverse event, and multiple airway adverse events during EGD were significantly more common in subjects in Group I compared to those in Groups A and D. Complaints of sore throat, hoarseness, stridor, and/or dysphagia were more common in subjects in Groups A and D. Analysis of confounders suggested that younger age, obesity, and midazolam premedication were independent predictors of airway adverse events during EGD. Conclusions: Insufflation during EGD was associated with a higher incidence of airway adverse events, including desaturation and laryngospasm; intubation during EGD was associated with more frequent complaints related to sore throat. As our results show that insufflation during EGD offers no advantage in terms of operational efficiency and is associated with more airway adverse events, we recommend endotracheal intubation during EGD, especially in patients who are younger, obese, or have received midazolam premedication.
Legumes and Nitrogen Fixation: Physiological, Molecular, Evolutionary Perspectives, and Applications

In order to meet the ever growing food, feed, and biofuel demand, there has been an increasing dependence on intensive agriculture. These nonsustainable practices may lead to the deterioration of soil quality and require the production of nitrogen fertilizers at the expense of nonrenewable fossil fuels. Apart from increasing the cost of cultivation, the excessive use of fertilizers is also responsible for the damage to many ecosystems. Legumes have the ability to establish a mutualistic association with soil bacteria known as rhizobia, which form root nodules, inside of which atmospheric dinitrogen is reduced into assimilable forms and supplied to host plants. A high level of species specifi city exists in rhizobia – legume interactions, which are initiated by a signal exchange between the two partners. The infection process and the development of root nodules require a set of highly coordinated events at the root epidermal and cortical cells. Over the past decades, elegant genetic and biochemical studies have been conducted on legume nodulation to decipher the intricaChapter 20
A Conversation with Richard Alderman - Director of the United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office

The United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is the lead agency in the U.K. for investigating and prosecuting cases of overseas corruption, including cases under the Bribery Act (expected implementation in April 2011).In July 2010, I received an invitation from Richard Alderman, Director of the SFO, to submit questions to him on any topic of my choosing. I submitted approximately thirty detailed questions covering a broad range of topics, including the role and policies of the SFO, the Bribery Act, the BAE and Innospec cases, Bribery Inc., and other questions of general interest. Except for certain questions regarding the BAE case, which is still pending in the U.K. courts, Mr. Alderman provided answers to every question, including on topics I have been critical of the SFO in the past.In his answers, Mr. Alderman: (i) compares and contrasts the SFO's role with the DOJ's role in enforcing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including the more active and independent role U.K. courts have in reviewing SFO charging decisions; (ii) talks about voluntary disclosure, and the role of non-prosecution and deferred prosecution agreements; (iii) discusses reputational harm, debarment, and reparations; and (iv) talks specifically about the Bribery Act.
Mullis, Kary B

1944– American scientist who invented the polymerase chain reaction, an essential tool in molecular genetics.
Co-Array collectives: refined semantics for co-array fortran

Co-array notation provides a compact syntax for programming parallel programs. Co-array Fortran (CAF) introduced and implements this notation, and CAF is currently proposed as an extension to the Fortran language standard. We believe that co-array notation requires a revised semantic definition beyond that specified by CAF for both pragmatic reasons within Fortran and to make the notation attractive for incorporation into other programming languages. The revised semantics make the language model easier to understand and reduces the potential for programmer error. Furthermore, these revised semantics allow CAF to be extended to capture collective operations in co-array notation.
Edge detectors based on linear and least median operators

The author introduces a class of edge detectors based on a modified FIR-median filter. The input signal is filtered with three linear-phase filters, and the output of the filter is the shortest half of the order statistic of the outputs of the linear filters. The statistical properties of the edge detector filter are analyzed for input signals imbedded in innovative noise and additive noise. It is shown that the proposed filter is very robust, whereas the standard median filter and the FIR median hybrid filter are very weak in rejecting outliers. The filter preserves corner points and ramps effectively when the input signal is imbedded in innovative or/and additive noise. >
Automated identification of pneumonia in chest radiograph reports in critically ill patients

Prior studies demonstrate the suitability of natural language processing (NLP) for identifying pneumonia in chest radiograph (CXR) reports, however, few evaluate this approach in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. From a total of 194,615 ICU reports, we empirically developed a lexicon to categorize pneumonia-relevant terms and uncertainty profiles. We encoded lexicon items into unique queries within an NLP software application and designed an algorithm to assign automated interpretations (‘positive’, ‘possible’, or ‘negative’) based on each report’s query profile. We evaluated algorithm performance in a sample of 2,466 CXR reports interpreted by physician consensus and in two ICU patient subgroups including those admitted for pneumonia and for rheumatologic/endocrine diagnoses. Most reports were deemed ‘negative’ (51.8%) by physician consensus. Many were ‘possible’ (41.7%); only 6.5% were ‘positive’ for pneumonia. The lexicon included 105 terms and uncertainty profiles that were encoded into 31 NLP queries. Queries identified 534,322 ‘hits’ in the full sample, with 2.7 ± 2.6 ‘hits’ per report. An algorithm, comprised of twenty rules and probability steps, assigned interpretations to reports based on query profiles. In the validation set, the algorithm had 92.7% sensitivity, 91.1% specificity, 93.3% positive predictive value, and 90.3% negative predictive value for differentiating ‘negative’ from ‘positive’/’possible’ reports. In the ICU subgroups, the algorithm also demonstrated good performance, misclassifying few reports (5.8%). Many CXR reports in ICU patients demonstrate frank uncertainty regarding a pneumonia diagnosis. This electronic tool demonstrates promise for assigning automated interpretations to CXR reports by leveraging both terms and uncertainty profiles.
The nature of molecular excited states produced by weak light sources

Abstract It is shown that upon excitation of a molecule by light from a thermal source, the incident field tends to act as a projection operator for a subspace spanned by eigenstates of the molecular hamiltonian. Furthermore, for chaotic light sources there is an effective upper limit, τ, for the time during which there is coherent excitation. If τ is much greater than the uncertainty minimum, as is normally the case, the reduced density operator for the excited states of the molecule becomes “filtered”, the extent of which determines the pattern of subsequent radiative and radiationless decay processes. The limitation of the “filtering” process to the interval τ provides a new distinction for large- and small-molecule behavior.
Characterization of an hsp70 gene from the human filarial parasite, Brugia malayi (Nematoda).

Abstract We have previously shown that an Onchocerca volvulus cDNA clone in λgt-11 designated OvG15, potentially encoding a peptide homologous to the 70-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70), was recognized by sera of many individuals living in a zone endemic for lymphatic filariasis and most strikingly by sera from amicrofilaremic individuals including endemic normals, those with chronic symptoms and TPE patients. Few asymptomatic microfilaremics recognized the Hsp70. We have now used the insert from the OvG15 clone to isolate the homologous gene from Brugia malayi and analyze its primary structure and expression. The data presented in this communication describe a heat-inducible member of the hsp70 gene family of B. malayi which demonstrates intriguing features of tissue specific basal level expression, developmental regulation and heat inducibility.
Comparison of Recent Shoreline Sedimentation with Stratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous Oil Fields, Rocky Mountain Area: ABSTRACT

The recognition of the shoreline of a marine basin is one of the most important tasks facing the stratigrapher. Determining the position and trend of the shoreline aids in lithofacies studies and is the basis for the art of paleogeography. An important depositional feature of some modern shorelines is the barrier island on which barrier bar sands are accumulating. The barrier bar deposit is characterized by a narrow linear, well sorted porous and permeable sandstone, beach structures and littoral fauna on one flank, beach ridges, eolian deposits, and other minor features. Sedimentation along the central Georgia coast illustrates the factors which disrupt normal barrier island development and cause abrupt termination of barrier bars. A knowledge of these factors is importa t to the trend-pursuing petroleum geologists. By using lithologic and biologic criteria developed from Recent sediment studies, barrier bar sands can be demonstrated as common shoreline deposits in the Cretaceous of the Rocky Mountains. These sands are important petroleum reservoirs and are prime targets in the search for stratigraphic traps. Surface and subsurface studies indicate that the newly found petroleum accumulations on the Wamsutter arch, southern Wyoming, are in barrier bar sands of Late Cretaceous age. The trend of these shoreline deposits is nearly perpendicular to the axis of the broad east-plunging anticline. The updip permeability seal on the trap is the change from barrier bar sands to impermeable swamp and lagoonal sediments. Because barrier bar sands represent less than 1 per cent of the Cretaceous strata, they are elusive targets in petroleum exploration. End_of_Article - Last_Page 381------------
New experimental approach for studying residual stresses in rails

The distribution of residual stresses in the head of a rail produced by rolling cycles is investigated by dissection and non-dissection methods. In the dissection method, small grid elements are formed on the surface of the rail slice by slot cutting. The residual stresses are relieved by the cutting process. In the non-dissection method, residual stresses are relieved by an elevated temperature. The relieved residual deformations are detected by moire interferometry for both methods. The results obtained by both methods are compared and the non-dissection method is recommended.
Anomalous and selective DNA mutations of the Old World monkey alpha-globin genes.

Abstract It has been a widely accepted hypothesis that the molecular clock slows down during evolution of higher primates. By molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence comparison of a rhesus macaque alpha-globin gene to its homologs in man, orangutan, olive baboon, and other mammals, we demonstrate a burst of evolution of the baboon alpha-globin gene since its separation from the rhesus macaque. This mutation burst has occurred only at the nonsynonymous sites but not the synonymous sites. Its magnitude is at least 10-fold higher than the synonymous substitution rates in higher primates and as high as the synonymous substitution rates of the rodent lineage. On the contrary, the rate of synonymous site substitutions in the alpha-globin genes of either the rhesus macaque or the olive baboon is several times slower than that of human. Our data demonstrate an anomalous exception to the slow rates of molecular evolution in higher primates and provide strong evidence for a recently accelerated evolution of a primate globin gene under an as yet unknown selective force(s).
Temperature Field and Reaction Zones in Biomass Gasification

In this paper a method used to measure and validate the temperature field in an experimental downdraft biomass gasifier and reformulate the discrete test data into continuous mathematical functions is described. The reformulated temperature field is analyzed to identify different reaction zones within the gasifier. Distinct endothermic and exothermic regions, separated by rather complicated boundaries, are found.
POLLUTANT-PARTICLE ASSOCIATIONS AND DYNAMICS IN COASTAL MARINE ENVIRONMENTS: A REVIEW

Abstract A wide variety of substances, including known or potential pollutants, become associated with particles in coastal marine environments. This association may result from: (1) ion exchange, precipitation, or hydrophobic interactions with the particle surface, (2) co-precipitation with iron and manganese hydrous oxide coatings, (3) complexation with organic substances bound or aggregated with particles, (4) incorporation into mineral lattices, organisms or fecal material, or (5) flocculation of colloidal organic and inorganic matter during river and sea water mixing. The transport, accumulation and fate of such chemically-reactive pollutants in coastal marine environments are governed to a great extent by particle dynamics. Understanding of the mechanisms and processes affecting pollutant-particle associations and dynamics allows the prediction of the fate of a wide variety of pollutants in estuarine, coastal and marine environments.
Toward single-photon imaging at short wave infrared (SWIR)

We present our latest results from a novel nano-injector-base photon detector. Previously, we have demonstrated the excellent noise performance and large linear gain of single-element devices at room temperature. Here we demonstrate the first focal plane array (FPA) made from this unique device, and show that they hold their high gain and low noise performance at a good array uniformity. The high internal gain produces significantly better images at high frame rates, or at low light level conditions.
Finite Commutative Chain Rings

A commutative ring with identity is called a chain ring if all its ideals form a chain under inclusion. A finite chain ring, roughly speaking, is an extension over a Galois ring of characteristic pnusing an Eisenstein polynomial of degree k. When p?k, such rings were classified up to isomorphism by Clark and Liang. However, relatively little is known about finite chain rings when p?k. In this paper, we allowed p?k. When n=2 or when p?k but (p?1)?k, we classified all pure finite chain rings up to isomorphism. Under the assumption that (p?1)?k, we also determined the structures of groups of units of all finite chain rings.
Relative Efficiency of the Case‐Control to the Cohort Design in Epidemiology

In deriving the efficiency of the stratified to the simple random sample design in survey research, the critical link between the designs is the population analysis of variance. Analogously, the efficiency of the case-control to the cohort design in epidemiologic research can be derived using Bayes' theorem as the essential connection between the designs. Prior information on the odds of the disease is also required. A numerical example using data from Fleiss' text is used to illustrate the result.
Observation of theA-DNA toB-DNA Transition During Unrestrained Molecular Dynamics in Aqueous Solution

Abstract A large challenge in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of proteins and nucleic acids is to find the correct “experimental” geometry when a simulation is started a significant distance away from it. In this study, we have carried out four unrestrained ≈1 ns length MD trajectories in aqueous solution on the DNA duplex d(CCAACGTTGG)2, two beginning in a canonicalA-DNA structure and two beginning in a canonicalB-DNA structure. As judged by root-mean-squared coordinate deviations, average structures computed from all four of the trajectories converge to within ≈0.8 to 1.6 A (all atoms) of each other, which is 1.3 to 1.7 A (all atoms of the central six residues from each strand) and 3.1 to 3.6 A (all atoms) away from theB-DNA-like X-ray structure reported for this sequence. To our knowledge, this is the first example of multiple nanosecond molecular dynamics trajectories with full representation of DNA charges, solvent and long range electrostatics that demonstrate both internal consistency (two different starting structures and four different trajectories lead to a consistent average structure) and considerable agreement with the X-ray crystal structure of this sequence and NMR data on duplex DNA in aqueous solution. This internal consistency of structure for a given sequence suggests that one can now begin to realistically examine sequence-dependent structural effects in DNA duplexes using molecular dynamics.
Examining DSM-IV Criteria for Pathological Gambling: Psychometric Properties and Evidence from Cognitive Biases

We examined the DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling as assessed with the DSM-IV-based Diagnostic Interview for Gambling Severity (DIGS; Winters, Specker, & Stinchfield, 2002). We first analyzed the psychometric properties of the DIGS, and then assessed the extent to which performance on two judgment and decision-making tasks, the Georgia Gambling Task (Goodie, 2003) and the Iowa Gambling Task (Bechara, Damasio, Damasio, & Anderson, 1994), related to higher reports of gambling pathology. In a sample of frequent gamblers, we found strong psychometric support for the DSM-IV conception of pathological gambling as measured by the DIGS, predictive relationships between DIGS scores and all cognitive performance measures, and significant differences in performance measures between individuals with and without pathological gambling. Analyses using suggested revisions to the pathological gambling threshold (Stinchfield, 2003) revealed that individuals meeting four of the DSM-IV criteria aligned significantly more with pathological gamblers than with non-pathological gamblers, supporting the suggested change in the cutoff score from five to four symptoms. Discussion focuses on the validity of the DSM-IV criteria as assessed by the DIGS and the role of cognitive biases in pathological gambling.
ABSORPTION SPECTRUM OF KCl: Tl AT LOW TEMPERATURES

The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of thallium in single-crystal potassium chloride has been accurately measured down to 187 m\ensuremath{\mu} at 295\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The asymmetry apparent in both major bands at room temperature disappears at low temperature. The existence of two kinds of singlet thallium centers in slightly different crystalline environments is suggested as a possible explanation.
Characterization of Sn, Zn, In, and Sb-Containing GeSe Alloys for Phase-Change Electronic Memory Applications

Two-terminal electronic devices consisting of stacks of chalcogenide layers containing GeTe, Ge 40 Se 60 , SnTe, or SnSe have shown promise for application as electronic phase-change memories (Campbell, K.A. and Anderson, C.M., Microelectronics Journal 38, 52–59 (2007)). Here, we report the synthesis of (Ge 40 Se 60 ) 100−z Mz alloys where M = Sn, In, Sb, and Zn, and the corresponding bulk material Raman spectra and differential scanning calorimetry data in order to explore material compositions that might be useful for producing a multi-state phase-change memory device.
Experimental Investigation of Filamentary Arrays in a Breakdown Plasma Generated by a 1.5 MW, 110 GHz Gyrotron

Summary form only given. We present detailed experimental results of surface flashover (or breakdown) at a dielectric window transmitting a focused Gaussian beam of high-power millimeter waves. The experiments have been conducted using a 110 GHz gyrotron with maximum output power of 1.5 MW and pulse length of 3 microseconds. Results so far have been at atmospheric pressure. Diagnostics include optical emission measurements using photodiodes and a camera and microwave transmission measurements. We find a highly periodic, near-hexagonal structure in the time-integrated images of breakdown plasma columns. These plasma filament arrays are an unexpected outcome of these studies. Present research concentrates on a study of the evolution of the structured plasma by using photodiodes directed at different regions of the plasma. These results along with more accurate threshold power measurements for different dielectric window materials such as polycarbonate, high-density polyethylene, and Teflon, will be presented.
The synthesis of biphenylisopropyloxycarbonyl-amino acid salts

Abstract A number of biphenylisopropyloxycarbonyl-blocked amino acids have been synthesized as their cyclohexylamine or dicyclohexylamine salts, and their properties described. A facile method for regenerating the Bpoc-amino acids from their salts is detailed, along with the conditions used to determine that the syntheses are free of racemization.
A FRAMEWORK FOR DEFINING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Total Quality Management (TQM), this framework proposes, can be achieved only when the organization develops the ability to cater to customers' needs, monitor the internal and external environments on an ongoing basis to obtain and disseminate information needed by empowered group decision makers, establish and maintain an atmosphere where there is strong vertical and horizontal communication, collaboration, and cooperation among individuals in internal units, as well as among individuals in external units, develop and maintain a bond and a “sense of ownership” among employees; and develop and maintain ongoing training programs.
Work in progress — Engineering's Grand Challenges: An analysis of student viewpoints

As the next generation of engineers, engineering students at the local level have specific views on what key issues should be addressed in the coming decades. Results of a University of Kansas survey completed by over 220 engineering students from sophomores to graduate students in seven engineering majors from five departments are reported, analyzed, and compared with the 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering presented by the National Academy of Engineering in 2008. While some areas follow from the NAE list, other suggestions are innovative beyond that list and yet support the goals and spirit of the subsequent NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program. The contributions of this study are: (1) a report of survey findings from six classes of students, (2) an analysis of student responses according to levels and majors, and (3) a comparison of these viewpoints with the NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering.
Singular and combined effects of electrical stimulation, post-mortem ageing and blade tenderisation on the palatability attributes of beef from young bulls.

Abstract Thirty Santa Gertrudis bulls (approximately 15–18 months old) were slaughtered, dressed and split into siides. The right side of each carcass was electrically stimulated (ES) with seventeen impulses (1·8s impulse duration; 1·8s interval between impulses) of 550 V (AC) and 5 A while the left side served as a non-stimulated control (not-ES). At 24h post morten, USDA quality and yield grade data were obtained from each side. On the second day post mortem, all sides were fabricated and strip loins, top sirloin butts and ribeyes were obtained from each side for post-mortem ageing and blade tenderisation studies. Steaks were removed after a post-mortem ageing period of 4 or 18 days and before (not-BT) or after blade tenderisation (BT) for sensory panel evaluations or shear force determinations. ES sides had more youthful lean maturity (P
Ce3+ to Nd3+, Ho3+, and Er3+, energy transfer in lanthanide sodium sulfate, LnNa(SO4)2H2O

Abstract Excitation (250–500 nm) and emission spectra, decay kinetics and Ce-to-Nd energy transfer are reported for lanthanide sodium sulfates containing Ce 3+ and Nd 3+ ions. In Ce y La 1− y Na(SO 4 ) 2 H 2 O (0.0005 y y Ce 1− y Na(SO 4 ) 2 H 2 O, is more than 90% efficient for y > 0.50. The cerium decay kinetics are non-exponential and can be fit to a multipole interaction model with dipole-dipole interaction as the dominant term. The rate of Ce-to-Nd energy transfer has a second-order dependence on y , the neodymium mole fraction. For Nd 0.10 La 0.90 (SO 4 ) 2 H 2 O at room temperature, neodymium decays with nearly single exponential kinetics characterised by a 90 μsec lifetime; for Nd 0.5 La 0.5 Na(SO 4 ) 2 H 2 O, the Nd lifetime is 15 μs, showing that concentration quenching occurs. The presence of cerium decreases the lifetime of neodymium luminescence. Holmium and erbium in crystals of Ho y Ce 1− y Na(SO 4 ) 2 H 2 O and Er y Ce 1− y Na(SO 4 ) 2 -H 2 O quench cerium luminescence, but do not show any luminescence due to cerium absorption and energy transfer. The quenching rate is first-order in the holium and erbium mole fractions and is the same at 77 K and 298 K.
Multiparticle production: Feynman fluid analogy

Author(s): Bander, M | Abstract: The analogy between high-energy events with many particles in the final state and a distribution of particles in a fluid is examined in detail. It is shown that many theoretical models lend themselves to such an interpretation. Using experimental data on prong cross sections and one-particle inclusive distributions, some properties of this analogous fluid are computed. The possibility and significance of a "phase transition" are discussed and predictions based on such considerations are made for higher energies. © 1972 The American Physical Society.
T-cell populations in liver and renal transplant recipients with infectious esophagitis.

Individuals undergoing hepatic and renal transplants are susceptible to infections of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the esophagus. The most common responsible agents are Candida and herpes simplex virus (HSV) with cytomegalovirus (CMV), Aspergillus, and other agents being regarded as unusual pathogens even in this unique population. Altered T-cell populations have been associated with CMV colitis in healthy homosexuals and in individuals with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Similarly, individuals with Epstein-Ban virus infections have altered T-cell populations. Whether these infections alter T-cell populations in infected individuals or the abnormalities in T-cell subpopulations occur first and enhance the likelihood of an infection in susceptible populations is as yet unknown. In this study peripheral blood T-cell populations in individuals before (19 patients) and after (47 patients) liver transplantation and after receiving a renal allograft (21 patients) were compared. Those individual having any symptoms related to esophageal disease underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy combined with mucosal biopsies, brushings, and cultures and were subdivided into those with and without infectious esophagitis. CMV esophagitis was found to be associated with an arithmetically decreased T-cell helper/supressor H/S) ratio principally due to an increase in the suppressor cell number. Such a reduction in the TH/S ratio and in the number of circulating suppressor cells was not found in esophagitis due to either HSV or Candida and was unrelated to the serum cyclosporine level or prednisone dosage prescribed. Therefore the reduced H/S ratio due to an increase in the circulating suppressor cell number in patients with CMV esophagitis is probably due to the presence of the CMV infection per se rather than a factor predisposing the individual for a CMV infection.
The thiobarbituric acid reaction and the autoxidations of polyunsaturated fatty acid methyl esters.

Abstract The TBA reaction of autoxidized single methylene-interrupted diene, triene, tetraene, pentaene, and hexaene fatty acid esters has been measured at various stages of autoxidation. Linoleate free of higher polyunsaturates gave no TBA color at early stages of oxidation. At early stages of oxidation TBA values of triene, tetraene, pentaene, and hexaene were found to vary linearly with diene conjugation, peroxide value, and oxygen uptake. TBA values of triene, tetraene, pentaene, and hexaene were found to vary linearly with diene conjugation throughout the course of the oxidation. A mechanism is proposed for TBA reactant formation from methylene-interrupted polyunsaturated compounds with cyclic peroxide as an intermediate in the formation of malonaldehyde. The existence of a cyclic five-membered ring peroxide in the oxidation products of polyunsaturated acids is postulated. The mechanism of oxidation of methylene-interrupted trienes, tetraenes, pentaenes, and hexaenes postulates an additional step in chain propagation involving intramolecular rearrangement of the hydroperoxy free radical to a free radical bearing a closed five-membered ring peroxide. The scope of usefulness and the limitations of the TBA test are discussed.
Solution of boundary value heat conduction problems with variable convective coefficients by a boundary condition dissection method

Abstract A boundary condition dissection method is developed for the solution of boundary value heat conduction problems with position-varying convective coefficients imposed at the boundaries. The method is postulated on the fact that a condition imposed on the boundary of a heat conduction problem may be realized in practice by using conditions that are not of the imposed kind. Thus, a Robin condition with position varying convective coefficient can be dissected as a linear combination of boundary heat flux and temperature, and either of these conditions can be used in place of the Robin condition in formulating an auxiliary problem. This auxiliary problem can be solved for temperature, and finally this temperature is forced to satisfy the actual Robin conditions imposed at the boundaries. Three basic problems are solved in this paper, and by means of two examples the boundary condition dissection method is shown to yield temperature results that are more accurate than those by the finite difference method, which has been conventionally used in solving the heat conduction problems.
Supporting medical communication for older patients with a shared touch-screen computer

Abstract Objective Increasingly health care facilities are adopting electronic medical record systems and installing computer workstations in patient exam rooms. The introduction of computer workstations into the medical interview process makes it important to consider the impact of such technology on older patients as well as new types of interfaces that may better suit the needs of older adults. While many older adults are comfortable with a traditional computer workstation with a keyboard and mouse, this article explores how a large horizontal touch-screen (i.e., a surface computer) may suit the needs of older patients and facilitates the doctor–patient interview process. Method Twenty older adults (age 60 to 88) used a prototype multiuser, multitouch system in our research laboratory to examine seven health care scenarios. Behavioral observations as well as results from questionnaires and a structured interview were analyzed. Results The older adults quickly adapted to the prototype system and reported that it was easy to use. Participants also suggested that having a shared view of one's medical records, especially charts and images, would enhance communication with their doctor and aid understanding. Conclusion While this study is exploratory and some areas of interaction with a surface computer need to be refined, the technology is promising for sharing electronic patient information during medical interviews involving older adults. Future work must examine doctors’ and nurses’ interaction with the technology as well as logistical issues of installing such a system in a real world medical setting.
Numerical Simulation of Blood Flow in Patient-Specific Stenotic Carotid Bifurcation Geometries

The hemodynamics and fluid mechanical forces in blood vessels have long been implicated in the deposition and growth of atherosclerotic plaque. Detailed information about the hemodynamics in vessels affected by significant plaque deposits can provide insight into the mechanisms and likelihood of plaque weakening and rupture. In the current study, the governing equations are solved in their finite volume formulation in several patient-specific geometries. Recirculation zones, vortex shedding, and secondary flows are captured. The forces on vessel walls are shown to correlate with unstable plaque deposits. The results of these simulations suggest morphological features that may usefully supplement percent stenosis as a predictor of plaque vulnerability.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Possible evolution of splice-junction signals in eukaryotic genes from stop codons

Abstract Splice-junction sequence signals are strongly conserved structural components of eukaryotic genes. These sequences border exon/intron junctions and aid in the process of removing introns by the RNA splicing machinery. Although substantial research has been undertaken to understand the mechanism of splicing, little is known about the origin and evolution of these splice signal sequences. Based on the previously published theory that the primitive genes evolved in pieces from primordial genetic sequences to avoid the interfering stop codons, a "stop-codon walk" mechanism is proposed in this paper to have assisted in the evolution of coding genes. This mechanism predicts the presence of stop codons in splice-junction signals inside the introns. Evidence of the consistent presence of stop codons in the splice-junction signals, in a position where they are expected, is shown by the analysis of codon statistics in these signal sequences in the GenBank databank. The results suggest that the splice-junction signals may have evolved from stop codons as a consequence of a selective pressure to avoid stop codons during the original evolution of coding genes. They also suggest that other splice signals within the introns, such as the branch-point sequence, may have evolved from stop codons for similar reasons.
Crystal structure of alpha 1: implications for protein design

X-ray diffraction shows the structure of a synthetic protein model, formed from noncovalent self-association of a 12-residue peptide and of sulfate ions at low pH. This peptide is a fragment of a 16-residue polypeptide that was designed to form an amphiphilic alpha helix with a ridge of Leu residues along one helical face. By interdigitation of the leucines of four such helices, the design called for self-association into a four-alpha-helical bundle. The crystal structure (2.7 angstrom resolution; R factor = 0.215) reveals a structure more complex than the design, with both a tetramer and a hexamer. The alpha-helical tetramer with leucine interior has more oblique crossing angles than most four-alpha-helical bundles; the hexamer has a globular hydrophobic core of 12 leucine residues and three associated sulfate ions. Computational analysis suggests that the hexameric association is tighter than the tetrameric one. The consistency of the structure with the design is discussed, as well as the divergence.
Lessons from studying a simple macroeconomic model for China

Abstract Updating Chow, 1985 , Chow, 2010 , this note finds that (1) the consumption equation continues to hold but the investment equation fails; (2) the investment equation holds if investment data for 2008 and 2009 are revised downward to reflect government expenditures as a part of the stimulus package during the world economic downturn; (3) small errors in one or two observations can reverse the sign of a significant regression coefficient in econometric practice.
A model for bubble-induced erosion in fluidized-bed combustors and comparison with experiment

Abstract A simple model is developed for the erosion of surfaces in a fluidized-bed combustor as a result of particle motion induced by bubbles. Davidson's bubble model, used to describe particle motion in a fluidized bed, and Finnie's erosion model, which describes erosion due to the particle motion, are combined to give an expression for the erosion of a surface by the passage of a bubble. This erosion model predicts a strong dependence on bubble size and the distance between the bubble and the eroding surface: erosion increases for larger bubbles and smaller distances. The model is compared with two experimental studies, and agreement of better than an order of magnitude is obtained.
Suspended particulate nitrogen δ15N versus nitrate utilization: observations in Monterey Bay, CA

Abstract Over a four-year period the δ15N values of particulate nitrogen, PN, suspended in surface waters at several sites in Monterey Bay were observed to vary between 1.3 and 7.6‰, a significant portion of the known oceanic δ15NPN range. δ15NPN generally increased as [NO3-] declined, in keeping with the hypothesis that δ15NPN rises with increased NO3- utilization. Previously reported measurements conducted elsewhere in the Pacific and Indian oceans generally match this trend. The distinctly non-linear relationship between δ15NPN and ln[NO3-] is consistent with a closed-system, Rayleigh fractionation model where: NO3- is the reactant, PN is the accumulating end product, initial [NO3-]=30 μM, initial δ 15 N NO 3 - =7‰ , and biological fractionation, e=9‰ . There is, however, considerable scatter in the data about this trend (r2=0.37), with the uncertainty (±1 standard deviation) of empirically estimating nitrate utilization from δ15NPN of ±4.3 μM. Also, the e required to fit the model to observed δ15NPN variations produces δ15NNO3- at intermediate and low [NO3-] that is much higher than has thus far been observed in the ocean. One way to rectify this discrepancy would be if e declined as [NO3-] decreased. Lack of significant linear correlation between δ15NPN and phytoplankton growth rate, cell size, and 1/[NO3-] argues against δ being influenced by limitations imposed by diffusive NO3- transport. However, logarithmic functions of these factors can explain up to 50% of the observed δ15NPN variability, suggesting that active NO3- transport or species-specific effects may be influencing e and hence δ15NPN in Monterey Bay.
Effect of volume change in foods on the temperature and moisture content predictions of simultaneous heat and moisture transfer models

Temperature and moisture content predictions of two models of simultaneous heat and moisture transfer (SHMT) in foods with and without the assumption of volume change were compared. In the first model, thermophysical and transport parameters were kept constant. In the second model, these were taken as variable functions of temperature and moisture content. Comparison of the results of both models with and without shrinkage assumption showed that there can be significant differences in predicted moisture and temperature gradients, and average moisture contents and temperatures. Biot numbers for heat and mass transfer, and the extent of overall shrinkage with moisture loss are important factors affecting these differences. the predictions of the second model were compared to experimental drying data with shrinkage. the variable-grid finite difference method can be used successfully to solve model equations involving volume changes.
SIGACT news complexity theory column 36

This current issue's guest column is by Bill Gasarch, and reports on a poll he has conducted on the most famous open question in complexity theory: P=?NP. If Mitsunori Ogihara's prediction that P-vs-NP will not be resolved until the year 3000 is correct, my guess is more than a few students of the history of computer theory will be visiting, long after all the contributors are gone, Bill's column, which will provide a time capsule into the thoughts of many in the field. Who knows? Perhaps there will even be Ph.D. theses devoted to figuring out who these people all are, and just who the (as the students will know from their history of science books) then-Turing/Fields/Nobellaureate Bill Gasarch was making an exception of when he wrote below, "Almost all respondents are people whose opinions can be taken seriously," and great debates may rage over whether he actually meant, by "almost all," "all but a (large) constant number." In light of the fascinating opinions, though, I suspect that but little evidence will be found for that view---even by Ken Regan's Vegans. Surely some M.S. thesis will be written claiming that it was this column---and in particular the superfluous disjunct in Donald Knuth's claim that x ≤ 2048 V x ≤ 4096---that led, in the year 210 + 211, to Donald Knuth's Turing Award being posthumously rescinded and given to Bill Gasarch. However, the Knuth Cult will discover that Donald Knuth's words here are a numerical key that unlocks the secret of the Art of Computer Programming, which, it turns out, when decoded has nothing to do with computers but rather is a skillful telling of the life story of a Danish saint.Warmest thanks to Bill and the dozens of contributors for their time, analyses, and prognostications.Plugs for past and future issues: In 1996 and 1997, SIGACT News Complexity Theory Columns 14 and 15 collected various expert's opinions on the future of computational complexity. If you have not read those opinions already, they are worth a look. And coming in the next few issues we'll have Marcus Schaeffer and Chris Umans on completeness for higher polynomial hierarchy levels, Arfst Nickelsen and Till Tantau on partial information classes, and Ramamohan Paturi on the complexity of k-SAT.