cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Copolymerization of γ‐benzyl‐D,L‐glutamate NCA

The copolymerization of γ-benzyl D- and L-glutamates has been investigated in dioxane at 25,35,50, and 65°C using hexylamine as initiator. Temperature changes had remarkably little effect on the overall rate constants indicating an activation energy of less than 1 kcal/mol. The rate curves indicated two stages in the polymerization process: an initial reaction of random coil with monomer which was independent of monomer composition and a final reaction between α-helical polymer and monomer which occurred stereoselectively. The conclusion was reached that the origin of the stereoselectivity was a specific adsorption of monomer at a site between the α-helical polymer and the “random” three or so end units of each polymer molecule. Die Copolymerisation von γ-Benzyl-D- und L-glutamat wurde in Dioxan bei 25, 35, 50 und 65°C untersucht. Die Bruttogeschwindigkeitskonstanten wurden auffallig wenig von der Temperatur beeinflust, was auf eine Aktivierungsenergie von weniger als 1 kcal/mol hinweist. Die Umsatz/Zeit-Kurven zeigen zwei unterschiedliche Prozesse an: eine anfangliche, von der Monomerzusammensetzung unabhangige Reaktion des wachsenden Polymeren in der Konformation eines statistischen Knauels mit dem Monomeren und eine zweite, stereoselektiv verlaufende Wachstumsreaktion des Polymeren in der Konformation einer α-Helix. Die Stereoselektivitat der Polymerisation ruhrt vermutlich von einer spezifischen Adsorption des Monomeren an einer Stelle zwischen dem helixartigen und etwa dem drittletzten Grundbaustein des nicht-helixartigen Teils jedes wachsenden Polymermolekuls her.
Central and Peripheral Markers of Neurodegeneration and Monocyte Activation in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (P4.307)

OBJECTIVE: 1. Determine CSF NFL/pNFH expression across HAND stages and neurocognitively normal (NCN) HIV+ controls. 2. Determine the relationships between CSF NFL/pNFH and CSF/plasma markers of monocyte activation (sCD14/sCD163/HO-1). BACKGROUND: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) affect up to 50% of HIV-infected adults, independently predict HIV morbidity/mortality, and are pathologically associated with neuronal damage and monocyte activation. CSF neurofilaments (NFL, pNFH) are sensitive surrogate markers of neuronal damage in other diseases. In HIV, CSF NFL is elevated in untreated HAD. However, CSF NFL/pNFH expression has not been characterized in milder forms of HAND (MND, ANI). In addition, the relationship between neurofilaments and CSF/plasma markers of monocyte activation has not been fully explored. DESIGN/METHODS: This retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study included 48 HIV-infected adults (15 each ANI/MND/NCN; 3 HAD) off ART, enrolled in the CNS Anti-Retroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) study. Biomarkers were measured by validated ELISAs of CSF (NFL/pNFH), paired CSF/plasma (sCD14/sCD163), and plasma (HO-1). Intergroup comparisons were performed using Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxan rank-sum tests. Spearman’s correlation coefficients compared different biomarker profiles. RESULTS: CSF NFL/pNFH were not significantly different across the different sub-groups of HAND in this unadjusted viremic cohort. However, among individuals with CD4 nadirs ≤200, CSF NFL levels were elevated in HAD compared with NCN, ANI, and MND. Plasma sCD163 did not vary significantly across different sub-groups of HAND, in contrast to previous studies of virologically-suppressed individuals on ART. CSF NFL was significantly positively correlated with CSF pNFH/sCD163/sCD14. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to correlate CSF NFL expression with CSF sCD14/sCD163 in viremic HIV-infected individuals off ART, eliminating unanticipated direct effects of ART on inflammation and neurodegeneration. In addition, this is the first study to examine NFL across different sub-groups of HAND. Our results confirm that systemic HIV replication is strongly correlated with CNS monocyte activation and neurodegeneration in individuals with a history of severe CD4 depletion. Study Supported by: NIH Disclosure: Dr. McGuire has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gill has nothing to disclose. Dr. Douglas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kolson has nothing to disclose.
Submillimeter-wave antennas an thin membranes

Submillimeter-wave antennas with bismuth microbolometer detectors have been fabricated on 1- \mu m thick silicon-oxynitride membranes. This approach results in better patterns than previous lens-coupled integrated circuit antennas, and eliminates the dielectric loss associated with the substrate lens. Measurements on a wideband log-periodic antenna at 700 GHz, 380 GHz and 167 GHz, and on a 700 GHz log-periodic imaging array, show no sidelobee and a 3-dB beamwidth between 40\deg and 50\deg . Also, the effective area can be increased by 5 dB by the use of a back-shorting mirror. Possible application areas are superconducting tunnel junction receivers for radio astronomy and imaging arrays for plasma diagnostics.
Adaptive bilinear inverse filtering

A parsimonious adaptive nonlinear filtering structure based on bilinear models is presented. A state-dependent embedding for developing nonlinear filters is presented. It is used to develop a computationally efficient bilinear adaptive filter which requires only local adaptation. Modularity and local connectivity make the structure amenable to VLSI implementation. In contrast to previous input-output pair (system identification) frameworks, an inverse filtering problem is considered where only output is observable. The adaptation is shown to be dependent on both past and present gradients. >
Coherent evidence from Aquarius and Argo for the existence of a shallow low-salinity convergence zone beneath the Pacific ITCZ

Aquarius observations feature a prominent zonal sea-surface salinity (SSS) front that extends across the tropical Pacific between 2–10°N. By linking to Argo subsurface salinity observations and satellite-derived surface forcing datasets, the study discovered that the SSS front is not a stand-alone feature; it is in fact the surface manifestation of a low-salinity convergence zone (LSCZ) located within 100 m of the upper ocean. The near-surface salinity budget analysis suggested that, although the LSCZ is sourced from the rainfall in the Inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), its generation and maintenance are governed by the wind-driven Ekman dynamics, not the surface evaporation-minus-precipitation flux. Three distinct features highlight the relationship between the oceanic LSCZ and the atmospheric ITCZ. First, the seasonal movement of the LSCZ is characterized by a monotonic northward displacement starting from the near-equatorial latitudes in boreal spring, unlike the ITCZ that is known for its seasonal north-south displacement. Second, the lowest SSS waters in the LSCZ are locked to the northern edge of the Ekman salt convergence throughout the year, but have no fixed relationship with the ITCZ rain band. Collocation between the LSCZ and ITCZ occurs only during August-October, the time that the ITCZ rain band coincides with the Ekman convergence zone. Lastly, the SSS front couples with the Ekman convergence zone but not the ITCZ. The evidence reinforces the findings of the study that the Ekman processes are the leading mechanism of the oceanic LSCZ and the SSS front is the surface manifestation of the LSCZ.
Coverage of motor vehicle crashes with injuries in U.S. newspapers, 1999-2002

Problem The aims of the study were to evaluate information on motor-vehicle crashes with injuries provided in newspaper reports and to assess the frequency of thematic and episodic reporting of motor-vehicle crashes.
Adoptive Gay Fathers: Transformations of the Masculine Homosexual Self

This article discusses transformations of the masculine homosexual self that occur in gay men who decide to parent in the context of a committed relationship. Using a developmental narrative approach, 10 adoptive gay fathers (5 couples) participated in multiple open-ended interviews (both individually and as couples). Data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings from this study indicate that fathering was a catalyst for participants' crafting new definitions of homosexual masculinity that emphasized relational and generative aspects of self. Specifically, fathering catapulted participants into a second coming-out process that helped them shed more layers of internalized oppression and redefine homosexual masculinity using fewer external referents such as personal attractiveness or an active social life. Participants also shifted their sense of membership in the gay community, partly because, for most parents, their community of reference became other parents of young children, but ...
Space- and time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy for combustion diagnostics

The technique of coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy can be used to obtain spectra in or near the reaction zone of combustion systems with spatial resolution on the order of 0.1 mm and time resolution on the order of 10 nsec. The latter is achieved by recording the entire spectrum generated during a single laser pulse by a broadband Stokes beam, simultaneously, on a vidicon, whereas the former is achieved by a simplified variant of the crossedbeam phase-matching technique taking advantage of the radiation intensity distribution from a pump laser using an unstable resonator structure.
Ribavirin response in measles pneumonia.

Summary A 9-year-old boy with Hodgkin's disease developed measles 1 month after completing eight courses of intensive anti-cancer chemotherapy. The atypical nature of the rash and the absence of Koplik's spots indicated a high risk of progression to fatal giant cell pneumonia. Seven days nebulised and intravenous ribavirin therapy produced apparent recovery. Two weeks later the child presented with measles giant cell pneumonia diagnosed on open lung biopsy. Ribavirin therapy was again successful. The role of ribavirin in the treatment of measles in immunaocompromised children is discussed.
Gender, Sexuality and the Latin American Left: testing the transformation

Abstract This article examines the extent of change under Latin American left governments by assessing their actions on women's and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. To provide a historical context, it first offers an overview of the relationship between feminist movements and the left. It then employs a four-country comparison of Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Venezuela on women's socioeconomic status; feminist state–society relations; women's representation in national decision-making positions; legislation on violence against women; reproductive rights; and sexual rights. It concludes that standard political and economic divisions among the cases do not explain their response to the demands of feminists and LGBT activists. While governments have improved women's status and inclusion, the transformation of gender and sexual power relations remains unfinished.
Negative Feedback for Small Capacitive Touchscreen Interfaces: A Usability Study for Data Entry Tasks

Touchscreen technology has become pervasive in the consumer product arena over the last decade, offering some distinct advantages such as software reconfigurable interfaces and the removal of space consuming mice and keyboards. However, there are significant drawbacks to these devices that have limited their adoption by some users. Most notably, standard touchscreens demand the user's visual attention and require them to look at the input device to avoid pressing the wrong button. This issue is particularly important for mobile, capacitive sensing, nonstylus devices, such as the iPhone where small button sizes can generate high error rates. While previous work has shown the benefits of augmenting such interfaces with audio or vibrotactile feedback, only positive feedback (confirmation of button presses) has been considered. In this paper, we present a simple prototype interface that provides negative vibrotactile feedback. By negative, we mean feedback is generated when an inactive or ambiguous part of the screen, such as the area between two buttons, is touched. First, we present a usability study comparing positive and negative vibrotactile feedback for a benchmark numerical data entry task. The difference in performance is not statistically significant, implying negative feedback provides comparable benefits. Next, based on the experimenter's observations and the users comments, we introduce a multimodal feedback strategy-combining complementary positive audio and negative vibrotactile signals. User tests on a text entry experiment show that, with multimodal feedback, users exhibit a (statistically significant) 24 percent reduction in corrective key presses, as compared to positive audio feedback alone. Exit survey comments indicate that users favor multimodal feedback.
Lifecourse Socioeconomic Position and Racial Disparities in BMI Trajectories among Black and White Women: Exploring Cohort Effects in the Americans Changing Lives' Study.

Introduction Few studies have analyzed the cohort effects of lifecourse socioeconomic position (SEP) on racial disparities in body mass index (BMI) trajectories. We assessed the contribution of lifecourse SEP on racial differences in BMI trajectories among two different age cohorts of women.
Currents and torques in metallic magnetic multilayers

A theory is given for electron transport across a very thin non-magnetic metallic spacer joining two ferromagnetic metals whose moment vectors include a general angle. An assumed condition of negligible interfacial reflection for majority-spin electrons is approached by certain multilayer compositions including the experimentally important composition Co/Cu. Analytic formulas based on a non-spin-diagonal density operator inside the spacer connect the spin-channel currents and electro-chemical voltages across the spacer. The quantum-mechanically derived torques on sublayer moments agree with a previous macroscopic relation. The single additional parameter of the resulting macroscopic magnetoelectronic transport formulation depends only on bulk electron structure of the spacer. Illustrative application of the new connection formulas to the special case of two equal thin ferromagnets predicts closely related expressions for angular dependences of magnetoresistance and current-driven torque. A simple relation between magnetoresistance and asymmetry of exciting currents holds for this case.
An examination of the objectives of monetary policy in four developing economies

Abstract This paper presents a model of monetary policy in developing economies, which is estimated for Mexico, Korea, India and Zambia. The model is designed to identify both the goals and patterns of policy in these economies. The results demonstrate that the authorities in these economies respond to foreign reserve flows, partially sterilizing their impact in three countries. They also respond to domestic variables, accomodating seasonal variation and growth or price changes.
PARTICULATE HEAT TRANSFER to CANNED SNAP BEANS IN A STERITORT

Connective heat transfer coefficient at the fluid-particle interface was determined for cut green beans in 303 × 406 cans processed in an agitated retort (FMC Steritort) by measuring the temperature of an aluminum bean and that of the surrounding Newtonian fluid. Four retort reel velocities, two sizes of aluminum beans, and six particle/fluid ratios were employed. Several correlation forms were tested. A correlation was developed in terms of the j-factor, Reynolds number (Re), and shape factor with an R2 of 0.785. the particle's shape was a critical factor in the heat transfer correlations. the fluid-particle heat transfer rate increased with an increase in rotational velocity of the retort.
Sequence comparison of cellular and viral copies of host cell DNA insertions found in Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus.

Abstract The nucleotide sequence and structural characteristics of two nonhomologous host DNA insertions of Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) origin isolated from few polyhedra mutants of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) have been determined. Neither of the host insertions contain long open reading frames suggesting that cellular genes were not introduced into the viral genome. One of the host DNA insertions, IFP1.6, terminated in short imperfect inverted repeats flanked by a duplication of the target sequence, TTAA. Analysis of three cellular copies of this host insertion isolated from a λ genomic library of S. frugiperda DNA revealed the termini to be highly conserved and also flanked by the same TTAA sequence. IFP1.6 was shown to share homology with a putative host insertion described in the genome of a baculovirus exhibiting wild-type plaque morphology. The second of the host insertions, IFP2.2, had a structure unique among host insertions described in baculoviruses. It lacks terminal repeats but is flanked by duplications of the 8-bp target site sequence. The cellular copy of this insertion was conserved in comparison to the viral copy and was also flanked by a direct 8-bp repeat. This is the first report of the analysis of cellular copies of host DNA insertions frequently associated with baculovirus FP mutants.
Independent occurrence of the novel Arg2163 to His mutation in the factor VIII gene in three unrelated families with haemophilia A with different phenotypes

Using chemical mismatch analysis or denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis followed by nucleotide sequencing, we have identified the same G6545A mutation leading to an Arg 2163 His substitution in the factor VIII gene of three haemophiliacs from unrelated families. One of the affected individuals has severe haemophilia, while the other two are moderately severe. While we cannot exclude the possibility that these differences in phenotype arise from differences in VIII:C assay methods, other studies have also identified different clinical phenotypes in individuals with the same mutations, and suggested that they may arise from extragenic factors that affect or modify gene expression or protein function. The G6545A mutation occurs at a CG dinucleotide which is a known mutation hotspot, and which may explain the independent occurrence in unrelated families. Hum Mutat 11:334, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Virtual World Application to Assess and Aid Human Machine Collaboration

Abstract This paper presents an application using virtual reality (VR) environments to create serious games. A brief introduction to the problem area is presented followed by a detailed discussion on use of VR technology to aid research related to understanding human machine team collaborations. Some of the technical challenges and ways to mitigate them are also discussed. A VR platform provides a rich environment to setup complex scenarios that includes an avatar-based representation of human machine teams. Integration of physiological sensors into the VR application enables the computer to interpret the human state and modulate its behavior accordingly. Multimodal interactions between humans and machines allow for richer communication between them. In the current research, serious games are designed to facilitate human and computer avatar teams working together to accomplish a goal. An important aspect of this research is to study such a teaming in a high stress environment where the mission is time-critical and of high risk. The computer avatar has a social component that is driven by the RULER model (developed at Emotional Intelligence lab at Yale University) to help R: Recognize emotions in self and others, U: Understand emotion's causes and consequences, L: Label emotions with an accurate and diverse vocabulary, E: Express emotions in socially appropriate ways, and R: Regulate emotions in socially appropriate ways (Ruler Group, 2013).We plan to study the change in human computer relationship as time progresses and complexity of the task increases. A successful test of the social skills module would show improved interactions in the virtual world measured by such variables as being influenced by VR recommendations, liking the computer teammate better, and performing better on the VR tasks.
Effect of dilantin sodium analogues on cell proliferation in tissue culture.

SummarySeveral chemical analogues and chemically related compounds of Dilantin Sodium have been used to study and clarify the cell stimulatory effects of this compound. Two analogues (1 allyl, 5 ph...
Encapsulation of supported metal nanoparticles with an ultra-thin porous shell for size-selective reactions

A novel nanostructured catalyst with an ultra-thin porous shell obtained from the thermal decomposition of an aluminium alkoxide film deposited by molecular layer deposition for size-selective reactions was developed. The molecular sieving capability of the porous metal oxide films was verified by examining the liquid-phase hydrogenation of n-hexene versus cis-cyclooctene.
THREE YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSE TO ROUTINE VACCINE SCHEDULE IN EXTREMELY PREMATURE INFANTS † 723

THREE YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSE TO ROUTINE VACCINE SCHEDULE IN EXTREMELY PREMATURE INFANTS † 723
READING BETWEEN THE LINES: PERSONALITY CORRELATES OF GRAFFITI WRITING

Because private graffiti can be an effective way of communicating unconventional attitudes anonymously and in a manner that allows the writer to avoid negative sanctions, it was hypothesized that g...
Memory facilitation and impairment with supraseizure electrical brain stimulation: attenuation with pretrial propranolol injections

Post-training supraseizure stimulation of frontal cortex enhances retention of active avoidance in rats trained using a low footshock but impairs retention when high footshock is used in training. Pretreatment with the adrenergic antagonist propranolol results in attenuation of both memory facilitation and amnesia. These results are consistent with previous evidence indicating that adrenergic antagonists attenuate amnesia and facilitation produced by a variety of agents and suggest that memory modulatory treatments may enhance or impair memory by actions which include effects on adrenergic systems.
Measured and predicted airshed concentrations of methyl bromide in an agricultural valley and applications to exposure assessment

Abstract A field study was conducted in September 1995 to measure the ambient atmospheric concentrations of methyl bromide (MeBr) in the Salinas Valley, California. Air concentrations of MeBr were measured at 11 sites located on the adjacent mountains, valley floor and at the Pacific Ocean coast over a 4-d period. The concentrations ranged up to 8.98 μg m−3. Industrial Source Complex Short Term 3 (ISCST3) and CALPUFF dispersion model simulations were performed with several fumigated fields serving as sources, using two estimates of source strengths from published flux values. CALPUFF was driven by 3D meteorology from CALMET. With the lower of the two estimates, the ISCST3 model underpredicted concentrations for 76% of data and averaged 66% of measured, and the CALPUFF model also underpredicted concentrations for 67% of observations and averaged 84% of measured. With the higher of the two estimates the ISCST3 overpredicted by a factor of two for 67% of data, and CALPUFF overpredicted concentrations by a factor of 1.6 for over 50% of data. Between the model predicted and measured concentrations, the coefficient of determination, R 2 , was ≈0.7 for both source strengths with ISCST3 model. The R 2 with CALPUFF model was 0.55 and 0.82 with source strength estimated from two prior flux studies. The margin of exposure (MOE) for the population of the city of Salinas was calculated based on the measured ambient concentrations and compared with the current benchmark used by US-EPA and California Department of Pesticide Regulation for acceptable human health risk. Based on the models predicted worst-case exposure concentration, the MOE for acute effects was approximately 10,000. For chronic effects it was approximately 100, indicating a need for attention to exposure to MeBr in areas of intense methyl bromide use.
Randomized pursuit-evasion with limited visibility

We study the following pursuit-evasion game: One or more hunters are seeking to capture an evading rabbit on a graph. At each round, the rabbit tries to gather information about the l ocation of the hunters but it can see them only if they are located on adjacent nodes. We show that two hunters suffice for catching rabbits with limited visibility with high probability. We distinguish between reactive rabbits who who move only when the hunter is visible and general rabbits can employ more sophisticated strategies. We present polynomial time algorithms that decide whether a graph G is hunter-win, that is, if a single hunter can capture a rabbit of either kind on G.
Ab Initio Study of Temperature and Pressure Dependence of Energy and Phonon-Induced Dephasing of Electronic Excitations in CdSe and PbSe Quantum Dots†

The pressure and temperature dependence of the lowest excitation energy of PbSe (Pb68Se68, d = 2.0 nm) and CdSe (Cd33Se33, d = 1.6 nm) quantum dots (QDs) were investigated by ab initio density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulation. Additionally, pure-dephasing/decoherence induced by the electron–phonon interaction was studied using optical response theory for several pairs of electronic states, including ground, excitonic and biexcitonic states. Linear dependence on temperature was observed for all quantities under consideration. The results were consistent with other theoretical and experimental reports. The ab initio data was analyzed using the effective mass approximation and the hyperbolic band model. The analysis confirmed the temperature dependence of the effective mass in the PbSe QD, as suggested in a recent experimental report [Liptay, T. J.; Ram, R. J. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2006, 89, 223132].
Fast spin-echo MR imaging of the brain and spine: current concepts.

Fast spin-echo (FSE) sequences are recently developed modifications of the rapid acquisition relaxation enhanced (RARE) sequences initially described by Henning et al. [1-4]. The basic pulse sequence underlying all RARE/FSE methods is the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) echo train. This sequence was originally introduced over 30 years ago in order to make transverse relaxation time (T2) measurements that would be largely free from errors introduced by imperfect refocusing pulses [5], the latter being accomplished by making a 90#{176} phase shift between the excitation pulse and ensuing refocusing pulses. In RARE/FSE sequences, each echo of the CPMG train is phase encoded with a distinct phase-encode gradient, read out in the presence of a frequency-encoding gradient, and phase “unwound” after readout [1]. It has now been shown that with a judicious selection of the number of echoes per train and tailored phase-encode reordering algorithms, FSE sequences can be fashioned to yield high-quality Ti -weighted, proton density-weighted, and T2-weighted images far more rapidly than is possible with conventional spin-echo (CSE) sequences [6-i 0]. Furthermore, FSE images retain true spin-echo T2 contrast features rather than the T2* contrast features associated with gradient-echo methods. A number of dinical studies are currently under way, and several have been completed comparing FSE and CSE sequences. The results have shown a promising correlation between the two sequences [9, 10], with the implication that the slower CSE sequences will ultimately be replaced by selected FSE sequences. Improvements in image quality and FSE sequence innovations have been so rapid, however, that many of the techniques implemented and images obtained for comparative purposes have become almost outdated before the completion of controlled clinical trials. This article describes current concepts concerning the optimization of FSE pulse sequences in the brain and spine and comments on the strengths and weaknesses of FSE. Stateof-the-art and potential future applications of this pulse sequence are discussed from a practical perspective.
Biomarkers of semen exposure.

Biomarkers of semen exposure have historically played their most important role in forensics, i.e., determining whether ejaculation took place in the course of a crime. However, it is becoming increasingly recognized that biomarkers of semen exposure can be useful in the development of new vaginal methods of HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention and contraception. This review is based on the presentations of Drs. Michael Coppola (ContraVac, Inc.), Maurizio Macaluso ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Andrezej Kulczycki (University of Alabama at Birmingham), Christine Mauck (CONRAD), Robin Maguire (Population Council), and the subsequent discussion led by Drs. Susan Ballagh (CONRAD) and Johan Melendez (Johns Hopkins University) during a session entitled "Biomarkers of semen exposure" held during the conference entitled "Biomarkers for evaluation of vaginal microbicides and contraceptives: Discovery and early validation," organized by CONRAD and the Alliance for Microbicide Development in November of 2006.
X-ray spectral features of the Crab Nebula and NP0532

IN view of the pulsar ‘glitches’, the optical activity and the multi-component nature of its radiation1,2, there must be a level of sensitivity at which it becomes an oversimplification to state that a constant intensity and single spectral index characterise the total X-ray emission from the Crab Nebula. Here we present spectra of the total nebula and NP0532 obtained in the 15 to 300 keV range during balloon flights on September 9 and 25, 1970. These spectra are both statistically and systematically more accurate than previous hard X-ray measurements and together with other data show previously unknown or uncertain spectral features.
Evaluation of imaging geometry for stationary chest tomosynthesis

We have recently demonstrated the feasibility of stationary digital chest tomosynthesis (s-DCT) using a dis- tributed carbon nanotube x-ray source array. The technology has the potential to increase the imaging resolution and speed by eliminating source motion. In addition, the flexibility in the spatial configuration of the individual sources allows new tomosynthesis imaging geometries beyond the linear scanning mode used in the conventional systems. In this paper, we report the preliminary results on the effects of the tomosynthesis imaging geometry on the image quality. The study was performed using a bench-top s-DCT system consisting of a CNT x-ray source array and a flat-panel detector. System MTF and ASF are used as quantitative measurement of the in-plane and in-depth resolution. In this study geometries with the x-ray sources arranged in linear, square, rectangular and circular configurations were investigated using comparable imaging doses. Anthropomorphic chest phantom images were acquired and reconstructed for image quality assessment. It is found that wider angular coverage results in better in-depth resolution, while the angular span has little impact on the in-plane resolution in the linear geometry. 2D source array imaging geometry leads to a more isotropic in-plane resolution, and better in-depth resolution compared to 1D linear imaging geometry with comparable angular coverage.
Forbidden Ca ii in the Sun unmasked by way of Venus

Eleven high dispersion spectra of Venus, taken with blue Doppler shifts, have been used to unmask the 7323.88 angstrom forbidden line of Ca II from the earth atmospheric H2O absorption line at 7323.972 angstroms. An equivalent width for the Ca II line has been obtained in integrated sunlight. A model giving the solar calcium abundance is presented.
Root and Herbage Growth Response of Birdsfoot Trefoil Entries to Subsoil Acidity

(...) All entries had similar root lenght in the surface and subsurface soil when subsurface soil was limed. Root lenght of GA 1, 'Norcen', and 'Fergus' in unlimed subsurface soil was 93, 52, and 35%, respectively, of the 'AU Dewey' root lenght. Root lenght of 'AU Dewey' in the surface soil was nearly twice as much when the subsurface soil was not limed as when it was limed. Root lenght of the other entries was similar in the surface soil, regardless of the subsurface soil treatment (...)
The effects of the ingestion of excessive amounts of sodium chloride and water on patients with heart disease

Abstract 1. 1. In patients who are recovering from heart failure, a moderate increase in the ingestion of sodium chloride may produce, within four to eight days, a clinical picture which is indistinguishable from that of congestive heart failure. Such an effect is obviated by digitalization. 2. 2. Under similar conditions, an increase to 3,000 c.c. in the daily intake of water for as long as eight days results in no measurable or noticeable harmful effects. 3. 3. The harmful effects of an increase in the intake of sodium chloride are apparently related to the degree of sodium retention, rather than the increased intake as such. 4. 4. The possible mechanism of sodium retention is discussed. 5. 5. It is suggested that, since there is a significant degree of sodium retention during upper respiratory infections, the latter may play a role in the oft-observed relationship between infection and the precipitation or aggravation of heart failure.
The shock dynamics of stable multidimensional detonation

The paper develops a description for the propagation of an unsupported, unsteady, multidimensional detonation wave for an explosive with a fully resolved reaction zone and a polytropic equation of state. The main features of the detonation are determined once the leading shock surface is known. The principal result is that the detonation velocity in the direction along the normal to the shock is the Chapman-Jouguet velocity plus a correction that is a function of the local total curvature of the shock. A specific example of unsteady propagation is discussed and the stability of a two-dimensional steady solution is examined.
Wind energy conversion systems as active filters: Design and comparison of three control methods

This work deals with the steady-state operation of wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) used simultaneously as active filters (AFs) and power generators. This application is motivated by the increasing number of non-linear loads (NLLs) on the power grid and by the possibility to offer an economical alternative to the installation of dedicated filters that sink the harmonic currents injected by such loads. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (i) three different control systems that allow the simultaneous use of the WECS as AF and power generator are presented; (ii) compensation of triplen harmonics is addressed; (iii) additional power losses due to AF operation, leading to the derating of the WECS, are quantified; (iv) results based on numerical simulations are provided.
A simple photomultiplier performance monitor

Abstract A PMT noise rate monitor is described which gives a continuous indication of the proper operation of phototube, base, power, supply, and logic first discriminator.
Cellular contributions to glomerular size-selectivity

The glomerular capillary wall permits free passage of low-molecular-weight solutes, while severely restricting large proteins. Although both cell layers (endothelium and epithelium) almost certainly contribute to this size-selectivity, their relative importance has been difficult to assess. The finding by Rippe et al. of an inverse relationship between the sieving coefficient of Ficoll and glomerular filtration rate sheds light on this.
Increasing efficiency though flexibility in airport resource allocation

When the scheduled demand at an airport exceeds the forecast capacity, the available capacity needs to be allocated among airlines in an efficient and equitable manner. The first stage of this two-step allocation process is a centralized optimization to determine the initial allocation among airlines. In the second stage, airlines cancel flights or modify their schedules based on flight-specific delay costs, which they hold private. The overall objective is to increase efficiency (that is, reduce total delay costs) to the extent possible. This paper demonstrates an inherent trade-off between the ability of the first-stage optimization to dynamically adapt to updates of the capacity forecast, and the flexibility available to airlines in the second stage. A new stochastic optimization model that balances this tradeoff is proposed. In addition to increasing the flexibility available to the airlines and the resultant delay reduction, the proposed formulation is shown to have attractive computational properties.
Hencky strain and logarithmic rates in Lagrangian analysis

Abstract An hypothesis conjectured independently by Lehmann et al. (1991), Reinhard and Dubey (1995, 1996) and Xiao et al. (1997) takes Hencky strain H = ln V as the strain measure of choice and supposes the existence of a co-rotational rate H • whose components are equivalent to those of the rate of deformation D for all values of stretch V . From this conjecture, they derived the governing spin tensor Z , known today as the logarithmic spin. Applying the same co-rotational rates to both stress and strain ensures consistency within a constitutive construction, even integrability for sufficiently simple models. Their derivations were done in the Eulerian frame of reference. Here their hypothesis is extended to the Lagrangian frame of reference. Adopting mixed tensor fields allows this construction to take on its most simple form.
Comparison of backbone modification in protein β-sheets by α→γ residue replacement and α-residue methylation

The mimicry of protein tertiary structure by oligomers with unnatural backbones is a significant contemporary research challenge. Among common elements of secondary structure found in natural proteins, sheets have proven the most difficult to address. Here, we report the systematic comparison of different strategies for peptide backbone modification in β-sheets with the goal of identifying the best method for replacing a multi-stranded sheet in a protein tertiary fold. The most effective sheet modifications examined led to native-like tertiary folding behavior with a thermodynamic folded stability comparable to the prototype protein on which the modified backbones are based.
First time major motor seizures in an emergency department

A five-year retrospective study was conducted to review 91 emergency patients with first time major motor seizures who were hospitalized. Patients were reviewed with regard to etiology of seizures, evaluation, and hospital course. Our objectives were to compare admission and discharge diagnoses, to establish a screening survey which might determine the need for immediate admission, and to evaluate the sensitivity of tests used in diagnostic evaluation. The emergency department diagnosis was in agreement with the discharge diagnosis in 89% of cases. A screening system included a history, physical examination, urinalysis, complete blood cell count, electrolytes, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, electrocardiogram, and arterial blood gases more than one hour post-seizure. When applied to the cases, it distinguished need for admission in 90 of 91 patients. Skull radiographs, electroencephalograms, CAT scans, brain scans, and lumbar punctures were helpful in making a specific diagnosis, but not in determining the need for immediate admission.
A dielectric constant detector for the determination of tri-n-butylphosphate in mixtures with hydrocarbons

Abstract An instrument based on the measurement of dielectric constant is described for determining the tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) content of TBP—n-dodecane solutions is described. The system utilizes a phase-locked-loop feedback network to measure the resonant frequency of a parallel inductor-capacitor circuit in which the sample is the dielectric material of the capacitor. The shape of the frequency vs. volume percent TBP response curve is explained by the dimerization of TBP. Values of 3.09 and 8.23 for the dielectric constant of TBP monomer and TBP dimer, respectively, were calculated. Standard mixtures containing 4–30% ( v v ) TBP were analyzed and an average error of —0.08% TBP was obtained; average precision is 0.02% TBP. Total time required to process a sample, including chemical pretreatment, is approximately 5 min.
Miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometers for in situ composition studies

Abstract We present a description of and results from our ongoing development of miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOF-MS) for future landed planetary missions. A new, flexible TOF-MS instrument has been developed to permit the analysis of elemental, isotopic, and molecular composition in solid samples. The new instrument incorporates normal-incidence ultraviolet pulsed laser desorption, a gridless ion source, and a novel curved-field reflectron to maximize sensitivity and resolution over wide abundance and mass ranges. Results with unprepared sample materials are compared with previous work based on infrared laser ablation. Flight instruments based on these technologies can potentially be as small as a soda can without sacrificing their ability to detect low levels of atomic and organic species at grain scales.
An Analysis of Some Properties of Alternative Measures of Income Inequality Based on the Gamma Distribution Function

Abstract The Gini, Theil entropy, and Pietra measures of inequality associated with the gamma distribution function are expressed in terms of the parameters defining the gamma distribution. Method of moments (MME) and maximum likelihood estimators (MLE) of these measures are obtained along with expressions for the asymptotic standard errors of the MLE measures. A table is presented that facilitates the calculation of MLE of inequality measures and the associated asymptotic standard errors by expressing each as a function of the ratio of the arithmetic mean and geometric mean. This table also facilitates the calculation of MME estimates of inequality measures. The results of a Monte Carlo study are used to compare the performance of the MME and MLE for data generated from a population characterized by a gamma distribution and to consider questions of statistical inference and requisite sample size.
Iodothyronines: Oxidative deiodination by hemoglobin and inhibition of lipid peroxidation

Purified rat hemoglobin catalyzes the oxidative degradation of iodothyronines to form iodide and an iodine-containing intermediate that reacts with protein. Hemoglobin also catalyzes peroxidation of linoleic acid. These observations are consistent with the reported intrinsic peroxidase activity of hemoglobin and other heme-proteins. However, incubations containing both linoleic acid and an iodothyronine produced a surprising result: deiodination was stimulated rather than competitively inhibited. In contrast, linoleic-acid peroxidation was inhibited by iodothyronines. Thus, low levels of iodothyronines (2.6×10−7M) are effective inhibitors of linoleic-acid peroxidation. Thyroxine and reverse T3 were found to be more effective in this antioxidant activity than vitamin E, glutathione, ascorbic acid and DTT. Since linoleic-acid peroxidation proceeds by a propagating free-radical mechanism, we have concluded that iodothyronines can effectively terminate the free-radical chain reaction to become oxidatively deiodinated. Consistent with this antioxidant mechanism, reverse T3 is effective in preserving red cell membranes as measured by the inhibition of erythrocyte hemolysis.
Strong association of the third hypervariable region of HLA-DRβ1 with autism

We reported that the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) including the null allele of the C4B gene and the extended haplotype B44-C30-DR4 is associated with autism. We report now that the third hypervariable region (HVR-3) of certain DR β l alleles have very strong association with autism. The HVR-3 of DRβ1∗ 0401 or the shared HVR-3 alleles DR01∗ 0404 and DRβ1∗ 0101, was expressed on extended haplotypes in 23 of 50 (46%) autistic subjects as compared to only 6 of 79 (7.5%) normal subjects. Another HVR-3 sequence, the DRβ1∗ 0701 allele, was carried on extended haplotypes in 16 (32.0%) of the autistic subjects as compared to 8 (10.1 %) of the normal subjects.
Effects of buspirone and gepirone on IV cocaine self-administration in rhesus monkeys

Buspirone and gepirone were evaluated as potential pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse by studying the effects of acute and repeated treatment on IV cocaine self-administration in rhesus monkeys. Chlorpromazine was also evaluated as a positive control. Effects of IV drug pretreatments were tested during daily 60-min sessions with lever-pressing reinforced under a fixed-ratio 10 schedule of 0.02 or 0.05 mg/kg cocaine infusions. Acute pretreatment with buspirone (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, IV) increased rates of cocaine self-administration without disrupting food pellet consumption. Some doses of buspirone also produced changes in rates of cocaine self-administration without altering the within-session pattern of responding. In contrast, acute doses of gepirone had little effect on rates of cocaine self-administration, while disruptions in food consumption and changes in the within-session pattern of cocaine self-administration were obtained at the highest dose of gepirone tested (1.0 mg/kg). When either buspirone (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, IV) or gepirone (0.1 mg/kg, IV) were administered daily for 10 days, consistent effects on cocaine self-administration were not observed. Thus, the effects of acute buspirone administration on cocaine-maintained behavior were similar to the effects produced by chlorpromazine and other dopaminergic antagonists, whereas, gepirone was ineffective. These results provide some support for further evaluation of buspirone as a potential pharmacotherapy for cocaine abuse, although its lack of efficacy with repeated treatment is not encouraging. The negative results with gepirone provide less rationale for continued investigations with this drug, possibly because of its lesser involvement than buspirone with dopaminergic neurotransmission.
Periodate degradation of labeled ascorbic acid.

Abstract The degradation of ascorbic acid by periodate has been studied using [1-14C] or [6-14C]ascorbic acid, as well as quantitative yield of the various products. Ascorbic acid, oxidized at pH 7.5 is cleaved to give 2 mol formate, 1 mol CO2, 1 mol of oxalate, and 1 mol formaldehyde. The oxalate and formaldehyde are derived from the 1- and 6-carbons, respectively. About 17% of C1 is oxidized to CO2 by a side reaction. Dehydroascorbic acid gives the same degradation products as ascorbic acid. Detailed procedures for the degradation are presented.
Neurofibrillary tangles in patients with Down's syndrome: a light and electron microscopic study.

Two older patients with Down's syndrome and widespread neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques were studied by light and electron microscopy. The ultrastructural demonstration of twisted tubules verified the assumption that the tangles encountered in these patients were Alzheimer's neurofibrillary tangles. Despite the morphological evidence of Alzheimer's disease, neither of these patients were clinically demented.