cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for a surface receptor for human migration inhibitory factor on a B-lymphoid cell line

Abstract Reception by PGLC-33H target cells for the migration inhibitory factor (MIF) produced by this established line has been investigated by pulse time and temperature dependence, MIF absorption, and abrogation by trypsinization. PGLC-33H supernatants containing MIF were concentrated 5× with Carbowax and dialyzed against serum free RPMI-1640 before use. Prior to standard capillary migration assay a minimum 30 min pulse of MIF at 37 °C is required for significant migration inhibition (MI > 20%). No significant MI is observed when cells are pulsed at 4 °C for up to 2 hr. Preincubation with PGLC-33H for 1 hr at 37 °C reduces activity of supernatants from 38 to 13% MI; at 4 °C to 27% MI. Trypsinization of target cells for 30 min at 25 °C abrogates response to MIF (43 to −14% MI). Trypsinized cells did not reduce activity of supernatants. MIF activity is abolished (32 to 3% MI) in samples preincubated with supernatants of the trypsinized cells inactivated with serum. These data suggest that cells from the human B-lymphoid cell line PGLC-33H have a surface receptor for human MIF.
Prophylactic vena cava filter insertion in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury: preliminary results.

ABSTRACTPULMONARY EMBOLISM (PE) IS a devastating complication in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Prophylactic measures such as venous compression hose or low-dose heparin are only partially protective in reducing the risk of venous thromboembolism and are contraindicated in some pa
Dynamic focus catheter design for endoscopic optical coherence tomography

To maintain high lateral resolution throughout depth scanning, a dynamically focusing catheter with a lateral resolution 4 mm was designed without a mechanically re-focusing system.
Initial performance of the High Speed Photometer

The Hubble Space Telescope High Speed Photometer has four image dissector tubes, two with UV sensitive photocathodes, two sensitive to the near UV and to visual light, and a single red sensitive photomultiplier tube. The HSP is capable of photometric measurements from 1200 to 7500 A with time resolution of 11 microseconds and has no moving parts. An initial analysis of the on-orbit engineering performance of the HSP is presented with changes in operating procedures resulting from the primary mirror spherical aberration and experience gained during the verification period.
Botulinum neurotoxins B and E translocate at different rates and exhibit divergent responses to GT1b and low pH.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs, serotypes A–G) are the most deadly substances known. Here, we investigated how BoNT/E, a serotype that causes human botulism, translocates into the cytosol of neurons. Analogous to BoNT/B, BoNT/E required binding of the coreceptor, GT1b, to undergo significant secondary structural changes and transform into a hydrophobic protein at low pH. These data indicate that both serotypes act as coincidence detectors for both GT1b and low pH, to undergo translocation. However, BoNT/E translocated much more rapidly than BoNT/B. Also, BoNT/E required only GT1b, and not low pH, to oligomerize, whereas BoNT/B required both. In further contrast to the case of BoNT/B, low pH alone altered the secondary structure of BoNT/E to some degree and resulted in its premature inactivation. Hence, comparison of two BoNT serotypes revealed that these agents exhibit both convergent and divergent responses to receptor interactions, and pH, in the translocation pathway.
Maintaining Positive Attitudes toward Science and Technology in First‐Year Female Undergraduates: Peril and promise

This study investigated attitude changes of 18‐year‐old first‐year college students at a large state‐operated institution in the USA during their initial semester in college. Attitudes of 375 students enrolled in a non‐science first‐year student seminar during the Fall of 2004 were measured, using a new instrument designed to focus on five attitude constructs especially relevant to female engagement with science and technology (S & T). The authors found that students whose seminar included visits with S & T professionals, plus at least four weeks of context‐based S & T content, maintained modestly positive attitudes toward S & T. Students whose seminars included the science content but not the visits from professionals also maintained relatively positive attitudes, except that the females became less accepting of female participation in S & T. Notably, females enrolled in seminars that did not include any of these interventions declined significantly in all five attitudes toward S & T, even though 95% of ...
Fluorescence guided optical coherence tomography for the diagnosis of early bladder cancer in a rat model.

ABSTRACTPurpose: We describe the technique of fluorescence image guided optical coherence tomography (FG-OCT). We examined its ability to enhance specificity and sensitivity for the noninvasive diagnosis of early bladder cancer.Materials and Methods: Transitional cell carcinoma was developed in 54 Fisher 344 female rats by intravesical methyl-nitroso-urea instillations. Two or three rats were diagnosed sequentially by 5-ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride) induced fluorescence imaging, cross-sectional OCT and histological microscopy weekly during weeks 11 to 33 following initial methyl-nitroso-urea instillation to track the course of carcinogenesis.Results: The specificity of fluorescence detection was significantly enhanced by FG-OCT (53% and 93%, respectively, p <0.0001). The sensitivity of fluorescence detection and FG-OCT was 79% and 100%, respectively.Conclusions: FG-OCT cystoscopy has the potential to diagnose early bladder cancer with high sensitivity and specificity with drastically decreased...
Engaged Vincentian Leadership: The Values and Competencies That Inspire Leaders to Serve in the Footsteps of St. Vincent De Paul

What are the values and competencies behind engaged leadership practices? This article presents the competencies and themes emerged from the analysis of in-depth interviews and leadership assessments administrated by DePaul University’s Leadership Project. The emerged profile of engaged Vincentian leaders indicates the importance of balancing mission, service, task and people orientations.
Teachers’ attitudes about teaching English in India: An embedded mixed methods study

Research indicates Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) helps prepare students to acquire written and spoken English. However, research indicates that inconsistencies exist between theoretical conceptions of CLT as an instructional approach and practical implementation of CLT in classrooms. This two-phase embedded mixed methods study focused upon surveying 31 teachers and interviewing and observing six purposefully selected teachers regarding their attitudes about CLT and how they implement CLT in their teaching of English in two schools in India. Results indicated the teachers, generally, have positive attitudes about policy-mandated CLT practices and that they understand the common properties and approaches of CLT. However, challenges pertaining to implementation were identified and these challenges include: classroom size, available resources, and the verbal English proficiency of teachers and students.
On approximating an FIR filter using discrete orthonormal exponentials

A given causal FIR filter may be approximated by an IIR filter of lower order requiring fewer memory elements. An iterative procedure is given for optimizing the approximation in the discrete time domain, based on representing the IIR function as a sum of orthonormalized complex decaying exponentials.
Hemodynamic responses to laboratory stressors in children and adolescents: The influences of age, race, and gender

The objectives of the present study were threefold: (a) to compare the patterns of hemodynamic responding of children and adolescents during behavioral challenges, (b) to examine whether previously reported cardiovascular reactivity differences between Black and White children are dependent on pubertal status, and (c) to assess whether gender differences in hemodynamic response reported for adults is similar in children. One hundred fifty-nine children (ages 8-10 years) and adolescents (ages 15-17 years), equally divided along gender and racial lines, participated in a laboratory protocol consisting of a reaction time task, a mirror tracing task, a cold forehead challenge, and a stress interview. Results indicated that adolescents responded with greater beta-adrenergic activation than did children and that gender differences in reactivity often reported for adults emerged more clearly in the adolescents than in the children. This study failed to replicate prior findings of greater vasoconstrictive responses in Black children as compared with White children.
Activity and oxygen consumption during hypoxic exposure in high altitude and lowland sceloporine lizards

Resting rates of O2 consumption\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) against\(P_{O_2 } \), exercise endurance times and\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) during recovery from vigorous exercise were measured inSceloporus occidentalis captured near sea level and inS. graciosus captured above 2850 m. Oxygen consumption against\(P_{O_2 } \) was also measured inS. occidentalis captured above 2850 m. When\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) was recorded continuously, as ambient\(P_{O_2 } \) was slowly reduced from 155 Torr, it became directly dependent upon ambient\(P_{O_2 } \) between 110 and 120 Torr. The critical\(P_{O_2 } \) for the high altitude lizards was lower than that for the lowland lizards, which enabled the former to maintain relatively higher\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) 's when ambient\(P_{O_2 } \) was reduced below 120 Torr. The high altitude lizards also had significantly greater endurance when stimulated to exercise at 1600 m (\(P_{O_2 } \)∼130 Torr). Both the higher\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) under hypoxia and the greater endurance roughly parallel a significantly greater maximum\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) in the high altitude lizards. At a simulated altitude of 3600 m (\(P_{O_2 } \)∼100 Torr), maximum\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) and rate of recovery of the O2 debt calculated from post active\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) were significantly reduced in the lowland but not the high altitude lizards. The effects of simulated altitude conditions on the lowland but not the mountaine animals indicate adaptations to altitude in these sceloporine lizards. We did not find any consistent relationship between organ/body weight ratios or hematocrit and our measures of\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) endurance or the altitude at which the lizards were captured.
Impulse Voltage Tests on Air and C3F8

There is continual need for the evaluation of the electric strength of the various new gases that are becoming available and their comparison with the electric strength of some standardsuch as air. The impulse voltage strength of a new gas is not easily and quickly obtained, yet is essential in the proper design of equipment using these gases. It is the purpose of this paper to describe briefly the equipment that was used for this impulse voltage testing work, and to record some impulse voltage breakdown data on octofluoropropane (C3F8) and its comparison to air.
Multi-Spatial-Mode Noiseless Optical Amplifier

We implement a noiseless optical amplifier through a phase-sensitive four-wave mixing process in rubidium vapor and show that it does not significantly degrade the signal-to-noise ratio. Preliminary results show its multi-spatial-mode nature.
Stabilization of bcc Mg in Thin Films at Ambient Pressure: Experimental Evidence and ab initio Calculations

Recent experiments suggest that bcc Mg can be stabilized when grown together with bcc Nb in Mg/Nb multilayer films at ambient conditions. This finding is remarkable as (pure) bcc Mg has only been observed under very high pressures and is in fact (mechanically) unstable under room conditions. Density functional theory calculations were performed to gain insight into the stability of Mg in the bcc structure. Calculations of the thermodynamic, electronic and structural stability of bcc Mg show that this structure is in fact metastable under thin film conditions, when Mg grows epitaxially on bcc Nb, in agreement with experiments.
Performance-enhanced "tunable" capillary microwave-induced plasma mass spectrometer for gas chromatography detection.

Improvements in the stability and performance of a capillary microwave-induced plasma-mass spectrometer (MIP-MS) were achieved by optimizing power transfer to the cavity using a tunable coaxial MIP. The MIP, operating at atmospheric pressure, was sustained with 30 mL/min He and 60 W of power. Measurement precision and sensitivity for the standard waveguide and coaxial systems were determined using 16 organochlorine pesticide solutions separated by gas chromatography (GC). The linear dynamic range obtained with the tunable MIP-MS extended over 3 orders of magnitude, a 10 time improvement with respect to the standard MIP. Detection limits were between 3 and 19 pg of Cl mol-1 s-1, 7 times lower than the detection limits obtained with the nontunable MIP-MS. Analysis of pesticides containing sulfur atoms was also possible, further demonstrating multielement MIP-MS detection. Excellent accuracy (10% recovery) and precision (5% RSD) were found for the detection of the pesticides in a petroleum-contaminated refer...
Infrared Measurement of the Temperature Distribution of a Repetitively Pulsed Electron Beam Extraction Foil as a Beam Uniformity Diagnostic

This paper presents results of experiments to measure the current extracted through the foil of an electron beam diode by observing the heating of the foil. Generally anode current density is measured with a dosimeter film, often of dubious linearity, or with Faraday cups which give a current density versus time map at isolated points or with an array of calorimeters. For the present measurements a fast scanning infrared camera is used to measure the temperature rise of the foil after a pulse. The measurement takes 600 ?s for a single line scan or 16 ms for a full raster scan. Resolution is comparable to that of dosimeter film, the IR camera is easily calibrated to produce accurate temperature plots, and because of the fast scan this system is ideally suited to observing small scale structure in the beam current density for repetitive pulses up to several hundred Hertz pulse repetition rates.
SAMPLE SIZE CALCULATION FOR A HISTORICALLY CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL WITH ADJUSTMENT FOR COVARIATES

We present a Bayesian approach to determining the optimal sample size for a historically controlled clinical trial. This work is motivated by a trial of a new coronary stent that uses a retrospective control group formed from seven trials of coronary stents currently marketed in the United States. In studies involving nonrandomized control groups, hierarchical regression, propensity score methods, or other sophisticated models are typically required to account for heterogeneity among groups which, if ignored could bias the results. Sample size calculations for historically controlled trials of medical devices are often based on formulae derived for randomized trials and fail to account for estimation of model parameters, correlation of observations, and uncertainty in the distribution of covariates of the patients recruited in the new trial. We propose methodology based on stochastic optimization that overcomes these deficiencies. The methodology is demonstrated using an objective function based on the po...
A Comprehensive Model of Multilateral Well Deliverability

A deliverability model was developed to predict the performance of multilateral wells. A new model was developed for reservoir inflow that calculates a single-phase inflow performance relationship for a segmented horizontal lateral. Single-phase and two-phase wellbore flow models are used for flow in the laterals. Pressure drop in the tubing from the uppermost lateral to the surface was calculated by use of a two-phase flow correlation.
CONTROL JUDGMENTS BY DEAF ADULTS AND BY SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS1

First language acquisition studies reveal that children overextend the minimal distance principle (MDP) during their acquisition of infinitive complement structures. The MDP dictates the interpretation of the logical subject of the infinitive in these structures and overrides marked lexical features such as subject control. Misinterpretations by adult second language learners and by adult prelingually deaf individuals are also shown to result from an overextension of the MDP. On a comprehension test of specific sentences, the relative order of difficulty in interpreting the logical subject of the infinitive is similar for both groups. This order reflects the same order of difficulty on sentences containing tell, ask, and promise which has been reported in the literature on first language acquisition. The later acquisition of certain structures is explained in terms of the inherent linguistic complexity of the sentences.
Thymosin reconstitution of T cell deficits in vitro in cancer patients

Thymosin, a soluble extract of fetal calf thymus, has increased cellular immunity in children with thymic deficiency. Prior to therapy, an increase in thymus-dependent lymphocyte (T cell) levels in vitro after incubation with thymosin correlated with a rise in peripheral blood T cell levels and improvement in other parameters of cellular immunity. These correlations constituted the basis for a study of the effects of thymosin on T cell levels in vitro in cancer patients. Groups studied were 350 untreated patients with local-regional solid malignancies, 157 patients cured of these tumors, 340 patients studied at 523 intervals during radiation therapy, 80 patients receiving chemotherapy for disseminated solid malignancies, and 427 normal volunteers. Although there were significant differences among the groups in mean leukocyte, lymphocyte and T cell levels, among those with low T cell levels in each group there was a significant inverse relation between T cell levels after incubation with thymosin in vitro and initial T cell levels, with the exception of patients receiving chemotherapy. In patients receiving chemotherapy, T cell levels increased independently of initial T cell levels. These in vitro observations are consistent with evidence that a major effect of thymosin is maturation of T cell precursors; however, the effect is that of reconstitution at low T cell levels, and not of elevation to levels significantly above normal. The results provide a rationale for clinical trials with thymosin to maintain immune competence during radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and for a two-phase approach to immunotherapy of cancer utilizing thymosin for reconstitution of cellular defects followed by administration of agents that potentiate cellular immunity.
How small variations in crystal interactions affect macroscopic properties.

A Ru25+ compound having two crystallographically independent molecules that differ only in that one molecule has an additional hydrogen bond shows Ru−Ru distances that vary by ca. 0.07 A at 30 K; as the temperature is raised, one molecule displays a spin transition but the other one remains in the same spin state, as indicated by variable temperature magnetic and structural data.
Inflammation in insects: The release of a plasmatocyte depletion factor following interaction between bacteria and haemocytes

Abstract Injection of a suspension of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus cereus into the haemocoel of Galleria mellonella larvae caused a rapid decrease in the number of circulating plasmatocytes. A similar phenomenon was observed following the injection of cell-free haemolymph collected from larvae previously challenged with bacteria, indicating that plasmatocyte depletion was mediated by a humoral factor released into the haemolymph. The release of plasmatocyte depletion factor could be effected in vitro by incubating adherent haemocytes with a suspension of B. cereus. The in vitro production of the factor did not require the presence of exogenous humoral components, was dose-dependent, was inhibited at low temperatures, and showed the same specificity with respect to bacterial species as observed in vivo. Activity of the plasmatocyte depletion factor destroyed by a 15-min incubation at 56°C. The release of the factor appears to be an early biochemical signal in the complex cellular response of this insect to bacterial infection.
AN APOLOGY TO DARWIN

We provide critical comments on a recent paper by Barash (1972) in which he describes the seating preferences and frequencies of looking up by students in a cafeteria. While we do not quarrel with his data, we reject the evolutionary assumptions and ethological identifications which are explicitly introduced throughout Barash's paper.
The anti-apoptotic activity of BAG3 is restricted by caspases and the proteasome.

Background Caspase-mediated cleavage and proteasomal degradation of ubiquitinated proteins are two independent mechanisms for the regulation of protein stability and cellular function. We previously reported BAG3 overexpression protected ubiquitinated clients, such as AKT, from proteasomal degradation and conferred cytoprotection against heat shock. We hypothesized that the BAG3 protein is regulated by proteolysis. Methodology/Principal Findings Staurosporine (STS) was used as a tool to test for caspase involvement in BAG3 degradation. MDA435 and HeLa human cancer cell lines exposed to STS underwent apoptosis with a concomitant time and dose-dependent loss of BAG3, suggesting the survival role of BAG3 was subject to STS regulation. zVAD-fmk or caspase 3 and 9 inhibitors provided a strong but incomplete protection of both cells and BAG3 protein. Two putative caspase cleavage sites were tested: KEVD (BAG3E345A/D347A) within the proline-rich center of BAG3 (PXXP) and the C-terminal LEAD site (BAG3E516A/D518A). PXXP deletion mutant and BAG3E345A/D347A, or BAG3E516A/D518A respectively slowed or stalled STS-mediated BAG3 loss. BAG3, ubiquitinated under basal growth conditions, underwent augmented ubiquitination upon STS treatment, while there was no increase in ubiquitination of the BAG3E516A/D518A caspase-resistant mutant. Caspase and proteasome inhibition resulted in partial and independent protection of BAG3 whereas inhibitors of both blocked BAG3 degradation. STS-induced apoptosis was increased when BAG3 was silenced, and retention of BAG3 was associated with cytoprotection. Conclusions/Significance BAG3 is tightly controlled by selective degradation during STS exposure. Loss of BAG3 under STS injury required sequential caspase cleavage followed by polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. The need for dual regulation of BAG3 in apoptosis suggests a key role for BAG3 in cancer cell resistance to apoptosis.
Isolation of putrescine-requiring mutants of Neurospora crassa.

Two auxotrophs of Neurospora crassa have been isolated that give a positive growth response to putrescine, spermidine or spermine. One of the mutants is deficient in ornithine decarboxylase activity and has been designated put-1. Both mutants map on linkage group VR, fail to complement and are infertile when crossed to one another, indicating that they are probably alleles. A putrescine auxotroph is incapable of suppressing a pro-4 mutant. The isolation of the mutants confirms that putrescine is an essential factor for the normal growth of the organism, and is synthesized via a single pathway in Neurospora.
Pressure-Induced Non-Fermi-Liquid Behavior of PrNiO~3

Comprehensive temperature scans of the resistivity of a high-quality sample of PrNiO3 were made under different pressures up to 30 kbar; they have revealed that the insulator phase is suppressed completely at P approximately equal to 13 kbar, transforming to a non-Fermi-liquid phase in which the resistivity varies as Deltarho=rho(T)-rho(0) approximately T(n) with n=1.33 and 1.60 over a broad pressure range.
Comparing the effects of various fuel alcohols on the natural attenuation of benzene plumes using a general substrate interaction model.

Abstract The effects of five fuel alcohols (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, iso-butanol and n-butanol) on the natural attenuation of benzene were compared using a previously developed numerical model (General Substrate Interaction Module — GSIM) and a probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Simulations with a 30 gal dissolving LNAPL (light non-aqueous phase liquid) source consisting of a range of gasoline blends (10% and 85% v:v alcohol content) suggest that all fuel alcohols can hinder the natural attenuation of benzene, due mainly to accelerated depletion of dissolved oxygen and a decrease in the specific degradation rate for benzene (due to catabolite repression and metabolic flux dilution). Simulations for blends with 10% alcohol, assuming a homogeneous sandy aquifer, inferred maximum benzene plume elongations (relative to a regular gasoline release) of 26% for ethanol, 47% for iso-butanol, 147% for methanol, 188% for 1-propanol, and 265% for n-butanol. The corresponding elongation percentages for blends with 85% alcohol were generally smaller (i.e., 25%, 54%, 135%, 163%, and 181%, respectively), reflecting a lower content of benzene in the simulated release. Benzene plume elongation and longevity were more pronounced in the presence of alcohols that biodegrade slower (e.g., propanol and n-butanol), forming longer and more persistent alcohol plumes. Conversely, ethanol and iso-butanol exhibited the lowest potential to hinder the natural attenuation of benzene, illustrating the significant effect that a small difference in chemical structure (e.g., isomers) can have on biodegradation. Overall, simulations were highly sensitive to site-specific biokinetic coefficients for alcohol degradation, which forewarns against generalizations about the level of impact of specific fuel alcohols on benzene plume dynamics.
Expression of β‐lactamase in Coxiella burnetii transformants

Coxiella burnetii can be transformed to ampicillin resistance by electroporation with plasmids encoding β-lactamase. However, non-plasmid emergence of resistance to ampicillin also develops. To validate the usefulness of the bla gene marker for selection and detection, transformed C. burnetii were examined for β-lactamase expression by use of immunoblotting after SDS-PAGE. The 29-kDa mature form of the β-lactamase protein was detected in C. burnetii lysates. Quantitation of these immunoblot signals showed that C. burnetii surprisingly expressed low levels of β-lactamase. The results validate the use of plasmid-encoded ampicillin resistance as a means for selecting C. burnetii transformants; they also suggest that levels of ampicillin used for selection pressure should be empirically determined and that detection of β-lactamase by antibody blotting done to confirm transformants.
How are inner hair cells stimulated? Evidence for multiple mechanical drives.

Recent studies indicate that the gap over outer hair cells (OHCs) between the reticular lamina (RL) and the tectorial membrane (TM) varies cyclically during low-frequency sounds. Variation in the RL-TM gap produces radial fluid flow in the gap that can drive inner hair cell (IHC) stereocilia. Analysis of RL-TM gap changes reveals three IHC drives in addition to classic SHEAR. For upward basilar-membrane (BM) motion, IHC stereocilia are deflected in the excitatory direction by SHEAR and OHC-MOTILITY, but in the inhibitory direction by TM-PUSH and CILIA-SLANT. Upward BM motion causes OHC somatic contraction which tilts the RL, compresses the RL-TM gap over IHCs and expands the RL-TM gap over OHCs, thereby producing an outward (away from the IHCs) radial fluid flow which is the OHC-MOTILITY drive. For upward BM motion, the force that moves the TM upward also compresses the RL-TM gap over OHCs causing inward radial flow past IHCs which is the TM-PUSH drive. Motions that produce large tilting of OHC stereocilia squeeze the supra-OHC RL-TM gap and caused inward radial flow past IHCs which is the CILIA-SLANT drive. Combinations of these drives explain: (1) the reversal at high sound levels of auditory nerve (AN) initial peak (ANIP) responses to clicks, and medial olivocochlear (MOC) inhibition of ANIP responses below, but not above, the ANIP reversal, (2) dips and phase reversals in AN responses to tones in cats and chinchillas, (3) hypersensitivity and phase reversals in tuning-curve tails after OHC ablation, and (4) MOC inhibition of tail-frequency AN responses. The OHC-MOTILITY drive provides another mechanism, in addition to BM motion amplification, that uses active processes to enhance the output of the cochlea. The ability of these IHC drives to explain previously anomalous data provides strong, although indirect, evidence that these drives are significant and presents a new view of how the cochlea works at frequencies below 3 kHz.
Quartz‐in‐garnet samples reveal conditions within subduction zones

In subduction zones, seismic activity is dictated, to some extent, by the specific dynamics of the subsurface, including the depths to which rocks dove during subduction, the path that brought them back to the surface, and the mineral reactions they experienced along the way. The way to best understand these details requires either directly or indirectly measuring the depth of subduction and the mechanisms and rates of both subduction and exhumation.
Processing heterogeneous abstract syntax trees with the mutable class pattern

The Mutable Class Pattern is an alternative extensible solution to the Visitor pattern for building configurable associations of heterogeneous structures with diverse algorithms. Initially it was introduced in the framework of the Unified Accelerator Libraries. The scope of the Mutable Class however appears to not be limited to the modeling applications due to the optimal combination of several approaches. This paper presents the application of the Mutable Class pattern to the traversal of heterogeneous abstract syntax trees. The application is based on the JastAdd configurable metacompiler construction system.
A stability criterion obtained by a method of comparison

Nonlinear system stability criterion for bounded response to bounded input, using memoryless linearity convolution integral
The theory of cracking petroleum

In cracking petroleum the oil is kept at nearly constant temperature and pressure for a certain time and is then separated by fractional distillation into gas, gasoline and heavier fractions. Usually the oil is passed, through a long pipe heated in a furnace, into a reaction chamber from which the cracked oil is withdrawn continuously. The fraction of the oil converted into gasoline depends mainly on the pressure and the temperature in the reaction chamber, the time taken to pass through the chamber and on the nature of the oil.
An Alternative Measure of Relative Education to Explain Voter Turnout

Nie, Junn, and Stehlik-Barry (1996) develop a theory in which relative, rather than absolute education determines political participation. Empirical tests of this theory have been unable to isolate the effect of education from other factors that impact participation. We propose an alternative definition in which education is measured relative to those born in the same year. This is used to estimate a model of voter turnout that controls for both absolute and relative education. The results show that this new measure of relative education has far more explanatory power than does absolute education. This finding has significant implications regarding how education affects both aggregate voter turnout levels and inequality in voter participation.
Rhythms in expression of PER1 protein in the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of the diurnal grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus).

In the diurnal rodent Arvicanthis niloticus (grass rats) the pattern of expression of the clock genes and their proteins in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is very similar to that seen in nocturnal rodents. Rhythms in clock gene expression have been also documented in several forebrain regions outside the SCN in nocturnal Ratus norvegicus (lab rats). To investigate the neural basis for differences in the circadian systems of diurnal and nocturnal mammals, we examined PER1 expression in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST-OV), and in the basolateral (BLA) and the central (CEA) amygdala of male grass rats kept in a 12:12 light/dark cycle. In the BNST-OV, peak levels of PER1 expression were seen early in the light phase of the cycle, 12 h out of phase with what has been reported for nocturnal lab rats. In the BLA the pattern of PER1 expression featured sustained high levels during the day and low levels at night. PER1 expression in the CEA was also at its highest early in the light phase, but the effect of sampling time was not statistically significant (p < 0.06). The results are consistent with the hypothesis that differences between nocturnal and diurnal species are due to differences in neural systems downstream from the SCN.
ELECTROSTATICS STUDY OF A SINGLE-STRANDED DNA: A PROSPECTIVE FOR SINGLE MOLECULE SEQUENCING

Single molecule DNA sequencing requires new approaches to identify nucleotide bases. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the intrinsic electrostatics of single-stranded DNA by solving the nonlinear Poisson–Boltzmann equation. The results show variations of the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) within 3 nm from the center of the sugar backbone, with suitably differentiable variations at 1.4 nm distance. MEP variations among four nucleotide bases are the most significant near ~ 33.7° and ~ 326.3° angular orientation, while the influences of the neighboring bases on MEPs become insignificant after the 3rd-nearest neighbors. This analysis shows potential for direct electronic sequencing of individual DNA molecules. Special Issue Comment: This paper about DNA sequencing based on molecular electrostatic potential maps of the DNA in the channel is related to the Special Issue articles about: measuring enzymes,32 and solving single molecules' trajectories with the RDF approach33 and with th...
Instability analysis of an active higher-harmonic cavity

A radiofrequency system with an active higher-harmonic ("Landau") cavity may prevent coupled-bunch instabilities and increase the bunch lifetime of an electron storage ring. However, the equilibrium phase and Robinson instabilities must be avoided. An algorithm is presented for evaluating an active Landau cavity, and applied to the electron storage ring, Aladdin.
North Carolina Shelf-Edge Sandstone: Age, Environment of Origin, and Relationship to Pre-existing Sea Levels

Petrographic and geochemical characteristics and the molluscan assemblage of six sandstone samples indicate that sandstone occurring off the coast of North Carolina at the shelf break or along the shelf edge is the result of subtidal submarine lithification and did not form as intertidal beachrock. Therefore, a recently constructed sea-level curve for this area, which is based in part on radiocarbon-dated sandstone as intertidal beachrock, may contain anomalously deep data points.
Accounting for the mortality benefit of drug- eluting stents in percutaneous coronary intervention: a comparison of methods in a retrospective cohort study

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce rates of restenosis compared with bare metal stents (BMS). A number of observational studies have also found lower rates of mortality and non-fatal myocardial infarction with DES compared with BMS, findings not observed in randomized clinical trials. In order to explore reasons for this discrepancy, we compared outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with DES or BMS by multiple statistical methods. Methods: We compared short-term rates of all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction for patients undergoing PCI with DES or BMS using propensity-score adjustment, propensity-score matching, and a stent-era comparison in a large, integrated health system between 1998 and 2007. For the propensity-score adjustment and stent era comparisons, we used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association of stent type with outcomes. We used McNemar’s Chi-square test to compare outcomes for propensity-score matching. Results: Between 1998 and 2007, 35,438 PCIs with stenting were performed among health plan members (53.9% DES and 46.1% BMS). After propensity-score adjustment, DES was associated with significantly lower rates of death at 30 days (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.39 - 0.63, P < 0.001) and one year (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.49 - 0.68, P < 0.001), and a lower rate of myocardial infarction at one year (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.59 - 0.87, P < 0.001). Thirty day and one year mortality were also lower with DES after propensity-score matching. However, a stent era comparison, which eliminates potential confounding by indication, showed no difference in death or myocardial infarction for DES and BMS, similar to results from randomized trials. Conclusions: Although propensity-score methods suggested a mortality benefit with DES, consistent with prior observational studies, a stent era comparison failed to support this conclusion. Unobserved factors influencing stent selection in observational studies likely account for the observed mortality benefit of DES not seen in randomized clinical trials.
Women's voice attractiveness varies across the menstrual cycle

We investigated ratings of female voice attractiveness as a function of menstrual cycle phase. Women had their voices recorded at four different times during their menstrual cycle. Voice samples were categorized from low to high conception risk based on menstrual cycle phase and empirical pregnancy data. Results showed a significant increase in voice attractiveness ratings as the risk of conception increased across the menstrual cycle in naturally cycling women. There was no effect for women using hormonal contraceptives. Previous research shows that the sound of a person's voice appears to serve as an honest signal of fitness, and our results show perceptual shifts in women's voices that match the predicted output of an independent and well-designed fertility monitoring system. More work is needed to identify the biological mechanisms that underlie these perceptual differences, but growing evidence points to the impact of hormones on the larynx as being the source of these changes.
Reducing the Computational Cost of Bayesian Indoor Positioning Systems

In this work we show how to reduce the computational cost of using Bayesian networks for localization. We investigate a range of Monte Carlo sampling strategies, including Gibbs and Metropolis. We found that for our Gibbs samplers, most of the time is spent in slice sampling. Moreover, our results show that although uniform sampling over the entire domain suffers occasional rejections, it has a much lower overall computational cost than approaches that carefully avoid rejections. The key reason for this efficiency is the flatness of the full conditionals in our localization networks. Our sampling technique is also attractive because it does not require extensive tuning to achieve good performance, unlike the Metropolis samplers. We demonstrate that our whole domain sampling technique converges accurately with low latency. On commodity hardware our sampler localizes up to 10 points in less than half a second, which is over 10 times faster than a common general-purpose Bayesian sampler. Our sampler also scales well, localizing 51 objects with no location information in the training set in less than 6 seconds. Finally, we present an analytic model that describes the number of evaluations per variable using slice sampling. The model allows us to analytically determine how flat a distribution should be so that whole domain sampling is computationally more efficient when compared to other methods
Effect of Excimer Laser Annealing on Ultra-low Temperature Gate Dielectrics

The effect of excimer laser annealing on the properties of ultra-low temperature (150°C) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) oxides was investigated. Annealing was performed using a 308 nm excimer laser incident directly on the oxides, at fluences up to the melting of the silicon and for as many as 3000 pulses. Following multiple shot irradiations below the silicon melt threshold, the CV threshold voltage was observed to decrease by ≍15V volts, coupled with an increase in the slope near threshold. Leakage currents measured by IV were not significantly changed. Property modifications are shown to be comparable to a 450°C thermal soak anneal. These results suggest that excimer laser annealing has potential to improve ultra-low temperature gate dielectrics for poly-Si Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) on plastic substrates.
Bridgehead Imine Substituted Cyclopentadithiophene Derivatives: An Effective Strategy for Band Gap Control in Donor–Acceptor Polymers

Bridgehead imine substituted cyclopentadithiophene structural units offer the opportunity to modify the electronic properties, in particular, the HOMO–LUMO energy levels of donor–acceptor polymers with unprecedented precision. Utilizing a common synthetic pathway, copolymers with high average molecular weights, a variety of functionality, and properties suitable for solar cell incorporation can be generated. The fabrication of organic photovoltaic devices with these new materials is demonstrated.
On Sets of Relations Definable by Addition

For every κ ∈ ω, there is an infinite set A κ ⊆ ω and a d (κ) ∈ ω such that for all Q 0 , Q 1 , ⊆ A κ where ∣ Q 0 ∣ = ∣ Q 1 ∣, or d (κ) Q 0 ∣, Q 1 ∣ 0 , the structures ‹ω, +, Q 0 › and ‹ω, +, Q 1 › are indistinguishable by first-order sentences of quantifier depth κ whose atomic formulas are of the form u = v, u + v = w , and Q ( u ), where u, v , and w are variables.
Macromolecular Modeling with Rosetta

Advances over the past few years have begun to enable prediction and design of macromolecular structures at near-atomic accuracy. Progress has stemmed from the development of reasonably accurate and efficiently computed all-atom potential functions as well as effective conformational sampling strategies appropriate for searching a highly rugged energy landscape, both driven by feedback from structure prediction and design tests. A unified energetic and kinematic framework in the Rosetta program allows a wide range of molecular modeling problems, from fibril structure prediction to RNA folding to the design of new protein interfaces, to be readily investigated and highlights areas for improvement. The methodology enables the creation of novel molecules with useful functions and holds promise for accelerating experimental structural inference. Emerging connections to crystallographic phasing, NMR modeling, and lower-resolution approaches are described and critically assessed.
A global–local approach to nonlinear system identification: A review

We present the basic components of a time-domain nonlinear system identification (NSI) method with a promise of applicability to a broad class of smooth and non-smooth dynamical systems. The proposed NSI method is based on the close correspondence between analytical and empirical slow-flow dynamics, and relies on the direct analysis of measured time series without any a priori assumptions on the system dynamics; i.e. it is purely an output-based approach. The central assumption of the methodology is that the measured time series can be decomposed in terms of a finite number of oscillating components that are in the form of ‘fast’ monochromatic oscillations modulated by ‘slow’ amplitudes. The empirical slow-flow model of the dynamics is obtained from empirical mode decomposition (EMD), and its correspondence to the analytical slow-flow model establishes a local nonlinear interaction model (NIM). A NIM consists of a set of intrinsic modal oscillators (IMOs) that can reproduce the measured time series over different time scales and can account for (even strongly) nonlinear modal interactions. Hence, it represents a local model of the dynamics, identifying specific nonlinear transitions. An IMO, whose response can reproduce the corresponding intrinsic mode function acquired from EMD analysis, represents the dynamical characteristics of the system under certain initial or parameter conditions (i.e. local aspects). By collecting energy-dependent frequency behaviors from all identified IMOs, a frequency-energy plot (in the modal space) can be constructed, which depicts global features of the dynamical system. This represents a global model of the dynamics. We demonstrate the efficacy of the outlined global–local NSI method with two-degree-of-freedom dynamical systems—one smooth, and the other non-smooth. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How Initiators End Their Wars: The Duration of Warfare and the Terms of Peace

The new theories of endogenous war termination generally predict that initiators would tend to do badly the longer the war, that information acquired during the war would outweigh information available prior to its outbreak, that stronger initiators would be slower to update their estimates about the outcome, and that uncertainty would increase the expected duration of conflict. This article subjects these hypotheses to statistical testing by estimating time-accelerated log-logistic hazard models of duration and bootstrapped ordered probit models of outcome with a new data set of 104 interstate wars from 1816 to 1991. The Monte Carlo simulation results support the hypotheses and the substantive findings provide ample reason for continuing with this research agenda.
Hybridisation is associated with increased fecundity and size in invasive taxa: meta‐analytic support for the hybridisation‐invasion hypothesis

The hypothesis that interspecific hybridisation promotes invasiveness has received much recent attention, but tests of the hypothesis can suffer from important limitations. Here, we provide the first systematic review of studies experimentally testing the hybridisation-invasion (H-I) hypothesis in plants, animals and fungi. We identified 72 hybrid systems for which hybridisation has been putatively associated with invasiveness, weediness or range expansion. Within this group, 15 systems (comprising 34 studies) experimentally tested performance of hybrids vs. their parental species and met our other criteria. Both phylogenetic and non-phylogenetic meta-analyses demonstrated that wild hybrids were significantly more fecund and larger than their parental taxa, but did not differ in survival. Resynthesised hybrids (which typically represent earlier generations than do wild hybrids) did not consistently differ from parental species in fecundity, survival or size. Using meta-regression, we found that fecundity increased (but survival decreased) with generation in resynthesised hybrids, suggesting that natural selection can play an important role in shaping hybrid performance – and thus invasiveness – over time. We conclude that the available evidence supports the H-I hypothesis, with the caveat that our results are clearly driven by tests in plants, which are more numerous than tests in animals and fungi.
Clinical Pharmacology of Caffeine

Caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant drug in the world. This chapter reviews the human pharmacology of caffeine; the evidence for its role in causing human disease, including addiction; and its potential usefulness as a therapeutic agent.
Trade creation, trade diversion, and the general equilibrium effects of regional trade agreements: a study of the European Community–Turkey customs union

This paper presents an industry-level analysis of trade flows in order to estimate the trade effects of Turkey’s customs union with the European Community (EC). The paper is able to distinguish between trade creation and trade diversion by employing tariff data on each good to measure the impact of not only the tariff level but also the difference between tariffs applied to imports from Europe and the most-favored nation tariffs applied to imports from other non-preferential trading partners. The paper estimates the general equilibrium effects of the customs union in addition to the effects of eliminating tariffs on the EC’s exports to Turkey. It concludes that the customs union has generated more than twice as much trade creation as trade diversion but that the overall impact of the customs union has been relatively small.