cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting Passive Intestinal Absorption Using A Single Parameter

A model is proposed for the prediction of either high or low fraction absorbed for an orally administered, passively transported drug on the basis of a new absorption parameter, II The model includes only two inputs: the octanol-water partition coefficient (I o w ) and the dimensionless oversaturation number (O L u m e n ). The latter is the ratio of the concentration of drug delivered to the gastrointestinal (GI) fluid to the solubility of the drug in that environment. Thus, O L u m e n is equal to the dose-normalized solubility for suspensions and unity for solutions. The value of n increases with an increase in K o w and a decrease in O L u m e n for suspensions, and is equal to I o w for solutions. The effectiveness of the model is validated using experimental human gastrointestinal absorption data for 98 compounds. About 88% of these drugs are correctly predicted to be either well absorbed or poorly absorbed based solely upon whether their Π value is greater than or less than unity. Thus, the use of a single absorption parameter, II provides a simple means to estimate whether or not an orally administered drug undergoing passive transport will be absorbed efficiently. The advantage of this parameter is that it is based upon simple, easily measured (or calculated) physical chemical data. It is especially noteworthy that experimental measurement of in vitro membrane transport is not required. The model based on the new absorption parameter is shown to have wider applicability than current available models for predicting the fraction absorbed.
Coalition Government Formation and Foreign Exchange Markets: Theory and Evidence from Europe

This study examines how the politics of coalition government formation affect foreign exchange markets in Western European parliamentary democracies. Existing studies suggest that ex ante uncertainty associated with the formation of coalition governments increases exchange rate volatility. We develop a formal model that places currency traders at the center and examines how traders respond to the uncertainty produced by coalition bargaining in parliamentary democracies. In sharp contrast to the literature, the model shows that traders rationally respond to uncertainty about the potential coalition government that may form and expected policies that will be implemented by the coalition government by reducing the volume of trading they do in that currency and that this, in turn, leads to a decline in the mean and volatility of exchange rates. Estimates from an exchange rate series of 10 Western European parliamentary democracies statistically support the claim that exchange rate volatility is negatively associated with traders' ex ante uncertainty about the potential coalition government that may form.
Dopamine Receptor Activation Can Reduce Voltage-Gated Na+ Current by Modulating Both Entry Into and Recovery From Inactivation

We tested whether dopamine receptor activation modulates the voltage-gated Na+ current of goldfish retinal ganglion cells, using a fast voltage-clamp amplifier, perforated-patch whole cell mode, and a physiological extracellular Na+ concentration. As found in other cells, activators of D1-type dopamine receptors and of protein kinase A reduced the amplitude of current activated by depolarizations from resting potential without altering the current kinetics or activation range. However, D1-type dopamine receptor activation also accelerated the rate of entry into inactivation during subthreshold depolarizations and slowed the rate of recovery from inactivation after single, brief depolarizations. Our results provide the first evidence in any preparation that D1-type receptor activation can produce both of these latter effects.
Centrally-administered glycine antagonists increase locomotion in monoamine-depleted mice

It was shown in the present study that several structurally diverse antagonists of the glycine site of the NMDA receptor, including (R)-HA-966, L 689,560, 5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid, 7-chlorokynurenic acid, and two of ZENECA's novel pyridazinoindole glycine antagonists, caused marked reversal of akinesia when administered intrastriatally to monoamine depleted mice. Coinjection of the glycine agonist D-serine antagonized this locomotor stimulation. In addition, all glycine antagonists tested did not cause significant locomotor stimulation when intrastriatally administered to normal mice. These data suggest that glycine antagonists may offer therapeutic utility in the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
Activity of Methacycline, Related Tetracyclines, and Other Antibiotics Against Various L-Forms and Their Parent Bacteria In Vitro

The activity of methacycline against microbial L-forms and their parent bacteria was compared with that of oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, tetracycline, and demethylchlortetracycline, as well as with that of 22 other antibiotics which included examples of major groups of antibiotics. The L-forms and bacteria used were Streptococcus faecalis, S. faecium, S. faecalis var. zymogenes, Staphylococcus aureus (three strains), Proteus mirabilis (two strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli (two strains), Sarcina flava, Serratia marcescens, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The five tetracyclines had similar activities and were more active against L-forms than bacterial forms, except that the bacterial form of S. flava was more susceptible than the L-form. In general, other antibiotics (except the penicillins) were more active against L-forms than bacterial forms. There were certain exceptions where the bacterial form was more susceptible than the L-form. These included the effect of polymyxin B and colistin on P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and P. mirabilis, and the effect of gentamicin on P. aeruginosa, E. coli, S. flava, and S. marcescens.
The Inscription of Masculinity and Whiteness in the Autobiography of Mario Vargas Llosa

Abstract This essay examines the interconnectedness of whiteness and heterosexual masculinity in the autobiography of Mario Vargas Llosa, El pez en el agua [A Fish in the Water] . In this text Vargas Llosa critiques Peruvian racism and machismo, and in his self-portrait attempts to distance himself from the categories of whiteness and masculinity. But in so doing he in fact obscures the workings of race and gender not only in Peruvian society but in his own writing, where the self is implicitly asserted in opposition to an image of nature as the realm of the indigenous and the feminine.
Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis of Age-Associated Changes in Body Composition of Male Brown Norway Rats: Association of Serum Leptin Levels With Peripheral Adiposity

Aging-associated alterations in body composition are accompanied by changes in the endocrine system. We evaluated, in male Brown Norway rats, the effects of aging on body composition and the association with serum levels of leptin, insulin, and testosterone. Body composition was assessed cross-sectionally in male rats (3, 8, 17, and 29 months) by a combination of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and dissection of specific muscles and adipose depots. Longitudinal changes in body composition were quantified by DEXA before and after 3 months of ad-libitum feeding. Body weight, lean mass, absolute and percentage fat increased with age, whereas percentage of lean mass decreased. Leptin and insulin levels increased with age in proportion to adiposity; the increase in leptin with age was related to increased total and peripheral, but not visceral, fat. Testosterone decreased with age, and was associated with decreased lean and skeletal muscle mass. These findings suggest that alterations in body composition with age may be due to decreased trophic and increased lipogenic hormones. Relative to other rodent models, Brown Norway rats undergo shifts in body composition and in the hormonal milieu that are consistent with changes seen in aging humans.
9. David R. Cameron. 1978. “The Expansion of the Public Economy: A Comparative Analysis.” American Political Science Review 72 (December): 1243–61 Cited 387 times.

The article started as a long paper on distributional inequality in the advanced capitalist societies that I presented at the 1976 annual meeting of the APSA. Using OECD data on the post-tax distribution of income in 12 countries, I found that the extent of inequality varied inversely with the extent to which Social Democratic and other leftist parties had governed in recent years. Control of government by left-of-center parties was closely associated with the extent of and growth in the extractive capacity of the state, defined in terms of the ratio of all public revenues to GDP, and the extent of and growth in extractive capacity were closely associated with the degree of distributional equality. But there were perplexing anomalies. For example, the Netherlands, where the Left had seldom governed, experienced the largest increase in the ratio of revenues to GDP since 1960 and was the most egalitarian in terms of the post-tax distribution of income. Belgium and Ireland also experienced unusually large increases in the ratio of revenues to GDP despite infrequent control of government by left-of-center parties
Enhancing the Reliability of STT-RAM through Circuit and System Level Techniques

Spin torque transfer random access memory (STT-RAM) is a promising memory technology because of its fast read access, high storage density, and very low standby power. These memories have reliability issues that need to be better understood before they can be adopted as a mainstream memory technology. In this paper, we first study the causes of errors for a single STT memory cell. We see that process variations and variations in the device geometry affect their failure rate and develop error models to capture these effects. Next we propose a joint technique based on tuning of circuit level parameters and error control coding (ECC) to achieve very high reliability. Such a combination allows the use of weaker ECC with smaller overhead. For instance, we show that by applying voltage boosting and write pulse width adjustment, the error correction capability (t) of ECC can be reduced from t=11 to t=3 to achieve a block failure rate (BFR) of 10^-9.
Solid-phase microextraction as a sample preparation strategy for the analysis of seleno amino acids by gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is used as a sample preparation strategy for gas chromatographic (GC) analysis of the seleno amino acids, selenomethionine (SeMet), selenoethionine (SeEt) and selenocystine (SeCys). Acylation of the amino group and esterification of the carboxylic group in these compounds was performed with isobutylchloroformate to increase volatility. The amino acid derivatives were then extracted by silica fibers with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings prepared by the sol-gel process. Investigations of extraction time, acid and salt addition, and polymer length (for the sol-gel process) were conducted with the goal of procedural optimization. Initial characterizations were conducted using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection was employed for final selenium detection. Sub-ppb detection limits were obtained for all analytes although relative standard deviations were higher than those typically obtained in solid-phase microextraction.
Laser beam cleanup using stimulated Raman scattering in fiber

The beam-cleanup properties of stimulated Raman scattering in a long multi-mode fiber and its application to laser brightness enhancement have been investigated. We show that in a multi-mode fiber that supports propagation of a highly aberrated pump beam with the beam quality (M 2 ) as high as 20, a clean Gaussian-like Stokes beam is generated. The dramatic enhancement in beam quality achieved in the present investigation clearly demonstrates the utility of fiber-based Raman beam cleanup devices for laser brightness enhancement. ( Summary only available )
Suicide, Suicide Litigation, and Borderline Personality Disorder

In the category of malpractice liability affecting mental health practitioners of all disciplines, malpractice based on suicide is the leading claim by a significant margin. Our discussion here will be organized in two sections. First, we consider the theory, practice, and psychology of malpractice litigation itself in relation to suicide. Second, we describe how those basic principles apply to patients with borderline personality disorder.
The impact of glaucoma medication on parameters of ocular perfusion

Whereas intraocular pressure is considered a major risk factor in glaucoma, growing evidence now indicates that ocular ischemia plays a major role too. By virtue of this and because many existing medications are able to interact with vasculature, altering ocular blood flow, it is essential that current and future medications for glaucoma be evaluated for their effect on ocular circulation. The authors review published papers examining the effect of topical and some systemic medications on ocular blood flow, focusing mostly on data from the human eye. The authors provide a comprehensive review on the effect of subclasses of medications (eg, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, beta-blockers, alpha-adrenergic agonists, and prostaglandin analogues on optic nerve head, and on retinal, choroidal, and retrobulbar circulation. The various claims for enhancements or reduction of ocular circulation within each class of medication are reviewed and evaluated.
The role of the hypoxia response in shaping retinal vascular development in the absence of Norrin/Frizzled4 signaling.

Purpose To define the role of hypoxia and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in modifying the pattern, density, and permeability of the retinal vasculature in mouse models in which Norrin/Frizzled4 signaling is impaired. Methods Retinal vascular structure was analyzed in mice with mutation of Ndp (the gene coding for Norrin) or Frizzle4 (Fz4) with or without three additional perturbations: (1) retinal hyperoxia and reduction of VEGF, (2) reduced induction of VEGF in response to hypoxia, or (3) reduced responsiveness of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) to VEGF. These perturbations were produced, respectively, by (1) genetic ablation of rod photoreceptors in the retinal degeneration 1 (rd1) mutant background, (2) conditional deletion of the gene coding for hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2alpha either in all neural retina cells or specifically in Muller glia, and (3) conditional deletion of the VEGF coreceptor neuropilin1 (NRP1) in ECs. Results All three conditions reduced vascular proliferation. Eliminating HIF2-alpha in Muller glia blocked VEGF induction in the inner nuclear layer, identifying HIF2-alpha as the transcription factor responsible for the hypoxia response in these cells. When Norrin/Frizzled4 signaling was eliminated, a secondary elevation in VEGF levels was required to compromise the barrier to transendothelial movement of high molecular weight compounds. Conclusions In the absence of Norrin or Frizzled4, the vascular phenotype is determined by the primary defect in Norrin/Frizzled4 signaling (i.e., canonical Wnt signaling) and compensatory responses resulting from hypoxia. This work may be useful in guiding therapeutic strategies for the treatment of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR).
The use of mesenchymal stem cells in tissue engineering: A global assessment

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are of great interest to both clinicians and researchers for their great potential to enhance tissue engineering. Their ease of isolation, manipulability, and potential for differentiation are specifically what have made them so attractive. These multipotent cells have been found to differentiate into cartilage, bone, fat, muscle, tendon, skin, hematopoietic-supporting stroma and neural tissue. Their diverse in vivo distribution includes bone marrow, adipose, periosteum, synovial membrane, skeletal muscle, dermis, pericytes, blood, trabecular bone, human umbilical cord, lung, dental pulp, and periodontal ligament. Despite their frequent use in research, no standardized criteria exist for the identification of mesenchymal stem cells; The International Society for Cellular Therapy has sought to change this with a set of guidelines elucidating the major surface markers found on these cells. While many studies have shown MSCs to be just as effective as unipotent cells for certain...
Physical models for exploring DNA topology.

Abstract Two types of physical models have been developed for treating DNA molecules whose topology is of interest The two model motifs combine jacks-and-straws molecular representations with flexible tubing in different proportions. Both motifs present a low-resolution construct of DNA that retains helix axes, strand individuality and the distinguishabiity of the major and minor grooves. Molecules whose double helix axes are branched are modelled by stiff double helices and flexible branch sites. Supercoiled and knotted DNA molecules are modelled on a smaller scale, in a system in which a flexible backbone is supported by a series of stiff helical struts; removal of this scaffolding immediately reveals the linking of the strands. The models are light and easy to construct. They may be used either for demonstrations or as a research tool that assists the interpretation data.
Leaching study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioavailability from a coal-derived solid product

Abstract The leaching behavior of selected four- to six-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from a tumorigenic coal-derived solid product was determined using three media to evaluate their potential bioavailabilities. Equilibrium PAH concentrations generally exceeded the aqueous solubilities after less than five days of leaching. PAH selectively accumulated in phospholipid vesicles at individual concentrations greater than 1 μg/g, which is ca. 100-fold over that in the bulk aqueous leachate. The results suggest that the PAH are quite bioavailable from the solid product, and that cell membranes can be exposed to considerable quantities of these PAH over an extended bioassay.
Analysis of density changes in plutonium observed from accelerated aging using Pu-238 enrichment

Abstract We present dimensional and density changes in an aging plutonium alloy enriched with 7.3 at.% of 238 Pu and reference alloys of various ages. After 45 equivalent years of aging, the enriched alloys at 35 °C have swelled in length by 0.048–0.052% and now exhibit a near linear dimensional increase, without void swelling. Based on X-ray diffraction measurements, the lattice expansion by self-irradiation appears to be the primary cause for dimensional changes during the initial 2–3 years of aging. Following the initial transient, the density change is primarily cause by a constant helium in-growth rate as a result of α-particle decay.
Edmund Berkeley and the origins of ACM

A fascination with computing machinery, and a desire to explore this emerging field with mathematicians, engineers, computer manufacturers, and others, inspired E.C. Berkeley to help create a hub for these common interests to connect.
Bone density determination

Bone mineral density determination is an integral part of the diagnosis, therapeutic planning, and monitoring of a patient with osteoporosis. Although the utility of measuring bone density seems intuitive, decisions must be made regarding whom to test, when to test, which technique to use, and which body site to evaluate. Once a determination has been made, consideration has to be given to what to do with the results. Each patient must be individually considered, incorporating genetic, nutritional, lifestyle, pharmacologic, and endocrine risk factors. Other diseases that may be associated with a reduced bone mass must be excluded.
Nonlinear bending analysis of orthotropic rectangular plates by the method of differential quadrature

The behavior of thin, rectangular, orthotropic elastic plates, with immovable edges and undergoing large deflections, is investigated by the numerical technique of differential quadrature. Approximate results are obtained, using the Newton-Raphson method and, alternatively, a finite-difference-based method to solve the nonlinear systems of equations. Bending stresses, membrane stresses, and deflections are calculated for plates with fully clamped and simply supported flexural edge conditions under uniform pressure loading. Results are compared with existing analytical, numerical, and experimental ones. The present method gives good accuracy and is computationally efficient.
Optimal Placement of FSO Links in Hybrid Wireless Optical Networks

Wireless mesh network addresses the last mile issue; however, RF-based technologies are still a bottleneck for todays' media-rich applications. In this paper, we propose enhancing the capacity of an existing wireless mesh backhaul using free-space optical links. Such a hybrid RF/FSO network is capable of multiplying the available bandwidth for each subscriber if the FSO transceivers are placed at strategically located nodes. Adopting a TDMA- based framework, we formulate a problem for the optimal placement of FSO transceivers and RF link activation schedules which maximize the network capacity. An integer-linear program (ILP) is developed to obtain an optimal solution. Due to the complexity of this ILP, we also propose a relaxation which yields an upper bound on the network capacity in such an architecture, and develop a probabilistic heuristic that approaches this capacity. We show by simulations that our heuristic achieves a high fraction of the network capacity upper bound, and it can be implemented efficiently.
Small RNAs, big impact: small RNA pathways in transposon control and their effect on the host stress response

Transposons are mobile genetic elements that are a major constituent of most genomes. Organisms regulate transposable element expression, transposition, and insertion site preference, mitigating the genome instability caused by uncontrolled transposition. A recent burst of research has demonstrated the critical role of small non-coding RNAs in regulating transposition in fungi, plants, and animals. While mechanistically distinct, these pathways work through a conserved paradigm. The presence of a transposon is communicated by the presence of its RNA or by its integration into specific genomic loci. These signals are then translated into small non-coding RNAs that guide epigenetic modifications and gene silencing back to the transposon. In addition to being regulated by the host, transposable elements are themselves capable of influencing host gene expression. Transposon expression is responsive to environmental signals, and many transposons are activated by various cellular stresses. TEs can confer local gene regulation by acting as enhancers and can also confer global gene regulation through their non-coding RNAs. Thus, transposable elements can act as stress-responsive regulators that control host gene expression in cis and trans.
Precipitation Uncertainty and Raingauge Network Design within Folsom Lake Watershed

The present study examines the estimation of hourly precipitation over the Folsom Lake watershed in mountainous California. The objectives are to (1) quantify the uncertainty associated with the es...
Long day's journey to Rincón: From suffering to resistance in the procession of San Lázaro/Babalú Ayé 1

This article explores the ardent worship of San Lazaro/Babalu Aye in Cuba (Cuba's most popular saint) through the procession undertaken on his behalf on 16 and 17 December. Thousands of Cubans part...
Zinc triflate–benzoyl bromide: a versatile reagent for the conversion of ether into benzoate protecting groups and ether glycosides into glycosyl bromides

A simple and efficient method is developed for the chemoselective one-pot conversion of ethers (benzyl, TBDMS and acetal) to the corresponding benzoates by zinc triflate-catalyzed deprotection and benzoylation by benzoyl bromide. In the same reaction, methyl or p-methoxyphenyl glycosides are converted into glycosyl bromides that are useful in glycosylation reactions.
Small Bowel Obstruction Is a Surgical Disease: Patients with Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction Requiring Operation Have More Cost-Effective Care When Admitted to a Surgical Service

Background Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO), although a potential surgical emergency, is increasingly being managed by medical hospitalists due to the likelihood these patients will not require operation. However, the value of care delivered by medical hospitalists to patients with ASBO has not been reported. Study Design We hypothesized that patients admitted to the medical hospitalist service (MHS) for presumed ASBO have increased length of stay (LOS) and charges compared with patients admitted to the surgical service (SS). There were 555 consecutive admissions with presumed ASBO from 2008 to 2012; these were reviewed and grouped according to admitting service and whether an operation was performed. Group medians were compared and multivariate analysis was performed to identify variables independently associated with increased LOS, time to operation (TTO), and charges. Results Median LOS among patients whose ASBO resolved nonoperatively was similar for those on SS and MHS (2.85 days vs 2.98 days; p = 0.49). In patients without nonoperative resolution of ASBO, those admitted to MHS had longer median LOS when compared with those admitted to SS (9.57 days vs 6.99 days; p = 0.002) and higher median charges ($38,800 vs $30,100; p = 0.025). Patients admitted to MHS who had an operation, had a greater median TTO than operative patients on SS (51.72 hours vs 8.4 hours; p Conclusions Adhesive small bowel obstruction patients are treated in a heterogeneous fashion in our hospital, causing disparate outcomes depending on admitting service when patients undergo operation. Admitting all suspected ASBO patients to SS has the potential to dramatically decrease LOS and reduce waste in those requiring operation, thereby reducing health care expenditures.
Spaceflight Operations Services Grid Prototype

NASA over the years has developed many types of technologies and conducted various types of science resulting in numerous variations of operations, data and applications. For example, operations range from deep space projects managed by JPL, Saturn and Shuttle operations managed from JSC and KSC, ISS science operations managed from MSFC and numerous low earth orbit satellites managed from GSFC that are varied and intrinsically different but require many of the same types of services to fulfill their missions. Also, large data sets (databases) of Shuttle flight data, solar system projects and earth observing data exist which because of their varied and sometimes outdated technologies are not and have not been fully examined for additional information and knowledge. Many of the applications/systems supporting operational services e.g. voice, video, telemetry and commanding, are outdated and obsolete. The vast amounts of data are located in various formats, at various locations and range over many years. The ability to conduct unified space operations, access disparate data sets and to develop systems and services that can provide operational services does not currently exist in any useful form. In addition, adding new services to existing operations is generally expensive and with the current budget constraints not feasible on any broad level of implementation. To understand these services a discussion of each one follows. The Spaceflight User-based Services are those services required to conduct space flight operations. Grid Services are those Grid services that will be used to overcome, through middleware software, some or all the problems that currently exists. In addition, Network Services will be discussed briefly. Network Services are crucial to any type of remedy and are evolving adequately to support any technology currently in development.
Hox cluster organization in the jawless vertebrate Petromyzon marinus.

Large-scale gene amplifications may have facilitated the evolution of morphological innovations that accompanied the origin of vertebrates. This hypothesis predicts that the genomes of extant jawless fish, scions of deeply branching vertebrate lineages, should bear a record of these events. Previous work suggests that nonvertebrate chordates have a single Hox cluster, but that gnathostome vertebrates have four or more Hox clusters. Did the duplication events that produced multiple vertebrate Hox clusters occur before or after the divergence of agnathan and gnathostome lineages? Can investigation of lamprey Hox clusters illuminate the origins of the four gnathostome Hox clusters? To approach these questions, we cloned and sequenced 13 Hox cluster genes from cDNA and genomic libraries in the lamprey, Petromyzon marinus. The results suggest that the lamprey has at least four Hox clusters and support the model that gnathostome Hox clusters arose by a two-round-no-cluster-loss mechanism, with tree topology [(AB)(CD)]. A three-round model, however, is not rigorously excluded by the data and, for this model, the tree topologies [(D(C(AB))] and [(C(D(AB))] are most parsimonious. Gene phylogenies suggest that at least one Hox cluster duplication occurred in the lamprey lineage after it diverged from the gnathostome lineage. The results argue against two or more rounds of duplication before the divergence of agnathan and gnathostome vertebrates. If Hox clusters were duplicated in whole-genome duplication events, then these data suggest that, at most, one whole genome duplication occurred before the evolution of vertebrate developmental innovations.
Spectrum of diffractively produced gluons in onium–nucleus collisions

We calculate spectrum of diffractively produced gluons in onium–heavy nucleus collisions at high energies. We show that it exhibits a characteristic dependence on nucleus atomic number A and energy/rapidity. We argue that this dependence offers a unique possibility for determining the low-x structure of nuclear matter. Applications to RHIC, LHC and EIC experimental programs are discussed.
Boiling Heat Transfer With Binary Mixtures: Part II—Flow Boiling in Plain Tubes

Flow boiling heat transfer with pure fluids comprises convective and nucleate boiling components. in flow boiling of binary mixtures, in addition to the suppression effects present in pool boiling, the presence of flow further modifies the nucleate boiling characteristics. In the present work, the flow boiling correlation by Kandlikar (1990, 1991b) for pure fluids is used as the starting point, and the mixture effects derived in Part I ( Kandlikar, 1998) of this paper are incorporated. Three regions are defined on the basis of a volatility parameter, V 1 = (c p /Δh LG )(K/D 12 ) 1/2 /(y 1 - x 1 )dT/ dx 1 |. They are: region I-near azeotropic, region II-moderate diffusion-induced suppression, and region III-severe diffusion-induced suppression. The resulting correlation is able to correlate over 2500 data points within 8.3 to 13.3 percent mean deviation for each data set. Furthermore, the α-x trend is represented well for R-12/R-22, R-22/R-114, R-22/R-152a, R-500, and R-132a/R-123 systems. Electrically heated stainless steel test sections as well as fluid-heated copper test sections are both covered under this correlation.
Charging and the cross-field discharge during electron accelerator operation on a rocket

Preliminary results are presented from experiments to study the neutralization processes around an electron beam emitting rocket. The rocket, SCEX II, was flown on January 31, 1987 from Alaska, with a payload consisting of two independent electron accelerators and two arms with conducting elements to act as Langmuir probes and to measure floating potentials. It was expected that electrons in the strong electric fields around the charged rocket would gain sufficient energy to ionize neutrals, producing ions which would be hurled outward at energies up to the rocket potential. Three hemispherical retarding potential analyzers were ejected from the main payload to measure these ions. The measurements show that fields sufficient to accelerate electrons to ionizing energies were present around the rocket.
Proplatelet formation flex required.

In this issue of Blood , Patel-Hett et al demonstrate the requirement for spectrin in the appropriate development of the invaginated membrane system, formation of proplatelets and platelet biogenesis from murine megakaryocytes. 1
Self-efficacy and intent to use condoms among entering college freshmen

Abstract We examined self-efficacy theory's ability to explain adolescents' intent to use condoms. In this study, 673 males and 404 females (mean age, 17.8 years) about to begin college, completed health surveys measuring self-efficacy regarding condom use. Perceived self-efficacy differed by gender and sexual experience. Regression analysis demonstrated that frequency of past condom use, perceived ability to talk with new partner about condoms and to enjoy sex using condoms explained 16% of sexually active males' intent to use condoms ( p R 2 = 29.8%, p v R 2 = 6.2%, p
Room temperature stable underfill with novel latent catalyst for wafer level flip-chip packaging applications

Imidazolium salts were explored as novel catalysts for underfill application. The catalytic properties of a series of imidazolium salts with different coordinating anions were studied by a dynamic differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). By changing the counter anions in these catalysts, the curing kinetics of the underfill can be adjusted. To understanding the curing mechanism of imidazolium salt, the thermal properties of these compounds were studied in terms of melting and decomposition temperatures. A possible reaction mechanism with these novel catalysts was proposed. One imidazolium salt was chosen as the catalyst for the underfill and shelf-life experiments were conducted at room temperature (R.T.), as well as using common imidazole catalyst in a control sample. During the test, the viscosity of underfill was measured by rheometer and the residue reaction heat of the underfill curing was monitored by a DSC. The B-stage stability of this underfill was also studied. With this novel catalyst, we have developed the RT stable epoxy resin based underfills which also process good thermal stability after B-stage.
Prediction of Consensus Tropical Cyclone Track Forecast Error

Abstract The extent to which the tropical cyclone (TC) track forecast error of a consensus model (CONU) routinely used by the forecasters at the National Hurricane Center can be predicted is determined. A number of predictors of consensus forecast error, which must be quantities that are available prior to the official forecast deadline, were examined for the Atlantic basin in 2001–03. Leading predictors were found to be consensus model spread, defined to be the average distance of the member forecasts from the consensus forecast, and initial and forecast TC intensity. Using stepwise linear regression and the full pool of predictors, regression models were found for each forecast length to predict the CONU TC track forecast error. The percent variance of CONU TC track forecast error that could be explained by these regression models ranged from just over 15% at 48 h to nearly 50% at 120 h. Using the regression models, predicted radii were determined and were used to draw circular areas around the CONU for...
Rethinking sovereignty with reference to history and anthropology

While legal practice and scholarship are driven by the use and understanding of complex legal terminology, there has been little effort to incorporate the humanistic scholarship of anthropologists and historians into theoretical or practical accounts of these words and their usages. This paper attempts to historicise and complicate a term that serves as a bridge or meeting point between the legal and the political; sovereignty has been conceptualised since the sixteenth century as both a framing device that produces unity within the state while establishing mutual equality within the interstate order, and as the capacity to make law without being subject to that law. Recent anthropological literature has challenged the personification implicit in political–theoretical definitions of sovereignty, arguing instead for a theory of sovereignty that can be applied to ‘complicated’, post-colonial contexts, where legal orders are plural or overlapping and the state is weak or non-existent. What such critiques cannot explain, however, is how the concept of the ‘sovereign state’ became so central to political discourse on a global scale. This paper draws upon legal historical case-studies concerned with the production of the colonial or post-colonial state or the deployment of ‘sovereignty’ as a justificatory concept in colonial settings. In doing so, this paper argues for understanding sovereignty both as a practice across time and space that organises legal institutions and as a justificatory strategy in the intellectual and social history of those institutions, an approach that allows scholars to draw upon the insights of political theorists, anthropologists and historians. While primarily intended to instigate a broader interdisciplinary conversation, this paper also suggests a preliminary conclusion: sovereignty has historically been deployed as a means of including that which cannot be considered the same, mediating the colonial tension between ‘otherness’ and legal homogeneity.
First demonstration of symmetric 10-Gb/s access networks architecture based on silicon microring single sideband modulation for efficient upstream signal re-modulation

We demonstrate an optical access network utilizing downstream silicon microring single-sideband modulation and upstream phase-remodulation of a centrally distributed carrier. Rayleigh-backscattering is suppressed by using the destructive port of the delay-interferometer demodulating the upstream signal.
Prevalence of hyperthyroidism according to type of vegetarian diet

There is growing awareness that a plant-based diet decreases morbidity and mortality associated with a range of chronic disease including hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease(1). While diet plays an obvious role in management of autoimmune disease like coeliac disease or type 1 diabetes, fewer studies have documented relationships between diet and autoimmune diseases(2). Isolated rural populations following traditional diets and lifestyles appear to be protected from autoimmune disease. Observations by Trowell five decades ago indicated that in rural sub-Saharan Africans consuming a near-vegan diet a number of autoimmune disorders were rare, or virtually unknown, including rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, thyrotoxicosis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis(2). The effects of plant-based diets may be due to the exclusion of animal foods, the effects of plant foods, or both. Animal foods like meat, eggs and dairy products may contain high oestrogen concentrations, which have been linked to autoimmunity in cell and animal studies(3). Small studies have found that fasting followed by a vegetarian or a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables and oils may ameliorate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis; however, effects are still uncertain due to the small number of studies(4). Hyperthyroidism is a prevalent condition with many causes, of which the most common is Graves’ disease(5). Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by antibodies directed against the thyrotropin receptor, resulting in excess synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone. Dietary causes of hyperthyroidism are rare, although excess dietary iodine has been linked to hyperthyroidism(6,7). Rarely, contaminated meat products have been reported as a cause of thyrotoxicosis(8,9). In the current study we hypothesized that vegetarian diets may protect against hyperthyroidism in a Western population. We compared the prevalence of hyperthyroidism according to dietary pattern in a population exhibiting a wide range of diets. These diets included a vegan diet that excluded all animal products, a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet that excluded meat but allowed milk and eggs, a pesco vegetarian diet that included fish but no meat and a non-vegetarian diet.
Prognostic utility of single-photon emission computed tomography in adult patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background Data derived from stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) carry prognostic significance in young patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), but there are limited data on the utility of stress MPI in patients with HCM who are older. This study examined the prognostic significance of stress MPI in an adult population of patients with HCM. Methods We examined 158 patients with HCM (aged 60 ± 16 years, 61% men) who underwent exercise or pharmacologic stress MPI. Summed stress score (SSS, normal=56) and summed reversibility scores were calculated for each patient. Follow-up was complete in 157 (99%) patients at a median duration of 5.2 years. Results Normal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images were present in 38% of the population. Summed stress score ( P = .01) and summed reversibility score ( P = .03) were both significantly associated with cardiovascular death. Survival at 10 years was significantly better in those with normal versus abnormal SPECT (89% vs 67%, P = .04). Ten-year survival also was better in those without versus those with ischemia (90% vs 64%, P = .02). Five-year survival could be stratified by SSS risk categories: low risk (SSS ≥53), 97%; intermediate risk (SSS = 48-52), 94%; and high risk (SSS ≤47), 79% ( P = .04). Bivariate models of SSS and other significant covariates supported an independent relation of SSS to cardiovascular death. Conclusions In an older population of patients with HCM referred for SPECT imaging, abnormal stress MPI identifies those at increased risk of cardiovascular death.
Impacts of elevated N inputs on north temperate forest soil C storage, C/N, and net N-mineralization

article Nitrogen (N) availability influences carbon (C) storage in forest soils through effects on plant growth, litter production, and soil C decomposition and stabilization. Soil C/N and net N-mineralization are commonly reported empirical measures of soil N availability, and changes in these variables due to N inputs may feed back to soil C storage through a variety of biotic and abiotic pathways. We conducted a meta-analysis of the responses of soil C storage, C/N, and net N-mineralization (Nmin) to N inputs in north temperate forests. The modes of N addition we considered were the establishment of N-fixing vegetation (Nfix), N-fertilization (Nfert), and simulated chronic N deposition (Ndep). Overall, N inputs increased soil C (+7.7%) and Nmin (+62%), while decreasing C/N (−4.9%). Soil C concentrations and C storage (pool sizes) responded similarly to N inputs, although increased soil C storage occurred only in the mineral soil (+12.2%). C/N shifts were restricted to the forest floor (−7.8%), whereas forest floor and mineral soil Nmin responses to N inputs were very similar (+61% and +64%, respectively). Significant between-study variation in the effects of N inputs on soil parameters was related to the mode of N addition, biogeographic factors, and time. Temporal relationships between N inputs and soil response parameters suggested that increases in forest floor and mineral soil Nmin were large but transient, and were followed by decadal-scale changes in forest floor C/N and mineral soil C storage. Temporal patterns present in the dataset could have been due to changes in soil organic matter decomposition and stabilization, or increased plant productivity and litter inputs. In either case, the results of this study quantitatively demonstrate that managing forest N supply affects N availability and soil C storage, and highlight the importance of long-term measurements for accurately assessing the
High-resolution structure of the soluble, respiratory-type Rieske protein from Thermus thermophilus: analysis and comparison.

The structure of the soluble Rieske protein from Thermus thermophilus has been determined at a resolution of 1.3 A at pH 8.5 using multiwavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) techniques. This is the first report of a Rieske protein from a menaquinone-utilizing organism. The structure shows an overall fold similar to previously reported Rieske proteins. A novel feature of this crystal form appears to be a shared hydrogen between the His-134 imidazole ring ligated to Fe2 of the [2Fe−2S] cluster and its symmetry partner, His-134‘, one being formally an imidazolate anion, Fe2-(His-134)Ne-···H-Ne‘(His-134‘)-Fe2‘, in which crystallographic C2 axes pass equidistant between Ne···Ne‘ and normal to the line defined by Ne···Ne‘. This provides evidence for a stable, oxidized cluster with a His- ligand and lends support to a previously proposed mechanism of coupled proton and electron transfer. A detailed comparison of the Thermus Rieske protein with six other Rieske and Rieske-type proteins indicates: (a) The cluster...
Optimal Movement Primitives

The theory of Optimal Unsupervised Motor Learning shows how a network can discover a reduced-order controller for an unknown nonlinear system by representing only the most significant modes. Here, I extend the theory to apply to command sequences, so that the most significant components discovered by the network correspond to motion "primitives". Combinations of these primitives can be used to produce a wide variety of different movements. I demonstrate applications to human handwriting decomposition and synthesis, as well as to the analysis of electrophysiological experiments on movements resulting from stimulation of the frog spinal cord.
Role of abatacept in the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with significant morbidity and economic burden. Traditional pharmacotherapy (eg, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs [DMARDs]) can be inadequate in controlling symptoms and disease progression. Abatacept is the first selective co-stimulation modulator approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the management of RA. It is a fusion protein developed to modulate the T -cell co-stimulatory signal that is mediated through the CD28-CD80/86 pathway. Objective: The objective of this manuscript was to review the clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, tolerability, and clinical efficacy of abatacept. Methods: MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched through June and May, respectively, of 2006 using the term abatacept or CTLA4-Ig . All prospective, randomized, Phase II and III trials, and their extension phases, were included. Results: Phase II and III clinical trials found that abatacept, at a dose of 10 mg/kg administered as a short IV infusion in combination with DMARDs, was associated with significant clinical benefit in patients with active RA. After 6 months of treatment, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for 20% clinical improvement (ACR20 response) was attained in 41.9% to 67.9% of patients who received abatacept compared with 19.5% to 39.7% of patients who received placebo ( P P = 0.03 and P Conclusions: Available evidence suggests that abatacept was effective in controlling symptoms and improving HRQOL in patients with active RA and an inadequate response to DMARD therapy. The most commonly reported adverse effects associated with abatacept treatment were headache, upper respiratory infection, nausea, and nasopharyngitis. Additional trials are needed to determine the long-term safety profile of this agent and whether the clinical benefits of abatacept found in the current clinical trials will be sustained over time.