cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of acquired epileptic aphasia with the ketogenic diet.

Acquired epileptic aphasia remains a poorly understood entity, which is frequently difficult to treat. Previously described treatment modalities have included antiepileptic drugs, corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and multiple subpial transections. We describe three patients with acquired epileptic aphasia refractory to traditional treatments who were successfully treated with the ketogenic diet. All three patients had lasting improvement of their language, behavior, and seizures for 26, 24, and 12 months, respectively. This is the first reported series of patients with acquired epileptic aphasia successfully treated with the ketogenic diet, and suggests a new therapeutic alternative for patients with this often difficult-to-treat disorder. (J Child Neurol 1999;14:696-701).
Assessing the significance of local sequence homologies

Abstract The extent of homology between two sequences is generally expressed quantitatively by using a set of rules to assign to aligned residue pairs, numerical values that depend on some measure of the similarity between the pairs. A homology score for the alignment is obtained by summing the numerical value for each pair, and possibly also adding some appropriate penalty for insertions and deletions in the alignment. Whatever the set of rules used in arriving at the best homology score, the fundamental question that remains is whether the score implies that the sequences are in some way related. In the absence of biological criteria, such a question is generally given a preliminary answer by a Monte Carlo evaluation of the statistical significance of the score. By randomizing the two sequences a large number of times and noting the homology on each throw, the probability of a given score can be obtained for each sequence, and hence the likelihood that the observed homology could have occurred by chance for sequences with the given composition, is easily assessed. In addition to this statistical assessment, however, there is a second statistical question that must also be evaluated—particularly for short homologous stretches (
Morphology-correlated electrical conduction in micro-contact-printed polypyrrole thin films grown by in situ deposition

A study on the characterization of the electrical conduction behaviors of semi-transparent patterned polypyrrole thin films fabricated on glass slides by soft lithography and in situ deposition is described in this paper. The SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) voltage contrast test on these thin films shows that the polypyrrole deposited on the micro-contact-printed glass surfaces terminated with hydrophobic octadecylsiloxane is conductive while that deposited on the non-printed hydrophilic glass surfaces is not conductive. The SEM morphology study shows that the morphology of polypyrrole deposited on the micro-contact-printed glass surface is completely different from that on the non-printed glass surface. Further SEM morphology analysis on the polypyrrole deposited near the edge of the micro-contact-printed area on the glass surface shows that a sharp boundary appears between these two completely different morphologies of deposited polypyrrole, which results in highly conductive polypyrrole with well-defined micro-contact-printed patterns embedded in poorly conductive polypyrrole. These patterned polypyrrole thin films are suitable for use as electrodes in optical devices, such as “light valves” based on polymer dispersed liquid crystal composites or other inexpensive semi-micron electronic circuitry.
Colloidal quantum dots entrained in microstructured optical fibers

We present the initial results of entraining colloidal quantum dots emitting at wavelengths from 0.5um through 1.2um, in various micro-structured optical fibers. Conventional and non-conventional, micro-structured optical fibers fabricated at Virginia Tech’s Fiber & ElectroOptics Research Center (FEORC) have been combined with semiconductor, colloidal quantum dots fabricated by the VT Advanced Biomedical Center (VTabc). The results are presented primarily in the form of visual verification and analysis of entrainment phenomena, for a cross-section of colloidal dot and micro-structured fiber forms. Unique optical, electro-optical and material properties resulting from the combinations are visibly suggested in the results. Core/clad/free space propagation properties and effects of emitted and absorbed light fields are observed to be dependent on the structure, aspect ratio and materials of the fibers as well as the properties of the colloidal quantum dots. Basic spectral data on representative free-space materials will be presented in the current paper. The presentation will explore in passing, the research options available to such quantum dot-fiber combinations, including advanced sensors, sources and filters.
Observations of nascent soot: Molecular deposition and particle morphology

A complete understanding of soot particle formation is critical for accurate combustion models. Limited details are known about the molecules and physical processes involved in the formation of nascent soot. The objective of this study was to discover molecular size distribution and particle morphology from freshly nucleated particles. To accomplish this, particles created in a homogeneous, high temperature (1600–2000 K) and pressure (10 atm) environment were collected at well-resolved times throughout the early stages of soot formation and were imaged with a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Image post processing revealed that the molecules deposited on both nascent and aged soot particles had a constant size distribution, and that the molecules were likely to be polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. Additionally, the images revealed particle morphology. At low temperatures, PAH molecules coagulated to form fairly amorphous particle cores. At high temperatures the particle cores became comprised of agglomerated 2–8 nm diameter particles. Eventually all particle cores became surrounded by layers of molecules while the small particles no longer attached as growth species. The imaged transition from small particle agglomeration at the particle core to surface growth was replicated in a coagulation model. The model quantified the increase in small particle agglomeration that was attributed to an increase in the coagulating molecule’s rate of production.
Epigenetic and genetic alterations in duodenal carcinomas are distinct from biliary and ampullary carcinomas.

Abstract Background & Aims: Carcinomas of the extrahepatic bile ducts, ampulla of Vater, and duodenum are uncommon, and their epigenetic and genetic alterations are not well characterized. Methods: We therefore compared the methylation profile and genetic alterations in 18 extrahepatic biliary, 9 ampullary, and 12 duodenal carcinomas. We evaluated methylation at p16 , p14 , and human Mut L homologue ( hMLH1 ) by methylation- specific PCR (MSP), and at cyclooxygenase 2 ( COX2 ), O 6 -methyl-guanine methyltransferase ( MGMT ), estrogen receptor ( ER ), retinoic acid receptor β2 ( RARβ ), and T-type calcium channel ( CACNA1G ) genes, and methylated in tumor 1 (MINT1), MINT2, MINT25, MINT27, and MINT31 loci by combined bisulfite restriction analysis (COBRA); mutation of K-ras , p53 , p16 , and p14 genes by sequencing; loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 9p; and microsatellite instability (MSI). Results: Duodenal carcinomas were methylated more frequently or had increased methylation densities than biliary carcinomas at p14 ( P = 0.04), hMLH1 ( P = 0.04), MGMT ( P = 0.01), MINT1 ( P = 0.01), MINT25 ( P = 0.01), MINT27 ( P = 0.001), RARβ (P = 0.03), and ER ( P = 0.001), and than ampullary carcinomas at RARβ ( P = 0.02) and ER ( P = 0.03). In contrast, the methylation profiles of biliary and ampullary carcinomas were not statistically different. Simultaneous methylation of 3 or more CpG islands (CpG island methylator phenotype-high) was more common in duodenal cancers ( P = 0.004). MGMT methylation was associated with G-to-A mutation in K-ras ( P = 0.006), and hMLH1 methylation was associated with MSI-high ( P = 0.01). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the methylation profile and genetic alterations of duodenal carcinomas are distinct from biliary and ampullary carcinomas, and that tumor-specific methylation is associated with gene mutation and MSI.
Determination of the dihedral angle errors of a corner cube from its Twyman-Green interferogram

A technique is devised for calculating the magnitudes of the dihedral angle errors of a corner cube from a single Twyman-Green interferogram. Experimental examples are given in which the dihedral angles of two corner cubes are determined to within 2 arc sec by this procedure. These values are also shown to be in good agreement with independent goniometer measurements.
Back-stress distribution along a thin twin layer in TiAl

Abstract Mechanical twinning has been found to be an important deformation mechanism in TiAl. However, the details of mechanical twinning mechanisms, such as how mechanical twins nucleate and propagate in TiAl, are not clear, although some fundamental investigations on twin propagation and twin intersections have been pursued. In order to clarify the mechanical twin nucleation and propagation mechanisms in TiAl and the necessary stress conditions for twin propagation in TiAl, the back-stress distribution along a thin twin layer is investigated. The result shows that the back stress drops very quickly near the twin tip and becomes smaller as the distance from the twin tip increases.
Oxygen intake of obese individuals during work on a bicycle ergometer.

A group of 8 obese women and 4 obese men were examined for oxygen intake when working with submaximal loads on a bicycle ergometer. On 300 kpm/min the average for the obese women was 1.05 1/min, which was significantly higher than for a group of 28 non-obese subjects (0.89 1/min). The obese men had a higher oxygen intake than the control group (1.08 and 0.96 1/min respectively). These findings suggest that increased mechanical efficiency does not play a part in the pathogenesis of human obesity.
A new far infrared detector.

Abstract We have constructed a far infrared bolometer detector by using a single crystal chip of p -type undoped thallium selenide as the temperature sensitive element. The bolometer operates at 1.6°K and achieves a noise equivalent power of 8.3 × 10 −15 W/√Hz with a time constant of 22 msec. The measured responsivity is 6 × 10 5 V/W. The detector should be suitable for infrared and microwave applications.
Measures of tumor proliferative activity.

Tumor proliferative activity, or labeling index, is of interest for gaining insight into the biologic properties of human neoplasm and for providing clinical information that might guide patient management. There has been an abundance of literature reporting experience with standard and newer techniques of measuring tumor proliferative activity. These methods are reviewed with emphasis on technical issues. Particular attention is paid to the development and use of the monoclonal antibodies, Ki-67 and anti-PCNA/cyclin. These antibodies are readily available and relatively simple to use. The former has recently been shown to be of prognostic value in non-Hodgkin's large cell lymphomas. A number of studies suggest that indices using these techniques could be useful for a variety of carcinomas, soft tissue tumors, and tumors of the central nervous system.
Predicting and preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is rightly the most feared complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Ten percent to 15% of cases of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) are severe by clinical and radiologic criteria. Such cases carry significant morbidity and mortality and are responsible for the vast majority of ERCP-related deaths. The prediction and prevention of PEP have been of great interest to endoscopists since the introduction of ERCP 30 years ago. Prediction and diagnosis of PEP have become more accurate with the widespread availability of serum amylase estimation. A variety of cytokines (eg, interleukin [IL]-1, IL-6, and IL-8) and acute phase reactants (eg, C-reactive protein) are also elevated in the serum in acute pancreatitis, and these form the basis of evolving tests for PEP. Urine testing (for amylase) in acute pancreatitis is obsolete, but it may soon undergo a revival in the form of a rapid (3-minute) dipstick test for trypsinogen-2, a sensitive and specific test for this disease. The prevention of PEP takes multiple forms. The following steps are recommended for clinicians: 1) avoid ERCP when other, less invasive or noninvasive imaging tests can do the job (eg, CT or magnetic resonance imaging); 2) avoid highrisk (of PEP) procedures, such as needle-knife papillotomy, balloon dilation of the biliary sphincter, and pancreatic sphincterotomy, and take steps to reduce risk when these procedures are unavoidable; 3) ensure that those who perform ERCP have adequate training and experience; and 4) consider pharmacologic intervention. Despite a depressing catalog of drug interventions that have failed over the years (eg, antihistamines, anticholinergics, and corticosteroids), three agents have recently shown promise: somatostatin; its octapeptide analogue, octreotide; and gabexate mesylate, a protease inhibitor.
Collective excitations of a quasi-one-dimensional electron gas: nonlocal response theory

Abstract Self-consistent calculations of the subband electronic structure of semiconductor quantum wires are reported. The sample parameters were chosen to match the GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure recently fabricated by molecular-beam epitaxy and ion milling by Weiner et al. The Schrodinger and Poisson equations were solved simultaneously in a rectangular waveguide geometry, using Fermi statistics for electrons at finite temperature. Calculated energy levels, wave functions, charge density, and potential differ from the predictions of the simple square well and harmonic oscillator models because of the influence of accumulation and depletion regions. The subband energies depend on the free-carrier density and the temperature as well as the band bending. Based on the self-consistently determined subband structure, the dynamical structure factor was evaluated using a nonlocal description of dielectric response in the random-phase approximation at finite temperature. We obtain intersubband as well as intrasubband plasmons and discuss their dispersion relations, localization, and line shapes. The dynamical structure factor of our model quasi-one-dimensional electron gas displays unique line shapes and dispersion relations which are in sharp contrast with the results expected for higher-dimensional electron gases. Two well-defined spectral features, which are almost free of Landau damping, are found, The calculated shift of the intersubband resonance frequency, caused by the depolarization effect, agrees well with previous experiments.
Noninvasive quantification of valvular regurgitation. Getting to the core of the matter.

Initial attempts to quantify the severity of valvular regurgitation have been focused on imaging the regurgitant jet in the downstream chamber. Such methods, although intuitively appealing, are not based on solid physical principles and have not been proven to be accurate. Angiography, which for years was considered the gold standard, is invasive, only semiquantitative, and subject to a number of technical limitations.1 Likewise, subjective visual assessment of the downstream jet with the use of Doppler color flow mapping is semiquantitative at best and is affected by several hemodynamic and technical variables.2 3 4 5 Accordingly, a great deal of effort has centered on finding an accurate quantitative method of evaluating valvular regurgitation. Many of these efforts have been founded on sound physical principles but have been difficult to implement due to inherent weaknesses in the imaging methodology. The oldest principle used to quantify valvular regurgitation is the continuity equation, which is based on the principle of conservation of mass. According to the continuity equation, forward flow across each of the heart valves should be equal in the absence of an intracardiac shunt or valvular regurgitation. In the catheterization laboratory, left-sided valvular regurgitation is calculated as the difference between left ventriculographic stroke volume and forward stroke volume according to either the Fick or the thermodilution method.1 Unfortunately, angiographic stroke volumes may be affected by arrhythmias or failure to fully opacify the entire left ventricle due to improper catheter position or an insufficient amount of contrast agent. Furthermore, Fick outputs are less accurate at high cardiac outputs where the measured arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference is small. Conversely, thermodilution outputs are less accurate at low cardiac outputs or in the presence of tricuspid regurgitation. The net result of these technical problems is that a calculated regurgitant fraction as high as …
TGF-β, IL-6, IL-17 and CTGF direct multiple pathologies of chronic cardiac allograft rejection

Cardiac transplantation is an effective treatment for heart failure refractive to therapy. Although immunosuppressive therapeutics have increased first year survival rates, chronic rejection remains a significant barrier to long-term graft survival. Chronic rejection manifests as patchy interstitial fibrosis, vascular occlusion and progressive loss of graft function. Recent evidence from experimental and patient studies suggests that the development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy is another hallmark of chronic cardiac allograft rejection. This pathologic hypertrophy is tightly linked to the immune cytokine IL-6, which promotes facets of chronic rejection in concert with TGF-β and IL-17. These factors potentiate downstream mediators, such as CTGF, which promote the fibrosis associated with the disease. In this article, we summarize contemporary findings that have revealed several elements involved in the induction and progression of chronic rejection of cardiac allografts. Further efforts to elucidate the in...
Monocistronic messenger RNA in yeast.

Abstract We have determined the rate of polypeptide chain synthesis on different size polysomes in yeast. The completion time for the average polypeptide chain in vivo at 23 °C is two minutes by this technique and is in good agreement with values we have determined by other independent methods. These kinetic experiments indicate that the average size of a nascent polypeptide chain on a polysome is directly related to the size of the polysome. This demonstrates that in the simple eucaryotic organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , mRNA is monocistronic in the sense that each mRNA molecule codes for one protein molecule which is released intact from the ribosome upon completion. The pattern of amino acid incorporation into Escherichia coli polysomes is distinctly different. These findings have a number of interesting implications for the genetics of the lower eucaryotes and indicate that the cellular mechanisms of control and co-ordination in yeast may differ from those found in procaryotes and may be similar to cellular mechanisms of control for mammalian cells.
Calderón y las aguas revueltas de Guárdate del agua mansa

Guardate del agua mansa es una de las piezas calderonianas de mayor actualidad. La comedia desarrolla el tema de las apariencias tratado desde una optica bastante original, en donde el «agua mansa» alude a todas aquellas jovenes que parecen no tener capacidad de accion, pero que al final son con quienes hay que estar mas precavido. Sin embargo, la pieza tambien nos habla de un fascinante Madrid que seduce a la juventud ya desde el mismo inicio de la pieza, un Madrid visual que entra por los ojos y que conquista al instante.…
Microbial Community Changes During the Composting of Municipal Solid Waste

Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis has been used to characterize microorganisms from a range of different environments, but has not been previously used in the assessment of compost organisms. Compost processing and maturity are assumed to be related to the microorganisms present, but methods to elucidate and evaluate these relationships are lacking. In this study, PLFA analysis was used to follow microbial community changes during the composting of municipal solid waste (MSW). Patterns of change were compared between pilot- and full-scale facilities and between varied feedstocks. At the pilot level, actual MSW and two synthetic MSW formulations (similar C:N, different available C) were composted. At the full-scale facilities, actual MSW was composted as was actual MSW amended with nitrogen. The PLFA data generated by all studies was analyzed using principal component and multivariate statistical methods. The PLFA profiles changed over the composting process in a consistent and predictable manner. PLFA profiles also proved to be characteristic of specific stages of composting and may, therefore, be useful in evaluating (and optimizing) the progress of material processing and product maturity.
Ubiquitin is associated with abnormal cytoplasmic filaments characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract Several degenerative diseases of the nervous system are characterized by the presence of neuronal inclusions. Most of these inclusions are made of abnormal filaments and share epitopes with cytoskeletal proteins. One of these inclusions, the neurofibrillary tangle of Alzheimer disease, has recently been shown to contain ubiquitin, a regulatory protein thought to play a role in the degradation of abnormal proteins. We carried out light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry with several polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to investigate the presence of ubiquitin in neuronal inclusions of neurodegenerative diseases. Ubiquitin was present not only in paired helical filaments that form the neurofibrillary tangle of Alzheimer disease, but also in the filamentous components of the inclusion characteristic of Parkinson disease, Pick disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy. In contrast, ubiquitin was not detected in other neuronal inclusions often found in aging and in Alzheimer disease, such as Hirano bodies and granulovacuolar degeneration. Reactivity with monoclonal antibodies suggests differences in the ubiquitin-acceptor proteins present in the inclusions studied. It is concluded that ubiquitin is selectively present in neuronal inclusions of degenerative diseases.
Fear of crime on campus: Gender differences in use of self-protective behaviours at an urban university

Research establishes that female college students are more fearful of crime on campus and are more likely to believe they will be victimized than male students. However, little is known about how students’ fear of crime and their perceptions of risk influence their use of self-protective behaviours. Undergraduates at an urban university were surveyed about fear and perceived likelihood of being the victim of various crimes and their use of self-protective behaviours. This study examines students’ use of self-protective behaviours and compares sex differences in fear, perceived likelihood of different types of crime and score on a self-protective behaviours index. Results suggest that women engage in self-protective behaviours more than men, and do so based upon their fear of crime and perceived likelihood of victimization; in addition, women are more likely to engage in self-protective behaviours than men even after fear and perceived risk are held constant.
Acoustic emission from crumpling paper

From magnetic systems to the crust of the earth, many physical systems that exhibit a multiplicity of metastable states emit pulses with a broad power law distribution in energy. Digital audio recordings reveal that paper being crumpled, which can be easily held in hand, is such a system. Crumpling paper both using the traditional hand method and a cylindrical geometry uncovered a power law distribution of pulse energies spanning over two decades: p(E)=${\mathit{E}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$, \ensuremath{\alpha}=1.3-1.6, with clearly nonexponential distribution over three decades. Crumpling initially flat sheets into a compact ball (strong crumpling), we found little or no evidence that the energy distribution varied systematically over time or the size of the sheet. When we applied repetitive small deformations (weak crumpling) to sheets which had been previously folded along a regular grid, we found no systematic dependence on the grid spacing. Our results suggest that the pulse energy depends only weakly on the size of paper regions responsible for sound production. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Immunomodulatory factors in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis and controls.

Abstract The immunomodulatory effects of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurologic diseases (OND) were determined by measuring their abilities to suppress alloantigen-specific and nonspecific (IL-2 mediated) proliferative responses. An alloantigen primed, IL-2-dependent line of human T-cells (PLT) was used as indicator. CSF from both patient groups significantly suppressed alloantigen-specific and nonspecific PLT proliferative response. However, patterns of suppression differed between the two groups. While alloantigen-specific proliferative responses were suppressed similarly by MS and controls, CSF from MS patients had significantly less suppressing effect on nonspecific lymphocyte proliferation than did control CSF. The degree of suppression of alloantigen-stimulated proliferation by MS CSF correlated with the concentrations of γ-globulin and myelin basic protein as well as with the Ig index. Suppression of alloantigen-stimulated proliferation by control CSF correlated only with the concentration of α 1 -globulin. Sera from 3 MS patients and 7 OND patients were also tested in our system. Only MS sera significantly suppressed the alloantigen stimulated proliferative responses of the PLT. Neither serum group affected nonspecific (IL-2 mediated) proliferation. Our data suggest that there are immunomodulatory factors present in both MS and control CSF, but MS CSF may be relatively lacking in a factor controlling nonspecific lymphocyte proliferation. Deficiency of this factor(s) may contribute to the increased numbers of activated lymphocytes in MS CSF.
Spectrum of a passive scalar in the inertial-convective subrange of an anisotropic turbulent flow.

The spectral density of temperature fluctuations in an anisotropic heated turbulent channel flow is studied experimentally using a new optical technique. The spectrum in the direction transverse to the flow shows an equilibrium subrange behavior characteristic of isotropic flows with a wavenumber dependence of {Phi}{sub {theta}}({kappa}{sub {ital y}}){similar to}{kappa}{sub {ital y}}{sup {minus}11/3}, whereas in the flow direction, {Phi}{sub {theta}}({kappa}{sub {ital x}}){similar to}{kappa}{sub {ital x}}{sup {minus}9/3}. This difference is shown to result from the dominance of the mean strain rate over the turbulent strain rate field at low wave numbers, and the observed slopes are explained on dimensional grounds.
A series array of DC SQUIDs

A series array of 100 DC SQUIDs has been fabricated using trilayer Nb-AlO/sub x/-Nb junctions. The SQUIDs are modulated with a common flux bias line and produce an output voltage swing of several millivolts across the array. The large output voltage will allow direct connection to room temperature electronics without the transformer coupling and resulting frequency limitations commonly associated with DC SQUID amplifiers. A bandwidth of DC to at least 175 MHz for a 100-SQUID array has been measured. The series array will be used as the output stage for a multistage integrated SQUID amplifier.
Airborne gamma-ray and magnetic anomaly signatures of serpentinite in relation to soil geochemistry, northern California

Serpentinized ultramafic rocks and associated soils in northern California are characterized by high concentrations of Cr and Ni, low levels of radioelements (K, Th, and U) and high amounts of ferrimagnetic minerals (primarily magnetite). Geophysical attributes over ultramafic rocks, which include airborne gamma-ray and magnetic anomaly data, are quantified and provide indirect measurements on the relative abundance of radioelements and magnetic minerals, respectively. Attributes are defined through a statistical modeling approach and the results are portrayed as probabilities in chart and map form. Two predictive models are presented, including one derived from the aeromagnetic anomaly data and one from a combination of the airborne K, Th and U gamma-ray data. Both models distinguish preferential values within the aerogeophysical data that coincide with mapped and potentially unmapped ultramafic rocks. The magnetic predictive model shows positive probabilities associated with magnetic anomaly highs and, to a lesser degree, anomaly lows, which accurately locate many known ultramafic outcrops, but more interestingly, locate potentially unmapped ultramafic rocks, possible extensions of ultramafic bodies that dip into the shallow subsurface, as well as prospective buried ultramafic rocks. The airborne radiometric model shows positive probabilities in association with anomalously low gamma radiation measurements over ultramafic rock, which is similar to that produced by gabbro, metavolcanic rock, and water bodies. All of these features share the characteristic of being depleted in K, Th and U. Gabbro is the only rock type in the study area that shares similar magnetic properties with the ultramafic rock. The aerogeophysical model results are compared to the distribution of ultramafic outcrops and to Cr, Ni, K, Th and U concentrations and magnetic susceptibility measurements from soil samples. Analysis of the soil data indicates high positive correlation between magnetic susceptibilities and concentration of Cr and Ni. Although the study focused on characterizing the geophysical properties of ultramafic rocks and associated soils, it has also yielded information on other rock types in addition to ultramafic rocks, which can also locally host naturally-occurring asbestos; specifically, gabbro and metavolcanic rocks.
A broad BACEIS for improving thinking

This article describes a theory of factors which affect intellectual performance. Many current programs and approaches to improving thinking skills tend to be overly narrow, often ignoring the affective domain and features of the environmental context. The BACEIS model is a comprehensive theory of internal and external factors affecting the development, retention and transfer of thinking and learning skills. The internal supersystem consists of cognitive and affective subsystems which interact with each other and with the external supersystem and its components. The external supersystem encompasses academic and non-academic subsystems. Three uses of the theory are discussed: for instructional design, to guide research, and to critique existing approaches.
Path dependence of the potential for compaction banding: Theoretical predictions based on a plasticity model for porous rocks

The paper presents a theoretical investigation of compaction banding based on a plasticity model for high-porosity rocks. The selected model is featured by a nonassociated flow rule and two internal variables simulating the competition between softening and hardening in the brittle-ductile transition. The parameters have been calibrated for two extensively studied rocks that exhibited localized compaction under laboratory conditions. In particular, the constants that control the compaction banding domain are defined by matching the stresses at which localized compaction was found in the experiments. The resulting parameters are used to simulate the stress-strain response for two loading modes (i.e., triaxial compression and radially constrained deformation), thus exploring the role of stress paths and kinematic constraints on the evolution of the compaction banding potential. The analyses suggest that the loading paths able to mobilize the plastic resources of the rock alter the potential for compaction banding through irreversible effects. A notable example is oedometric compression, for which the potential to generate localized compaction tends to vanish during the initial stages of inelastic loading. These predictions suggest that constraints to the mode of deformation can hinder the occurrence of compaction bands in the field. Moreover, they suggest that the interplay between kinematic constraints and evolution of the compaction banding potential can be used for experimental characterization purposes. As a consequence, these results emphasize the importance of complementing stress-controlled experiments with other tests able to explore different stress paths, thus providing additional data for an accurate characterization of rheological properties and strain-localization characteristics.
Reproducing and debugging field failures in house

As confirmed by a recent survey among developers of the Apache, Eclipse, and Mozilla projects, failures of the software that occur in the field, after deployment, are difficult to reproduce and investigate in house. To address this problem, we propose an approach for in-house reproducing and debugging failures observed in the field. This approach can synthesize several executions similar to an observed field execution to help reproduce the observed field behaviors, and use these executions, in conjunction with several debugging techniques, to identify causes of the field failure. Our initial results are promising and provide evidence that our approach is able to reproduce failures using limited field execution information and help debugging.
159 Thrombin Stimulates Interleukin‐8 Production in Human Macrophages Through a JNK and NFκB Pathway

Wound healing is a complex biological event orchestrated by various resident and infiltrating cell types spanning multiple stages. Thrombin, a multifunctional serine protease released upon wounding, stimulates fibroblasts and macrophages at the sites of wounds to express, chemokines, such as interleukin-8 (IL-8). We have used cellular and molecular approaches to investigate the mechanisms involved in thrombin induces IL-8 expression in human macrophages. Western blot analysis and RT-PCR show that thrombin stimulates IL-8 in a rapid and dose-dependent manner. Various inhibitors for signal transduction proteins were used to delineate the pathways involved. We found that, at nanomolar concentrations, inhibitors for both c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) and NFE»B strongly inhibited the thrombin-induced production of IL-8 suggesting that they are major regulators of this stimulation. JNK was shown to be phorsphorylated in a time-dependent manner in response to thrombin treatment confirming its involvement. In order to identify the mediator of JNK and the thrombin receptor, we use affinity pull down and found that Rho GTPase was activated by thrombin suggesting that Rho may be the mediator of JNK activation. In addition, we found that PKC is a negative regulator of thrombin-induced IL-8 expression. Our study broadens the horizon of how IL-8 is regulated in wound healing and may help develop pharmaceutical methods to manipulate this process in pathological conditions.
Length-Matching Routing for High-Speed Printed Circuit Boards

As the clock frequencies used in industrial applications increase, the timing requirements imposed on routing problems become tighter. So, it becomes important to route the nets within tight minimum and maximum length bounds. Although the problem of routing nets to satisfy maximum length constraints is a well-studied problem, there exists no sophisticated algorithm in the literature that ensures that minimum length constraints are also satisfied. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm that effectively incorporates the min-max length constraints into the routing problem. Our approach is to use a Lagrangian relaxation framework to allocate extra routing resources around nets simultaneously during routing them. We also propose a graph model that ensures that all the allocated routing resources can be used effectively for extending lengths. Our routing algorithm automatically prioritizes resource allocation for shorter nets, and length minimization for longer nets so that all nets can satisfy their min-max length constraints. Our experiments demonstrate that this algorithm is effective even in the cases where length constraints are tight, and the layout is dense.
The ferric uptake regulator of Helicobacter pylori: a critical player in the battle for iron and colonization of the stomach

Helicobacter pylori is arguably one of the most successful pathogens; it colonizes the stomachs of more than half of the human population. Colonization and persistence in such an inhospitable niche requires the presence of exquisite adaptive mechanisms. One of the proteins that contributes significantly to the remarkable adaptability of H. pylori is the ferric uptake regulator (Fur), which functions as a master regulator of gene expression. In addition to genes directly related to iron homeostasis, Fur controls expression of several enzymes that play a central role in metabolism and energy production. The absence of Fur leads to severe H. pylori colonization defects and, accordingly, several Fur-regulated genes have been shown to be essential for colonization. Moreover, proteins encoded by Fur-regulated genes have a strong impact on redox homeostasis in the stomach and are major determinants of inflammation. In this review, we discuss the main roles of Fur in the biology of H. pylori and highlight the importance of this regulatory protein in the infectious process.
Electrochemistry and electrogenerated chemiluminescence of π-stacked poly(fluorenemethylene) oligomers. multiple, interacting electron transfers

The electrochemistry, spectroscopy, and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of a series of π-stacked poly(fluorenemethylene) oligomers (Fn, n = 1–6) were investigated. The pendant cofacially oriented fluorene moieties are essentially in contact with each other by Van der Waals interaction promoting electronic delocalization in these species. All six compounds give successive cyclic voltammetric one-electron (1e) oxidations in 1:1 acetonitrile/benzene (MeCN/Bz), and the multiple 1e transfer properties of all these compounds were confirmed by chronoamperometric experiments with an ultramicroelectrode and digital simulations. The potentials for oxidation of the successive 1e transfers can be explained in terms of electrostatic interactions among the fluorenes. The monomer (F1) shows one irreversible wave, while F2 shows two reversible 1e waves. F3 shows only two reversible 1e oxidation waves, which is consistent with the large energy to remove a third electron because of the greater electrostatic repuls...
Optimization and control of cooling microgrids for data centers

Reliable operation of today's data centers requires a tremendous amount of electricity to power both the IT equipment and the supporting cooling facilities. As much as half of total data center electricity consumption can be attributed to the cooling systems required to maintain the thermal status of IT equipment. In order to lower the electricity usage of the cooling system and hence reduce the data center environmental footprint, alternative cooling resources, such as water and air-side economizers, are being exploited to supplement or replace the traditional chilled water based cooling schemes. The various cooling resource options, together with the mechanisms to distribute and deliver the cooling resource to IT equipment racks, constitute a cooling microgrid. In this paper, we present a holistic perspective for the optimization and control of the data center cooling microgrid. The holistic approach optimizes the sourcing and distribution of cooling resources from the site portfolio in response to real-time weather changes and site demand. The cooling microgrid optimization and control framework has been implemented in a research data center; we estimate that the framework cuts the yearly cooling costs by 30%.
Studies on sporozoite-induced and chronic infections with Plasmodium fragile in Macaca mulatta and New World monkeys.

Plasmodium fragile continues to be investigated because of its biologic similarities to the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Two strains of P. fragile are available for study; one strain is able to infect mosquitoes, whereas the other strain is transmissible only by blood inoculation. The Sri Lanka strain of P. fragile was transmitted to Macaca mulatta, Macaca fascicularis, Aotus lemurinus griseimembra, Aotus nancymaae, Aotus vociferans, and Saimiri boliviensis monkeys via sporozoites that developed to maturity only in Anopheles dirus mosquitoes. The prepatent periods ranged from 12 to 35 days for macaques and from 15 to 30 days for New World monkeys after intravenous injection of sporozoites. Eight rhesus monkeys were infected with the Nilgiri strain and followed for 482 days. Parasitemia in 6 animals persisted at relatively high density through the period of observation. Erythrocyte, hematocrit, and hemoglobin values reached their lowest levels 3 wk after infection and slowly recovered; ho...
Control of seafloor roughness on earthquake rupture behavior

Earthquake rupture complexity is described for three recent large underthrusting earthquakes along the Costa Rican subduction zone, the 1983 Osa, 1990 Nicoya Gulf, and 1999 Quepos events. These earthquakes occurred in regions characterized by distinctly different morphologic features on the subducting plate. The 1990 and 1999 events occurred along linear projections of subducting seamount chains and had fairly simple earthquake rupture histories. Both events are interpreted as failure of the basal contact of closely spaced isolated seamounts acting as asperities. In contrast, the 1983 event occurred along the subducting Cocos Ridge and had a complex rupture history. Comparison of rupture characteristics of these large underthrusting earthquakes with size and location of subducting features provides evidence that seamounts can be subducted to seismogenic depths and that variations in seafloor bathymetry of the subducting plate strongly influence the earthquake rupture process.
Optimum bit allocation and accurate rate control for video coding via /spl rho/-domain source modeling

We present a new framework for rate-distortion (R-D) analysis, where the coding rate R and distortion D are considered as functions of /spl rho/ which is the percentage of zeros among the quantized transform coefficients. Previously (see He, Z. et al., Int. Conf. Acoustics, Speech and Sig. Proc., 2001), we observed that, in transform coding of images and videos, the rate function R(/spl rho/) is approximately linear. Based on this linear rate model, a simple and unified rate control algorithm was proposed for all standard video coding systems, such as MPEG-2, H.263, and MPEG-4. We further develop a distortion model and an optimum bit allocation scheme in the /spl rho/ domain. This bit allocation scheme is applied to MPEG-4 video coding to allocate the available bits among different video objects. The bits target of each object is then achieved by our /spl rho/-domain rate control algorithm. When coupled with a macroblock classification scheme, the above bit allocation and rate control scheme can also be applied to other video coding systems, such as H.263, at the macroblock level. Our extensive experimental results show that the proposed algorithm controls the encoder bit rate very accurately and improves the video quality significantly (by up to 1.5 dB).
Men, Women, and Postrelease Offending An Examination of the Nature of the Link Between Relational Ties and Recidivism

Numerous studies have examined the postrelease behaviors of men and women, highlighting the importance of social bonds in understanding positive reentry. However, there is evidence that the effect of social bonds on recidivism may vary by gender. Furthermore, research suggests that an individual’s propensity for criminality, including prior criminal history, may hinder the development and maintenance of positive social bonds and subsequently affect reentry transitions. The current study extends previous research in two ways. First, the authors examine gender differences in the sources of recidivism and focus on the role of social ties and criminal history in shaping recidivism risk. Next, the authors consider if the influence of parolees’ ties to their parents and intimate partners is conditioned by their criminal history. The results reinforce the importance of social ties, particularly to parents, for parolees; however, the results also suggest that male relationships with parents and intimate partners ...
The less developed countries and stable exchange rates

It is now the conventional wisdom that the currencies of the developed countries should float, but the currencies of the less developed countries (LDCs) should not; that is to say that each LDC should choose a more developed country (MDC) as a partner, or the Special Drawing Rights (SDR), and tie itself in a fixed relationship. It is quite an advance in our thinking to recognise that in the international monetary sphere the LDCs may require different treatment from the MDCs. Members of the Group of Ten used to assume, rather in the spirit of General Motors, that whatever solution was best for them would also be best for all, and were surprised when the LDCs insisted on having the wider Group of Twenty. The purpose of this paper is to explore aspects of the special problems of LDCs. One has to begin by confirming the General Motors proposition, up to a point. LDCs require two things of MDC currencies, and neither of these is a fixity in relationship to the other. The first requirement is that they be freely convertible into each other, so that what LDCs earn in one market they can spend in another. The second requirement is a regime within which MDCs feel comfortable, in the sense that they have no urge to restrict their imports from the rest of the world. In this limited sense, any regime that is good for the MDCs is also good for the LDCs. Any individual LDC that wishes can tie itself to the SDR and can hold its reserves in an appropriate basket of currencies. It will suffer inconveniences from other countries' fluctuations, but these are a minor nuisance compared with a possible breakdown of world trade occasioned by MDC currencies operating within an inappropriate regime. However, my main concern is with what LDCs should do, and not with what MDCs should do. It is quite clear why the experts advise the LDCs that they should be stable even though the others float. Note four powerful reasons. In the first place there are forward markets for MDC currencies but not for LDC currencies. This is a particular nuisance for LDCs trading with each other
The system polyamide/sulfamate/dipentaerythritol: flame retardancy and chemical reactions†

The use of sulfur compounds and particularly sulfamates for flame-retarding cellulose and other polymers is reviewed. Recent results on flame-retarding polyamides in this laboratory are presented. The system developed requires the use of 1.5–2.5 wt% of ammonium sulfamate (AS) or diammonium imidobisulfonate (DIBS) together with 0.4–0.85 wt% of pentaerythritol (petol) or dipentaerythritol (dipenta) to obtain fully flame-retardant polyamide 6 and 66. The properties of the flame-retarded products, obtained both by Brabender mixing and by twin-screw extrusion are: UL-94 rating of V-0 on bars of 1/16″ and 1/32″; no flaming drips; very low burn time; tensile strength of 11 KPSI; 10–20% elongation and CTI values of ca. 600 V. Thermoanalytical and FTIR data are presented that indicate the thermal stability of the system and the chemical reactions occurring. Mechanisms are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.