cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of the SNS magnetism reflectometer neutron-guide optics using Monte Carlo simulations

The magnetism reflectometer at the spallation neutron source SNS will employ advanced neutron optics to achieve high data rate, improved resolution, and extended dynamic range. Optical components utilized will include a multi-channel polygonal curved bender and a tapered neutron-focusing guide section. The results of a neutron beam interacting with these devices are rather complex. Additional complexity arises due to the spectral/time-emission profile of the moderator and non-perfect neutron optical coatings. While analytic formulae for the individual components provide some design guidelines, a realistic performance assessment of the whole instrument can only be achieved by advanced simulation methods. In this contribution, we present guide optics optimizations for the magnetism reflectometer using Monte Carlo simulations. We compare different instrument configurations and calculate the resulting data rates.
APPLICATION OF SENSORY TEXTURE PROFILING TO BAKED PRODUCTS: SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR EVALUATION, DEFINITION OF PARAMETERS AND REFERENCE PRODUCTS

Parameter definitions and reference scales of the sensory texture profiling method were examined in relation to the textural descriptions of baked products. The following textural terms were found to be pertinent to baked goods, especially to layer cakes: firmness, springiness, adhesiveness (to lip, palate, teeth), crumbliness/self-adhesiveness, moistness, cohesiveness/deformation, moisture sorption and cohesiveness of mass. Applicable definitions were selected, and reference products representing low and high levels of these characteristics were identified. Preliminary information was obtained suggesting that the panelists' salivary flow rate and the timing of the evaluation in relation to the residence time in the mouth could be critical factors for achieving consistent responses.
Recent insights into the structure and function of the ribonucleoprotein enzyme ribonuclease P.

In bacteria, the tRNA-processing endonuclease ribonuclease P is composed of a large (∼400 nucleotide) catalytic RNA and a smaller (∼100 amino acid) protein subunit that is essential for substrate recognition. Current biochemical and biophysical investigations are providing fresh insights into the modular architecture of the ribozyme, the mechanisms of substrate specificity and the role of essential metal ions in catalysis. Together with recent high-resolution structures of portions of the ribozyme, these findings are beginning to reveal how the functions of RNA and protein are coordinated in this ribonucleoprotein enzyme.
Profiling interface traps in MOS transistors by the DC current-voltage method

Position profiling the interface trap density along the channel length of metal-oxide-silicon transistors by the Direct-Current Current-Voltage method is illustrated for five density variations: zero, peaked in drain junction space-charge layer, constant in channel, nonconstant in channel, and peaked in drain junction space-charge layer and nonconstant in channel. The interface trap densities were monitored by MOS transistor's d.c. body current and the density profiles were obtained from the body-drain and body-source differential conductance versus drain or source bias voltage. An experimental demonstration is given for a 1.6 /spl mu/m n-channel Si MOS transistor with about 10/sup 11/ traps/cm/sup 2/ generated by channel hot electron stress.
Brain tissue oxygenation, lactate-pyruvate ratio, and cerebrovascular pressure reactivity monitoring in severe traumatic brain injury: systematic review and viewpoint.

Prevention and detection of secondary brain insults via multimodality neuromonitoring is a major goal in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Explore the underlying pathophysiology and clinical outcome correlates as it pertains to combined monitoring of ≥2 from the following variables: partial brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2), pressure reactivity index (PRx), and lactate pyruvate ratio (LPR). Data sources included Medline, EMBASE, and evidence-based databases (Cochrane DSR, ACP Journal Club, DARE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register). The PRISMA recommendations were followed. Two authors independently selected articles meeting inclusion criteria. Studies enrolled adults who required critical care and monitoring in the setting of TBI. Included studies reported on correlations between the monitored variables and/or reported on correlations of the variables with clinical outcomes. Thirty-four reports were included (32 observational studies and 2 randomized controlled trials) with a mean sample size of 34 patients (range 6–223), and a total of 1,161 patient-observations. Overall methodological quality was moderate. Due to inter-study heterogeneity in outcomes of interest, study design, and in both number and type of covariates included in multivariable analyses, quantitative synthesis of study results was not undertaken. Several literature limitations were identified including small number of subjects, lack of clinical outcome correlations, inconsistent probe location, and overall moderate quality among the included studies. These limitations preclude any firm conclusions; nevertheless we suggest that the status of cerebrovascular reactivity is not only important for cerebral perfusion pressure optimization but should also inform interpretation and interventions targeted on PbtO2 and LPR. Assessment of reactivity can be the first step in approaching the relations among cerebral blood flow, oxygen delivery, demand, and cellular metabolism.
The Parathyroid Polyhormones: New Concepts in the Spectrum of Peptide Hormone Action*

I. Introduction WE WILL review a series of studies in the field of calcium metabolism which, over the last 3 yr, have added a new complexity to our concepts about peptide hormone action. The traditional view of peptide hormone action holds that a peptide hormone bears a region that is configured to possess high affinity for a receptor on the membrane of the target cell. Interaction with that receptor alters other membrane components to initiate a cascade of intracellular events, mediated by changes in intracellular AMP, calcium, phosphatidyl inositol metabolites, or other second messengers. An increased ambient concentration of the hormone will cause an increased occupancy of receptors and greater action on the target cell. The organ specificity of the hormone is determined by the spectrum of cell types that bear the appropriate receptor. Additional orders of complexity were added by the findings that receptor number can vary (exposure to the hormone, for example, can decrease the number of receptors), th...
Trouble Keeping Promises? An Analysis of Underfunding in State Retiree Benefits

This article examines the funding of two key components of state government total compensation: pensions and other postemployment benefits (OPEB), the latter consisting primarily of retiree health care. A brief overview of the economic, political, and legal environments of state pensions and OPEB is followed by an analysis of the unfunded liabilities for these respective benefits. Regression results suggest the importance of state management capacity, per capita income, and public employee density in understanding differences in the states' pension and OPEB funding performance. Additionally, employers' level of pension contributions, legislative professionalism, and fiscal constraint are significantly related to pension funding, while political ideology and levels of state pension funding are significantly related to OPEB funding. The article concludes by discussing the tensions that states face in attempting to balance the fiscal imperative of funding retiree benefits liabilities with the human capital challenge of attracting and retaining a professional workforce. Failure on either could be costly to state government.
On the Cauchy Problem of Some Dissipative Flows

The Cauchy problem is studied for a system of nonlinear partial differential equations for some dissipative flows in Lagrangian formulation including heat conduction, damping relaxation, and coupling to electric field. The well-posedness of smooth solutions is investigated. It is proved that, for certain large initial data, the solution will develop singularities and shock waves in finite time, which indicates that the Cauchy problem does not have global smooth solutions even if the initial data are smooth, and one has to seek weak solutions.
Photoperiodic modulation of sexual and aggressive behavior in female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus): Role of the pineal gland

Pinealectomized female hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) housed in a short-day photoperiod were ovariectomized and tested for hormone-induced sexual receptivity in order to investigate the role of the pineal gland in the control of behavioral sensitivity to exogenous ovarian steroid hormones (Experiment 1). Behavioral sensitivity to hormones was further investigated in females maintained in a long-day photoperiod and rendered acyclic by daily administration of exogenous melatonin (Experiment 2). Female aggressive behavior was also monitored in all tests. Pinealectomy did not affect the reduced behavioral sensitivity to exogenous estrogen (E) induced by short days. These animals were also partially refractory to the effects of E when combined with low doses of progesterone. In addition, although melatonin administration mimicked the effects of short days on estrous cyclicity, the expression of hormone-dependent behaviors in these animals resembled the pattern displayed by control animals kept in long days. Thus, these findings suggest that the pineal gland plays a negligible role in the photoperiodic modulation of hormone-dependent sociosexual behaviors in female hamsters.
Transnational Activism at a Crossroads: Pushing the Envelope from Below, from Within, and from Abroad

Barmeyer, Niels. Developing Zapatista Autonomy: Conflict and NGO Involvement in Rebel Chiapas. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2009. Tables, illustrations, map, glossary, bibliography, index, 303 pp.; paperback $29-95. Graubart, Jonathan. Legalizing Transnational Activism: The Struggle to Gain Social Change from NAFTA 's Citizen Petitions. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2008. Tables, index, 184 pp.; hardcover $45. Jung, Courtney. The Moral Force of Indigenous Politics: Critical Liberalism and the Zapatistas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Map, tables, bibiography, index, 364 pp.; hardcover $81, paperback $28. Salehyan, Idean. Rebels Without Borders: Transnational Insurgencies in World Politics. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2009. Figures, tables, illustrations, maps, bibliography, index, 216 pp.; hardcover $39.95. Wilson, Pamela, and Michelle Stewart, eds. Global Indigenous Media: Cultures, Poetics, and Politics. Durham: Duke University Press, 2008. Illustrations, tables, bibilography, index, 376 pp.; hardcover $89.95, paperback $24.95.
Development of a Test-Bed for Knowledge-Intensive System Architecture Optimization

System Architecture [1] is the high-level design of a system, defining the main elements of function and form, the mapping between function and form, and the interfaces between elements of function and form, and between the system and the surrounding context. Several studies have highlighted the importance of system architecture [2], as it is a point in the design process of unique leverage: most of the lifecycle cost of a system is committed after the system architecture phase[3], and a similar argument can be made for performance.
Comparison of hollow-fiber membrane oxygenators in terms of pressure drop of the membranes during normothermic and hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in neonates:

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two hollow-fiber membrane oxygenators, the Capiox SX10 and the Lilliput 901, on pressure drop of the membranes during normothermic and hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in neonates.Methods: Twenty-six congenital heart surgery patients (n=13 in each group) with a mean weight of 3 kg were included in this study. Pressure drops of the membranes, pre- and post-oxygenator extracorporeal circuit pressures (ECC) were recorded during normothermic CPB, hypothermic CPB (208C) and after rewarming. There were no differences between the groups in mean arterial pressure, pump flow rate, temperature, duration of CPB, cross- clamp time or the severity of the surgical repairs.Results: Pressure drop of the Capiox SX10 oxygenator was significantly lower during normothermic (329/10 versus 559/16 mmHg, p B/0.001), hypothermic (389/15 versus 729/18 mmHg, p B/0.001) and post-rewarming (429/13 versus 729/21 mmHg, p B/0.001) periods compared to the Lilliput oxyg...
Problems in constraining High tone spread in Ekegusii

Abstract Ekegusii, a Bantu language spoken in southwestern Kenya, exhibits a wide range of stem tonal patters in the finite verbal system. Ekegusii exhibits the bounded spreading of prefixal and lexical High tones and the unbounded spreading of grammatical High tones. Yet each of these apply in certain tonal configurations and not others. Predicting just when a High exhibits bounded spread, unbounded spread, or neither will be the focus of this paper. I suggest that accounting for the lack of spread is quite difficult to do under standard generative assumptions on the application of phonological rules. Specifically, I conclude that to account for the attested verbal patterns it becomes necessary to either 1. 1) relax the principle of adjacency that holds between the trigger and target or 2. 2) allow the Obligatory Contour Principle to block the spread of certain (morphologically defined) High tones, but not others.
Motility, Feeding, and Molting in Larvae of the Range Caterpillar, Hemileuca oliviae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Motility, feeding, and molting in larvae of the range caterpillar, Hemileuca oliviae Cockerell (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), were studied at two sites in northern New Mexico. Diurnal observations were made each week during 2 successive days from hatch to pupation (May to September 1979). The behavior of all six instars was compared to determine temporal periodicities and habitat relationships. The motility of the larvae increased with their development. Larvae hatched from their egg masses in shrubs and forbs and moved into grass habitats. The 6th instars were most active just before pupation when they returned to woody plants to pupate. Larval resting periods were from late morning through the late afternoon. Heights of larval resting sites were positively correlated with air temperature and negatively related to wind speed. Preferred host plants were the grasses side-oats grama, Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr., and blue grama, Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. The greatest frequency of feeding was just before pupation. No diurnal periodicities were found for feeding and molting. Pupation sites were significantly lower than molting sites.
EFFECTS OF GROUP SIZE AND SEX ON VIGILANCE IN OSTRICHES (STRUTHIO CAMELUS): ANTIPREDATOR STRATEGY OR MATE COMPETITION?

Summary Burger, J. & Gochfeld, M. 1988. Effects of group size and sex on vigilance in Ostriches (Struthio camelus): Antipredator Strategy or Mate Competition? Ostrich 59:14-20. We studied vigilance behaviour in wild Ostriches (Struthio camelus) in five game parks in Kenya. In 173 groups ranging from one to ten ([xbar] = 2,8 ± 2,5) birds, the overall sex ratio was 1 male: 0,78 females. Using focal animal sampling and one minute time blocks, we recorded time spent feeding, head up, walking, and preening. Data were analyzed using multivariate regression models. The variance in vigilance behaviour and time devoted to eating was explained by sex, flock size, distance from observer to the flock, nearest neighbour distance and park (but not vegetation cover). We suggest that vigilance in females relates primarily to predation pressure, and thus decreases with group size. However, in males vigilance relates to both predation pressure and social factors (male-male competition). These results suggest that vigilance...
Systolic Array For Solving Toeplitz Systems Of Equations

Many problems of geophysics, image processing and time series analysis involve the problem of solving Toeplitz systems of equations. We present a fast parallel 0 (mn) algorithm that solves both square and over-determined Toeplitz systems of equations. The solution is obtained directly from the triangular factorization without using back-substitution. This avoids separate factorization and back-substitution sections, which complicate architectural implementation. This also enables us to eliminate intermediate memory to store the triangular factor. The parallel implementation is carried out in two steps. First, Regular Iterative Algorithms (RIAs) for solving Toeplitz system of equations are formulated systematically from the mathematical description of our algorithm. The advantage of having RIAs is that the process of mapping the algorithms on regular processor arrays can be done in a systematic manner.
Calibrated Free-Space Microwave Measurements With an Ultrawideband Reflectometer-Antenna System

We present a 3-12 GHz compact mixer-based reflectometer (CMR) and horn antenna system, and demonstrate its use in detecting backscatter signals with a free space calibration procedure. We evaluate the frequency-domain performance of the CMR-antenna system for measuring the complex reflection coefficient of a dielectric slab and compare it with that of a commercial vector network analyzer (VNA)-antenna setup. Time-domain responses are also investigated, and show the effectiveness of this calibration method. This low-cost, compact system eliminates the need for traditional mechanical standards and a VNA, is effective in reducing reflection artifacts, and allows for flexibility in the placement of reference planes; thus it is well suited for array-based imaging applications
Utilizing the GLP-1 signaling system to treat diabetes: sorting through the pharmacologic approaches.

cagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an intestinal hormone that promotes glucose homeostasis through the regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion, gastric emptying, and food intake. This spectrum of effects makes GLP-1 an attractive candidate for drug development. However, because GLP-1 is a small peptide with rapid metabolism in the circulation, its usefulness to treat patients is limited. However, GLP-1 mimetics that are resistant to degradation have been developed and are effective in lowering blood glucose in diabetic patients. A second strategy for harnessing GLP-1 therapeutically is to inhibit the metabolism of endogenous GLP-1; several orally available compounds are in clinical trials. These two new classes of drugs both enhance GLP-1 signaling but differ in several key characteristics that may lead to distinct roles in the treatment of diabetic patients.
DARK ADAPTATION IN AGRIOLIMAX

A method is described which measures the excitation of Agriolimax by light, during the progress of light adaptation, by assuming that the orientating effect of continuous excitation is expressed as a directly proportionate tension difference in the orienting muscles of the two sides of the body. The tendency toward establishment of such a tension difference is caused to work against a similar geotropic effect at right angles to the phototropic one. This enables one to study the kinetics of light adaptation, and of dark adaptation as well. The situation in the receptors is adequately described by the paradigm See PDF for Equation similar to that derived by Hecht for the differential sensitivity of various forms, but with the difference that the "dark" reaction is not only "bimolecular" but also autocatalysed by the reaction product S. The progress of dark adaptation is reflected (1) in the recovery of the amplitude of the orientation and (2) in the rates of light adaptation at different levels of the recovery; each independently supports these assumptions, for which the necessary equations have been provided. These equations also account for the relative variabilities of the angles of orientation, and, more significantly, for the two quite different kinds of curves of dark adaptation which are obtained in slightly different types of tests.
Risk Factors for Conversion to Laparotomy During Gynecologic Laparoscopy

Abstract Study Objective To identify risk factors and short-term outcomes associated with conversion from laparoscopic surgery to laparotomy. Design Case control study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Large urban, academic medical center. Subjects All 2530 gynecologic laparoscopies, including those converted to laparotomy. Intervention Laparoscopic surgery. Measurements and Main Results Statistical analysis was performed to compare risk factors in converted versus nonconverted cases. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed using variables found to be significant on univariate analysis. Of 2530 laparoscopies identified, 159 (6.3%) were converted to laparotomy; 323 were selected by random number assignment from the remaining cases for the control group. The following factors were significantly associated with unintended laparotomy (OR; 95% CI): surgeon inexperience (2.43; 1.38, 4.17), level of laparoscopic complexity (3.19; 1.20, 5.10), body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2 (2.45; 1.40, 4.41), suspicion of malignancy (17.45; 7.32, 43.57), history of laparotomy (1.34; 1.02, 1.78), presence of adhesions (2.30; 1.37, 3.76), and intraoperative technical difficulty (17.86; 7.32, 43.57). When stratified by level of complexity, experience in laparoscopy does not appear to confer protection during level 1 laparoscopic procedures (0.42; 0.12, 1.37) but does significantly reduce the frequency of conversion during level 2 procedures (0.39; 0.72, 0.93). Age, parity, bowel injury, vascular injury, and history of pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis did not increase the risk of conversion. Compared with controls, patients who were converted experienced significantly greater blood loss (p Conclusion All women undergoing laparoscopy should be counseled that unintended laparotomy is a known risk and has additional morbidity over laparoscopy alone. Less-experienced surgeons attempting complicated procedures significantly increase the risk of conversion.
Rapid Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Protocol for Subtyping of Campylobacter jejuni

We developed a rapid pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) protocol for subtyping Campylobacter isolates based on the standardized protocols used by PulseNet laboratories for the subtyping of other food-borne bacterial pathogens. Various combinations of buffers, reagents, reaction conditions (e.g., cell suspension concentration, lysis time, lysis temperature, and restriction enzyme concentration), and electrophoretic parameters were evaluated in an effort to devise a protocol that is simple, rapid, and robust. PFGE analysis of Campylobacter isolates can be completed in 24 to 30 h using this protocol, whereas the most widely used current protocols require 3 to 4 days to complete. Comparison of PFGE patterns obtained in six laboratories showed that subtyping results obtained using this protocol are highly reproducible.
Radiative transfer model for heterogeneous 3-D scenes.

A general mathematical framework for simulating processes in heterogeneous 3-D scenes is presented. Specifically, a model was designed and coded for application to radiative transfers in vegetative scenes. The model is unique in that it predicts (1) the directional spectral reflectance factors as a function of the sensor's azimuth and zenith angles and the sensor's position above the canopy, (2) the spectral absorption as a function of location within the scene, and (3) the directional spectral radiance as a function of the sensor's location within the scene. The model was shown to follow known physical principles of radiative transfer. Initial verification of the model as applied to a soybean row crop showed that the simulated directional reflectance data corresponded relatively well in gross trends to the measured data. However, the model can be greatly improved by incorporating more sophisticated and realistic anisotropic scattering algorithms
High-dose preoperative radiation and full thickness local excision : a new option for selected T3 distal rectal cancers

Abstract Purpose:To assess the efficacy of high-dose preoperative radiation and full thickness local excision as an option for the management of selected distal rectal cancers. Methods and Materials:Forty-eight patients with invasive distal rectal cancer have been treated with high-dose preoperative radiation (45–55 GY at 180 cGy/fx) followed 6 to 8 weeks later by full thickness local excision. Three groups of patients are included in this study. Group 1 ( N = 15) Medically Compromised: patients with rectal cancers Stages T3 or > 3 cm in size and significant cardiorespiratory disease that precluded radical surgery. Group 2 ( N = 18) Elective: patients suitable for local treatment by standard criteria (Stages N = 15) Staged: patients with Stages T3 or > 3 cm in size that postradiation were downstaged and met the criteria as in group 2. One patient in group 3 was found to be pathologically T3 following full thickness local excision and was converted to an abdominoperineal resection. Follow-up ranges from 6–96 months with a median of 40 months. Results:The overall 5-year actuarial survival for the whole group is 83.5% and local recurrence is 10%. The 5-year survival is 74%, 92%, and 88% for Groups 1, 2, and 3 and 90%, 89%, and 50% for postradiation pathologic stages TO/T1, T2. and T3, respectively. Local recurrence rate by treatment groups are 20%, 11%, and 0% for groups 1, 2, and 3 and 11%, 0%, and 67% for postradiation Stages TO/T1, T2, and T3, respectively. Surgical complications, primarily wound healing, were observed in five patients (10%). Four patients required a subsequent colostomy (three for recurrence and one for a rectovaginal fistula). Sphincter function as measured by Parks criteria was good/excellent in 88% of patients. Conclusion:High-dose preoperative radiation and full thickness local excision appear to be a promising new option for the management of selected patients with invasive distal rectal cancers. Selected patients with Stage T3 cancers that as a result of preoperative radiation are downstaged and met the criteria for primary local therapy (T2 or less) appear to have an excellent survival with retained normal sphincter function following full thickness local excision.
One-dimensional SANS employing bent-single crystal optics: theory and demonstration

A recent small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instrumentation development at the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center (MURR) using bent, double Si crystal diffraction is presented. Neutron rocking curves of flat single crystals are only a few seconds of arc with correspondingly low integrated intensities. The rocking curve can be significantly broadened if the crystals are bent. However, the phase-space acceptance and emergence windows of two bent crystals in parallel can be matched only if the reflecting planes have different d-spacing. The authors have used a combination of the Si(111) and (220) reflections in the work presented here. The peak intensity of the rocking curve with this configuration was approximately 2.5 {times} 10{sup 5} neutrons per second over a 5 cm{sup 2} area of sample at 1.5 {angstrom}. The rocking curve wings fell sharply (approximately as Q{sup {minus}11}), permitting accurate scattered intensity measurements down to a minimum Q value of 0.005 1/{angstrom} at a Q resolution of 0.003 1/{angstrom}. The technique also offers the possibility of variable resolution without too much difficulty; changes up to a factor of 2 can be made by adjusting the sample-to-analyzer crystal distance, while changes of a factor of 10 can be made by using differentmore » Si reflections. Since the incident neutron wavelength can be tuned to the peak of the leakage spectrum, this technique is ideal for low-flux reactors, which otherwise cannot be used for SANS research. The usefulness of one-dimensional SANS is demonstrated by measurements of Portland cement.« less
Studies on the sterility phenotype of the pleiotropic mutant fused of Drosophila melanogaster.

A further description of the sterility phenotype for three different alleles of the female-sterile mutant fused of Drosophila melanogaster is reported. It was found that: (1) No more than 35% of the eggs laid by females homozygous for fu, fu57a, and fu59 when mated to Oregon R males are capable of hatching into larvae. This percentage is unaffected by the presence of a Y chromosome in the mother. The data indicate that the mechanism of control in the activation of the wild type allele of fused in an embryo from a homozygous fused mother is imprecise. (2) Homozygous fu, fu57a, and fu59 females show apparently allelic differences in the number of eggs they are capable of laying. (3) Heterozygous fu59 females have a somewhat reduced egg laying capacity when compared to Oregon R females if they are the daughters of either homozygous or heterozygous fu59 mothers but show no such difference if they are the daughters of Oregon R mothers. These data are consistent with the idea that fused is hypomorphic.
Molecular organization of the alcohol dehydrogenase loci of Drosophila grimshawi and Drosophila hawaiiensis

To determine sequences involved in conserved and species-specific aspects of alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) gene expression in Hawaiian Drosophila, a 3644-base pair (bp) region containing the D. grimshawi gene and the homologous 3335-bp region containing the D. hawaiiensis Adh gene were sequenced. These genes have the two-promoter and exon-intron structure seen for many Drosophila Adh genes. Analysis of putative and known regulatory sequences of the D. grimshawi and D. hawaiiensis genes in comparison to those of D. affinidisjuncta (the only other Hawaiian species for which the promoter organization is known) highlighted elements likely to be involved in conserved aspects of Adh gene expression as well as sequences that may account for species-specific differences in tissue-specific expression. Sequence comparisons, in the context of regulatory roles previously assigned to particular gene fragments, indicated that multiple insertions and deletions in the promoter regions are responsible for differences in tissue-specific regulation displayed by these genes.
Deciphering the Parts List for the Mechanical Plant

The development of inexpensive DNA sequencing technologies has revolutionized all aspects of biological research. The proliferation of plant genome sequences, in conjunction with the parallel development of robust tools for directed genetic manipulation, has given momentum and credibility to the goal of understanding several model plants as the sum of their parts. A broad inventory of the functions and interrelationships of the parts is currently under way, and the first steps toward computer models of processes have emerged. These approaches also provide a framework for the mechanistic basis of plant diversity. It is hoped that rapid progress in this endeavor will facilitate timely responses to expanding demand for food, feed, fiber, fuel, and ecosystem services in a period of climate change.
Development of Hydrocarbon-Fueled Scramjet Engines: The Hypersonic Technology (HyTech) Program

The Hypersonic Technology (HyTech) program was initiated in 1995 to maintain a core competency in hypersonictechnologiesafterthecancellation of theNationalAerospacePlaneprogram.HyTech isfocusedon expanding the technology base for liquid-hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet propulsion systems and is complementary in many ways to similar hydrogen-fueled hypersonic programs, such as Hyper-X. The overall effort consists of government sponsored industry efforts and an in-house technology base program. The technical challenges of these efforts associated with successful scramjet operation are addressed, which include activity in inlet/isolator operation, combustor operation and stability, nozzle operation, material advancement, fuel system development and integration and operability. The program has positively demonstrated the technologies that are critical to successful scramjet operation. The current status of work in each of these areas is discussed, followed by a discussion of upcoming activities for the program.
Multifractal Sierpinski carpets: Theory and application to upscaling effective saturated hydraulic conductivity

Recent analyses of field data suggest that saturated hydraulic conductivity, K, distributions of rocks and soils are multifractal in nature. Most previous attempts at generating multifractal K fields for flow and transport simulations have focused on stochastic approaches. Geometrical multifractals, in contrast, are grid-based and thus better able to simulate distinct facies or horizons. We present a theoretical framework for generating two-dimensional geometrical multifractal K fields. Construction of monofractal Sierpinski carpets using the homogenous and heterogeneous algorithms is recalled. Averaging multiple, non-spatially randomized, heterogeneous Sierpinski carpet generators yields a new generator with variable mass fractions determined by the truncated binomial probability distribution. Repeated application of this generator onto itself results in a multiplicative cascade of mass fractions or multifractal. The generalized moments, Mi(q), of these structures scale as Mi(q)=(1/b i ) (q−1)Dq , where b is the scale factor, i is the iteration level and Dq is the q−th order generalized dimension, with q being any integer between −∞and ∞. This theoretical approach is applied to the problem of aquifer heterogeneity by equating the mass fractions with K. An approximate analytical expression is derived for the effective hydraulic conductivity, Keff, of multifractal K fields, and Keff is shown to increase as a function of increasing length scale in power law fashion, with an exponent determined by Dq→∞. Numerical simulations of flow in b=3,Dq→∞=1.878 and i=1 though 5 multifractal K fields produced similar increases in Keff with increasing length scale. Extension of this approach to three dimensions appears to be relatively straightforward.
Differential expression of ionic conductances in interstitial cells of Cajal in the murine gastric antrum

Two distinct populations of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) exist within the tunica muscularis of the gastric antrum, and these cells serve different physiological functions. One population of ICC generates and actively propagates electrical slow waves, and the other population of ICC is innervated by excitatory and inhibitory motor neurons and mediates enteric motor neurotransmission. In spite of the key role of ICC in gastric excitability, little is known about the ionic conductances that underlie the functional diversity of these cells. In the present study we isolated ICC from the murine gastric antrum and investigated the Ca2+-dependent ionic conductances expressed by these cells using the patch clamp technique. Conductances in ICC were compared with those expressed in smooth muscle cells. The cells studied were identified by RT-PCR using cell-specific primers that included Myh11 (smooth muscle cells), Kit (ICC) and Uchl1 (enteric neurons) following electrophysiolgical recordings. Distinct ionic conductances were observed in Kit-positive cells. One group of ICC expressed a basal non-selective cation conductance (NSCC) that was inhibited by an increase in [Ca2+]i in a calmodulin (CaM)-dependent manner. A second population of ICC generated spontaneous transient inward currents (STICs) and expressed a basal noisy NSCC that was facilitated by an increase in [Ca2+]i in a CaM-dependent manner. The [Ca2+]i-facilitated NSCC in ICC was blocked by the Cl− channel antagonists 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulphonic acid (DIDS), anthracene-9-carboxylate (9-AC) and niflumic acid. These data suggest that distinct NSCC are expressed in subpopulations of ICC and these conductances may underlie the functional differences of these cells within the gastric antrum.
300mm wafer Atomic force probe characterization methodology

The laboratory practice of employing atomic force probing (AFP) using AFP current imaging and Nanoprobe Capacitance-Voltage Spectroscopy (NCVS) at contact level (CA) for identfication of front end of line (FEOL) defects in MOSFET devices, especially for silicon on insulator applications has been extensively detailed [1,2,3].
Late-spring increase of trans-Pacific pollution transport in the upper troposphere

[1] The observations during the Tropospheric Ozone Production about the Spring Equinox (TOPSE) experiment show large enhancements of NOx, PAN, O3, CO, CFCs, and Halon-1211 in the upper troposphere over North America in late spring. Analysis of these observations and model results indicate that the enhancements are most likely driven by a surge of trans-Pacific pollutant transport in late spring. The rapid seasonal transition is particularly striking for upper tropospheric NOx, resulting in large increases in photochemical oxidation and O3 production during the period. The transition is later in season than that of low-altitude trans-Pacific transport, which peaks in March and April. The current generation of global chemical transport models clearly underestimates this long-range transport of pollutants, implying an underestimation in the model-projected impact on regional air quality over North America (through subsidence).
Monte Carlo simulation of linear aggregate formation from CdTe nanoparticles

In recent works it was found that nanometre sized particles of CdTe could spontaneously reorganize into crystalline nanowires (NWs) upon controlled removal of the protecting shell of organic stabilizer in an aqueous medium. At present, there is no possibility of predicting for certain the outcome of each particular NW self-assembly experiment or influencing the geometric parameters of the aggregates. A model for the simulation of the interaction of CdTe nanoparticles (NPs) and their aggregation into clusters has been developed and a Monte Carlo simulation was performed. A 'linearity coefficient' has been developed and introduced into the model that allows for the comparison of NP aggregate geometries and investigation of the dependence of aggregate shapes on NP charge and dipole strength. The simulation results show that the presence of a dipole moment is crucial to the formation of chain-like NP aggregates. The shapes of the clusters that were obtained during simulations resemble those seen in the experiment, although serious differences are still observed, which hint at the influence of other, most probably, short-range interparticle forces on the clustering process.
Covered skin transcutaneous bilirubin estimation is comparable with serum bilirubin during and after phototherapy.

Covered skin transcutaneous bilirubin estimation is comparable with serum bilirubin during and after phototherapy
The Ah locus: genetic regulation of the metabolism of carcinogens, drugs, and other environmental chemicals by cytochrome P-450-mediated monooxygenases.

(1979). The Ah Locus: Genetic Regulation of the Metabolism of Carcinogens, Drugs, and Other Environmental Chemicals by Cytochrome P-450-Mediated Monooxygenase. CRC Critical Reviews in Biochemistry: Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 401-437.
Lipid model membrane studies on immune cytotoxic mechanisms.

The immune lysis of cells is thought to involve an initial breakdown of the membrane permeability barrier to small ions, with eventual colloid osmotic swelling and disruption of the cell. Lipid model membranes have been used by several workers to study complement-mediated cytotoxicity. We have introduced a system based on the planar lipid bilayer in which mechanisms of lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity can be investigated. We have shown that human lymphocytes induce membrane conductance increases (i.e., ion permeability increases) of several orders of magnitude in bilayers containing a hapten (dinitrophenyl) if specific antibody (IgG anti-trinitrophenyl) is added. The conductance increase occurs only when the membrane voltage is positive on the lymphocyte side, as would be the case with a target cell membrane. A variety of controls (in which one or another component of the system is altered or omitted) are all negative, indicating that this effect has essentially the same immunospecificity as lymphocyte-mediated killing of antibody-coated target cells. The results suggest that killer lymphocytes can act on membranes directly to cause permeability increases without participation of other target cell components. Moreover, target cell membrane protein appears unnecessary for the effect. Measurements of membrane potential in the presence of salt concentration differences suggest that the conductance-inducing material has a mild (3:1) selectivity for anions over cations.
Brokering Mergers: An Agency Theory Perspective on the Role of Representatives

Agency theory suggests a conflict of interest in the relationship between investment bankers and the firms they represent during merger negotiations. We examined this proposition by scrutinizing th...
Evaluation on snails control in different measures at the bottomland of Changsha section of the Xiang River

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of snail controls in recent years,we have made a consecutive investigation of snail distributions in bottomlands from 2003 to 2008 by using the systematic and environmental sampling method.Twenty-four bottomlands were investigated continuously from 2003 to 2008.The total number of bottomlands with snails habitats was 20 which accounted for 83.3% of all investigated bottomlands,and four bottomlands had no snails.The number of bottomland with living snails respectively accounted for 62.50%,66.67%,66.67%,70.83%,33.33% and 37.50% of the investigated year;Compared with 2008,in 2003 the number of bottomlands with living snails,the rate of frame with snails,the average density of snails,the rate of living snails respectively decreased by 40.00%,99.10%,99.74%,51.09%.Processed by SAS 9.1.3 Cochran-Armitage Trend Chi-Square Test,the rate of frames with snails(Z= 91.560 2,P0.01) and the rate of living snails(Z=65.133 2,P0.01) were different in each bottomland,but the downward trend was significant.Among 20 bottomlands with snails,5 bottomlands have infected snails,occupying 25.00% of the whole.The general development tendency of infected snails is as follows: the number of bottomlands with infected snails has declined year by year,so have the average density of infected snails and the infection rate of snails.Where are no bottomland with infected snail was not found in Changsha section of the Xiang River from 2007 to 2008.The results indicate that the combination of environmental modification and snail control by molluscicide were much more effective than only using mollscicide.The better validity of snail control was taking uplift and/or fall of elevation on bottomland and reclamation and plantation change the snail habitats of bottomlands at the Changsha section of the Xiang River.
Scope of practice and outcomes of cerebrovascular procedures in children

Purpose The impact of scope of practice of providers (predominantly adult versus predominantly pediatric) on the outcomes of cerebrovascular procedures in children remains an issue of debate. We investigated the association of scope of practice with the outcomes of cerebrovascular interventions.
2 fitness-related variables--exercise capacity and heart rate recovery--predicted mortality in asymptomatic women.

Source Citation Mora S, Redberg RF, Cui Y, et al. Ability of exercise testing to predict cardiovascular and all-cause death in asymptomatic women: a 20-year follow-up of the Lipid Research Clinics ...
Relationship between fluid transport and in situ inhibition of Na(+)-K+ adenosine triphosphatase in corneal endothelium

Purpose To examine the relationship between the activity of the sodium pump of the corneal endothelium and corneal thickness. It was postulated that because inhibition pressure of the stroma decreases as thickness increases, a partially inhibited sodium pump would result in a new steady-state thickness of the cornea when reduced rates of fluid influx and efflux were equal. Measurements of physiologic behavior and biochemical activity were to be made in the same tissue and thus establish the relationship directly. Methods Rabbit corneas were superfused with a bicarbonate Ringer solution containing different concentrations of ouabain. Exposure to ouabain was either continuous for 4 hours or for an initial 10 minutes followed by ouabain-free superfusion. Thickness was measured, and, after superfusion, endothelium was removed from the corneas, sonicated, and assayed for Na(+)-K+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity without further addition of ouabain to the assay medium. Thickness was also measured during superfusion with suboptimal concentrations of Na+ or HCO3- and with brefeldin A, an inhibitor of protein trafficking. Results Continuous exposure to ouabain caused corneas to swell, but no new steady-state thickness was reached. At low concentrations, swelling rates increased with time, as did the extent of inhibition of the Na(+)-K+ ATPase. With only a 10-minute exposure to ouabain, swelling rates with 10(-4) M to 10(-5) M decreased with the duration of ouabain-free superfusion. Similar swelling curves were obtained by reductions in Na+ or HCO3- concentrations in the superfusion medium, indicating that partial inhibition of the endothelial fluid transport processes, whether via the Na(+)-K+ ATPase or by suboptimal ionic conditions, led toward a new equilibrium thickness of the cornea. However, when superfusion was continued for more than 4 hours, the corneas exposed for 10 minutes to 3 x 10(-5) M or lower-concentration ouabain showed increasing Na(+)-K+ ATPase activity and began to thin, indicating a recovery of fluid transport capability. This recovery was blocked by addition of brefeldin A during the ouabain-free superfusion. Conclusions Inhibition of Na(+)-K+ ATPase by low concentrations of ouabain increases with time. Temporary exposure to ouabain causes swelling at rates that decline with time as ouabain dissociates from enzyme sites. This dissociation, together with the turnover of Na(+)-K+ ATPase in the plasma membrane, can lead to recovery of normal thickness in ouabain-exposed corneas. Twenty percent of Na(+)-K+ ATPase in the endothelium is estimated to be intracellular, and about 20% of the activity can be inhibited without inducing swelling.
Aromatized testosterone attenuates contextual generalization of fear in male rats.

Abstract Generalization is a common symptom of many anxiety disorders, and females are 60% more likely to suffer from an anxiety disorder than males. We have previously demonstrated that female rats display significantly accelerated rates of contextual fear generalization compared to male rats; a process driven, in part, by activation of ERβ. The current study was designed to determine the impact of estrogens on contextual fear generalization in male rats. For experiment 1, adult male rats were gonadectomized (GDX) and implanted with a capsule containing testosterone proprionate, estradiol, dihydrotestosterone proprionate (DHT), or an empty capsule. Treatment with testosterone or estradiol maintained memory precision when rats were tested in a different (neutral) context 1 day after training. However, male rats treated with DHT or empty capsules displayed significant levels of fear generalization, exhibiting high levels of fear in the neutral context. In Experiment 2, we used acute injections of gonadal hormones at a time known to elicit fear generalization in female rats (e.g. 24 h before testing). Injection treatment followed the same pattern of results seen in Experiment 1. Finally, animals given daily injections of the aromatase inhibitor, Fadrozole, displayed significant fear generalization. These data suggest that testosterone attenuates fear generalization likely through the aromatization testosterone into estradiol as animals treated with the non-aromatizable androgen, DHT, or animals treated with Fadrozole, displayed significant generalized fear. Overall, these results demonstrate a sex-dependent effect of estradiol on the generalization of contextual fear.