cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation and characterization of myosin from cloned rat glioma and mouse neuroblastoma cells

Abstract Myosin has been isolated from clonal lines of murine neuroblastoma and rat glioma cells. Partial characterization of the two cellular myosins indicates that both possess the following properties: (1) the same elution position as rabbit skeletal muscle myosin by Sepharose 4B chromatography; (2) the presence of heavy (molecular weight about 200,000) and light subunit polypeptides by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; (3) EDTA and Ca2+ activated but Mg2+ inhibited ATPase activity in 0.6M KCl; and (4) binding to rabbit skeletal muscle F-actin which is inhibited by Mg2+-ATP. For both mouse neuroblastoma and rat glioma cells, approximately 0.5–1.5% of the total cell protein is present as myosin. Cellular myosin appears to be indistinguishable in quantity and biochemical properties regardless of whether it is isolated from monolayer or suspension neuroblastoma cells.
An Inexpensive Technique for the Fabrication of Two‐Dimensional Wind Tunnel Models

Description of a new and inexpensive method for fabricating thin, two-dimensional, spanwise-uniform airfoil models with a high density of instrumentation for aerodynamic testing at transonic speeds. The models are produced by casting an epoxy fairing, which provides the desired aerodynamic properties, around a central spar on which all instrumentation has been mounted.
Bilaterally Enlarged Testicles in a Newborn: An Atypical Presentation of Intrauterine Spermatic Cord Torsion

Torsion of the spermatic cord is a recognized surgical emergency at any age, but has peak incidence in the neonatal and adolescent pediatric age groups.1Perinatal unilateral torsion is well documented and the subject of a recent excellent review.2Bilateral intrauterine torsion of the spermatic cord, however, is a rare event—to our knowledge, only five cases have been reported.3-7We report a sixth case of intrauterine bilateral spermatic cord torsion with a markedly atypical presentation. Report of a Case.—A 3,465-g full-term male infant was born to a 24-year-old, gravida 2, para 1, blood type O+mother after an uncomplicated pregnancy and labor. Meconium-stained amniotic fluid was observed at the time of vaginal delivery. There was no respiratory distress. Apgar scores were 6 at one minute and 9 at five minutes. Enlarged testicles were noted at delivery. Physical examination revealed a full-term, appropriate for gestational age,
Morphea as a Consequence of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Morphea is a localized form of scleroderma usually unaccompanied by the typical systemic stigmata that characterize progressive systemic scleroderma. It rarely manifests at the site of whole breast external-beam radiation therapy. We present an unusual case of radiation-induced morphea (RIM) that occurred after accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using intracavitary Contura brachytherapy. A 65-year-old white woman was treated for stage IIA invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast with APBI to a dose of 34 Gy in 3.4-Gy fractions twice daily over the course 5 days with intracavitary brachytherapy. At 1.5 years after completion of APBI, the patient developed an area of tenderness, erythema, and induration at the site of irradiation. A skin biopsy was consistent with morphea. To our knowledge, this is the first case of RIM confined to the area of APBI.
ALASTAIR PENNYCOOK , English and the discourses of colonialism . London & New York: Routledge, 1998. Pp. xii, 239. Pb £14.99.

This is a very contemporary book. By anchoring his discussion on English Language Teaching (ELT) in Hong Kong at the widely watched pivotal point of transition from British to Chinese sovereignty, Pennycook is able to range backward to ELT in India, and to construct a narrative of the adherence between the discourse of colonialism and the discourse(s) of ELT. Worldwide, ELT is a major industry. It collects practitioners who range in background from specialists in applied linguistics and sociolinguistics, with Ph.D.s and research grants, to those who have few or no credentials beyond having been born into an English-speaking community and enjoying world travel. This book should find a significant and large audience among these teachers; but somehow one wonders if it will.
Nanoscale thermal management

Here the author outlines only a few nanoscale phenomena that adversely affect thermal conductivity and can complicate heat removal from nanoscale electronic devices. Since progress in the electronic industry is largely associated with device down-scaling, he considers that research on this subject is worth pursuing.
FORECASTING ECONOMIC TIME SERIES: by Michael P. Clements and David F. Hendry, Cambridge University Press, 1998

The prediction of future events and developments is an exciting and perhaps mysterious task, often associated with the aura of prophets and seers instead of probabilistic models and computer screens. The reality of macroeconomic forecasting, however, is quite mundane. Predictions of macroeconomic aggregates play an important role in the decision making of private enterprises, central banks, and governments. In general, forecasts become less popular if they turn out to be inaccurate ex post, and the postwar history of macroeconomic forecasting has had its share of disappointments. For instance, in the early 1980's, economists tested inflation forecasts taken over the previous 20 years and found that the forecasts were poor, partly as a result of the oil price shocks in the 1970's. A recent study (Croushore, 1998) with data up to 1996 provides a more favorable assessment of the quality of inflation forecasts.
Corticospinal responses of quadriceps are abnormally coupled with hip adductors in chronic stroke survivors

Stroke survivors often lose the ability to move their joints independently, which results in abnormal movement patterns when attempting to perform an isolated motion. For instance, many stroke subjects exhibit unwanted secondary knee extension movement when performing hip adduction. This study aimed at characterizing whether the neural substrates mediating abnormal activation patterns after stroke are of cortical origin. We developed a novel transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol to evaluate the extent of abnormal across-joint coupling of corticospinal responses in chronic stroke survivors. In stroke survivors, we found that the magnitude of motor evoked potentials of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis during isometric hip adduction were significantly higher than those recorded during knee extension at similar background activity (P=0.03 and P=0.01). Moreover, motor evoked potential coupling ratios of the quadriceps muscles were significantly different than those observed in healthy controls (P=0.005 to P=0.037). No differences in motor evoked potential coupling ratios were observed between the younger and older adults (P=0.474 to P=0.919). These findings provide evidence for the first time that stroke subjects exhibit abnormal excitability of the quadriceps muscle corticospinal neurons when performing isometric hip adduction. Importantly, the abnormal corticospinal responses observed in stroke subjects were not mediated by aging. The results of this study provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying loss of independent joint control after stroke and have meaningful implications for post-stroke interventions. Moreover, the proposed 'motor evoked potential coupling ratio' may serve as an effective probe to evaluate cortical contributions to abnormal muscle synergy after stroke.
Space exploration outlook

The exploration of the solar system has been one of NASA's most significant achievements. Currently Voyager 2 is on its way to Uranus and Neptune, and Galileo is being readied for detailed investigation of Jupiter and its Galilean satellites. A new phase of exploration will be inaugurated in the mid-80s with the start of the Planetary Observers and Mariner Mark II missions. A major thrust during this phase will be to cut mission costs by emphasizing spacecraft inheritance and multi-mission automated mission operations. More ambitious missions, e.g., Mars Sample Return, are under study but probably will not be candidates for new start funding till the mid-90s. Another exciting area is the potential utilization of resources on the moon and near earth asteroids.
An ellipse-fitting based method for efficient registration of breast masses on two mammographic views

When reading mammograms, radiologists routinely search for and compare suspicious breast lesions identified on two corresponding craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) views. Automatically identifying and matching the same true-positive breast lesions depicted on two views is an important step for developing successful multiview based computer-aided detection (CAD) schemes. The authors developed a method to automatically register breast areas and detect matching strips of interest used to identify the matched mass regions depicted on CC and MLO views. The method uses an ellipse based model to fit the breast boundary contour (skin line) and set a local Cartesian coordinate system for each view. One intersection point between the major/minor axis and the fitted ellipse perimeter passed through breast boundary is selected as the origin and the majoraxis and the minoraxis of the ellipse are used as the two axis of the Cartesian coordinate system. When a mass is identified on one view, the scheme computes its position in the local coordinate system. Then, the distance is mapped onto the local coordinate of the other view. At the end of the mapped distance a registered centerline of the matching strip is created. The authors established an image database that includes 200 test examinations each depicting one verified mass visible on the two views. They tested whether the registered centerline identified on another view can be used to locate the matched mass region. The experiments show that the average distance between the mass region centers and the registered centerlines was ±8.3 mm and in 91% of testing cases the registered centerline actually passes through the matched mass regions. A matching strip width of 47 mm was required to achieve 100% sensitivity for the test database. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method to automatically identify masses depicted on CC and MLO views, which may improve future development of multiview based CAD schemes.
Terbinafine: a pharmacological and clinical review

Terbinafine (TRB) is an allylamine antifungal agent that has been available for more than a decade. It is now used for the treatment of dermatophytic infections and onychomycosis. Despite several studies having demonstrated the efficacy of terbinafine against nondermatophytic infections including azole-resistant candidiasis, invasive aspergillosis, disseminated fusariosis and scedosporiosis, the role of TRB in the management of these infections remains greatly underappreciated. A brief review of pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, in vitro and in vivo data and published case reports provides insight into the use of terbinafine as a potential adjunct in combination with azoles, polyenes or echinocandins in the management of severe drug-resistant or refractory mycoses. Despite the lack of intrinsic fungicidal activity against several nondermatophytes, when used in combination, particularly with azoles, TRB has demonstrated good antifungal efficacy that could be exploited in clinical practice. As comprehensive human clinical studies are not feasible with the rare occurence of these mycoses, experiments using animal models are essential to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of drug combinations. In summary, terbinafine has established itself as a drug of choice for dermatophytic infections; it must be considered in combination with other antifungal agents for the management of nondermatophytic refractory or resistant yeast/mold infections as well.
Trabecular metal fixation: A new chemical concoction

Secure fixation of metal prosthesis to bone has always been a challenge. Bone cement has been a great help in achieving this goal, but there can be complications, such as cement loosening and breakage. Therefore, it is reasonable to consider types of coating on a metal surface that will allow bone ongrowth or a type of metal (tantalum) that will allow bone ingrowth as it is a porous scaffold. Furthermore the stiffness of tantalum is between subchondral bone and cortical bone, which also promotes ingrowth. This metal can be overlayed on other metal or used by itself as an implant. In primary osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint, it can be used for both the humeral and glenoid components allowing for a cementless prosthesis. Thus the complications from the use of bone cement can be avoided. Tantalum can also be used with a reverse prosthesis. It is especially important for the glenoid baseplate component as it will take away stress from the screws that are used for early fixation. Tantalum is also useful in the revision setting where there is bone loss and secure fixation is needed to the remaining bone. Tantalum has been used in the shoulder for more than 5 years successfully and longer in the hip and knee.
Computational Investigation of Hardness Evolution During Friction-Stir Welding of AA5083 and AA2139 Aluminum Alloys

A fully coupled thermo-mechanical finite-element analysis of the friction-stir welding (FSW) process developed in our previous work is combined with the basic physical metallurgy of two wrought aluminum alloys to predict/assess their FSW behaviors. The two alloys selected are AA5083 (a solid-solution strengthened and strain-hardened/stabilized Al-Mg-Mn alloy) and AA2139 (a precipitation hardened quaternary Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy). Both of these alloys are currently being used in military-vehicle hull structural and armor systems. In the case of non-age-hardenable AA5083, the dominant microstructure-evolution processes taking place during FSW are extensive plastic deformation and dynamic re-crystallization of highly deformed material subjected to elevated temperatures approaching the melting temperature. In the case of AA2139, in addition to plastic deformation and dynamic recrystallization, precipitates coarsening, over-aging, dissolution, and re-precipitation had to be also considered. Limited data available in the open literature pertaining to the kinetics of the aforementioned microstructure-evolution processes are used to predict variation in the material hardness throughout the various FSW zones of the two alloys. The computed results are found to be in reasonably good agreement with their experimental counterparts.
Improving the Effectiveness of Interfacial Trapping in Removing Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles are selectively removed from an aqueous dispersion containing individually suspended carbon nanotubes coated with gum Arabic via interfacial trapping. The suspensions are characterized with absorbance, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy as well as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and rheology. The resulting aqueous suspensions have better dispersion quality after interfacial trapping and can be further improved by altering the processing conditions. A two-step extraction process offers a simple and fast approach to preparing high-quality dispersions of individual SWNTs comparable to ultracentrifugation. Partitioning of SWNTs to the liquid-liquid interface is described by free energy changes. SWNT bundles prefer to reside at the interface over individually suspended SWNTs because of greater free energy changes.
Oblique projections: Formulas, algorithms, and error bounds

When an orthogonal projection is to be computed using data acquired by distributed sensors, it is often necessary to process each sensor's data locally and then transmit the results to a central facility for final processing. The most efficient way to do this is to compute oblique projections locally. This choice makes the final processing a matter of summing the oblique projections. In this paper we derive new formulas, and iterative algorithms and associated error bounds, for oblique projections in arbitrary Hilbert spaces.
Computing Extremal Quasiconformal Maps

Conformal maps are widely used in geometry processing applications. They are smooth, preserve angles, and are locally injective by construction. However, conformal maps do not allow for boundary positions to be prescribed. A natural extension to the space of conformal maps is the richer space of quasiconformal maps of bounded conformal distortion. Extremal quasiconformal maps, that is, maps minimizing the maximal conformal distortion, have a number of appealing properties making them a suitable candidate for geometry processing tasks. Similarly to conformal maps, they are guaranteed to be locally bijective; unlike conformal maps however, extremal quasiconformal maps have sufficient flexibility to allow for solution of boundary value problems. Moreover, in practically relevant cases, these solutions are guaranteed to exist, are unique and have an explicit characterization. We present an algorithm for computing piecewise linear approximations of extremal quasiconformal maps for genus-zero surfaces with boundaries, based on Teichmuller's characterization of the dilatation of extremal maps using holomorphic quadratic differentials. We demonstrate that the algorithm closely approximates the maps when an explicit solution is available and exhibits good convergence properties for a variety of boundary conditions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of a vessel‐sealing device for small intestinal resection and anastomosis in normal horses

Objectives— To compare arterial bursting pressure after vessel closure using a vessel-sealing device (LigaSure Atlas Laparoscopic Sealer/Divider Instrument; Valleylab, Boulder, CO), a ligate-and-divide stapling device (LDS), and 2-0 polydioxanone suture. To evaluate the LigaSure Atlas as a method for ligation of the mesenteric vasculature during small intestinal resection in normal horses. Study Design— Experimental study. Animals— Part A: jejunal segments from 19 horses. Part B: 6 horses, aged 1 to 18 years, weighing 330 to 509 kg. Methods— Part A: Jejunal segments with mesenteric vessels were collected from 19 horses. After closure by 1 of 3 methods (LigaSure Atlas, LDS, 2-0 polydioxanone) arteries were cannulated, and bursting pressure was measured by incrementally increasing intraluminal pressure until failure. Part B: Six horses had jejunal resection and anastomosis using a vessel-sealing device (LigaSure Atlas) to provide hemostasis of the mesenteric vasculature. Horses were monitored clinically for 4 weeks. Results— Part A: Mean ± SEM bursting pressure after 2-0 polydioxanone ligation (1,014.50 ± 279.05 mm Hg) was significantly greater than mean bursting pressure after LigaSure (554.25 ± 228.79 mm Hg), which was significantly greater than the mean bursting pressure after LDS (373.25 ± 183.69). Part B: No major operative or postoperative hemorrhage occurred after application of the LigaSure Atlas for sealing and transecting mesenteric vasculature during small intestinal resection in normal horses. Conclusions— The LigaSure Atlas appears to be a safe method for hemostasis of the mesenteric vasculature during small intestinal resection in normal horses. Clinical Relevance— Benefits of the LigaSure Atlas vessel-sealing device include reduced time required to provide hemostasis, acceptable arterial bursting pressure, no remaining foreign material, and no risk for ligature slippage. In our experience, use of the LigaSure Atlas during small intestinal resection and anastomosis in horses is safe for ligation of vessels less than or equal to 7-mm diameter.
An evolution problem for linear growth functionals

(1994). An evolution problem for linear growth functionals. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 19, No. 11-12, pp. 1879-1907.
Gonad-Stimulating Abilities of Male and Female Rat Pituitary Glands.

ConclusionsAssays of male and female rat hypophyses were made by injecting acetone dried glands into normal and hypophysectomized immature female rats. Male hypophyses stimulated follicular development only, unless large amounts of the desiccated glands were administered. The hypophyses of adult female rats induced luteinization at all dose levels.
Recent research on the evolution of land birds on the Galapagos

A decade of research on the evolution of Galapagos land birds is reviewed. and outstanding questions to be answered are highlighted. Evolutionary studies have been restric 1 almost entirely to the four species of mockingbirds and the 13 species of Darwin’s finches. Long-krm field studies have been initiated on representatives of both groups. Co-operative breeding has been discovered in the mockingbirds (and hawks). Lack’s (1945, 1947) monographic treatment of Darwin’s finches has been largely upheld and extended by morphological, ecological, behavioural and biochemical studies. While the phylogenetic origins of Darwin’s finches still remain uncertain, the major groupings of the finches have been confirmed by the results of protein polymorphism analysis. Fossils of Darwin’s finches have been discovered recently: their potential for illuminating evolutionary change has not yet been realized. Three other major developments are (I) quantitative confirmation of the role of interspecific competition in the adaptive radiation, (2) experimental confirmation of the role of morphological and song cues in species recognition, and experimental evidence of their evolution in the speciation process, and (3) direct study of natural selection on heritable quantitative traits in a population, and identification of its causes. Continuing studies of population variation are likely to reveal the contemporary importance of selection, migration and hybridization, and thereby help us to more fully understand the causes of the adaptive radiation of Darwin’s finches.
miR-122 Continues to Blaze the Trail for MicroRNA Therapeutics

As with the development of therapeutics based on RNA interference and traditional messenger RNA (mRNA) targeting with antisense, it is a liver-specific target RNA—microRNA-122 (miR-122)—that has emerged as the lead candidate for a microRNA therapeutic that could have the first meaningful clinical impact. miR-122 is by far the most abundant microRNA in the liver, and possibly in the entire human microRNA repertoire.1,2 This early realization has spawned several investigations of the function of this tissue-specific microRNA. These show it to be important for liver cell identity,2,3,4 lipid metabolism,3,5 and, perhaps curiously, hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication.6 Given the sheer abundance of this microRNA and the multitude of mRNAs that are de-repressed following its inhibition,3 it is possible that more functions will emerge. Because the liver is the organ that is most amenable to the delivery of oligonucleotides following systemic administration, antisense-targeting experiments in both mice and nonhuman primates contributed quite early and very significantly to the functional definition of miR-122, especially its role in maintaining cholesterol levels3,5,7 and in HCV replication in a chimpanzee model.8 As a result of such rapid progress, clinical trials are now under way to investigate the use of miR-122 as an antisense target for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. The phase I safety trials are sponsored by Santaris Pharma and involve healthy adult volunteers.
Mineral dissolution kinetics as a function of distance from equilibrium – New experimental results

Abstract We revisit a fundamental question in mineral dissolution kinetics, namely: is the function of dissolution rate versus the distance from equilibrium continuous, or does the “switch” between two different reaction mechanisms cause a discontinuity, i.e., a kinetic bifurcation? Based on new insight from experimental results, including direct observations of retreating crystal surfaces with vertical scanning interferometry (VSI), we present evidence that a discontinuity does indeed exist. Through a carefully designed near-equilibrium albite dissolution experiment, we show how a non-steady-state dissolution rate observed on a crystal surface reflects reactivity inherited from earlier episodes of undersaturation. This outcome forces us to re-think the common practice of extrapolating overall dissolution rates measured far-from-equilibrium to near-equilibrium conditions.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors are expressed by most parvalbumin‐immunoreactive neurons in area MT of the macaque

Background In the mammalian neocortex, cells that express parvalbumin (PV neurons) comprise a dominant class of inhibitory neuron that substantially overlaps with the fast/narrow-spiking physiological phenotype. Attention has pronounced effects on narrow-spiking neurons in the extrastriate cortex of macaques, and more consistently so than on their broad-spiking neighbors. Cortical neuromodulation by acetylcholine (ACh) is a candidate mechanism for aspects of attention and in the primary visual cortex (V1) of the macaque, receptors for ACh (AChRs) are strongly expressed by inhibitory neurons. In particular, most PV neurons in macaque V1 express m1 muscarinic AChRs and exogenously applied ACh can cause the release of γ-aminobutyric acid. In contrast, few PV neurons in rat V1 express m1 AChRs. While this could be a species difference, it has also been argued that macaque V1 is anatomically unique when compared with other cortical areas in macaques. Aims The aim of this study was to better understand the extent to which V1 offers a suitable model circuit for cholinergic anatomy in the macaque occipital lobe, and to explore cholinergic modulation as a biological basis for the changes in circuit behavior seen with attention. Materials and methods We compared expression of m1 AChRs by PV neurons between area V1 and the middle temporal visual area (MT) in macaque monkeys using dual-immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Results and conclusion We find that, as in V1, most PV neurons in MT express m1 AChRs but, unlike in V1, it appears that so do most excitatory neurons. This provides support for V1 as a model of cholinergic modulation of inhibition in macaque visual cortex, but not of cholinergic modulation of visual cortical circuits in general. We also propose that ACh acting via m1 AChRs is a candidate underlying mechanism for the strong effects of attention on narrow-spiking neurons observed in behaving animals.
Mother-Adolescent Health Communication: Are All Conversations Created Equally?

Fifty-two mother-adolescent dyads (mean adolescent age = 16.3) participated in an observational study of communication about health topics. The aim of the study was to examine mother-adolescent conversations about health issues—drugs/alcohol, sexuality, nutrition/exercise—to determine the extent to which the mothers treat these issues similarly. Across conversations, mothers spent more time asking questions than lecturing or discussing negative consequences. Mothers discussed negative consequences less in the nutrition/exercise and sexuality conversations than in the drug/alcohol conversation. Mothers asked fewer questions when discussing nutrition/exercise than drugs/alcohol, and lectured more in the nutrition/exercise conversation than in the sexuality conversation. The results of this study have implications for intervention programmers advocating in the media that parents “talk to your kids” about these health issues.
The Type II Transforming Growth Factor-β Receptor Autophosphorylates Not Only on Serine and Threonine but Also on Tyrosine Residues

The type I and type II receptors for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) are structurally related transmembrane serine/threonine kinases, which are able to physically interact with each other at the cell surface. To help define the initial events in TGF-β signaling, we characterized the kinase activity of the type II TGF-β receptor. A recombinant cytoplasmic domain of the receptor was purified from Escherichia coli and baculovirus-infected insect cells. Anti-phosphotyrosine Western blotting demonstrated that the type II receptor kinase can autophosphorylate on tyrosine. Following an in vitro kinase reaction, the autophosphorylation of the cytoplasmic domain and phosphorylation of exogenous substrate was shown by phosphoamino acid analysis to occur not only on serine and threonine but also on tyrosine. The dual kinase specificity of the receptor was also demonstrated using immunoprecipitated receptors expressed in mammalian cells and in vivo32P labeling showed phosphorylation of the receptor on serine and tyrosine. In addition, the kinase activity of the cytoplasmic domain was inhibited by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor tyrphostin. Tryptic mapping and amino acid sequencing of in vitro autophosphorylated type II receptor cytoplasmic domain allowed the localization of the sites of tyrosine phosphorylation to positions 259, 336, and 424. Replacement of all three tyrosines with phenylalanines strongly inhibited the kinase activity of the receptor, suggesting that tyrosine autophosphorylation may play an autoregulatory role for the kinase activity of this receptor. These results demonstrate that the type II TGF-β receptor can function as a dual specificity kinase and suggest a role for tyrosine autophosphorylation in TGF-β receptor signaling.
Racism in the Jury Box: The Hispanic Defendant

Despite the voluminous empirical literature on the social psychology of juries, very little research has centered on racial or ethnic issues. Indeed, there has been no previous research on Hispanics or on minority groups other than blacks. The present study involved an innovative methodology high in both experimental and mundane realism, incorporating a procedure whereby participants believed that they were actually on a jury whose decisions would really affect a defendant. Six-person juries, of varied sex and ethnic composition, deliberated and made decisions in cases involving Hispanic or Anglo defendants. The results highlight the importance and saliency of ethnic factors in jury research and underscore the efficacy of the methodology employed.
Growth and Characterization of Cubic SiC Single‐Crystal Films on Si

Morphological and electrical characterization results are presented for cubic SiC films grown by chemical vapor deposition on single-crystal Si substrates. The films, up to 40 microns thick, were characterized by optical microscopy, (SEM), (TEM), electron channeling, surface profilometry, and Hall measurements. A variety of morphological features observed on the SiC films are described. Electrical measurements showed a decrease in the electron mobility with increasing electron carrier concentration, similar to that observed in Si. Room-temperature electron mobilities up to 520 sq cm/V-s (at an electron carrier concentration of 5 x 10 to the 16th/cu cm) were measured. Finally, a number of parameters believed to be important in the growth process were investigated, and some discussion is given of their possible effects on the film characteristics.
Two-phase and family-based designs for next-generation sequencing studies

The cost of next-generation sequencing is now approaching that of early GWAS panels, but is still out of reach for large epidemiologic studies and the millions of rare variants expected poses challenges for distinguishing causal from non-causal variants. We review two types of designs for sequencing studies: two-phase designs for targeted follow-up of genomewide association studies using unrelated individuals; and family-based designs exploiting co-segregation for prioritizing variants and genes. Two-phase designs subsample subjects for sequencing from a larger case-control study jointly on the basis of their disease and carrier status; the discovered variants are then tested for association in the parent study. The analysis combines the full sequence data from the substudy with the more limited SNP data from the main study. We discuss various methods for selecting this subset of variants and describe the expected yield of true positive associations in the context of an on-going study of second breast cancers following radiotherapy. While the sharing of variants within families means that family-based designs are less efficient for discovery than sequencing unrelated individuals, the ability to exploit co-segregation of variants with disease within families helps distinguish causal from non-causal ones. Furthermore, by enriching for family history, the yield of causal variants can be improved and use of identity-by-descent information improves imputation of genotypes for other family members. We compare the relative efficiency of these designs with those using unrelated individuals for discovering and prioritizing variants or genes for testing association in larger studies. While associations can be tested with single variants, power is low for rare ones. Recent generalizations of burden or kernel tests for gene-level associations to family-based data are appealing. These approaches are illustrated in the context of a family-based study of colorectal cancer.
Generalized counting rule and oscillatory scaling

We have studied the energy dependence of the $pp$ elastic scattering data and the pion-photoproduction data at 90$^\circ$ c.m. angle in light of the new generalized counting rule derived for exclusive processes. We show that by including the helicity flipping amplitudes (with energy dependence given by the generalized counting rule) and their interference with the Landshoff amplitude, we are able to reproduce the energy dependence of all cross-section and spin-correlation (A$_{NN}$) data available above the resonance region. The pion-photoproduction data can also be described by this approach, but in this case data with much finer energy spacing is needed to confirm the oscillations about the scaling behavior.
Stability of Methyl Platinum Complexes in Water: The Role of pH and Geometry

Several water-soluble platinum(II) complexes containing methyl ligands have been prepared, PtMe2L2 and Pt(Cl)(Me)L2 (L2 = two P(m-C6H4SO3Na)3, TPPTS; (m-C6H4SO3Na)2PCH2CH2P(m-C6H4SO3Na2), DPPETS; (m-C6H4SO3Na)2PCH2CH2CH2P(m-C6H4SO3Na)2, DPPPTS; or (m-C6H4SO3Na)2PCH2CH2CH2CH2P(m-C6H4SO3Na)2, DPPBTS), to establish the stability of the platinum methyl bond in aqueous solution. From pH = 3 to 14 there is no reaction other than ligand substitution of H2O or OH- for Cl-; there is no CH3OH elimination. At lower pH's protonolysis of the Pt−Me bond occurs, producing CH4. Dissolving PtMe2L2 into a solution of HCl at pH = 1 rapidly produces PtCl2L2 for the bidentate ligands, but trans-Pt(Cl)(Me)L2 is observed for the monodentate ligands. trans-PtClMe(TPPTS)2 undergoes protonolysis very slowly, indicating an important role for geometry in protonolysis reactions. The protonolysis reactions occur stereospecifically but are sometimes accompanied by cis−trans isomerization. The cis or trans thermodynamic preferences, cis...
Effects of Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Pelleting on Sugar Yield in Biofuel Manufacturing With Different Pretreatment Methods

There are many concerns taking place due to the reliability and sustainability of petroleum-based liquid transportation fuels. The importance of finding an alternative fuel source to the petroleum-based fuels is in high demand. One promising alternative is cellulosic biofuels that offer numerous benefits for the environment. However, there are some obstacles in the way of manufacturing the cellulosic biofuels at a large scale and doing so cost effectively. One obstacle is the low sugar yield of biomass in enzymatic hydrolysis, leading to low efficiency in biomass-biofuel conversion and thus high conversion costs. Pretreatment of biomass is required to achieve high sugar yield in enzymatic hydrolysis. Dilute acid pretreatment and hot water pretreatment can effectively increase the sugar yield, but they usually involve high temperature or excessive use of acid, making pretreatment one of the most costly process in cellulosic biofuel manufacturing. This study investigated effects of ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting on the sugar yield of biomass pretreated by the two pretreatment methods. Results showed that, for both pretreatment methods, pellets produces higher sugar yield than particles. Furthermore, at the same pretreatment temperature, the water-pretreated pellets produced higher sugar yield than acid-pretreated particles.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Factors affecting mirror behaviour in western lowland gorillas, Gorilla gorilla.

Abstract To date, it has proven difficult to demonstrate mirror self-recognition in gorillas. However, gorillas display pronounced gaze aversion that may prevent them from spending a sufficient amount of time exploring their mirror images to understand that they are the source of their reflections. It has also been suggested that the presence of observers may inhibit gorillas from engaging in mark-directed behaviours. To overcome the problem of gaze aversion, we used an angled-mirror apparatus developed by Anderson & Roeder (1989, Primates , 30 , 581–587) that prevented two gorillas at the National Zoological Park from making direct eye contact with their reflections. To counter the observer inhibition hypothesis, we conducted mark tests on these animals using video cameras. Despite addressing these and other concerns in a series of four experiments, the gorillas did not show compelling evidence of self-recognition, even after over 4 years of mirror exposure.
BYSTANDER STIMULATION OF T CELLS IN VIVO BY CYTOKINES

Immune responses to infectious agents, especially viruses, are often associated with extensive proliferation of T cells and transient enlargement of the lymphoid tissues. Since the precursor frequency of T cells for specific antigen is low, the bulk of the T cells proliferating in the primary response are presumably stimulated via non-antigen-specific mechanisms, e.g. via cytokines elicited by the infectious agent concerned. Such 'bystander' stimulation of T cells occurs in mice injected with agents that elicit production of type I interferon (IFN I). Induction of IFN I in vivo causes marked stimulation of the CD44hi subset of CD8+ T cells and is prominent after injection of live viruses or products of bacteria such as lipopolysaccharide. Cytokines elicited by infectious agents may act as adjuvants during the primary response and could serve to boost the survival of long-lived memory cells.
Rural electrification and irrigation in the U.S. High Plains

Abstract The U.S. government's rural electrification program played a critical role in the development of the agricultural economy of the High Plains, a region characterized by low precipitation, extreme temperatures and recurring drought. Rural electric co-operatives and low-cost, government-supplied electricity made large-scale, groundwater-based irrigation farming both profitable and very productive. For many of the High Plains rural electric co-operatives, groundwater-based irrigation generates a very large share of their total electricity sales and operating revenues. Declining groundwater levels and rising irrigation energy costs, however, have caused significant reductions in total irrigated cropland. Many of the electric co-operatives will continue to be confronted with declining revenues unless electric rates are raised or government subsidies for the rural electrification program increase. This raises serious questions about the continued economic viability of the High Plains rural electrification industry, as well as about the future of the region's agricultural economy.
Closure of the squared Zakharov--Shabat eigenstates

Abstract By solving the inverse scattering problem for a third-order (degenerate) eigenvalue problem, we can find the closure of the squared eigenfunctions of the Zakharov-Shabat equations. The question of the completeness of squared eigenstates occurs in many aspects of “inverse scattering transforms” (solving nonlinear evolution equations exactly by inverse scattering techniques) as well as in various aspects of the inverse scattering problem. The method we use is quite suggestive as to how one might find the closure of the squared eigenfunctions of other eigenvalue equations, and we point the strong analogy between our results and the problem of finding the closure of the eigenvectors of a nonself-adjoint matrix.
Application of Ultrasonic Irradiation for the Degradation of Chemical Contaminants in Water

The sonochemical degradation of a variety of chemical contaminants in aqueous solution has been investigated. Substrates such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, pesticides, phenols, explosives such as TNT, and esters are transformed into short-chain organic acids, CO_2, and inorganic ions as the final products. Time scales of treatment in simple batch reactors over the frequency range of 20 to 500 kHz are reported to range from minutes to hours for complete degradation. Ultrasonic irradiation appears to be an effective method for the rapid destruction of organic contaminants in water because of localized high concentrations of oxidizing species such as hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide in solution, high localized temperatures and pressures, and the formation of transient supercritical water. The degradation of chemical compounds by acoustic cavitation is shown to involve three distinct pathways: 1) oxidation by hydroxyl radicals, 2) pyrolytic decomposition and 3) supercritical water oxidation. Detailed reaction mechanisms for the degradation of p-nitrophenol, carbon tetrachloride, parathion, p-nitrophenyl acetate and trinitrotoluene are presented.
Fabrication of Silica Ultra High Quality Factor Microresonators

Whispering gallery resonant cavities confine light in circular orbits at their periphery. The photon storage lifetime in the cavity, quantified by the quality factor (Q) of the cavity, can be in excess of 500ns for cavities with Q factors above 100 million. As a result of their low material losses, silica microcavities have demonstrated some of the longest photon lifetimes to date. Since a portion of the circulating light extends outside the resonator, these devices can also be used to probe the surroundings. This interaction has enabled numerous experiments in biology, such as single molecule biodetection and antibody-antigen kinetics, as well as discoveries in other fields, such as development of ultra-low-threshold microlasers, characterization of thin films, and cavity quantum electrodynamics studies.(3-7) The two primary silica resonant cavity geometries are the microsphere and the microtoroid. Both devices rely on a carbon dioxide laser reflow step to achieve their ultra-high-Q factors (Q>100 million). However, there are several notable differences between the two structures. Silica microspheres are free-standing, supported by a single optical fiber, whereas silica microtoroids can be fabricated on a silicon wafer in large arrays using a combination of lithography and etching steps. These differences influence which device is optimal for a given experiment. Here, we present detailed fabrication protocols for both types of resonant cavities. While the fabrication of microsphere resonant cavities is fairly straightforward, the fabrication of microtoroid resonant cavities requires additional specialized equipment and facilities (cleanroom). Therefore, this additional requirement may also influence which device is selected for a given experiment.
Selective deep-Si-trench etching with dimensional control

The recent development of a high-aspect ratio Si etch (HARSE) process has enabled the fabrication of a variety of Si structures where deep trench etching is necessary. The HARSE process relies on the formation of a sidewall etch inhibitor to prevent lateral etching of the Si structures during exposure to an aggressive SF{sub 6}/Ar plasma etch chemistry. The process yields highly anisotropic profiles with excellent dimensional control for high aspect ratio features. In this study, Si etch rates and etch selectivities to photoresist are reported as a function of chamber pressure, cathode rf-power, ICP source power, and gas flow. Si etch rates > 3 {micro}m/min with etch selectivities to resist > 75:1 were obtained. Lateral dimensional control, etch selectivities to SiO{sub 2} and Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, and aspect ratio dependent etching (ARDE) will also be discussed.
Identifying Gait Patterns for Dynamically Stable Walking

We anticipate that the motion of biped machines should be similar to human motion to achieve dynamic stability. In this paper, a novel approach to compute dynamically stable gait of a planar six degree-of-freedom biped is presented. This approach is analytical and is based on periodic property of a gait cycle. The resulting gait satisfies all dynamic stability criteria.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
The properties of pole and zero locations for nondecreasing step responses

A form of response to a step input in a physical system is the nondecreasing type, which is of interest to the circuit designer, especially when an overshoot in the step response is objectionable. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the properties of the pole and zero locations of rational system functions whose step responses are of this form. The few known properties of this nature are scattered mainly throughout the mathematical literature. These results are gathered here and presented in a unified manner. Secondly, several other results are developed that are believed to be new. In some cases, the proofs of the following theorems are merely sketched or omitted entirely when they are available in the referenced literature.
A 5'-distal element mediates vitamin D-inducibility of PDGF-A gene transcription.

Expression of the platelet-derived growth factor-A subunit (PDGF-A) is regulated to a significant degree by DNA elements located in the 5′-distal region of the gene. A potent basal enhancer (ACE66) located approximately 7 kb upstream of the transcription start site contains a number of half-sites for nuclear receptor binding, two of which are arranged in the form of direct repeat-3 motif that corresponds to a consensus vitamin D response element (VDRE). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays confirmed that the ACE66 sequence was recognized as a high affinity target for binding of heterodimers of recombinant vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its partner, retinoid-X receptor-α (RXRα). VDRE activity was localized by transient transfection analysis to a direct repeat-3 motif within the 5′-portion of the ACE66 element. Moreover, 1,25-(OH)2D3 was validated as a regulator of the endogenous PDGF-A gene by the vitamin D-stimulated upregulation of PDGF-A mRNA levels in a VDR-expressing clone of JEG-3 cells. Thus, PDGF-A ...
The Influence of Amorphizing Implants on Boron Diffusion in Silicon

The transient enhanced diffusion behavior of B after ion implantation above the amorphization threshold is investigated. The experimental structure uses a layer of epitaxially grown Si, uniformly doped with B to act as a diffusion monitor. Wafers using this structure are implanted with amorphizing doses of Si, As, or P and annealed for various times at various temperatures. The experimental results show that upon annealing after Si implantation, there is a large amount of B pile-up that occurs at the amorphous/crystalline (A/C) interface while B is depleted from the region just beyond the A/C interface. This pile-up/depletion phenomenon can be attributed to the dislocation loops that form at the A/C interface. These loops act as sinks for interstitial point defects. There is also B pile-up/depletion behavior for As and P implants as well. However, this behavior may be explained by an electric field enhancement effect. While dislocation loops are known to form at the A/C interface for all of the investigated implant conditions, it appears that while they are necessary to simulate for Si amorphizing implants, they may not be necessary to simulate for As and P amorphizing implants.