cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ceramic packages for liquid-nitrogen operation

To evaluate their compatibility for use in a liquid-nitrogen computer, metallized ceramic packages with test chips using controlled-collapse solder (Pb-Sn) technology were cycled between 30 degrees C and liquid-nitrogen temperature. Room-temperature electrical resistance measurements were made at regular intervals of cycles to determine whether solder failure accompanied by a significant resistance increase had occurred. For the failed solder joints characterized by the highest thermal shear strain amplitude of 3.3%, it was possible to estimate the number of liquid-nitrogen cycles needed to produce the corresponding failure rate using a room-temperature solder lifetime model. Cross-sectional examination of the failed solder joints using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis indicated solder cracking occurring at the solder-ceramic interface. Chip-pull tests on cycled packages yielded strengths far exceeding the minimal requirement. Mechanisms involving the formation of intermetallics are proposed to account for the observed solder fracture modes after liquid-nitrogen cycling and after chip pull. SEM examination of pulled chips in cycled packages found no apparent sign of cracking in quartz and polyimide for chip insulation. >
A simple theorem on 3-connectivity

Abstract It is well known that for any element of a connected matroid, either the deletion or the contraction of that element preserves connectivity. We prove a simple and natural generalization to 3-connected matroids. This result is used to prove Seymour's generalization of a theorem of Kelmans.
Dopamine D1 and opioid receptor antagonist-induced reductions of fructose and saccharin intake in BALB/c and SWR inbred mice.

Sugar and fat intake in rodents are mediated in part by brain dopamine (DA) and opioid neurotransmitter systems although important strain differences exist. Thus, whereas sucrose intake of BALB/c and SWR mice was reduced by DA D1 (SCH23390: SCH) receptor antagonism, opioid (naltrexone: NTX) receptor antagonism reduced intake only in BALB/c mice. Both SCH and NTX reduced fat (Intralipid) intake in SWR, but not BALB/c mice. The present study extended this pharmacological analysis to caloric and non-caloric sweeteners by examining whether fructose (8%) or saccharin (0.2%) intakes were differentially suppressed in BALB/c and SWR mice by SCH (50–1600 nmol/kg) or NTX (0.01–5 mg/kg) over a 5- to 120-min time course. SCH significantly reduced fructose (200–1600 nmol/kg) and saccharin (50–1600 nmol/kg) intakes in both strains as did NTX (0.1–5 mg/kg). Antagonist ID40 potencies were < 50 nmol/kg for SCH and 0.9 mg/kg for NTX in inhibiting saccharin intake, and 1234 nmol/kg for SCH and 5 mg/kg for NTX in inhibiting fructose intake in BALB/c mice. For SWR mice, the ID40 potencies were < 50 nmol/kg for SCH and 0.02 mg/kg for NTX in inhibiting saccharin intake, and 298 nmol/kg for SCH and 2.6 mg/kg for NTX in inhibiting fructose intake. Thus, saccharin intake was similarly reduced by SCH and NTX in BALB/c and SWR mice, but greater potencies of opioid (1.9-fold) and DA D1 (4-fold) receptor antagonism of fructose intake were observed in SWR relative to BALB/c mice, indicating strong strain differences.
Detection and Remediation of Stagnation in the Nelder--Mead Algorithm Using a Sufficient Decrease Condition

The Nelder--Mead algorithm can stagnate and converge to a nonoptimal point, even for very simple problems. In this note we propose a test for sufficient decrease which, if passed for all iterations, will guarantee convergence of the Nelder--Mead iteration to a stationary point if the objective function is smooth and the diameters of the Nelder--Mead simplices converge to zero. Failure of this condition is an indicator of potential stagnation. As a remedy we propose a new step, which we call an oriented restart, that reinitializes the simplex to a smaller one with orthogonal edges whose orientation is determined by an approximate descent direction from the current best point. We also give results that apply when the objective function is a low-amplitude perturbation of a smooth function. We illustrate our results with some numerical examples.
China's power industry, 1980-1990 : price reform and its effect on energy efficiency

Abstract We examine the economic reforms in China's electric power industry during the 1980s, describe China's pre-reform economy and show how investment and price reforms affected the power industry. Despite notable gains in economic and energy efficiencies following the introduction of market-oriented policies, some reform measures produced undesirable side-effects for the power industry. Using a simple economic model, it is possible to show that the multiple-price system adopted in the mid-1980s for paying power producers results in the underutilization of China's newest and most energy-efficient plants. We provide an estimate of the fuel losses which may have resulted from this pricing policy and suggest alternative pricing rules which will reduce efficiency losses in the power industry.
Arbitrary hypotheses in linear mod fi.S with unbalanced data

The Statistical Analysis System (SAS) procedure entitled General Linear Model (GLM) includes in its output four types of estimable functions that have certain arbitrariness (represented by the letter L) in their coefficients. This paper shows how such arbitrary estimable functions are derived from the known, general expressions for hypotheses tested by traditional-style F-statisties in analysis of variance calculations that are often made for unbalanced data (i.e., data having unequal numbers of observations in their subclasses).
Plasmids mediating multiple drug resistance in group B streptococcus: transferability and molecular properties.

Abstract Group B β-hemolytic streptococci isolated from a number of geographic locations were investigated with regard to the genetic basis of their drug-resistance determinants. Strains have been identified carrying plasmid-mediated resistance to erythromycin, lincomycin, and streptogramin B (MLS resistance). These MLS-resistance plasmids all have molecular weights of approximately 17 × 10 6 and are capable of transfer during mixed incubation by a mechanism that appears similar to conjugation. These plasmids were transferable to group B, D, F, and H recipients. Transfer could also be shown from groups F and H to group D recipients. Plasmids DNA isolated from recipient strains following transfer was identical with that of the donor. The similarity of restriction fingerprints of MLS-resistance plasmids from group A, B, and D isolates obtained suggest that they constitute a family of related plasmids.
Surface energy, elasticity and the homogenization of rough surfaces

Abstract The concept of surface energy is widely used to understand numerous aspects of material behavior: fracture, self-assembly, catalysis, void formation, microstructure evolution, and size-effect exhibited by nanostructures. Extensive work exists on deriving homogenized constitutive responses for macroscopic composites—relating effective properties to various microstructural details. In the present work, we focus on homogenization of surfaces. Indeed, elucidation of the effect of surface roughness on the surface energy, stress, and elastic behavior is relatively under-studied and quite relevant to the behavior of both nanostructures and bulk material where surfaces are involved in some form or fashion. We present derivations that relate both periodic and random roughness to the effective surface elastic behavior. We find that the residual surface stress is hardly affected by roughness while the superficial elastic properties are dramatically altered and, importantly, they may also change sign—this has significant ramifications in the interpretation of sensing based on frequency measurement changes. Interestingly, even if the bare surface has a zero surface elasticity modulus, roughness is seen to endow it with one. Using atomistic calculations, we verify the qualitative validity of the obtained theoretical insights. We show, through an illustrative example, that the square of resonance frequency of a cantilever beam with rough surface can decrease almost by a factor of two compared to a flat surface.
Upper Extremity Changes with SCI Contrasted to Common Aging in the Musculoskeletal System

The effects of aging of the musculoskeletal system in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are reviewed. Generally, in an individual with SCI, impairments in the upper extremities (vs. the lower extremities) will have the greatest impact on function and mobility. Furthermore, because individuals with SCI depend upon their upper extremities for mobility, they are more susceptible to problems. Both SCI survivors and care providers need to be aware of the potential changes in functional abilities resulting from aging of the musculoskeletal system and need to be open to modifications to optimize independence and maintain quality of life.
The adsorption of saxitoxin to clays and sediments in fresh and saline waters.

Abstract The adsorption of saxitoxin to Na- and Ca-montmorillonite, kaolin (crystalline and amorphous), kaolinite, Bread and Butter Creek sediment (an estuarine tidal creek), Gulf of Mexico sediment, and Santa Barbara Basin sediment in deionized water and 32‰ salinity simulated seawater (Instant Ocean™) is reported. Adsorption was partially reversible for all cases and best described using a Freundlich isotherm. The corresponding Freundlich constants ( K F ) ranged from 8.83 × 10 3 μmol/kg to 6.76 × 10 4 μmol/kg for freshwater and 4.73 × 10 3 μmol/kg–1.11 × 10 4 μmol/kg for seawater. There is a positive linear correlation seen between the K F values and the cation-exchange capacity of the adsorbents. The release of saxitoxin from previously equilibrated adsorbents was determined in freshwater (0–18%) and seawater (4–53%).
Lipid transfer between cationic vesicles and lipid-DNA lipoplexes: effect of serum.

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to examine the lipid exchange between model lipid systems, including vesicles of the cationic lipoids ethyldimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (EDMPC), ethyldipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (EDPPC) or their complexes with DNA (lipoplexes), and the zwitterionic lipids (DMPC, DPPC). The changes of the lipid phase transition parameters (temperature, enthalpy, and cooperativity) upon consecutive temperature scans was used as an indication of lipid mixing between aggregates. A selective lipid transfer of the shorter-chain cationic lipoid EDMPC into the longer-chain aggregates was inferred. In contrast, transfer was hindered when EDMPC (but not EDPPC) was bound to DNA in the lipoplexes. These data support a simple molecular lipid exchange mechanism, but not lipid bilayer fusion. Exchange via lipid monomers is considerably more facile for the cationic ethylphosphatidylcholines than for zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines, presumably due to the higher monomer solubility of the charged lipids. With the cationic liposomes, lipid transfer was strongly promoted by the presence of serum in the dispersing medium. Serum proteins are presumed to be responsible for the accelerated transfer, since the effect was strongly reduced upon heating the serum to 80 °C. The effect of serum indicates that even though much lipoplex lipid is inaccessible due to the multilayered structure, the barrier due to buried lipid can be easily overcome. Serum did not noticeably promote the lipid exchange of zwitterionic liposomes. The phenomenon is of potential importance for the application of cationic liposomes to nonviral gene delivery, which often involves the presence of serum in vitro, and necessarily involves serum contact in vivo.
A Note on David Fetterman’s Response

Let’s cut to the chase. I claim that the revised version of empowerment evaluation (EE) put forward in this book fails to meet the key minimum standards for formative, summative, or any other defensible purpose of evaluation, namely the standards of validity, credibility, and ethicality (the other reasonable requirements of utility and cost effectiveness require these). These are not my standards; they are the standards of science, scholarship, practical life, and morality. David argues that this line of criticism is inappropriate because all he was trying to do was suggest improvements to EE, and it is only appropriate for reviewers to focus on those as the primary goal of this book. But evaluators are obliged to review the improved version of whatever they evaluate, not just the improvements to it, simply because the most important question for the reader or user is whether the effort to improve led to something worthwhile. It didn’t, because these improvements ignore the basic flaws. Of course, self-evaluation sometimes leads to good insights; of course, it’s a good cause to teach staff how to evaluate their program (so EE is an acceptable first step in a three-step staff development program—where Step 2 is how to compensate for the limitations of self-evaluation, and Step 3 is lots more practice); of course, the critical friend can help amateurs avoid some errors; of course, hundreds of users in dozens of countries use and like friendly evaluation approaches such as EE, but the bottom line is still that amateurish self-evaluation, which the only professional around won’t even co-sign, is an absurd model for serious evaluation.
Characterization of a novel mammalian phosphatase having sequence similarity to Schizosaccharomyces pombe PHO2 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae PHO13.

p34, a specific p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (pNPPase) was identified and purified from the murine cell line EL4 in a screen for the intracellular molecular targets of the antiinflammatory natural product parthenolide. A BLAST search analysis revealed that it has a high degree of sequence similarity to two yeast alkaline phosphatases. We have cloned, sequenced, and expressed p34 as a GST-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli and an EE-epitope-tagged fusion protein in mammalian cells. Using p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) as a substrate, p34 is optimally active at pH 7.6 with a Km of 1.36 mM and Kcat of 0.052 min-1. Addition of 1 mM Mg2+ to the reaction mixture increases its activity by 14-fold. Other divalent metal ions such as Co2+ and Mn2+ also stimulated the activity of the enzyme, while Zn2+, Fe2+, and Cu2+ had no effect. Furthermore, both NaCl and KCl enhanced the activity of the enzyme, having maximal effect at 50 and 75 mM, respectively. The enzyme is inhibited by sodium orthovanadate but not by so...
Instructing B Cell Fates on the Fringe

The Notch2 ligand DL1 is required for marginal zone B cell development. In this issue of Immunity, Tan et al. (2009) show that modification of Notch2 by Fringe enzymes is critical to maturing B cells for accessing DL1 on vascular endothelial cells.
Panel: teaching tangible interaction design

How do we educate the designers and engineers who will develop the interactive products and systems of the future? Computing functions are moving into physical objects; networking allows us to connect objects and spaces. As products gain more computing and information technology for power, control and interaction, they tend to lose direct and physical qualities; networking creates tangled webs of non-locality. This panel addresses a question How can we increase literacy in the physical quality of experience and enhance design students capacity for understanding the implications of embedded technologies in product innovation?
Abstract LB-236: Patient derived xenografts as high-fidelity genomic models for advanced breast cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC A limitation of recent genome studies is that they have almost exclusively focused on early stage untreated samples. Consequently the genomic landscape of advanced and treatment-resistant disease is poorly documented, even though Stage 4 patients stand to benefit most from new therapeutic approaches. To address this issue we developed a panel of patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from Stage 3 and 4 patients with treatment-resistant disease to create a platform for detailed molecular and pharmacological investigation. Recently we reported a whole genome sequencing study of a single example of a breast cancer primary, brain metastasis and PDX “trio” demonstrating that the PDX model efficiently captured almost all of the genome-wide variants observed in the tumor and was enriched for mutations present in the metastatic sample (Ding, Ellis et al., Nature 2010). We now extend these findings by conducting massively parallel sequencing of 13 additional PDX models from a diverse set of locally- advanced or Stage 4 breast cancers, all of whom subsequently died from their disease. Structural variants (deletions, inversions and translocations) were remarkably stable and although new single nucleotide variants were observed post-engraftment, most were either non-coding or not expressed and only one had established functionality (K-RAS). PDX models are therefore high-fidelity genomic models for the biological and pharmacological study of complex, often tumor-unique somatic events responsible for lethal drug-resistant advanced breast cancer. Citation Format: Shunqiang Li, Dong Shen, Ding Li, Tao Yu, Jingqin Luo, Jeremy Hoog, Joshua McMichael, Chris Miller, Dave Larson, Ron Bose, Bob Fulton, Rick Wilson, Charles Perou, Elaine Mardis, Matthew Ellis. Patient derived xenografts as high-fidelity genomic models for advanced breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-236. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-LB-236
Metabolism of nucleic acids during regeneration of wound tissue. II. The rate of formation of RNA.

Abstract The rate of formation of RNA in regenerating wound tissue of rats was studied by following the uptake of P32. Total cellular RNA was found to be formed most rapidly during the early stages of regeneration; the rate of formation decreased with time. The incorporation of P32 into the RNA of the microsomes followed a similar pattern. The RNA in the nuclei of the cells, however, appeared to be formed more rapidly as regeneration progressed. The incorporation of P32 into the microsomal RNA was so much greater than that in the nuclei that the pattern of formation of the latter was masked in the studies on the total cellular RNA. A scheme is suggested relating the rate of formation of the RNA from different parts of the cell to the synthesis of different types of protein.
The relative efficiency of Illinois electric utilities

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to apply a generalized version of the Farrell measure of technical efficiency to a sample of regulated electric utilities. We disaggregate the original Farrell measure (which was designed to measure lost output or wasted inputs due to underutiliziation of inputs) into three mutually exclusive and exhaustive components: (1) a measure of purely technical efficiency, (2) a measure of input congestion [overutilization of some input(s)] and (3) a measure of scale efficiency. This approach has the advantage that it provides additional information on the sources of inefficiency of production, which should be useful to decisionmakers, in general, not only in electric utilities. Simple linear programming techniques are derived and used in calculating these efficiency measures for our sample. We find that only a few of these Illinois electric utilities are technically efficient (relative to each other). The major source of inefficiency was due to production ‘inside’ the isoquant, although there were large variations across firms and years in the size and source of inefficiency. Those results suggest the regulation does not necessarily result in efficient operation of electric utilities, nor does it result in consistent performance across plants.
Water Dispersible Fe/Fe-Oxide Core-Shell Structured Nanoparticles for Potential Biomedical Applications

In this paper, we report the synthesis and characterization of water dispersible core-shell structured Fe/Fe-oxide with average size 13 plusmn1.4 nm and Fe-oxide nanoparticles. Unlike the previously reported different approaches, both types of particles can be synthesized by following the same route with a small variation in the Fe(CO)5 molar concentration and oxygen free environments. The oleate/oleylamine coated nanoparticles were surface modified with tetra-methyl-ammonium-hydroxide (TMAOH) to make them water dispersible. TGA analysis provided direct evidence that TMAOH adds to the surface of the oleic acid and oleylamine coated particles making them well disperse and stable in water as is suggested from the zeta potential measurements also.
Campylobacter Colitis: a Common Infectious Form of Acute Colitis

A case of acute ulcerating colitis due toCampylobacter fetus is presented. The radiographic and endoscopic findings are indistinguishable from those of idiopathic acute ulcerative colitis. The clinical and bacteriological data relating to Campylobacter are discussed.
An improved eikonal treatment of rotationally inelastic HeH2 scattering

A variation of the usual semiclassical short wavelength (eikonal) method was recently applied to model calculations of electronically diabatic atom–atom collisions. Microreversibility was computationally imposed on the dynamics by following trajectories initiating in the ground and excited states simultaneously. When imporved transition probabilities for several two-state systems were obtained in this manner, a multistate application was selected. Self-consistent eikonal/averaged effective potential (SCE/AEP) state to state calculations are performed for rotationally inelastic HeH2 scattering at total energies of .1 and .9 eV. using an (8,2) basis (7 states). Phase shifted amplitudes are introduced that add constraints to the coupled differential equations and reduce cpu time. Definite parity partial and total cross sections compare favorably to the previous semiclassical coupled states (SCS) results of Billing (1978) as well as to both the quantum ADPjz and CC results of Shimoni and Kouri (1977). © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effect of size on composition of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata

Abstract 1. 1. Protein, fat, energy, ash, moisture and fatty acid composition of American eels (Anguilla rostrata) of various sizes was determined. 2. 2. Significant correlation coefficients were found between various composition parameters (protein, fat energy, ash, and moisture) and eel size parameters (length, dry weight and wet weight). 3. 3. No significant changes in fatty acid composition was noted with change in length. 4. 4. Of the fatty acids, oleic (18:1) and palmitoleic (16:1) occurred in the highest amounts, 33.69 and 26.41%, respectively, in all eels sampled.
Verifying Time Partitioning in the DEOS Scheduling Kernel

This paper describes an experiment to use the Spin model checking system to support automated verification of time partitioning in the Honeywell DEOS real-time scheduling kernel. The goal of the experiment was to investigate whether model checking with minimal abstraction could be used to find a subtle implementation error that was originally discovered and fixed during the standard formal review process. The experiment involved translating a core slice of the DEOS scheduling kernel from C++ into Promela, constructing an abstract "test-driver" environment and carefully introducing several abstractions into the system to support verification. Attempted verification of several properties related to time-partitioning led to the rediscovery of the known error in the implementation. The case study indicated several limitations in existing tools to support model checking of software. The most difficult task in the original DEOS experiment was constructing an adequate environment to close the system for verification. The fidelity of the environment was of crucial importance for achieving meaningful results during model checking. In this paper, we describe the initial environment modeling effort and a follow-on experiment with using semi-automated environment generation methods. Program abstraction techniques were also critical for enabling verification of DEOS. We describe an implementation scheme for predicate abstraction, an approach based on abstract interpretation, which was developed to support DEOS verification.
What have we learned from the EMS crises

Abstract The present international monetary system is not optimal; it would be better to adopt a system of target zones for the currencies of the Group of Seven countries. But the world is not ready for reform. The economic obstacles can be adduced by examining the crises of the Bretton Woods system in 1971–73 and the crises of the European Monetary System in 1992–93. The EMS crises do not prove that exchange-rate targeting cannot succeed. They do prove that adjustability should not be sacrificed to credibility, that asymmetric systems are not always robust, and that we need more policy instruments to pursue more policy targets, such as exchange-rate stability.
Characterizing the intuitive representation in problem solving : Evidence from evaluating mathematical strategies

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the nature of the intuitive problem representation used in evaluating mathematical strategies. The first experiment tested between two representations: a representation composed of principles and an integrated representation. Subjects judged the correctness of unseen math strategies based only on the answers they produced for a set of temperature mixture problems. The distance of the given answers from the correct answers and whether the answers violated one of the principles of temperature mixture were manipulated. The results supported the principle representation hypothesis. In the second experiment we manipulated subjects’ understanding of an acid mixture task with a brief paragraph of instruction on one of the principles. Subjects then completed an estimation task intended to measure their understanding of the problem domain. The evaluation task from the first experiment was then presented, but with acid mixture instead of temperature mixture. The results showed that intuitive understanding of the domain mediates the effect of instruction on evaluating problems. Additionally, the results supported the hypothesis that subjects perform a mapping process between their intuitive understanding and math strategies.
Surfactant administration prior to one lung ventilation: physiological and inflammatory correlates in a piglet model.

Objectives To test the hypothesis that surfactant, when given prophylactically during one lung ventilation, improves physiological stability and reduces inflammation.
Effects of prosodic boundaries on syntactic disambiguation

We present results of four experiments that examined the role of prosodic boundaries in sentence comprehension of syntactically ambiguous constructions in Korean. Considering the fact that there has been relatively less work on languages other than English on this topic, it will be interesting to see how the previous findings of prosodic effects on sentence comprehension will be manifested in this language. The main focus in this study was to see how prosodic structures interact with the head-final and pro-drop nature of this language. Results show robust effects of prosodic boundaries on resolving syntactically ambiguous sentences, confirming previous findings on the role of prosody on sentence comprehension.
Isolation and properties of a germinative and a non-germinative cell population from postembryonic mouse, rabbit, and human epidermis.

A method to separate two populations of cells (germinative and non-germinative) from the epidermis of the mouse, rabbit and human is presented. The procedure is both simple and physiological and is based upon the principle that one population of cells (germinative) will selectively attach to a collagen gel while the other (non-germinative) will remain in suspension. The positive identification of each cell population is made by measurement of the extent of incorporation of 3H- thymidine into DNA both in vivo and in vitro. Morphologic and metabolic studies confirm this identification. The chemical composition of each cell type has been determined. When compared to the non-germinative cells, the germinative population shows an increase in DNA, RNA, phosphate, and lipids, a decrease in carbohydrates, and an equal quantity of total protein. The germinative cells have three key enzymes in the pathway for DNA synthesis (thymidylate synthetase, thymidine kinase and cytidine diphospho-reductase); the non-germinative cells have no detectable levels of these enzymes.
Synthetic studies on areneolefin cycloadditions -VI- two syntheses of (±)-coriolin.

Abstract The areneolefin photocyclization is shown to provide access to highly oxygenated natural products in an efficient and straightforward manner, as evidenced by the synthesis of coriolin via two separate routes; both proceed from 1-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-1-acetoxy-2,2-dimethylpent-4-ene ( 4a ) in 12 steps.
Propofol Induced Structural Changes in the TMD of the Prokaryotic pLGIC GLIC

General anesthesia, a routine and indispensable tool in modern surgery still remains a poorly understood phenomenon. Recent studies suggest that general anesthetics (GAs) mediate many of their anesthetic actions by binding to intra- or inter-subunit transmembrane domain (TMD) cavities of pentameric ligand gated ion channels (pLGICs) in the brain. The molecular details of this interaction including location of binding sites, conformational changes induced and residues involved in allosteric transduction remain largely unknown. We are using GLIC, a prokaryotic pLGIC to elucidate mechanisms underlying the action of the commonly used intravenous GA, propofol.We individually introduced cysteines at seven sites in the TMD that frame the intra- (I201C in M1, V241C in M2 and T254C in M3), and inter-subunit (N238C, L240C and E242C in M2) cavities as well as the channel lumen (T243C in M2) in GLIC. Propofol slowed the rate of modification of L240C (inter-subunit) and increased the rate of modification of T254C (intra-subunit) suggesting that the extracellular end of the TMD undergoes propofol-induced structural motions that rearrange these cavities and change the local environment at these sites. An increase in modification rate of T254C makes it unlikely that it faces into the propofol binding site as suggested by a recent crystal structure of GLIC with bound propofol (Nury et al., 2011). Moreover, we found that perturbation of residues in the inter-subunit cavity and not those in the intra-subunit cavity caused propofol to potentiate GLIC currents rather than inhibit. Taken together our results show a significant role of the inter-subunit cavity in propofol modulation of pLGICs and reveal conformational changes associated with propofol's actions.
Concentrations and activities of bovine serum biochemic constituents as a function of storage time and temperature.

Summary 1. A study was conducted to determine the stability of 14 bovine serum constituents during storage for 28 days at 2 or −10 °. The constituents assayed in fresh serum and at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21 and 28 d of storage included: glucose, cholesterol, total bilirubin, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, total protein, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, potassium and chloride. 2. There was an unexpected rise in serum lactic dehydrogenase activity after 24 h of storage. The results of this study indicate that storing bovine serum at −10° for 14 to 28 d prior to analysis would be satisfactory for conducting routine analyses of the constituents studied.
A Review of the Influence of Grain Boundary Geometry on the Electromagnetic Properties of Polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7−x Films

Shortly after the discovery of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) materials in the late 1980s, it was revealed that grain boundaries in these complex oxides are strong barriers to current flow. This fact has remained one of the most significant challenges to a viable HTS conductor, and necessitated the development of technologies capable of producing biaxially textured substrates in long lengths. Multiple studies have reported that the critical current density (J{sub c}) across grain boundaries in the perovskite-like superconductor YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7?x} (YBCO) falls off exponentially below the intragrain J{sub c} beyond a critical misorientation angle {theta}{sub c} of only {approx} 2{sup o}-3{sup o}. Here we review our recent work demonstrating that certain grain boundary geometries permit significant enhancements of J{sub c} well beyond the conventional J{sub c}({theta}) limit, and also that the grain boundary structure in YBCO films is tied closely to the films deposition technique. Pulsed laser deposition, a physical vapor deposition technique, results in a columnar grain structure and planar grain boundaries that exhibit the typical J{sub c}({theta}) dependence. Ex situ growth processes, where the YBCO film is converted from a previously deposited precursor, can result in laminar grain growth with highly meandered grain boundaries. These latter grainmore » boundary structures are directly correlated to greatly improved J{sub c} values over a wide range of applied magnetic fields. Consequently, very high J{sub c} values are possible in polycrystalline HTS wire even when significant misorientations between grains are present.« less
A modular 3d processor for flexible product design and technology migration

The current methodology used in mass-market processor design is to create a single base microarchitecture (e.g., Intel's ``Core'' or AMD's ``K8'') that is used throughout all of the PC market segments from laptops to servers. To differentiate the products, manufacturers rely on speed binning, different cache sizes, and varying the number of cores. In this paper, we propose using 3D integration to provide a new, but complementary, approach to providing product differentiation. Past research on using 3D to improve performance has focused on the construction of "fully 3D" circuits where functional blocks are partitioned across two or more layers. This approach forces one of two undesirable situations: (1) all products must be implemented in, and therefore pay the cost of, 3D or (2) a 3D-implemented processor is designed for the high-end/high-performance markets and a separate 2D microarchitecture must be designed for the lower-cost markets thereby incurring significant additional design effort and engineering cost. We present a modular processor architecture where 3D can be used to enhance performance within a single unified design and also provides for a more gradual migration path toward fully 3D-integrated designs. To make this work, we describe a generic technique of using "phantom" components where the baseline processor may believe that 3D-stacked resources exist, but are currently unavailable. Simply using 3D to stack more L2 cache provides a 15.1% average performance benefit, but our proposal increases performance by 25.4%.
Androgens and the cerebrovasculature: modulation of vascular function during normal and pathophysiological conditions.

Sex steroids are commonly known for their contribution to phenotypic as well as biological reproductive sex differences mediated through classical regulation of neuroendocrine loops. However, sex steroids also have considerable impact on physiological function of non-reproductive tissues including the cerebrovasculature. Preclinical studies have shown that endogenous and exogenous administration of sex steroids significantly influences both cerebrovascular tone and brain function under normal conditions and following a pathological insult (e.g., middle cerebral artery occlusion). However, the precise mechanism(s) of how sex steroids modulate vasomotor responses and/or neurological outcomes in vivo is difficult to define since evidence based on both clinical and experimental studies has been shown to be dependent upon several variables including dose, duration of administration, presence of underlying pathologies, species, and sex. While progesterone, testosterone (TEST), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) have all been investigated for their impact on the cerebral circulation, the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) have been best characterized. Since recent reviews have highlighted studies reporting the actions of E2 on cerebral vascular function and health, only key points are included in this review. Conversely, less is known about the effect of androgens on the blood vessel wall, particularly in the cerebral circulation. The few studies that do address a role for androgen’s modulation of cerebrovascular function under normal and pathophysiological conditions provide confounding evidence for either beneficial or detrimental effects. Therefore, the focus of this review is to highlight mechanisms associated with TEST, DHT, and its recently recognized androgen metabolite (3β-diol) on cerebrovascular function during healthy and diseased states.
Serology of strains of Streptococcus faecalis which produce hyaluronidase.

Sharpe and Shattock1 have indicated that the serological properties of enterococci could not be closely correlated with those physiological characteristics which are usually used to differentiate between the several species. They suggested, however, that there were two broad divisions within the enterococci in each of which the serological properties tended to correlate with the general physiological activities; one of these divisions consisted of Streptococcus faecalis and its varieties. Our investigations of strains of Str. faecalis isolated from scrapings from the teeth of humans with periodontal disease2 suggest that those strains which can depolymerize hyaluronic acid substrates by means of enzymes are directly related and distinguishable by a common antigen.
Evidence for extensive olivine-rich basalt bedrock outcrops in Ganges and Eos chasmas, Mars

[1] Several localized outcrops of olivine-enriched bedrock have been previously identified in the Ganges and Eos Chasma area on the eastern end of Valles Marineris with the Thermal Emission Imaging System multispectral images. These outcrops form a layer in the walls of Ganges Chasma and appear to be the remnants of a once continuous unit, which was mapped over ∼100 km. In this study we further characterize the composition (forsterite content of ∼0.68), olivine abundance (10 to >15%), thermal inertia (>600 JK−1 m−2 s−1/2, consistent with in-place rocky material), vertical dimension (∼60 to ∼220 m), extent (>1100 km laterally), volume (∼9.9 × 104 km3), dip (∼0.013°NE), and continuity of this layer utilizing Thermal Emission Spectrometer hyperspectral, Thermal Emission Imaging System multispectral, and Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter elevation data. Morphologic data from high-resolution imagery display a relatively unmantled, rough, and pitted surface associated with the olivine-enriched material, consistent with thermal inertia data. Four possibilities for the origin of the olivine-enriched unit are (1) volcanism associated with tectonic rifting of the Valles Marineris system, (2) a volcaniclastic flow deposit, (3) an intrusive mafic sill, or (4) a discrete episode in Martian history during which flood lavas were erupted onto the surface. The most likely origin is an eruptive event consisting of compositionally uniform flood lavas originating from a primitive mantle source region, possibly associated with the initiation of Tharsis volcanism. This unit is one of the largest continuous compositional units found on Mars and is strikingly similar to other olivine-enriched deposits identified in previous studies where compositional, morphologic, and thermophysical similarities are observed. These similarities may indicate that there was a period in early Martian history, where compositionally uniform and extensive olivine-enriched flood basalts were erupted on the Martian surface.
Beta-cyclodextrins enhance bioavailability of pilocarpine

Cyclodextrins have been used to improve drug solubility, stability and absorption for oral and parenteral administration. However, their potential for improving ocular drug delivery has received little attention. To evaluate the ability of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrins to improve ophthalmic drug bioavailability following topical administration, the miotic effect of topical solutions of pilocarpine was studied in New Zealand White rabbits. Pilocarpine varying in dose from 5 to 500 μg in the presence or absence of 5% cyclodextrin was administered (50 μ1) topically and the change in pupil diameter determined. These results demonstrated that pilocarpine alone or in the presence of cyclodextrin produces a dose-related reduction in pupil diameter. The addition of cyclodextrins produced a significant left-shift in the dose response curve, with an ED50 of 64 μg and 19 μg for pilocarpine and pilocarpine/5% cyclodextrin solutions, respectively. Studies in which the concentration of cyclodextrin was varied revealed ...
Cloud Computing Architectures for the Underserved: Public Health Cyberinfrastructures through a Network of HealthATMs

This paper examines the impact of cyberinfrastructure architecture on healthcare services. More specifically, this research details the architectural design for a personal health record system called "HealthATM" that utilizes and integrates services from Google's cloud computing environment. These services are integrated into an unobtrusive and easy to use ATM-style interface for health consumers and care providers to manage and track their health. The impact for such an application, particularly for the underserved, is an important step toward better health management across this population with the end-goal of better health outcomes in the future.
Toxicokinetics of Inhaled 2-Butoxyethanol and Its Major Metabolite, 2-Butoxyacetic Acid, in F344 Rats and B6C3F1 Mice

Abstract 2-Butoxyethanol (2BE) is used extensively in the production of cleaning agents and solvents. It is primarily metabolized in the liver to 2-butoxyacetic acid (2BAA), which is believed to be responsible for 2BE toxicities associated with hemolysis of red blood cells. The objective of the study was to characterize the systemic disposition of 2BE and 2BAA in rats and mice during 2-year 2BE inhalation toxicity studies. Male and female F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice (6–7 weeks old) were exposed to target 2BE concentrations of 0, 31.2, 62.5, or 125 ppm (rats), or 0, 62.5, 125, or 250 ppm (mice), by whole-body inhalation for 6 h/day, 5 days/week for up to 18 months. Postexposure blood samples were collected after 1 day, 2 weeks, and 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of exposure. Postexposure 16-h urine samples were collected after 2 weeks and 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of exposure. A separate set of mice was kept in the control chamber and exposed to 2BE for 3 weeks when they were approximately 19 months old. Postexposure blood samples were collected after 1 day and 3 weeks of exposure and 16-h urine samples were collected after 2 weeks of exposure from these aged mice. Blood samples were analyzed for both 2BE and 2BAA and urine samples were analyzed for 2BAA using GC/MS, and their kinetic parameters were estimated through the curve-fitting method using SAS. Systemically absorbed 2BE was rapidly cleared from blood ( t 1/2-RAT t 1/2-MOUSE 2BE relative to increases in exposure concentration indicated linear 2BE kinetics. In contrast, the rate of 2BAA elimination from blood decreased as the exposure concentration increased. Nonproportional increases in AUC 2BAA also indicated that 2BAA is eliminated following dose-dependent, nonlinear kinetics. Overall, mice eliminated both 2BE and 2BAA from blood faster than rats. Sex-related differences in 2BAA elimination were most significant with rats, in that females were less efficient in clearing 2BAA from the blood. Differences in renal excretion of 2BAA are possibly responsible for the sex-related difference in the 2BAA blood profiles in rats. As exposure continued, the rates of elimination for both 2BE and 2BAA decreased in both species, resulting in longer residence times in the blood. When 19-month-old naive mice were exposed to 125 ppm, 2BE was rapidly cleared from the systemic circulation, exhibiting clearance profiles similar to young mice. However, old mice eliminated 2BAA from blood > 10 times slower than young mice after 1-day of exposure. This delayed elimination of 2BAA in old mice was less obvious after 3 weeks of exposure, suggesting that there might be other factors in addition to the age of animals that could influence the apparent difference in 2BAA kinetics between old and young mice. It was concluded that the elimination kinetics of 2BE and 2BAA following repeated 2BE exposure appear to be dependent on species, sex, age, time of exposure, as well as the exposure concentration.
U.S. Maritime Ports: Trends, Policy Implications, and Research Needs:

Major changes in ports and marine shipping in the United States since 1960 resulted from (a) containerization, intermodalism, and increasing scale; (b) reduced rail and over-the-road freight shippi...
Prognostic and therapeutic implications of early treatment response assessment in acute myeloid leukemia

Early assessment of disease response to induction chemotherapy is important in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in order to plan future therapy and identify chemorefractory disease. Such assessment is customarily performed by examining the bone marrow at around day 14 after initiation of chemotherapy. However, criteria for assessment of residual leukemia in day 14 bone marrow specimens as well as the significance of partial response on long term outcomes remain unclear. Clinical practices vary regarding the therapeutic intervention for residual disease and include readministration of the original induction therapy or use of a different reinduction regimen. In this article, we critically examine the prognostic significance of residual disease detected on interim bone marrow examination as well as data on reinduction therapy with the original induction regimen versus an alternate regimen. We emphasize the need for standardizing reporting of interim bone marrow assessment as well as evaluating new technologies and biomarkers for early assessment of disease response and chemosensitivity in AML.
Scanning photoacoustic microscopy of coal

Abstract Scanning photoacoustic microscopy was utilized to investigate the possibility of characterization of coal by its thermal properties. A band of iron pyrite was clearly observed photoacoustically as were CO 2 and argon-ion laser pyrolyzed areas. The change in photo-acoustic data due to laser pyrolysis was analyzed and confirmed by a scanning electron microscope with X-ray fluorescence capability.
Interactions of metal ions with polynucleotides and related compounds. III. Degradation of polyribonucleotides by lanthanum ions

The polyribonucleotides of adenylic, cytidylic, and uridylic acids are degraded in a 2-hr. period at 64°C. into low molecular weight oligonucleotides and mononucleotides through the action of lanthanum (III) or other trivalent inner transition metal ions. Polyinosinic acid is degraded somewhat more slowly. Cleavage of the polynucleotide chains occurs at the 5′-phosphate linkages. The 3′-mononucleotides produced require over 100 hr. of further heating at 64°C. to produce nucleoside and orthophosphate. The reaction between lanthanum (III) and the polynucleoside involves one metal ion for every three nucleotide residues, with each metal ion apparently chelated to a 2′-hydroxyl and a phosphate group and bound to only one polynucleotide chain.