cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional neutral atom imaging of tokamak plasmas

Recent technological advances in neutral atom imaging of space plasmas can be applied to the next generation of long pulse, high density fusion experiments. In particular, the small size of these neutral atom imagers makes them ideal for measurements of charge exchange neutrals in the edge and divertor region of tokamaks. In the edge of tokamak plasmas, the lower energy neutrals are created locally and the higher energy neutrals are generated within a few mean free paths of the edge. This charge exchange neutral flux can be imaged and its energy spectrum analyzed. The energy spectrum measurements provide the radial information necessary for a three‐dimensional (3D) image of the convolved ion and neutral populations.
Comparison of the band-colour preferences of two species of estrildid finches

Abstract Band-colour preferences of the double-bar finch ( Poephila bichenovii ) were compared with those of their relative, the zebra finch ( P. guttata ), in order to test the hypothesis that attractiveness of leg band colour reflects naturally occurring differences in species coloration patterns. In both species, colours preferred in heterosexual tests were typical of that species while colours that were avoided were speciesatypical and characteristic of the other species. These preferences probably reflect selection for species identification mechanisms in a taxon in which colour pattern appears to have played an important role in speciation.
Single Amino Acid Substitutions Change the Sodium/Iodide Symporter (NIS) Selectivity and Stoichiometry

The Na+/I- symporter (NIS) is a key plasma membrane protein that mediates active I- transport in the thyroid and such other tissues as salivary glands, stomach, and lactating breast. NIS-mediated I- uptake is the first step in thyroid hormone biosynthesis. NIS mediates the inward simultaneous movement of Na+ and I- with a 2:1 stoichiometry, thus resulting in a net transfer of positive charge into the cell (i.e., electrogenic transport). We recently reported that NIS translocates different anion substrates with different stoichiometries, as Na+/perchlorate (or perrhenate) transport is electroneutral. Valuable mechanistic information on NIS has been obtained by the characterization of NIS mutants that cause congenital I- transport defect in patients. Here we provide a detailed study of the G93R NIS mutant. As we substituted neutral amino acids at this position, we observed that the longer the side chain of the substituted residue, the lower the protein's activity. G93T and G93N NIS exhibited significantly higher Km values for I- than WT NIS, the first time that such a change has been observed in any NIS mutants. Strikingly, we show by kinetic analysis that G93T-mediated Na+/perrhenate symport is electrogenic with a 2:1 stoichiometry, a discovery confirmed by the detection of currents elicited by perrhenate (or perchlorate) in G93T NIS-expressing X. laevis oocytes in electrophysiological experiments. These observations demonstrate that a single amino acid substitution at position 93 converts NIS-mediated Na+/perchlorate (or perrhenate) transport stoichiometry from electroneutral to electrogenic. Based on the 3-D structure of the bacterial Na+/galactose transporter, we built a 3-D homology model of NIS and we propose a mechanism in which changes from an outwardly open to an inwardly open conformation during the transport cycle use G93 as a pivot.
Cognitive-Behavioral Group Psychotherapy for Bulimia Nervosa: Clinical Considerations and Group Format

Abstract An increase in the prevalence and presentation of bulimia nervosa has led to the development of improved treatment strategies, both somatic and psychotherapeutic. Cognitive-behavioral group psychotherapy has evolved as an effective modality for the symptomatic management of this disorder. Clinical features that may impact on the selection of patients and conduction of treatment, potentially influencing outcome, are reviewed. Lastly, the authors present a detailed program design for a time-limited outpatient program.
Brueckner-Goldstone Many-Body Theory for the Hyperfine Structure of Phosphorus

The Brueckner-Goldstone many-body perturbation theory is utilized to study the hyperfine interaction in atomic phosphorus. By this method, a correlation contribution to the hfs constant of a positive sign and an appropriate magnitude is obtained, which predominates over the negative core-polarization effect to produce substantial agreement with experiment.
Discovering the Multifaceted Roles of Information Technologies with a Holistic Configurational Theory Approach

Information technologies enable organizations to successfully sense and manage market opportunities and threats in turbulent environments and therefore can enhance firm performance. On the other hand, IT can inhibit organizations from achieving high performance due to its inflexibility and the high cost of system implementation. This study explains the multifaceted roles of information technologies in enhancing firm performance by using a set-theoretic configurational theory approach. It investigates the holistic nature of the fused dynamic interactions among IT, organizational agility, and environmental turbulence. Specifically it focuses on explaining the opposing roles of IT as either an enabler or an inhibitor for competitive firm performance. Using field survey data from 106 Korean companies, this study empirically investigates configurations of high and low firm performance. By comparing similarities and differences between multiple configurations, we extract several patterns in a way that explains the different roles of IT in achieving competitive firm performance. We end by providing explanation for why this holistic approach is especially helpful in drawing new insights.
Gastrointestinal drug receptors

Drug receptors consist of recognition sites coupled to transducer and cellular amplifier mechanisms. Slight differences in receptor recognition sites can be exploited pharmacologically to provide drugs with a high degree of selectivity for activating or blocking individual receptor subtypes. For example, it may now be possible to block, selectively, subtypes of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the gastrointestinal tract with pirenzepine and other drugs that discriminate between subtypes of muscarinic cholinergic receptors. The recognition of subtypes of adrenergic receptors may allow highly selective pharmacological activation and blockage of gastrointestinal neural and smooth muscle receptors. The development of nonpeptide receptor antagonists of gastrointestinal hormones and peptide neurotransmitters also offers promise for improved therapy of digestive diseases. Tremendous progress has occurred in recent years in defining multiple types of opioid receptors that alter gastrointestinal secretory, absorptive and motility functions. These receptors are located in the mucosa, nerves and muscle of the intestine and in the brain and spinal cord.
Demographic differences in health status of homeless adults.

Objective:To determine how the physical health of homeless adults varies by the demographic characteristics of age, gender, ethnicity, lifetime length of homelessness, and work status.
Placedo response in depression: A search for predictors

Abstract Although 30–40% of depressed patients respond to placebo treatment, few predictors of placebo response have been identified. We evaluated patients with moderate to severe depression who had received placebo for 3–6 weeks in multicenter clinical trials (Study 1, n = 125; Study 2, n = 88). Placebo response rates (>50% improvement in Hamilton total depression score) were 38.4% and 30.7%, respectively. Despite differences in treatment outcome, baseline clinical and demographic characteristics were similar for responders and nonresponders. The studies comfirmed the substantial placebo response in moderately to severely depressed patients and suggested chronicity may be a predictor.
How much septal-lateral mitral annular reduction do you get with new ischemic/functional mitral regurgitation annuloplasty rings?

Objective Disproportionate reduction of the mitral septal–lateral annular dimension is the goal in the surgical treatment of ischemic or functional mitral regurgitation and avoids the need for ring "downsizing." How much the new annuloplasty rings designed for patients with ischemic/functional mitral regurgitation reduce annular septal–lateral dimension, however, is proprietary information and debated. Methods Outer and inner septal–lateral and commissure–commissure diameters of all available sizes of Edwards GeoForm, Edwards IMR ETlogix (both Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, Calif), St Jude Medical Rigid Saddle Annuloplasty Ring (St Jude Medical, Inc, St Paul, Minn), and Medtronic Profile 3D (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minn) annuloplasty rings with and without the fabric covering were measured with electronic calipers. These rings were compared with a Carpentier–Edwards Physio ring (Edwards Lifesciences) to assess the relative amount of septal–lateral and commissure–commissure dimension change. Average fractional changes (% ±1 standard deviation) versus the Physio ring were calculated. Results The GeoForm provided the greatest outer septal–lateral reduction relative to Physio ring (−24% ± 2%), followed by the IMR ETlogix (−9% ± 2%) and Profile 3D (−8% ± 5%). The septal–lateral diameter of the Rigid Saddle Annuloplasty Ring was similar to that of the Physio ring (+1% ± 3%). Although commissure–commissure outer diameters of the IMR ETlogix, Rigid Saddle Annuloplasty Ring, and Profile 3D were similar to that of the Physio ring (0% ± 2%, +4% ± 3%, and +3% ± 4%, respectively), the GeoForm had a larger commissure–commissure dimension (+12% ± 2%). The inner diameter septal–lateral reductions were even more pronounced. Conclusions Relative to the Physio ring, the GeoForm has the most outer and inner septal–lateral reduction but larger commissure–commissure dimension; the IMR ETlogix and Profile 3D provide a moderate degree of septal–lateral reduction without affecting commissure–commissure dimension, and Rigid Saddle Annuloplasty Ring septal–lateral and commissure–commissure diameters are similar to those of the Physio ring. Knowing the degree of disproportionate septal–lateral downsizing inherent in each ring type will help guide surgical decision making.
Secondary prevention strategies in ischemic stroke: identification and optimal management of modifiable risk factors.

The identification and treatment of modifiable ischemic stroke risk factors, in addition to appropriate antithrombotic therapy, can reduce the likelihood of first or recurrent stroke, prevent long-term morbidity and mortality after first stroke or transient ischemic attack, and lower health care costs. Long-term morbidity and mortality in patients with ischemic stroke includes patients with coronary artery disease. Therefore, in patients with ischemic stroke (especially those with carotid artery disease and lacunar disease), the goal is to prevent not only recurrent stroke but also coronary artery disease. Neurologists and general practitioners must be aware of the specific risk factors and recommendations for patients with ischemic stroke and apply the information systematically. We review known risk factors for ischemic stroke and current recommendations for treatment, focusing primarily on atherosclerotic risk factors as they apply to patients with stroke. In particular, recent data on hypertension and hyperlipidemia are described. In addition, we discuss the challenges in managing these risk factors and the potential strategies for overcoming them.
Tissue plasminogen activator for occluded peritoneal dialysis catheter

Inadequate flow in a peritoneal catheter is a common problem in pediatric patients. We report the effectiveness of the intra-catheter application of tissue plasminogen activator for the resolution of a malfunctioning peritoneal dialysis catheter in a child.
Herpesviral-bacterial synergy in the pathogenesis of human periodontitis.

Purpose of reviewPeriodontitis is an infectious disease, but the specific mechanisms by which tooth-supportive tissues are lost remain obscure. This article proposes an infectious disease model for periodontitis in which herpesviral–bacterial interactions assume a major etiopathogenic role.Recent fi
DNA loop repair by human cell extracts.

An activity in human cell extracts is described that repairs DNA with loops of five or more unpaired bases. Repair is strand-specific and is directed by a nick located 59 or 39 to the loop. This repair is observed in a colorectal cancer cell line that is devoid of a wild-type hMLH1 gene and is deficient in repair of mismatches. However, a cell line with deletions in both hMSH2 alleles is deficient in repair of both loops and mismatches. Defects in loop repair may be relevant to the repetitive-sequence instability observed in cancers and other hereditary diseases.
Oesophageal trauma in patients with spinal cord injury

Oesophageal perforations associated with cervical fractures occur from a variety of injuries. Fractures of the cervical spine, blunt trauma and penetrating injuries such as gunshot wounds, knives and missiles, perforate the cervical oesophagus. This retrospective study consists of 24 patients with an oesophageal perforation and cervical fracture. Motor vehicle accidents were responsible for 54% of the oesophageal perforations. The other oesophageal injuries were related to anterior spine surgery, gunshot wounds and sports-related activities. The clinical features related to these injuries included the obvious signs of an oesophageal perforation as well as fever of unknown origin, leukocytosis and unexplained persistent tachycardia. A variety of techniques was used to establish the diagnosis. All the patients had treatment for the cervical fracture and 20 patients required surgical repair of the oesophagus. The most common oesophageal complications were stricture of the oesophagus (54%) and oesophageal diver-ticulum (10%). The other complications were atelectasis, pneumonia, tracheo-bronchitis, pulmonary embolism, cervical osteomyelitis, cervical abscess, mediastinitis, septicemia and cervical fistulae. These patients have a serious life-threatening illness that may be difficult to diagnose and treat.
The ultrastructure of mouse lymph node venules and the passage of lymphocytes across their walls.

Postcapillary venules of mouse lymph nodes are vessels situated between capillaries in the cortex and paracortex and efferent veins in the hilar region. They are characterized by a high endothelium. Their vessel diameters and periendothelial ultrastructure are similar to these same elements in the postcapillary venules of other tissues. The high endothelial cells are variable in shape. Their well-developed organelles are indicative of intense synthetic activity. Distinctive particles, multivesicular bodies with dense matrices, are associated with a prominent Golgi complex. An endothelial cell coat is present at the luminal surface. Many lymphocytes, singly or in groups, are within the venule walls. The majority have traversed the endothelium and lie adjacent to the pericytes, which constitute the major obstacle to lymphocyte emigration from the venules. Most lymphocytes that have not yet passed the endothelial layer lie between two or more endothelial cells. Analysis of serial sections supports the contention that lymphocytes pass between, rather than within endothelial cells.
Effect of in vitro cleavage of apurinic/apyrimidinic sites on bleomycin-induced mutagenesis of repackaged lambda phage

Previous studies have revealed bleomycin to be a potent base-substitution mutagen in repackaged phage lambda. In order to assess the role of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites in bleomycin-induced mutagenesis, bleomycin-damaged lambda DNA was treated with putrescine or endonuclease IV to effect cleavage of bleomycin-induced AP sites. The DNA was then packaged, the phage grown in SOS-induced E. coli, and the frequency of clear-plaque mutants in the progeny was determined. Bleomycin-induced mutagenesis was decreased approx. 2-fold by treating the DNA with putrescine, but was unaffected by endonuclease IV. The results are consistent with the production of bleomycin-induced mutation at certain AP sites having a closely opposed single-strand break, since such sites are cleaved by putrescine but not by endonuclease IV.
Multiple Personality Disorder and Iatrogenesis: The Cautionary Tale of Anna O

Abstract An examination of Breuer's treatment of Anna O. illustrates some of the controversies surrounding the recent rise of case reports of multiple personality disorder. Anna O., the first patient of the cathartic method, psychoanalysis, and dynamic psychiatry, fits current criteria for multiple personality disorder. Breuer's treatment, however, may have contributed to her states of absence; the timing, type, and intensity of Breuer's interventions make it possible that he unwittingly encouraged and amplified Anna's dissociations, reified her ego fragments, and then explained Anna's symptoms with the pseudomemories and confabulations recovered from Anna while she was hypnotized. A review of Breuer's treatment highlights some of the controversial aspects of multiple personality disorder, specifically its possible vulnerability to iatrogenesis via suggestion and unconscious collusion and other factors. The current stance of some multiple personality disorder enthusiasts, opaque to their participation in ...
Microvolt T-Wave Alternans, Peak Oxygen Consumption, and Outcome in Patients with Severely Impaired Left Ventricular Systolic Function

Background Abnormal microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) and low peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 ) both predict poor outcome in heart failure. However, their independent predictive properties have not been assessed in large-scale cohorts. Methods This was an observational prospective cohort study of 303 consecutive patients referred for metabolic stress testing. All had an ejection fraction ≤ 40% and were considered candidates for transplantation. The exercise laboratory did not collect MTWA data from patients with implanted pacemakers or defibrillators. The primary end point was a composite of all-cause death or United Network for Organ Sharing status 1 transplantation. Results During a 2.8-year period, there were 34 deaths and 17 transplantations. Patients with abnormal MTWA had a higher event rate of 23% (31 of 136) vs 12% (20 of 167), with an unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.90–3.33; p = 0.03). The association remained significant after adjustment for 3 clinical variables (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.05–3.39; p = 0.03). After adding peak VO 2 to the model, the association was no longer significant (adjusted HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.64–2.17, p = 0.60). After accounting for peak VO 2 and 28 other confounders in a matched propensity analysis, MTWA was not predictive (propensity-matched HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.37–1.66; p = 0.53). Conclusions These results confirm the association of abnormal MTWA with poor outcome amongst patients with impaired left ventricular systolic function. However, this association is markedly attenuated after accounting for peak VO 2 .
Changes in rotational motion of nitroxide spin probes in epoxy adhesives during the cure reaction

Abstract The decrease in rotational mobility of nitroxide spin probes 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and 4-(4-nitrobenzoyloxy)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (Nitro-TEMPO), dispersed in Epon 828/MBCH (4,4-methylenebiscyclohexylamine) epoxy, was studied during the cure reaction. The larger probe, Nitro-TEMPO, exhibits the T 50G transition at a temperature 8°C above the T g of the fully cured epoxy. During isothermal cure, the T 50G transition of Nitro-TEMPO occurs reproducibly at the pregel transition in the viscoelastic time-temperature-transformation diagram. The smaller probe, TEMPO, crosses T 50G at 20°C below T g in the fully cured epoxy, and therefore shows no T 50G process during the cure reaction. Detailed analyses of the rotational correlation time τ R and the rotational anisotropy N were carried out during the cure reaction for TEMPO. The results indicate that an abrupt change in the rotational relaxation behaviour of TEMPO occurs near the pregel transition, interpreted as a hindering of motion around the minor rotational axis. At the vitrification transition, we determine unique values τ R = 4.3 × 10 −9 s and N = 10.5 for TEMPO in Epon 828/MBCH. Investigations of composite samples filled with carbon black and glass beads indicate no significant differences in the cure time dependence of the rotational mobility of the spin probe in filled versus neat material.
Scattering properties of a single semiflexible polyelectrolyte

The structure factor of a single semiflexible polyelectrolyte has been calculated as a function of chain length, intrinsic backbone stiffness, and salt concentration. Because of the insignificant coupling of the intrinsic stiffness and electrostatic persistence length, we carry out our calculations in the flexible limit. Within the variational scheme adopted here, we obtain fractal dimensions consistent with our earlier calculations of the configurational properties. As the chain length is increased, the electrostatic interaction is progressively screened, leading to the crossover regions. In the first crossover, the effective fractal dimension, Deff, is as low as 1, and in the second crossover Deff is 5/3, although the radius of gyration exponent is 2/5. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2644–2652, 2001
d-D REACTIONS AT 6- TO 14-Mev INPUT ENERGY

Differential cross sections for both branches of the $d$-D reaction have been obtained over the input energy interval 6 to 14 Mev by charged particle measurements utilizing a nuclear multiplate camera. Legendre expansions are given which permit interpolation of the data over both energy and angle.
How does bariatric surgery affect female fertility

Alatishe and colleagues’ data support the conclusions of recent systematic reviews that 5-15% of women of childbearing age will get pregnant after bariatric …
Stratospheric aerosols: Formation, properties, effects

Abstract Atmospheric stability in conjunction with a temperature inversion above 10 km pressure altitude, caused by the absorption of solar radiation by ozone, results in an accumulation of aerosol. The major precursor gas of the stratospheric aerosol is sulfur dioxide from volcanic eruptions. Major volcanic eruptions increase stratospheric aerosol surface area and volume by several orders of magnitude. Direct climatic forcing and changes in heterogeneous chemical reaction rates are the consequence. Anthropogenic influence on the stratospheric aerosol loading appears negligible. Soot aerosol from aircraft amounts to only a fraction of 1% of the sulfuric acid aerosol. Current stratospheric soot aerosol loadings are commensurate with emissions from commercial aircraft. Projected fuel consumption of a future supersonic fleet will increase the stratospheric soot aerosol burden by a factor of 2–3. Any effects from this increase will be confined to the northern hemisphere, because inter-hemispheric mixing of stratospheric aerosol is inhibited.
CALCIUM MODULATION OF POLYAMINE TRANSPORT IS LOST IN A PUTRESCINE-SENSITIVE MUTANT OF NEUROSPORA CRASSA

Putrescine transport in Neurospora is saturable and concentrative in dilute buffers, but in the growth medium putrescine simply equilibrates across the cell membrane. We describe a mutant, puu-1, that can concentrate putrescine from the growth medium because the polyamine transport system has lost its normal sensitivity to Ca2+. The wild type closely resembles the mutant if it is washed with citrate and ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N'-tetraacetic acid. The mutant phenotype also appears in the wild type after treatment with cycloheximide. The results suggest that putrescine uptake is normally regulated by an unstable Ca(2+)-binding protein that restricts polyamine uptake. This protein is evidently distinct from the polyamine-binding function for uptake, which is normal in mutant and in cycloheximide-treated wild type cells. The puu-1 mutation, stripping of Ca2+, and cycloheximide treatment all cause an impairment of amino acid transport, indicating that other membrane transport functions rely upon the product of the puu-1+ gene. Preliminary evidence suggests that the putrescine carrier is not the Ca(2+)-sensitive, low-affinity K(+)-transport system, but K+ efflux does accompany putrescine uptake.
Superstrings from 26 dimensions

Abstract The finite type I superstring theories of Green and Schwarz (SO(32) and (?)E 8 × E 8 ) in ten dimensions are viewed as special dimensional reductions on 16-tori from the non-supersymmetric Veneziano-Nambu-Goto strings in 26 dimensions. Fermions appear as solitons of the two-dimensional string field theory. Various problems of such an approach are pointed out and possible solutions outlined.
Different tumors in bone each give rise to a distinct pattern of skeletal destruction, bone cancer-related pain behaviors and neurochemical changes in the central nervous system

Pain is the most common presenting symptom in patients with bone cancer and bone cancer pain can be both debilitating and difficult to control fully. To begin to understand the mechanisms involved in the generation and maintenance of bone cancer pain, we implanted 3 well-described murine tumor cell lines, 2472 sarcoma, B16 melanoma and C26 colon adenocarcinoma into the femur of immunocompromised C3H-SCID mice. Although each of the tumor cell lines proliferated and completely filled the intramedullary space of the femur within 3 weeks, the location and extent of bone destruction, the type and severity of the pain behaviors and the neurochemical reorganization of the spinal cord was unique to each tumor cell line injected. These data suggest that bone cancer pain is not caused by a single factor such as increased pressure induced by intramedullary tumor growth, but rather that multiple factors are involved in generating and maintaining bone cancer pain.
Trout Population Responses to Restoration of Stream Flows

There are numerous demands for the limited water supplies in the Rocky Mountain (USA) region, and controversies surrounding instream flows abound. A specific problem involves water diversions (i.e., small dams that shunt water out of stream channels) during the summer irrigation season. We developed an approach to assess the effects of restoration of natural or less-than-natural summer flows on trout that accounts for variation in habitat over long segments of low-gradient, alluvial-valley streams. The approach has utility for managers because it can be conducted with hydologic data, aerial photographs, topographic maps, and a spreadsheet without extensive fieldwork. We applied the approach by assessing the effects of different summer flows on abundance of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in several streams annually dewatered in the Salt River Valley of western Wyoming. The assessment approach can be calibrated for other trout species and areas of the Rocky Mountain region.
Plasma exchange: concepts, mechanisms, and an overview of the American Society for Apheresis guidelines

Plasma exchange is a therapeutic procedure used to treat a variety of diseases through the bulk removal of plasma. To apply this treatment to patients appropriately, it is essential to understand the methods to remove plasma, its effects on normal plasma constituents, the role of replacement fluids in the treatment, and the risks associated with the procedure. To facilitate the appropriate evidence-based use of plasma exchange and to encourage research, the American Society for Apheresis has published guidelines providing practical guidance and information to those responsible for ordering or providing this treatment.
Large Area Focal Plane Comprising Charge-Coupled Devices And Fiber Optics

Driven by a requirement for an 80 mm square sensor, we have combined CCD and tapered fiber optic technologies to create a large area focal plane. Seven custom low noise CCD imagers are assembled onto four tapered fiber optic bundles to match the physical characteristics of a tube camera used in an operational system. Two taper ratios are used in the focal plane to meet requirements for broad search and high accuracy measurements in a single device. The entire focal plane is cooled to -40°C to reduce dark current to insignificance at an integration time of 0.6 s. The focal plane has been integrated into a camera head that has an all-digital interface. The camera preserves the low noise characteristics of the focal plane in a multichannel assembly.
10-Gb/s error-free transmission under optical reflection using isolator-free 1.3- /spl mu/m InP-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Error-free transmission through 10-km single-mode fiber at 10 Gb/s under -13-dB optical reflections has been demonstrated for the first time using a directly modulated 1.3-/spl mu/m InP-based VCSEL without any optical isolator. The 13-GHz relaxation oscillation frequency and stable polarization suppresses relative intensity noise degradation under optical reflection. Only 1-dB error-free power penalty has been observed with optical reflection set with the worst polarization direction.
The Cameron-Martin-Wiener method in turbulence and in Burgers' model: general formulae, and application to late decay

We apply the Cameron—Martin—Wiener (formerly ‘Wiener—Hermite’) expansion of a random velocity field to the analytical study of turbulence. The kernels of this expansion contain all statistical information about the ensemble. Complete expressions are derived for constructing statistical quantities in terms of the kernels, and for the equations of motion of the kernels. We rigorously prove the Gaussian trend of the velocity field of the Navier—Stokes equation in the very late stage when the non-linear term is neglected. The n-dependence (n is the order of derivative) of the flatness factor, minus three for derivatives of the velocity field, shows a rapid increase with n in this stage.The late decay problem of the Burgers model of turbulence is studied analytically with a view to obtaining suggestive guidelines for fitting the non-linear aspects of the model turbulence. We can divide the energy spectrum density into two parts, the larger of which is a kind of steady solution, which we call the ‘equilibrium state’, which remains self-similar in time in terms of an appropriate variable. The deviation from this ‘equilibrium solution’ satisfies the Karman—Howarth equation. As initial velocity field, we take two particular cases: (a) a pure Gaussian, and (b) a non-Gaussian velocity field. With these two cases a detailed spectral analysis has been obtained. The energy spectrum deviation from ‘equilibrium’ declines exponentially to zero for all wave-numbers. The Gaussian case shows that the flatness factor minus three increases rapidly with n, while the non-Gaussian case does not show any marked dependence on n.
A Genomics Approach to Deciphering Lignin Biosynthesis in Switchgrass

It is necessary to overcome recalcitrance of the biomass to saccharification (sugar release) to make switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) economically viable as a feedstock for liquid biofuels. Lignin content correlates negatively with sugar release efficiency in switchgrass, but selecting the right gene candidates for engineering lignin biosynthesis in this tetraploid outcrossing species is not straightforward. To assist this endeavor, we have used an inducible switchgrass cell suspension system for studying lignin biosynthesis in response to exogenous brassinolide. By applying a combination of protein sequence phylogeny with whole-genome microarray analyses of induced cell cultures and developing stem internode sections, we have generated a list of candidate monolignol biosynthetic genes for switchgrass. Several genes that were strongly supported through our bioinformatics analysis as involved in lignin biosynthesis were confirmed by gene silencing studies, in which lignin levels were reduced as a result of targeting a single gene. However, candidate genes encoding enzymes involved in the early steps of the currently accepted monolignol biosynthesis pathway in dicots may have functionally redundant paralogues in switchgrass and therefore require further evaluation. This work provides a blueprint and resources for the systematic genome-wide study of the monolignol pathway in switchgrass, as well as other C4 monocot species.
Spatial and seasonal variability in elemental content, δ13C, and δ15N ofThalassia testudinum from South Florida and its implications for ecosystem studies

Elemental and isotopic composition of leaves of the seagrassThalassia testudinum was highly variable across the 10,000 km2 and 8 years of this study. The data reported herein expand the reported range in carbon:nitrogen (C:N) and carbon:phosphorus (C:P) ratios and δ13C and δ15N values reported for this species worldwide; 13.2–38.6 for C:N and 411–2,041 for C:P. The 981 determinations in this study generated a range of −13.5‰ to −5.2‰ for δ13C and −4.3‰ to 9.4‰ for δ15N. The elemental and isotope ratios displayed marked seasonality, and the seasonal patterns could be described with a simple sine wave model. C:N, C:P, δ13C, and δ15N values all had maxima in the summer and minima in the winter. Spatial patterns in the summer maxima of these quantities suggest there are large differences in the relative availability of N and P across the study area and that there are differences in the processing and the isotopic composition of C and N. This work calls into question the interpretation of studies about nutrient cycling and food webs in estuaries based on few samples collected at one time, since we document natural variability greater than the signal often used to imply changes in the structure or function of ecosystems. The data and patterns presented in this paper make it clear that there is no threshold δ15N value for marine plants that can be used as an unambiguous indicator of human sewage pollution without a thorough understanding of local temporal and spatial variability.
1,3-Dithiolan-2-one

The title compound, C3H4OS2, possesses pseudo-twofold symmetry and consists of a twisted five-membered ring of three C and two S atoms, with a ketone O atom in an equatorial position.
A new test structure for direct measurement of hot-carrier stress effects on CMOS circuit performance

A test procedure is described that is used for the direct measurement of hot-carrier stress effects on CMOS circuit performance. With this test structure, it is observed that conventional lifetime predictions based on shifts in device DC parameters are too pessimistic compared to the degradation in circuit switching speed. Moreover, the circuit lifetime predictions based on the extrapolations of early shifts in gate delay are subject to potential errors due to a saturation effect, which is believed to result from the dynamic response of generated interface traps. >
The Navajo Sandstone

The Navajo Sandstone is the remnant of an early Jurassic (Pliensbachian-Toarcian) aeolian (wind-blown) system that stretched over most of the western United States for several million years. Interpretation of these deposits suggests that the Navajo erg (sand sea) was one of the most extensive desert systems ever to have existed in the history of the Earth, and probably contained the largest sand dunes that have ever moved across the surface of the planet.
Overlay Control Requirements for Immersion Lithography

Immersion lithography has been developed to meet the requirements of shrinking design rules. With it are new sources of variability and challenges which need to be understood and characterized in order to gain the most from the innovative lithography technique. This paper will focus on the immersion overlay challenges by providing a comprehensive source of variance (SOV) study of 193 immersion scanners. We will compare scenarios of 'single machine' and 'single generation matching' using wafers processed through 193 nm immersion lithography tools. An ultra-dense sampling strategy is used to provide the data necessary to extract accurate conclusions regarding field and wafer (also referred to as "grid"), information. These measurements are then processed to determine the overlay SOV. The SOV analysis is broken down into wafer, field, and un-modeled components. A variety of overlay models and sampling schemes are then presented to illustrate how one can optimize the overlay control strategy to yield the required overlay residuals while providing the measurement robustness and throughput necessary for a high volume manufacturing environment. Finally conclusions will be drawn about optimal overlay sampling requirements and opportunities for high order correctable control (also referred to as HO or HOC).
Urocortins and CRF type 2 receptor isoforms expression in the rat stomach are regulated by endotoxin: role in the modulation of delayed gastric emptying

Peripheral activation of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRF2) by urocortin 1, 2, or 3 (Ucns) exerts powerful effects on gastric function; however, little is known about their expression and regulation in the stomach. We investigated the expression of Ucns and CRF2 isoforms by RT-PCR in the gastric corpus (GC) mucosa and submucosa plus muscle (S+M) or laser captured layers in naive rats, their regulations by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 μg/kg ip) over 24 h, and the effect of the CRF2 antagonist astresssin2-B (100 μg/kg sc) on LPS-induced delayed gastric emptying (GE) 2-h postinjection. Transcripts of Ucns and CRF2b, the most common wild-type CRF2 isoform in the periphery, were expressed in all layers, including myenteric neurons. LPS increased Ucn mRNA levels significantly in both mucosa and S+M, reaching a maximal response at 6 h postinjection and returning to basal levels at 24 h except for Ucn 1 in S+M. By contrast, CRF2b mRNA level was significantly decreased in the mucosa and M+S with a nadir at 6 h. In addition, CRF2a, reportedly only found in the brain, and the novel splice variant CRF2a-3 were also detected in the GC, antrum, and pylorus. LPS reciprocally regulated these variants with a decrease of CRF2a and an increase of CRF2a-3 in the GC 6 h postinjection. Astressin2-B exacerbated LPS-delayed GE (42–73%, P < 0.001). These data indicate that Ucn and CRF2 isoforms are widely distributed throughout the rat stomach and inversely regulated by immune stress. The CRF2 signaling system may act to counteract the early gastric motor alterations to endotoxemia.
Modeling telehealth and telemedicine: a global geosociopolitical perspective

Telehealth and telemedicine can encompass many applications including direct patient care, training, supervision, consultation, continuing education, and consumer health. The field uses an array of technology from the simplest telephony to advanced robotics. Therefore, it is important to work from a model in design or implementation. This rapidly changing and sometimes chaotic environment presents engineers with a unique opportunity to address the digital divide that is reflective of the geosociopolitical makeup of the world economy. The paper begins a developmental perspective of service delivery models currently used, likening the early years to a feudal system and the current time to a mosaic. After a brief look at the digital divide and the role of culture in technology, the paper concludes with application examples from projects around the world and suggests ways that model systems can be designed with various levels of technology.
Burning rates of solid propellants

A model is proposed for the burning of solid propellants which takes into account heat transfer, diffusion, and chemical reaction processes. The chemical step influencing the rate is postulated to be a reaction between a gaseous molecule and a solid component occurring at the solid-gas interface. The combination of expressions for the rates of the heat transfer, diffusion, and reaction steps leads to relatively simple equations for the burning rate in terms of (1) the physical properties of the propellant; (2) the transport coefficients; (3) the operating conditions of the burning process, temperatures, and pressure; and (4) chemical characteristics of the gas-solid reaction, activation energy, frequency factor, and heat of reaction. The well-established facts concerning burning rates, the effect of pressure and initial temperature, and the phenomenon of erosive burning are predicted by the proposed theory. Also specific experimental data for burning potassium and ammonium perchlorate composite propellants can be predicted from the theory. The values of the variables necessary to obtain agreement between observed and predicted results are generally realistic. However it should be emphasized that conclusions regarding the detailed mechanism of the burning process cannot be obtained from comparison with burning-rate data. Elucidation of the kinetic steps in the process will require experimental investigation of the intermediate products of combustion and a detailed study of the burning surface and gaseous flame zone.
Modeling Alcohol Use Intensity Among Students at a Historically Black University The Role of Social Norms, Perceptions for Risk, and Selected Demographic Variables

Drinking patterns and rates at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) are not well understood. Social norms and perceptions of risk are two explanatory mechanisms that have accounted for a significant amount of variance in college student drinking at predominantly White campuses. However, these models have not been examined among students who attend an HBCU. Two-hundred and four students from a historically Black university in the Southern region of the United States completed an anonymous questionnaire that assessed their alcohol related behavior, thoughts, and perceptions. Structural equation modeling confirmed the importance of social norms in explaining drinking among the study sample. The overall model accounted for 59% of the variability in alcohol use intensity. Implications for leaders of HBCU campuses and counselors are discussed.
Oncogenic Ras-induced proliferation requires autocrine fibroblast growth factor 2 signaling in skeletal muscle cells.

Constitutively activated Ras proteins are associated with a large number of human cancers, including those originating from skeletal muscle tissue. In this study, we show that ectopic expression of oncogenic Ras stimulates proliferation of the MM14 skeletal muscle satellite cell line in the absence of exogenously added fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). MM14 cells express FGF-1, -2, -6, and -7 and produce FGF protein, yet they are dependent on exogenously supplied FGFs to both maintain proliferation and repress terminal differentiation. Thus, the FGFs produced by these cells are either inaccessible or inactive, since the endogenous FGFs elicit no detectable biological response. Oncogenic Ras-induced proliferation is abolished by addition of an anti–FGF-2 blocking antibody, suramin, or treatment with either sodium chlorate or heparitinase, demonstrating an autocrine requirement for FGF-2. Oncogenic Ras does not appear to alter cellular export rates of FGF-2, which does not possess an NH2-terminal or internal signal peptide. However, oncogenic Ras does appear to be involved in releasing or activating inactive, extracellularly sequestered FGF-2. Surprisingly, inhibiting the autocrine FGF-2 required for proliferation has no effect on oncogenic Ras-mediated repression of muscle-specific gene expression. We conclude that oncogenic Ras-induced proliferation of skeletal muscle cells is mediated via a unique and novel mechanism that is distinct from Ras-induced repression of terminal differentiation and involves activation of extracellularly localized, inactive FGF-2.
Effect of material properties on evaporative water removal from polymer electrolyte fuel cell diffusion media

This work is devoted to delineating the fundamentals of evaporative water removal from diffusion media (DM) to achieve highly efficient and durable gas purge. Multiphase water transport from DM during gas purge is characterized by a balance of internal capillary liquid water flow and water vapor diffusion. In this study, DM with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) content ranging from 0 to 20 wt%, and DM with three different geometric pore structures are utilized to understand this material property effect. It is found that overall evaporative water removal rate increases as PTFE content decreases and as the geometric pore structure changes from a two- to a more three-dimensional structure. This is due to the increase of wettability and porous space favorable for the water transport. The effect of phase-change-induced (PCI) flow and capillary flow on water removal is compared, and it is found that PCI flow is dominant at lower saturation of DM, whereas capillary flow is dominant at higher saturation. The results of this study build upon a previous study by the authors (Cho and Mench [17]), and are useful to understand the competing phenomena of water removal in PEFC DM. The ultimate goal of this work is to guide material design to achieve purge that preserves membrane durability with reduced shutdown power requirements.
Mud-bank destruction and the formation of a transgressive sand sheet, southwest Florida inner shelf

The Holocene sediment sequence immediately seaward of the Florida Bay mud-bank complex consists of a thin (<0.25 m) skeletal-sand sheet and skeletal-sand banks as much as 2.0 m thick. This is in marked contrast to the myriad carbonate mud banks within the bay. Sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and radiocarbon data suggest that the skeletal sands are partly the product of physical and biological degradation of precursor mud banks which existed at least 3500 yr B.P. During degradation of mud banks, most of the skeletal material is locally reworked, whereas mud is transported onshore (eastward) where it contributes to the buildup of younger constructional banks. Active mud-bank destruction is presently occurring in a transitional zone between the transgressive sand sheet and accretionary mud-bank complex. In this zone, bank stratigraphy consists of a lower mud-bank core and upper skeletal sand or entirely of skeletal sand. The sands diminish toward the interior of the bay, whereas the basal mud-bank facies disappears to the west. Continued sea-level rise at its present long-term rate of ∼4 cm/100 yr should be accompanied by a landward shift in the destructional zone and expansion of the transgressive sand sheet. Hence, it is hypothesized that much of the western Florida Bay mud-bank complex may ultimately be preserved as a thin skeletal-sand sheet and not as a muddy carbonate sequence as previously suggested. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions of Pliocene and Pleistocene transgressive sediment sequences from the south Florida peninsula support this hypothesis.