cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clobber-NVM: log less, re-execute more

Non-volatile memory allows direct access to persistent storage via a load/store interface. However, because the cache is volatile, cached updates to persistent state will be dropped after a power loss. Failure-atomicity NVM libraries provide the means to apply sets of writes to persistent state atomically. Unfortunately, most of these libraries impose significant overhead. This work proposes Clobber-NVM, a failure-atomicity library that ensures data consistency by reexecution. Clobber-NVM’s novel logging strategy, clobber logging, records only those transaction inputs that are overwritten during transaction execution. Then, after a failure, it recovers to a consistent state by restoring overwritten inputs and reexecuting any interrupted transactions. Clobber-NVM utilizes a clobber logging compiler pass for identifying the minimal set of writes that need to be logged. Based on our experiments, classical undo logging logs up to 42.6X more bytes than Clobber-NVM, and requires 2.4X to 4.7X more expensive ordering instructions (e.g., clflush and sfence). Less logging leads to better performance: Relative to prior art, Clobber-NVM provides up to 2.5X performance improvement over Mnemosyne, 2.6X over Intel’s PMDK, and up to 8.1X over HP’s Atlas.
Private Property Rights in Captive Breeder Deer: How Wild Are They?

Chronic wasting disease is an incurable and 100% fatal disease that is ravaging America’s native deer population. Despite the state’s best efforts, the disease spread to Texas in 2012. It now threatens to wreak havoc on Texas’s ecosystems and a hunting and fishing industry that accounts for 14.4-billion-dollars of Texas’s economy. Unfortunately, unless prompt action is taken, there will be a third—perhaps unforeseen—victim: Texas citizens’ property rights. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has responded to the disease primarily through containment and euthanasia of any deer suspected to be at risk of having the disease. This is because it is impossible to test for the disease on a live deer and because deer can be asymptomatic for years while spreading the disease. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the seemingly draconian effect of having entire herds of captive breeder deer euthanized when the disease is discovered in one member of the herd. For the unfortunate citizens who own these ranches, this means the destruction of their livelihoods and the loss of millions of dollars’ worth of breeder deer. Consequently, deer breeders have been bringing takings claims in order to recover compensation for the destruction of their property by the government. However, an individual must have a property interest to be able to bring a successful takings claim. Therefore, courts have had to broach the question of whether captive breeder deer can be private property. Most recently in Texas, the Austin Court of Appeals in Bailey v. Smith held — much to the chagrin of the deer breeder industry and property right supporters everywhere — captive breeder deer are not private property, but merely public property held under permit. This interpretation of Texas’s common law and regulatory scheme to abrogate Texas citizens’ property rights in captive breeder deer cannot stand. This Article argues that Texas courts and legislators must take steps to uphold and strengthen its citizens’ private property rights in their captive breeder deer. Classifying theses expensive animals as public property, aside from infringing on citizens’ property rights, will likely have a myriad of negative effects, ranging from destabilizing an important sector of Texas’s economy to destroying individuals’ abilities to protect their interest against third parties. There are many academic articles providing analysis of private ownership of wild animals as this subject is thousands of years old. However, this Article is the first to consider the ownership of captive breeder deer through the lens of Texas’s statutory and common law scheme and in the light of the recent decision in Bailey v. Smith. Further, this Article gives unique insight into the yet unaddressed negative effects classifying captive breeder deer as public property would have. This topic will only become more pertinent as chronic wasting disease continues to spread through Texas causing it and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s regulations to affect more and more people.
Selective estrogen receptor modulator, tamoxifen, inhibits Zika virus infection

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus belonging to the flaviviridae family with a risk assessment that has been increasing in recent years and was labeled a global health emergency by the WHO in 2016. There are currently no FDA-approved treatment options available for ZIKV, so expeditious development of treatment options is urgent. To expedite this process, an on-market drug, tamoxifen (TAM), was selected as a promising candidate for repurposing due to its wide range of biological activities and because it has already been shown to possess activity against hepatitis C (HCV), a flavivirus in a separate genus. Anti-ZIKV activity of TAM was assessed by compound screens using infectious virus and mechanistic details were gleaned from time of addition and virucidal studies. TAM and an active metabolite, 4-hydroxytamoxifen (TAM-OH), both showed promising antiviral activity (EC50 ≈ 9 µM and 5 µM respectively) in initial compound screening and up to 8 hours post-infection, though the virucidal assay indicated that they do not possess any direct virucidal activity. Additionally, TAM was assessed for its activity against ZIKV in the human male germ cell line, SEM-1, due to the sexually transmitted nature of ZIKV owing to its extended survival times in germ cells. Virus titers show diminished replication of ZIKV over seven days compared to controls. These data indicate that TAM has the potential to be repurposed as an anti-ZIKV therapeutic and warrants further investigation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Protracted Neural Development of Dorsal Motor Systems During Handwriting and the Relation to Early Literacy Skills

Handwriting is a complex visual-motor skill that affects early reading development. A large body of work has demonstrated that handwriting is supported by a widespread neural system comprising ventral-temporal, parietal, and frontal motor regions in adults. Recent work has demonstrated that this neural system is largely established by 8 years of age, suggesting that the development of this system occurs in young children who are still learning to read and write. We made use of a novel MRI-compatible writing tablet that allowed us to measure brain activation in 5-8 year old children during handwriting. We compared activation during handwriting in children and adults to provide information concerning the developmental trajectory of the neural system that supports handwriting. We found that parietal and frontal motor involvement during handwriting in children is different from adults, suggesting that the neural system that supports handwriting changes over the course of development. Furthermore, we found that parietal and frontal motor activation correlated with a literacy composite score in our child sample, suggesting that the individual differences in the dorsal response during handwriting are related to individual differences in emerging literacy skills. Our results suggest that components of the widespread neural system supporting handwriting develop at different rates and provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the contributions of handwriting to early literacy development.
Mirroring and Attunement: Self-Realization in Psychoanalysis and Art

Introduction. On Being in Touch. The Poetics of Interpretation. Deep Calling unto Deep. Making Experience Sing. Bion and Beyond. Words, Things and Wittgenstein. Shaping the Inarticulate. Embodied Language. The Search for Form. The Intuition of the Sacred. Recognition and Relatedness. The Silver Mirror.
Montane Meadows as a Microcosm for Predicting Global Change

The last decade has witnessed intensifying, abrupt global climate change. Despite this impact, we know little about when, what, and how changes occur. Most climate research is limited to studies of the abiotic environment, focusing on atmospheric composition and carbon fluxes. These studies fail to provide adequate indicators of climate changes and their impact on habitats and species. Recent and intensifying ecological changes have generated interest in (Root et al. 2003, Thomas et al. 2004), and the need for tools that can help to prepare for global climate shifts. Changes in ecological (biotic) communities are excellent indicators of climate shifts, providing models to predict changes over time. Montane meadows, defined here as persistently nonÂ­forested habitats in mountain ecosystems, make up a small percentage of terrestrial habitats, but they are likely to exhibit changes much more rapidly than most other areas. These meadows are arrayed along a hydrological gradient (from hydric to mesic to xeric) and inhabited by short-lived plants and highly mobile animal species that can exhibit quick changes in distribution patterns relative to environmental changes. Thus, they can provide an early warning system for other ecosystems across the globe. Currently, the extent and range of climatic changes that will occur in montane meadows are unknown.
"Inapposite" and "Amorphous": The D.C. Circuit's Rejection of International Law

Since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2002, the court system has been flooded with habeas corpus petitions from prisoners held at the U.S. naval detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. These petitioners contest the President’s authority to detain them and often rely on principles of law governing international war to support their arguments. A recent D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision rejected international law as an interpretive tool for U.S. courts, raising questions about the role of international law in the U.S. legal system. This Comment argues that international law, while not binding on the courts, provides useful guidance
Health Literacy Influences Knowledge Attainment but not Self-Care or Self-Efficacy Longitudinally in Heart Failure Patients

Introduction: Inadequate health literacy may be a barrier during traditional clinic-based heart failure (HF) education. The influence of health literacy on gains over time in knowledge, self-effica...
Characterization of Inducible Bacteriophages in Bacillus licheniformis

Two morphologically distinct and physically separable defective phages have been found in Bacillus licheniformis NRS 243 after induction by mitomycin C. One of them (PBLB) is similar to the defective phage PBSX of B. subtilis, which has a density of 1.373 g/cm(3) in CsCl and a sedimentation coefficient of 160S. PBLB incorporates into its head mainly bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which has a sedimentation coefficient of 22S and a buoyant density in CsCl of 1.706 g/cm(3). The other phage (PBLA) has a morphology similar to the temperate phage phi105 of B. subtilis; the head diameter is about 66 nm, and it possesses a long and noncontractile tail. PBLA has a density of 1.484 g/cm(3) in CsCl and the phage-specific DNA, which is exclusively synthesized after induction by mitomycin C, has a density of 1.701 g/cm(3). PBLA DNA is double-stranded and has a sedimentation coefficient of 36S, corresponding to a molecular weight of 34 x 10(6) to 35 x 10(6) daltons. The phage DNA has one interruption per single strand, giving single-stranded segments with molecular weights of 13 x 10(6) and 4 x 10(6) daltons. Common sequences between the two phage DNA species and with their host DNA have been demonstrated by DNA-DNA hybridization studies. Both phage particles kill sensitive bacteria. However, all attempts thus far to find an indicator strain to support plaque formation have been unsuccessful.
Charge loss associated with program disturb stresses in EPROMs

Program disturb or V/sub t/ shifts due to bit line stress for EPROMs continues to be a major reliability issue among semiconductor manufacturers, but very little information exists on these mechanisms. It is shown that program disturb is a defect mechanism, and the effects of voltage and temperature are studied. The impact on programming and extended read cycles is also evaluated. >
Differential expression of preproenkephalin and preprodynorphin mRNAs in striatal neurons: high levels of preproenkephalin expression depend on cerebral cortical afferents

Preproenkephalin and preprodynorphin mRNAs can be detected by in situ hybridization in medium-sized striatal neurons in normal rats and in rats with unilateral cerebral cortical lesions. Hybridization of 35S-labeled oligonucleotide cDNAs complementary to specific regions of each mRNA reveals that preproenkephalin-expressing neurons are more numerous than cells expressing preprodynorphin. Hybridization densities above enkephalin-positive neurons are also more than twice those noted above preprodynorphin-expressing cells. Northern analyses of mRNA extracted from the striatum are consistent with these relationships. The striatal preproenkephalin hybridization densities are decreased ipsilateral to cerebral cortical lesions; this change evolves largely between 1 and 5 d following the lesion. Striatal preproenkephalin mRNA is thus more prominent than preprodynorphin mRNA and depends on cerebral cortical inputs for its full expression.
Flexiplace: An idea whose time has come

Flexiplace involves giving people greater options on where they work, including possibilities to work at home part or all of the time. There is a growing potential for such arrangements, especially for engineers. To be successful, however, flexiplace must be voluntary and designed to fit particular needs and circumstances. Possible benefits and drawbacks of flexiplace for individuals, firms, and the community are discussed in the light of recent experience and prospective economic and technological trends.
THE β-N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINIDASE ACTIVITY OF EGG WHITE. 2. Heat Inactivation of the Enzyme in Egg White and Whole Egg

SUMMARY– The kinetics of the heat inactivation of β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in egg white and whole egg at neutral pH is first order in the temperature range 58–62°C. Rate constants for enzyme inactivation by heat are reported for both egg white and whole egg. The activation energy for heat denaturation is 91 kcal/mole in egg white and 73 kcal/mole in whole egg. Reduction of enzymatic activity upon heating can be used as an indication of whether egg white or whole egg has been maintained at the time-temperature combinations approved for pasteurization by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This test should be useful as a process control tool.
From Combat to Khakis: An Examination of Job Stress with Veterans

Veterans are transitioning out of the military and into the civilian workforce at an unprecedented rate. The experienced stress associated with this transition, Veteran Transitioning Stress (VeTS),...
Catecholamine metabolism by the perfused rainbow trout gill

The trout gill has the capacity to influence general adrenergic activity through extraction and metabolism of circulating catecholamines (CA); (Nekvasil and Olson, Am. J. Physiol., 1986, 250:R526–R531). To further examine the metabolic process, isolated gills were perfused with 10−8 M and 10−6 M norepinephrine (NEPI) or epinephrine (EPI) and effluent from the arterioarterial (AA) and arteriovenous (AV) pathways analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-EC). After 20 minutes of continuous 10−6 M NEPI perfusion, metabolites accounted for 70% and 96% of the total amines recovered in the AA and AV effluents, respectively. After 20 minutes of 10−6 M EPI perfusion, 60% and 94% of the amines in the AA and AV effluents, respectively, were metabolites. Similar results were seen during perfusion with 10−8 M CAs. Dihydroxymandelic acid (DHMA) and vanillylamandelic acid (VMA) were the major metabolites identified in gill effluent. Gills perfused with a bolus of 3H-NEPI extracted 47% of the radiolabel. Continuous perfusion with 10−5 M cocaine or 10−5 M tyramine 30 minutes after the 3H-NEPI pulse released 3H-labeled and -unlabeled NEPI and metabolites into the AA effluent. Cocaine released more unmetabolized 3H-NEPI than tyramine, whereas tyramine released more 3H-labeled metabolites than cocaine. These studies indicate that the gill efficiently inactivates CAs through metabolism and that the major products formed are deaminated (DHMA) and deaminated:O-methylated (VMA) metabolites. The gill is also able to remove NEPI from the perfusate and store it intact for up to 50 minutes. Branchial uptake of CAs in fish and pulmonary uptake of CAs in mammals appear to have basic similarities.
Polyethylene glycol treatment promotes metabolic events associated with maize callus morphogenic competence.

Abstract Metabolic changes were studied, which accompanied the conversion of 6 month old HiII maize non-regenerable (NR) calli into regenerable (R) calli when cultured for 63 days with 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG) (3350 MW) in culture medium. The conversion of 6 month old NR to R callus morphotype caused by PEG application decreased cell wall contents in callus dry mass and changed cell wall phenolics making their profile similar to that of R callus by reduction of lignin and ester- and ether-bound phenolic concentrations, including p -coumaric acid and ester- and ether-bound diferulates and by increase of the ratios of ester- and ether-bound ferulic acid/coumaric acid and ferulic acid/diferulic acid in cell walls of NR callus. Some similar changes of cell wall phenolics caused by PEG application were also found in 48 month old NR callus, that changed the morphology, but did not regenerate plants. However, there were no changes in the old callus in levels of total ester and ether-bound cell wall phenolics and substantially smaller decreases were found in ratios of ester- and ether-bound ferulic acid/coumaric acid and ferulic acid/diferulic acid, as well as in diferulate concentrations compared to young NR callus cultured with PEG. Remarkably, application of PEG also changed the primary metabolism of young NR callus tissues, so that they acquired metabolic features of highly regenerable callus. These data clearly suggest that PEG alters metabolism of NR calli, so they acquire biochemical characteristics of R calli, and that adaptive osmotic adjustments vary in different types of callus tissues.
CO‐OCCURRING ADDICTIVE AND MENTAL DISORDERS AMONG ADOLESCENTS: Prevalence Research and Future Directions

Recent epidemiological research documenting the pervasive co-occurrence of addictive and mental disorders has been concerned primarily with adults. This paper proposes the need for similar studies of adolescents, considers the special problems inherent in the assessment of co-occurrence in this age group, reviews evidence suggesting that the prevalence of co-occurring disorders in adolescents parallels that documented for adults, and delineates future research strategies.
A study of retained austenite in a fine-grained Fe-12Ni-0.25Ti alloy

The behavior of retained austenite in a fine-grained Fe-12Ni-0.25Ti cryogenic alloy system was investigated. When the alloy was held at a temperature within the two phase (α + γ) field austenite reversion occurred by a diffusion-controlled process. The redistribution of solute elements appeared to control the stability of the reverted austenite. The microstructural appearance of the retained austenite was examined using transmission electron microscopy. A preferential distribution of the austenite phase along martensite lath boundaries was observed. A precipitate-correlated austenite was also found to occur. The beneficial effect of introducing retained austenite appeared in the improvement in the tensile elongation as well as in the Charpy impact toughness at low temperatures. The retained austenite in this system did not improveK IC at −196°C. On the contrary, samples containing retained austenite showed increased susceptibility to unstable crack propagation in low temperature fracture toughness tests.
Lewis acid-base interactions between metal atoms and their applications for the synthesis of bimetallic cluster complexes.

A series of new palladium−ruthenium cluster complexes have been prepared by adding Pd(PBut3) fragments to the ruthenium−ruthenium bonds of ruthenium carbonyl complexes. Reaction of Pd(PBut3)2 with ...
Direct plant-predator interactions as determinants of food chain dynamics.

Abstract Predator–prey interactions play out in a physical matrix defined at least to some extent by the quantity and architecture of plants. Ambush predators for instance might more effectively encounter and capture prey in thick vegetation than in thin, open vegetation with good visibility. Yet these vegetation attributes are themselves potentially influenced by the intensity of herbivory, which in turn reflects the magnitude of predation. This intertwining of trophic interactions and basal biomass leads to a largely unexplored feedback in food chain dynamics. In this paper, we examine a number of extensions of standard predator–prey and food chain models that incorporate this kind of “bottom–up” influence on trophic interactions. Even simple models reveal a range of interesting behaviors. For instance, vegetation-dependent attack rates can generate alternative stable states, in one of which the predator effectively limits herbivores to low numbers, freeing plants of substantial regulation by herbivory, and in the other of which the predator is either absent, or present as an ineffective top trophic level. This can occur both in models in which the top predator is a specialist, completely dependent upon the herbivore, and in models in which the top predator is a generalist, inflicting mortality upon the focal prey species, but itself sustained in numbers by alternative prey. Another possibility is that the feedback between basal biomass and attack rates destabilizes the trophic interactions, leading to sustained oscillations in food chains. Comparable effects can arise if handling times depend upon vegetation biomass. These models illustrate the rich complexity of effects that can arise even in relatively simple community models, once one takes into account the range of potential feedback effects that are potentially present.
Distinctions between c‐Rel and other NF‐κB proteins in immunity and disease

c-Rel is a proto-oncogene first identified as the cellular counterpart of the v-Rel oncogene derived from the avian reticuloendotheliosis retrovirus (REV-T). It was subsequently discovered that c-Rel belongs to the NF-kappaB/Rel transcription factor family whose members share a common DNA recognition motif and similar signaling pathways. Despite the similarities, however, each NF-kappaB/Rel member possesses unique properties with regard to tissue expression pattern, response to receptor signals and target gene specificity. These differences are fairly evident from the non-redundant phenotypes exhibited by individual NF-kappaB/Rel knockout mice. Hence the work described in this review will compare and contrast the various physiological functions of c-Rel to those of other NF-kappaB members, particularly with respect to the regulation of proliferation, survival and effector functions in multiple hematopoietic and immunological cell types. The study of c-Rel knockout mice in several disease models will also be discussed as they reveal an important role for c-Rel in response to allergens, auto-antigens, allo-antigens and pathogenic infection.
Contractile responses of myocytes isolated from patients with cardiomyopathy

Single cardiac myocytes isolated from failing and non-failing human ventricles were superfused at 32°C and electrically stimulated at 0-2 Hz. Their contraction amplitude and velocities of contraction and relaxation were continuously during challenge with isoprenaline or high extracellular calcium. Action potentials were monitored with intracellular microelectrodes, and calcium transients followed using the fluorescent dye fura-2. Changes in contractility were correlated with severity of disease, as defined by New York Heart Association class, dose of diuretics, left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Beta-adrenoceptor desensitization was detected in these cells as a decreased response to isoprenaline relative to that of calcium in the same cell. Significant correlations were obtained between reduction of beta-adrenoceptor sensitivity and all four indicators of disease severity. No correlation between the maximum contraction amplitude in high extracellular calcium and severity of disease was observed, the same was true for contraction and relaxation velocity in high calcium. Some significant decline in contractility with age of the patient was noted. Analysis with respect to aetiology of disease showed a subpopulation with dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where relaxation of the single cells was impaired. This was related to a prolonged calcium transient and action potential. Isoprenaline accentuated the lengthened second phase of relaxation, whereas high extracellular calcium reduced it. These interventions had similar effects on action potential duration. The actions of isoprenaline and calcium were similar on cells from failing and non-failing human hearts and on normal guinea-pig myocyzes. They are not, therefore, likely to be caused by the disease, but possible interactions between disease- and catecholamine-induced lengthening of the action potential are discussed.
Two-dimensional photonic-crystal vertical-cavity array for nonlinear optical image processing

We investigate the electromagnetic properties of a two-dimensional (2-D) photonic-crystal array of vertical cavities for use in nonlinear optical image processing. We determine the 2-D photonic band structure of the array, and we discuss how it is influenced by the degree of interaction between cavities. We study the properties of defects in the 2-D lattice and show that neighboring cavities interact through their overlapping wave functions. This interaction can be used to produce nearest-neighbor nonlinear Boolean functions such as and, or, and xor, which are useful for optical image processing. We demonstrate the use of 2-D photonic bandgap structures for image processing by removing noise from a sample image with a nearest-neighbor and function.
Effects of chronic low-level lead exposure on mRNA expression, ADP-ribosylation and photoaffinity labeling with [α32P]guanine triphosphate-γ-azidoanilide of GTP-binding proteins in neurons isolated from the brain of neonatal and adult rats

Abstract The effects of chronic lead exposure on mRNA expression, ADP-ribosylation and photoaffinity labeling with [α 32 P]guanine triphosphate-γ-azidoanilide ([ 32 P]GTP-A) of α i or α s subunit of G protein were investigated in neurons isolated from the brain of neonatal and adult rats exposed to lead acetate or sodium acetate (for control). Rats were exposed by oral feeding for 10 days or 20 weeks to a low level of lead acetate or sodium acetate. The exposure started either prenatally or at an adult age. The expression of α i -mRNA in neurons obtained from the brain of control neonatal rats was significantly higher than that of the expression in samples obtained from the brain of control adult rats or the brain of rats exposed to lead at an adult age. The expression of α i -mRNA in neurons obtained from the brain of control neonatal rats, lead-exposed neonatal rats and adult rats prenatally exposed to lead did not differ significantly. Chronic lead exposure did not affect the expression of α s -mRNA in neurons obtained from the brain of neonatal and adult rats. The ADP-ribosylation or the photoaffinity labeling with [ 32 P]GTP-A of α i or α s , subunits reflected the developmental pattern of the expression of α i , or α s -mRNA. The incorporation of radioactivity in α i -subunit obtained from the brain of control neonatal rats, lead-exposed neonatal rats and rats prenatally exposed to lead was greater than the incorporation in α i -subunit obtained from the brain of control adult rats or rats exposed to lead at an adult age. The incorporation of radioactivity did not differ significantly in α s -subunits obtained from control or lead-exposed neonatal and adult rats. These observations indicate that (1) the mRNA expression, ADP-ribosylation and photoaffinity labeling with [ 32 P]GTP-A of α i - subunit decrease, whereas the mRNA expression, ADP-ribosylation and photoaffinity labeling with [ 32 P]GTP-A of α s - subunit do not change as animals age after postnatal day 10, (2) chronic prenatal lead exposure delays the age-dependent decrease in mRNA expression, ADP-ribosylation and photoaffinity labeling of α i subunit, and (3) chronic adult exposure does not cause these changes.
Sodium caprate as an enhancer of macromolecule permeation across tricellular tight junctions of intestinal cells

Sodium caprate is a promising candidate for inducing drug absorption enhancement. The mechanism of that uptake-enhancing effect is not fully understood so far. We investigated how caprate acts in an established human intestinal cell line, HT-29/B6, on the transient opening of transcellular (across the cell membranes) and paracellular (across the tight junction) pathways. Sodium caprate (10 mm) caused a rapid and reversible decrease of transepithelial resistance which is based, as measured by two-path impedance spectroscopy, exclusively on resistance changes of the paracellular pathway. Measurements of paracellular marker fluxes revealed an increased permeability for fluorescein (330 Da) and FITC-dextran (4 and 10 kDa), indicating an opening of the paracellular barrier. Confocal microscopy revealed a marked reduction of tricellulin in tricellular tight junctions and of claudin-5 in bicellular tight junctions. This was not due to altered protein expression, as occludin, claudins or tricellulin were not significantly changed in Western blots. Visualization of the translocation site of the cell membrane-impermeable marker molecule sulpho-NHS-SS-biotin (607 Da) indicated the tricellular tight junction to be the predominant pathway. We suggest that caprate's known enhancing effect on intestinal drug uptake is based on increased permeability in tricellular cell contacts, mediated by reversible removal of tricellulin from the tricellular tight junction.
The Disappearance of Dense Fog in Los Angeles: Another Urban Impact?

Incidences of dense fog have been gradually disappearing from large cities around the world. In Los Angeles, the climate records show that dense fog may become another extinct specie. In the last 50 years, dense fog has been reduced by about half at two, busy, coastal Los Angeles airports. Not one, but two factors, can be seen as possible causes. Both the downtown Los Angeles urban heat island and the city's air pollution clean-up show a significant relationship to decreasing fog. This study correlates monthly and annual dense fog data recorded at Los Angeles International and Long Beach International airports since the 1950s with downtown Los Angeles temperature and particulate air pollution data. The El Nino—Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) values also explain interannual dense fog variability, with PDO showing a stronger relationship. Coastal sea surface temperatures also closely follow dense fog frequencies. Recent coastal cooling, since 1998, associated with a shift t...
High mobility strained Ge PMOSFETs with high-κ gate dielectric and metal gate on Si substrate

A thin (~20 nm) compressively-strained selective epitaxially grown Ge film was grown on small Si active areas by ultra-high vacuum-chemical vapour deposition. The Ge PMOSFETs with HfO 2 gate dielectric show a ~2 x drive current enhancement and greater than 2 x improvement in hole mobility compared to control Si PMOSFETs.
Dynamics of Coupled Lithium/Electron Diffusion in TiO2 Polymorphs

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed with a potential shell model to investigate the diffusion of lithium ions and electron polarons in rutile and anatase. Simulations of an isolated lithium ion in rutile predict fast diffusion in the c channels with an activation energy of 0.05 eV, which corresponds to a jump rate of 4 × 1011 s−1 and a diffusion coefficient of 9 × 10−5 cm2·s−1 at room temperature. In anatase, the activation energies for intra- and interoctahedron lithium hopping are 0.02 and 0.39 eV, respectively, and the lithium diffusion coefficient is 4−5 orders of magnitude slower than in rutile. When in the presence of an electron polaron, lithium hopping is predicted to be affected up to four hops away. The effects are more pronounced in rutile; whereby the first energy minimum along the c direction is absent due to the strong lithium-electron electrostatic interactions along the open c channels. Combining the lithium and electron polaron hopping rates, a coupled diffusion mechanism emerge...
Current trends in low-power embedded computing

Great advancements in the electronics technology are making possible applications that were considered science fiction only few decades ago. Increases in packaging density of electronic devices, shrinking of physical weight and volume, and accelerated drop in prices, have all helped for the realization of ubiquitous computing using mobile and embedded electronic devices for everyday use. However, the ability to provide long-term sustainable power to many of such applications has been a significant challenge. This paper provides a short survey of the current trends in low-power embedded computing. It reviews the sources of power consumption in electronic devices, presents dynamic energy management techniques; and finally, it reviews energy harvesting techniques to allow autonomous operation.
TSE with average-specific phase encoding ordering for motion detection and artifact suppression.

Purpose To detect motion-corrupted measurements in multiaverage turbo-spin-echo (TSE) acquisitions and reduce motion artifacts in reconstructed images. Materials and Methods An average-specific phase encoding (PE) ordering scheme was developed for multiaverage TSE sequences in which each echo train is assigned a unique PE pattern for each preaveraged image (PAI). A motion detection algorithm is developed based on this new PE ordering to identify which echo trains in which PAIs are motion-corrupted. The detected PE views are discarded and replaced by uncorrupted k-space data of the nearest PAI. Both phantom and human studies were performed to investigate the effectiveness of motion artifact reduction using the proposed method. Results Motion-corrupted echo trains were successfully detected in all phantom and human experiments. Significant motion artifact suppression has been achieved for most studies. The residual artifacts in the reconstructed images are mainly caused by residual inconsistencies that remain after the corrupted k-space data is corrected. Conclusion The proposed method combines a novel data acquisition scheme, a robust motion detection algorithm, and a simple motion correction algorithm. It is effective in reducing motion artifacts for images corrupted by either bulk motion or local motion that occasionally happens during data acquisition. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:1271–1282. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
What do physicians in practice do to prevent osteoporosis

Osteoporosis-associated fractures are a major public health problem in the United States. Although clinicians and policy groups have advocated estrogen replacement therapy and other clinical measures to prevent osteoporosis, few studies have assessed whether these measures are being adopted by physicians in practice. The purpose of this study is to evaluate physicians' use of osteoporosis prevention measures and to assess the impact of physician specialty and practice setting on osteoporosis prevention performance. A survey of nearly 300 physicians was carried out in a large metropolitan area. Gynecologists, general internists, and cardiopulmonary specialists were included from one of three practice settings: fee-for-service private practice, full-time academic medicine, or a large health maintenance organization. Most physicians, regardless of clinical specialty or practice setting, report that they advocate exercise and calcium supplementation. Few physicians prescribe estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for the majority of their postmenopausal patients. Although there are minimal differences among the three types of practice settings examined, ERT varies markedly by clinical specialty. Of the gynecologists surveyed, 37% report prescribing ERT for the majority of their postmenopausal patients to prevent osteoporosis compared to only 7 and 5% of general internists and cardiopulmonary specialists, respectively (χ2 = 45.3, p < 0.0001). Although the efficacy of exercise and calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporotic fractures has not been well established, these measures are commonly advocated by both generalists and subspecialists. Although gynecologists are significantly more likely to prescribe ERT to prevent osteoporosis than the other clinical specialists, in general very few physicians prescribe ERT for most postmenopausal patients. This is despite the documented benefit of ERT in preventing osteoporotic fractures. Reasons are explored for physician reluctance to prescribe ERT.
Crosslinked polydiacetylene and its two‐ and three‐component interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs)

The synthesis of crosslinked polydiacetylene [poly4ECMU (a polydiacetylene with ethoxy carbonyl methylene urethane substitution): where R = (CH2)4OCONHCH2COOCH2CH3] was carried out utilizing its polar and flexible substituent groups. Polydiacetylene was crosslinked by the formation of allophanate linkages utilizing urethane groups in the substituent groups of the polydiacetylene. Two-component IPNs of polydiacetylene [poly4BCMU (a polydiacetylene with butoxy carbonyl methylene urethane substitution): where R = (CH2)4OCONHCH2COO(CH2)3CH3] and an epoxy resin (diglycidyl ether of Bisphenol A) were synthesized. Two-component IPNs of poly4ECMU with the above epoxy resin were also synthesized. For the first time, two-component stiff-backbone IPNs of two different kinds of polydiacetylene (poly4BCMU and polyECMU) and a three-component IPN of poly4BCMU, poly4ECMU, and the epoxy resin were synthesized. IPNs with fewer allophanate linkages were also made in order to examine morphological differences between them. The glass transition behavior of these networks was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) by means of a Rheovibron.
Volcanoes and regional geophysical trends

Active volcanoes occur in at least two fundamentally different tectonic settings. Taphrogenic volcanoes are aligned along the mid-ocean fracture system which is characterized by a broad ridge of rugged relief, «tensional» horizontal stress components perpendicular to the ridge, shallow earthquakes in a zone vertically beneath the ridge crest, thin to normal occanic crust and low to normal seismic velocities in the uppermost mantle, positive free-air gravity anomalies, and high heat flow. Orogenic volcanoes are aligned along the mobile Pacific rim and Indonesian archipelago which are characterized by double or single arcuate ridges with a deep oceanic trench on the convex side, compressional horizontal stress components perpendicular to the arcs, shallow to deep earthquakes in a zone dipping from the trench to beneath the volcanoes and beyond, transitional crustal thicknesses and seismic velocities, parallel belts of negative and positive free-air gravity anomalies from the trench to the volcanic arc, and low heat flow from the trench.
Studies on the synthesis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) phosphatide

Synthetic dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) phosphatide 1c, (R = C15H31), was prepared by three methods. The most efficient of these involved the coupling of the commercially available DHEA 1a and commercially available phosphatidic acid 2, via mesitylene sulfonyl chloride and pyridine. Alternatively, DHEA-3-phosphate 1b was coupled with dipalmitoyl glycerol 3 in the same way. The third synthesis gave 1c by coupling DHEA with the cyclic phosphotriester 4 followed by deblocking.
Total synthesis of (+)-psymberin (irciniastatin A): catalytic reagent control as the strategic cornerstone.

An effective total synthesis of the marine sponge cytotoxin (+)-psymberin [irciniastatin A (1)] has been achieved. Highlights of the strategy include a Diels−Alder reaction between a bis-siloxy diene and an allene to construct the aromatic ring, a boron-mediated aldol reaction to elaborate the C(15−17) all syn stereotriad, catalytic reagent control to set the C(8, 9, 11 and 13) stereogenic centers of the tetrahydropyran core, and a late-stage Curtius rearrangement to install the sensitive N,O-aminal moiety. The synthesis proceeds with a longest linear sequence of 21 steps from commercially available 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol.
Assessing the Older Worker: The Career Counselor's Dilemma

As more older workers choose to remain in the work force, the need for career planning is going to increase for this population. Those seeking second careers after retirement, or women reentering the work force, are sometimes unaware of their transferable skills, alternate interests and changing needs. In order to assess them, counselors are facing new challenges in locating relevant assessment instruments. The purposes of this article are: to identify methods of adapting existing instruments so they can be used with older adults; and to highlight the psychological as well as the physical factors that affect the counseling process. Research indicates that when administered to older adults, assessment methods may pose serious problems of test reliability, validity, and inadequate norms (Olson, Johnston, & Kunce, 1985). In particular, there are physical as well as emotional factors that influence testing of the elderly (Aiken, 1980). Physical factors that are more evident in the older adult are decreases in visual and auditory capabilities. These can affect response time in test taking, may increase distractibility, and can lead to difficulty in reading small type and hearing directions. Aiken says that emotional factors that can affect the reliability and validity of tests are fear of failure, lack of self-confidence, and lack of assertiveness. In my private practice as a career consultant, I have encountered these problems when evaluating or utilizing instruments with older
An enhanced ability for transforming adriamycin into a noncytotoxic form in a multidrug-resistant cell line (LZ-8).

Abstract Multidrug-resistant LZ-8 cells are 9000-fold more resistant to Adriamycin® (ADRM) exposure than wild-type V79 cells. To understand more about the mechanisms producing such high level resistance, we tested whether LZ-8 cells inactivate ADRM toxicity to a greater extent than wild-type V79 cells. ADRM was recovered from (1) culture media of wild-type V79 and ADRM-resistant LZ-8 cells; (2) V79 and LZ-8 cells; and (3) LZ-8 cell plasma membrane, and the cytotoxicity was determined by treating V79 cells for 1 hr with a known concentration of the recovered ADRM. ADRM obtained from LZ-8 cells or its culture medium exhibited less cytotoxicity than that recovered from V79 cells or its culture medium. ADRM extracted from LZ-8 cell plasma membrane was noncytotoxic. HPLC analysis revealed that the extracted ADRM was structurally changed compared to stock ADRM. The retention time in the column was 7 min for stock ADRM, and 23 min for the recovered ADRM. Thus, LZ-8 cells have an increased ability to transform ADRM into a noncytotoxic form compared to wild-type V79 cells. This transformation involves structural conversion into a previously unidentified ADRM metabolite. The greatly increased survival of LZ-8 cells compared to V79 cells after ADRM treatment is due to at least two mechanisms: (1) an enhanced ability to inactivate the cytotoxicity of ADRM, and (2) increased drug efflux resulting from the amplification and overexpression of the pgp 1 gene in these cells. Our results suggest the possibility that P-glycoprotein participates in drug binding/inactivation in addition to serving as a drug efflux pump.
Multiphoton ionization of hydrogen: A time-dependent theory

Results of calculations using a novel numerical method for intense-field, low-order multiphoton ionization of hydrogen are reported and compared to previously published values. The technique involves the explicit numerical solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation using a finite-difference representation of the electronic wave function.
Characterization and measurement of Δ-aminolaevulinate synthetase in bone marrow cell mitochondria

Abstract 1. 1. Δ-Aminolaevulinate synthesis was demonstrated in normal rabbit bone marrow and the measurement of Δ-aminolaevulinate synthetase (succinyl-CoA: glycine succinyltransferase) was accomplished in mitochondria obtained from marrow cells ruptured by sonication. The micromethod used to quantify Δ-amino laevulinate was sensitive to the range of 10 −9 mole. The optimal concentrations of glycine, α-ketoglutarate, CoA, pyridoxal phosphate and NAD + for maximum enzyme activity at pH 7.5 were identified. Succinate and succinyl-CoA were less effective as substrates than α-ketoglutarate. Neither MgCl 2 nor EDTA stimulated enzyme activity. Inhibition of the enzyme by its product, Δ-aminolaevulinate, was observed. Neither heme nor protoporphyrin inhibited the production of Δ-aminolaevulinate. 2. 2. Electronmicroscopic study of the mitochondrial preparation disclosed that the mitochondria were partially damaged. The isolated mitochondria contained succinate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.99.1) and ferrochelatase (EC 4.99.1.1) activities. The soluble enzymes of the heme synthetic pathway were absent. 3. 3. The rate of production of Δ-aminolaevulinate observed in the present experiments approximates the rate which would be required in vivo by the normal rabbit for hemoglobin synthesis.
Fast reaction nonpremixed combustion

Abstract Recent measurements in turbulent, single-phase, reacting flows are reviewed. Attention is confined to nonpremixed flows at the fast reaction limit, which is defined as conditions where rates of reaction are fast enough to maintain local equilibrium. Reactant combinations considered include: hydrogen/air, carbon monoxide/air, hydrogen/fluorine, nitric oxide/ozone, acid/base (in liquids) and the dissociation of nitrogen tetroxide in warm air. Criteria for the fast-reaction limit, as well as the laminar flamelet concept, are discussed in some detail. Other aspects of measurements in these systems are also discussed, e.g. effects of initial and boundary conditions; types of averaging; and the interpretation of velocity, temperature and other scalar property measurements. Existing measurements in round free jets, plane free shear layers and wall boundary layers are summarized and discussed. Experimental difficulties in controlling hydrodynamic and reaction variables are substantial, even in these relatively simple flows; therefore, no existing data set is completely satisfactory for r definitive evaluation of methods of analyzing turbulent reaction processes at the fast-reaction limit. Recent measurements in round, free-jet, hydrogen/air diffusion flames, using optical diagnostics for structure measurements, come closest to this ideal; therefore, these results are discussed in detail and sources of tabulated data for use during model evaluation are cited.