cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lorcainide in patients with refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmia

Lorcainide, a new antiarrhythmic agent with local anesthetic or membrane-stabilizing properties similar to those of quinidine, was tested in 76 patients with diverse types of heart disease and recurrent ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Lorcainide was administered for 72 to 96 hours in a dose ranging from 200 to 400 mg daily. Evaluation of drug efficacy involved ambulatory monitoring and exercise stress testing in 60 patients who had high grade ventricular arrhythmia. Invasive electrophysiologic testing was carried out in the remaining 16 patients who exhibited infrequent ventricular ectopic activity during control studies. Lorcainide was effective in 21 (38%) of 56 patients evaluated for suppression of ventricular ectopic activity and in 6 (40 % ) of 15 who had invasive testing. In five patients, the drug was discontinued because of toxic reactions. Thus, 27 (38%) of the 71 patients who completed the drug study responded to lorcainide. Side effects, reported by 42 patients (55.3%), consisted primarily of insomnia and gastrointestinal symptoms; 7 experienced aggravation of arrhythmia. Fifteen patients were discharged while receiving lorcainide therapy, but in four the treatment was discontinued after 2 months because of side effects. Three patients died, one suddenly. It is concluded that lorcainide is of value in a small subset of patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias who have proven refractory to conventional drugs. Its usefulness is limited by the high frequency of insomnia.
Simple Compressibility Relation for Solids

Isothermal compression data derived from shock-wave and static-compression measurements on metals exhibit a nearly precise linear relation between the logarithm of the bulk modulus and the specific volume up to volume changes of 40%. As a result, solid isotherms can be accurately fitted or extrapolated in this range by means of two parameter functions of either a Birch or a modified Tait form.
Control Electronics of the PEP RF System

The operation of the major components used for controlling the phase and field level of the PEP RF cavities is described. The control electronics of one RF station is composed of several control loops: each cavity has a tuners' servo loop which maintains the frequency constant and also keeps the fields of each cavity balanced; the total gap voltage developed by a pair of cavities is regulated by a gap voltage controller; finally, the phase variation along the amplification chain, the klystron and the cavities are compensated by a phase lock loop. The design criteria of each loop are set forth and the circuit implementation and test results are presented.
Reverse Shoulder Replacement: Forward Thinking in Acute Fracture—Affirms

Proximal humerus fractures continue to be a difficult and complicated problem to treat. Surgical treatment options have included fracture fixation versus hemiarthroplasty. Historically, elderly patients with metaphyseal and tuberosity comminution have had poor results after hemiarthroplasty with pain and substantial loss of motion. Multiple studies have shown that these results are due to tuberosity mal- or nonunion. Recently, reverse shoulder arthroplasty has become a viable salvage operation after failed hemiarthroplasty for fracture. Promising results from these operations may extend the indications for reverse shoulder arthroplasty to include proximal humerus fractures that will likely have tuberosity mal- or nonunion.
Application of metabolic profiling to study the effects of ethanol on metabolism in rats

Rat urine was analyzed by both gas chromatography and a combination of gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy in an attempt to apply the technique of metabolic profiling to determine if ethanol consumption produced an alteration in acid excretion products. Rats were fed a liquid diet for seven days then fed ethanol in the same diet. The 24 hr urine for the last day of control and the first day of ethanol differed greatly with respect to four compounds. These were an increase in threonic, glucuronic and an undetermined acid and a decrease in pyroglutamic acid. The biological basis for the alterations was not investigated. Glucuronic acid forms conjugates with many compounds. Possibly an acute dose of ethanol may alter the removal of some compounds from the liver.
The effects of hospital competition and the Medicare PPS program on hospital cost behavior in California

Previous studies of hospital competition have found that greater competition leads to higher hospital costs. In this paper we report how the behavior of California's hospitals has changed since the introduction of programs intended to contain the rate of increase of hospital costs. Using data that cover the period preceding and following the introduction of these programs, we found that hospitals in more competitive markets have lowered their costs significantly.
Rapid development of mobile context-aware applications with IVO

IVO (Integrated Virtual Operator) is a platform to build and deploy context-aware applications using mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, as the ubiquitous interaction device. It is designed to enable non-programmers to create and run new mobile applications. Applications are built from workflows of activities available in the platform. These workflows are triggered automatically by the device, when their temporal and spatial conditions are satisfied and with no user intervention. The applications are developed by end-users in a distributed web platform.
Phase-transfer-catalyzed polymerization of acrylonitrile

Utilisation du bromure d'hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium et du disulfate de peroxy ammonium dans des systemes a deux phases toluene/eau
A rapid gas-liquid chromatographie determination of serum lidocaine using a nitrogen-phosphorus specific detector

Abstract The development of a rapid, simple, and specific assay for serum levels of lidocaine by gas chromatography has been accomplished by utilization of a specific nitrogen-phosphorus (N-P) detector. The detector has greater sensitivity to nitrogen-containing drugs than conventional gas-liquid chromatographic techniques and has many applications to therapeutic drug monitoring. Serum concentration of drugs provides a definite advantage when difficult decisions regarding alterations of therapeutic regimens are encountered.
Review and assessment of measured values of the nonlinear refractive-index coefficient of fused silica.

The literature describes more than 30 measurements, at wavelengths between 249 and 1550 nm, of the absolute value of the nonlinear refractive-index coefficient of fused silica. Results of these experiments were assessed and best currently available values were selected for the wavelengths of 351, 527, and 1053 nm. The best values are (3.6 ± 0.64) × 10-16 cm2/W at 351 nm, (3.0 ± 0.35) × 10-16 cm2/W at 527 nm, and (2.74 ± 0.17) × 10-16 cm2/W at 1053 nm.
Bilateral comparison of femoral bone density and hip axis length from single and fan beam DXA scans.

Dominant/nondominant differences in bone mineral density (BMD) have been observed in the upper extremities. However for the proximal femur, the distinction between dominant and nondominant hips is not clear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate left/right variations in femoral BMD and hip axis length (HAL) in both single beam and fan beam dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. A total of 36 women aged 41–76 years (average age 60±10 years) received single beam and fan beam DXA scans of both proximal femora with a Hologic QDR-2000 scanner. Femoral BMD and hip axis length were determined for each scan. Left/right and single beam/fan beam correlations were determined and differences were evaluated using a two-way analysis of variance. Femoral BMD at corresponding measurement regions in opposing femora were highly correlated (r=0.81–0.96). No significant left/right differences were detected. At the femoral neck, the mean BMD difference (± standard deviation) was 1.5%±4.7% in a single beam mode and-0.6%±6.3% in fan beam mode. Though mean values of femoral BMD were equivalent, the observed individual left/right differences were occasionally large (as high as 26% in the femoral neck). The hip axis length of the left and right hips were highly correlated and statistically equivalent. However, hip axis length using fan beam was significantly larger (7.5%) than the single beam measurement with a larger observed variation. We conclude that measurement of a single proximal femur will usually be sufficient for clinical evaluation of BMD and/or hip axis length. However, bilateral BMD measurements are indicated in subjects where unilateral degeneration or disease are suspected. If possible, hip axis length should be measured in single beam mode to avoid magnification errors.
Perhaloaryl-metal chemistry VI. the formation and properties of some σ-perhaloaryl derivatives of palladium

Abstract A series of new σ-aryl-palladium compounds have been prepared from the reaction of perhaloaryl Grignard or -lithium reagents and [CH3(C6H5)2P]2PdCl2. The proton NMR spectra of these products are consistent with a trans-planar configuration in each case. Similar reactions involving BipyPdCl2(Bipy=2,2'bipyridine) have afforded the diamagnetic cis-complexes BipyPd(σ-C6X5)2 (X = F, Cl). Attempted extensions of these reactions to (norbornadiene)PdCl2 have thus far failed to yield σ-perhaloaryl derivatives, but the platinum analog (norbornadiene)Pt(σ-C6F5)2 has been realized.
Spin eigenfunctions and operators for the Dn groups

Abstract An automated procedure for determining symmetry-adapted spin eigenfunctions is developed for the Dn symmetry groups with n equivalent spins for arbitrary size of I and for n=3,…,6. These eigenfunctions are also eigenfunctions of the vector sum of the n equivalent nuclear spins. Generalized hyperfine spin operators are developed that have real matrix elements and that exploit the full symmetry. These spin operators can be combined with operators for other spins and molecular rotation using only real arithmetic.
Radiolytic Reduction of a Water-Soluble Fullerene Cluster

In the present Letter we extend our previous studies on negatively charged fullerene clusters {C60C(COO-)2}n, 2, and {C60(C9H11O2)(COO-)}n, 3, to a functionalized derivative which carries a positive charge {C60(C4H10N+)}n, 1b. It will be demonstrated that covalent introduction of a quartery ammonium group at the fullerene moiety, via N-methylation of 1a (N-methylfulleropyrrolidine C60(C3H7N), not only enhances the water-solubility but the positive charge also enhances the rate of reduction of the fullerene core in a cluster to yield {(C60•-)(C4H10N+)}n.
Stratigraphic Relations of Members of the Needles Range Formation at Type Localities in Southwestern Utah

The Needles Range Formation is one of the most extensive of the middle Tertiary ash-flow sheets in the Great Basin of Nevada and western Utah. The original definition of the formation by Mackin (1960) named two members and mentioned three type localities. Our recent studies have shown that this published information now requires revision. To provide a firm basis for stratigraphic studies of the Needles Range Formation, this paper presents geologic maps, measured sections, and paleomagnetic data for three type localities in southwestern Utah. These include the northern Needles Range and Wah Wah Springs localities previously mentioned by Mackin, plus a new locality, northwest of Lund, Utah. The sequence of members at these localities, from oldest to youngest, is: Cottonwood Wash Tuff (new name), Wah Wah Springs Turf, Lund Tuff (new name), and Wallaces Peak Tuff (new name). We recommend abandonment of the name “Minersville Tuff.”
Quantitative TLC Determination of Epimeric Ratios of 16-Methyl 17-Ketone Oxidation Products of Dexamethasone and Related Drugs

A TLC system sensitive enough to detect, identify, and allow quantitation of the 16-methyl α- and β-epimers of 9-fluoro-11β-hydroxy-16-methylandrosta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione is described. These epimeric 17-ketones may be present as impurities in dexamethasone, betamethasone, or related drugs. A spectrodensitometer with a TLC scanning attachment was used, and results from densitometry compared favorably with quantitation by high-performance liquid chromatography, as was described recently. TLC was convenient in the rapid examination of drug samples for the detection and identification of epimeric 17-ketones and for the determination of the α to β ratio of such epimers. Various applied photographic techniques for documenting TLC data are described.
Ice crystal patterns in artificial gels of extracellular matrix macromolecules after quick-freezing and freeze—Substitution

Abstract Artificial gels, composed of collagen with or without hyaluronate (HA), a glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and chondroitin sulfate (CS), were prepared and quick-frozen for the purpose of studying the influence of composition and concentration on ice patterns. Dilute gels were spread on coverslips, plunged into a slush of 30% isopentane/70% propane (−185 °C), freeze-substituted, and examined by phase-contrast microscopy. Ice patterns were revealed as “ice cavitites” in the gel after freeze-substitution. Ice morphology in the gels was gel-type-specific, suggesting that composition in dilute gels can influence ice pattern formation. Crystallization patterns reflecting high, intermediate, and low rates of freezing were observed in all gel types. Intermediate freezing velocities proved the most useful in differentiating gel-type-specific ice patterns. Gels which included hyaluronate (HA) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) altered the ice crystal pattern commonly observed in collagen gels. Ice structure in collagen gels consisted predominantly of long, parallel crystals in the herringbone pattern. Ice crystals separated gel into thin, unbranched fibers with a primary spacing of approximately 2 μm. Ice morphology in HA gels formed a mosaic consisting of packets of ice crystals. Contiguous packets were often oriented at right angles to each other. Periodic crossbridges interconnect primary gel fibers of HA gels and interrupt the lengthwise growth of ice crystals. Smooth beads were visible on primary strands in HA gels frozen at intermediate velocities. The addition of CS to collagen gels resulted in formation of randomly oriented ice crystals in gels frozen at intermediate rates. CS has little influence on ice morphology at low freezing velocities. Primary strands in CS gels were decorated with rough-surfaced, osmiophilic aggregates. Spacings between primary gel strands were not noticeably different (2 μm or less) in HA, CS, and standard gels. Ice crystals produced at intermediate freezing rates in extremely dilute gels form patterns that contribute to our understanding of the interaction of matrix constituents during the quick-freezing process.
An assignment problem with queueing time cost

One studies the problem of assigning customers to service facilities with the objective of minimizing the total expected cost of accessing facilities and waiting for service at these facilities. One provides an integer programming formulation of the problem with a nonlinear objective function. A Lagrangian relaxation of the problem is described and a heuristic solution procedure is developed which utilizes the solution generated from the relaxed problem. Experimental results over a range of problems indicate that the solution method is both efficient and effective
Effects of Fertilizer Additives on Ammonia Loss after Surface Application of Urea–Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer

The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of additives on ammonia loss when used with urea–ammonium nitrate fertilizer (UAN). The fertilizer additives were ammonium thiosulfate (ATS), calcium thiosulfate (CaTS), N-(N-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (Agrotain, AG), AG + CaTS, or a maleic-itaconic copolymer (Nutrisphere-N, NSN). Four greenhouse studies were conducted, with small fertilizer droplets applied to bare soil, large fertilizer droplets applied to bare soil, small fertilizer droplets applied to soil with 50% straw cover, and large fertilizer droplets applied to soil with 50% straw cover. Ammonia volatilizing from the soil surface was trapped in phosphoric acid and determined by steam distillation. Averaged across all four experiments, the percentage reductions of ammonia loss after 14 days, compared to unamended UAN, were 40% for UAN + ATS, 40% for UAN + CaTS, 51% for UAN + AG, 65% for UAN + AG + CaTS, and 11% for UAN + NSN.
The dependence of the average personal income within countries upon the energy put in to run them

Abstract Earlier work on the relation between energy input to a community and living standard led to essentially linear relations between the two. New and more extended data from both capitalist and communist countries is analyzed here. The rate levels off beyond an energy consumption of 6 kW/person. An essential new result is found: for underdeveloped and developing countries, indeed for countries in which the energy input is up to 6 kW/person, the income of the inhabitants increases exponentially. When a country has an energy input of more than about 6 kW (i.e. 6 kJ s−1)/head, living standards no longer increase with increase of the energy put in, i.e. a limiting rate of functioning of the community is reached. This behavior is similar to that known for the variation of the rate of certain chemical processes with the energy put in, and emphasizes the importance of looking at the economy of countries as a rate which depends primarily upon the energy put in to drive it.
An Analytic Congestion Model for Closed Production Systems with IFR Processing Times

We present an analytic model relating the mean cycle time or throughput as a function of the number of jobs in a closed production system composed of a tandem network of queues having exponential and/or IFR processing times. This model exhibits macroscopic behavior that is predicted by results from queueing theory and involves three meaningful parameters: the bottleneck rate and the "raw process" time that can be determined from first moment data; and a dimensionless congestion coefficient that is typically obtained from a single WIP/average cycle time observation e.g., simulation. The derivation of the model is based on observations of the behavior of the relation between mean cycle time and WIP. This "engineering" approach is different from a purely "probabilistic" one in that we do not consider the distribution of processing times at individual station. We compare the accuracy of the model in predicting mean cycle times to other techniques such as mean value analysis and simulation.
Zero spontaneous curvature and its effects on lamellar phase morphology and vesicle size distributions.

Equimolar mixtures of dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC) and sodium octyl sulfonate (SOSo) show a vesicle phase at >99 wt % water and a single, fluid lamellar phase for water fractions below 80 wt %. This combination is consistent with the bilayer bending elasticity {kappa}{approx}k{sub B}T and zero bilayer spontaneous curvature. Caill{acute e} line shape analysis of the small-angle X-ray scattering from the lamellar phase shows that the effective {kappa} depends on the lamellar d spacing consistent with a logarithmic renormalization of {kappa}, with {kappa}{sub 0} = (0.8 {+-} 0.1)k{sub B}T. The vesicle size distribution determined by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy is well fit by models with zero spontaneous curvature to give ({kappa} + ({kappa}/2)) = (1.7 {+-} 0.1)k{sub B}T, resulting in {kappa}= (1.8 {+-} 0.2)k{sub B}T. The positive value of {kappa} and the lack of spontaneous curvature act to eliminate the spherulite defects found in the lamellar gel phases found in other catanionic mixtures. Current theories of spontaneous bilayer curvature require an excess of one or more components on opposite sides of the bilayer; the absence of such an excess at equimolar surfactant ratios explains the zero spontaneous curvature.
A dynamic model for a population of durable goods

Abstract A dynamic model for a population of durable goods is presented. In the most general case the rate at which each individual member of the population delivers the service embodied in it is age-specific. If the total demand for services from goods of all ages is specified along with scrappage rates, the model predicts (1) the age distribution of a steady or stable-age distribution and (2) the time dependence of the approach to the steady state.
Genetics of dilated cardiomyopathy: more genes that kill.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), characterized by left ventricular dilation and systolic dysfunction, is the most common form of heart muscle disease, comprising 60% of the cases of identified cardiomyopathies ([1][1]). The disorder is clinically heterogeneous, ranging from affected individuals with
Formation of 15-lipoxygenase product from docosahexaenoic acid (22:6w3) by human platelets.

Abstract The metabolism of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6w3) by 15-lipoxygenase activity of washed human platelets was investigated. Platelets produced 17-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (HDHE)_when incubated with 22:6w3. Similarly, 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) and 13- and 9-hydroxyocatdecadienoic acids (HODD) were produced when incubated with 20:4w6 and 18:2w6, respectively. However, these products were observed only as minor components in the platelet incubation mixture. Control studies with carefully purified platelets and mononuclear cells indicated that these products were formed by the platelets. Chiral phase HPLC analysis indicated that these compounds were mainly in the S configuration with the exception of the 9-HODD, thus, confirming that a lipoxygenae is responsible for their production. The 9-HODD produced by platelets was a racemic mixture.
Transactional Memory Architecture and Implementation for IBM System Z

We present the introduction of transactional memory into the next generation IBM System z CPU. We first describe the instruction-set architecture features, including requirements for enterprise-class software RAS. We then describe the implementation in the IBM zEnterprise EC12 (zEC12) microprocessor generation, focusing on how transactional memory can be embedded into the existing cache design and multiprocessor shared-memory infrastructure. We explain practical reasons behind our choices. The zEC12 system is available since September 2012.
Effects of forest removal on amphibian migrations: implications for habitat and landscape connectivity

Summary 1 Habitat loss is a leading cause of global amphibian declines. Forest removal is a particularly significant threat because an estimated 82% of amphibians rely on forests for part of their lives. 2 Biphasic amphibians rely on suitable terrestrial habitat to support their post-metamorphic growth and survival and also to maintain appropriate habitat and landscape connectivity. 3 We created 4 replicate, 16-ha experimental arrays in the southeastern USA to examine the effects of forest removal on migratory movements of adult biphasic amphibians. Each array contained four forest-harvesting treatments that included an unharvested control, a partially harvested stand, a clearcut with coarse woody debris retained, and a clearcut with coarse woody debris removed. 4 Some amphibian species emigrated from wetlands in significantly greater numbers through forest controls compared with harvested treatments. Also, salamanders were generally more sensitive to forest removal than were frogs, with a significantly greater proportion of salamanders migrating through forested habitat compared to frogs. 5 For several species, individuals were significantly more likely to avoid clearcuts when emigrating compared to immigrating. Individuals that emigrated into clearcut treatments were more likely to reverse direction and return to wetlands in some species. 6 Synthesis and applications. Our study identifies one mechanism by which forest removal shapes the abundance and distribution of amphibians in terrestrial habitat. To promote the persistence of amphibian populations, conservation efforts should focus on preserving forest habitat adjacent to reproduction sites. Such measures are especially important where forest habitat connects local populations or where it links reproduction sites to other habitat features necessary for amphibian growth, survival, or overwintering.
Effect of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Changes on Tropical Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature Variability: A 2½-Layer Reduced-Gravity Ocean Model Study

Abstract Previous coupled climate model simulations reveal that a dipole-like SST pattern with cooler (warmer) temperature over the north (south) tropical Atlantic emerges in response to a slowdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Using a 2½-layer reduced-gravity ocean model, a systematic investigation into oceanic processes controlling the tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) response to AMOC changes by varying the strength of northward mass transport at the open boundaries was conducted. It is found that the North Brazil Current (NBC) reverses its direction in response to a shutdown of the AMOC. Such a circulation change causes a decrease in upper equatorial ocean stratification and warming in the Gulf of Guinea and off the coast of Africa. These findings point to the importance of oceanic dynamics in the equatorial SST response to AMOC changes. Sensitivity experiments further show that the SST response relates nonlinearly to AMOC changes. The strength of the SST res...
Ethnoecology of the tropical Andes avian indicators of landscape change in highland Ecuador.

Four Andean birds offer clues to rethink the ethnoecology of neotropical cloud forests, challenging the notion of conservation based only in water resources and biodiversity. Using both archaeological and actuoecological evidence, the role of humans in shaping high Andean landscapes' location and maintenance is argued as an important factor for conservation priorities of tropical montane cloud forests, particularly in the equatorial mountains. Avian examples demonstrate intricate linkages of culture and nature in the tropical Andes. Traditional knowledge associated to ornithological clues, helps understanding the dynamics of cultural landscapes, with birds as proxy of synergisms affecting the complexities of both, nature and culture. A paradox of conservation is highlighted with avian indicators. The four selected species were cases where landscape change and biodiversity help in determining ethnoecological insights. Unlike the preservation of absolute nature reserves, landscape stewardship, conservation easements and cultural la^tdscapes are listed as options for inclusion in the repertoire of conservation scenarios for cloud forests survival, which includes sacred places and spiritual domains as intangibles worth protecting in the Tropical Andes.
Aluminum—Air Battery

In this Activity, students construct a homemade aluminum-air battery out of aluminum foil, activated charcoal, and saltwater. This battery generates enough power to operate a simple electrical device, such as a small motor or holiday light. This provides teachers a hands-on method that uses battery chemistry to teach oxidation and reduction reactions and is fun for students. In addition, the use of oxygen as a reactant presents an opportunity to discuss the science of fuel cells.
Bis(1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione-κN,N')silver(I) tetra-fluoridoborate.

In the structure of the title compound, [Ag(C12H6N2O2)2]BF4 or [AgL2]BF4 (L = phendione), the Ag and B atoms are located on twofold rotation axes. The dihedral angle between the two phendione ligands is 36.7 (2)°. The coordination about the AgI center is distorted tetra­hedral (τ4 = 0.546). The crystal structure is consolidated by weak C—H⋯O(phendione) and C—H⋯F(BF4−) inter­actions. The BF4− counter-anion is strongly disordered and was modelled with two sets of idealized F atoms.
Strategies for research about design: a multidisciplinary graduate workshop

We are developing a graduate curriculum and summer workshop on design research intended to prepare graduate students to do research about the nature of design or research about a class of designs, including concepts, models, and methods for that class. We expect our workshop to advance the science of design of software-intensive systems by creating a open community of design researchers, both in software design and in related disciplines, who are knowledgeable about design and design research methods and who are interested in advancing the field. The curriculum will create a common basis for discussion and identify core material to master, while the flexible format of the workshop will encourage the introduction of new ideas and new methods.The goals of our course and workshop are to (1) develop an open community of graduate students, faculty, and industry researchers who are actively engaged in the advancement of software design research and (2) to associate this community with the larger community of researchers from related areas of design research who can contribute to the software design community and who can take ideas from software design back to their own research communities. We will offer a week-long summer workshop in May 2007, in which PhD students who are just beginning to develop their research proposals will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty and researchers who are on the forefront of software design research and related design fields.
Visualizations of the integral forms of Maxwell's equations through interactive computer graphics

The author describes educational software which provides students with tools for visualizing the significance of the integral laws which underlie applied electromagnetics, and for obtaining insights into interrelationships between electric and magnetic fields and their sources. EILP, the electric integral law program, allows the student to specify positions and magnitudes of line charges using a mouse. The program computes and draws equipotential lines and electric field lines corresponding to the specified source configuration. The problem then allows the student to specify a closed surface and corresponding closed contour within the field solution, and plots accumulated normal electric flux and tangential electric field line integral as a marker makes its way around the surface/contour, demonstrating the specific implications of Gauss' law for electric field and the electroquasistatic Faraday law. >
Quantitative proteomic analysis of oligodendrogliomas with and without 1p/19q deletion.

Approximately 50−80% of oligodendrogliomas demonstrate a combined loss of chromosome 1p and 19q. Chromosome 1p/19q deletion, appearing early in tumorigenesis, is associated with improved clinical outcomes, including response to chemotherapy and radiation. Although many hypotheses have been proposed, the molecular mechanisms underlying improved clinical outcomes with 1p/19q deletion in oligodendrogliomas have not been characterized fully. To investigate the molecular differences between oligodendrogliomas, we employed an unbiased proteomic approach using microcapillary liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, along with a quantitative technique called isotope-coded affinity tags, on patient samples of grade II oligodendrogliomas. Following conventional biochemical separation of pooled tumor tissue from five samples of undeleted and 1p/19q deleted grade II oligodendrogliomas into nuclei-, mitochondria-, and cytosol-enriched fractions, relative changes in protein abundance were quantified. Among the 442 tota...
Identification of β-turn and random coil amide III infrared bands for secondary structure estimation of proteins

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is increasingly becoming an important method to determine secondary structure of peptides and proteins. Among the spectral regions arising out of coupled and uncoupled stretching and bending modes of amide bonds, amide I and amide III spectral bands have been found to be the most sensitive to the variations in secondary structure folding. Amide I spectral region (1700–1600 cm−1), although most commonly used primarily because of its strong signal, suffers from several limitations, including a strong interference from water vibrational band, relatively unstructured spectral contour, and overlap of revolved bands correspondingly to various secondary structures. In contrast, amide III spectral region (1350–1200 cm−1), albeit relatively weak in signals, does not have the above limitations. Easily resolved and better defined amide III bands are quite suitable for quantitative analysis of protein secondary structure. While amide III region has been successfully used for determination of α-helix and β-sheets (Fu, F.-N., et al. (1994) Appl. Spectrosc. 48, 1432–1441), bands corresponding to β-turns and random coils have not been identified, so far. In this paper, we describe, for the first time, identification of amide III bands corresponding to β-turns and random coils by selectively enhancing random coils by treatment with a denaturing reagent, and secondary structure estimation of several proteins by using the band assignments. The assignments of spectral bands were as follows: 1330–1295 cm−1, α-helix; 1295–1270 cm−1, β-turns; 1270–1250 cm−1, random coils; and 1250–1220 cm−1, β-sheets. The estimations of secondary structural elements by the above assignments correlated quite well with secondary structure estimations from X-ray crystallography data.
The materials chemistry of porphyrins and metalloporphyrins

Porphyrins and metalloporphyrins provide an extremely versatile nanometer-sized building block for the control of materials properties. Films, solids and microporous solids have been explored as field-responsive materials (i.e. interactions with applied electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields) and as ‘chemo-responsive’ materials (i.e. interactions with other chemical species as sensors or for selective binding or catalysis).
Miniature Hexaferrite Axial-Mode Helical Antenna for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Applications

We demonstrated the size reduction of axial-mode helical antenna based on Co2Z hexaferrite-glass composite. Axial-mode helical antenna was employed to provide reliable communication for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications. The conventional axial-mode helical antenna uses an air core or low dielectric material, resulting in large antenna size. To increase the miniaturization factor n = (μrer)0.5, a Co2Z hexaferrite-glass composite was used as an antenna core. The 3-dimensional finite element method (FEM) simulation was performed to design a hexaferrite helical antenna and confirm the axial-mode operation at 2.44 GHz with gain of 2.0 dBi. The designed hexaferrite helical antenna showed 82% of volume reduction and good impedance matching compared to the air-core antenna. The axial-mode hexaferrite antenna was fabricated based on the designed structure and characterized in an anechoic chamber. The maximum gain of 0.541 dBi was measured with the pitch angle of 10° at 2.39 GHz. Also, a two-element axial-mode antenna array was designed based on the miniature hexaferrite antenna to further improve antenna gain. Maximum gain of 4.5 dBi at 2.43 GHz was simulated for the antenna array. Therefore, high gain and miniature antenna can be achieved with the combination Co2Z hexaferrite-glass composite and antenna design technology.
The quest for optical magnetism: from split-ring resonators to plasmonic nanoparticles and nanoclusters

Natural materials exhibit negligible magnetism at optical frequencies, since the direct effects of the optical magnetic field on matter are much weaker than electric ones. In the last decades, however, scientists and engineers have been trying to tackle and overcome these limitations by designing artificial subwavelength meta-molecules that support a strong magnetic response, even if made of non-magnetic materials. These issues have become popular because of the excitement around magnetic metamaterials and their exotic wave interaction. Here, we review recent efforts on this topic, with particular focus on magnetic metamaterials operating at optical frequencies. We discuss how the concept of split-ring resonators, introduced at microwaves to realize artificial magnetic inclusions with subwavelength footprint, can be translated to the optical region exploiting the plasmonic features of metallic nanoparticles suitably arranged in nanoclusters and nanorings. We also show that Fano interference effects, triggered by small symmetry-breaking in nanoclusters, may be the key to largely boost the magnetic response in optical meta-molecules. All these findings show that the alliance of optical metamaterials and advanced nanotechnology holds the promise to provide significant advances in the quest towards low-loss optical magnetic materials.
Monetary Darwinism: The Political Economy of Monetary Relations

According to theories of evolution, species evolve according to survival imperatives generated by their physical environments. Traits are selected and rejected based on their adaptability to the structures of the physical world in which these species live. Biological differences mirror differences in climate; the acutely developed senses of many species have adapted either for capturing prey or eluding predators, and so forth. So too in economic systems do we observe changes in human behaviour modes and policies that suggest adaptation. With respect to money, scholars continue to look for the most important adaptation mechanisms to explain the evolution of international monetary relations. What was once the preserve of strictly economic analysis has now become open ground for a wider array of social scientific analyses. In only a few short decades the study of monetary relations has developed into a more fully multi- and interdisciplinary enterprise. The four books reviewed here represent some of the latest attempts at constructing a broader social scientific explanation of monetary history. These valuable works complement one another in filling gaps in the literature on a complex and more diverse adaptation of monetary relations. Above all they stand as impressive political economies of monetary relations. Moure and Kettell concentrate on specific cases of monetary policy transformation in the interwar period, while Flandreau et al. and Obstfeld and Taylor cover a broader evolutionary timeline. The value of the contributions lies in several factors.
Scalp-Recorded Auditory P300 Event-Related Potentials in New-Onset Untreated Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

We studied scalp-recorded auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) of 30 untreated patients with new-onset temporal lobe epilepsy and 30 age- and sex-matched normal controls. This study was designed to eliminate the effects of intractability of seizures and chronic use of antiepileptic drugs on P300 auditory ERPs. There were no statistically significant differences in both latency and amplitude of P300 between the two groups. Similar methods were also used to analyze component latencies and amplitudes of ERPs of 9 patients who had hippocampal sclerosis with comparison to control subjects. There were no statistically significant differences between these two groups as well. Our study evidently does not support temporal lobe sources of P300 scalp-recorded auditory ERPs. We also conclude that the scalp-recorded auditory ERPs procedure is not a useful tool to evaluate temporal lobe epilepsy.
A More Flexible Lipoprotein Sorting Pathway

Lipoprotein biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria occurs by a conserved pathway, each step of which is considered essential. In contrast to this model, LoVullo and colleagues demonstrate that the N-acyl transferase Lnt is not required in Francisella tularensis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This suggests the existence of a more flexible lipoprotein pathway, likely due to a modified Lol transporter complex, and raises the possibility that pathogens may regulate lipoprotein processing to modulate interactions with the host.
Rural residence as a determinant of attitudes toward US immigration policy

Between 1990 and 2000, the foreign-born population in the United States increased by 57 per cent, compared to a 13 per cent increase in the native-born population. This growth has fueled considerable media attention and has fomented some anti-immigrant sentiments. Although a number of authors have charted changes in support for restrictionist immigration policies, few have examined their determinants. In this paper, we focus on region of residence and use data from a 2004 telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 1888 adults to test the hypothesis that rural Americans are more likely to support restrictive immigration policies than individuals in urban and suburban communities. In a series of regression analyses, this hypothesis is confirmed; rural residents hold the most restrictionist views. Additional analyses indicate that this effect of rural residence on policy attitudes is mediated by attitudes toward multiculturalism, the perceived traits of immigrants, and perceptions about the costs of immigration. Ultimately, the analyses indicate that the perceived cost of immigration is the single strongest predictor of support for restrictive immigration policies, and that it best accounts for rural residents’more restrictionist views.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress in the heart.

Over the last decade, it has become clear that the accumulation of misfolded proteins contributes to a number of neurodegenerative, immune, and endocrine pathologies, as well as other age-related illnesses. Recent interest has focused on the possibility that the accumulation of misfolded proteins can also contribute to vascular and cardiac diseases. In large part, the misfolding of proteins takes place during synthesis on free ribosomes in the cytoplasm or on endoplasmic reticulum ribosomes. In fact, even under optimal conditions, ≈30% of all newly synthesized proteins are rapidly degraded, most likely because of improper folding. Accordingly, stresses that perturb the folding of proteins during or soon after synthesis can lead to the accumulation of misfolded proteins and to potential cellular dysfunction and pathological consequences. To avert such outcomes, cells have developed elaborate protein quality-control systems for detecting misfolded proteins and making appropriate adjustments to the machinery responsible for protein synthesis and/or degradation. Important contributors to protein quality control include cytosolic and organelle-targeted molecular chaperones, which help fold and stabilize proteins from unfolding, and the ubiquitin proteasome system, which degrades terminally misfolded proteins. Both of these systems play important roles in cardiovascular biology. The focus of this review is the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, a protein quality-control and signal-transduction system that has not been well studied in the context of cardiovascular biology but that could be important for vascular and cardiac health and disease.
Fundamental problem of forensic mathematics—The evidential value of a rare haplotype

Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial haplotyping offer special advantages for criminal (and other) identification. For different reasons, each of them is sometimes detectable in a crime stain for which autosomal typing fails. But they also present special problems, including a fundamental mathematical one: When a rare haplotype is shared between suspect and crime scene, how strong is the evidence linking the two? Assume a reference population sample is available which contains n-1 haplotypes. The most interesting situation as well as the most common one is that the crime scene haplotype was never observed in the population sample. The traditional tools of product rule and sample frequency are not useful when there are no components to multiply and the sample frequency is zero. A useful statistic is the fraction κ of the population sample that consists of "singletons" - of once-observed types. A simple argument shows that the probability for a random innocent suspect to match a previously unobserved crime scene type is (1-κ)/n - distinctly less than 1/n, likely ten times less. The robust validity of this model is confirmed by testing it against a range of population models. This paper hinges above all on one key insight: probability is not frequency. The common but erroneous "frequency" approach adopts population frequency as a surrogate for matching probability and attempts the intractable problem of guessing how many instances exist of the specific haplotype at a certain crime. Probability, by contrast, depends by definition only on the available data. Hence if different haplotypes but with the same data occur in two different crimes, although the frequencies are different (and are hopelessly elusive), the matching probabilities are the same, and are not hard to find.
Moving the Code to the Data - Dynamic Code Deployment Using ActiveSpaces

Managing the large volumes of data produced by emerging scientific and engineering simulations running on leadership-class resources has become a critical challenge. The data has to be extracted off the computing nodes and transported to consumer nodes so that it can be processed, analyzed, visualized, archived, etc. Several recent research efforts have addressed data-related challenges at different levels. One attractive approach is to offload expensive I/O operations to a smaller set of dedicated computing nodes known as a staging area. However, even using this approach, the data still has to be moved from the staging area to consumer nodes for processing, which continues to be a bottleneck. In this paper, we investigate an alternate approach, namely moving the data-processing code to the staging area rather than moving the data. Specifically, we present the Active Spaces framework, which provides (1) programming support for defining the data-processing routines to be downloaded to the staging area, and (2) run-time mechanisms for transporting binary codes associated with these routines to the staging area, executing the routines on the nodes of the staging area, and returning the results. We also present an experimental performance evaluation of Active Spaces using applications running on the Cray XT5 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Finally, we use a coupled fusion application workflow to explore the trade-offs between transporting data and transporting the code required for data processing during coupling, and we characterize the sweet spots for each option.
a Treatise on the Use of Expected Values in Water Resource Project Evaluation

This paper focuses on two factors that influence the acceptability of the expected value criterion as a method of handling risk or uncertainty in decision-making where damages from unusual physical occurrences such as hurricanes or floods must be considered. These are the length of time of project existence and the problem of obtaining accurate estimates of the probability of occurrence for different sizes of natural disasters. The problem of estimating accurate probabilities of occurrence for different sizes of natural disasters is not as great as it might appear and in most situations will not defeat the usefulness of the method. The time span during which the project is expected to exist has greater implications for the usefulness of the expected value approach appears highly applicable. However, it becomes less applicable for projects that are short-term in nature. The basis for distinguishing between short- and long-term projects is presented.