cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectral-Line Structures of Saturated Parametric Instabilities

The nonlinear saturation spectrum of parametric instabilities is shown to be restricted to discrete values of the propagation vector if spontaneous emission is neglected and a one-dimensional analysis is used. The purely growing instability is not excited for equal ion and electron temperatures if the power is less than 3.5 times the threshold power. The inadequacy of the present one-dimensional treatment is pointed out, and it is shown that waves with propagation vectors that are not parallel to the pump field must be present even if spontaneous emission is neglected.
Release of tritium from yttrium and its alloys in a gas stream

Abstract The release of tritium from tritiated yttrium, yttrium-niobium (3:7) alloy, and yttrium-thorium (4:1) alloy in an Ar flow was examined preliminarily in the temperature range of 973 to 1173 K. At 1173 K, tritium was released with yields of 10 to 40% after a 6 h heating period. The data were consistent with a model based on gas-phase transport of tritium with no resistance to mass transfer coming from either the solid or interfacial regions. Therefore, the release rate can be determined from equilibrium considerations only.
Beyond interferon and ribavirin: Antiviral therapies for hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in humans is associated with the progressive liver failure. A new stage in HCV therapy has emerged with the development of Specifically Targeted Antiviral Therapies for HCV (STAT-C) directly inhibiting viral replication. In combination with pegylated interferon, HCV protease inhibitors have the potential to transform patient care by increasing the cure rate, decreasing side effects and shortening the duration of treatment. In the future, we foresee a shift in the current treatment regiment towards all oral STAT-C inhibitors.
Age-related variations of paracrystalline inclusions in central reticular cells of mouse bone marrow.

Abstract The variations in the quantity of paracrystalline cytoplasmic inclusions (PCI) in bone marrow central reticular cells were observed to correlate closely with the maturation and aging of mice. PCI-bearing central reticular cells of mice increased progressively until 12 months of age, after which a sharp reduction of these cells occurred. The crystalloids appeared to be derived from ingested and degenerated granulocytic components within phagosomes. They were remodelled from amorphous, degenerated products into laminar crystalloids exhibiting periodicity. In view of a recent observation (Shaklai and Tavassoli, 1978) that bone marrow central reticular cells bearing PCI may be closely affiliated with the mouse's hemopoietic microenvironment, the present data suggest that aging may affect the production of this essential factor.
Building a bi-directional bridge between social presence and interaction in online games

While gaming environments represent various forms of interaction, entertainment and dynamism, they create short term interactions and long term relationships. Social presence and social interaction are two major design factors to ensure being involved in online multiplayers games (OMPG). This paper argued that there is a positive relationship between the perception of social interaction and the feeling of social presence in online multiplayer games. For the sake of improving the OMPG experience, the researchers presented and validated a framework called “Mutual Bi-Directional Reinforcement Relationship” that explains the nature of the relationship between social presence and social interaction. The validation process relies on an empirical analysis that focused on studying the relationship between social presence and social interaction. A positive significant relationship was found between the level of the perception of social interaction and the level of the feeling of social presence.
Knockout of the mouse apolipoprotein B gene results in embryonic lethality in homozygotes and protection against diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in heterozygotes.

Abstract Apolipoprotein B is synthesized by the intestine and the liver in mammals, where it serves as the main structural component in the formation of chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins, respectively. Apolipoprotein B is also expressed in mammalian fetal membranes. To examine the consequences of apolipoprotein B deficiency in mice, we used gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells to generate mice containing an insertional disruption of the 5' region of the apolipoprotein B gene. Mice that were heterozygous for the disrupted apolipoprotein B allele had an approximately 20% reduction in plasma cholesterol levels, markedly reduced plasma concentrations of the pre-beta and beta-migrating lipoproteins, and an approximately 70% reduction in plasma apolipoprotein B levels. When fed a diet rich in fat and cholesterol, heterozygous mice were protected from diet-induced hypercholesterolemia; these mice, which constitute an animal model for hypobetalipoproteinemia, should be useful for studying the effects of decreased apolipoprotein B expression on atherogenesis. The breeding of heterozygous mice yielded no viable homozygous apolipoprotein B knockout mice. Most homozygous embryos were resorbed by midgestation (before gestational day 11.5); several embryos that survived until later in gestation exhibited exencephalus. The embryonic lethal phenotype was rescued by complementation with a human apolipoprotein B transgene--i.e., human apolipoprotein B transgenic mice that were homozygous for the murine apolipoprotein B knockout mutation were viable. Our findings indicate that apolipoprotein B plays an essential role in mouse embryonic development.
Influences of mixing methods on the microstructure and rheological behavior of cement paste

Abstract Relationships between mixing methods and both rheological properties and microstructure of cement pastes are described. In particular, a newly observed peak stress, determined at low constant shear rate, is correlated with various mixing methods and the size of inhomogeneities or agglomerates within cement pastes. The results of this research impact on the importance of laboratory mixing techniques when applying results to field concrete.
Leishmania donovani: Promastigote-macrophage surface interactions in vitro

Abstract The mechanism by which promastigotes of Leismania donovani enter hamster peritoneal macrophages was studied in vitro by light and electron microscopy. Quantitative light microscope studies showed a time-dependent increase of intracellular parasites, which had no preferable orientation during entry. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed striking host-parasite surface interactions marked by the formation of whorled pseudopodia around the promastigotes in the early stage and engulfment of the parasites akin to normal phagocytosis in the later phase. Early host-parasite interactions were categorized quantitatively by scanning electron microscopy into several types, of which “head-first entry” and “tail-first entry” were approximately equal in frequency of occurrence, confirming light microscope observations. Cytochalasin B at 10 μg/ml prevented the intracellular entry of the parasites and the formation of macrophage-originated pseudopodia normally seen to seize the promastigotes. Killed, but morphologically intact, promastigotes were poorly taken up by macrophages and lacked certain types of interactions normally encountered with macrophage pseudopodia. Motility of promastigotes and their affinity to the surface of macrophages are suggested as elements of importance which parasites contribute to aid the process of their entry. The above results indicate that promastigotes of L. donovani depend on phagocytic activity of macrophages to gain intracellular entrance, but parasite-specific activities and/or properties may also play a role. It is suggested that “facilitated phagocytosis” may be used to describe this unique type of endocytosis associated with leishmania-macrophage interactions.
US-Mexico tomato dispute

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a historical background of the tomato dispute, review the USA trade law and its effect on the tomato trade, discuss the role of the North American Free Trade Agreement and other supply and demand factors on increased tomato imports from Mexico and present a conceptual analysis of the effects of a Suspension Agreement (a form of Voluntary Export Restraint) on the USA and Mexico. In 1996, the USA and Mexico signed the Suspension Agreement which sets a guaranteed minimum price for Mexican tomato imports. Design/methodology/approach – Conceptual analysis graphically illustrates how the Suspension Agreement affects the tomato trade for the USA and Mexico and shows the benefits and losses of consumers and producers in these two countries. Findings – There is no consensus regarding whether Mexico dumps tomatoes onto the US market. However, US trade law favors domestic producers, leading to the signing of the Suspension Agreement. It is shown here that this agreem...
Comparison of three Stark problem solution techniques for the bounded case

Three methods of obtaining solutions to the Stark problem—one developed by Lantoine and Russell using Jacobi elliptic and related functions, one developed by Biscani and Izzo using Weierstrass elliptic and related functions, and one developed by Pellegrini, Russell, and Vittaldev using $$F$$ and $$G$$ Taylor series extended to the Stark problem—are compared qualitatively and quantitatively for the bounded motion case. For consistency with existing available code for the series solution, Fortran routines of the Lantoine method and Biscani method are newly implemented and made available. For these implementations, the Lantoine formulation is found to be more efficient than the Biscani formulation in the propagation of a single trajectory segment. However, for applications for which acceptable accuracy may be achieved by orders up to 16, the Pellegrini series solution is shown to be more efficient than either analytical method. The three methods are also compared in the propagation of sequentially connected trajectory segments in a low-thrust orbital transfer maneuver. Separate tests are conducted for discretizations between 8 and 96 segments per orbit. For the series solution, the interaction between order and step size leads to computation times that are nearly invariable to discretization for a given truncation error tolerance over the tested range of discretizations. This finding makes the series solution particularly attractive for mission design applications where problems may require both coarse and fine discretizations. Example applications include the modeling of low-thrust propulsion and time-varying perturbations—problems for which the efficient propagation of relatively short Stark segments is paramount because the disturbing acceleration generally varies continuously.
Lower Intraocular Oxygen Tension in Diabetic Patients: Possible Contribution to Decreased Incidence of Nuclear Sclerotic Cataract

Purpose To report intraocular oxygen tension in eyes of diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Design A prospective, interventional consecutive case series. Methods Oxygen was measured with an optical oxygen sensor in patients who were undergoing vitrectomy. Before turning on the infusion fluid, intraocular oxygen tension was measured in two locations: adjacent to the lens and in the mid vitreous cavity. Results Fifty eyes from 50 patients were included in the study. Twenty-one eyes were from diabetic patients and 29 eyes were from nondiabetic patients. The mean oxygen tension adjacent to the lens was significantly lower in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients (8.4 ± 0.7 mm Hg vs 10.7 ± 0.8 mm Hg; P P Conclusion Eyes from diabetic patients have significantly lower intraocular oxygen tension than in eyes from nondiabetic patients. Because oxidative damage to the lens nucleus and increased intraocular oxygen tension have been associated with nuclear sclerotic cataract, these findings may help explain recent reports of an apparent protective effect of diabetes mellitus against nuclear sclerotic cataract.
Inference of Solar Irradiance Variability from Terrestrial Temperature Changes, 1880-1993: An Astrophysical Application of the Sun-Climate Connection

Information can be inferred on the timing and amplitude of solar total irradiance changes over 1880- 1993 by simulating the global terrestrial surface temperature changes produced by these irradiance changes and comparing them with observed temperatures. The profiles of solar irradiance variations used in the climate simulations are adopted from several different proxies: (1) the length of the sunspot cycle, (2) the mean sunspot number, and (3) a composite proxy that includes the two previous indicators plus the equatorial solar rotation rate, the fraction of penumbral spot coverage, and the rate of decay of the sunspot cycle. We use a seasonal energy-conservation climate/upwelling-diffusion ocean model, forced by the assumed profiles of solar total irradiance variations, combined with variations in anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Optimized cases imply total irradiance changes during 1880-1993 in the range 0.18%-0.77%.If the solar irradiance profiles found from the climate simulations are required to be consistent with recent satellite observations, then the composite solar profile reconstructed by Hoyt & Schatten, combined with the anthropogenic greenhouse forcing, explains the highest fraction of the variance of observed global mean temperatures. In this case, the solar and greenhouse combination accounts for 92% of the observed long-term temperature variance during 1880-1993. The simulation implies that the solar part of the forcing alone would account for 71% of the global mean temperature variance, compared to 51% for the greenhouse gases' part alone. It also suggests a solar total irradiance variation of 0.5% during the interval 1880-1993. Such an amplitude of solar total irradiance change is consistent with astrophysical limits of brightness changes on timescales of decades to centuries independently derived from observations of solar-type stars (including the Sun).
Design and fabrication of a compact wavelength demultiplexer integrated with fast MSM detector suitable for optoelectronic integrated circuits

In this paper, we report on the design and fabrication of a wavelength demultiplexer integrated with photodetector array in InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs structure. The demultiplexer is based on the Rowland circle grating. InGaAs MSM detectors grown on the top of an GaAs/AlGaAs waveguide structure are used for light detection. Only one step epitaxial growth is used. The cross-talk between adjacent channels measured from the detectors response is about -11 dB. The device can provide 38 output channels operating in the 1-micrometers wavelength region. The structure has the potential to be integrated with GaAs transistors without any complication in the fabrication.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Matlab-supported undergraduate image processing instruction

More and more often, undergraduate students express the desire to take a course on image processing. These students will learn the most if the theory and algorithms covered in class can be not only illustrated through examples shown by the instructor during class but also coded, tested, and evaluated by the class participants. In the past, the major hurdle to developing a hands-on approach to image processing instruction has been the amount of programming required to implement relatively simple applications. Typical undergraduate students lack experience with low level programming languages and time is spent teaching the language itself rather than experimenting with the algorithms. High level and interpreted programming languages such as Matlab permit to address this question. Even with very little practical exposure to the language, students can rapidly develop the level of skills required to implement a range of image processing algorithms. This presentation will go over the material covered in a senior level introductory course in image processing taught at Vanderbilt University. The course itself is taught in a traditional way but it is supported by laboratories during which students are asked to implement algorithms ranging from connected component labeling to image deblurring. The students are also assigned projects that span several weeks. Examples of such assignments and projects are presented.
Multi-level hierarchical poly tree computer architectures

Based on the concept of hierarchical substructuring, this paper develops an optimal multi-level Hierarchical Poly Tree (HPT) parallel computer architecture scheme which is applicable to the solution of finite element and difference simulations. Emphasis is given to minimizing computational effort, in-core/out-of-core memory requirements, and the data transfer between processors. In addition, a simplified communications network that reduces the number of I/O channels between processors is presented. HPT configurations that yield optimal superlinearities are also demonstrated. Moreover, to generalize the scope of applicability, special attention is given to developing: (1) multi-level reduction trees which provide an orderly/optimal procedure by which model densification/simplification can be achieved, as well as (2) methodologies enabling processor grading that yields architectures with varying types of multi-level granularity.
Prices, institutions, and determinants of supply in the Malian cotton sector

Cotton, both a source of livelihood for millions of poor rural households and a major source of export revenues, is a vital commodity for the economic and social development of Mali. Inefficiencies in the Malian cotton system at the ginnery and producers’ cooperative levels (e.g., late payment to farmers and poorly functioning credit schemes) have recently led to an important decline in supply, threatening the sustainability of the sector. Using regional data from 1998/1999 to 2008/2009, this study aims to quantitatively assess the contribution of key determinants, such as cotton prices and timely payment, toward the downward trend in cotton area. A dynamic supply model, based on adaptive expectations and partial adjustment, is employed to estimate the effects of prices and institutional factors, such as credit recovery rates and date of payment to farmers, on the Malian cotton supply. Results show that supply responds significantly to cotton prices relative to cereal and fertilizer prices. Date of payment varies across agricultural cycles and late payment negatively influences land devoted to cotton. Low credit repayment rates create disincentives to grow cotton. Therefore, the revitalization of the Malian cotton sector depends upon getting both prices and institutions right.
DOES A POLAR CORONAL HOLE'S FLUX EMERGENCE FOLLOW A HALE-LIKE LAW?

Recent increases in spatial and temporal resolution for solar telescopes sensitive to EUV and X-ray radiation have revealed the prevalence of transient jet events in polar coronal holes. Using data collected by the X-Ray Telescope on Hinode, Savcheva et al. confirmed the observation, made first by the Soft X-ray Telescope on Yohkoh, that some jets exhibit a motion transverse to the jet outflow direction. The velocity of this transverse motion is, on average, 10 km s{sup -1}. The direction of the transverse motion, in combination with the standard reconnection model for jet production (e.g., Shibata et al.), reflects the magnetic polarity orientation of the ephemeral active region at the base of the jet. From this signature, we find that during the present minimum phase of the solar cycle the jet-base ephemeral active regions in the polar coronal holes had a preferred east-west direction, and that this direction reversed during the cycle's progression through minimum. In late 2006 and early 2007, the preferred direction was that of the active regions of the coming sunspot cycle (cycle 24), but in late 2008 and early 2009 the preferred direction has been that of the active regions of sunspot cycle 25. These findings aremore » consistent with the observations of Wilson et al. suggesting that each cycle of solar activity begins at polar latitudes soon after the onset of the previous cycle.« less
The TOP2 gene of Trypanosoma brucei: a single-copy gene that shares extensive homology with other TOP2 genes encoding eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase II.

A mixed oligonucleotide probe containing sequences encoding a septapeptide found in yeast, Drosophila and human DNA topoisomerase II was used to screen a genomic library of Trypanosoma brucei. A positive was obtained, and nucleotide sequencing shows that the entire gene encoding DNA topoisomerase II of this organism, TbrTOP2, resides within the T. brucei insert of the clone. A single open reading frame of 1221 triplet codons starting from the first ATG was identified; the amino acid sequence deduced from it is highly homologous to other eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase II and corresponds to a 137-kDa polypeptide. Analysis of restriction endonuclease digests of T. brucei DNA by blot hybridization following gel electrophoresis indicates that TbrTOP2 a single-copy gene.
Environmental science and resource management in the 21st century: Scientific perspective

Ecotoxicology in the 21st century will be part of the larger field of integrated environmental science and resource management. This already established trend has some main impetuses: (a) A definite shift is occurring from only protecting against toxic damage to ensuring robust ecosystem health or condition; (b) the modus operandi of the information age is integrative science, not fragmented science; (c) the most exciting discoveries are occurring at the interfaces of the classical disciplines; (d) the preoccupation with “end-of-the-pipe” waste discharges is rapidly shifting to a system-level or landscape-level perspective; and (e) the professional societies that miss the beginnings of major trends can partially offset this loss by establishing close relationships with the new societies that are riding the crest of the “waves.” It will be extremely important for both individual professionals and professional societies to respond to these rapid changes. Otherwise, individuals will be left in the professional backwaters, and professional societies will be replaced by more agile young societies in the same way that SETAC had its genesis.
An evolutionary context for the cognitive unconscious

Abstract This paper is an attempt to put the work of the past several decades on the problems of implicit learning and unconscious cognition into an evolutionary context. Implicit learning is an inductive process whereby knowledge of a complex environment is acquired and used largely independently of awareness of either the process of acquisition or the nature of that which has been learned. Characterized this way, implicit learning theory can be viewed as an attempt to come to grips with the classic epistemological issues of knowledge acquisition, representation and use. The argument is made that the process, despite its seeming cognitive sophistication, is of considerable evolutionary antiquity and that it antedates awareness and the capacity for conscious control of mentation. Various classic heuristics from evolutionary biology are used to substantiate this claim and several specific entailments of this line of argument are outlined.
Magnetic transitions in CeIrIn5

Abstract Results are presented on measurements of the magnetization of the heavy fermion superconductor CeIrIn5 at 45 mK and DC magnetic fields up to 45 T . A metamagnetic transition is clearly seen at 29.5 T that is qualitatively similar to metamagnetic transitions reported by other groups. In addition, we also find a second magnetic transition at higher fields that exhibits significant hysteresis and has a pronounced ferromagnetic-like character that has not previously been observed in CeIrIn5.
Some environmental factors influencing radiostrontium uptake by plants

The amounts of Sr90 taken up from Vina soil varied among several different crop plants by a factor as high as 10 on the basis of dry weight. The relative decreasing order of Sr90 uptake by mature plant tops was turnip = millet > Swiss chard > Ladino clover > broccoli > soybeans > barley > oats > wheat > spinach. For each of the cereal crops, the concentration of Sr90 in the grain was only about one-fifth of the Sr90 in the forage. The tubers of White Rose potato grown on Sassafras, Hanford and Sorrento soils contained only about one-fiftieth of the Sr90 concentrated in the tops. The Sr90 uptake by potato was inversely correlated with the level of plant-available calcium in Sassafras, Hanford and Sorrento soils.
A model for asymmetry in magnetic property behavior under tensile and compressive stress in steel

Presents a way to relate two standard models for magnetomechanical hysteresis-the Sablik-Jiles-Atherton model and the Schneider-Cannell-Watts model-while at the same time presenting physical models for the asymmetry in magnetic property behavior under tensile and compressive stress in steel, including, for /spl sigma/H processes, the presence of an extremum in the dependence of magnetic properties on tensile stress, an effect which is sometimes known as the Villari effect.
Low-threshold current short-cavity quantum cascade lasers

We report in this paper the study of achieving low current threshold quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) by using highreflection (HR) coating to short-cavity QCLs. Experimental results show that the QCL current threshold (Ith) and injecting electrical power are significantly decreased with HR coatings applied to one side or both sides of a QCL. The QCL structures used in the experiment are strain balanced InGaAs/InAlAs supperlattices based on InP substrate with the emission wavelength at λ~4.8μm. QCL devices with 28 periods and 60 periods are studied. With HR coatings on both laser facets, a 28 periods QCL device cleaved with 1mm long cavity expresses a low current threshold of 70mA at cryogenic temperature and a 0.5mm long cavity device shows a current threshold of 65mA at 50K. A 0.5mm long 60 periods QCL device with both sides HR coated is found to have a current threshold as low as 30mA at 20K and still below 50mA at liquid Nitrogen cooled temperature.
Syntactic and semantic metadata integration for science data use

This paper proposes a novel metadata solution to allow applications to intelligently use science data in an automated fashion. The solution provides rich syntactic and semantic metadata, where the semantic metadata is linked with an ontology to define the semantic terms. This solution allows applications to exploit the syntactic metadata to read the data and the semantic metadata to infer the content and the meaning of the data. The solution presented in this paper leverages the Earth Science Markup Language for providing the syntactic metadata and adds a semantic metadata component along with links to the appropriate ontology. This new semantic component is orthogonal to the syntactic metadata, so it does not perturb the existing design. An example application was designed and built that integrates this syntactic and semantic metadata via an ontology to perform a data processing operation.
The resolution between two native proteins and between their sodium dodecyl sulfate-complexes in agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Commercial gel electrophoresis apparatus with intermittent fluorescence scanning of the migration path (HPGE-1000 apparatus, LabIntelligence) makes it possible to measure band width and migration distance as a function of the duration of electrophoresis. As a result, resolution can be evaluated quantitatively and therefore different gel media can be compared objectively. The resolution of fluorescein carboxylate labeled conalbumin (molecular mass 86 kDa) and soybean trypsin inhibitor (22.7 kDa) in gel electrophoresis was found to increase as a function of the gel type in the order SeaKem GTG-, SeaKem Gold-agarose, 2% N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide cross-linked polyacrylamide, MetaPhor-XR-, and SeaPrep-agarose. The advantage in resolving capacity of SeaPrep agarose over the polyacrylamide gel was by a factor of up to five. The resolving capacity of the agaroses was in indirect relation to the degree of electroendosmosis. In all media, resolution increased with migration distance (time). The same proteins when reacted with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) resolve (i) better at up to 6% SeaPrep agarose concentration than in polyacrylamide, as in the gel electrophoresis of the native proteins; (ii) less effectively, by contrast, at SeaPrep agarose concentrations > 6%, than in polyacrylamide gel; and (iii) significantly better in 4-6% SeaPrep agarose than in 4-6% SeaKem GTG agarose. Since Ferguson plot analysis in both agarose and polyacrylamide gels shows that the two SDS-proteins are larger than the native proteins with which they are complexed, the superiority of polyacrylamide gels above 7% appears to be correlated with the fact that its mean pore radius, estimated for both media using identical assumptions and identical rigid spherical standards - proteins, is approximately seven times larger than that of SeaPrep agarose in the concentration range of 3-8%, and that therefore the molecular "fit" in polyacrylamide is closer than that in SeaPrep agarose of the concentration range used. The dependence of resolution on the ratio of particle radius to mean pore radius ("fit") is also suggested by the fact that the two SDS-proteins resolve in a biphasic dependence on gel concentration in both agarose and polyacrylamide, with a maximum at 6% agarose and 10% polyacrylamide.
Optical determination of Cr(VI) using regenerable, functionalized sol-gel monoliths

Transparent, pyridine-functionalized sol-gel monoliths have been formed and their use in Cr(VI) sensing applications is demonstrated. The monoliths were immersed in acidic Cr(VI)-containing solutions, and the Cr(VI) uptake was monitored using UV-vis and atomic absorption spectroscopies. At concentrations at the ppm level, the monoliths exhibit a yellow color change characteristic of Cr(VI) uptake, and this can be measured by monitoring the absorption change at about 350 nm using UV-vis spectroscopy. Concentrations at the ppb level are below the limit of detection using this wavelength of 350 nm for measurement. However, by adding a diphenylcarbazide solution to monoliths that have been previously immersed in ppb-level Cr(VI) solutions, a distinct color change takes place within the gels that can be measured at about 540 nm using UV-vis spectroscopy. Concentrations as low as 10 ppb Cr(VI) can be measured using this method. The monoliths can then be regenerated for subsequent sensing cycles by thorough washing with 6.0M HCl. The factors affecting monolith uptake of Cr(VI) have been explored. In addition, the gels have been characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements.
Powder specific active dispersion for generation of pharmaceutical aerosols

Dry powder inhalers are increasingly employed to deliver pharmaceutical aerosols. Efficient mechanisms of particle dispersion are central to their success in disease therapy. Creation of a powder aerosol requires the input of energy to transition the static powder bed into an entrained aerosol. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of input of vibrational energy into a powder on aerosol entrainment. Rotating drum characterization of powder flow was performed on lactose and maltodextrin excipients blended with albuterol sulfate. Dispersion experiments were conducted using an entrainment tube and a vibration actuator, vibrational energy input being derived from analysis of powder flow data from rotating drum analysis. Results of analysis of the rotating drum data showed that with increasing rotational speed powders reached a constant state of fluidization with a mean avalanche time dependent on the powder. Dispersion experiments demonstrated that the input of vibrational energy increased the dose emission while the input of frequencies specific to the powders improved the reproducibility. Frequency analysis of the vibration signals indicated that the reproducibility was determined by the bandwidth of the signal. This work suggests that an ability to tailor energy input to match the flow properties of a given powder formulation may significantly improve reproducibility of dose delivery from active dry powder inhalers.
Ks pictures of strangeness distillation

Abstract K s -K s interferometry is shown to contain a novel interference term that is sensitive to possible strangeness distillation phenomena in high energy nuclear reactions. The absence of Coulomb final state interaction, the reduced resonance distortions, and the above novel effect make it an especially attractive complement to conventional charged boson (π − π − or K + K + ) interferometry.
Genomes of Geoalkalibacter ferrihydriticus Z-0531T and Geoalkalibacter subterraneus Red1T, Two Haloalkaliphilic Metal-Reducing Deltaproteobacteria.

ABSTRACT We sequenced and annotated genomes of two haloalkaliphilic Deltaproteobacteria, Geoalkalibacter ferrihydriticus Z-0531T (DSM 17813) and Geoalkalibacter subterraneus Red1T (DSM 23483). During assembly, we discovered that the DSMZ stock culture of G. subterraneus was contaminated. We reisolated G. subterraneus in axenic culture and redeposited it in DSMZ and JCM.
Conservation laws and inertial parameters in the quasiparticle random phase approximation at finite temperature and high spin

Abstract The conservation laws in the finite temperature RPA with emphasis on the angular momentum and particle number are discussed. Realistic calculations of the intertial tensor for the nucleus 164 Er are performed for several temperatures and angular momenta.
Bond-centered interstitial hydrogen in silicon: Semiempirical electronic-structure calculations.

We report the results of electronic-structure calculations on interstitial hydrogen in silicon using the semiempirical modified neglect of diatomic overlap method with a finite cluster. We find that the interstitial hydrogen is stable at a bond-centered site, consistent with other, recent computational results. The barrier for migration between adjacent bond-centered sites is estimated to be \ensuremath{\lesssim}1 eV. Furthermore, contrary to most other studies, we find the hydrogen to be asymmetrically located between the near-neighbor silicons. In a static picture, it is therefore bonded in a rather conventional way to one silicon, with the unpaired electron primarily located at the other silicon. However, we find that the barrier for inversion between neighboring silicons (along the bond) is quite small (\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.1--0.2 eV); hence, motional effects are significant. Possible manifestations of this asymmetry are discussed.
Review: Fairness issues in the networking environment

Network users and designers are frequently concerned about the fairness of service achieved either in local networking or in internetworking. However, because of its subjective nature and the multiplicity of issues involved, the term fairness cannot be uniquely defined. However, basic issues have been identified and control schemes have been proposed in the networking literature. This paper outlines the basic issues, notions and definitions of fairness in both the inter- and intra-networking contexts from the available literature. The fairness criteria used and the optimizing schemes have been included in the survey. A comprehensive definition for fairness is also suggested.
Pseudoconvexity and geodesic connectedness

Let M be a smooth manifold with a linear connection. If M is pseudoconvex, disprisoning, and has no conjugate points, then each pair of points of M is joined by at least one geodesic.
Metal-Mediated Protein Oxidation: Applications of a Modified ELISA-Based Carbonyl Detection Assay for Complex Proteins

Purpose Therapeutic proteins are prone to oxidative modification during manufacturing, processing, and storage that may lead to degradation, aggregation, and immunogenicity. Protein carbonylation is an irreversible oxidative modification and has been identified as a hallmark of severe oxidative stress but not extensively studied for its impact on the stability and activity of therapeutic proteins.
PUMA Kills Stem Cells to Stall Cancer

Apoptosis evasion is a hallmark of human cancer. PUMA is a BH3-only Bcl-2 family protein that mediates both p53-dependent and independent apoptosis. However, its role in tumor suppression had not been well established. Our recent work provides direct evidence that PUMA plays an important role in suppressing intestinal tumorigenesis in two mouse models including (i) the azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-treated mice and (ii) APC(Min/+) mice. The activities of PUMA appeared to be in the intestinal stem cells, and involve both p53-dependent response to DNA damage, and p53-independent mechanisms triggered by inflammation. Our data suggest that the interplay between different apoptotic pathways in intestinal stem cells underlie the initiation of intestinal carcinogenesis, and should be considered in the context of cancer prevention and therapy.
HELIUM DEFICIENCY IN OLD HALO B STARS.

Abnormal low helium abundance in atmospheres of old halo B star based on weak absorption lines in helium spectra
Identification of the GalNAc kinase amino acid sequence

A new kinase that forms GalNAc-1-P was purified from pig kidney cytosol and identified on gels by labeling with N3-[32P]ATP (Pastuszak, I., Drake, R., and Elbein, A. D. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, in press). A 50-kDa labeled protein was eluted, digested with trypsin, and the sequences of four peptides representing 49 amino acids showed 90% identity to sequence of human galactokinase reported to be on chromosome 15. To resolve this dilema, activities and substrate specificities of galactokinase and GalNAc kinase from human and pig kidney, as well as of galactokinase from the yeast clone transfected with the cDNA from presumptive human galactokinase, were compared. The purified galactokinases phosphorylated galactose, but not GalNAc, whereas GalNAc kinase also phosphorylated galactose when this sugar was present at millimolar concentrations. Extracts of gal 1− yeast clone, transfected with presumptive human galactokinase cDNA, had very low galactokinase activity even when yeast were grown on galactose, but good activity with GalNAc. On the other hand, the wild type yeast phosphorylated galactose, but not GalNAc. These data indicate that the sequence reported for galactokinase on chromosome 15 is that of GalNAc kinase, which can phosphorylate galactose when this sugar is present at millimolar concentrations. This transfection thus allows the yeast mutant to grow slowly on galactose-containing media.
Ethnos, demos and democratization: A comparison of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland

With the collapse of European communism, Western observers and leaders fostered new expectations about the relative likelihood for post‐communist nations to ‘join the West’. The Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary were seen as least problematic candidates, sponsored especially by the German leadership. A troubling issue however is the emerging pattern of ethnos‐politics, identity politics based on blood ties, as opposed to demos‐politics, civic politics based on universal territorial citizenship. In the Czech Republic this ethnos‐politics appears most clearly as anti‐Romany racism and governmental discrimination. In Poland and Hungary, centre‐right parties have developed a politics of ethnic patriotism which labels opponents as traitors and foreign elements. In these nations, political liberalism has been too weak and often too opportunist to offer a viable demos‐politics as a counterweight. Instead, the ex‐communist successor parties in Poland and Hungary have re‐emerged as the mass base for a non‐nationa...
What Caused the Winter Drought in Western Nepal during Recent Years

Western Nepal has experienced consecutive and worsening winter drought conditions since 2000, culminating in a severe drought episode during 2008/09. In this study, the meteorological conditions and a historical perspective of the winter droughts in western Nepal were analyzed using instrumental records, satellite observations, and climate model simulations. Meteorological diagnosis using atmospheric reanalysis revealed that 1) winter drought in western Nepal is linked to the Arctic Oscillation and its decadal variability, which initiates a tropospheric short-wave train across Eurasia and South Asia; and that 2) the persistent warming of the Indian Ocean likely contributes to the suppression of rainfall through enhanced local Hadley circulation. Simulations from the phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) sets of historical single-forcing experiments indicated that the increased loading of anthropogenic aerosols is also a compounding factor in the precipitation decline during the later decades. It is therefore conceivable that the recent spells of decadal drought in Nepal are symptomatic of both natural variability and anthropogenic influences. Given the observations that winter precipitation has declined to near zero while groundwater has hardly been replenished, appropriate management of western Nepal’s water resources is both critical and necessary.
Ferroelectrics with a glassy polarization phase

Abstract In this paper we discuss some of the measurements and properties of materials that are crystalline ferroelectrics with a glassy polarization phase. We review measurements of the temperature dependence of the optical index of refraction, n(T), which were first used to observe these properties. Then we discuss a model of these polarization effects in terms of a local, randomly oriented polarization (Pr) that may occur hundreds of degrees above Tc. This local polarization is allowed by the strong breakdown of the translational symmetry that occurs in these systems. We also show how the temperature dependence of the strain, x(T), complements the n(T) results. Lastly, we discuss some recent x-ray and EXAFS measurements and how they are in agreement with the model, and the connection between these high temperature effects and the low-temperature glass-like excitations that are found in these systems.
A PDP-12 system for on-line acquisition of heart rate data

A research program for investigating the responsiveness of infants at high risk for developing schizophrenia is described briefly. Two measures of reactivity to brief auditory stimuli, the evoked heart-rate response and the evoked potential of the brain, are recorded for analysis by the PDP-12 computer. An interface to the PDP-12, called the R peak detector and R-R interval counter, is used for reducing the EKG to R-R intervals, with an accuracy of ± 1 msec. The current usage of the PDP-12 and its IBM-compatible tape transports is discussed, and proposed developments for on-line statistical analyses of the physiological data and real-time control of the experiment are presented.
Office Screening and Early Identification of Children with Autism

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), also called pervasive developmental disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition, Text Revised), constitute a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that coalesce around a common theme of impairments in social functioning, communication abilities, and repetitive or rigid behaviors. The ASDs considered here include autism/autistic disorder, Asperger disorder/Asperger syndrome (AS), and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. This article focuses on autism/autistic disorder screening and its early identification, with a brief mention for AS screening, as there are limited tools and no recommendation for universal screening for AS.
Formation of aminoacyl-tRNA-guanylyl-5′-methylene diphosphonate-elongation factor complex

Abstract A procedure for the preparation of a ternary complex, guanylyl-5′-methylene diphosphonate-EF-Tu-Phe-tRNA is described. This complex is sufficiently stable to persist purification by gel filtration chromatography. Such a complex can bind to ribosomes in the presence of poly U.
Ternary complexes and cooperative interplay between NCoA-62/Ski-interacting protein and steroid receptor coactivators in vitamin D receptor-mediated transcription.

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a ligand-dependent transcriptional factor that binds to vitamin D-responsive elements as a heterodimer with retinoid X receptor (RXR) to regulate target gene transcription. The steroid receptor coactivator (SRC) proteins are coactivators that interact with the AF-2 domain of VDR to augment 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-dependent transcription. In contrast, NCoA-62/Ski-interacting protein (SKIP) is a distinct, activation function-2-independent coactivator for VDR. The current study examined whether these two distinct classes of coactivators impact functionally on VDR-mediated transcription. Using a ternary complex binding assay, we observed a marked preference for the direct interaction of NCoA-62/SKIP with the VDR-RXR heterodimer as compared with the VDR-VDR homodimer or VDR monomer. The liganded VDR also formed a ternary complex with NCoA-62/SKIP and SRC proteinsin vitro. Competition experiments using LXXLL peptides showed that NCoA-62/SKIP and SRC coactivators contact different domains of the VDR-RXR heterodimer. Synergistic interplays were observed between NCoA-62/SKIP and SRC coactivators in VDR-mediated transcriptional assays, and protein interference assays indicated a requirement for both NCoA-62/SKIP and SRCs in VDR- mediated transcription. These studies suggest that the ligand-dependent and simultaneous interaction of NCoA-62/SKIP and SRC coactivators with distinct interaction domains within the VDR-RXR heterodimer results in cooperative interplays between coactivators in VDR- mediated transcription.
Protecting Subjects’ Interests in Genetics Research

Biomedical researchers often assume that sponsors, subjects, families, and disease-associated advocacy groups contribute to research solely because of altruism. This view fails to capture the diverse interests of many participants in the emerging research enterprise. In the past two decades, patient groups have become increasingly active in the promotion and facilitation of genetics research. Simultaneously, a significant shift of academic biomedical science toward commercialization has occurred, spurred by U.S. federal policy changes. The concurrent rise in both the roles that subjects play and the commercial interests they have presents numerous ethical challenges. We examine the interests of different research participants, finding that these interests are not addressed by current policies and practices. We conclude that all participants should be given a voice in decisions affecting ownership, access to, and use of commercialized products and services, and that researchers and institutions should negotiate issues relating to control of research results and the sharing of benefits before the research is performed.