cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Methodology for Fine-Grained Parallelism in JavaScript Applications

JavaScript has long been the dominant language for client-side web development. The size and complexity of client-side JavaScript programs continues to grow and now includes applications such as games, office suites, and image editing tools traditionally developed using high performance languages. More recently, developers have been expanding the use of JavaScript with standards and implementations for server-side JavaScript. These trends are driving a need for high performance JavaScript implementations. While the performance of JavaScript implementations is improving, support for creating parallel applications that can take advantage of now ubiquitous parallel hardware remains primitive. Pipeline, data, and task parallelism are ways of breaking a program into multiple units of work that can be executed concurrently by parallel hardware. These concepts are made explicit in the stream processing model of parallelization. Using the streaming model, an algorithm is divided into a set of small independent tasks called kernels that are linked together using first-in first-out data channels. The advantage of this approach is that it allows a compiler to effectively map computations to a variety of hardware while freeing programmers from the burden of synchronizing tasks or orchestrating communication between them. In this paper we describe Sluice, a library based method for the specification of streaming constructs in JavaScript applications. While the use of such a library makes concurrency explicit, it does not easily result in parallel execution. We show, however, that by taking advantage of the streaming model, we can dynamically re-compile Sluice programs to target a high performance, multi-threaded stream processing runtime layer. The stream processing layer executes computations in a different process and the offloaded tasks communicate with the original program using fast shared memory buffers. We show that this methodology can result in significant performance improvements for compute intensive workloads.
Chapter 7 The “Programming Language” of Dynamic Self-Assembly

Abstract We show how protein dynamic self-assembly processes map naturally onto a formal model of computing, the random access machine (RAM), which is equivalent to a Turing machine. Specifically, we show that many biological processes that do not appear to be information processing, such as synthesis of macromolecules, structural assembly, transport, disassembly, and degradation of molecules, actually do perform computation when viewed from the RAM perspective. With this view that dynamic self-assembly processes are performing computation, we then look at this relationship from two perspectives. First, if self-assembly processes in living systems are performing computation, what algorithms are they carrying out? We discuss examples of algorithms implemented by living systems at multiple hierarchy levels. Second, if we can understand the “programming language” of dynamic self-assembly, can we design programs to self-assemble novel structures or materials? We give example computer simulations of programmed dynamic self-assembly of nanostructures.
Combining Partitions and Modal Logic for User Modeling

User modeling means acquiring, representing and managing assumptions about users of software systems. Inference processes as part of the representation component can be used to extend the base of assumptions, thus supporting the acquisition task. In the user modeling shell system BGP-MS, a partition approach to user model representation and reasoning has been taken. It offers the possibility to maintain different types of assumptions about the user in a partition hierarchy; reasoning about the assumptions of one type is possible. In addition, useful inferences are already built into the partition mechanism of BGP-MS. However, negative assumptions about what users do not know or want, or relationships between assumption types cannot be maintained in BGP-MS. Since such user modeling knowledge can be formulated with modal logic, a method was developed that combines techniques of reasoning with modal logic and the partition mechanism. Algorithms for translating modal expressions into first-order logic are employed. Thus, new representation and reasoning facilities were implemented into BGP-MS. One of the main qualities of the combination method is that the advantages of the partition approach are preserved.
Membrane Protein Properties Revealed through Data-Rich Electrostatics Calculations.

The electrostatic properties of membrane proteins often reveal many of their key biophysical characteristics, such as ion channel selectivity and the stability of charged membrane-spanning segments. The Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) equation is the gold standard for calculating protein electrostatics, and the software APBSmem enables the solution of the PB equation in the presence of a membrane. Here, we describe significant advances to APBSmem, including full automation of system setup, per-residue energy decomposition, incorporation of PDB2PQR, calculation of membrane-induced pKa shifts, calculation of non-polar energies, and command-line scripting for large-scale calculations. We highlight these new features with calculations carried out on a number of membrane proteins, including the recently solved structure of the ion channel TRPV1 and a large survey of 1,614 membrane proteins of known structure. This survey provides a comprehensive list of residues with large electrostatic penalties for being embedded in the membrane, potentially revealing interesting functional information.
Interfacial Reactions at Elevated Temperatures in New Low‐Cost Al/SiC Metal Matrix Composites

The mechanical properties of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) are strongly affected by the quality of the bond between the matrix and the reinforcing particle. In aluminum MMCs reinforced with SiC particles, the particle/matrix interface can be degraded at high temperature by the formation of aluminum carbide and aluminum/magnesium oxides. The temperature that these reactions occur at is an important process limit during melting, casting, and eventual product recycling. Recently, lower cost Al/SiC MMCs have become available that utilize less well-graded particulate and a unique rapid-mixing technique. However, as a result of the relaxed control on the particle size fraction, a significantly larger percentage of the particulate is found in the finer size ranges. This leads to an increase in the interface area between the SiC particles and the aluminum melt, and raises the possibility that detrimental aluminum carbide and oxide reactions could occur at lower temperatures, or lower time-at-temperature, than in current commercial products. In this study, we quantify by conventional, and in-situ liquid metal XRD, the time-temperature relationship for interfacial carbide/oxide formation, and compare commercially available MMC materials to MMC material produced from less well-graded SiC particulate.
Pharmacological fractionation of tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium currents in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons by μ-conotoxins

Background and Purpose Adult rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons normally express transcripts for five isoforms of the α-subunit of voltage-gated sodium channels: NaV1.1, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 and 1.9. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) readily blocks all but NaV1.8 and 1.9, and pharmacological agents that discriminate among the TTX-sensitive NaV1-isoforms are scarce. Recently, we used the activity profile of a panel of μ-conotoxins in blocking cloned rodent NaV1-isoforms expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes to conclude that action potentials of A- and C-fibres in rat sciatic nerve were, respectively, mediated primarily by NaV1.6 and NaV1.7. Experimental Approach We used three μ-conotoxins, μ-TIIIA, μ-PIIIA and μ-SmIIIA, applied individually and in combinations, to pharmacologically differentiate the TTX-sensitive INa of voltage-clamped neurons acutely dissociated from adult rat DRG. We examined only small and large neurons whose respective INa were >50% and >80% TTX-sensitive. Key Results In both small and large neurons, the ability of the toxins to block TTX-sensitive INa was μ-TIIIA < μ-PIIIA < μ-SmIIIA, with the latter blocking ≳90%. Comparison of the toxin-susceptibility profiles of the neuronal INa with recently acquired profiles of rat NaV1-isoforms, co-expressed with various NaVβ-subunits in X. laevis oocytes, were consistent: NaV1.1, 1.6 and 1.7 could account for all of the TTX-sensitive INa, with NaV1.1 < NaV1.6 < NaV1.7 for small neurons and NaV1.7 < NaV1.1 < NaV1.6 for large neurons. Conclusions and Implications Combinations of μ-conotoxins can be used to determine the probable NaV1-isoforms underlying the INa in DRG neurons. Preliminary experiments with sympathetic neurons suggest that this approach is extendable to other neurons.
TU-CD-BRD-03: UCSD Experience, with Focus On Implementing Change

It has long been standard practice in radiation oncology to report internally when a patient’s treatment has not gone as planned and to report events to regulatory agencies when legally required. Most potential errors are caught early and never affect the patient. Quality assurance steps routinely prevent errors from reaching the patient, and these “near misses” are much more frequent than treatment errors. A growing number of radiation oncology facilities have implemented incident learning systems to report and analyze both errors and near misses. Using the term “incident learning” instead of “event reporting” emphasizes the need to use these experiences to change the practice and make future errors less likely and promote an educational, non-punitive environment. There are challenges in making such a system practical and effective. Speakers from institutions of different sizes and practice environments will share their experiences on how to make such a system work and what benefits their clinics have accrued. Questions that will be addressed include: • How to create a system that is easy for front line staff to access • How to motivate staff to report • How to promote the system as positive and educational and not punitive or demeaning • How to organize the team for reviewing and responding to reports • How to prioritize which reports to discuss in depth • How not to dismiss the rest • How to identify underlying causes • How to design corrective actions and implement change • How to develop useful statistics and analysis tools • How to coordinate a departmental system with a larger risk management system • How to do this without a dedicated quality manager Some speakers’ experience is with in-house systems and some will share experience with the AAPM/ASTRO national Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS). Reports intended to be of value nationally need to be comprehensible to outsiders; examples of useful reports will be shown. There will be ample time set aside for audience members to contribute to the discussion. Learning Objectives: 1. Learn how to promote the use of an incident learning system in a clinic. 2. Learn how to convert “event reporting” into “incident learning”. 3. See examples of practice changes that have come out of learning systems. 4. Learn how the RO-ILS system can be used as a primary internal learning system. 5. Learn how to create succinct, meaningful reports useful to outside readers. Gary Ezzell chairs the AAPM committee overseeing RO-ILS and has received an honorarium from ASTRO for working on the committee reviewing RO-ILS reports. Derek Brown is a director of TreatSafely.org . Brett Miller has previously received travel expenses and an honorarium from Varian. Phillip Beron has nothing to report.
USE OF TESTOSTERONE AND BUSULFAN IN THE TREATMENT OF MYELOFIBROSIS WITH MYELOID METAPLASIA.

Clinical, hematologic, and isotope data from 10 patients with myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia, before and after treatment with testosterone and busulfan, are presented. Of the 10 patients treated with testosterone, five showed a good response, three a slight response, and two, no response. The best therapeutic responses were seen in five women who either had a previous splenectomy or in whom the spleen was not massively enlarged. Of the five patients treated with bulsufan only, one beneficial response was observed. The indications for and the consequences of the use of these drugs are discussed.
Ionospheric redistribution during geomagnetic storms

[1]The abundance of plasma in the daytime ionosphere is often seen to grow greatly during geomagnetic storms. Recent reports suggest that the magnitude of the plasma density enhancement depends on the UT of storm onset. This possibility is investigated over a 7year period using global maps of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) produced at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The analysis confirms that the American sector exhibits, on average, larger storm time enhancement in ionospheric plasma content, up to 50% in the afternoon middle-latitude region and 30% in the vicinity of the high-latitude auroral cusp, with largest effect in the Southern Hemisphere. We investigate whether this effect is related to the magnitude of the causative magnetic storms. Using the same advanced Dst index employed to sort the TEC maps into quiet and active (Dst<−100 nT) sets, we find variation in storm strength that corresponds closely to the TEC variation but follows it by 3–6h. For this and other reasons detailed in this report, we conclude that the UT-dependent peak in storm time TEC is likely not related to the magnitude of external storm time forcing but more likely attributable to phenomena such as the low magnetic field in the South American region. The large Dst variation suggests a possible system-level effect of the observed variation in ionospheric storm response on the measured strength of the terrestrial ring current, possibly connected through UT-dependent modulation of ion outflow.
Design and implementation of a volume holographic imaging endoscope

The design and packaging of a volume holographic imaging endoscope suitable for clinical studies is presented. The system is capable of simultaneous image projection from multiple tissue depths. Preliminary results show resolution to 4 μm.
(Z)-4-[3-(3-Oxoquinuclidin-2-ylidene-meth-yl)-1H-indol-1-ylmeth-yl]benzo-nitrile.

The title compound, C24H21N3O, was prepared by the reaction of (Z)-2-(1H-indol-3-ylmethyl­ene)-1-aza­bicyclo­[2.2.2]octan-3-one with α-bromo-p-toluonitrile, under phase-transfer catalytic (PTC) conditions using triethyl­benzyl­ammonium chloride and 50% w/v aqueous NaOH solution in dichloro­methane. The crystal structure indicates the presence of a double bond with Z geometry connecting the aza­bicyclic and indole groups.
Uncooled injection-locked 1.55 /spl mu/m tunable VCSEL as DWDM transmitter

We study the temperature effects on injection-locked VCSELs for use in WDM transmitters. We show that injection-locking can be used to lock an uncooled VCSEL to the WDM grid while improving the modulation performance.
On supposed regional variations in travel times

In two recent papers J. B. Macelwane has expressed the idea that "the difference between the travel-time curves of individual earthquakes of the same focal depth but in different regions may be much greater than the differences between our present average curves" and therefore that "it would follow that all our energies should be concentrated on the intensive study of individual earthquakes." The travel times of P of two Sumatra shocks of 1931 and of a large Solomon Islands shock of that same year, and the travel-time curves of the P waves of the Long Beach earthquake and of the Baffin Bay earthquake, agree within their limits of error with the travel-time curves published by Gutenberg and Richter. Furthermore, the travel-time curves last mentioned agree with the travel-time curves published by Jeffreys and Bullen, in general within one second, and only at distances about 45° is the difference as large as two seconds. As these two sets of curves have been found in quite different ways and by using completely different data, there seems to be no doubt that, at least for large parts of the earth's crust, the travel times of the P waves agree within the limits of error.
The Myth of How to Interpret the Seventh Amendment Right to a Civil Jury Trial

The Seventh Amendment reads: "In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of common law." For two hundred years, our courts have labored under the myth that this language contains the kernel of a black-letter rule of law. This is the so-called “historical test,” which derives from jury practices prevalent under English common law during the eighteenth century. The result has been muddled jury jurisprudence. This 1994 article proposed abandonment of the historical test in favor of a more philosophically and jurisprudentially understanding of the the Seventh Amendment.
Lê modules and traces

We show how some of our recent results clarify the relationship between the Le numbers and the cohomology of the Milnor fiber of a non-isolated hypersurface singularity. The Le numbers are actually the ranks of the free Abelian groups-the Le modules-appearing in a complex whose cohomology is that of the Milnor fiber. Moreover, the Milnor monodromy acts on the Le module complex, and we describe the traces of these monodromy actions in terms of the topology of the critical locus.
Computable error estimates for linearization and numerical solution of obstacle problems

Abstract We derive quantitative a posteriori estimates for the error caused by replacing an obstacle problem with a linear problem. The error bound depends on the solution of the linear problem, but is independent of the solution of the obstacle problem. We then give a discrete version of the a posteriori error estimates, which is used in solving a finite-element system of the obstacle problem. A detailed analysis for a one-dimensional example is given, showing the effectiveness of our error estimates.
The female athlete triad.

1. Sarah J. Lerand, MD, MPH 1. University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn 1. Janet F. Williams, MD 1. University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, Tex The Female Athlete Triad: American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand . Otis CL, Drinkwater B, Johnson M, Loucks A, Wilmore J. Med Sport Sci Exer . 1997;29: i-ix Bone Mineral Content of Amenorrheic and Eumenorrheic Athletes . Drinkwater BL, Nilson K, Chesnut CH 3rd, Bremner WJ, Shainholtz S, Southworth MB. N Engl J Med . 1984;311:277–281 Bone Mineralization, Hypothalamic Amenorrhea and Sex Steroid Therapy in Female Adolescents and Young Adults . Hergenroeder AC. J Pediatr . 1995;126:683–689 Disordered Eating and the Female Athlete Triad . Sanborn CF, Horea M, Siemers BJ, Dieringer KI. Clin Sports Med . 2000;19:199–213 The female athlete triad is a phrase used to describe the constellation of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis that can develop in physically active girls and women. Although recently described in the medical literature as a clinical condition, this is not a new entity. The various components of the triad have been noted for years by athletes, parents, coaches, trainers, and health-care personnel, particularly team physicians. This same team of individuals must work together to prevent, identify, and treat this condition, which can have significant morbidity and mortality. Females participating in athletics are more likely to benefit from their sports participation than to be at risk for harmful effects. Early sports participation sets a precedent for lifelong cardiovascular fitness. In addition, girls who participate in sports are more likely than are nonparticipants to experience academic success and graduate from high school. Sports participation is associated with decreased initiation of high-risk health behaviors, such as using drug, alcohol, or tobacco and …
Murine cytomegalovirus retinitis during MAIDS: Susceptibility correlates with elevated intraocular levels of interleukin-4 mRNA.

Purpose. To determine if murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV)- infected eyes of mice with murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) that are destined to develop MCMV retinitis display elevated intraocular levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) mRNA when compared with uninfected eyes of mice with MAIDS and unmanipulated, uninfected, eyes of normal healthy mice. Methods. Groups of C57BL/6 mice with MAIDS and normal C57BL/6 mice were infected uniocularly with MCMV by subretinal MCMV injection. IL-4 levels in individual spleens collected five days later from groups of MAIDS mice and normal mice were assessed by quantitative ELISA. MCMV-infected eyes and uninfected contralateral eyes from another group of mice with MAIDS were also collected at five days postinfection and individually subjected to competitive RT-PCR assay and real-time RT-PCR assay for detection and quantification of IL-4 mRNA. Unmanipulated eyes from normal C57BL/6 mice served as controls. Results. IL-4 mRNA was detected at a level of 9.7 ± 3.4 pg mR...
Systems tasks in nanotechnology via hierarchical multiscale modeling : Nanopattern formation in heteroepitaxy

A kinetic phase diagram for two-dimensional nanopattern formation in heteroepitaxy is generated by symbiotically employing deterministic continuum mesoscopic models and coarse-grained Monte Carlo (CGMC) simulations. The phase diagram at submonolayer film thickness is derived in the absence of thermal fluctuations via linear stability analysis of continuum mesoscopic models. The type of nanoscopic patterns, such as discs and stripes, is deduced from nonlinear analysis. The analysis provides for the first time a physical understanding and scaling laws for pattern feature size, shape, and growth times in terms of the interaction potential parameters, substrate temperature, film thickness and material properties. It is concluded that the long-ranged repulsive interaction determines the pattern wavelength, whereas the short-ranged attractive interactions control the temperature for the onset of patterns. The phase diagram is refined by including thermal fluctuations using CGMC simulations. It is shown that thermal fluctuations are responsible for the non-uniformity in pattern shapes and sizes. CGMC simulations indicate that the phase diagrams from mesoscopic equations are reasonably accurate. The role of temperature on the pattern size distributions and inter-feature distance obtained from CGMC is analyzed. It is found that entropy plays an important role in pattern selection.
Holocene fire-related alluvial-fan deposition and climate in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico, USA

We employed 14C dating of alluvial-fan deposits in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico to document Holocene fires and related geomorphic impacts. Rapid aggradation by charcoal-rich debris flows occurred in the middle Holocene (5800—4200 cal. yr BP), indicating episodic sedimentation following severe fires. Fire-related deposition virtually ceased ~4200 cal. yr BP, with most fan deposits indicating slower aggradation with cumulic soil development until 1800 cal. yr BP. From 1800 to 500 cal. yr BP, fire-related sedimentation increased again, although not to middle Holocene levels. A peak in fire-related sedimentation c . 650 cal. yr BP corresponds to widespread severe drought in the southwestern USA. Limited fire-related sedimentation is evident from 500 to 100 cal. yr BP, consistent with `Little Ice Age' climate and tree-ring records indicating frequent low-severity fires, although at least one severe fire burned in this interval. Increased fire-related sediment...
The effect of body characteristics on mean operative times while experiencing the learning curve for robotic prostatectomy.

We reviewed our series of robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy to assess the effect of certain patient body characteristics on the mean operative time over the course of a single surgeon’s learning curve. The operating room times were recorded for the first 210 cases performed. These cases were broken down into thirds and then patient characteristics were stratified by height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and final prostate volume. Mean body characteristics were equal for all groups. The average time for the first group (70 cases) was 157.9 min, the second group 148.5 min and the third 135.0 min. Times were significantly shorter for the patients 30 (164 min, P < 0.006). With regard to prostate volume, there was a significant shorter operative time for those patients with glands <60 g in the first group. Patients <72 in., <200 lbs, with a BMI of between 25 and 30, and prostate size <60 g had significantly shorter operative times in the first 70 cases of a single surgeon’s learning curve.
Thermal conductivity of core samples from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field: Experimental results and an improved prediction method

Abstract This paper presents the results of a series of thermal-conductivity measurements which was made on consolidated core samples from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field in Baja California, Mexico. Thermal-conductivity was measured at two temperature levels (130 and 250°F) for fully-brine and fully air-saturated conditions. A method is also presented to estimate thermal-conductivities of Cerro Prieto cores or cores with similar characteristics at temperatures from 68 to 600°F. It is shown that the use of two factors one representing the median grain size and other representing the grain size distribution of the sample considerably improved the prediction capabilities of a previous correlation not using these factors. The calculation method proved to be reliable for predicting measured thermal conductivities in the case of brine-saturated Cerro Prieto cores with larger than 10% porosities.
Crystal Potential and Correlation for Energy Bands in Valence Semiconductors

A number of forms of the one-electron potential for a semiconductor are evaluated on the basis of orthogonalized-plane-wave (OPW) calculations for Si. Starting with the Hartree-Fock (HF) equations, a method of calculating the exact core exchange is developed and various approximations to the valence exchange are considered. Some of these approximations are considered only to illustrate the effect of certain features on the energy bands. None contain adjustable parameters. The k\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}p method in conjunction with a priori calculations at k=0 is proposed as a convergent method for obtaining the energy bands throughout the zone and for achieving self-consistency. The procedure is quite simple if the potential is local. A completely self-consistent calculation is carried out using the Slater approximation to the valence exchange. Although agreement with experimenta is reasonable, the differences are such that they cannot be attributed to computational errors. Following the procedure of Kleinman and Phillips the HF valence-exchange matrix elements were estimated from an 8-point sampling of the Brillouin zone. The calculated energy differences between the conduction and valence bands at symmetry points are much larger than the measured values, so that an effective potential including correlations is necessary. Correlations are included in generalized OPW equations. Because the core exchange is essentially unscreened, the core states for orthogonalization are still of the HF type. A nondiagonal self-energy operator is derived on the basis of a Coulomb-hole-plus-screened-exchange approximation suggested by Hedin. Calculations are performed at symmetry points using simplifications of this self-energy in which the nondiagonal components of the dielectric function are neglected. The results are not an improvement over the Slater approximation.
Outer trench-slope faulting and the 2011 M_w 9.0 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake

The 11 March 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake (Mw 9.0) produced megathrust displacements of at least 40 m. The resulting tsunami devastated the Honshu coast southwest of regions struck by earthquake-generated tsunami in 1611, 1896 and 1933. The 1896 Meiji-Sanriku earthquake was also an underthrusting earthquake, but the 1933 Sanriku-oki earthquake was a trench-slope normal faulting event; both generated inundation heights of 10 to 25 m along the coast of Iwate prefecture. Possible occurrence of a great outer trench-slope earthquake seaward of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake along a southwestward extension of the 1933 fault zone is a concern. The second largest 2011 aftershock, an outer rise Mw 7.7 normal faulting earthquake occurred near the southern end of the 1933 rupture. Additional aftershock activity has been distributed along a trend below the trench and diffusely spread in the outer rise, seaward of the megathrust region where the largest slip occurred. Coulomb stress perturbations of at least 5–10 bars are calculated for outer rise normal fault geometries for mainshock slip models. Whether a future great trench slope event will occur is uncertain, but the potential tsunamigenic hazard can be gauged by the huge inundations accompanying the 1933 rupture.
Jamming of Communication Systems Using FM, AM, and SSB Modulation

Jamming of voice communication systems is a very ungrateful task and ``brute force'' jammers have to be used, while other systems, such as radar, can be jammed effectively using low power but sophisticated jammers. Geographical situation is very much against the jammer, particularly in ground-based mobile communication systems. The propagation of ground wave is such that a rapid increase of jamming power is required, as the ratio of distances of the jammer to the desired transmitter increases. The jammer is never certain whether or not the communication network is jammed and is never actually able to jam the communications completely. It can only limit the operating range of the system. Different modulation systems are considered and the necessary power density for jamming of each system is discussed. It is concluded that effective jamming of FM systems and other systems with threshold systems is easier than that of AM and, particularly, the SSB systems. However, for nuisance jamming, the opposite is true. Finally, the jamming of the SSB systems is considered in more detail and it is proven that the so-called reduced-carrier SSB systems are not easier to jam than systems with a completely suppressed carrier.
A Kinetic Model for Borosilicate Glass Dissolution Based on the Dissolution Affinity of a Surface Alteration Layer

A kinetic model for the dissolution of borosilicate glass, incorporated into the EQ3/6 geochemical modeling code, is used to predict the dissolution rate of a nuclear waste glass. In the model, the glass dissolution rate is controlled by the rate of dissolution of an alkali-depleted amorphous surface (gel) layer. Assuming that the gel layer dissolution affinity controls glass dissolution rates is similar to the silica saturation concept of Grambow [1] except that our model predicts that all components concentrated in the surface layer, not just silica, affect glass dissolution rates. The good agreement between predicted and observed elemental dissolution rates suggests that the dissolution rate of the gel layer limits the overall rate of glass dissolution. The model predicts that the long-term rate of glass dissolution will depend mainly on ion concentrations in solution, and therefore on the secondary phases which precipitate and control ion concentrations. Work performed under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract no. W-7405-ENG-48.
Sequence Alignment Reveals Possible MAPK Docking Motifs on HIV Proteins

Over the course of HIV infection, virus replication is facilitated by the phosphorylation of HIV proteins by human ERK1 and ERK2 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). MAPKs are known to phosphorylate their substrates by first binding with them at a docking site. Docking site interactions could be viable drug targets because the sequences guiding them are more specific than phosphorylation consensus sites. In this study we use multiple bioinformatics tools to discover candidate MAPK docking site motifs on HIV proteins known to be phosphorylated by MAPKs, and we discuss the possibility of targeting docking sites with drugs. Using sequence alignments of HIV proteins of different subtypes, we show that MAPK docking patterns previously described for human proteins appear on the HIV matrix, Tat, and Vif proteins in a strain dependent manner, but are absent from HIV Rev and appear on all HIV Nef strains. We revise the regular expressions of previously annotated MAPK docking patterns in order to provide a subtype independent motif that annotates all HIV proteins. One revision is based on a documented human variant of one of the substrate docking motifs, and the other reduces the number of required basic amino acids in the standard docking motifs from two to one. The proposed patterns are shown to be consistent with in silico docking between ERK1 and the HIV matrix protein. The motif usage on HIV proteins is sufficiently different from human proteins in amino acid sequence similarity to allow for HIV specific targeting using small-molecule drugs.
Improved preservation of tendon for electron microscopy through wet freeze-drying.

MOST of the information on the fine structure of biological tissues as revealed through electron microscopy has been gained from sections of material fixed with buffered osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in alcohols, and embedded in plastics. The degree of preservation of intracellular detail attained by such handling has been in general very consistent, and the preparatory techniques have been widely accepted as adequate. It has become evident in our recent work that, while some extracellular structures are also regularly well preserved, others seem to suffer considerable damage when processed in like fashion. This has especially been true in the case of tendon, where the component microfibrils appear to become widely separated (Fig. 1). The particular tendons under study are found in the leg of the domestic turkey, and they are of interest to us because they undergo calcification. It is obvious that in order to investigate the relationships between collagen fibrils and mineral crystallites tissue preservation is of the utmost importance.
Silane-modified poly(vinylimidazole) corrosion inhibitors for copper

Abstract Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy was used to study the thermal stability of silane-modified vinylimidazole copolymers on both KBr plates and copper coupons. The copolymers were synthesized by free-radical polymerization of γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane and N -vinylimidazole. The ability of these copolymers to inhibit the oxidation of copper at elevated temperatures was compared to that of poly( N -vinylimidazole). The silane acted as a scavenger for the water released by the imidazole ring during heating. Upon heating, the silane methoxy groups hydrolysed and condensed to form siloxane linkages.
AUTOMATIC MESH GENERATION FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL SOLIDS

Abstract Current developments on a fully automatic finite element mesh generator for solid finite elements is presented. The technique, referred to as the modified-octree technique, is being designed for use with computer aided design (CAD) systems employing solid geometric model representations. After giving an overview of the technique the paper emphasizes those algorithmic aspects of the mesh generator concerned with improving the resulting finite meshes and how that mesh approximates the original solid geometry. A solid modeler based on superquadrics primitives is used as a test bed for the mesh generator and to generate the example geometries meshed.
Dicofol resistance in Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae): cross-resistance and pharmacokinetics

Cross-resistance of dicofol-resistant Tetranychus urticae Koch to 21 pesticides was evaluated. Initial investigations used field-collected dicofol-resistant and susceptible colonies. Near-isogenic lines, constructed by a series of backcrosses, were used to confirm or reject determinations of cross-resistance derived from evaluations of field-collected colonies. Dicofol-resistant T. urticae showed strong positive cross-resistance to amitraz, bromopropylate, and chlorobenzilate. Moderate negative cross-resistance to ward chlorpyrifos was observed. These results suggest that amitraz, bromopropylate, and chlorobenzilate should not be used in alternation with dicofol in a resistance management program designed to exploit the instability of dicofol resistance. The uptake and distribution of (14C)-dicofol was investigated in near-isogenic lines of susceptible and resistant mites. No difference in the uptake of radiolabel was observed between strains, suggesting that decreased penetration is not a major mechanism of dicofol resistance. In vivo metabolism studies revealed greater production of water soluble metabolites and lower levels of internal dicofol in the resistant strain compared with the susceptible. Therefore, the major mechanism of resistance to dicofol appears to be increased metabolic detoxification.
Computer engineering at Auburn University

The computer engineering program offered by the Electrical Engineering Department of Auburn University is described. Bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. degree programs in Electrical Engineering may be pursued with specialization in computer engineering. Auburn's computer engineering program is structured to emphasize computer system design and utilization including both hardware and software considerations.A broad spectrum of courses is offered in computer engineering at both the undergraduate and the graduate level. Brief descriptions of the courses are given in the paper. Subjects covered in the courses range from traditional topics such as logic design, computer organization, and programming to various specialized topics. Computer architecture, computer graphics, coding theory, fault diagnosis, and fault-tolerant computing are but some of the specialized topics covered.Research is a fundamental aspect of any graduate program. The computer engineering research activities at Auburn are described in the paper. Graduate students, undergraduate students, and faculty participate in a wide range of sponsored and unsponsored projects. Laboratory facilities available for support of the projects will also be discussed.Another important aspect of the computer engineering program at Auburn is extension activities. Short course and conference activities oriented toward computer engineering are frequently offered by the faculty at various locations within the state of Alabama and are briefly discussed here.
Development of a single-plasmid-based regulatable gene expression system for Borrelia burgdorferi.

We developed a single-plasmid-based regulatable protein expression system for Borrelia burgdorferi . Expression of a target gene is driven by P ost , a hybrid B. burgdorferi ospA - tetO promoter, from a recombinant B. burgdorferi plasmid constitutively expressing TetR. The system was tested using the green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter. Under noninducing conditions, recombinant B. burgdorferi cells were nonfluorescent, no GFP protein was detected, and residual, small amounts of transcript were detectable only by reverse transcription-PCR but not by Northern blot hybridization. Upon induction with anhydrotetracycline, increasing levels of GFP transcript, protein, and fluorescence were observed. This tight and titratable promoter system will be invaluable for the study of essential borrelial proteins. Since target protein, operator, and repressor are carried by a single plasmid, the system9s application is independent of a particular strain background.
Base-Catalyzed Fast Transesterification of Soybean Oil Using Ultrasonication

There is an increasing demand for alternative fuels that are environmentally friendly, especially because of the fact that crude petroleum reserves are dwindling. Also, research on alternative fuels is essential for increased energy security. Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable, and nontoxic fuel. At present, biodiesel is primarily produced in batch reactors in which the required energy is provided by heating accompanied by mechanical mixing. Alternatively, ultrasonic processing is an effective way to attain required mixing while providing the necessary activation energy. We found that, using ultrasonication, a biodiesel yield in excess of 99% can be achieved in a remarkably short time duration of 5 min or less in comparison to 1 h or more using conventional batch reactor systems.
Identification of a Mo-Fe-S cluster on NifEN by Mo K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure.

The NifEN protein complex serves as a molecular scaffold where some of the steps for the assembly of the iron−molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) of nitrogenase take place. Purified NifEN protein contains multiple metal−sulfur clusters, where the exact types, structures, or functions are still unclear. Recently, Mo that is suitable for in vitro FeMo-co biosynthesis was found to be bound to purified NifEN. Molybdenum K-edge EXAFS performed on purified NifEN shows that the NifEN-bound Mo is part of a [MoFe3S3+X] ligand environment within the protein complex. The presence of a [MoFe3S3+X] cluster in NifEN has profound implications for FeMo-co synthesis.
Review explorer: an innovative interface for displaying and collecting categorized review information

Review Explorer is an interface that utilizes categorized information to help users to explore a huge amount of online reviews more easily. It allows users to sort entities (e.g. restaurants, products) based on their ratings of different aspects (e.g. food for restaurants) and highlight sentences that are related to the selected aspect. Existing interfaces that summarize the aspect information in reviews suffer from the erroneous predictions made by the systems. To solve this problem, Review Explorer performs a real-time aspect sentiment analysis when a reviewer is composing a review and provides an interface for the reviewer to easily correct the errors. This novel design motivates reviewers to provide corrected aspect sentiment labels, which enables our system to provide more accurate information than existing interfaces.
Long-term increased bioaccumulation of mercury in largemouth bass follows reduction of waterborne selenium.

Abstract Average mercury concentrations in largemouth bass from Rogers Quarry in east Tennessee were found to increase steadily following the elimination of selenium-rich discharges of fly ash to the quarry in 1989. From 1990 to 1998, mean mercury concentrations (adjusted to compensate for the covariance between individual fish weight and mercury concentration) in bass rose from 0.02 to 0.61 mg/kg. There was no indication that the rate increase was slowing or that mercury concentrations in fish were approaching a plateau or steady state. Mean selenium concentrations in bass declined from 3 to 1 mg/kg over the first five years of the study, but remained at 1–1.5 mg/kg (about twice typical concentrations in bass from local reference sites) for the last three years of the study. Gross physical abnormalities were common in fish from the site in the first three years after elimination of fly ash discharges but disappeared after two more years. Although it remains possible that other chemical or physical changes related to fly ash disposal in the system were associated with increased mercury bioaccumulation, the most likely explanation is that selenium played a critical role. It appears as though aqueous selenium enrichment was capable of having a profound effect on mercury bioaccumulation in this system but at the cost of causing a high incidence of gross abnormalities in fish. However, it is possible that selenium concentrations between the national ambient water quality criterion for the protection of aquatic life, 5 μg/l, and that now found in Rogers Quarry (
Book review:Eighth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties

These two volumes are the proceedings of the eighth symposium organized by the Committee on Thermophysical Properties of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The symposia are held every three or four years. The many papers collected in these volumes summarize the work of scientists and engineers who produce reference data on the properties of materials. These include both thermodynamic and transport data on gaseous, liquid, and solid compounds under wide ranges of temperature and pressure. Some report new data. Others report new techniques of measurement that enable one to obtain more accurate data, data under difficult conditions, and/or data on new materials. There is a substantial representation of theorists who are increasingly successful in correlating raw data and obtaining reliable new data by extension from the raw data based on theory. The need for these activities to be continuously pursued and supported is clearly evident in the article by Ho and Touloukian (Vol. II, p. 419). They give many examples of data, drawn from the published literature, that are entirely incorrect both quantitatively and qualitatively. They show clearly that use of some of these incorrect data can lead to disastrous results in practical applications. With the development of new materials, the demand for reliable thermophysical data will increase. The wide availability of computers makes it possible to accumulate large bodies of data in a short time. In addition, major advances have been made in the last decade on the statistical mechanical theory of dense fluids and of the critical phenomena. 2o3
Film-Mediated Facilitation of Self-Disclosure and Attraction to Sensitivity Training

93 (47 male and 46 female) undergraduate volunteers were employed in a test of the effects of observation of sensitivity-training groups (via videotape) on Ss' willingness to self-disclose. All tapes began showing a T-group going through various trust exercises. Within each tape, attitudes toward self-disclosure were expressed by individual group members. Three tapes were used: disclosure, neutral, and concealment, named for the attitudes expressed. A fourth tape containing only the trust exercises was included to assess the effect of witnessing the trust exercises alone. A no-tape control group was also included. Results indicate no effect on self-disclosure. As predicted, Ss who saw the positive tapes were significantly more attracted to the taped group and to sensitivity training in general. Unexpectedly, the trust-exercise portion of the tapes alone appears to be sufficient to produce this effect.
Chemical Analyses, Surface Area, and Thermal Reactions of Natural Graphite, and Refractoriness of the Ashes

Spectrochemical data, differential thermal analysis data, and surface area were determined for eleven natural graphites from different foreign and domestic sources, and the chemical analyses and refractoriness of their ashes were obtained. The assortment of elements, other than carbon, was essentially the same for all the graphites regardless of the source. Differential thermal analyses did not indicate any thermal reactions in the range from room temperature to 1000°C. with the exception of one graphite that had 35% ash which was partly kaolin. The surface areas ranged from 0.3 to 4.8 m.2 per gm. for ten of the graphites, but the eleventh graphite had a value of 26.5 m.2 per gm. For the ashes, the silica–alumina ratios ranged from 2 to 11, the total alkali from 0.4 to 7.8 mole %, and the total alkaline earth from 0.6 to 43.6 mole %. The percentage of the remainder of the nine major constituents also varied from one ash to another. The refractoriness of the ashes ranged from cone 5 to cone 27.