cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cluster Beam Deposition of High Temperature Material

We present our latest attempts to utilize a Smalley-type cluster beam source, to generate novel thin films. This technique employs entraining, within a high pressure molecular beam expansion, the products generated from laser ablation of a rotating target rod. We will show how such a cluster beam source can be used to generate a high temperature material within a molecular beam and deposit it intact on a relatively cool substrate. By tailoring the various expansion conditions (ie., expansion pressure, laser fluence, type of carrier gas, pulse delay, etc...) one can drastically effect the morphology and chemical nature of the surface generated. This technique has the promise that it may be able to fabricate a wide variety of thin films with obvious industrial applications (superconducting thin films, diamond-like carbon films, patterned or multi-layered thin films, etc...)
Persistent blooms of surf diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) along the Pacific coast, U.S.A. II. Patterns of distribution of diatom species along Oregon and Washington beaches (1977 and 1978)

Abstract Diatom populations in the surf along thirteen exposed sandy beaches of the Oregon and Washington coast were sampled from June 1977 through August 1978. The dominant species, Chaetoceros armatum, and the secondary dominant, Asterionella socialis, are both recognized as ‘true’ surf diatoms. These two species predominated along coastal beaches, but both were less frequently observed and less abundant along three of the intermediate Oregon beaches (Cannon Beach, Ocean-side and Gleneden). Aulacodiscus killonii and Biddulphia aurita were similarly less frequently observed along these same beaches. A. killonii, the major component of surf blooms along these beaches fifty years ago, was observed on 42 occasions in low concentrations at eight beaches along the Oregon coast but was not present along the Washington coast. Asterionella glacialis was more frequently observed in surf samples from the northern beaches and decreased in frequency and abundance toward the south. It never reached the high densities...
Dehydroepiandrosterone and its metabolites: differential effects on androgen receptor trafficking and transcriptional activity.

Abstract Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a multi-functional steroid that has been implicated in a broad range of biological effects in humans and rodents. Recent studies demonstrated that DHEA acts genomically through the androgen receptor (AR) in addition to its well-known effects on cell surface receptors. However, the relative contribution of DHEA and its major metabolites, including DHEA-Sulfate (DHEA-S), 7α-OH-DHEA, 7β-OH-DHEA, 7-oxo-DHEA, androstenedione (Adione), and androstenediol (Adiol), in the production of genomic effects remains controversial, in part because the metabolism of DHEA varies in different cells and tissues. In the current study, the ability of DHEA and its metabolites to promote AR intracellular trafficking and regulate AR-mediated reporter gene expression, which are characteristic effects of androgens, was determined. Intracellular trafficking of AR-GFP protein was assessed in COS-7 cells while AR transcriptional activity was tested in CV-1 cells transiently co-transfected with AR expression plasmid and an MMTV-ARE-CAT reporter. The results demonstrated that DHEA, the 3β-HSD metabolite Adione, and the 17β-HSD metabolite Adiol, were androgenic. Each promoted AR-GFP intracellular trafficking, the formation of nuclear clusters, and AR-dependent transcriptional activity in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, DHEA-S, 7α-OH-DHEA, 7β-OH-DHEA, and 7-oxo-DHEA were ineffective and exhibited minimal androgenic activity, even at relatively high concentrations (10−6 M). These results provide the first systematic comparison of the (i) androgenic activity of DHEA and its sulfated and hydroxylated metabolites, (ii) relative androgenicity of DHEA itself vs. the established androgens Adione and Adiol, and (iii) ability of DHEA and its major metabolites to promote AR-GFP intracellular trafficking. In addition to partitioning DHEA and its metabolites into compounds with (DHEA, Adione, Adiol) and without (DHEA-S, 7α-OH-DHEA, 7β-OH-DHEA, and 7-oxo-DHEA) androgenic activity, the findings improve our understanding of the intracellular processes mediating the genomic effects of DHEA through AR.
The integration of song environment by catecholaminergic systems innervating the auditory telencephalon of adult female European starlings.

Mate choice is among the most consequential decisions a sexually reproducing organism can make. In many songbird species, females make mate-choice decisions based, in part, on variation between males in songs that reflect their quality. Importantly, females may adjust their choice relative to the prevalence of high quality songs. In European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), females prefer males that primarily sing long songs over those that primarily sing short songs, and sensitivity of the auditory telencephalon to song length depends on the prevalence of long songs in the environment. Several lines of evidence suggest a role for noradrenergic innervation of the auditory telencephalon in mediating this neuro- and behavioral plasticity. To simulate variation in quality of the song environment, we exposed adult female starlings to 1 week of either long or short songs and then quantified several monoamines and their metabolites in the caudomedial mesopallium and caudomedial nidopallium (NCM) using high performance liquid chromatography. We also used immunocytochemistry to assess these areas for immunoreactive dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH-ir), the enzyme that synthesizes norepinephrine. We found that long songs elevated levels of the principal norepinephrine metabolite, the principal dopamine metabolite, and the probability of DBH-ir in the NCM compared to short songs. Song environment did not appear to influence norepinephrine or dopamine levels. Thus, the quality of the song environment regulates the local secretion of catecholamines, particularly norepinephrine, in the female auditory telencephalon. This may form a basis for plasticity in forebrain sensitivity and mate-choice behavior based on the prevalence of high-quality males. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 2008
The Effects of Various Mixer Shapes on Jet Noise

Jet engine manufacturers have known for some time that mixer design has a strong in∞uence on jet noise, but the correlation is unclear. We utilize Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) solutions to investigate the suitability of various jet mixer geometries in reducing the far fleld noise level of internally mixed turbofan engines. This paper analyzes the computed steady state ∞ow fleld of a mixer for which the far fleld noise characteristics is known. Inferences are then made as to what correlations can be drawn between the ∞ow structure and the far-fleld noise generated.
Prostate cancer: improvements in risk stratification of prostate cancer.

Current biopsy techniques and clinical disease assessment of prostate cancer frequently fail to accurately stratify men according to risk. Recent advances in biopsy techniques, imaging, molecular genetics, and biomarkers could enable physicians to improve risk stratification at the individual level, thereby improving patient management for prostate cancer.
763-2 Attenuated Contractile Reserve in Chronic Severe Heart Failure: Evaluation by Automated Noninvasive Pressure-Volume Relations and Dobutamine Echocardiography

To determine LV contractile reserve in pts with chronic severe heart failure (CHF), automated estimates of LV volume and noninvasive arterial pressure were used to generate on-line pressure-volume loops. Seven CHF pts, (aged 45 ± 101 with mean LVEF 21 ± 6% and 10 normal subjects, (aged 32 ± 3 yrs) with LVEF 56 ± 5% were studied at baseline and during graded dobutamine infusion at 5, 7.5 and 10 μg/kg/min. LVvolume (4-chamber view Simpson's rule) by echo automated border detection and noninvasive arterial pressure using a finger cuff photoplethysmograph were used to construct arterial pressure — LV volume loops. Stroke work (SW), ∫pressure d volume, was estimated with an assumed LV diastolic pressure of 20 mmHg for CHF pts and 10 mmHg for controls. Examples and mean ± SD SW are shown. Download : Download high-res image (120KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions Significant differences in baseline LV function were observed between groups. Graded increases in SW occurred with dobutamine inotropic modulation in both groups, although the responses were significantly attenuated in CHF pts (p l 0.05). This noninvasive method may be useful to assess LV contractile reserve in chronic CHF pts.
Predictors of suicide in patients with dementia

Abstract Background Assessing predictors of suicide and means of completion in patients with dementia may aid the development of interventions to reduce risk of suicide among the growing population of individuals with dementia. Methods This national, retrospective, cohort study used data from the Department of Veterans Affairs (fiscal years 2001–2005). The sample included patients ≥60 years old diagnosed with dementia (N = 294,952), of which 241 committed suicide. Potential predictors of suicide were identified using logistic regression. Suicide methods are also reported. Results Increased risk of suicide was associated with white race (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.8), depression (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5, 2.9), a history of inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.5, 3.5), and prescription fills of antidepressants (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.6, 2.8) or anxiolytics (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5, 2.7). Nursing home admission was associated with lower suicide risk (OR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.8). Severity of medical comorbidity did not affect risk of suicide. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the majority of suicides occurred in those who were newly diagnosed with dementia. Firearms were the most common method of suicide (73%) used. Conclusions Given the higher rate of suicide in those receiving treatment for psychiatric symptoms and the high proportion that died using firearms, closer monitoring and assessment of gun access may be an important part of initial treatment planning for older male patients with dementia, particularly those with symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Nutrient conditions during Alexandrium fundyense blooms in the western Gulf of Maine, USA

Abstract Inorganic nutrients and organic nitrogen were measured in April–June of 1998 and 2000 near Casco Bay, Maine and the adjacent coastal waters as part of the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms—Gulf of Maine (ECOHAB-GOM) program. The samples were collected during development of toxic Alexandrium fundyense blooms [ Keafer, B.A., Churchill, J.H., Anderson, D.M., 2005 . Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate, Alexandrium fundyense in the Casco Bay region of the western Gulf of Maine: advection from offshore source populations and interactions with the Kennebec River plume. Deep Sea Research II, this issue [ doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2005.06.017 ]] and shellfish toxicity outbreaks [ Bean, L.L., McGowan, J.D., Hurst Jr., J.W., 2005 . Annual variations of paralytic shellfish poisoning in Maine, USA 1997–2001. Deep Sea Research II, this issue [ doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2005.06.023 ]] along the western Maine coastline. Nutrient data were correlated with cell abundance of the toxic dinoflagellate A. fundyense and hydrographic data. There was a general trend of decreasing dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations with increasing A. fundyense cell density for both years. Greater DIN concentrations in surface waters in early May of 2000 may partially explain why A. fundyense populations were larger in 2000 compared to 1998. Average DIN concentrations in the surface were less than 1 μM during peak A. fundyense cell abundance with N:P ratios typically less than 4:1. Silicate concentrations were high relative to inorganic nitrogen concentrations, with average Si:DIN ratios greater than 5:1 in water associated with A. fundyense blooms. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) was the dominant form of nitrogen in areas of high cell abundance, with concentrations typically 5–10 times higher than DIN. It is possible that A. fundyense may have utilized dissolved organic nitrogen forms to some extent; however, no correlation was observed between DON and A. fundyense blooms in either year. Since the A. fundyense abundance did not reach bloom concentrations (>100 cells/L) until water temperatures exceeded approximately 6 °C, low DIN concentrations at the on-set of bloom initiation may be the result of uptake by an earlier cold-adapted, spring diatom bloom. It is likely that A. fundyense populations in the western Gulf of Maine are habitually nitrogen-limited each season which may partially explain why relatively small cell concentrations are usually recorded in this region.
Geometric behavior and minimum flows for nonideal multicomponent distillation

A simple algebraic method for calculating the minimum flows for nonideal multicomponent distillation columns has been developed. The method, which is based on an analysis of the geometry of the composition profiles in the state space, is quite general and applies to ideal, nonideal and azeotropic mixtures. Using the set of composition transforms developed by Barbosa and Doherty (1988, Chem. Engng Sci.43, 1523–1537), the procedure can be extended to include multicomponent reactive distillation columns. For systems with constant relative volatilities, our method and Underwood's method are shown to be identical. The technique provides an accurate and efficient procedure for determining the minimum flows without the necessity of lengthy iterative schemes, as is the current practice. The method is demonstrated using several different multicomponent systems, including the mixture acetaldehyde—methanol—ethanol—water, which exhibits a pair of binary azeotropes, a ternary azeotrope, and a simple distillation boundary in the three-dimensional composition state space.
A randomized controlled trial of pemoline for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in substance-abusing adolescents.

ABSTRACT Objective In adolescents with substance use disorder (SUD), comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with greater severity of substance abuse, conduct problems, and worse treatment outcomes. Although many controlled trials have established the efficacy of psychostimulants, including pemoline, for ADHD in children and adolescents, none have been conducted in adolescents with SUD. This randomized, placebo-controlled trial, conducted between 1996 and 2000, evaluated the safety and efficacy of pemoline on substance abuse and conduct problems. Method Sixty-nine adolescents (aged 13–19) with conduct disorder (CD), SUD, and ADHD were recruited from the community and randomly assigned to a 12-week clinical trial of pemoline ( n = 35) or placebo ( n = 34), titrated over 4 weeks to a single morning dose of 75 to 112.5 mg as tolerated. Results Pemoline had greater efficacy than placebo for ADHD as determined by significantly more Clinician's Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) ratings of 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) at the study endpoint ( n = 69; p n = 17; placebo, n = 16; p n = 68; p Conclusions Pemoline was efficacious for ADHD but did not have an impact on CD or substance abuse in the absence of specific treatment for SUD.
Role of Nocturnal Feeding in the Development of the Diurnal Rhythm of Jejunal Sucrase Activity

AbstractA diurnal rhythm of jejunal sucrase activity has been shown previously to make its developmental appearance in the rat at the time of weaning (Day 22). In this study we found that the rhythm was not present on Day 23 if the onset of feeding was not coordinated with the onset of darkness. Conversely, the sucrase rhythm appeared precociously (Day 19) in pups weaned onto chow on a schedule in which the onset of feeding is coordinated with the onset of the dark period. It is concluded that the normal developmental appearance of the sucrase rhythm is due, at least in part, to the fact that ad libitum feeding becomes nocturnal around Day 22.
DEVELOPMENT OF JOINTED CONCRETE PAVEMENT DATABASE FOR STATE OF TEXAS

A jointed concrete pavement database was developed as part of a pavement information management system for Texas. Topics discussed include the identification of variables, a statewide selection of pavement projects using an experimental factorial design, and the collection of performance information through a visual condition survey. A preliminary distress index for jointed pavements is also presented. In this analysis, the distress variables collected in the field are reduced to a single performance value and related statistically to the various design variables of the pavement projects investigated.
Three-dimensional conformal planning with low-segment multicriteria intensity modulated radiation therapy optimization

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate automated multicriteria optimization (MCO), which is designed for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) but invoked with limited segmentation, to efficiently produce high-quality 3-dimensional (3D) conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) plans. Methods and materials Treatment for 10 patients previously planned with 3D-CRT to various disease sites (brain, breast, lung, abdomen, pelvis) was replanned with a low-segment inverse MCO technique. The MCO-3D plans used the same beam geometry of the original 3D plans but were limited to an energy of 6 MV. The MCO-3D plans were optimized with fluence-based MCO IMRT and then, after MCO navigation, segmented with a low number of segments. The 3D and MCO-3D plans were compared by evaluating mean dose for all structures, D95 (dose that 95% of the structure receives) and homogeneity indexes for targets, D1 and clinically appropriate dose-volume objectives for individual organs at risk (OARs), monitor units, and physician preference. Results The MCO-3D plans reduced the mean doses to OARs (41 of a total of 45 OARs had a mean dose reduction; P P = .08]) while maintaining clinical standards for coverage and homogeneity of target volumes. All MCO-3D plans were preferred by physicians over their corresponding 3D plans. Conclusions High-quality 3D plans can be produced by use of MCO-IMRT optimization, resulting in automated field-in-field–type plans with good monitor unit efficiency. Adoption of this technology in a clinic could improve plan quality and streamline treatment plan production by using a single system applicable to both IMRT and 3D planning.
Ionic poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide)s : Preparation and characterization

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Validation study of fractional exhaled nitric oxide measurements using a handheld monitoring device.

We tested reproducibility of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and inter-operator handling when measured with a handheld device, NIOX MINO®. We enrolled 20 volunteers using a priori goals of acceptable reproducibility to be mean within-subject standard deviation less than 3 parts per billion (ppb) for FENO measurements less than 30 ppb, and mean coefficient of variation less than 10% for FENO measurements more than 30 ppb. Seventeen subjects with measurements less than 30 ppb displayed a mean standard deviation of 1.15, and 3 subjects with FENO more than 30 ppb had a mean coefficient of variation of 2.4%. We conclude that NIOX MINO demonstrates excellent reproducibility for all ranges of FENO.
A hereditary partial differential equation with applications in the theory of simple fluids

The linearized boundary-initial history value problem for simple fluids obeying the Coleman-Noll constitutive equation $$S + p\delta = 2\int\limits_0^\infty {m(s)(E(t - s} ) - E(t))ds$$ is considered. Here S is the stress tensor, δ the Kronecker delta, p the constitutively indeterminate mean normal stress, E the infinitesimal strain tensor, and m(s) a material function. The shear relaxation modulus G is defined as $$G(s) = \int\limits_\infty ^s {m(\xi )d\xi .}$$ (i) In this paper it is shown that if G satisfies the assumptions $$G \in C^2 [0,\infty ),{\text{ }}G(s) \to 0{\text{ as }}s \to \infty,$$ (i) $$( - 1)^k \frac{{d^k G(s)}}{{ds^k }} > 0,{\text{ }}k = 0,1,$$ (ii) $$G''(s) \geqq 0,$$ (iii) then the rest state of the fluid is stable in an appropriate “fading memory” norm. The additional assumption $$ - \int\limits_0^\infty {G'} (s)s^2 ds < \infty$$ (iv) yields asymptotic stability.
The analysis of complex samples by spectroscopic ellipsometry

Abstract Spectroscopic ellipsometry provides non-contact, non-destructive characterization with multi-layer composition-, strain-, and thickness-sensitivity. Modern computer technology readily permits the extensive computer analysis required to extract the relevant parameters for multi-layer samples. The accuracy of these inferred parameters is reduced by the interactions between various required parameters. This work discusses how rather complex samples can be fully analyzed. In terms of complexity of samples to be analyzed, current results suggest at least six, and possibly eight, independent materials parameters (such as thickness or Al mole fraction) can be extracted from a single measurement and analysis. Accuracies of order 0.1%–1% are readily achieved for several of these parameters. Furthermore, the application of numerical derivative techniques to the experimental data permits analysis of critical point structures. Linewidths can provide a direct monitor of doping levels for a material, whereas energy position is a function of strain and composition. Using the multi-layer analysis routines to uniquely determine composition permits the derivative structures to establish strain effects.
Last night I had the strangest dream: Varieties of rational thought processes in dream reports

From the neurophysiological perspective, thinking in dreaming and the quality of dream thought have been considered hallucinatory, bizarre, illogical, improbable, or even impossible. This empirical phenomenological research concentrates on testing whether dream thought can be defined as rational in the sense of an intervening mental process between sensory perception and the creation of meaning, leading to a conclusion or to taking action. From 10 individual dream journals of male participants aged 22-59 years and female participants aged 25-49 years, we delimited four dreams per journal and randomly selected five thought units from each dream for scoring. The units provided a base for testing a hypothesis that the thought processes of dream construction are rational. The results support the hypothesis and demonstrate that eight fundamental rational thought processes can be applied to the dreaming process.
Parenting Behaviors, Association with Deviant Peers, and Delinquency in African American Adolescents: A Mediated-Moderation Model

The aim of the present study was to examine a model positing that association with deviant peers mediates the relation between adolescent perceived parenting behaviors (maternal monitoring and involvement), the interaction of these parenting behaviors, and delinquency in a sample of 135 urban African American adolescents (13–19 years of age). Regression analyses revealed a monitoring by involvement interaction among African American females, suggesting that maternal monitoring may effectively reduce delinquency among African American female adolescents, and that this reduction may be enhanced by increased maternal involvement. Among African American males, only the relation between association with deviant peers and delinquency was supported, suggesting that maternal parenting behaviors may, in isolation, be insufficient in the prevention of delinquent behaviors in African American male adolescents. The results suggest that the pathways from parenting to association with deviant peers and delinquency may differ in males and females, and the salience of certain parenting behaviors may differ across gender.
Neural circuit changes mediating lasting brain and behavioral response to predator stress

This paper reviews recent work which points to critical neural circuitry involved in lasting changes in anxiety like behavior following unprotected exposure of rats to cats (predator stress). Predator stress may increase anxiety like behavior in a variety of behavioral tests including: elevated plus maze, light dark box, acoustic startle, and social interaction. Studies of neural transmission in two limbic pathways, combined with path and covariance analysis relating physiology to behavior, suggest long term potentiation like changes in one or both of these pathways in the right hemisphere accounts for stress induced changes in all behaviors changed by predator stress except light dark box and social interaction. Findings will be discussed within the context of what is known about neural substrates activated by predator odor.
Sparsity and Structure in Hyperspectral Imaging : Sensing, Reconstruction, and Target Detection

Hyperspectral imaging is a powerful technology for remotely inferring the material properties of the objects in a scene of interest. Hyperspectral images consist of spatial maps of light intensity variation across a large number of spectral bands or wavelengths; alternatively, they can be thought of as a measurement of the spectrum of light transmitted or reflected from each spatial location in a scene. Because chemical elements have unique spectral signatures, observing the spectra at a high spatial and spectral resolution provides information about the material properties of the scene with much more accuracy than is possible with conventional three-color images. As a result, hyperspectral imaging is used in a variety of important applications, including remote sensing, astronomical imaging, and fluorescence microscopy.
Albumin synthesis in young and elderly subjects using a new stable isotope methodology: Response to level of protein intake

Abstract Albumin synthesis was evaluated in 5 young adult males (19–25 yr) and 6 elderly males (64–78 yr) by a procedure involving oral administration of 15 N-glycine every 3 hr over a 60-hr period. From about 40 hr onwards, urinary urea achieved a plateau of 15 N-enrichment, which was estimated from the average of the last five (low protein) or seven (adequate protein) consecutive three-hourly urinary samples of the 60-hr period. This enrichment plateau was used as an index of the 15 N-enrichment of the guanidine N of hepatic free arginine. The 15 N-enrichment of the guanidine N of arginine in serum albumin was determined and albumin synthesis was estimated by comparing this value with the estimated enrichment of precursor hepatic arginine. Using this methodology, serum albumin concentration, synthesis, rate and plasma volume were measured when the young and elderly subjects had received an adequate protein intake (1.5 g · kg −1 for 7 days) or a low protein intake (0.4 g · kg −1 for 14 days). Serum albumin concentration was lower in the elderly at both levels of protein intake; protein intake did not affect this parameter in either age-group. Plasma volume (per kg body weight) did not differ between young and old, but increased in both groups when they were given the low-protein diet, so that the total intravascular albumin mass increased in both age groups significantly in the case of the young, and was probably due to net transfer of albumin from the extravascular pool. The fractional synthesis rate of the whole body albumin pool with adequate intake of protein was 4.0%/day in the young and 3.4%/day in the elderly. This fractional rate was reduced significantly by giving the low-protein diet to the young subjects, but was not reduced in the elderly. Absolute synthesis rates, calculated per kg body weight and per kg body cell mass, led to a similar conclusion. Whole body protein synthesis was also estimated from urinary 15 N-urea enrichment using the Picou and Taylor-Roberts model. Albumin synthesis as a percentage of whole body protein synthesis (5%–6%) was reduced in the young adults by giving the low-protein diet, but was unchanged in the elderly. In conclusion, the rate of albumin synthesis in the young, but not in the elderly, is sensitive to changes in protein intake. It is suggested that albumin synthesis in the elderly is controlled at a lower set point, which prevents its response to higher protein intakes.
An HPLC Procedure for the Analysis of Furosemide in Pharmaceuticals-Analysis of Furosemide Tablets and Furosemide Injection

Abstract A simple and specific procedure was developed for the analysis of furosemide from tablets and injections. The procedure consists of extracting furosemide into aqueous sodium hydroxide, addition of the internal standard, appropriate dilution and injection onto a u Bondapak C18 reversed phase column. The mobile phase consisted of a solvent containing acetonitrile and aqueous sodium acetate and the eluate was monitored by either U.V. absorption or spectrofluorimetry. A standard linear calibration curve was obtained for direct standard solutions containing 75 ng to 500 ng on column. This procedure was successfully used to analyze furosemide tablets (individual assay) and injections.
The relation of monthly spot to futures prices for natural gas

Abstract The relationship between the spot price for natural gas for a delivery month and the futures contract price for the same delivery month is examined. The estimated regression equation provides a good summary of the relationship between spot and futures prices for the time period and can also be used to obtain accurate forecasts of spot prices. It appears that the natural gas futures market is inefficient.
X-ray photoemission spectroscopy studies of soda aluminosilicate glasses☆

Abstract X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) studies have been undertaken on a series of soda aluminosilicate glasses with Al/Na ratio varying from 0 to 1.33 to test the current structural models for these glasses. By monitoring the amount of bridging and nonbridging oxygens as a function of Al/Na ratio, XPS results indicate that the amount of nonbridging oxygens in the glass structure is directly proportional to the sodium concentration and independent of the Al/Na ratio, thus contradicting the expectation of all the proposed structural models. Changes in the charge distribution of the aluminosilicate glass network and the sodium ions are clearly evident in the XPS results.
Interleukin-1 receptors in mouse kidney: identification, localization, and modulation by lipopolysaccharide treatment.

The cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) has a variety of effects in the kidney involving induction of nephritis and renal injury. In addition, recent reports suggest that IL-1 regulates natriuresis and renin secretion in the kidney. To examine the potential sites of action of IL-1 in the kidney, we used iodine-125-labeled recombinant human interleukin-1 alpha ([125I]IL-1 alpha) to identify and characterize IL-1 receptors in crude membrane preparations of mouse (C57BL/6) kidney. The binding of [125I] IL-1 alpha was linear over a broad range of membrane protein concentrations, saturable, reversible, and of high affinity, with an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 66 +/- 10 pM and a maximum number of binding sites of 1.04 +/- 0.24 fmol/mg protein. In competition studies, recombinant human IL-1 alpha, recombinant human IL-1 beta, and a weak IL-1 beta analog (IL-1 beta+) inhibited [125I]IL-1 alpha binding to mouse kidney in parallel with their relative bioactivities in the T-cell comitogenesis assay, with inhibitory binding affinity constant (Ki) values of 28 +/- 19, 53 +/- 23, and 5560 +/- 2098 pM, respectively; rat/human CRF and human tumor necrosis factor had no effect on [125I]IL-1 alpha binding. In autoradiographic studies, IL-1 receptors were heterogeneously distributed in the kidney, with significantly higher densities present in the medulla than in the cortex. To study the effects of endogenous IL-1 in modulating [125I]IL-1 alpha-binding sites in kidney, we injected 30 micrograms of the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mice ip. Autoradiographic studies demonstrated substantial decreases in [125I]IL-1 alpha binding in both the kidney cortex (control, 34.7 +/- 6.2 fmol/mg tissue equivalent; LPS, 11.3 +/- 0.3; P less than 0.05) and medulla (52.7 +/- 8.1 vs. 26.0 +/- 1.0; P less than 0.05) 24 h after injection of LPS. Saturation studies in whole kidney homogenates demonstrated that the LPS-induced decrease in [125I]IL-1 alpha binding was primarily due to a down-regulation of IL-1 receptors (i.e. decrease in the maximum number of binding sites). The identification of IL-1 receptors in kidney with characteristics similar to those of IL-1 receptors in the brain-endocrine-immune axis provides further support for a physiological role for IL-1 in regulating renal function.
Mass spectrometric studies at high temperatures — XXVI the sublimation of SeO2 and SeO3

Abstract A mass spectrometric study of SeO2 and SeO3 sublimation from a Knudsen cell has established SeO2(g) and SeO3(g) as the major vapor species. The heats of sublimation are: SeO 2 (s) = SeO 2 (g) ΔH° 298 = 25 ± 3·0 kcal mole −1 SeO 3 (s) = SeO 3 (g) ΔH° 298 = 11 ± 2·0 kcal mole −1 . A search for complex molecular species showed ∼1% dimer in the equilibrium vapor over SeO2 at 400°K.
Characteristics of technically oriented house journals

Two-hundred and seventy house journals considered research, development, or production aids to the engineer or scientist and published in the US, UK, and France are analyzed. Publication frequencies are given with quarterly being most common. Distribution patterns to customers, employees, educators, and librarians are described. These patterns vary, but customers receive the highest distribution. Journal content is examined in terms of signed and anonymous articles. Features such as abstracts, meeting notices, editorials, and advertisements are mentioned. Two features of particular interest are (1) comprehensive lists of articles and speeches of technical staff, and (2) reprinting of material already published in professional journals. The subject matter of individual journals is usually highly specialized.
Renal cell carcinoma in a patient with cystinosis and inflammatory bowel disease: a case report

An 18-year-old male patient with a history of cystinosis and inflammatory bowel disease, who was being treated with cysteamine and 6-mercaptopurine, had an incidental finding of a mass in the right kidney on a renal ultrasound to evaluate worsening renal insufficiency. Excisional biopsy demonstrated papillary renal cell carcinoma, Type 2. Renal cell carcinoma is typically a disease of older adults, and it is not known to be associated with cystinosis. This is the first published report of renal cell carcinoma in a patient with cystinosis.
Lethal white foals in matings of overo spotted horses

Abstract Overo is a variable pattern of white coat color spotting which occurs in several breeds of horses in the United States. Occasionally, when overos are crossed inter se white foals are born which die soon after birth. Both intestinal tract abnormalities and isoerythrolysis have been reported in these foals. This report presents data which show that neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) is not involved in the death of the white foals. Further research is needed to define the nature of the lethal anomaly, as well as the genetics, of overo and lethal white foals.
Nanoscale Fluid-Structure Interactions in Cytoplasm During Freezing

In this study, a theoretical model is developed to simulate the biophysical events in the intracellular spaces considering the biphasic, i.e., poroelastic, behavior of the cytoplasm. Most previous studies in the cryobiology literature have modeled the biophysical response of cells to freezing assuming the spatial homogeneity of all physical properties within the intracellular space without considering fluid-structure interaction in both the intracellular and extracellular spaces. However, a few recent studies strongly indicate that spatial heterogeneity in the intracellular space occurs during freezing. We thus model the cytoplasm as a poroelastic material considering nanoscale fluid-structure interaction between the cytoskeleton and cytosol, and the effects of hierarchical fluid-structure interaction across the cell during freezing.© 2012 ASME
Dino: summary and examples

Dino is a new language, consisting of high level modifications to C, for writing numerical programs on distributed memory multiprocessors. Our intent is to raise interprocess communication and process control to a higher and more natural level than using messages. We achieve this by allowing the user to define a virtual machine onto which data structures can be distributed. Interprocess communication is implicitly invoked by reading and writing the distributed data. Parallelism is achieved by making concurrent procedure calls. This paper provides a summary of the syntax and semantics of Dino, and illustrates its features through several sample programs. We also briefly discuss a prototype of the language we have developed using C++.
Using Multiscale Carbon Fiber/Carbon Nanotubes Composites for Damping Applications

A novel technique to grow carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the surface of carbon fibers in a controlled fashion using simple lab set up is developed. Growing CNTs on the surface of carbon fibers will eliminate the problem of dispersion of CNTs in polymeric matrices. The employed synthesis technique retains the attractive feature of uniform distribution of the grown CNTs, low temperature of CNTs’ formation, i.e. 550 °C, via cheap and safe synthesis setup and catalysts. A protective thermal shield of thin ceramic layer and subsequently nickel catalytic particles are deposited on the surface of the carbon fiber yarns using magnetron sputtering. A simple tube furnace setup utilizing nitrogen, hydrogen and ethylene (C2 H4 ) were used to grow CNTs on the carbon fiber yarns. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a uniform areal growth over the carbon fibers where the catalytic particles had been sputtered. The structure of the grown multiwall carbon nanotubes was characterized with the aid of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) was employed to measure the loss and storage moduli of the hybrid composite together with the reference raw carbon fiber composite and the composite for which only ceramic and nickel substrates had been deposited on. The DMA tests were conducted over a frequency range of 1–40 Hz. Although the storage modulus remained almost unchanged over the frequency range for all samples, the loss modulus showed a frequency dependent behavior. The hybrid composite obtained the highest loss modulus among other samples with an average increase of approximately 25% and 55% compared to composites of the raw and ceramic/nickel coated carbon fibers, respectively. This improvement occurred while the average storage modulus of the hybrid composite declined by almost 9% and 15% compared to the composites of reference and ceramic/nickel coated samples, respectively. The ultimate strength and elastic moduli of the samples were measured using standard ASTM tensile test. Results of this study show that while the addition of the ceramic layer protects the fibers from mechanical degradation it abolishes the mechanisms by which the composite dissipates energy. On the other hand, with almost no compromise in weight, the hybrid composites are good potential candidate for damping applications. Furthermore, the addition of CNTs could contribute to improving other mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of the hybrid composite.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Chemoprevention of prostate cancer by cholecalciferol (vitamin D3 ) : 25-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) in human prostate epithelial cells

The 20-30 year latency period for prostate cancer provides an important opportunity to prevent the development of invasive cancer. A logical approach for chemoprevention to reduce incidence is to identify agents, such as, vitamin D, which can inhibit cell proliferation and induce differentiation, are safe, and readily available to the public at low cost. Epidemiological evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk for prostate cancer. We examined the ability and mechanisms of action of cholecalciferol (vitamin D(3)), a precursor of the most biologically active hormone calcitriol, to block or reverse premalignant changes. The immortalized, non-tumorigenic, RWPE-1 human prostate epithelial cell line, was used. Results show that cholecalciferol, at physiological levels: (i) inhibits anchorage-dependent growth (ii) induces differentiation by increasing PSA expression and (iii) exerts its effects by up-regulating vitamin D receptor (VDR), retinoid-X receptors (RXRs), and androgen receptor (AR). Furthermore, we discovered that human prostate epithelial cells constitutively express appreciable levels of 25-hydroxylase CYP27A1 protein, the enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of cholecalciferol to 25(OH)D(3), and that CYP27A1 is up-regulated by cholecalciferol. Recent studies show that human mitochondrial CYP27A1 can also catalyze 1alpha-hydroxylation of 25(OH)D(3) to calcitriol. The presence of 25-hydroxylase in human prostate epithelial cells has not previously been shown. Since human prostate epithelial cells have the necessary enzymes and the rare ability to locally convert cholecalciferol to the active hormone calcitriol, we propose that they are a prime target for chemoprevention of prostate cancer with cholecalciferol whose safety is well established as a supplement in vitamins and fortified foods.
Molecular basis of transcriptional fidelity and DNA lesion-induced transcriptional mutagenesis.

Abstract Maintaining high transcriptional fidelity is essential for life. Some DNA lesions lead to significant changes in transcriptional fidelity. In this review, we will summarize recent progress towards understanding the molecular basis of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcriptional fidelity and DNA lesion-induced transcriptional mutagenesis. In particular, we will focus on the three key checkpoint steps of controlling Pol II transcriptional fidelity: insertion (specific nucleotide selection and incorporation), extension (differentiation of RNA transcript extension of a matched over mismatched 3′-RNA terminus), and proofreading (preferential removal of misincorporated nucleotides from the 3′-RNA end). We will also discuss some novel insights into the molecular basis and chemical perspectives of controlling Pol II transcriptional fidelity through structural, computational, and chemical biology approaches.
An Empirical Study on the Usage of Mocking Frameworks in Software Testing

In software testing, especially unit testing, it is very common that software testers need to test a class or a component without integration with some of its dependencies. Typical reasons for excluding dependencies in testing include the unavailability of some dependency due to concurrent software development and callbacks in frameworks, high cost of invoking some dependencies (e.g., slow network or database operations, commercial third-party web services), and the potential interference of bugs in the dependencies. In practice, mock objects have been used in software testing to simulate such missing dependencies, and a number of popular mocking frameworks (e.g., Mockito, EasyMock) have been developed for software testers to generate mock objects more conveniently. However, despite the wide usage of mocking frameworks in software practice, there have been very few academic studies to observe and understand the usage status of mocking frameworks, and the major issues software testers are facing when using such mocking frameworks. In this paper, we report on an empirical study on the usage of four most popular mock frameworks (Mockito, EasyMock, JMock, and JMockit) in 5,000 open source software projects from GitHub. The results of our study show that the above mentioned mocking frameworks are used in a large portion (about 23%) of software projects that have test code. We also find that software testers typically create mocks for only part of the software dependencies, and there are more mocking of source code classes than library classes.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Clients with Co‐Occurring Disorders in Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment

This article reports on the prevalence of probable mental health disorders among clients entering outpatient substance abuse treatment, their clinical characteristics, and past access to substance abuse and mental health care. Four hundred fifteen individuals (74% of those eligible) entering three publicly funded outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities in Los Angeles County were screened for a probable mental health disorder. Of the 210 with a positive screener (just over 50% of those screened), 195 (93%) were interviewed. Depression and anxiety were the most common disorders, and more than a third had two or more probable disorders. Close to 70% reported using alcohol, and almost half reported using crack or cocaine. Half had never received any mental health treatment, and for a third this was their first episode of addiction treatment; 22% were on psychotropic medications. Levels of physical and mental health functioning were lower than the 25th percentile of the U.S. population norms. Our results indicate high rates of co-occurring mental health disorders among individuals entering these outpatient substance abuse treatment clinics in Los Angeles. Identifying people with probable mental health disorders as they enter treatment has the potential to increase access to care among those with limited prior access.