cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glutathione during embryonic development.

Abstract Background Glutathione (GSH) is a ubiquitous, non-protein biothiol in cells. It plays a variety of roles in detoxification, redox regulation and cellular signaling. Many processes that can be regulated through GSH are critical to developing systems and include cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Understanding how GSH functions in these aspects can provide insight into how GSH regulates development and how during periods of GSH imbalance how these processes are perturbed to cause malformation, behavioral deficits or embryonic death. Scope of review Here, we review the GSH system as it relates to events critical for normal embryonic development and differentiation. Major conclusions This review demonstrates the roles of GSH extend beyond its role as an antioxidant but rather GSH acts as a mediator of numerous processes through its ability to undergo reversible oxidation with cysteine residues in various protein targets. Shifts in GSH redox potential cause an increase in S-glutathionylation of proteins to change their activity. As such, redox potential shifts can act to modify protein function on a possible longer term basis. A broad group of targets such as kinases, phosphatases and transcription factors, all critical to developmental signaling, is discussed. General significance Glutathione regulation of redox-sensitive events is an overlying theme during embryonic development and cellular differentiation. Various stresses can change GSH redox states, we strive to determine developmental stages of redox sensitivity where insults may have the most impactful damaging effect. In turn, this will allow for better therapeutic interventions and preservation of normal developmental signaling. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Redox regulation of differentiation and de-differentiation.
Methods for Estimating Center Effects on Recurrent Events

In this article, we develop methods for quantifying center effects with respect to recurrent event data. In the models of interest, center effects are assumed to act multiplicatively on the recurrent event rate function. When the number of centers is large, traditional estimation methods that treat centers as categorical variables have many parameters and are sometimes not feasible to implement, especially with large numbers of distinct recurrent event times. We propose a new estimation method for center effects which avoids including indicator variables for centers. We then show that center effects can be consistently estimated by the center-specific ratio of observed to expected cumulative numbers of events. We also consider the case where the recurrent event sequence can be stopped permanently by a terminating event. Large-sample results are developed for the proposed estimators. We assess the finite-sample properties of the proposed estimators through simulation studies. The methods are then applied to national hospital admissions data for end stage renal disease patients.
Bioterrorism: a Laboratory Who Does It?

In October 2001, the first disseminated biological warfare attack was perpetrated on American soil. Initially, a few clinical microbiology laboratories were testing specimens from acutely ill patients and also being asked to test nasal swabs from the potentially exposed. Soon after, a significant number of clinical microbiology and public health laboratories received similar requests to test the worried well or evaluate potentially contaminated mail or environmental materials, sometimes from their own break rooms. The role of the clinical and public health microbiology laboratory in response to a select agent event or act of bioterrorism is reviewed.
Influence of phytoplankton on the response of bacterioplankton growth to nutrient enrichment

SUMMARY 1. Laboratory experiments were conducted to test the effect of nutrient enrichment on bacterioplankton growth in the presence and absence of phytoplankton. 2. In one series of experiments, bacterioplankton growth in terms of specific activity [3H-thymidine incorporation (cell number)−1] was greater in whole lake water samples than in samples from which phytoplankton had been removed by filtration (1.0 μm), regardless of the nutrient enrichments (control, NH+4 plus PO3-4 and mannitol). Organic C enhanced bacterioplankton growth in both whole and filtered lake water. 3. In another series of experiments (with the same nutrient enrichments as in the first experiment except that glucose replaced mannitol), bacterioplankton growth in whole lake water enriched with PO3-4 plus NH+4 and incubated in the light was greater than in two treatments designed to inhibit photosynthetic activity (+DCMU and dark). Bacterioplankton response to nutrient addition was greatest in the PO3-4 plus NH+4 enrichment under all three conditions (light +DCMU, and dark). 4. These results indicate that bacterioplankton growth could be directly limited by inorganic P and N when these elements are in short supply. Enhancement of bacterioplankton growth by phytoplankton occurs only under PO3-4 and NH+4 replete environments.
Fiber-Matrix Interactions in Thermoplastic Composites:

Mechanisms by which the surface of a fiber can influence the local polymer behavior are reviewed. A survey of existing surface data suggests that current fiber surface treatments appear to have been optimized for polar thermosetting systems rather than thermoplastic composites. Assessments of fiber-polymer interaction energies for a variety of thermoplastic composites suggest that an interphase zone may be created by entropically driven mechanisms that promote the accumulation of low-molecular- weight species in the vicinity of the fiber. The implications of such low-molecular-weight sheaths are discussed.
SULT1A1 and UGT1A1 polymorphisms are associated with breast cancer phenotypes in women

Estrogens are an important factor in the development and treatment of breast cancer. SULT1A1 and UGT1A1 metabolize estrogen agonists and antagonists and thus may influence breast cancer risk and treatment. SULT1A1 and UGT1A1 are genetically polymorphic. A common SULT1A1 allele is defined by a His213Arg amino acid substitution (*2) and results in an enzyme with low activity. A common UGT1A1 polymorphism is defined by TA repeats (5,6,7 or 8) in the promoter TATA-box. Transcriptional activity of the promoter is inversely proportional to the number of TA repeats. We hypothesized that individuals with variant capacity to metabolize estrogen agonists and antagonists would exhibit different tumor phenotypes. We performed a case-series study in a cohort of 190 Caucasian women with breast cancer. SULT1A1 and UGT1A1 genotypes were determined using Pyrosequencing and Genescan techniques, respectively, and genotype-phenotype associations were analyzed. We found that SULT1A1*1/*1 genotype was associated with a tumor size <2 cm (OR=2.5, P=0.03). UGT1A1 genotypes containing only low activity alleles (*28/*28, *34/*34 or *28/*34) were associated with late (≥60 years) age of onset (OR=3.2, P=0.049) and DCIS (OR=5.7, P=0.02). Presence of UGT1A1*28 or/and *34 was associated with tumor size ≤4 cm (OR=0.1, P=0.004). In summary, genetic polymorphisms affecting the sulfation and glucuronidation of estrogen agonists and antagonists appear to be associated with specific tumor characteristics. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P1–P1; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.004
Diastereoselectivity in the Self-Assembly of As2L2Cl2 Macrocycles is Directed by the As−π Interaction

The As−π interaction, in conjunction with reversible As−thiolate bond formation, is used to direct the self-assembly of dinuclear As2L2Cl2 (L = a dithiolate) macrocycles that exist as equilibrium mixtures of both syn and anti diastereomers. The diastereomeric excess of these self-assembly reactions is controlled in a predictable manner by prudent choice of different achiral, isomeric ligands. A general method for the preparation of As2L2Cl2 macrocycles is established, and strategies to control the diastereoselective self-assembly of regioisomeric macrocycles in solution and the crystalline state are described. A mechanism for the interconversion between diastereomers (a slow process on the NMR time scale) is suggested, and variable-temperature NMR spectroscopic data show that the diastereomeric excess (de) decreases with increasing temperature. anti-As2(L2,6)2Cl2 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 6.3949(13), b = 19.675(4), c = 10.967(2) A, β = 106.817(3)°, and Z = 2. anti-As2(L1,5)2Cl2...
The square-wave spectral density of a stationary renewal process

The power spectral density of a random square wave is a promising tool in the qualitative study of stationary point processes. This is illustrated for renewal processes and their superpositions.
Modeling and managing changes in text databases

Large amounts of (often valuable) information are stored in web-accessible text databases. “Metasearchers” provide unified interfaces to query multiple such databases at once. For efficiency, metasearchers rely on succinct statistical summaries of the database contents to select the best databases for each query. So far, database selection research has largely assumed that databases are static, so the associated statistical summaries do not evolve over time. However, databases are rarely static and the statistical summaries that describe their contents need to be updated periodically to reflect content changes. In this article, we first report the results of a study showing how the content summaries of 152 real web databases evolved over a period of 52 weeks. Then, we show how to use “survival analysis” techniques in general, and Cox's proportional hazards regression in particular, to model database changes over time and predict when we should update each content summary. Finally, we exploit our change model to devise update schedules that keep the summaries up to date by contacting databases only when needed, and then we evaluate the quality of our schedules experimentally over real web databases.
Reflections on participatory design: lessons from the trillium experience

In recent years system engineers, product designers, and human interface designers have become increasingly interested in developing ways of involving users in the design and evolution of computer-based systems. Some have turned for guidance and inspiration to an approach to systems design pioneered in Scandinavia and often referred to as Participatory Design. In this paper we examine the development of a computer-based design tool, Trillium, which on the surface looked like an example of Participatory Design in that users were directly involved in the development of the technology. Our analysis leads us to conclude, however, that Trillium's development departed in critical ways from our current model of Participatory Design and to suggest that the manner in which users are involved in the development effort plays an important role in the success of the endeavor.
Synaptic and extrasynaptic plasticity in glutamatergic circuits involving dentate granule cells following chronic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor inhibition.

Chronic global N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) blockade leads to changes in glutamatergic transmission. The impact of more subunit-selective NMDAR inhibition on glutamatergic circuits remains...
Hamiltonian interpretation of anomalies

A family of quantum systems parametrized by the points of a compact space can realize its classical symmetries via a new kind of nontrivial ray representation. We show that this phenomenon in fact occurs for the quantum mechanics of fermions in the presence of background gauge fields, and is responsible for both the nonabelian anomaly and Witten's SU(2) anomaly. This provides a hamiltonian interpretation of anomalies: in the affected theories Gauss' law cannot be implemented. The analysis clearly shows why there are no further obstructions corresponding to higher spheres in configuration space, in agreement with a recent result of Atiyah and Singer.
Assessment of Tdap Administration Rates from 2009 to 2012 at a Large Urban Nonteaching Hospital

Due to the significant rise in pertussis cases reported in 2012, these authors investigated the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine administration at our institution from 2009 to 2012 to determine if changes in prescribing practices reflected published updates from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). A single large, urban, private, non-teaching hospital. Documented Tdap vaccines administered from January 2009 through December 2012 were retrieved using an electronic data pull. The incidence of Tdap vaccine administration was reported as number of events per 1,000 patient visits. This data pull served to provide the longitudinal context to prescribing pattern changes at our facility, which were then compared to ACIP vaccination recommendation changes. Tdap administrations increased from 1,365 vaccinations in 2009 to 3,048 vaccinations in 2012. Tdap vaccine administration increased significantly each successive year from 2009 to 2012 from 23.96 ± 1.25 to 47.15 ± 1.63 vaccines per 1,000 patient visits to the facility. Confidence intervals did not overlap for consecutive years representing statistically significant differences between vaccination rates from year to year. Review of Tdap administrations demonstrates a clear and significant increase over consecutive years from 2009 to 2012. Over this time period there were no institutional initiatives aimed at increasing appropriate Tdap use at our institution. This study suggests a correlation between ACIP vaccination recommendations and provider prescribing of Tdap, although no definitive association can be made.
Further observations on the effects of nonhydrostatic compression on the FR1 → AO polymorphic phase transformation in niobiumdoped, lead-zirconate-titanate ceramic

We recently performed a series of experiments on Nb-doped lead-zirconate-titanate ceramic to investigate the influence of constant shear stresses on the displacive, first-order rhombohedral/ferroelectric[r arrow]orthorhombic/antiferroelectric polymorphic transformation. In a previous paper and report we demonstrated that increasing shear stresses lowers the mean stress and confining pressure at which the transformation occurs, but we did not identify a criterion by which the transformation could be predicted to take place under nonhydrostatic stress. In this paper we use the dielectric anomaly which accompanies the transformation as an indicator of onset of the transition, and correct for the effects of high-pressure-seal friction on measurement of the maximum compressive stress applied to the test specimens during deviatoric loading. We show that a convincing case can be made that the transformation occurs when the maximum compressive stress equals the hydrostatic pressure at which the transformation would otherwise occur.
On rectification of randomly forced flows

Nonlinear rectification of the ocean circulation driven by random forcing, which simulates the effect of unresolved eddies, is studied in an idealized closed basin. The results are based on the analysis of randomly forced solutions and linear eigenmodes. Depending on the forcing strength, two rectification regimes are found: zonal jets and isolated gyres. It is shown that both regimes are due to nonlinear interactions of resonant basin modes. In the zonal-jet regime, these interactions involve complex interplay between resonant baroclinic modes and some secondary modes. Both Rhines’ scaling for zonal jets and prediction of gyres based on the maximum entropy argument are not confirmed.
Local similarity of spectral and cospectral characteristics in the stable-continuous boundary layer

The local similarity theory, presented in the recent papers of Sorbjan (1986a, b), is extended by taking into consideration spectral (u, v, w, θ) and cospectral (uw, wθ, uθ) densities in the stable-continuous boundary layer. The resulting universal expressions for spectra, cospectra and the reduced frequencies of their peaks are in agreement with empirical data from the Kansas 1968 surface-layer and Minnesota 1973 boundary-layer experiments. In addition, the universal functions for the structure parameters and the dissipation rates are also derived and shown to fit the empirical data well.
Nitric oxide activation of TrkB through peroxynitrite

NIH-3T3 cells stably transfected with TrkB, the receptor for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were used to study the effects of NO and peroxynitrite on TrkB. 3-Morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), a donor of NO and O2- which immediately react to form peroxynitrite, induced TrkB tyrosine phosphorylation in a dose-dependent relationship from 2 to 40 mM. TrkB phosphorylation by SIN-1 was blocked by superoxide dismutase, which converts O2 to H2O2 and prevents its reaction with NO to form peroxynitrite, and by K252a, an inhibitor of TrkB phosphorylation by BDNF. Treatment with NO or O2- alone did not activate TrkB. Treatment directly with 1-4 mM peroxynitrite resulted in a dose-dependent increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of TrkB. SIN-1 treatment induced tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) and induced its binding with activated TrkB, similar to that seen with BDNF downstream signaling pathways. These studies demonstrate activation of TrkB through peroxynitrite.
First-principles study of the biomineral hydroxyapatite

The biomineral hydroxyapatite Ca${}_{10}$(PO${}_{4}$)${}_{6}$(OH)${}_{2}$ is the main mineral constituent of mammal bone. Hydroxyapatite crystallizes in the hexagonal and monoclinic phases, the main difference between them being the orientation of the hydroxyl groups. Using density functional theory, we study the energetics of the hexagonal and monoclinic phases, along with the several hypothetical crystal structures of hydroxyapatite. The monoclinic phase has the lowest energy, with the hexagonal phase being only 22 meV/cell higher in energy. We identify a structural transition path from the hexagonal to monoclinic phase, with the activation energy of 0.66 eV per hexagonal cell. At room temperature, the transition occurs on a millisecond time scale. The electronic structures of the monoclinic and hexagonal phases are compared. For the hexagonal phase, we calculate the phonon frequencies at the \ensuremath{\Gamma}-point and elastic constants. Both are in good agreement with available experimental results.
Dynamical Systems Method (DSM) for solving equations with monotone operators without smoothness assumptions on F′(u)

Abstract A version of the Dynamical Systems Method (DSM) for solving ill-posed nonlinear equations F ( u ) = f with monotone operators F in a Hilbert space is studied in this paper under less restrictive assumptions on the nonlinear operators F than the assumptions used earlier. A new method of proof of the basic results is used. An a posteriori stopping rule, based on a discrepancy-type principle, is proposed and justified mathematically under weaker assumptions on the nonlinear operator F, than the assumptions used earlier.
Generic revision of the family Euzerconidae (Mesostigmata: Celaenopsoidea) with description of seven new genera

Abstract The family Euzerconidae is redefined and now contains nine genera, of which Paraeuzercon, Euzerconoides, Trichotoeuzercon, Pseudoeuzercon, Neoeuzercon, Synaptoeuzercon and Karkinoeuzercon are described as new. A key to the genera is included.
Pharmacy students' knowledge of black box warnings.

Objective. To evaluate the progression of pharmacy students’ knowledge of black box warnings across 3 years of didactic training, and to determine how they stay current with new warnings. Methods. A cross-sectional survey instrument was administered to pharmacy students in their first (P1), second (P2), and third (P3) professional years. The survey assessed student awareness of medications possessing a black box warning and familiarity with the warning content for 20 medications (15 with and 5 without warnings). Results. Mean number of correct responses identifying the presence or absence of a black box warning among the 20 medications were 5.8 ± 3.3, 9.6 ± 4.0, and 14.8 ± 2.8 for the P1, P2, and P3 students, respectively. Knowledge of black box warning content was variable. Students were least aware of the warning content for stavudine and enoxaparin. Students were most familiar with the warning content for paroxetine and estrogen. Conclusion. Students' awareness and understanding of black box warnings w...
Uncertainty analysis near bifurcation of an aeroelastic system

Variations in structural and aerodynamic nonlinearities on the dynamic behavior of an aeroelastic system are investigated. The aeroelastic system consists of a rigid airfoil that is supported by nonlinear springs in the pitch and plunge directions and subjected to nonlinear aerodynamic loads. We follow two approaches to determine the effects of variations in the linear and nonlinear plunge and pitch stiffness coefficients of this aeroelastic system on its stability near the bifurcation. The first approach is based on implementation of intrusive polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) on the governing equations, yielding a set of nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations that are numerically solved. The results show that this approach is capable of determining sensitivity of the flutter speed to variations in the linear pitch stiffness coefficient. On the other hand, it fails to predict changes in the type of the instability associated with randomness in the cubic stiffness coefficient. In the second approach, the normal form is used to investigate the flutter (Hopf bifurcation) boundary that occurs as the freestream velocity is increased and to analytically predict the amplitude and frequency of the ensuing LCO. The results show that this mathematical approach provides detailed aspects of the effects of the different system nonlinearities on its dynamic behavior. Furthermore, this approach could be effectively used to perform sensitivity analysis of the system's response to variations in its parameters.
An adjustable superior oblique tendon spacer with the use of nonabsorbable suture.

Abstract Purpose: Philip Knapp described a method, sometimes referred to as the "chicken suture,"of securing a loose nonabsorbable suture to the cut ends of the superior oblique tendon to facilitate future reversal. The purpose of this study is to describe a modification of Knapp's technique to achieve partial, reversible, and intraoperatively adjustable superior oblique weakening. Methods: The superior oblique tendon was exposed, 2 polyester nonabsorbable sutures were placed 4 mm apart, and the tendon was cut. With the use of a slip knot, the cut ends of the tendon were separated by 2 to 8 mm. Tendon separation was adjusted intraoperatively according to the exaggerated traction test and, in some cases, fundus torsion. Medical records of all patients who underwent surgery with this technique were reviewed and the outcomes tabulated. Results: Twelve patients (16 eyes) were treated for superior oblique overaction and 3 patients (3 eyes) for Brown syndrome. Follow-up was 2 to 46 months (mean, 17 months). Mean superior oblique overaction improved from +1.3 before surgery to +0.3 after surgery, mean A pattern improved from 20 PD to 2 PD, and fundus intorsion improved from +1.2 to +0.3. In Brown syndrome, the mean elevation in adduction improved from −3.8 to −1.0. One patient from each group developed an overcorrection. None of the patients developed recurrence. The patients with Brown syndrome continued to improve over a 1-year period. Conclusions: The superior oblique tendon suture spacer is effective, intraoperatively adjustable, and technically easier to perform than a silicone expander procedure. This technique should be considered as an alternative for patients requiring superior oblique weakening. (J AAPOS 2001;5:164-71)
DNA topoisomerase II inhibition by substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives

A series of 1-aryl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines were synthesized, as “truncated” analogs of the novel agent, azatoxin, and assayed in vitro for their ability to induce proteinassociated DNA strand breaks in the presence of DNA and human DNA topoisomerase II.
Perineal reconstruction of female conjoined twins.

Abstract Background/Purpose: Conjoined twins are some of the most challenging patients faced by surgeons. Pygopagus and ischiopagus twins present particular gastrointestinal and genitourinary reconstructive challenges. This study reviews the authors' experience with the perineal reconstruction of these types of conjoined twins. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed for 3 sets of female conjoined twins undergoing separation between 1999 and 2001. Particular attention was given to the separation and reconstruction of the distal gastrointestinal and urogenital structures. Results: Three sets of female conjoined twins underwent successful separation 2 pygopagus, one ischiopagus tripus) with 5 surviving infants. The sixth infant died of congenital anomalies incompatible with life. Four of the 5 surviving infants had diverting enterostomies. Two of these enterostomies have been closed. Perineal reconstruction consisted of anoplasty (5 of 5), vaginoplasty (4 of 5), and urethroplasty (4 of 5). Although fecal and urinary continence are not completely measurable at this age ( Conclusions: With careful preoperative planning and a multidisciplinary team of pediatric surgeons and urologists, satisfactory reconstruction and functional outcome of the female perineum can be achieved in conjoined twins. J Pediatr Surg 37:1740-1743. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Public Regulation of Marketing Activity: Part II: Regulatory Responses to Market Failures:

This is the second of a three-part article which provides a comprehensive typology useful in any analysis of how public policies are used to control the operations of market exchanges and marketing...
North American Paleoindian Bi-Beveled Bone and Ivory Rods: A New Interpretation

This article gives an inventory of North American Paleoindian osseous points and bi-beveled rods. Quantitative and qualitative information is gathered and compared. Present and past hypotheses on the possible uses of bi-beveled rods are reviewed and individually critiqued. The particular physical characteristics of bi-beveled rods are then used to interpret their function. Based on the compiled information, a new hafting method for Clovis points is put forth that links the attributes of bi-beveled rods to a specific role within this system. This new hypothesis suggests that bi-beveled rods were tied facing each other around a Clovis point and a main shaft as part of composite clothes pin-like foreshafts.
The role of the space shuttle videotapes in the discovery of sprites, jets and elves

Abstract The sequence of videotape observations of the upper atmospheric optical flashes called sprites, jets, starters, and ELVES are described in the successive phases of search, discovery, confirmation, and exploration for the years before 1993. Although there were credible eyewitness accounts from ground observers and pilots, these reports did not inspire a systematic search for hard evidence of such phenomena. The science community would instead wait for serendipitous observations to move the leading edge of this science forward. The phenomenon, now known as a sprite, was first accidently documented on ground based videotape recordings on the night of 6 July, 1989. Video observations from the space shuttle acquired from 1989–1991 provided 17 additional examples to confirm the existence of the sprite phenomenon. Successful video observations from a mountain ridge by Lyons, starting on 7 July, 1993, and night-time aircraft video observations by Sentman and Wescott on 8 July, 1993 established the basic science of the sprite phenomena by acquiring and analyzing data based on hundreds of new events. The 1994 Sprites campaign and the video entitled ‘‘Red Sprites and Blue Jets’’ popularized the name sprite and provided a vocabulary of terms to describe the visual attributes. Prior to this video, investigators used a variety of vague descriptive words to describe the individual events. Also, during the 1994 campaign, Wescott and coworkers obtained the first quantitative measurements of jets and provided the name ‘blue jets’. A third phenomenon was discovered in video from the STS-41 mission (October 1990) in the lower ionosphere directly above an active thunderstorm. It consisted of a large horizontal brightening several hundred kilometers across at the altitude of the airglow layer. In 1995, Lyons and associates confirmed the existence of this type of very brief brightening which they named Emissions of Light and Very Low Frequency Perturbations From Electromagnetic Pulse Sources (ELVES). Because sprites, jets, and ELVES have appeared for millennia, their discovery was inevitable. The partial history related in this paper outlines the unsophisticated activities using space shuttle videotapes and the dissemination of the results by video presentations during the early phases of sprite research. This paper does not attempt to evaluate the advances in the science based on the measurement campaigns of Lyons, Sentman and many other investigators.
All-digital A/D converter TAD with high-resolution and low-power for sensor/RF digitization

For achieving both high resolution and low power of a sensor/RF interface, time-domain processing using full-digital circuits, which deals with only two voltage levels (i.e., V in-supply-voltage and ground-level), is presented. In a much broader sense, digital circuits can be used for time-domain processing instead of conventional analog signal processing. In this study, an all-digital 6- to 16-bit adaptive sensor-interface ADC is experimentally evaluated for high-resolution and low-power operation along with high scalability. The circuit architecture is completely digital, using a ring-delay-line (RDL) driven by an input voltage V in as its power supply. Resolutions can be controlled by setting its conversion time T cv, resulting in 16 bit (1 kS/s, 34 μW) and 6 bit (1 MS/s, 48 μW) with a prototype IC in a low-cost 0.65-μm (650-nm) digital CMOS, achieving the sensor digitizer (sensor-digitization product) of a pressure sensor ASIC. The all-digital structure has been scaled into a 0.18-μm technology, and the test IC presented a higher performance with 28 μV/LSB (160-kS/s). Finally, as an RF digitization application, the circuit is demonstrated to realize the time-domain processing of an RF signal, working as both mixer and ADC, achieving minimum/maximum detectable sensitivity of 0.7-μVrms/100-mVrms, respectively, for a 40-kHz sine wave at the LNA input terminal of a 0.18-μm digital CMOS one-chip radio-controlled clock receiver IC.
Preliminary Design Considerations for Integrating a Composite Impeller in a Brushless Permanent Magnet Motor

Traditional turbomachine design is generally characterized by a shaft driven impeller that was created using common manufacturing processes. However, a cutting edge and innovative impeller design involves the manufacturing of the impeller on a winding machine. Through the use of such a machine, a lightweight and high-strength impeller with carbon fibers or other fibers can be prototyped quickly and easily while also produced in large quantities. The impeller will not only be a composite of multiple parts, but a single solid piece. One of the most interesting attributes of this impeller however, is the ability to integrate it as the rotor for a permanent magnet electric motor. Using the concepts of permanent magnet motor design, current can be applied to the housing of the impeller, which would generate forces that would serve the purpose of both rotating the impeller, and securing it into place. This has the advantage of eliminating most of the moving parts in a turbomachine design, but also creating a durable, lightweight and cheap design to prototype and reproduce. Another key advantage to this design is where the torque on the impeller is applied. Traditional turbomachines generally have the torque generated from forces applied from the shaft, which requires higher tangential forces and hence shear stresses due to a much smaller moment arm. But the integration of magnetics into the outer shroud of the impeller allows for the forces to be applied to the outer edge, which requires less force due to a much greater moment arm. Furthermore, this type of motor inherently allows for all of the electrical components to be outside of the fluid flow, which reduces the need for extensive sealing and insulation. In this paper, basic concepts behind the design of electric motors are outlined, as well as how they can be integrated with a rotor impeller, such that together they could act as a turbomachine.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
On the fundamental theorem of card counting, with application to the game of trente et quarante

A simplified proof of Thorp and Walden's fundamental theorem of card counting is presented, and a corresponding central limit theorem is established. Results are applied to the casino game of trente et quarante, which was studied by Poisson and De Morgan.
Visual-information-assisted microphone array processing in a high-noise environment

A visual information directed microphone array system is presented in this paper. This system uses a real-time mouth tracking system to direct a beam-former focusing on the mouth. The microphone array system is implemented on a PC with a Signalogic 8-channel DSP board and reports a better signal-to-noise ratio sound capturing in a high noise environment.
Predation on a Northern Long-Eared Myotis by a Gray Rat Snake

Abstract A number of species are known to be predators of bats. In North America, the greatest number of bat predation records is by snakes. To date, no animals have been reported preying on Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat). We report the predation of a Northern Long-eared Bat by Pantherophis spiloides (Gray Rat Snake) in Tennessee.
Correlating Rheological and Bond Properties of Emulsions to Aggregate Retention of Chip Seals

The development of binder stiffness and bond strength is critical for new chip seals: loose aggregates must be minimized once a road enters into service. A new test protocol is presented: called the bitumen bond strength (BBS) test for evaluating emulsion setting behavior, the protocol can be used to evaluate aggregate retention and raveling potential of chip seals. The time required for the asphalt emulsion to gain adequate strength and adhesion to aggregate chips depends on aggregate-binder compatibility, environmental factors, and mechanical action. BBS test results demonstrate bond strength development over a full curing interval for a variety of materials and curing conditions. Results obtained using the BBS test are compared with dynamic shear rheometer strain sweep results to investigate a correlation between bond strength and the rutting parameter G*/sin δ. BBS test results are also correlated to aggregate loss as measured by the sweep test. This research may contribute to the ongoing development ...
Ecophysiology of first and second generation hybrids in a natural plant hybrid zone.

Hybrids between related species vary widely in relative fitness, and that fitness can depend upon the environment. We investigated aspects of physiology that might influence fitness patterns in a plant hybrid zone. Seeds of Ipomopsis aggregata, I. tenuituba, F1 hybrids, F2 hybrids, and offspring of crosses between natural hybrids were planted into the relatively mesic site of origin for I. aggregata and the drier site for natural hybrids. We measured rates of photosynthesis (A max), transpiration (E), instantaneous (A/E) and long-term (δ13C) indices of water use efficiency (WUE), and leaf nitrogen and carbon. We also examined correlations of these traits with plant size. Photosynthetic rate and A/E were higher in vegetative than flowering plants. WUE varied between sites and years, but differences among genotypic classes were spatially and temporally consistent. Instantaneous WUE was higher for F1 hybrids than for the average of the parental species, thereby showing heterosis. There was no evidence of hybrid breakdown, as WUE was no different in the F2 than the average across the F1 and parental species. Nor did WUE depend on cross direction in producing F1 progeny. Carbon isotope discrimination revealed higher long-term water use efficiency in I. tenuituba than I. aggregata. Leaf nitrogen was higher in I. tenuituba than I. aggregata, and higher in offspring of natural hybrids than in the F2. Results indicate heterosis for water use efficiency, with no hybrid breakdown. Heterosis in WUE may help to explain the relatively high survival of both reciprocal F1 hybrids in dry sites within the natural hybrid zone.
THE GROWTH OF BACTERIOPHAGE AND LYSIS OF THE HOST

1. A new strain of B. coli and of phage active against it is described, and the relation between phage growth and lysis has been studied. It has been found that the phage can lyse these bacteria in two distinct ways, which have been designated lysis from within and lysis from without. 2. Lysis from within is caused by infection of a bacterium by a single phage particle and multiplication of this particle up to a threshold value. The cell contents are then liberated into solution without deformation of the cell wall. 3. Lysis from without is caused by adsorption of phage above a threshold value. The cell contents are liberated by a distension and destruction of the cell wall. The adsorbed phage is not retrieved upon lysis. No new phage is formed. 4. The maximum yield of phage in a lysis from within is equal to the adsorption capacity. 5. Liberation of phage from a culture in which the bacteria have been singly infected proceeds at a constant rate, after the lapse of a minimum latent period, until all the infected bacteria are lysed. 6. If the bacteria are originally not highly in excess, this liberation is soon counterbalanced by multiple adsorption of the liberated phage to bacteria that are already infected. This leads to a reduction of the final yield.
Intelligent information dissemination services in hybrid satellite-wireless networks

The need for rapid deployment and user mobility suggest the use of a hybrid satellitedwireless network infrastructure for important situation awareness and emergency response applications. An Intelligent Information Dissemination Service lIIDSr has been developed to support the dissemination and maintenance of extended situation awareness throughout such a network information infrastructure in a seamless manner. One of the goals of IIDS is to transparently handle the mismatches in characteristics of satellite and terrestrial wireless networks, allow effective utilization of available bandwidth, and support timely delivery of highly relevant information. IIDS achieves the above by implementing user profile aggregation that incrementally aggregates users into communities sharing common interests to enable multicastdbased information dissemination. Based on the user grouping, semantic profile matching customizes information streams based on matching user group interest profiles. By taking into account expected changes in user profiles, profiledoriented data dissemination achieves predictive push and caching that anticipates future user needs and minimizes latency of data request by making data available before they are explicitly requested. Finally, bandwidthdaware filtering adapts information streams to resource bandwidth availability to gracefully hide the bandwidth mismatch between the satellite and wireless links in the hybrid network infrastructure. The IIDS software has been deployed on the Digital Wireless Battlefield Network lDWBNr that integrates commercial offdthedshelf satellite and wireless products into a heterogeneous satelliteswireless hybrid network for supporting wireless mobile multimedia services.
Collagenase-3 Induction in Rat Lung Fibroblasts Requires the Combined Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and 12-Lipoxygenase Metabolites: A Model of Macrophage-induced, Fibroblast-driven Extracellular Matrix Remodeling during Inflammatory Lung Injury

The mechanisms responsible for the induction of matrix-degrading proteases during lung injury are ill defined. Macrophage-derived mediators are believed to play a role in regulating synthesis and turnover of extracellular matrix at sites of inflammation. We find a localized increase in the expression of the rat interstitial collagenase (MMP-13; collagenase-3) gene from fibroblastic cells directly adjacent to macrophages within silicotic rat lung granulomas. Conditioned medium from macrophages isolated from silicotic rat lungs was found to induce rat lung fibroblast interstitial collagenase gene expression. Conditioned medium from primary rat lung macrophages or J774 monocytic cells activated by particulates in vitro also induced interstitial collagenase gene expression. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) alone did not induce interstitial collagenase expression in rat lung fibroblasts but did in rat skin fibroblasts, revealing tissue specificity in the regulation of this gene. The activity of the conditioned medium was found to be dependent on the combined effects of TNF-α and 12-lipoxygenase-derived arachidonic acid metabolites. The fibroblast response to this conditioned medium was dependent on de novo protein synthesis and involved the induction of nuclear activator protein-1 activity. These data reveal a novel requirement for macrophage-derived 12-lipoxygenase metabolites in lung fibroblast MMP induction and provide a mechanism for the induction of resident cell MMP gene expression during inflammatory lung processes.
Niches of the pre‐photosynthetic biosphere and geologic preservation of Earth's earliest ecology

The tree of terrestrial life probably roots in non-photosynthetic microbes. Chemoautotrophs were the first primary producers, and the globally dominant niches in terms of primary productivity were determined by availability of carbon dioxide and hydrogen for methanogenesis and sulfite reduction. Methanogen niches were most abundant where CO 2 -rich ocean water flowed through serpentinite. Black smoker vents from basalt supplied comparable amount of H 2 . Hydrogen from arc volcanoes supported a significant methanogenic niche at the Earth’s surface. SO 2 from arc volcanoes reacted with organic matter and hydrogen, providing a significant surface niche. Methane ascended to the upper atmosphere where photolysis produced C-rich haze and CO, and H escaped into space. The CO and C-rich haze supported secondary surface niches. None of these ecologies were bountiful; less than 1% of the CO 2 vented by ridge axes, arcs, and metamorphism became organic matter before it was buried in carbonate. In contrast, a photosynthetic biosphere leaves copious amounts of organic carbon, locally concentrated in sediments. Black shales are a classic geologic biosignature for photosynthesis that can survive subduction and high-grade metamorphism.
Uncritical Portrayals of Fascist Italy and of Iberic-Latin Dictatorships in American Political Science

Historians have documented extensively the fascination of many American intellectuals with the Soviet Union and fascist Italy during the 1920s and 1930s (Diggins 1966; 1972; Feuer 1962; Filene 1967; Warren 1993). They have also drawn a compelling analogy between the sympathetic attitudes of American intellectuals toward Soviet Russia and the sympathy of a later generation of intellectuals towards Cuba, China and North Vietnam (Skotheim 1971: 96-106; Hollander 1981; Caute 1988). However, little effort has been made to examine whether the forgiving attitudes toward fascist Italy might also have had a historical analogue in the form of forgiving attitudes toward other, non-communist, dictatorships. The reason for this omission might be that fascism, unlike communism, had lost any respectability as a philosophy or self-descriptive identification. While numerous postwar regimes raised the red flag, not a single regime openly identified itself as fascist after the defeat of the Axis powers. Still, during the 1930s and early 1940s there emerged several dictators whose ideological sympathies lay with the fascist powers, yet who shrewdly avoided joining the Axis: Francisco Franco in Spain, Antonio Salazar in Portugal, Juan Peron in Argentina, and Getulio Vargas in Brazil. These dictators were strongly influenced by Italian fascism, but as the tide of the war turned against the Axis they abandoned their pro-fascist rhetoric and distanced their regimes from fascism. Might there
A Brief History and Introduction to GPGPU

Graphics processing units (GPU) are increasing the speed and volume of computation possible in scientific computing applications. Much of the rapidly growing interest in GPUs today stems from the numerous reports of 10–100-fold speedups over traditional CPU-based systems. In contrast to traditional CPUs, which are designed to extract as much parallelism and performance as possible from sequential programs, GPUs are designed to efficiently execute explicitly parallel programs. In particular, GPUs excel in the case of programs that have inherent data-level parallelism, in which one applies the same operation to many data simultaneously. Applications in scientific computing frequently fit this model. This introductory chapter gives a brief history and overview of modern GPU systems, including the dominant programming model that has made the compute capabilities of GPUs accessible to the programming-literate scientific community. Its examples focus on GPU hardware and programming environment available from a particular vendor, NVIDIA, though the main principles apply to other systems.
Incorporating Cultural Issues in Education for Ethical Practice

The population of most non-dominant ethnic groups in the USA is growing dramatically. Faculty members are challenged to develop curricula that adequately prepare our future nurses. An increased focus on clinical ethics has resulted from the use of sophisticated technology, changes in health care financing, an increasing elderly population and the shift of care from inpatient to outpatient settings. Nurses frequently face situations demanding resolution of ethical dilemmas involving cultural differences. Nursing curricula must include content on both ethics and cultural sensitivity. Active student participation is an important element providing a foundation for ethical practice. A proposed educational format was introduced with graduating baccalaureate students. In a pilot study, curricular content on cultural sensitivity and ethical practice was taught in separate modules. Students were then asked to identify and problem solve an ethical dilemma involving patients and professional caregivers from vastly d...
Models for simulation and discrete control of manufacturing systems

A methodology is presented for constructing models of manufacturing processes for simulation and design of the discrete control logic. The models represent the discrete event evolution of the system as well as features of the underlying continuous processes. For applications such as discrete parts manufacture and assembly, the process is decomposed into operations with specified precedence relations. For each operation the required resources and associated discrete resource states are identified. Also associated with each resource is a set of resource attributes which are modified by the processes underlying each operation. The structure of the discrete-level control is modeled by modified Petri nets which are synthesized from single resource activity cycles. Construction of the net provides discrete control logic for error recovery loops and other real-time decision structures with guaranteed properties based on extensions of previous results in Petri net theory. The modeling methodology is applied to a two-arm robotic assembly cell example.