cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Building a fine-art reproduction system from standard hardware

Most fine art reproduction workflows to date have been based on hyperspectral devices. These devices capture, process and print more than three channels of spectral data to produce spectrally accurate reproductions. While these workflows have unique advantages over standard three-channel workflows, such as the ability to produce reproductions that are colorimetrically accurate across many illuminants, they usually require custom hardware. Such hardware can be expensive, time-consuming to setup, and may require a full-time trained operator. We describe the challenges and issues in constructing a colorimetrically accurate fine art reproduction work- flow based on standard three-channel hardware. The workflow was designed to be as automated as possible, simple to use, and device-independent. The heart of the workflow is a software application that takes as input camera characterization data, reflectance statistics of the artwork, an image of the artwork, and an image of a reference card, and it outputs a properly exposed, uniformly illuminated and colorimetrically accurate reproduction. We describe the methods used to compute the exposure level, to compensate for illumination non-uniformities, and to generate a per-image color correction matrix. Finally, we present reproduction results and error statistics obtained using a workflow comprising a 4x5” Sinar camera, a Betterlight digital back, and an HP DesignJet 5500 printer.
Concordant congenital malformations in twins with inherited translocation: t(9p--;13q+).

Several members of a family with a translocation between the short arm of chromosome 9 and the long arm of chromosome 13 (9p-;13q+) are presented. Although the translocation found in various members of the family looked alike and appeared to be balanced, the clinical features were different. The like-sex twins displayed some features of 9p monosomy syndrome, whereas their mother and maternal grandmother, who apparently had the same translocation, showed only a few features of 9p- syndrome in addition to mild mental retardation. We suggest that a minute deletion of the short arm of chromosome 9 may cause features of 9p- syndrome and that the clinical features of this syndrome in older individuals may be too mild for the clinical diagnosis to be possible.
Evaluation of V and W multiple grid cycles for modeling one and two-dimensional transient free surface flows

This paper presents a new approach for numerically solving a hyperbolic set of equations. This approach addressed to as multiple grid, when integrated with any finite difference formulation aims at accelerating the solution to the desired transient state. It differs from the standard approach in that the solution procedure is iterated across a series of spatial domains. By solving the flow equations on nodes spanned across these domains and then relating the solution methodology to the physics of the flow propagation the focus is to show that this methodology can accelerate the solution to the desired transient state. The manner in which these domains are visited and revisited gives rise to V and W cycles, whose algorithm framework and efficiency for modeling one and two-dimensional transient open channel flows had been investigated herein.
Role of increased DNA replication in the carcinogenic risk of nonmutagenic chemical carcinogens.

Abstract DNA replication is not an error-free process; therefore induction of cell proliferation with the requisite increase in DNA replication may be an important mechanism by which carcinogenesis can be induced by chemicals. Data presented in this overview indicate a positive association between increased cell proliferation and carcinogenesis, and illustrate the value of performing mechanistic studies such as cell proliferation assays in conjunction with short-term tests to further investigate the results of cancer bioassays. Whereas chemically-induced cell proliferation per se may not be sufficient to induce carcinogenesis, it creates a favorable environment for tumor development. There are two types of chemically-induced cell proliferation, mitogenic and cytotoxic, and they have different consequences regarding the mechanism of carcinogenesis of a chemical. Mitogenic chemical such as phenobarbital, oxazepam, and the peroxisome proliferating agents exert a short-term cell proliferative response that may exert its primary effect in carcinogenesis at the promotion stages. It is not clear at what stage(s) cytotoxic agents such as methapyrilene, α 2 u -globulin inducers or saccharin exert their effects in carcinogenesis. A confounding factor in evaluation of cell proliferation in risk assessments is the production of chemical specific pleiotropic effects that may contribute to the carcinogenicity of a chemical. It is clear that mechanistic studies performed to understand the relationship of sex, species and dose in rodent carcinogenicity assays of chemicals is critical for the extrapolation of such data for human health assessments.
Direct blue dye solutions: photo properties

Abstract Weakly fluorescing azo dyes can be used as photothermal sensitizing agents in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of some forms of cancer and other diseases. A desirable property of such a dye is that it will dissipate most of its excitation energy by nonradiative decay processes rather than by fluorescence or energy transfer to dioxygen. The maximum absorbance wavelengths, the fluorescence quantum yields Φ F , the mean fluorescence wavelengths, and threshold dye concentrations below which Φ F does not decrease with rising dye concentrations are reported for nine azo dyes that appear to have the correct optical properties for application as photothermal sensitizing agents.
Time-frequency representation of digital signals and systems based on short-time Fourier analysis

This paper develops a representation for discrete-time signals and systems based on short-time Fourier analysis. The short-time Fourier transform and the time-varying frequency response are reviewed as representations for signals and linear time-varying systems. The problems of representing a signal by its short-time Fourier transform and synthesizing a signal from its transform are considered. A new synthesis equation is introduced that is sufficiently general to describe apparently different synthesis methods reported in the literature. It is shown that a class of linear-filtering problems can be represented as the product of the time-varying frequency response of the filter multiplied by the short-time Fourier transform of the input signal. The representation of a signal by samples of its short-time Fourier transform is applied to the linear filtering problem. This representation is of practical significance because there exists a computationally efficient algorithm for implementing such systems. Finally, the methods of fast convolution age considered as special cases of this representation.
A Laboratory Model of a Prebiotic, Spontaneous, and Continuous Enantiomeric Enrichment Process

Construction and operation of a laboratory model, which combines the lately discovered enantioenrichment method of the author (2007) with the sun-powered evaporative pumping process of Hsu and Siegenthaler (Sedimentology 12:11–25 1969), is described. The model operated continuously for 120 days before it was intentionally shut down, even though it could have continued. During that time it raised the enantiomeric excess of the test material by a factor of 3.6. Implications of these results on the origin of biohomochirality are discussed.
Thermal buckling of composite plates with spatial varying fiber orientations

Abstract Thermal buckling analysis of square composite laminates with variable stiffness properties is presented. Fiber angles vary spatially and result in material properties that are functions of position. The thermal critical buckling temperatures for such laminates are obtained numerically based on classical lamination theory and the finite element method. In this work, the domain is discretized to transform nonlinear fiber path functions to linear piecewise functions. Using this method, thermal responses for symmetric balanced laminates under constant thermal load is investigated and the optimal fiber paths to resist thermal buckling are obtained for multiple material models. The coefficients of thermal expansion are varied to study the effect on the critical buckling temperature and optimal fiber path. Validation for the method presented is achieved using the results for the special case of constant fiber angles found in literature. This work finds curved fiber path configurations that provide a 36.9% increase of resistance to thermal buckling in comparison to straight fiber configurations.
Charge-frustrated model of bicontinuous phases.

A nonlinear field theoretic model for surfactant self-assembly is described and applied to bicontinuous phases. The anharmomic model treats bonding constraints and the resulting frustration of phase separation in terms of an electrostatic analogy. The model does not assume self-assembly, and it accounts for all long-wavelength density fluctuations. A renormalized harmonic approximation is used to predict scattering curves. With physically reasonable values for the parameters that characterize the model, the predictions of the theory compare favorably with experiment and are consistent with Porod's law in the small angle region.
Particle concentration by acoustic standing waves

Concentration of particles in acoustic standing waves is well known. Other authors have built SAW devices with two opposing transducers, typically at frequencies between 12 and 40 MHz, to create standing waves in a microfluidic channel for concentration of microparticles and bacteria. We have investigated standing waves produced by boundary reflections from a single interdigitated transducer operating near 6 MHz. Observations of particle motions show both concentration in the acoustic field and acoustic streaming. We have modeled the generation of standingacoustic waves in three dimensions with and without a water channel. At the low frequencies used in this work, the waves generated are bulk plate waves rather than surface acoustic waves.
Transvenous Catheter Ablation of a Posteroseptal Accessory Pathway in a Patient with the Wolff–Parkinson–White Syndrome

WE have described a technique of closed-chest catheter ablation of the atrioventricular junction by electrocoagulation in dogs.1 We and others have used this technique in patients with supraventricular tachycardia refractory to pharmacologic therapy and antitachycardia pacing.2 , 3 More recent experimental observations have demonstrated that electric shocks delivered to the atrial septum resulted in localized atrial fibrosis without perforation or marked effects on atrioventricular conduction (Scheinman MM, et al.: unpublished observations). On the basis of these observations, a technique was developed for catheter ablation of septal accessory pathways in human beings. We report here on a patient who had the Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome . . .
A Response to the Review of Matthew Barrett

This short methodological rebuttal points out that church history is not an attempt to prove Arminius or any other historical person to be right or wrong, but a scientific effort to represent them without negative bias or prejudice.
Individuals with Down's syndrome demonstrate abnormal olfactory event-related potentials.

Abstract Objective : Recent research has demonstrated that individuals with Down's syndrome (DS) develop plaques and tangles in the brain similar to people with Alzheimer's disease. As a result, they show increased dementia and decreased olfactory functioning compared to healthy individuals. The olfactory event-related potential (OERP) has been used as an objective quantitative measure of olfactory functioning in normal and clinical populations. The present study investigated the utility of the latency and amplitude of the OERP components in examining olfactory dysfunction in DS individuals. Methods : OERPs were recorded monopolarly at the Fz, Cz and Pz electrode sites, using amyl acetate at a 60 s inter-stimulus interval, from individuals with DS (mean age 26.0 years) and age-matched normal controls. Participants were screened for nasal health and odor thresholds were assessed. Dementia was assessed using the dementia rating scale (DRS). Results : Results indicate that DS subjects have significantly longer latencies in the sensory (N1, P2, and N2) and cognitive (P3) components of the OERP than normal controls. Odor threshold was significantly associated with sensory OERP components. In addition, DS subjects with a higher level of dementia showed significantly longer P3 latencies than those with lower dementia levels. Conclusions : The study suggests that the OERP may be a useful measure of olfactory dysfunction in DS which may precede developing dementia in this population.
Akt2 inhibits the activation of NFAT in lymphocytes by modulating calcium release from intracellular stores

The engagement of antigen receptors on lymphocytes leads to the activation of phospholipase C-γ, the mobilization of intracellular calcium and the activation of the NFAT transcription factor. The coupling of antigen receptors to the activation of NFAT is modulated by numerous cellular effectors including phospho-inositide 3-kinase (PI3K), which is activated following receptor cross-linking. The activation of PI3K has both positive and negative effects on the receptor-mediated activation of NFAT. An increase in the level and activity of Akt2, a target of activated PI3K, potently inhibits the subsequent activation of NFAT. In contrast, an elevation in Akt1 has no effect on signaling. Signaling pathways operating both upstream and downstream of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-stimulated calcium release from intracellular stores are unaffected by Akt2. An increase in the level of Akt2 has no significant effect on the initial amplitude, but substantially reduces the duration of calcium mobilization. The ability of Akt2 to inhibit prolonged calcium mobilization is abrogated by the administration of a cell permeable peptide that blocks the interaction between Bcl-2 and the IP3 receptor. Thus, Akt2 is a negative regulator of NFAT activation through its ability to inhibit calcium mobilization from the ER.
Image-guided drug delivery to the brain using nanotechnology

Targeting across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases represents the most challenging aspect of, as well as one of the largest growing fields in, neuropharmaceutics. Combining nanotechnology with multiple imaging techniques has a unique role in the diagnosis and treatment (theranostics) of CNS disease. Such imaging techniques include anatomical imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US), X-ray computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), electron microscopy, autoradiography and optical imaging as well as thermal images. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent advances in formulations, current challenges and possible hypotheses concerning the use of such theranostics across the BBB.
Managing Wine Quality: Viticulture and Wine Quality (Volume 1)

Managing Wine Quality: Viticulture and Wine Quality (Volume 1) Andrew Reynolds (ed.), 2010 Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing Ltd, 624 pp., ISBN 1845694848, ISBN-13: 9781845694845. Scientific discuss...
End-User Bibliographic Instruction: A New Approach to Retrieving Knowledge.

The opportunity for library users to design and execute their own database searches through direct access to computerized data sources is known as end-user searching. Due to the proliferation of microcomputers and changes in software design, the phenomenon is gaining widespread support among libraries across the country. This paper describes three methods of education and training-course-integrated, classroombased and self-service. The role of the librarian is identified in each.
The IMPROVE-1 Storm of 1-2 February 2001. Part IV: Precipitation Enhancement across the Melting Layer

Abstract Previous model simulations indicate that in stratiform precipitation, the precipitation rate can increase by 7% in the melting layer through direct condensation onto melting snow and the resultant cooled rain. In the present study, a model simulation of stratiform precipitation in a wide cold frontal rainband indicates that the precipitation rate can also increase by 5% in the melting layer through accretion, by melting snow and rain, of additional cloud water produced by the latent cooling of the ambient air associated with melting snow. The contribution of the combined processes, and therefore the additional precipitation gained through the latent cooling of melting snow within the melting layer, may contribute as much as 10% to the precipitation rate in stratiform precipitation.
Successful Introduction of an Emergency Department Electronic Health Record

Our emergency department had always relied on a paper-based infrastructure. Our goal was to convert to a paperless, efficient, easily accessible, technologically advanced system to support optimal care. We outline our sequential successful transformation, and describe the resistance, costs, incentives and benefits of the change. Critical factors contributing to the significant change included physician leadership, training and the rate of the endorsed change. We outline various tactics, tools, challenges and unintended benefits and problems.
Optimal temperature control of solar energy systems

Abstract In this paper the application of dynamic optimization techniques to the design of solar energy temperature control systems is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the application of Pontryagin's Maximum Principle to solar control system design. Included in the review are topics in optimal control of special interest to solar systems, i.e. Pontryagin's Maximum Principle, linear-quadratic optimization, on-off/singular control, periodic optimization, stochastic and adaptive control, and sampled-data and microprocessor control.
The Natives Are Restless: The Ethos and Mythos of Student Power

The older generation fails because it keeps trying to fit the same old solutions to brand new problems. The above statement and response is from a questionnaire administered to 500 undergraduates at the University of Pittsburgh in November 1968. That the statement should be enthusiastically endorsed by better than 70 percent of a random sample on any given contemporary American campus is not particularly surprising. The "generation gap" has been both documented and widely publicized. What should give us pause is the growingly activist implications the "now" generation seems to be drawing from this sort of blanket indictment of the "Establishment's" problem-solving techniques.
Sequence determinants for promoter strength in the leuV operon of Escherichia coli

The promoter for the leuV tRNA operon of Escherichia coli has been studied. Derivatives of this promoter were examined in vivo, fused to the cat gene or to the lacZ gene. When compared to other promoters, the leuV promoter was found to be at least three times stronger than the tyrT promoter (for the tyrT tRNA operon), or the lac promoter (trp::lac promoter fusion) and as strong as the P1,P2 promoter of the rrnB operon (a ribosomal RNA operon). Deletion analysis revealed that, while removal of sequences downstream from +11 (relative to the transcription start point) did not affect activity, removal of sequences upstream from -39 resulted in a ten-fold reduction in expression. Unlike rRNA operons which also display upstream activation, sequences responsible for this effect in the leuV promoter are separated into two regions, one between -76 and -47, and the other between -45 and -39. DNA fragments carrying the leuV promoter migrate aberrantly on polyacrylamide gels, a phenomenon usually associated with DNA bending. One sequence thought to be involved in bending is a TTTTT run centered around -71. Point mutations engineered at this T5 region resulted in a loss of activation but had no apparent effect on migration rate. Transcription efficiency of promoter derivatives was examined in vitro using supercoiled, relaxed, or linearized plasmids as templates. Upstream activation was observed only when using relaxed templates, although maximum activity was obtained using supercoiled forms. Insertion of the very efficient 16S transcription terminator between the leuV promoter and the cat gene resulted in barely detectable activities, indicating that no antitermination mechanism was present.
D-optimal and near D-optimal 2k fractional factorial designs of resolution V

Abstract Upper bounds for the determinant of the information matrix of a 2 k fractional factorial design of resolution V are improved. Highly D-efficient 2 k fractional factorial designs of resolution V for 3 ⩽ k ⩽ 8 are found using the heuristic algorithms of Nguyen and Miller [1992. A review of some exchange algorithms for constructing discrete D -optimal designs. Comput. Statist. Data Anal. 14, 489–498] and Miller and Nguyen [1994. Algorithm AS 295: a Fedorov exchange algorithm for D -optimal designs. Appl. Statist. 43, 669–678]. Some of these designs are shown to be D-optimal or generalized type 1 (type 2) optimal. A method for constructing D-optimal or nearly D-optimal resolution V designs from smaller D-optimal or nearly D-optimal resolution V designs is presented. Lower bounds for D-efficiencies are tabulated.
Laser cooling of trapped ions in a squeezed vacuum.

Laser cooling a trapped ion damped by an electromagnetic reservoir in a squeezed-vacuum state is investigated. The cooling rate and the final temperature are given for the case in which the ion is located at the node of a laser standing wave, on resonance with its internal transition. In particular, we find that the ion can have final temperatures below the Dopper limit.
Spindle cell carcinoma of the larynx with simultaneous carcinoma of the thyroid gland

[Editorial Comment: The simultaneous association of laryngeal carcinoma with thyroid carcinoma is unusual. The authors recommend thyroidectomy concurrent with laryngeal surgery when this situation is encountered.) The reported incidence of multiple primary malignancies in patients with head and neck cancer ranges from 4% to 24%’ Some reports state that a second primary cancer may develop in up to 40% of patients, and this represents a major cause of death.2*3 In a series4 of 1600 new cases of carcinoma of the larynx, 61 patients had multiple primary malignancies involving the same or other sites. None of these cases involved carcinoma of the thyroid. Even though invasion of the larynx and trachea by thyroid carcinoma and thyroid gland involvement of laryngeal cancers is not unusual, the occurrence of primary laryngeal and thyroid carcinoma is very rare.5-7 The possible reasons for this infrequent association are discussed. Most of these reported cases occurred simultaneously and were diagnosed during surgical treatment of a laryngeal carcinoma.
Effects of Resveratrol on Acoustic Trauma

Abstract Objective The purpose of the study is to test the ability of resveratrol to protect the auditory system from reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated noise damage. Oxidative stress is mediated by ROS, which are known to cause cellular and molecular damage. Interfering with this process, using ROS inhibitors/scavengers such as antioxidants has shown promise in protecting specific systems from oxidative damage. Among the antioxidants receiving recent attention is resveratrol, an active component in red wine. Study design and setting Ten Fischer rats were used for this study. The experimental group (n = 5) received 7 weeks of resveratrol treatment (430/μg/kg/day), by gavage, and the control group (n = 5) received normal saline solution by gavage. Baseline auditory brainstem responses (3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 kHz) were determined for both groups. After 21 days, animals were exposed to noise (105 dB, 4500 to 9000 Hz for 24 hours). Postnoise auditory brainstem responses were assessed at 4 recovery time points: immediate, at 3 days, 7 days, and 4 weeks after noise exposure. Results Results demonstrate that the resveratrol group showed reduced threshold shifts compared with the control group after noise exposure. These shifts were significantly different between groups at 6 and 9 kHz (P Conclusion/significance Initial studies in our laboratory as well as other investigators have shown the importance of specific antioxidant therapy in the prevention of ischemic, noise, and age related hearing loss. The current study demonstrates a protective effect of resveratrol on noise-induced hearing loss.
Oops! Coping with Human Error in IT Systems: Errors Happen. How to Deal.

Human operator error is one of the most insidious sources of failure and data loss in today’s IT environments. In early 2001, Microsoft suffered a nearly 24-hour outage in its Web properties as a result of a human error made while configuring a name resolution system. Later that year, an hour of trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange was disrupted because of a technicians mistake while testing a development system. More recently, human error has been blamed for outages in instant messaging networks, for security and privacy breaches, and for banking system failures.
β2-Adrenergic receptor genotype and preterm delivery ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to determine whether the functional genetic polymorphisms of the β 2 -adrenergic receptor (β 2 AR) that result in changes in amino acid residues 16 and 27 are associated with preterm delivery. Study Design: A case-control study comparing the distribution of β 2 AR genotype between 251 Hispanic women delivered at term and 28 Hispanic women delivered preterm. Preterm delivery was defined as spontaneous onset of labor resulting in delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, in a singleton pregnancy, with no apparent etiology for preterm labor and delivery. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood, and β 2 AR alleles were identified by established techniques. Results: Only one woman (4%) with preterm labor was homozygous for Arg16 versus 79 (31%) in the control group ( P =.01, odds ratio 0.08). There was no association of preterm labor with genotype at position 27. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that homozygosity for Arg16, which in vitro is associated with decreased down-regulation of the β 2 AR, protects from preterm delivery. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1294-8.)
Continuing Education Credit Article: Death-Related Sensory Experiences

A death-related sensory experience (DRSE) is a spiritually transforming experience occurring with the appearance of a messenger beyond the visible observable universe to guide a dying person through the dying process. DRSEs have been reported to occur among those who are dying, most commonly individuals with terminal illness. Known dead family members are most commonly seen, followed by religious beings. Communication takes place between the dying individual and the apparition. Feelings of peace and comfort are reported by the majority of individuals experiencing DRSEs. DRSEs can occur over a period of hours to months before death. They have been referred to as veridical hallucinations, visions of the dying, deathbed visions, and predeath visions. Reported throughout time, among people of all cultures, religions, races, ages, genders, socioeconomic status, and educational levels, DRSEs are intense spiritual experiences. Validating a child’s DRSE provides a way to start a dialogue regarding death. Research...
Activity of clindamycin with primaquine against Pneumocystis carinii in vitro and in vivo.

The combination of primaquine with clindamycin is effective in both in vitro and in vivo models of Pneumocystis infection. Primaquine alone at concentrations from 10 to 300 micrograms/ml reduced the numbers of organisms in cultures to less than 7% of control. Significant inhibition was observed down to 0.1 microgram/ml. Clindamycin at 5 micrograms/ml was ineffective alone. Combinations of clindamycin and primaquine in culture at various concentrations were effective, but there was no evidence of true synergy. In rats with established Pneumocystis pneumonia, clindamycin alone at 5 or 225 mg/kg was ineffective. Primaquine alone at 0.5 or 2 mg/kg did not significantly affect the numbers of organisms remaining. The combination of 0.5 mg of primaquine per kg and 225 mg of clindamycin per kg was effective for therapy, lowering the numbers of organisms in the lungs by about 90%. The combination of 2 mg of primaquine per kg and 225 mg of clindamycin per kg was more effective, lowering the numbers of organisms by almost 98%. In the in vivo prophylaxis model, primaquine at 0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg did not prevent the development of Pneumocystis pneumonia in immune-suppressed rats. Clindamycin at 50 mg/kg had a modest effect alone, but at 5 mg/kg all animals became heavily infected. At 0.5 mg/kg, primaquine alone reduced the severity of infection, but seven of eight rats were still infected. In contrast, the combination of 5 mg of clindamycin per kg and 0.5 mg of primaquine per kg prevented infection in 8 of 10 rats; 2 rats had minimal infection. These studies suggest that the combination of clindamycin and primaquine should be tested in therapy or prophylaxis of Pneumocystis infections in humans. Images
Wordsworth, Scott, and the Stereographic Picturesque

This essay examines the relationship between nineteenth-century stereo photography and the picturesque tradition. Stereo photography and the stereoscope made possible a technological extension of the principles of picturesque representation, and early landscape stereographers exploited these possibilities in ways that sometimes heightened the realism of their photographs, and sometimes distorted it. These same stereographers also extensively photographed scenes associated with the life and works of William Wordsworth and Walter Scott, creating a photographic iconography of these authors that is an essential, and as yet largely unwritten, part of their reception history. The last part of the essay attempts to sketch out this reception history, concentrating especially on the stereo photographs of George Washington Wilson and Thomas Ogle.
Spectrally formulated modeling of a cable-harnessed structure

Abstract To obtain predictive modeling of the spacecraft, we investigate the effects of adding cables to a simple structure with the goal of developing an understanding of the effects of cables interacting with a structure. In this paper, we present modeling of a cable-harnessed structure by means of the Spectral Element Method (SEM). A double beam model is used to emulate a cable-harnessed structure. SEM modeling can define the location and the number of connections between the two beams in a convenient fashion. The presented modeling is applied and compared with the conventional FEM. The modeling approach was compared and validated with experimental measurements. The validated modeling was implemented to investigate the effect of the number of connections and of the spring stiffness of interconnections. The results show that the proposed modeling can be used as an accurate and efficient solution methodology for a cable-harnessed structure.
Prolonged Fasting Reduces Rat Hepatic β1 Thyroid Hormone Receptor Protein without Changing the Level of Its Messenger Ribonucleic Acid

The level of hepatic nuclear T3-binding capacity falls in rats subjected to fasting. To define the mechanism underlying these changes, we have assayed in liver the concentration of the mRNA coding for the β1-receptor (β1-TR) isoform, the total nuclear T3-binding capacity, and the fraction of the total binding capacity that can be specifically immunoprecipitated with an anti-β1-TR immunoglobulin G preparation. Although no changes in β1-TR mRNA concentration were noted, we observed a 60% fall in total binding capacity. β1-TR mRNA levels were preserved despite a 50% fall in total poly(A)+ RNA. The fall in β1-TR protein, however, was consistent with a generalized decrease in total hepatic protein content. This study provides yet another instance in which measurement of receptor mRNA is not consonant with the behavior of the nuclear T3 receptor protein. (Endocrinology 129: 2881β2885, 1991)
An investigation of the thermal sensitivity and stability of the β-NaYF4: Yb, Er upconversion nanophosphors

The upconversion luminescence (UCL) of the hexagonal (β)-phase NaYF4:Yb,Er nanophosphors as a function of temperature (300–450 K) was examined under 978 nm light excitation. The thermal sensitivity was evaluated based on the UCL intensity ratio between H211/2–I415/2 and S43/2–I415/2 transitions (RHS). Excitation power, particle sizes (37, 65, and 140 nm), ion doping concentrations, and with and without silica coating were studied. It was found that RHS is only dependent on temperature at the low excitation power, and has no direct relation with the particle size and surface effects. Silica coating was found to enhance the thermal stability significantly without altering the thermal sensitivity.
Crystallinity and order of poly(ethylene oxide)/lithium triflate complex confined in nanoporous membranes

Abstract The confinement of poly(ethylene oxide), PEO, electrolyte in pores of 13, 35, 55 and 100 nm in diameter in nanoporous alumina membranes was seen to have effects on the ionic conduction properties. Specific conductivity values for the PEO/lithium triflate complex in the 13 and 35 nm pores, for temperatures below the melt temperatures, were increased by a factor of four compared to the non-confined polymer and the 55 and 100 nm pore systems. Thermal analysis data indicate the melting temperature for the PEO electrolyte in the pores is directly proportional to the pore size such that as the pore size of confinement is decreased, the T m decreases as well. The same behavior is seen for the amount of crystallinity, with less crystallinity being observed as the pores become smaller. Perhaps the observed conduction behavior could be attributed to less crystallinity. However, it is known that confinement of polyethers in pores results in stretching and ordering of the backbone and that such ordering can increase ion conduction. This ordering would seem to be the major factor involved in these results. The enhanced conduction only being seen in the 13 and 35 nm pores and not the 55 and 100 nm pores is attributed to the larger size for the latter which allows a more bulk-like behavior with less ordering.
MyristoylCoA:protein N‐Myristoyltransferase: Probing Host‐Guest Interactions Using Synthetic Substrates

MyristoylCoA:protein N-myristoyl transferase (NMT) catalyzes the cotranslational covalent attachment of myristate (C14:0) to the ammo-terminal glycine residues of a variety of biologically important proteins. An extensive survey of myristic acid analogs has previously allowed us to infer the conformational constraints imposed upon the fatty acid when bound to the enzyme's acylCoA binding site. A series of myristic acid analogs has now been synthesized and studied in an in vitro assay to probe further the conformation of NMT's bound ligand and to assess the importance of the distance between the carboxyl and the proposed bend in the fatty acid.
The history of avian influenza.

The first description of avian influenza (AI) dates back to 1878 in northern Italy, when Perroncito [Perroncito E. Epizoozia tifoide nei gallinacei. Annali Accad Agri Torino 1878;21:87-126] described a contagious disease of poultry associated with high mortality. The disease, termed "fowl plague", was initially confused with the acute septicemic form of fowl cholera. However, in 1880, soon after its first description, Rivolta and Delprato [as reported by Stubs EL. Fowl pest, In: Biester HE, Devries L, editors. Diseases of poultry. 1st ed. Ames, IO: Iowa State College Press; 1943. p. 493-502] showed it to be different from fowl cholera, based on clinical and pathological properties, and called it Typhus exudatious gallinarum. In 1901, Centanni and Savunzzi [Centanni E, Savonuzzi E, La peste aviaria I & II, Communicazione fatta all'accademia delle scienze mediche e naturali de Ferrara, 1901] determined that fowl plague was caused by a filterable virus; however, it was not until 1955 that the classical fowl plague virus was shown to be a type A influenza virus based on the presence of type A influenza virus type-specific ribonucleoprotein [Schafer W. Vergleichender sero-immunologische Untersuchungen uber die Viren der Influenza und klassischen Geflugelpest. Z Naturf 1955;10b:81-91]. The term fowl plague was substituted by the more appropriate term highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at the First International Symposium on Avian Influenza [Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Avian Influenza. Beltsville, MD. 1981, Avian Dis 47 (Special Issue) 2003.] and will be used throughout this review when referring to any previously described fowl plague virus.
Comparison of e-commerce in India and Mexico: an example of technology diffusion in developing nations

The growth of the e-commerce industry and its relationship with associated industries such as telecommunications and software are analysed in the context of the Indian and Mexican economies. In addition, factors impacting the adoption of e-commerce in different sectors of the economy are examined. The major variables considered include growth in the number of internet connections, telecommunications infrastructure, attitudes and awareness of corporations and individual customers towards e-commerce, growth of the software industry in terms of its relationship to e-commerce, and the role played by the government. The two nations are compared on four groups of e-commerce factors. Based on existing trends, the major bottlenecks to future growth are also examined and a framework is presented that may help explain the process of e-commerce diffusion in developing countries.
The accelerated simian immunodeficiency virus macaque model of human immunodeficiency virus–associated neurological disease: From mechanism to treatment

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has been effective in lowering viral loads in the peripheral blood, restoring immune function and reducing the incidence of opportunistic infections and dementia in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. However, motor and cognitive deficits and peripheral neuropathy continue, with some studies reporting an increase in prevalence of nervous system disease. The authors developed an accelerated, consistent simian model of HIV infection in which pigtailed macaques are dual inoculated with a neurovirulent simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) clone and an immunosuppressive SIV strain. Infected animals invariably develop acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and over 90% develop central nervous system disease as well as peripheral nervous system disease with neurodegeneration by 3 months postinoculation. This model provides outstanding opportunities to delineate the pathogenesis of infection, to study the regulation of virus gene expression, and to identify host immune responses throughout the acute, clinically silent and late stages of infection. Using this model, the authors have demonstrated that the virus enters the brain within days after inoculation, that CCL2 (monocyte chemoattractant protein [MCP]-1) plays a major role in recruiting monocytes/macrophages to the brain, and that type I interferons are critical in suppressing early virus replication and inducing viral latency. This model provides a rigorous platform for the testing of potential antiretroviral, immune reconstituting, and/or neuroprotective agents and already has been used to confirm the neuroprotective properties of minocycline, which now is being tested in clinical trials of HIV-infected individuals.
Mo Loading Effects over Mo/Si : Ti Catalysts in the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane

Abstract A series of molybdena catalysts (0–20 wt% loadings) were studied with regard to their activity for the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane. Catalysts with single oxide supports of silica and titania were also examined. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy (ambient and dehydrated conditions), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to determine the nature of the molybdena phases supported over the mixed oxide support. Initially, MoOx preferentially supports on titania. However, interaction with silica is present even at the lowest wt% loading. With increased wt% loading, MoOx increasingly interacts with the silica phase of the support as titania increasingly segregates into larger anatase domains. Since MoOx species may share several types of support ligands with differing electronegativity, one cannot adequately describe MoOx species as being supported exclusively on SiO2 or TiO2 domains but rather, as indicated by the Raman results, as being supported on a mix of both species. The structural differences are reflected in ODH reaction performance. The ethylene yield increases with Mo loading over Si : Ti 1 : 1 to a maximum at 10% Mo/Si : Ti 1 : 1, where there may exist an optimum coverage of MoOx that shares several types of support ligands from both silica and titania domains of the support. The desorption behavior of products formed following ethane adsorption was studied with Mo wt% loading using temperature-programmed desorption.
Diagnosis of an Amplifying and Decaying Baroclinic Wave Using Wind Profiler Data

Abstract Kinematic and thermodynamic quantities derived from wind profiler triangles are used to help describe the structure of both an amplifying and decaying baroclinic wave as they traversed portions of the wind profiler demonstration network. The data provide excellent diagnoses of the cyclogenetic processes associated with the amplifying system and the cyclolytic processes associated with the decaying system. The importance of a baroclinic wave's vertical tilt and the associated profiler-derived advective patterns of the systems as they relate to surface evolution are shown to be consistent with conceptual models of baroclinic waves. These structural aspects of the observed baroclinic waves are also shown to vary substantially on short timescales. In addition, a sub-synoptic-scale feature associated with a severe convective event that developed ahead of the decaying wave trough axis was observed quite well by the profiler network. This feature's detection was dependent on the high temporal resolution...
Simultaneous minimization of capacity and conflict misses

Loop tiling (or loop blocking) is a well-known loop transformation to improve temporal locality in nested loops which perform matrix computations. When targeting caches that have low associativities, one of the key challenges for loop tiling is to simultaneously minimize capacity misses and conflict misses. This paper analyzes the effect of the tile size and the array-dimension size on capacity misses and conflict misses. The analysis supports the approach of combining tile-size selection (to minimize capacity misses) with array padding (to minimize conflict misses).
Three‐dimensional dielectric characterization of polymer films

Polymer films are widely used in electronic packaging applications due to their low dielectric constant and ease of fabrication. These films often exhibit anisotropic electrical and thermomechanical properties, due to orientation of polymer chains, which need to be evaluated for performance and reliability modeling of electronic packages. This article presents a dual-capacitor technique to measure the anisotropic dielectric permittivities of such films. Results are reported for in situ measurements for several spin-coated polymeric films, some of which exhibit different permittivities in the in-plane (x and y) and the through-plane (z) directions (transversely isotropic), and free-standing liquid crystalline Vectran films which exhibit orthotropic permittivities.
Paleoceanographic history of the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California, during the past 15,000 years based on diatoms, silicoflagellates, and biogenic sediments

High-resolution records of calcium carbonate, biogenic opal, diatoms, and silicoflagellates from western Guaymas Basin gravity core GGC55 and piston core JPC56 and eastern Guaymas Basin DSDP Site 480 reveal a complex paleoceanographic history of the central Gulf of California during the past 15,000 years. Prior to ~6.2 ka, the eastern and western Guaymas Basin proxy records were remarkably similar. After conditions similar to those of today during the Bolling-Allerod, the Younger Dryas (YD) saw a major drop in diatom production, coincident with increased calcium carbonate and tropical microfossils suggestive of El Nino-like conditions. Biosiliceous productivity began increasing during the latter part of the YD, but it was only during the earliest Holocene (11.6 to 11.0 ka) that conditions similar to those of the Bolling-Allerod returned to the central Gulf. Between around 11.0 and 6.2 ka, tropical diatoms and silicoflagellates were virtually absent from the central Gulf, as relatively cooler and fresher surface waters resembling those of the modern northern Gulf were present in the central Gulf. Beginning at about 6.2 ka, tropical diatoms and silicoflagellates began increasing in the central Gulf, and coccoliths returned to western Gulf sediments. The onset of modern-day monsoon conditions in the American Southwest required the presence of warm SSTs in the northern Gulf, which probably did not occur until after about 5.4 ka, when tropical diatoms and silicoflagellates became relatively common in the central Gulf. Modern east-west contrasts, which arise from late winter- early spring coastal upwelling on the mainland side and lower diatom productivity on the western side of the Gulf, commenced between 6.2 and 5.4 ka, possibly due to a shift in the direction of late winter-early spring winds more towards the southeast, or down the axis of the Gulf. This proposed wind shift might have ultimately been due to a late Holocene strengthening of ENSO- like conditions in the eastern equatorial Pacific. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Effect of Communication Disability on Satisfaction With Health Care: A Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries

Purpose: To examine the prevalence and characteristics of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries reporting a communication disability and the relationship between that disability and dissatisfac...
Impact of Environmental Chemicals on Lung Development

BackgroundDisruption of fundamental biologic processes and associated signaling events may result in clinically significant alterations in lung development.ObjectivesWe reviewed evidence on the imp...
Constraining odd‐degree earth structure with coupled free‐oscillations

Several pairs of normal mode multiplets sensitive to long-wavelength mantle structure are potential coupling partners. Geometric selection rules render such coupling the only means by which normal modes sample odd-degree mantle structure. That overtone coupling can be strong and can significantly impact normal mode spectra is illustrated using synthetic seismograms for a realistic earth model. These observations motivate the generalization of normal mode spectral fitting to permit simultaneous estimation of even- and odd-degree structural constraints. When generalized spectral fitting is applied to a data set of approximately 150 high signal-to-noise vertical records, dominated by data from the Northern Bolivian event (6/9/1994), it is found to reduce misfits appreciably for coupled multiplets 1 S 5 - 2 S 4 and 2 S 5 - 1 S 6 , to yield odd-degree constraints generally consistent with recent mantle models, and to improve agreement between estimated and predicted even-degree constraints.