cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Far-field diffraction and boresight error properties of a two-dimensional wedge

An optical diffraction theory has been developed which can be used to predict the forms of the far-field diffraction patterns and boresight error effects of a two-dimensional wedge made from two semi-infinite plane parallel plates. The solution is strictly an optical one, since the wavelength has been assumed to be small compared with the dimensions of the rectangular diffracting aperture, and also because the rectangular diffracting aperture is assumed to lie in the “near-field” of the wedge. In tracing the directly transmitted and all the multiply internally reflected wave fronts through the wedge to the plane of the diffracting aperture, amplitude losses due to reflection and absorption, phase changes due to increases in optical path, and changes in width of the various wave fronts are all evaluated in the plane of the diffracting aperture. When once the amplitude and phase distributions are known in the plane of the diffracting aperture, the Kirchhoff integrals are readily written and integrated. The UNIVAC computer can then be used to evaluate the forms of the far-field diffraction patterns characteristic of the wedge and diffracting aperture. These far-field diffraction patterns are in general non-symmetric and have forms which are functions of the plane of polarization of the incident electric vector and nine other variables. For arbitrary values of the variables, the forms of these far-field diffraction patterns cannot be understood in terms of conventional plane parallel plate theory, but in certain limiting cases plane parallel plate theory is useful. Boresight error curves have been evaluated as functions of many of the variables, and the magnitudes and signs of these errors are in agreement with the previously computed diffraction patterns. “Qualitative” checks on the theory have also been made by comparing the calculated forms of the far-field diffraction patterns for a particular glass wedge with those which were photographed experimentally. All of the calculated changes in form of these far-field diffraction patterns have been observed experimentally, and there is good reason to believe that a quantitative check might also be possible under more favorable experimental conditions.
Wavefunction-independent relations between the nucleon axial-coupling gA and the nucleon magnetic moments

Abstract We calculate the proton's magnetic moment μ p and its axial-vector coupling g A as a function of its Dirac radius R 1 using a relativistic three-quark model formulated on the light-cone. The relationship between μ p and g A is found to be independent of the assumed form of the light-cone wavefunction. At the physical radius R 1 = 0.76 fm, one obtains the experimental values for both μ p and g A , and the helicity carried by the valence u and d quarks are each reduced by a factor ∽ 0.75 relative to their non-relativistic values. At large proton radius, μ p and g A are given by the usual non-relativistic formulae. At small radius, μ p becomes equal to the Dirac moment, as demanded by the Drell-Hearn-Gerasimov sum rule. In addition, as R 1 → 0, the constituent quark helicites become completely disoriented and g A → 0.
BLUE AND WHITE LIGHT EFFECTS ON CHLOROPLAST DEVELOPMENT IN A SOYBEAN MUTANT

Phenotypic difference for chloroplast development between the normal green (CL1) and the Cy9y9 soybean mutant was observed when the plants were grown under 18W m-2 white or blue light. Under these conditions the mutant soybean accumulated less Chl[chlorophyll]b, neoxanthin, carotene and less total pigment than the CL1 genotype. Chloroplasts of the Cy9y9 line were deficient in the LHP complex relative to that of chloroplasts from the normal soybean. Specific differences were noted between chloroplasts from plants grown under blue and white light. Accumulations of a 34 kD [kilodalton] (PSII) and a 16-17 kD (PSI) membrane polypeptide were decreased by blue light in both soybean genotypes. Blue light induced a greater accumulation of a 32 kD (PSII) polypeptide than white light. Blue light reduced granal thylakoid stacking and increased the proportion of stroma thylakoids compared to those that developed under white light. PSI electron transport activity was stimulated by the blue light treatment more than that of PSII.
Genitourinary complications of epidermolysis bullosa.

Epidermolysis bullosa is a rare inherited bullous disorder of the skin that occasionally involves the urinary tract. We describe a child with a history of epidermolysis bullosa who presented with hematuria, urgency, and dysuria. On radiographic investigation, bladder wall lesions were found. On cystoscopy, these were bullous lesions on the urinary bladder that at biopsy were shown to have inflammatory changes without evidence of malignancy. This is consistent with rare involvement of the bladder in epidermolysis bullosa. Symptomatic treatment resolved this patient’s urologic complaints.
“I Learned That There's a State Called Victoria and He Has Six Blue-Tongued Lizards!”

In the study described in this article, fourth-grade teachers and students of different abilities and language backgrounds were interviewed before, during, and after participating in an Internet pen pal program. Results reveal that the program's authentic tasks and texts facilitated communication and enabled students to learn about a different culture. Enthusiasm generated by the program was evidenced in student writing. This program motivated students to write. It facilitated problem solving and supported critical thinking in written-language acquisition.
Impact of donor deferrals for malaria on blood availability in the United States.

BACKGROUND: US blood availability is negatively impacted by residence or travel-related deferrals designed to prevent transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 group O, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Leishmania, and malaria. Generally, travel and residence deferrals lack sensitivity and specificity to identify infected donors, particularly for malaria. This study evaluated trends in malaria deferrals and their impact on blood availability from 2000 through 2006. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An American Red Cross (ARC) research database was used to monitor trends in deferrals for exposure to Plasmodium spp., the causative agents of malaria. Annual deferral rates were classified as travel, residence, and history of malaria during 2000 through 2006. Overall yearly donation rates for acceptable donors were determined and used to estimate donations lost due to malaria-related deferrals. RESULTS: Approximately 29 million donors presented at ARC collection sites and 316,495 (1.1%) were deferred for malaria risk. More than 91 percent of malaria deferrals were for travel to endemic countries; travel deferrals showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) throughout the study period. Calculations of yearly donation rates suggested that more than 540,000 potential ARC blood donations were lost to malaria deferrals during the 7-year period. CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority of malaria deferrals were for travel to endemic areas; however, few US donors visit those areas associated with most US cases of malaria or transfusion-transmitted malaria. Current interventions fail to capture many semi-immune donors, those at greatest risk for transmitting infection. Considerations should be given to selective screening and permanent deferral of donors with a history of malaria.
Radiation and scattering from a microstrip patch on a uniaxial substrate

The problem of a rectangular microstrip antenna printed on a uniaxially anisotropic substrate is treated. The effect of anisotropy on the resonant frequency and surface wave excitation of the antenna is considered, and the radar cross section (RCS) of the antenna is calculated. The RCS calculation includes the effect of the load impedance (antenna mode scattering). Results for the resonant frequency of a patch on a uniaxial substrate are compared with measurements, and the RCS of a patch on an isotropic substrate is compared with measurements. The derivation of the uniaxial Green's function in spectral form, the associated moment method analysis for the input impedance and scattering of the microstrip patch, and the expressions for the far-zone fields of a source on a uniaxial substrate are presented.
Studies on a glutathione S-transferase preparation from mouse liver which conjugates chloro-s-triazine herbicides

Abstract A preparation which had glutathione S -transferase activity was purified 61-fold from mouse liver using atrazine as the substrate. The enzyme preparation had a molecular weight of 47,000 as determined by gel filtration and was a dimer composed of 2 equal subunits with a molecular weight of 23,000. The activation energy was 7.76 kcal/mol. The optimum pH range for activity was 8.5–9.0. With atrazine and its analogs, it was observed that a chloro group at the 2-position was essential for conjugation and the reaction rate decreased with analogs lacking the alkyl side chains. Atrazine was conjugated faster than either simazine or propazine.
Serum amyloid A protein and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in the newborn

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase inflammatory marker that is closely associated with ischemic injuries. Its expression in neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) has not been studied. To test the hypothesis that SAA is increased in neonatal HIE and its concentration correlates with the severity of encephalopathy. We conducted a prospective case-control study on 54 full-term neonates; 27 cases with evidence of perinatal compromise and 27 healthy controls. Blood samples were collected from cases and controls at postnatal day 1 and day 7, and SAA was measured by ELISA. SAA concentrations (μg ml−1) were significantly increased in cases when compared with controls at day 1 and at day 7 (P<0.001). SAA concentrations at day 1 were greater in cases who died when compared with those who survived, and correlated significantly with the severity of HIE (146.9±56.4 vs 79.8±24.7 vs 58.1±21.5) in severe, moderate and mild HIE, respectively (P=0.001). The expression of SAA is increased in response to hypoxia ischemia of the neonate. The increased concentration correlates with the severity of encephalopathy and is associated with mortality. This is the first study of SAA in neonatal HIE.
The relation between money growth variability and the variability of money about target

Abstract An increase in the speed at which the Fed returns the money stock to its targeted path following a stochastic shock can cause a lower variance of money about the targeted level while causing a greater variance of the growth rate of the money stock.
ESPI-FEM hybrid system for studies of time-dependent stress characteristics in small components

Understanding and quantitative modeling of stress relaxation processes are very important for reliable and efficient design of the load resisting structures. In this paper a hybrid ESPI-FEM system for evaluation of time-dependent stress and strain characteristics in small components is presented. Based on results obtained by this method a long term prediction of material behavior can be done. Problems related to the coupling of results from the experiment to an FEM model are discussed and illustrated with reference to speckle interferometry stress analysis of a cantilever beam. Results show that for the conditions tested, stress level in the cantilever beam reduces by 10% of the level at the instant of the loading.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Robust approaches to quantitative ratiometric FRET imaging of CFP/YFP fluorophores under confocal microscopy

Ratiometric quantification of CFP/YFP FRET enables live-cell time-series detection of molecular interactions, without the need for acceptor photobleaching or specialized equipment for determining fluorescence lifetime. Although popular in widefield applications, its implementation on a confocal microscope, which would enable sub-cellular resolution, has met with limited success. Here, we characterize sources of optical variability (unique to the confocal context) that diminish the accuracy and reproducibility of ratiometric FRET determination and devise practical remedies. Remarkably, we find that the most popular configuration, which pairs an oil objective with a small pinhole aperture, results in intractable variability that could not be adequately corrected through any calibration procedure. By quantitatively comparing several imaging configurations and calibration procedures, we find that significant improvements can be achieved by combining a water objective and increased pinhole aperture with a uniform-dye calibration procedure. The combination of these methods permitted remarkably consistent quantification of sub-cellular FRET in live cells. Notably, this methodology can be readily implemented on a standard confocal instrument, and the dye calibration procedure yields a time savings over traditional live-cell calibration methods. In all, identification of key technical challenges and practical compensating solutions promise robust sub-cellular ratiometric FRET imaging under confocal microscopy.
The Pioneering Efforts of Major General William Crozier (1855-1942) in the Field of Management

As Chief of Ordnance for the U.S. Army for over 16 years, Major General William Crozier became closely involved in the implementation of Frederick W. Taylor's scientific management in Army arsenals. Although much has been reported about Taylor and his followers, this article describes the contributions and tribulations of a practitioner who represented one of Taylor's clients during the turbulent implementation of Taylor's ideas.
Solubilization and reconstitution of a vanadate-sensitive H+-ATPase from the plasma membrane ofBeta vulgaris

A vanadate-sensitive H+-translocating ATPase isolated from red beet plasma membrane has been solubilized in active form and successfully reconstituted into artificial proteoliposomes. The H+-ATPase was solubilized in active form with deoxycholate, CHAPSO or octylglucoside in the presence of glycerol. Following detergent removal by gel filtration and reconstitution into proteoliposomes, ATP:Mg-dependent H+ transport could be measured as ionophore-reversible quenching of acridine orange fluorescence. Solubilization resulted in a three-to fourfold purification of the plasma membrane ATPase, with some additional enrichment of specific activity following reconstitution. H+ transport activity was inhibited half-maximally between 1 and 5 μM vanadate (Na3VO4) and nearly abolished by 100 μM vanadate. ATPase activity of native plasma membrane showed aKi for vanadate inhibition of 9.5 μM, and was inhibited up to 80% by 15 to 20 μM vanadate (Na3VO4). ATPase activity of the reconstituted vesicles showed aKi of 2.6 μM for vanadate inhibition. The strong inhibition by low concentrations of vanadate indicates a plasma membrane rather than a mitochondrial or tonoplast origin for the reconstituted enzyme.
Intrabodies: turning the humoral immune system outside in for intracellular immunization.

Antibodies have long been used in biomedical science as in vitro tools for the identification, purification and functional manipulation of target antigens; they have been exploited in vivo for diagnostic and therapeutic applications as well. Recent advances in antibody engineering have now allowed the genes encoding antibodies to be manipulated so that the antigen binding domain can be expressed intracellularly. The specific and high-affinity binding properties of antibodies, combined with their ability to be stably expressed in precise intracellular locations inside mammalian cells, has provided a powerful new family of molecules for gene therapy applications. These intracellular antibodies are termed ‘intrabodies’. Two clinical protocols have been approved by the RAC for the use of intrabodies in the treatment of an oncologic and an infectious disease. Their clinical use will in all likelihood become widespread if these initial studies show ‘proof in principle’. In this article, the studies from laboratories that have used intrabodies as molecular reagents for cancer therapy and for the control of infectious diseases will be reviewed and future directions of this technology will be discussed.
Sandia’s Supercritical CO2 Direct Cycle Gas Fast Reactor (SC-GFR) Concept

The advanced nuclear concept group at Sandia National Laboratories has been investigating two advance right size reactors (RSR); this paper will discuss one of these two systems. The supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2), direct cycle gas fast reactor (SC-GFR) concept was developed to determine the feasibility of a RSR type concept using S-CO2 as the working fluid in a direct cycle fast reactor. Although a significant amount of work is still required, this type of reactor concept maintains some potentially significant advantages over ideal gas-cooled systems and liquid metal-cooled systems. The analyses presented in this paper show that a relatively small long-life reactor core could be developed that maintains decay heat removal by natural circulation. The SC-GFR concept is a relatively small (200 MWth) fast reactor that is cooled with CO2 at a pressure of 20 MPa. The CO2 flows out of the reactor vessel at ∼650°C directly into a turbine-generator unit to produce electrical power. The thermodynamic cycle that is used for the power conversion is a supercritical gas Brayton cycle with CO2 as the working fluid. With the CO2 gas near the critical point after the heat rejection portion of the cycle, it can be compressed with less power as compared to a standard gas Brayton cycle, thereby allowing for a higher thermal efficiency at the same turbine inlet temperature. A cycle efficiency of 45–50% is theoretically achievable for an optimized configuration. The major advantages of the concept include the following: • High thermal efficiency at relatively low reactor outlet temperatures; • Compact, cost-effective, power conversion system; • Non-flammable, stable, inert, non-toxic, inexpensive, and well-characterized coolant; • Potential long-life core and closed fuel cycle; • Small void reactivity worth from loss of coolant; • Natural convection decay heat removal; • Feasible design using today’s technologies. The goal of this work was to develop a SC-GFR concept and perform scoping analyses, including a review of other concepts that are similar in nature, to determine concept feasibility, advantages, disadvantages, and issues requiring further investigation. Overall, the SC-GFR concept as described in this paper appears feasible and warrants further study.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A Crisis of Legitimacy: Shakespeare's Richard II and the Problems of Modern Executive Leadership

“A Crisis of Legitimacy” is a unique comparative examination of the question of legitimate rule, as observed through Shakespeare's Richard II and the contemporary presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Largely pedagogical, this article is the result of an active learning exercise, whereby students in a “Politics and Literature” course were asked to discover the criteria for legitimate political rule and then to apply said criteria to the reigns of Richard II, Bolingbroke, and the two most recent U.S. Presidents. The results revealed much about the complex nature of legitimacy, as well as the entangled nature of student self-interest in the political evaluative process.
Stability criteria for continuous-time systems with colored multiplicative noise

Uncertain elements must be considered in the mathematical model of many dynamical systems. The theory associated with additive noise models is quite advanced, but many control problems are more realistically modeled as containing uncertain and time varying parameters or gains. For multiplicative gains of the white noise type, necessary and sufficient conditions for the stability of many of these systems have been derived previously. In this article, we develop conditions for the stability of some continuous-time systems containing multiplicative colored noise.
Sequential 2′-O-Methylation of Archaeal Pre-tRNATrp Nucleotides Is Guided by the Intron-encoded but trans-Acting Box C/D Ribonucleoprotein of Pre-tRNA *

Haloferax volcanii pre-tRNATrp processing requires box C/D ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-guided 2′-O-methylation of nucleotides C34 and U39 followed by intron excision. Positioning of the box C/D guide RNA within the intron of this pre-tRNA led to the assumption that nucleotide methylation is guided by the cis-positioned box C/D RNPs. We have now investigated the mechanism of 2′-O-methylation for the H. volcanii pre-tRNATrpin vitro by assembling methylation-competent box C/D RNPs on both the pre-tRNA and the excised intron (both linear and circular forms) using Methanocaldococcus jannaschii box C/D RNP core proteins. With both kinetic studies and single nucleotide substitutions of target and guide nucleotides, we now demonstrate that pre-tRNA methylation is guided in trans by the intron-encoded box C/D RNPs positioned in either another pre-tRNATrp or in the excised intron. Methylation by in vitro assembled RNPs prefers but does not absolutely require Watson-Crick pairing between the guide and target nucleotides. We also demonstrate for the first time that methylation of two nucleotides guided by a single box C/D RNA is sequential, that is, box C′/D′ RNP-guided U39 methylation first requires box C/D RNP-guided methylation of C34. Methylation of the two nucleotides of exogenous pre-tRNATrp added to an H. volcanii cell extract also occurs sequentially and is also accomplished in trans using RNPs that pre-exist in the extract. Thus, this trans mechanism is analogous to eukaryal pre-rRNA 2′-O-methylation guided by intron-encoded but trans-acting box C/D small nucleolar RNPs. This trans mechanism could explain the observed accumulation of the excised H. volcanii pre-tRNATrp intron in vivo. A trans mechanism would also eliminate the obligatory refolding of the pre-tRNA that would be required to carry out two cis-methylation reactions before pre-tRNA splicing.
Inotrope, Lusitrope, and Pressor Use in Neonates

Successful management of neonatal shock is driven by the etiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular compromise. In the clinical practice, however, we only have a limited ability to recognize the etiology of the condition (hypovolemia, myocardial dysfunction or abnormal vasoregulation). Therefore, management is based on administration of fluid boluses and vasoactive medications according to personal preference rather than to the underlying pathophysiology. In addition, although management strategies aimed at improving systemic blood pressure may have been associated with a decrease in mortality in critically ill neonates, there are no prospective data on the effect of these management strategies on morbidity, especially on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. This paper briefly reviews some of the more frequently encountered clinical presentations of neonatal shock and describes the developmentally regulated cardiovascular responses to the pathophysiology-driven management strategies used in these clinical presentations in the critically ill preterm and term neonate.
Values of fasting glucose levels, glucose tolerance tests, and glucose-insulin ratios as predictors of glucose tolerance.

Abstract Objective: To examine the ability to use parameters obtainable from an oral glucose tolerance test to predict insulin action as determined under hyperinsulinemic, hyperglycemic conditions. Design: Prospective clinical investigation. Setting: University medical center clinical research unit. Patient(s): Healthy male volunteers. Intervention(s): Oral glucose tolerance test and hyperglycemic (+125 mg/dL) clamp studies. Main outcome measure(s) Glucose and insulin (I) levels, rate of glucose uptake (M) under hyperglycemic conditions, and M/I ratios. Result(s): Among individuals with normal glucose tolerance, as assessed by an oral glucose tolerance test, the fasting insulin level is the glucose tolerance test parameter that correlates best with insulin action during a hyperglycemic clamp. Conclusion(s): Measurement of fasting serum insulin levels in conjunction with an oral glucose tolerance test improves the ability to assess insulin action. Such combinations may improve the ability to diagnose insulin-resistant states.
AC circulating currents suppression in modular multilevel converter

Modular multilevel converter is a next generation multilevel converters for medium to high voltage conversion applications, such as medium voltage motor drive and high voltage direct current transmission. One potential issue of this type of converter is the AC circulating current, which increases the current stress and brings additional conduction loss to the system. This paper proposes modified control architecture for modular multilevel converters, aiming at suppressing the AC components in the circulating current. Specifically, a proportional-resonant type minor loop is incorporated to regulate the most AC components of the circulating current to zero in addition to the DC regulation loop. The proposed minor loop can also be applied to single phase MMC, which is not available in previous methods. Simulation results for a three-phase MMC operating as an inverter are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.
Effect of number of trials on the language conditioning of meaning.

(1959). Effect of Number of Trials on the Language Conditioning of Meaning. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 61, No. 2, pp. 211-223.
ON THE CONSUMER WELFARE EFFECT OF VERTICAL INTEGRATION: A GENERALIZATION AND SIMPLIFICATION FOR THE CES CASE

Within the vertical integration literature, it is a long standing proposition that the market level price of a downstream product is invariant with respect to the vertical integration and subsequent monopolization of that downstream industry by a lone input monopolist, given that the downstream production process is a fixed proportions technology and that there is competition in all related relevant industries. Consequently, it has been argued that the consumer welfare effects of permitting integration and monopolization by the upstream monopolist are inconsequential. It is also well known that this vertical integration and downstream monopolization will not result in either a greater or a lesser total profit for the lone input monopolist. Thus, it is also argued that there is no incentive for the monopolist to integrate into the downstream industry and monopolize it, given the presence of the fixed proportions technology.
Generation of biologically active interleukin-1β by meprin B

Abstract Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a proinflammatory cytokine that is synthesized as an inactive precursor molecule that must be proteolytically processed to generate the biologically active form. Maturation of the precursor is primarily performed by caspase-1, an intracellular cysteine protease; however, processing by other proteases has been described. Meprins are cell surface and secreted metalloproteases expressed by renal and intestinal brush-border membranes, leukocytes, and cancer cells. In this study we show that purified recombinant meprin B can process the interleukin-1β precursor to a biologically active form. Amino-terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry analysis of the product of digestion by activated meprin B determined that proteolytic cleavage resulted in an additional six amino acids relative to the site utilized by caspase-1. The biological activity of the meprin B-cleaved cytokine was confirmed by measuring the proliferative response of helper T-cells. These results suggest that meprin may play an important role in activation of this proinflammatory cytokine in various pathophysiological conditions.
Effect of dietary protein level and kind of carbohydrate on growth and selected pathological and biochemical parameters in female BHE rats

Abstract Male BHE 1 rats were fed one of four levels of dietary protein (6%, 8%, 20%, or 45% casein) with either sucrose or cornstarch from weaning to 400 days of age. The effects of dietary carbohydrate and protein were independent of each other for all parameters measured. When the protein level was 8% or 45%, or when sucrose was the carbohydrate source, the young, rapidly growing rat responded differently than the mature rat to food consumption and this was reflected in body weight. Low protein diets generally resulted in small kidney weights, low total serum protein and prealbumin, as well as increased incidence and degree of kidney calcification. Nephrosis was a common pathological condition in the males at 400 days of age, regardless of the level of protein or type of carbohydrate fed. The extent of damage (hyalin score), however, was exacerbated when the diet contained 20% or 45% protein, or when sucrose was the carbohydrate source. By 175 days of age, changes in the percentage distribution of urinary proteins separated by electrophoresis suggested a possible means of predicting the onset of nephrosis.
Convergence of Least Squares Learning in Self-Referential Discontinuous Stochastic Models

Abstract We examine the stability of rational expectations equilibria in the class of models in which the decision of the individual agent is discontinuous with respect to the state variables. Instead of rational expectations, each agent learns the unknown parameters through a recursive stochastic algorithm. If the agents update the estimated value function rapidly enough, then each agent learns the true value function associated with the optimal action with probability 1 and almost always takes the optimal action asymptotically. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Number: C62, D83.
DETERMINATION OF SEROTONIN IN BLOOD USING AN ION-EXCHANGE RESIN.

Abstract A method is presented for the determination of small amounts of serotonin in blood. The procedure involves the quantitative isolation of platelets from blood by the differences of the specific gravity of blood components in a silicone fluid. The serotonin extracted from the isolated platelets is concentrated and purified with the use of the cation exchange resin, Amberlite CG-50, and determined spectrophotofluoro-metrically.
The Design and Development of a Through-the-Road Parallel Diesel Electric Hybrid

Mississippi State University students in their third year of Challenge X competition have transformed a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox into a diesel-electric hybrid at a 99% buy-off vehicle readiness level. The vehicle, configured in a charge sustaining, through-the-road parallel architecture, offers significant improvements over the stock vehicle with a 45% increase in fuel economy and a 3.5% increase in 0-60 mph acceleration, while maintaining a Tier 2 Bin 8 EPA emissions rating with an impressive towing capacity of 2500 lbs. The MSU Equinox utilizes a 1.9 L diesel engine burning B20 biodiesel fuel with a six-speed manual transmission that is augmented by an ac induction electric motor-transaxle assembly. A nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack provides sufficient energy storage to accomplish peak shaving so that the engine operates in its most efficient regime. Optimal vehicle performance was achieved with the powertrain system analysis toolkit (PSATtrade) and MATLABtrade that facilitated the design of an advanced vehicle architecture and control strategy to reduce energy consumption and emissions. Simulation results are compared with actual experimental data obtained on a four-wheel chassis dynamometer and road tests so as to validate the mathematical model. These studies together with several documented vehicle improvements bring the MSU Equinox to a 99% buy-off readiness level so as to comply with competition requirements.
Consequences of gluon condensation

Abstract We argue that the present estimates of gluon condensation may indicate that the bound states of gluons could be light. We pursue this line of reasoning to see if such a possibility is phenomenologically consistent.
An Optimized Simulation Model for Iron-Based Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst Design: Transfer Limitations as Functions of Operating and Design Conditions

Abstract Transfer limitations were successfully modeled and optimized for iron-based catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. The simulation model predicts the effect of changing reaction temperatures, reaction pressures, catalyst pellet size, and the feed CO composition on pore diffusion, film heat transfer, internal heat transfer, and pressure drop. The comprehensive contour maps obtained from the model quantitatively display the effects of these various design variables to both optimize catalyst design and provide guidance for kinetic experiments. The optimization results favor higher reaction temperatures and pressures, smaller pellet sizes, and lower feed CO compositions to maintain high activity of kinetically-controlled reaction rates. The optimal temperature (255.8 °C) was constrained by the rate of catalytic deactivation. The model was validated by experimental data acquired from a fixed-bed reactor and shows excellent agreement. The model predicts the observed rate to be 79% of the intrinsic rate at 250 °C, 20 bar, equimolar H2:CO, and 425 μm pellet size, while experimental results showed this percentage was 74 ± 7% for 250–600 μm pellets. The model predicts no pore-diffusion limitations at pellet sizes smaller than 250 μm, indicating that the reaction rate is kinetically-controlled. Furthermore, the resistance due to film temperature gradients is more limiting than that due to intraparticle temperature gradients. Finally, pressure drop was well below 10% of the inlet reactor pressure under laboratory-scale conditions. The model was used to predict the effect of using smaller catalyst pellets on pressure drop for a commercial-scale reactor, which showed that acceptable operation could be expected with a pressure drop of 20% of the inlet reactor pressure.
Bringing RNA-seq closer to the clinic.

Several multicenter benchmark data sets represent valuable steps toward using RNA-seq as a diagnostic tool with clinical utility.
Kinetic isotope effects on aromatic and benzylic hydroxylation by Chromobacterium violaceum phenylalanine hydroxylase as probes of chemical mechanism and reactivity.

Phenylalanine hydroxylase from Chromobacterium violaceum (CvPheH) is a non-heme iron monooxygenase that catalyzes the hydroxylation of phenylalanine to tyrosine. In this study, we used deuterium kinetic isotope effects to probe the chemical mechanisms of aromatic and benzylic hydroxylation to compare the reactivities of bacterial and eukaryotic aromatic amino acid hydroxylases. The Dkcat value for the reaction of CvPheH with [2H5]phenylalanine is 1.2 with 6-methyltetrahydropterin and 1.4 with 6,7-dimethyltetrahydropterin. With the mutant enzyme I234D, the Dkcat value decreases to 0.9 with the latter pterin; this is likely to be the intrinsic effect for addition of oxygen to the amino acid. The isotope effect on the subsequent tautomerization of a dienone intermediate was determined to be 5.1 by measuring the retention of deuterium in tyrosine produced from partially deuterated phenylalanine; this large isotope effect is responsible for the normal effect on kcat. The isotope effect for hydroxylation of the...
Influence of surfactants on the conformation of β‐lactoglobulin B using circular dichroism

The effect of several surfactants on the secondary structure of bovine β-lactoglobulin B was determined from the circular dichroism spectra. The spectra were measured at several concentrations of surfactant ranging from 1 mg/mL to the critical micelle concentration. The surfactants studied were sodium dodecyl, decyl, and octyl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sarcosinate, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. The data were analyzed using the method of Chen et al. [Biochemistry (1974) 13, 3350–3359] to determine the percentage of α-helix, β-sheet, and unordered form at each surfactant concentration. In every case, an increase in structured form and a 20–25% decrease in the amount of unordered form was noted when the surfactant concentration reached the critical micelle concentration. However, the relative amounts of the two structured forms present depend on the surfactant used. The profile of the secondary structure of the protein also varied from surfactant to surfactant as the protein was titrated, probably reflecting the delicate balance between ionic and nonionic forces that governs the secondary structure of β-lactoglobulin and most other globular proteins in aqueous solution.
Interrater Reliability and Test-Retest Stability of the Developmental Activities Screening Inventory-II.

Problems using norm-referenced instruments to assess very young children with severe handicaps are significant. One alternative is to use criterion-referenced assessment instruments. While many psychometric characteristics common to norm-referenced tests are not appropriate for criterion-referenced assessment instruments, interrater reliability and test-retest stability (reliability) are appropriate, due to the formative, as well as summative, uses of these instruments. The Developmental Activities Screening Inventory II (DASI-II) was administered to a group of young (M age e 24.1 months) children with severe handicaps. Results indicated that interrater reliability was statistically significant across raters for all scores reported by the DASI-II and that test-retest stability was statistically significant across administrations and raters.
Effect of dihydrotestosterone on turnover of alcohol dehydrogenase in rat hepatocyte culture

Dihydrotestosterone decreased alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity and enzyme-protein in rat hepatocytes in culture. This effect was observed after the hepatocytes had been exposed to dihydrotestosterone for 3 days at concentrations of 0.5 μmol/L or higher. Dihydrotestosterone did not decrease alcohol dehydrogenase messenger RNA (mRNA) but, rather, resulted in small increases in ADH mRNA after 3 days of exposure. To further determine the mechanism for the effects of dihydrotestosterone in decreasing the enzyme, the turnover of ADH was determined after incorporation of [3H]-leucine into the enzyme protein. Dihydrotestosterone did not alter the initial 2-hour incorporation of [3H]-leucine into the enzyme protein. Dihydrotestosterone, however, resulted in an increase in the fractional rate of degradation (Kd) of the enzyme from 0.12 ± 0.013 to 0.23 ± 0.004 per hour (P .05). Hence, the mechanism for the fall in ADH in the presence of dihydrotestosterone is an increase in enzyme degradation which is not accompanied by a sufficient increase in enzyme synthesis.
Thermal integration of a cylindrically symmetric methanol fuel processor for portable fuel cell power

Abstract The realization of a proven approach combining small hydrogen fuel cells with reformed methanol has continued to be elusive. This is so because of the overwhelming challenge of thermally integrating a chemical process involving many steps, each at a unique temperature, within a confined volume. In addition, heat loss to the environment becomes correspondingly higher as overall size shrinks due to increasing surface-to-volume ratio, requiring an inordinate use of system volume on thermal insulation. To address these challenges, we present a study based on extrapolation of experiment which incorporates novel cylindrical symmetry of the methanol fuel processor based on microchemical system technology. Models for two different fuel processor-proton exchange fuel cell systems of 4-W and 20-W scale are presented. ASPEN process simulation was used to establish basic system operating parameters. Finite difference modeling of the axisymmetric configuration was used to establish the heat flows in the systems. The results indicate strong potential for the cylindrical arrangement to provide viable self-contained small form factor battery replacements.
Isolation of rat ventral prostate basal and luminal epithelial cells by the STAPUT technique.

BACKGROUND The prostatic epithelium consists principally of basal epithelial cells, luminal epithelial cells, and neuroendocrine cells. Several studies support the concept that among basal cells, a subpopulation of stem cells resides which is capable of giving rise to other stem cells, basal epithelial cells, and also luminal epithelial cells and neuroendocrine cells. Other investigators suggest that luminal epithelial cells can also regenerate prostatic epithelium. Availability of pure populations of basal and luminal epithelial cells will aid in studies on defining the cellular pathways of differentiation during normal and pathological conditions. This study was designed to isolate and characterize pure populations of basal and luminal epithelial cells from adult rat ventral prostates. METHODS Sequential enzymatic digestion and differential plating permitted the separation of glandular epithelial cells from stromal cells. The glandular epithelial cells were subjected to the STAPUT technique. RESULTS Two types of cell populations, a large single-cell population and a small single-cell population, were obtained and characterized as basal and luminal epithelial cells by immunostaining for cytokeratin 5 and cytokeratin 8, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that purified populations of prostatic basal and luminal epithelial cells can be isolated by the STAPUT technique. Prostate 41:173–180, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ecology of Chicken Turtles (Deirochelys reticularia) in a Seasonal Wetland Ecosystem: Exploiting Resource and Refuge Environments

Abstract Chicken turtles (Deirochelys reticularia) were studied at Dry Bay, a Carolina bay wetland in South Carolina, USA, between 1994 and 2005. A total of 461 individual turtles was marked from 1993–1998. Minimum ages at maturity for males and females were 2 and 5 yr, respectively. All females reproduced each year, and 60% of reproductive females produced two clutches per season. Clutch size averaged 9.8 eggs, and both clutch and egg size increased with body size. Hatchlings averaged 29.2 mm PL, and body sizes were similar among years. Yearling survivorship varied from 7.0–43.0% (mean = 20.4%) among years. The highest survivorship of a hatchling cohort to age 5 was 0.21. Survivorships of juveniles and adults while in terrestrial refugia were higher than survivorships while in aquatic habitats. No adult females survived a 2-yr drought (2001–2003), and the bay was repopulated by mature males and juvenile females (most from the 1998 hatchling cohort) that had survived the extended drought in terrestrial re...
Tillage and Residual Nitrogen Impact on Wheat Forage

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) forage yield and quality can be affected by management of the previous crop. The objective of this study was to evaluate two tillage systems [no-till (NT) and conventional (CT)] and residual response to four N rates (0, 67, 134, and 202 kg ha -1 ) applied to the previous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crop. The experiment was conducted on a Dothan sandy loam (fine, loamy siliceous, thermic Plinthic Kandiudults) in 1995-1996 and 1996-1997. Greater wheat dry matter yields were obtained from CT than NT in 1995-1996 (6.3 and 5.4 Mg ha -1 , respectively), while tillage did not influence yields in 1996-1997 (7.5 and 8.0 Mg ha -1 for CT and NT, respectively). Wheat yields were not influenced by N application to the previous cotton crop. The in vitro organic matter digestion (IVOMD) was not influenced by tillage or N application to the previous cotton crop. With increasing N application to a previous cotton crop, neutral detergent fiber (NDFt) and neutral detergent ash-free (NDFaf) increased in wheat forage under CT and decreased in NT. Nitrogen concentration of wheat increased with N application to the previous crop. Concentration of P was greater from CT than NT in 1995-1996, while tillage did not influence P concentration in 1996-1997 growing season. Increasing N application rates to the previous crop decreased NDFt and NDFaf in wheat grown in NT and increased N concentration in dry matter of wheat grown in both tillage systems. Generally, NT is a viable option for growing wheat forage following cotton.
Anisotropic Hydraulic Permeability Under Finite Deformation

The structural organization of biological tissues and cells often produces anisotropic transport properties. These tissues may also undergo large deformations under normal function, potentially inducing further anisotropy. A general framework for formulating constitutive relations for anisotropic transport properties under finite deformation is lacking in the literature. This study presents an approach based on representation theorems for symmetric tensor-valued functions and provides conditions to enforce positive semidefiniteness of the permeability or diffusivity tensor. Formulations are presented, which describe materials that are orthotropic, transversely isotropic, or isotropic in the reference state, and where large strains induce greater anisotropy. Strain-induced anisotropy of the permeability of a solid-fluid mixture is illustrated for finite torsion of a cylinder subjected to axial permeation. It is shown that, in general, torsion can produce a helical flow pattern, rather than the rectilinear pattern observed when adopting a more specialized, unconditionally isotropic spatial permeability tensor commonly used in biomechanics. The general formulation presented in this study can produce both affine and nonaffine reorientations of the preferred directions of material symmetry with strain, depending on the choice of material functions. This study addresses a need in the biomechanics literature by providing guidelines and formulations for anisotropic strain-dependent transport properties in porous-deformable media undergoing large deformations.
An efficient method for accurate evaluation of the site-site direct correlation functions of molecular fluids

The direct correlation function (DCF) plays an important role in liquid integral-equation theories and non-mean-field applications of the classical density functional theory (DFT). While for a simple fluid the DCF can easily be calculated from the radial distribution function via the Fourier transform and/or, for special cases, can be derived from analytical solutions of the Ornstein–Zernike equation, computation of the site–site DCFs of a molecular fluid is more challenging because of numerical issues associated with solving the matrix integral equations. This paper describes a new theoretical method for accurate evaluation of the site–site DCFs of molecular fluids by combination of molecular simulation and analytical asymptotic analysis. The computational procedure entails four steps: (1) molecular simulation is used to calculate the site–site total correlation functions (TCFs) in real space; (2) the reference-interaction-site model (RISM) is used to calculate the site–site DCFs in Fourier space at larg...
Ethical issues in clinical trials involving nanomedicine

Nanomedicine shows tremendous promise for improving medical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, but it also raises a variety of ethical concerns. Because of the paucity of data on the physicochemical properties of nanoscale materials in biological systems, clinical trials of nanomedicine products present some unique challenges related to risk minimization, management and communication involving human subjects. Although these clinical trials do not raise any truly novel ethical issues, the rapid development of nanotechnology and its potentially profound social and environmental impacts, add a sense of urgency to the problems that arise.