cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A role for non-NMDA excitatory amino acid receptors in regulating the basal activity of rat globus pallidus neurons and their activation by the subthalamic nucleus

Abstract We have investigated the hypothesis that excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors in the globus pallidus (GP) play a significant role in maintaining the firing rates of GP neurons under basal conditions and following activation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Drugs were infused directly into the GP and/or STN while the extracellular single unit activity of Type II GP neurons was recorded in ketamine-anesthetized rats. Local infusions of the EAA agonists NMDA (30–300 pmol/200 nl) or AMPA (0.1–1 pmol/200 nl) elicited increases in the firing rate of GP neurons in a dose-dependent fashion. Infusion of the GABA A receptor antagonist bicuculline methiodine (1–10 pmol/100 nl) into the STN also elicited dose-related increases in the firing rate of GP neurons. Intrapallidal infusion of the non-NMDA (AMPA/kainate) receptor antagonist NBQX (0.1–1.0 nmol) reduced the basal firing rate of GP neurons by 40%. In contrast, the NMDA antagonist MK-801 (0.01–0.1 nmol) produced no significant effect on basal firing rate. Intrapallidal infusion of the non-selective EAA receptor antagonist kynurenic acid or NBQX reversed or blocked the increase in firing rate of GP neurons following bicuculline-induced activation of the STN. Similar treatment with MK-801, however, had no significant effect on this response. These results indicate that tonic stimulation of non-NMDA receptors plays an important role in maintaining the basal activity of GP neurons and in mediating the effects of increased excitatory input from subthalamic afferent neurons.
Living Transcription: The Poetry of Jean Tortel

With the publication of six new books of poetry since 1979, Jean Tortel has joined his contemporaries, Francis Ponge and Guillevic, as one of France's leading materialist poets. His writing, recounting the process of its own unfolding with voluptuous precision, is meant to bear witness through its figurations to the forces of chance and mutability governing the natural order. As such it constitutes a place of passage or verbal garden, both sumptuous and ordinary, where reading and formulation merge. This article is available in Studies in 20th Century Literature: http://newprairiepress.org/sttcl/vol13/iss1/4 LIVING TRANSCRIPTION: THE POETRY OF JEAN TORTEL Suzanne Nash Princeton University I suppose that "modernity" is in each one of us, in our own way, and that it is impossible to separate ourselves from it, thus useless to call upon it as such, since it declares us.' Jean Tortel, who celebrated his eighty-fourth birthday on the fourth of September, 1988, has published six new collections of poetry since 1979: Bodies Attacked; Discourse of the Eyes; Contingent Solutions; Leaves, Fallen from a Discourse; Arbitrary Spaces; and The Seasons on Trial.2 His work to date includes some twenty books of poetry and an important body of criticism on contemporary and pre-classical literature. Born in Avignon, the oldest son of elementary school teachers of peasant origin, he began writing under the guidance of his wife's uncle, the symbolist poet, Jean Royere, while earning a living as a functionary in the Finance Ministry, a job whose only virtue seems to have been that it gave him enough time to write. After being transferred to Marseille, Tortel joined the staff of the Cahiers du Sud, where he was a regular contributor and member of the editorial staff from 1938 until the journal was discontinued in 1966. His retirement to an old farm house in Avignon, on a road fortuitously named "Chemin des jardins neufs" ("New Gardens Road"), coincides with a surge of creativity which has brought him belated recognition as one of France's most respected contemporary poets. Highly regarded by a younger generation of poets at least since the 1960s, Tortel has, with the publication in 1984 of Raymond Jean's study in the Seghers "Pokes d'aujourd'hui" series, joined the officially recognized list of contemporary poets alongside of Jean Follain, Guillevic, and Francis Ponge, with whom he has important
Analysis of pH Dependent Uranium(VI) Sorption to Nanoparticulate Hematite by Flow Field-Flow Fractionation - Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

The ability to quantify the amount of metals ions that are present as macromolecular, nanoparticulate, or colloid phases is critical for understanding bioavailability and transport as well as performing risk assessments and remediation strategies. Flow field-flow fractionation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Fl FFF-ICP-MS) is a powerful separation tool that has been previously used to characterize colloidal metals in environmental samples. In this study we examine the degree to which Fl FFF-ICP-MS provides quantitative data on uranium speciation by comparing the results to centrifugation followed by filtration. Sorption of uranium to nanoparticulate hematite (∼60 nm) was examined over the pH range of 3 to 6. Close agreement was found between the two approaches over the pH range.
Juvenile hormone regulation of hemolymph juvenile hormone binding protein in the black strain of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

Numerous studies have demonstrated regulation of specific lepidopteran proteins by pharmacological doses of insect juvenile hormone (JH). In this study, topical application of a 1 pg dose of JH I to fourth stadium larvae of the black (bl) mutant strain of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, induced a 50% increase in the titer of hemolymph juvenile hormone binding protein (hJHBP). Radioimmunoassay confirmed that JH titers were lower in bl larvae than in wild-type larvae at the time of JH treatment. Enzyme immunoassay analysis of hJHBP titers demonstrated that regulation by JH I was dose-dependent at doses up to 10 pg and that the response was saturated above 100 pg. Western blotting and equilibrium dialysis confirmed these results and demonstrated that hJHBP from bl larvae had the same molecular mass and displayed the same affinity for JH I as hJHBP isolated from wild-type larvae. Time course studies showed that regulation was complex: 1 2 h after JH I treatment, hJHBP titers were twofold lower in treated than in control bl larvae, while 44 h after treatment they were twofold higher. JH I regulation of hJHBP titers in bl larvae was independent of changes in total hemolymph protein. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A symbolic generator of state equations for modeling of electrical systems

Abstract The ability to generate the state equations of a dynamic system in symbolic form is useful in a variety of applications such as automated control system design, analytical studies of limiting cases or direct generation of code for numerical simulation. This work focuses on the determination of state equations of electrical circuits. A systematic procedure is defined to determine the state equations. Appropriate conditions are specified along with necessary algorithms suitable for machine implementation. Extensions of this procedure to more general cases are addressed. A program (SEQS) is developed for a commercial symbolic manipulation system to automatically generate the state equations. Results of the application of SEQS are given for illustrative cases.
Laterally movable gate FET (LMGFET) for on-chip integration of MEMS with electronics

Operation of a new device structure called Laterally Movable Gate Field Effect Transistor (LMGFET) is reported here. The device drain current changes linearly with lateral gate motion. A prototype test device was designed and fabricated in our laboratory. A novel three-mask LIGA compatible process was used for device fabrication. A comb drive structure was used to drive the movable gate. On the unoptimized test device, static sensitivity to gate position of 6.4 A/m was observed in saturation with zero gate to source voltage. For the ac drive voltage on the comb drive, a sensitivity of 3.2 nA change in drain current per volt of ac drive voltage were observed at a dc bias of 38 V. Significant improvement in device performance are possible with changes in device design. This, to our knowledge, is the first report on the operation of a LMGFET with a driven gate.
IGF-I receptors in the bovine neural retina: structure, kinase activity and comparison with retinal insulin receptors

The retina contains specific high-affinity receptors for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Although IGF-I binding was observed in photoreceptor outer segments, the level of this binding was only 10% of that found in whole retina or mixed preparations of rod outer (ROS) and inner (RIS) segments. The higher IGF-I binding activity in RIS and non-photoreceptor regions of the retina suggests these sites as candidates for putative IGF-I action. Data from crosslinking experiments with and without neuraminidase treatment indicate that the binding subunits of the retinal IGF-I receptor exist in two subpopulations (Mr = 121- and 131 kDa), and that the larger of the two subunits has either a greater number or more exposed sialic acid residues. In these characteristics, the retinal IGF-I receptor is similar to the retinal insulin receptor. Retinal IGF-I and insulin receptors possess kinase activity towards their own beta-subunits, a tyrosine containing copolymer, and various molecular forms and subunits of transducin (T alpha-GDP, T alpha-GTP, T beta). The transducin forms are phosphorylated with different efficiencies (e.g. T alpha-GDP is 10-15 times more effective than T alpha-GTP as substrate). These differences are also observed in basal conditions and may reflect differences in transducin subunit affinity for the IGF-I and insulin receptor. In all retinal areas examined, tracer IGF-I binding is 10 to 20-fold higher than insulin binding; however, autophosphorylation levels are approximately equal.
Model Based Systems Engineering for Smart Grids as Systems of Systems

Abstract This paper presents a System of Systems (SOS) approach to understand, analyze, and design modern energy Smart Grids using Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies. The concept and definition of a Smart Grid as SOS is presented and Smart Grids are analyzed in the form of detailed architectural artifacts with System Modeling Language (SySML) using industry standards. As part of this research, the design space for Smart Grids was viewed from a logical, behavioral, physical, and techno-economical perspective for the optimal integration of various systems. In summary, this paper uses Methods, Processes, and existing Technologies (MPTs) in systems engineering (SE) and extends them to SOS perspective to help provide an end-to-end life cycle view of a fully functional energy Smart Grid system; in addition, we complement the NIST reference model with an Enterprise layer to address specific enterprise strategies. The paper intends to provide an insight into the methodologies that are involved to realize a functional Smart Grid as a self sustaining energy enterprise and presents the challenges and benefits of achieving the above goal.
Significant Others and Self-Evaluation Relationships between Perceived and Actual Evaluations

Inconsistent results have been obtained with respect to the congruence between perceived others' evaluations and the actual evaluations obtained from others when others have consisted of members of a peer group. In this study, 178 individuals described themselves as they believed significant others would describe them, and actual evaluations were obtained from one significant other for each of the 178 individuals. Under these conditions significant and consistent congruence was found for 53 personality traits between: (1) self-evaluations and perceived others' evaluations; (2) self-evaluations and actual evaluations obtained from one significant other; and (3) perceived others' evaluations and the actual evaluations by one significant other.
A polyhedral study of lot-sizing with supplier selection

Abstract The traditional lot-sizing problem is to find the least cost production lot-sizes in several time periods. We consider the lot-sizing model together with simultaneous selection of suppliers, which have variable and fixed costs. We study the underlying polytope. We provide valid inequalities for the uncapacitated case and we give sufficient and necessary conditions for facet-defining inequalities. We also give a full description of the underlying polyhedron. For the general capacitated case, we show how to derive several families of valid inequalities from standard lot-sizing valid inequalities.
Classifying Semi-Free Hamiltonian S1-Manifolds

In this paper, we describe a method to establish when a symplectic manifold M with semi-free Hamiltonian S 1 -action is unique up to isomorphism (equivariant symplectomorphism). This will rely on a study of the symplectic topology of the reduced spaces. We prove that if the reduced spaces satisfy a rigidity condition, then the manifold M is uniquely determined by fixed point data. In particular, we can prove that there is a unique family up to isomorphism of six-dimensional symplectic manifolds with semi-free S 1 -action and isolated fixed points.
Techniques for High-speed Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Rats and Rabbits

Progress in research on hypertension, heart failure, aging, post-infarct remodeling, and the molecular basis of cardiovascular diseases in general has been greatly facilitated in recent years by the development of specialized small-mammal models by selective breeding and/or genetic alteration. Routine noninvasive evaluation of cardiac function and perfusion in these animals models, however, is difficult using existing methods. In principle, MRI can be used for this purpose, but in practice this is difficult because of problems related to RF coils, cardiac gating, and imaging pulse sequences. In this article, solutions to these problems are described that have allowed us to use MRI to routinely image the hearts of rats and rabbits. Specifically described are four RF coils, cardiac gating schemes, and an imaging pulse sequence specially designed for cardiac imaging in these animals on a 4.7 T Omega chemical-shift imaging (CSI) spectrometer. These techniques can be used to obtain, within 2 min, eight double-oblique short-axis images of the rat at different cardiac phases with 200 × 400 μm in-plane resolution and a slice thickness of 2 mm. Moreover, myocardial tissue tagging can be performed with tag thicknesses and separations comparable to those used routinely in humans. The technical information is presented in sufficient detail to allow researchers at other sites to reproduce the results. This information should facilitate the use of MRI for the noninvasive examination of cardiac function and perfusion, which can be combined with other established techniques for the study of cardiovascular disease in specialized animal models.
Memory-for-designs drawing styles of psychiatric patients.

Studied the relationship between several Memory-For-Designs drawing styles and personality traits using a sample of psychiatric outpatients. Four MFD drawing styles were studied by comparing the MMPI scores of Ss who did or did not draw constricted figures, draw expanded figures, draw along the edges of the paper, or place the figures on the page in a disorganized manner. Contrary to previous work in this area, the present results showed a relationship between certain drawing styles and scores on the MMPI, i.e., certain drawing styles correlate with personality traits.
Homogeneous linewidth narrowing of the charged exciton via nuclear spin screening in an InAs/GaAs quantum dot ensemble

In semiconductor quantum dots, the electron hyperfine interaction with the nuclear spin bath is the leading source of spin decoherence at cryogenic temperature. Using high-resolution two-color differential transmission spectroscopy, we demonstrate that such electron-nuclear coupling also imposes a lower limit for the positively charged exciton dephasing rate, $\ensuremath{\gamma}$, in an ensemble of InAs/GaAs quantum dots. We find that $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ is sensitive to the energetic overlap of the charged exciton spin states, which can be controlled through the application of an external magnetic field in the Faraday configuration. At zero applied field, electron-nuclear coupling induces additional dephasing beyond the radiative limit and $\ensuremath{\gamma}=230$ MHz ($0.95$ $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{eV}$). Screening of the hyperfine interaction is achieved for an external field of $\ensuremath{\approx}1$ T, resulting in $\ensuremath{\gamma}=172$ MHz ($0.71$ $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{eV}$) limited only by spontaneous recombination along the dipole-allowed transition. These results are reproduced with a simple and intuitive model that captures the essential features of the electron hyperfine interaction and its influence on $\ensuremath{\gamma}$.
Drug-use initiation and conduct disorder among adolescents in drug treatment.

This study investigated effects of drug-use initiation and conduct disorder (CD) among 1031 adolescents who participated in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Studies for Adolescents (DATOS-A) sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The mean age of first drug use was 12.7 (S.D.=2.2), 57% met DSM-III-R criteria for CD, and earlier initiators were more likely to have CD. About 78% of the adolescents with CD reported that their first CD symptom occurred prior to drug-use initiation. The proportions of adolescents who had prior treatment were similar (about 28%) across all groups, but earlier initiators reported a greater number of treatment episodes and younger ages at their first treatment. Conduct disordered adolescents revealed greater problems prior to DATOS-A treatment, but they appeared to be more motivated and ready for treatment. Although adolescents with CD still showed worse outcomes after treatment, the impact of CD appeared to lessen when pretreatment differences were controlled. To a lesser extent, adolescents who began using drugs at earlier ages had greater alcohol and drug use and other problems at intake, but their treatment outcomes appeared to be similar to later initiators. There were few significant interaction effects of initiation and CD. Findings from this study highlight the importance of better understanding the progression of drug use, treatment utilization, and psychiatric comorbidity among adolescents with substance abuse problems.
An Analysis and Recommendations Concerning an Incident in Which Muslim Students Interrupted an Israel Official Speaking on a College Campus

Eleven young men, eight of them members of the Muslim Student Association at the University of California, Irvine, and three from UC Riverside, as part of a planned stratagem, in turn stood up and heckled the Israeli Ambassador to the United States for about 5 min during his public presentation on the Irvine campus. They were ejected from the auditorium and punished by the University. Subsequently, the local district attorney filed misdemeanor charges against the group and won a conviction. The article provides details of the event, the varying reactions to the behavior and to the criminal case, and describes and analyzes a key state Supreme Court opinion considering the constitutionality of the statute employed against the students. Finally, recommendations are offered as a means to avoid what the writer regards as an unfortunate and perhaps biased official action against members of an ethnic minority.
Prioritization of areas in China for the conservation of endangered birds using modelled geographical distributions

Summary We developed distributional models for 90 threatened bird species in China, and used heuristic complementarity algorithms to prioritize areas for conservation. The pixel-based area selection prioritized 20 areas for protection, which covered all species analysed. Area selecting for endangered species based on the existing biosphere reserve system included only 37–62 species in eleven reserves, leaving 28–53 species unprotected. We employed algorithms for area selection based on species richness and rarity and obtained two views of a most efficient reserve network. We used the distributional hypotheses to identify additions to the reserve system that would improve its effectiveness substantially. The pixel-based area selection approach includes species much more efficiently on a per-area basis, and thus offers exciting perspectives for improved protection of the country’s endangered avifauna.
Animation on Trial

This article first considers Kota Ezawa’s video installation, The Simpson Verdict within the broader context of the rising interest in animation on the contemporary art landscape. After exploring t...
Incorporation of Antiangiogenic Therapies in the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

Angiogenesis plays a central role in the development of metastasis in breast cancer. Recent results of large randomized trials show clinically significant improvements in outcomes with the use of bevacizumab in patients with metastatic breast cancer, leading to approval by European and US regulatory agencies. Several other antiangiogenic strategies are in various stages of development. This review discusses the results of recent clinical trials and novel mechanisms of inhibiting angiogenesis, resistance mechanisms, and toxicities; and raises key challenges that face optimal use and development of antiangiogenic agents in breast cancer.
D-Cycloserine added to risperidone in patients with primary negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Abstract Background . d -Cycloserine, a partial agonist at the glycine recognition site of the NMDA receptor has previously been shown to improve negative symptoms when added to conventional antipsychotics and to worsen negative symptoms when added to clozapine. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of d -cycloserine when added to risperidone on negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Method . Ten patients with schizophrenia who were treated with risperidone completed consecutive two week trials of placebo and four doses of d -cycloserine. Clinical assessments were videotaped and were scored by a rater who was blind to temporal sequence. Results . d -Cycloserine at a dose of 50 mg/day was associated with significant reduction in negative symptoms (mean=10%). Ratings of depression, extrapyramidal side effects, and cognitive function were unchanged. Serum concentrations of glutamate and serine increased significantly on this dose of d -cycloserine. Conclusions . This preliminary study suggests that combination of d -cycloserine, 50 mg/day, with risperidone may improve negative symptoms of schizophrenia over a narrow dose range. The degree of improvement appears to be intermediate between improvement of negative symptoms observed with combination of d -cycloserine with conventional antipsychotics and worsening of negative symptoms observed with combination of d -cycloserine with clozapine in previous trials of identical design.
Sorting it out: AP-2 and alternate clathrin adaptors in endocytic cargo selection

The AP-2 adaptor complex is widely viewed as a linchpin molecule in clathrin-mediated endocytosis, simultaneously binding both clathrin and receptors. This dual interaction couples cargo capture with clathrin coat assembly, but it has now been discovered that the association with cargo is tightly regulated. Remarkably, AP-2 is not obligatory for all clathrin-mediated uptake, and several alternate adaptors appear to perform similar sorting and assembly functions at the clathrin bud site.
A General Principle of Neural Arbor Branch Density

Summary The tree-like structures of a neuron that are responsible for distributing (axons) or collecting (dendrites) information over a region of the brain are called arbors. The size of the territory occupied by an arbor and the density of the arbor branches within that territory are important for computation because these factors determine what fraction of a neural map is sampled by a single cell and at what resolution [1]. Arbor territory size and branch density can vary by many orders of magnitude; however, we have identified a universal relationship between these two physical properties revealing a general neural architectural design principle. All of the arbors (axons and dendrites) we have studied (including fish retinal ganglion cells, rodent Purkinje cells, and the cortical arbors of various neural classes from rat, cat, monkey, and human) are found to be systematically less dense when they cover larger territories. This relationship can be described as a power law. Of several simple biological explanations explored, we find that this relationship is most consistent with a design principle that conserves the average number of connections between pairs of arbors of different sizes.
Subpectoral implantation of ICD generators: long-term follow-up.

A nonthoracotomy surgical approach using an endocardial electrode and combined implantation of a subcutaneous patch and the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) generator in a Subpectoral pocket has been described. We report the long-term follow-up results in patients undergoing implantation using this approach. The patient population consisted of 28 patients (22 men and 6 women) with a mean age of 59 ± 12 years. The underlying heart disease consisted of coronary artery disease in 20 patients and dilated cardiomyopathy in 8 patients. Sustained ventricular tachycardia was the mode of presentation in 16 patients and sudden cardiac death in 12 patients. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 31%± 6%. The lead system consisted of an 8 French bipolar passive fixation rate sensing lead positioned at the right ventricular apex, an 11 French spring coil electrode positioned at the superior vena cava-right atrial junction (surface area 700 mm2), and submuscular placement of a large patch (surface area 28 cm2) on the anterolateral chest wall near the cardiac apex via a submammary incision. A defibrillation threshold of ≤ 15 joules (J) was required for implantation. This criterion was not satisfied in five patients; thus, a limited thoracotomy was performed via the submammary incision, and the large patch was placed epicardially. The mean R wave amplitude was 12 ± 3 mV, the mean pacing threshold was 1.0 ± 0.5 V at 0.5 msec, and the mean defibrillation threshold was 12.6 ± 3 J. ICD generators implanted were the Ventak-P in 17, PCD-7217 in 5, and the Cadence V-l00 in 6 patients. These patients have been followed for a mean of 14.6 ± 6 months. There was no perioperative mortality, and none of the patients developed an infection during follow-up. Generator migration or significant discomfort requiring ICD repositioning was not observed, although one patient developed an erosion requiring surgical repair.Conclusions: Subpectoral implantation of the ICD generator is feasible and was well tolerated by all patients with an acceptable complication rate (3.5%). As the size of future generation ICDs is reduced, subpectoral implantation may become the preferred approach.
Aerodynamic tradeoff study of conventional, canard, and trisurface aircraft systems

Conventional, canard, and three-surface aircraft configurations are investigated analytically to determine each configuration's induced and viscous drag under trimmed conditions. A three-surface vortex lattice method is used to trim the aircraft, as well as to predict the induced drag of each configuration. A vortex panel method in conjunction with the momentum integral boundary-layer method is used to predict inviscid and viscous characteristics. Parameters varied including wing to stabilator surface area ratio, static margin, canard to tail loading ratio, and CL^ . For all of the parameters considered, the conventional configuration had the highest ^tnm^' ^ e " stabilator aspect ratios, the CL . /CD of the conventional aircraft was the highest, whereas for the highest stabilator aspect ratio considered the canard configuration had the highest CL /Cp. The trisurface was superior to the canard at the lower aspect ratio with the canard becoming superior at the higher values.
Antigen specific and nonspecific modulation of the immune response by aminolevulinic acid based photodynamic therapy.

Abstract Photosensitizers used normally in treating cancers have considerable potential for treatment of other diseases. One such photosensitizer is the endogenously synthesized photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). To better understand how protoporphyrin might be used in transplantation or in treating autoimmune diseases, information must be obtained on how the photosensitizer affects all immune cells. We used a combination of flow cytometry and in vitro activation assays (recall assays and mixed-lymphocyte reactions) to examine the effects of PpIX on the antigen specific component, lymphocytes and the non-antigen specific component, the macrophages/monocytes and dendritic cells of the immune system. Whereas, lymphocytes accumulate PpIX only when activated, both macrophages and dendritic cells accumulated PpIX immediately, without in vitro activation, as measured by flow cytometry. ALA–PDT (aminolevulenic acid–photodynamic therapy) treated adherent cells in the recall assay had a decreased capability to activate lymphocytes. By increasing the light dose in the recall assay, antigen primed lymphocytes were selectively eliminated from a population of cells. Stimulator cells in an MLR had a decreased stimulatory capacity following ALA–PDT treatment. Functional alterations are seen in both the antigen specific and nonspecific immune components.
Dislocation Density Reduction During Impurity Gettering in Multicrystalline Silicon

Isothermal annealing above 1250 °C has been reported to reduce the dislocation density in multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si), presumably by pairwise dislocation annihilation. However, this high-temperature process may also cause significant impurity contamination, canceling out the positive effect of dislocation density reduction on cell performance. Here, efforts are made to annihilate dislocations in mc-Si in temperatures as low as 820 °C, with the assistance of an additional driving force to stimulate dislocation motion. A reduction of more than 60% in dislocation density is observed for mc-Si containing intermediate concentrations of certain metallic species after P gettering at 820 °C. While the precise mechanism remains in discussion, available evidence suggests that the net unidirectional flux of impurities in the presence of a gettering layer may cause dislocation motion, leading to dislocation density reduction. Analysis of minority carrier lifetime as a function of dislocation density suggests that lifetime improvements after P diffusion in these samples can be attributed to the combined effects of dislocation density reduction and impurity concentration reduction. These findings suggest there may be mechanisms to reduce dislocation densities at standard solar cell processing temperatures.
Microstructural Development in a Metal Matrix Composite During Thermomechanical Processing

Although a considerable amount of research on particulate reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) has concentrated either on their primary processing, or on their failure while in service, little attention has been given to their mechanical and/or physical behavior during secondary processing. Hence, there is only limited information available to facilitate the design of suitable thermomechanical processing schedules for these alloys. However, in order to design an appropriate processing route, it is necessary to develop an understanding of the microstructural development of both the matrix alloy and reinforcing particles during hot deformation. This research investigated the effect of high temperature deformation on the microstructural development of the aluminum alloy 2618 reinforced with 17% SiC particles by volume. Particular attention was directed towards the fracture behavior of the reinforcing particles deformed under conditions of plane strain. Results from extensive quantitative metallography show that SiC particles can be significantly refined during thermomechanical processing. Additionally, at these elevated deformation temperatures, particles redistribute themselves within the matrix, resulting in a more homogeneous distribution. This behavior has been characterized using Dirichlet tessellations. Finally, it is shown how the refinement and redistribution of the SiC particles can lead to the enhancement of the fracture-related properties.
The red-green pigments of normal vision.

Abstract An analytical anomaloscope is described with a wedgeW controlling the intensityE of light (e.g., yellow) to be matched. A knobq controls, linearly, the red/green proportion that matches. The instrument has a useful property. Set by the protanope so that the red and green primaries look equal (“prot. mode”), matches are unaffected by theq settings, andEλ for each λ gives directly the protanope sensitivity curve. If the chlorolabe of the protanope was a normal pigment, normals (who need bothq andW adjustments for a perfect match on λ) would make the sameWλ settings as the protanope did. They do so exactly. So do protanomalous though theirq values are abnormal. Exactly similar results were found for deuteranopes, normals and deuteranomalous in the “deut mode”.
An integer optimization algorithm for robust identification of non-linear gene regulatory networks

Reverse engineering gene networks and identifying regulatory interactions are integral to understanding cellular decision making processes. Advancement in high throughput experimental techniques has initiated innovative data driven analysis of gene regulatory networks. However, inherent noise associated with biological systems requires numerous experimental replicates for reliable conclusions. Furthermore, evidence of robust algorithms directly exploiting basic biological traits are few. Such algorithms are expected to be efficient in their performance and robust in their prediction. We have developed a network identification algorithm to accurately infer both the topology and strength of regulatory interactions from time series gene expression data in the presence of significant experimental noise and non-linear behavior. In this novel formulism, we have addressed data variability in biological systems by integrating network identification with the bootstrap resampling technique, hence predicting robust interactions from limited experimental replicates subjected to noise. Furthermore, we have incorporated non-linearity in gene dynamics using the S-system formulation. The basic network identification formulation exploits the trait of sparsity of biological interactions. Towards that, the identification algorithm is formulated as an integer-programming problem by introducing binary variables for each network component. The objective function is targeted to minimize the network connections subjected to the constraint of maximal agreement between the experimental and predicted gene dynamics. The developed algorithm is validated using both in silico and experimental data-sets. These studies show that the algorithm can accurately predict the topology and connection strength of the in silico networks, as quantified by high precision and recall, and small discrepancy between the actual and predicted kinetic parameters. Furthermore, in both the in silico and experimental case studies, the predicted gene expression profiles are in very close agreement with the dynamics of the input data. Our integer programming algorithm effectively utilizes bootstrapping to identify robust gene regulatory networks from noisy, non-linear time-series gene expression data. With significant noise and non-linearities being inherent to biological systems, the present formulism, with the incorporation of network sparsity, is extremely relevant to gene regulatory networks, and while the formulation has been validated against in silico and E. Coli data, it can be applied to any biological system.
C-terminal tail residue Arg1400 enables NADPH to regulate electron transfer in neuronal nitric-oxide synthase

The neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS) flavoprotein domain (nNOSr) contains regulatory elements that repress its electron flux in the absence of bound calmodulin (CaM). The repression also requires bound NADP(H), but the mechanism is unclear. The crystal structure of a CaM-free nNOSr revealed an ionic interaction between Arg1400 in the C-terminal tail regulatory element and the 2′-phosphate group of bound NADP(H). We tested the role of this interaction by substituting Ser and Glu for Arg1400 in nNOSr and in the full-length nNOS enzyme. The CaM-free nNOSr mutants had cytochrome c reductase activities that were less repressed than in wild-type, and this effect could be mimicked in wild-type by using NADH instead of NADPH. The nNOSr mutants also had faster flavin reduction rates, greater apparent Km for NADPH, and greater rates of flavin auto-oxidation. Single-turnover cytochrome c reduction data linked these properties to an inability of NADP(H) to cause shielding of the FMN module in the CaM-free nNOSr mutants. The full-length nNOS mutants had no NO synthesis in the CaM-free state and had lower steady-state NO synthesis activities in the CaM-bound state compared with wild-type. However, the mutants had faster rates of ferric heme reduction and ferrous heme-NO complex formation. Slowing down heme reduction in R1400E nNOS with CaM analogues brought its NO synthesis activity back up to normal level. Our studies indicate that the Arg1400-2′-phosphate interaction is a means by which bound NADP(H) represses electron transfer into and out of CaM-free nNOSr. This interaction enables the C-terminal tail to regulate a conformational equilibrium of the FMN module that controls its electron transfer reactions in both the CaM-free and CaM-bound forms of nNOS.
An androgen receptor in the nuclei of late spermatids in testes of male rats

We recently identified and characterized, by RIA of bound testosterone (T), an androgen receptor in nuclei isolated from seminiferous tubules of the male rat. By use of similar methods, we now report the presence of a similar androgen receptor in salt extracts of late spermatids from stage 12 on, which were prepared by sonication of homogenized testes or mechanically dissected seminiferous tubules and isolated on a discontinuous sucrose density gradient. Purity of the spermatid preparation was approximately 99%, as established by light microscopy. The major component of a 0.4 M KC1 extract of spermatid nuclei migrated at 4.0S on a glycerol density gradient and coeluted on hydroxylapatite with a salt extract of ventral prostatic nuclei radioactively labeled with 5α-[3H]dihydrotestosterone. In both isolation systems, there were additional minor components in the spermatid macromolecular complex, as compared to the prostatic androgen receptor. A comparison was made between the bound T concentration in late s...
SIMS: addressing the problem of heterogeneity in databases

The heterogeneity of remotely accessible databases -- with respect to contents, query language, semantics, organization, etc. -- presents serious obstacles to convenient querying. The SIMS (single interface to multiple sources) system addresses this global integration problem. It does so by defining a single language for describing the domain about which information is stored in the databases and using this language as the query language. Each database to which SIMS is to provide access is modeled using this language. The model describes a database's contents, organization, and other relevant features. SIMS uses these models, together with a planning system drawing on techniques from artificial intelligence, to decompose a given user's high-level query into a series of queries against the databases and other data manipulation steps. The retrieval plan is constructed so as to minimize data movement over the network and maximize parallelism to increase execution speed. SIMS can recover from network failures during plan execution by obtaining data from alternate sources, when possible. SIMS has been demonstrated in the domains of medical informatics and logistics, using real databases.
Seismicity and volcanism in the Pacific Northwest: Evidence for the segmentation of the Juan De Fuca Plate

The distributions of earthquakes and late Cenozoic and Quaternary volcanism in Washington and northern Oregon change markedly across two northeast-striking lines, one near Mount Rainier and one near Mount Hood. On the basis of these observations and a comparison with the Nazca subduction zone, we propose that the Juan de Fuca subduction zone is divided into two segments. Landward of the coastal thrust zone, we suggest the Juan de Fuca plate dips more steeply beneath the southern segment than beneath the northern segment.
A Convenient Synthesis of 3-Alkylthiophenes

Abstract The known procedures for the synthesis of 3-alkylthiophenes are rather lengthy or involved. By using the NiDPPP++ catalyzed cross-coupling method between 3-bromothiophene and Grignard reagents derived from alkyl halides a number of 3-alkylthiophenes have been prepared in a one-step reaction in good to excellent yields.
Subunit affinity chromatography and its application to the isolation of aryl sulfatase A enzymes.

Abstract The monomeric form of rabbit liver aryl sulfatase A (aryl sulfate sulfohydrolase, EC 3.1.6.1) was covalently coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose and the catalytic properties of the covalently coupled monomer subunit were examined. The immobilized subunit showed one pH optimum near pH 5.6 which appears to be the characteristic pH optimum of the monomer. The enzyme-Sepharose complex exhibited the characteristic anomalous kinetic behavior at pH 5.5 but there was no turnover-induced inactivation of the immobilized enzyme at pH 4.5. The covalently coupled subunit column was examined for its ability to act as a subunit affinity chromatography medium. It was found that dissolved aryl sulfatase A was removed from solution at pH 4.5 and pH 5.0, I = 0.2, and became associated with the affinity column of Sepharose-aryl sulfatase A. The retained subunit of the enzyme could subsequently be quantitatively eluted with 0.2 m Tris-HCl, pH 7.5. Extraneous protein such as bovine serum albumin did not measureably affect the rate or equilibrium for association of the enzyme to the covalently bound subunit. The extent of binding of the enzyme to the affinity column was found to be strongly dependent on the time of equilibration and on the pH. About 90% of the enzyme was retained after 24 h at pH 5.0, I = 0.2. Under otherwise comparable conditions, use of Sepharose-6MB resulted in slightly faster association than did Sepharose-4B. Under the experimental conditions employed, the total capacity of the affinity column was approx 50% of the total aryl sulfatase A coupled to the Sepharose. The rabbit liver subunit column also permits the purification of several other aryl sulfatase A enzymes. Thus, the subunit affinity column provides a simple, convenient, and rapid procedure for the isolation of most mammalian aryl sulfatase A enzymes as well as for studying inter- and intraspecific subunit association interactions.
FOCAL LESIONS IN THE BRAIN OF GROWING RABBITS PRODUCED BY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND.

Abstract Trackless focal lesions could be placed at preselected sites within the brain of rabbits at various stages of development by irradiation with a single beam of focused ultrasound. Similar lesions could also be made in the fetal rabbits in situ at gestational age of 24 days. The histological characteristics and evolution of ultrasonic lesions, studied during 2 months after irradiation, did not differ significantly regardless of the age at operation (1 day to adult), and they were similar in all respects to lesions similarly produced in the brain of the adult cat.
Lyapunov stability analysis of daisy chain control allocation

A demonstration that feedback control of systems with redundant controls can be reduced to feedback control of systems without redundant controls and control allocation is presented. It is shown that control allocation can introduce unstable zero dynamics into the system, which is important if input/output inversion control techniques are utilized. The daisy chain control allocation technique for systems with redundant groups of controls is also presented. Sufficient conditions are given to ensure that the daisy chain control allocation does not introduce unstable zero dynamics into the system. Aircraft flight control examples are given to demonstrate the derived results.
SU-E-T-437: Dosimetric Assessment of Brass Mesh Bolus for Postmastectomy Chest Wall Irradiation

Purpose: It has been suggested that the use of a brass mesh bolus for chest wall irradiation sufficiently increases surface dose while having little effect on the dose at depth. This work quantified the increase in surface dose when using a brass mesh bolus in postmastectomy chest wall radiotherapy compared to tissue-equivalent bolus and assessed its effect on dose at depth. Methods: Percent depth doses with brass bolus, 5mm tissue-equivalent bolus, and no bolus were determined for a 6 MV photon beam in a solid water phantom using a parallel plate ionization chamber. Gafchromic film was used to determine the surface dose for the same three experimental setups. For comparison to a realistic treatment setup, gafchromic film and OSLDs were used to determine the surface dose over the irradiated area of a 6 MV chest wall plan with tangential beams delivered to a heterogeneous thorax phantom. The plan was generated using a CT of the phantom and delivered using brass mesh bolus, 5mm tissue-equivalent bolus, and no bolus. Results: For the en face beam, the central surface dose increased to 90% of maximum with the tissue-equivalent bolus, but to only 62% of maximum with the brass mesh. Using tangential beamsmore » on the thorax phantom, the surface dose increased from 40–72% to 75–110% of prescribed dose, with the brass mesh, and to 85–109% with the tissue-equivalent bolus. At depths beyond dmax in the plastic water phantom, the dose with and without brass mesh bolus differed by less than 0.5%. Conclusion: A brass mesh may be considered as a substitute for tissue-equivalent bolus to increase the superficial dose of 6 MV chest wall tangent plans. The brass mesh does not significantly change the dose at depth, so a non-bolus plan could be used for bolus and non-bolus treatments.« less
Teacher Testing and the Improvement of Practice

Previous approaches to teacher testing have been criticized for poorly representing the knowledge base for teaching, for oversimplifying teaching decisions, and for lacking criterion-related validity evidence supporting their use. A new generation of teacher assessments has been developed in the United States through the efforts of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and a corollary organization of more than 30 states. These performance-based assessments use videotapes of teachers' practice, examples of lessons and assessments, samples of student work, and analyses of classroom events and outcomes to provide evidence about teaching. Early research on the effects of these assessments suggests that they may be more valid measures of teacher knowledge and skill and that they may help teachers improve their practice. The stimulus to teacher learning appears to occur through task structures that require teachers to learn new content and teaching strategies as part of their demonstration of p...
A comprehensive cost model for NASA data archiving

A simple archive cost model has been developed to help predict NASA's archiving costs. The model covers data management activities from the beginning of the mission through launch, acquisition, and support of retrospective users by the long-term archive; it is capable of determining the life cycle costs for archived data depending on how the data need to be managed to meet user requirements. The model, which currently contains 48 equations with a menu-driven user interface, is available for use on an IBM PC or AT.
Prophylactic Stabilization for Bone Metastases, Myeloma, or Lymphoma: Do We Need to Protect the Entire Bone?

Background The current operative standard of care for disseminated malignant bone disease suggests stabilizing the entire bone to avoid the need for subsequent operative intervention but risks of doing so include complications related to embolic phenomena.