cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Specific antagonism by RO 15-1788 of benzodiazepine-induced increases in food intake in rhesus monkeys.

Abstract Food intake of rhesus monkeys was limited to a single daily 2 hr session of banana flavored pellet availability, seven days a week. Following stabilization of intake, the effects of intragastric bromazepam, diazepam and pentobarbital, when given alone, were determined by delivering a dose twice weekly, 60 min before the session. Dose-dependent increases in food intake were observed with the following descending order of potencies: bromazepam, diazepam and pentobarbital. RO 15-1788 (O.5–1.0 mg/kg, IM), when given alone, five min before the session had no effect on food intake. When given in combination with bromazepam and diazepam, RO 15-1788 completely blocked the increases in food intake observed when the benzodiazepines were given alone. The specificity of this antagonism was shown by the failure of RO 15-1788 to alter the food intake increases induced by pentobarbital. These results confirm and extend previous reports of the specific antagonism of benzodiazepine behavioral effects by RO 15-1788 to an additional species and another behavioral effect of benzodiazepines.
Jahn-Teller systems at half filling: crossover from Heisenberg to Ising behavior

The Jahn-Teller model with $E\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\ensuremath{\beta}$ electron-phonon coupling and local (Hubbard-like) Coulomb interaction is considered to describe a lattice system with two orbitals per site at half filling. Starting from a state with one electron per site, we follow the tunneling of the electrons and the associated creation of an arbitrary number of phonons due to electron-phonon interaction. For this purpose we apply a recursive method which allows us to organize systematically the number of pairs of empty/doubly occupied sites and to include infinitely many phonons which are induced by electronic hopping. In lowest order of the recursion (i.e., for all processes with only one pair of empty/doubly occupied sites) we obtain an effective anisotropic pseudospin $1∕2$ Heisenberg Hamiltonian ${H}_{\mathit{eff}}$ as a description of the orbital degrees of freedom. The pseudospin coupling depends on the physical parameters and the energy. This implies that the resulting resolvent ${[E\ensuremath{-}{H}_{\mathit{eff}}(E)]}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ has an infinite number of poles, even for a single site. ${H}_{\mathit{eff}}$ is subject to a crossover from an isotropic Heisenberg model (weak electron-phonon coupling and isotropic hopping) to an Ising model (strong electron-phonon coupling).
An investigation of the effect of machine flexibility and number of part families on system performance

SUMMARY Flexibility of manufacturing systems and the diversity of parts that may be produced by these systems is of great importance to managers. The effects of both product diversity and the ability of machines to perform a variety of operations, defined here as flexibility, are investigated. As product diversity increases, the deterioration of system performance is measured. A unique approach is adopted. In order to eliminate the interaction between the factors in this study, optimally designed systems are compared. The methodology adopted is a combination of computer simulation, response surface methodology and the Hooke-Jeeves procedure. We conclude that more flexibility is not necessarily better than less flexibility, and that as product diversity increases, for a given system there is a level of flexibility that will optimize system performance and minimize the rate of its deterioration.
Studies on a biomimetic oxidative dimerization approach to the hibarimicins

Nature utilizes dimerization as a method of producing structurally complex metabolites. The microbial metabolites known collectively as the hibarimicins are one example of complex natural products produced biosynthetically by dimerization of a phenolic aromatic polyketide. Described in this communication are model studies aimed at demonstrating regiocontrolled oxidative dimerization of phenolic ring systems related to the biosynthetic precursor of the hibarimicin family of natural products.
Three factors affecting investment setting expansion and casting size

T he production of accurate dental castings by the lost wax process involves casting molten alloy into a refractory mold which is sufficiently and precisely oversized to accommodate the shrinkage of the alloy during cooling. The total expansion of the investment mold is determined by the combined effects of setting behavior and thermal expansion during burnout. Several investigators have studied the multitude of variables which affect setting expansion.1-1o The major variables include (1) number of liners in the ring, (2) position of liners, (3) position of wax pattern in the ring, and (4) water/powder ratios of investments. The combined roles of each of these variables in regulating expansion has been well documented and generally accepted by the profession. Clinical experience has suggested, however, that other factors may also be significant in determining the setting expansion of investment and in the subsequent regulation of casting size. The purpose of this study was to investigate the related effects of (1) mixing rate, (2) ring liner position, and (3) storage conditions on the setting expansion of both gypsum-bonded and phosphatebonded investment molds; and subsequently to correlate casting size with measured expansion data. Although there are many studies of investment expansion behavior in the literature, few have actually correlated these data with actual casting size.
A Dynamic Model to Quantify Pathogen Loadings from Combined Sewer Overflows Suitable for River Basin Scale Exposure Assessments

Raw sewage discharges from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) during rainfall can severely impact microbial drinking water quality. These pathogen loading events are episodic and short lasting. Traditional risk assessment that uses mean exposure values will therefore average out these short term duration high risk events, and result in underestimates of risk. A more accurate approach requires a characterization of the exposure dynamics that result from multiple upstream CSO communities, creating a challenge for more computational and data intensive urban watershed models. To this end, we developed a simple dynamic model of CSOs to estimate overflow discharges from combined sewer networks for river basin scale exposure assessments. The impervious subcatchment and sewer system are modeled as linear reservoirs in series. The overflow volume estimates of this CSO model were found to be in good agreement with a sophisticated hydrodynamic model (SWMM), and with real overflow data with R 2 values of 0.96 and 0.91, respectively. Pathogen loadings from CSO’s were estimated by superimposing simulation of overflow discharges on raw sewage enteric pathogen concentration. We apply this simplistic approach to estimate pathogen concentration due to multiple upstream CSO’s in a hypothetical river basin, demonstrating that this simplified model is suitable for representing the dynamics of CSO induced pathogen loadings into receiving waters. The model serves a framework to estimate the dynamics of pathogen loadings that are central to river basin microbial risk assessments.
Modeling contemporary range retraction in Great Basin pikas (Ochotona princeps) using data on microclimate and microhabitat

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) inhabits talus slopes on isolated mountaintops in the Great Basin, where the species is susceptible to localized extirpations. Previous studies from the region related pika extirpations to proxies for climate and habitat quality, or to relatively short datasets on microclimate. This study extends previous research by modeling extirpation using new data from microclimates and microhabitats, and by including data on the vegetation available to individual pikas. We re-surveyed 25 sites historically occupied by pikas, and collected microclimatic and vegetative-cover data from each site. Sites of pika extirpation experienced higher summer temperatures and higher frequency of extremely warm days during 2005–2007 than did sites of pika persistence. Several aspects of vegetative cover also differed between persistence and extirpation sites, and relative forb cover was positively related to pika persistence. Evaluation of competing models within an information-theoretic framework suggests strong support for recent mean summer temperature as the primary driver of extirpations in this dataset. In agreement with other modeling efforts, this result supports the hypothesis that extirpation results from chronic heat stress during the summer months when pikas must gather and store food for the winter. In contrast with previous studies, we found less support for the hypothesis that extirpation results from acute cold stress during the winter months, possibly due to several differences in analytical methods.
Microwave properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes films below percolation threshold

A film residue obtained by evaporating surfactant-stabilized single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) suspension was characterized at 12 GHz using a scanning-sample dielectric resonator technique. Resonant frequency and quality factor changes were measured and cavity perturbation method was used to calculate the SWNT complex permittivity. The effective permittivity of the SWNT was determined as (3516-j316.5), which provided an average dielectric constant and conductivity for a single SWNT to be 8.1×105 and 8.4×106 S/m, respectively. Microwave induced losses originated only from the electric field, not from the magnetic field, thus indicating an absence of direct electrical contact between nanotubes and a below percolation-limit configuration.
Effect of Ovariectomy on Blood Concentration of Orally Administered Triolein I131 in Bitches on Low and Moderate Fat Intake.

SummaryTriolein I131 was administered to castrate and intact female beagles maintained on 2 levels of dietary fat. Castrate bitches were found to have a greater maximum percentage of administered radioactivity in circulation than intact females. Curves representing blood radioactivity plotted against time were similar after castration to those of some conditions in the human in which deranged lipid metabolism is implicated. Curves produced under conditions of low availability of dietary fat become erratic and presented only slightly different mean peak values when intact and castrate animals were compared.
Early neutropenia is not associated with an increased rate of nosocomial infection in very low-birth-weight infants.

Early neutropenia is not associated with an increased rate of nosocomial infection in very low-birth-weight infants
Characterization of a fission yeast subunit of an RNA polymerase I essential transcription initiation factor, SpRrn7h/TAF(I)68, that bridges yeast and mammals: association with SpRrn11h and the core ribosomal RNA gene promoter.

Abstract Production of eukaryotic ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) entails sequence-specific recognition of regulatory sequences in the rRNA gene promoter. A putative subunit of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe essential transcription initiation factor for rRNA synthesis has been identified that shares homology with both murine TAFI68 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rrn7p, subunits of their species' transcription initiation factor. Affinity purified putative SpRrn7h and associated factors, including a putative Rrn11p homolog, SpRrn11h, bear RNA polymerase I transcription initiation factor activity, and recombinant SpRrn7h associates with S. pombe core rDNA promoter sequences. In the first widespread search for putative homologs of SpRrn7h/murine TAFI68, and SpRrn11h/murine TAFI48, multiple ones were identified across eukaryotes. Analysis of residues conserved between the fission yeast and murine essential initiation factor subunits aided in these identifications. Sequences in the core rRNA gene promoter contributing to transcriptional activation were investigated, including a perfect TATAAA element located at −35.
The effects of CGRP on calcium transients of dedifferentiating cultured adult rat cardiomyocytes compared to non-cultured adult cardiomyocytes: Possible protective and deleterious results in cardiac function

CGRP has potent cardiovascular effects but its role in heart failure is unclear. Effects of CGRP on calcium concentrations in fresh adult rat cardiomyocytes, cultured adult cardiomyocytes and neonatal cardiomyocytes were determined by real time fluorescence spectrophotometry. Treatment of cultured adult cardiomyocytes with CGRP resulted in a rapid cessation of beating and a reduction in intracellular calcium. Similar results were obtained in cultured neonatal myocytes. However, rod-shaped adult cardiomyocytes revealed a number of responses; (a) non-beating cells began to beat with increased intracellular calcium; (b) spontaneously beating cells exhibited increased intracellular calcium content and a faster beating rate or (c), myocytes increased their beating rate and became arrhythmic, suggesting that CGRP action on cultured dedifferentiated adult and neonatal myocytes depletes intracellular calcium, whereas in the rod-shaped mature myocytes calcium is retained, pointing to a different mode of action for CGRP on developing and dedifferentiating cardiomyocytes, compared to fully developed cardiomyocytes.
Inhibition of ammonium oxidation by a liquid formulation of 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) compared with a dicyandiamide (DCD) solution in six new Zealand grazed grassland soils

The oxidation of ammonium (NH 4 + ) to nitrate (NO 3 − ) in the soil is an important biogeochemical process, which has major environmental implications as it can contribute to NO 3 − leaching and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Nitrification inhibitors have been used to slow down this process to reduce NO 3 − leaching and N2O emissions from agricultural land. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a liquid formulation of 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) compared with a dicyandiamide (DCD) solution in inhibiting the growth of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonium oxidizing archaea (AOA) and slowing down the rate of NH 4 + oxidation in soil. An incubation study was conducted to determine the effect of liquid DMPP and a DCD solution on AOB and AOA population growth and on the rate of NH 4 + oxidation following the application of an ammonium source in the form of animal urine at the equivalent rate of 1,000 kg N ha−1 in six grazed grassland soils. The results showed that the growth of the AOB population, as measured by the functional amoA gene copy numbers, was effectively inhibited by both DMPP and DCD. This inhibition by both inhibitors significantly decreased the ammonium oxidation rate constants in all six soils. The half-lives of ammonium in the soils were significantly (P < 0.05) increased from 31 to 58 days in the urine treatments to 109–285 days when DCD or DMPP was applied. There was no significant difference in the NH 4 + oxidation rates between the DMPP and DCD treatments across the six soils. These results indicate that both DMPP and DCD have the potential to be used to treat grazed pasture soils to reduce nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emissions.
Oxygen content and the synthesis of Ba1−xKxBiO3−y

Abstract In situ thermogravimetric analysis during the synthesis of Ba 1− x K x BiO 3− y shows the various processes occurring as a function of temperature and the gas composition of the ambient atmosphere. This allows the synthesis procedure to be optimized. Single-phase material can be produced with the metal-ion stoichiometry of the starting oxide mixture.
The Amino Acid Content of Fresh and Stored Shell Eggs 4. Determination by Means of Microbiological Assay and Chromatography on Sulfonated Polystyrene Resins

Abstract PREVIOUS experiments indicated that the percentages of serine, threonine, arginine, and tyrosine in the proteins of shell eggs decreased during storage of the shell eggs (Evans et al., 1949 a, b). The differences were small and some question might be raised as to whether they were real and there were actually decreased percentages of these amino acids in the egg proteins. Two groups of fresh eggs also differed in the percentages of some of the amino acids in the proteins. The present study was undertaken to see if losses of specific amino acids result from storage of shell eggs. Eggs produced by the same hens as close together as possible were used for both the fresh and stored eggs. This was done in order that the amino acid percentages of the eggs placed in storage would be similar when they were put in storage to those of the eggs used …
Two stereoisomeric pentacyclic oxin­dole alkaloids from Uncaria tomentosa: uncarine C and uncarine E

The chloro­form solvate of uncarine C (pteropodine), (1′S,3R,4′aS,5′aS,10′aS)-1,2,5′,5′a,7′,8′,10′,10′a-octa­hydro-1′-methyl-2-oxospiro­[3H-indole-3,6′(4′aH)-[1H]­pyrano­[3,4-f]indolizine]-4′-carboxyl­ic acid methyl ester, C21H24N2O4·CHCl3, has an absolute configuration with the spiro C atom in the R configuration. Its epimer at the spiro C atom, uncarine E (isopteropodine), (1′S,3S,4′aS,5′aS,10′aS)-1,2,5′,5′a,7′,8′,10′,10′a-octahydro-1′-methyl-2-oxospiro[3H-indole-3,6′(4′aH)-[1H]pyrano[3,4-f]indolizine]-4′-carboxylic acid methyl ester, C21H24N2O4, has Z′ = 3, with no solvent. Both form intermolecular hydrogen bonds involving only the ox­indole, with N⋯O distances in the range 2.759 (4)–2.894 (5) A.
Clonal cytogenetic changes and myeloma relapse after reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic transplantation

To identify a correlation between metaphase cytogenetics and relapse after reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) allotransplant for patients with multiple myeloma, data on 60 patients (median age 52) who received grafts from a sibling (n = 49) or unrelated donor (n = 11) were analyzed. Fifty-three patients (88%) showed chromosomal abnormalities (CA) before the allotransplant, including 42 with abnormalities involving 13q (CA13). Twenty-two patients (41%) relapsed post-allotransplant at a median of 165 days. Of these, 11 patients showed abnormal cytogenetics at the time of post-allotransplant relapse at a median of 167 days. Of 54 patients who developed graft-versus-host disease, relapse occurred in 19 of 48 patients (43%) with CA present before RCI allotransplant, versus 1 of 6 without CA (17%) (P = 0.06). Loss of CA before RIC allotransplant and disease status > PR after RIC allotransplant were significantly associated with a lower risk of post-allotransplant relapse with cytogenetic abnormalities; 5.2 vs 36%, and 18 vs 53%, (both P < 0.05), respectively. The current data suggests that myeloma associated with persistent clonal cytogenetic abnormalities is an entity which most likely escapes the effects of a graft versus myeloma activity, maybe because of acquisition of resistance to immunologic manipulations.
Investigations into Tandem Acoustic Modeling for the Aurora Task

In tandem acoustic modeling, signal features are first processed by a discriminantly-trained neural network, then the outputs of this network are treated as the feature inputs to a conventional distribution-modeling Gaussian-mixture model (GMM) speech recognizer. This arrangement achieves relative error rate reductions of 30% or more on the Aurora task, as well as supporting feature stream combination at the posterior level, which can eliminate more than 50% of the errors compared to the HTK baseline. In this paper, we explore a number of variations on the tandem structure to improve our understanding of its effectiveness. We experiment with changing the subword units used in each model (neural net and GMM), varying the data subsets used to train each model, substituting the posterior calculations in the neural net with a second GMM, and a variety of feature condition such as deltas, normalization and PCA rank reduction in the ‘tandem domain’ i.e. between the two models. All results are reported on the Aurora-2000 noisy digits task.
Using Shock Response Spectra to Design Motion Control Profiles for Flexible Structures

Shock response spectra are applied to the problem of controlling flexible structures. It is shown using computer simulations that specific command times in motion specifications will produce a minimum of first mode vibration in a driven flexible member. A simple formula for determining the most favorable positioning command time is derived from response spectra plots generated for commonly used motion com mand profiles. A feed-forward control strategy for conditioning position commands is presented based on the formula, and the approach is demonstrated using a damped single-degree-of-freedom model of a flexible structure.
Synthesis of [18F]SU11248, a new potential PET tracer for imaging cancer tyrosine kinase.

Abstract N-[2-(Diethylamino)ethyl]-5-[(Z)-(5-[18F]fluoro-2-oxo-1, 2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)methyl]-2,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxamide, a new potential positron emission tomography tracer for imaging cancer tyrosine kinase, has been prepared by the nucleophilic substitution of the nitro-precursor N-[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]-5-[(Z)-(5-nitro-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)methyl]-2,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxamide with K18F/Kryptofix 2.2.2 followed by a simple chromatography methodology combined solid-phase extraction with high-performance liquid chromatography purification procedures in 15–25% radiochemical yields.
Long Memory In Futures Prices

This paper tests for fractional roots in the futures prices for selected commodities, foreign currencies, and stock indexes. The fractional testing method is the spectral regression method suggested by Geweke and Porter-Hudak (1983). The empirical results suggest the presence of a fractional exponent in the differencing process for several commodity and foreign currency futures prices. The returns series for these commodities and currencies exhibit long range positive dependence. However, differencing of exact order one is sufficient for the stock index futures prices. Implications are drawn concerning theoretical and econometric modeling and price forecasting.
Modes in unstable optical resonators and lens waveguides

Optical resonators and/or lens waveguides are "unstable" when they have divergent focusing properties such that they fall in the unstable region of the Fox and Li mode chart. Although such resonators have large diffraction losses, their large mode volume and good transverse-mode discrimination may nonetheless make them useful for high-gain diffraction-coupled laser oscillators. A purely geometrical mode analysis (valid for Fresnel number N = \infty ) shows that the geometrical eigenmodes of an unstable system are spherical waves diverging from unique virtual centers. As Burch has noted, the higher-order transverse modes in the geometrical limit have the form u_{n}(x) = x^{n} with eigenvalues \gamma_{n} = 1/M^{n+1/2} , where M is the linear magnification of the spherical wave per period. The higher-order modes have nodes on-axis only, and there is substantial transverse-mode discrimination. More exact computer results for finite N show that the spherical-wave phase approximation remains very good even at very low N , but the exact mode amplitudes become more complicated than the geometrical results. The exact mode loss versus N exhibits an interesting quasi-periodicity, with n = 0 and n = 2 mode degeneracy occurring at the loss peaks. Defining a new equivalent Fresnel number based on the actual spherical waves rather than plane waves shows that the loss peaks occur at integer values of N eq for all values of M .
The role of analysis in an age of computers: view from the numerical side (electromagnetic research)

The role of analysis in electromagnetics (EM) research is examined from the viewpoints of code validation, code improvement, and unexpected synergies arising between the large-scale partial differential equations (PDE), Maxwell's solvers and pure analytical approaches. It is noted that physical phenomena associated with full-vector three-dimensional EM wave interactions can be so complicated that neither analysis nor computational simulation can exist within a vacuum. In an age of supercomputers and PDE solvers that, in principle, can deal with hundreds of millions of vector field unknowns, the role of analysis is not abolished. The role of analysis may be changed, however, to better reflect the needs of the large-scale solvers for validation and code improvement. It is concluded that both analysis and numerics will be enlivened and enriched as a result of emerging synergies arising between these two approaches. >
Truth, justice, and cake cutting

Cake cutting is a common metaphor for the division of a heterogeneous divisible good. There are numerous papers that study the problem of fairly dividing a cake; a small number of them also take into account self-interested agents and consequent strategic issues, but these papers focus on fairness and consider a strikingly weak notion of truthfulness. In this paper we investigate the problem of cutting a cake in a way that is truthful and fair, where for the first time our notion of dominant strategy truthfulness is the ubiquitous one in social choice and computer science. We design both deterministic and randomized cake cutting algorithms that are truthful and fair under different assumptions with respect to the valuation functions of the agents.
Dynamic temperature and humidity environmental profiles: impact for future emergency and disaster preparedness and response.

Introduction During disasters and complex emergencies, environmental conditions can adversely affect the performance of point-of-care (POC) testing. Knowledge of these conditions can help device developers and operators understand the significance of temperature and humidity limits necessary for use of POC devices. First responders will benefit from improved performance for on-site decision making. OBJECTIVE: To create dynamic temperature and humidity profiles that can be used to assess the environmental robustness of POC devices, reagents, and other resources (eg, drugs), and thereby, to improve preparedness. METHODS: Surface temperature and humidity data from the National Climatic Data Center (Asheville, North Carolina USA) was obtained, median hourly temperature and humidity were calculated, and then mathematically stretched profiles were created to include extreme highs and lows. Profiles were created for: (1) Banda Aceh, Indonesia at the time of the 2004 Tsunami; (2) New Orleans, Louisiana USA just before and after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005; (3) Springfield, Massachusetts USA for an ambulance call during the month of January 2009; (4) Port-au-Prince, Haiti following the 2010 earthquake; (5) Sendai, Japan for the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami with comparison to the colder month of January 2011; (6) New York, New York USA after Hurricane Sandy made landfall in 2012; and (7) a 24-hour rescue from Hawaii USA to the Marshall Islands. Profiles were validated by randomly selecting 10 days and determining if (1) temperature and humidity points fell inside and (2) daily variations were encompassed. Mean kinetic temperatures (MKT) were also assessed for each profile. RESULTS: Profiles accurately modeled conditions during emergency and disaster events and enclosed 100% of maximum and minimum temperature and humidity points. Daily variations also were represented well with 88.6% (62/70) of temperature readings and 71.1% (54/70) of relative humidity readings falling within diurnal patterns. Days not represented well primarily had continuously high humidity. Mean kinetic temperature was useful for severity ranking. CONCLUSIONS: Simulating temperature and humidity conditions clearly reveals operational challenges encountered during disasters and emergencies. Understanding of environmental stresses and MKT leads to insights regarding operational robustness necessary for safe and accurate use of POC devices and reagents. Rescue personnel should understand these principles before performing POC testing in adverse environments. Ferguson WJ , Louie RF , Tang CS , Paw U KT , Kost GJ . Dynamic temperature and humidity environmental profiles: impact for future emergency and disaster preparedness and response. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(1):1-8. Language: en
Hybrid Full-Spectrum Correlated k-Distribution Method for Radiative Transfer in Nonhomogeneous Gas Mixtures

The full-spectrum k-distribution (FSK) approach is a promising model for radiative transfer calculations in participating media. FSK achieves line-by-line (LBL) accuracy for homogeneous media at a tiny fraction of LBL’s high computational cost. However, inhomogeneities in gas temperature, total pressure, and component-gas mole fractions change the spectral distribution of the absorption coefficient and can cause inaccuracies in the FSK approach. In this paper, a new hybrid FSK method is proposed that combines the advantages of the multigroup FSK (MGFSK) method for temperature inhomogeneities in a single gas species and the multiscale FSK (MSFSCK) method for concentration inhomogeneities in gas mixtures. In this new hybrid method, the absorption coefficients of each gas species in the mixture are divided into M spectral groups depending on their temperature dependence. Accurate MGFSK databases are constructed for combustion gases, such as CO2 and H2O. This paper includes a detailed mathematical development of the new method, method of database construction, and sample heat transfer calculations for 1D inhomogeneous gas mixtures with step changes in temperature and species mole fractions. Performance and accuracy are compared to LBL and plain FSK calculations. The new method achieves high accuracy in radiative heat transfer calculations in participating media containing extreme inhomogeneities in both temperature and mole fractions using as few as M 2 spectral groups for each gas species, accompanied by several orders of magnitude lower computational expense as compared to LBL solutions. DOI: 10.1115/1.2909612
Markets in the meadows: Department stores and shopping centers in the decentralization of Philadelphia, 1920--1980

Through a study of the history of department stores and shopping centers in the Philadelphia metropolitan region between 1920 and 1980, I explore the historical role of retailing in the evolution of the "sprawl" landscape that came to dominate urban form in the United States by the end of the twentieth century. Philadelphia is an impor tant case study for this topic because of its long history of urbaniza tion, during which it developed from a colonial port city to a nine teenth-century industrial metropolis to a model of twentieth-century deindustrialization. Through all the phases of its growth, Philadel phia remained an important consumer marketplace serving the re gional hinterland of the Delaware Valley. I sought to understand the forces that led to the city's twentieth-century decline as the primary site of consumption for the Delaware Valley, when major sites for distributing consumer goods developed in the hinterland itself. The rapid proliferation of suburban shopping centers nationwide after World War II reconfigured the urban downtown for the rapidly expanding world of outlying residential subdivisions. Suburban shopping centers combined elements of both small-town Main Street
Kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction on three different Pt surfaces of Pt/C catalyst analyzed by rotating ring-disk electrode in acidic solution

Abstract The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on a Pt/C-based thin catalyst layer is studied using the rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) technique in an O2-saturated acid solution. A modified model for obtaining the ORR constants in different electrode potential ranges is validated using the experimental disk and ring currents. The results calculated from the model and the Koutecky–Levich plots reveal that the ORR constants on three different Pt surfaces (Pt–H, Pt, and PtOX/Pt) are significantly different, among which, pure Pt surface is found to have the best activity towards ORR. This model can also give a detailed formularization of the apparent ORR electron transfer number (n) and the percentage of H2O2 (%H2O2) produced during the ORR process.
The kinds of traits involved in male—male competition: a comparison of plumage, behavior, and body size in quail

I compared the role of ornate plumage, behavior, and body size during male–male competition in two species of New World quail. Gambel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii) is a highly ornate and dichromatic species, whereas scaled quail (C. squamata )i s unornamented and monochromatic. During paired contests between unfamiliar males, high rates of testosterone-mediated behaviors (tidbitting, calling) and large body size (mass, tarsus, and tail length) corresponded to winners. In the highly ornate Gambel’s quail, male head plumes also influenced the outcome of contests. Plume enhancement made Gambel’s quail more likely to win contests, whereas plume removal made males more likely to lose. Plume position also reflected male status. Winning males erected plumes, whereas losers frequently flattened them. Some plumage ornaments, such as belly patches, did not play a primary role during male contests. Unlike static ornaments, head plumes are highly modifiable and likely signal immediate information regarding a male’s intent, similar to a coverable badge. Combined, intrasexual selection favored dynamic traits (fast display rates, modifiable ornaments) and static traits (body size) as indicators of male condition or motivation. In scaled quail only, male size was favored both by male–male competition and female choice. Accordingly, the degree of size dimorphism (tarsus length) is greater in scaled than in Gambel’s quail. The frequency of overt aggression (chases, pecks, displacement) also differed between species. Gambel’s quail were very aggressive, and subordinates often challenged their opponents. In contrast, scaled quail were less aggressive, and subordinates rarely disputed rank. Interspecific comparison indicated differences in the maintenance of male status and possibly in the honesty of signaling. Both appear to be related to differences in social system.
Integrated Coverage and Connectivity in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Two-Dimensional Percolation Problem

While sensing coverage reflects the surveillance quality provided by a wireless sensor network (WSN), network connectivity enables data gathered by sensors to reach a central node, called the sink. Given an initially uncovered field and as more and more sensors are continuously added to a WSN, the size of partial covered areas increases. At some point, the situation abruptly changes from small fragmented covered areas to a single large covered area. We call this abrupt change as the sensing-coverage phase transition (SCPT). Also, given an originally disconnected WSN and as more and more sensors are added, the number of connected components changes such that the WSN suddenly becomes connected at some point. We call this sudden change as the network-connectivity phase transition (NCPT). The nature of such phase transitions is a central topic in percolation theory of Boolean models. In this paper, we propose a probabilistic approach to compute the covered area fraction at critical percolation for both of the SCPT and NCPT problems. Because sensing coverage and network connectivity are not totally orthogonal, we also propose a model for percolation in WSNs, called correlated disk model, which provides a basis for solving the SCPT and NCPT problems together.
Cholesterol balance and metabolism in mice with loss of function of Niemann-Pick C protein

Type C Niemann-Pick disease is due to a mutation in Niemann-Pick C (NPC) protein, a putative determinant of intracellular cholesterol transport. This study quantifies cholesterol balance in vivo ac...
La Découverte de L’Amérique

Cet article se propose de reconstruire la representation de la decouverte de l’Amerique, dans la periode qui va de 1492 a la parution de Kosmos par Alexander von Humboldt en 1855. Il s’agit de demontrer que ce que nous appelons la « decouverte » de l’Amerique etait percu non seulement comme l’abordage d’un lieu jamais vu, mais surtout comme le premier reperage d’un lieu qui offrait un nouveau defi a la connaissance. Ce premier reperage allait transformer deux perspectives: le rapport a l’Antiquite et la vision europeenne de l’espace et du temps. Apres la decouverte de l’Amerique, l’histoire de l’humanite devint une serie d’inventions connectees au mouvement des etres humains. A mesure que l’espace connu s’etendait, l’avenir se faisait de plus en plus imprevisible.
Accounting for the Crisis

Time series evidence on leverage suggests that simple financial ratios may not explain the disparate performance of U.S. banking institutions during the financial crisis. I discuss the cross-section determinants of U.S. commercial bank returns, and find that Tier 1 capital ratios explain nearly 40% of bank returns between 2007 and 2009. Among the large institutions with more than $50 billion in assets though, Tier 1 is not a useful ratio. I instead emphasize the importance of special purpose entities (SPEs) in the larger commercial banks. The disclosure of these off-balance sheet entities has been fragmentary, and I find that the number of subsidiaries in their SEC filings is a good proxy for these exposures. Nearly a third of the large commercial bank returns can be accounted for by this simple indirect indicator of regulatory arbitrage.
Androgen Metabolism in Isolated Human Hair Roots

To investigate the relation between androgens and hair growth the metabolism of [3H]testosterone and [3H]androstenedione was assessed in isolated human hair roots. To quantitate androgen metabolism in only a few hair roots we developed a micromethod.
Assay of cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase in tissue homogenates.

SummaryFactors are described that affect the assay of cyclic 3′,5′-nucleotide phosphodiesterase in tissue homogenates. Enzyme activity was measured by chromatographic separation of cyclic AMP-3H from labeled derivatives using thin-layer plates of PEI-cellulose. The method separates cyclic AMP, 5′-AMP, and secondary metabolites formed in significant quantities by homogenates of toad bladders. Recovery of radioactivity for all phases of the procedure was excellent —only 0.3 to 0.4% was lost during ether extraction and 98% of radioactivity applied to the thin-layer plates was recovered in the five zones scraped from the plates. In the absence of added 5′-AMP, no 5′-AMP-3H accumulated; the major labeled products were adenosine-3H and inosine-3H. Thus methods for assay of phosphodiesterase that depend solely on the rate of accumulation of 5′-AMP or do not separate cyclic AMP from adenosine would not be valid under these circumstances. Formation of remote labeled derivatives can be avoided by use of short perio...
Influence of Embryo Quality on the Outcome of Frozen-thawed embryo Transfer

Objective To evaluate the influence between the embryos' quantity and quality on the pregnancy outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). Methods A retrospective study of 265 FET cycles and 400 fresh embryo transfer cycles were analyzed in 2004 and compared the clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates, multifetal pregnancies rates between two groups. Results (1) There is no significant difference in the clinical pregnancy rates when 3 or≤2 embryos were transferred. The multifetal pregnancies rates of 3 good quality embryos were transferred is significant higher than the rates of ≤2 good quality embryos were transferred (40.82% Vs.23.08% respectively P0.01). There are no significant difference between these two groups in the clinical pregnancy rates implantation rates (P0.05). (2) The percentage of 100%-intact embryos and good quality embryo were higher in pregnancy cycle than non- pregnancy cycle (46.97% Vs 40.65%, 68.18% Vs 55.91%, respectively P0.05).(3) The implantation rates of frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle was significantly lower than fresh embryo transfer cycle(13.28% Vs.27.62% respectively P0.01). Conclusions Our data suggested that there is a relationship between the clinical pregnancy rates and the number of good- quality embryos transferred of FET. There are no significant difference between quantity of embryo were transferred. The implantation rates of frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle was significantly lower than fresh embryo transfer cycle. There are no significant difference between frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle and fresh embryo transfer cycle in clinical pregnancy rates and multifetal pregnancies rates.
303 THE EFFECT OF 4H2 ON CD40 LIGAND EXPRESSION IN LUPUS T CELLS.

Purpose The expression of CD40 ligand (CD40L) in individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is prolonged when compared to expression on normal T cells. A defect in the down-regulation of the Ras, an intracellular G-protein involved in cell proliferation and differentiation, has been implicated in abnormally prolonged expression of CD 40L on lupus T cells. Inactivation of Ras with farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS) in lupus T cells leads to a temporary down-regulation of CD40L expression. SLE is characterized by antinuclear antibodies directed against DNA as well as to individual nucleosides. Guanosine has been demonstrated to be the most immunogenic nucleoside. Serum antiguanosine antibody levels correspond well with disease activity in patients with SLE. Antiguanosine antibodies in murine and human lupus have been shown to have the internal image of the G-binding protein Ras. In this study we investigated whether the murine antiguanosine antibody (4H2) was internalized in living cells and whether it modulated Ras mediated T lymphocytes signal transduction and CD40L expression in normal individuals. This is a continuation of a study that was previously undertaken to look at CD40L expression and the involvement of Ras. Methods Antiguanosine antibody was isolated from murine hybridoma supernatant and quantified by Bradford Assay. Freshly isolated lymphocytes from healthy controls and SLE patients were obtained with histopaque. Cells were then divided into plus/minus treatment with 4H2 and FTS. The lymphocytes were incubated, fixed, and labeled with anti-CD40L. Results Our previous studies showed that the expression of CD40L in lupus patients was modulated when Ras was inhibited by FTS treatment but this did not occur in the healthy group. Conclusion In previous studies, Ras was implicated in the sustained elevation of CD40L on lymphocytes from patients with SLE. In this continuation study 4H2 antiguanosine antibody was used to determine if the Ras-mimicking potential of this internalizing antibody was capable of modulating CD40L levels on healthy lymphocytes. The results thus far show that the addition of FTS did not alter the levels of CD40L on healthy lymphocytes. Whether the 4H2 antiguanosine antibody elevated the levels of CD40L was inconclusive. Currently studies are under way to expand the concentrations of 4H2 tested and to vary the times of incubation.
Experimental models for dynamic compartmentalization of biomolecules in liquid organelles: Reversible formation and partitioning in aqueous biphasic systems

Living cells contain numerous subcellular compartments, many of which lack membranous boundaries and are thought to occur due to liquid-liquid phase coexistence. This review will introduce these biological membraneless organelles and discuss simple experimental models based on liquid-liquid phase separation in polymer solutions. When more than one phase is present, solutes such as proteins or nucleic acids can be compartmentalized by partitioning into one of the phases. This could confer benefits to the cell such as enhanced reaction rates or sequestration of toxic molecules. Liquid-like compartments inside living cells are often dynamic, for example, appearing and disappearing in response to stimuli and/or at different points in the cell cycle. We will discuss mechanisms by which phase transitions can be induced in the laboratory and inside living cells, with special emphasis on regulating phase formation by phosphorylation state. This work is motivated by a desire to understand the physical and chemical mechanisms that underlie biological processes and to enable new nonbiological applications.
Anger: A Natural Response

One day Marty fell down and lost consciousness. When I couldn’t wake him, I called 911. I was in doctor mode as I sat holding his hand in the ambulance and instructed the driver to go to the E.R. of my own hospital. We admitted Marty to the neurology unit with the objective of ruling out a stroke. Marty regained consciousness in a few hours, but then he hardly knew who I was or where he was. He had his usual pleasant smile and was charming to the nurses and staff who went into and out of his room. He had a week of CT scans, MRIs, blood tests, EKGs, and other tests. The neurologist who I had consulted originally was his attending physician. Dr. W., the famous researcher in DLB, always looked like his mind was preoccupied with the next paper he’d write. When I asked him what I should do and how I could take better care of Marty, he suggested I speak with the social workers. “At least he didn’t have a stroke,” he reassured me.
Northanger Abbey : an Escape from Fiction?

Northanger Abbey is the most text-dominated of Austen’s novels. As a parody of the Gothic and sentimental novels popular in Austen’s day it traces the education of Catherine Morland, a young girl enmeshed in her favourite fictions, these same novels of Gothic horror and sentiment. Catherine must not only escape her reliance on popular fiction; she must also escape her reliance on language as an absolute. At the beginning of the novel, Catherine is a literal reader, both of her favourite novels and of the words of the other characters she encounters. She is entrapped by the fictions which other characters choose to tell about her as well as by those they tell about themselves. In a sense, Catherine’s education in Northanger Abbey consists of learning to be a good reader, to recognize that it is dangerous to expect language or its fictional constructs to offer a one-to-one correspondence with real life. Northanger Abbey is structured like a Chinese box of fictions within fictions within fictions; Catherine’s education consists of breaking through each layer of fabrication into a closer approximation of ‘reality’.1 The beginning of the novel features the parodic description of Catherine’s qualifications as a heroine and establishes her as an anti-heroine. The end of the novel is equally self-conscious. Austen collapses the fictional design by calling attention to her own role as author and creator and to Catherine’s role as character and creation. But between these two points, Catherine learns to be a good eighteenth century empiricist, judging actions instead of words. Her judgment of Henry Tilney provides the one significant exception — as we later shall see.
Economic analysis and optimal sizing for behind-the-meter battery storage

This paper proposes methods to estimate the potential benefits and determine the optimal energy and power capacity of battery storage system for behind-the-meter application. In the proposed method, a linear programming is first formulated using typical load profiles, energy/demand charge rates, and a set of battery parameters to determine the maximum saving in electric energy cost. The optimization formulation is then adapted to include battery cost as a function of its power and energy capacity in order to capture the trade-off between benefits and cost, and therefore to determine the most economic battery size. Using the proposed methods, economic analysis and optimal sizing have been performed for a few commercial buildings and utility rate structures that are representative of those found in the various regions in the U.S. The key factors that affect the economic benefits and optimal size have been identified. The proposed methods and case study results cannot only help commercial and industrial customers or battery vendors to evaluate and size the storage system for behind-the-meter application, but also assist utilities and policy makers to design electricity rate or subsidies to promote the development of energy storage.