cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solubility in binary solvent systems. IV. Prediction of naphthalene solubilities using the UNIFAC group contribution model

Abstract This work extends the UNIFAC group contribution method of solid-liquid equilibria to binary solvent mixtures, and compares its predictions to experimental solubilities for naphthalene in 16 different solvent mixtures. Deviations between experimental and calculated values are of the order of 10–20% for most solvent systems, and are comparable in magnitude to deviations noted in the pure solvents. The ability of the UNIFAC model to provide reasonable estimates of naphthalene solubilities based only on heat of fusion data and group contribution parameters suggests that the model may be useful in the area of drug design.
Initial targets and cellular responses to PDT

Pc 4, a photosensitizer first synthesized at Case Western Reserve University and now in clinical trial at University Hospitals of Cleveland, has been shown to bind preferentially and with high affinity to mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum membranes. Upon photoirradiation of Pc 4-loaded cells, membrane components are photodamaged. In most cancer cells, apoptosis is triggered by the initial photodamage; however, in cells deficient in one of the critical intermediates of apoptosis, this process does not occur, although the cells remain as sensitive to the lethal effects of Pc 4-PDT as the apoptosis-competent cells, when cell death is determined by colony formation. Here we report that an alternative death process, autophagy, is induced in all cells tested and becomes the dominant pathway for elimination of lethally damaged cells when apoptosis is compromised. The anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, when overexpressed, protects only apoptosis-competent cells against loss of clonogenicity, while the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine provides a markedly greater protection to apoptosis-deficient cells. The results suggest that the primary determinant of cell death is not the final pathway for elimination of the cells but the initial photodamage to critical membrane targets. In attempts to identify those targets, we have studied the role of different membrane phospholipids in the localization of Pc 4. Cardiolipin (CL) is a phospholipid found exclusively in the mitochondrial inner membrane and at the contact sites between the inner and outer membranes. Previous fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies revealed colocalization of Pc 4 and CL, which points to CL as a possible binding site and target for Pc 4. Unilamellar liposomes with different lipid compositions were used as membrane models to test the affinity of Pc 4. As revealed by the binding constants, Pc 4 does not display preferential binding to CL in these systems. Moreover, binding affinities appear to be independent of lipid composition. Localization of Pc 4 in mitochondrial membranes is likely determined by proteins or other factors not replicated in the liposomes. Studies in cells with modified CL content could report modified binding affinities.
SU-FF-T-122: Comparison of Helical Tomotherapy to SMLC IMRT for Treatment of Parotid Gland Tumors

Purpose: To investigate the quality of helical tomotherapy intensity modulated radiotherapy treatment plans for parotid gland tumors by comparing them to step‐and‐shoot MLC (SMLC) IMRT plans Method and Materials: Helical tomotherapy (TomoTherapy Hi⋅Art System) plans were generated for five patients previously planned using Pinnacle3 and treated using SMLC IMRT with bolus. One primary and two elective planning target volumes (PTVs) and anatomic structures that had been outlined in Pinnacle3 were imported into Hi⋅Art. Hi⋅Art plans were generated without bolus. Doses from the Hi⋅Art plans were transferred to Pinnacle3 for analysis and plan comparisons. All dose‐volume histogram (DVH) calculations were done in Pinnacle3. PTV doses were compared using cumulative DVH, conformity index (CI), and tumor control probability (TCP). Doses to the critical structures were compared using maximum dose, mean dose, and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). Results: PTV doses were generally higher for the Hi⋅Art plans. Hi⋅Art plans also had steeper dose gradients at the edges of PTVs, leading to greater minimum doses. In addition, the maximum target doses were generally smaller, suggesting greater PTV dose homogeneity for the Hi⋅Art plans. The conformity index was generally higher for the Hi⋅Art plans. TCPs were 100% for both techniques, except for one case. Hi⋅Art surface doses without bolus were comparable to SMLC IMRT ones with bolus. Mean contralateral parotid dose was lower for all of the Hi⋅Art plans, substantially so in three of the cases. Doses to eyes, optic nerve, and spinal cord were similar or lower for Hi⋅Art plans. Similar or decreased NTCPs were found for all the OARs. Conclusion: Hi⋅Art plans generally gave higher and more uniform target doses. Both SMLC IMRT and Hi⋅Art plans were excellent for sparing critical structures, except for the contralateral parotid, where Hi⋅Art plans were better. Supported in part by a research agreement with TomoTherapy, Inc.
An Asynchronous Analog Self-Powered CMOS Sensor-Data-Logger With a 13.56 MHz RF Programming Interface

Design and implementation of a hybrid energy scavenging integrated circuit (IC) is presented which includes an asynchronous self-powered analog sensor-data-logger (SDL) unit and a 13.56 MHz radio-frequency (RF) programming interface. The SDL unit operates on an event-based analog self-powering technique where the energy for sensing, computation and non-volatile storage is harvested directly from the signal being sensed. By exploiting operational primitives inherent in a controlled hot-electron injection mechanism, the SDL unit eliminates the need for voltage regulation, energy storage, ADCs, MCUs and RAMs which are commonly used in traditional energy scavenging sensors. Remote programming and data interrogation of the SDL unit are performed using an integrated 13.56 MHz RF back-telemetry interface. The interface consists of a 6-instruction set digital command and control unit based on a token-ring architecture; a high-voltage generator for programming floating-gate (FG) transistors; and an RF front-end unit for communicating with an external reader. We show that the self-powered design is suitable for integration with electro-capacitive transducers (e.g., piezoelectric transducers) that can generate open-load voltages greater than 5 V and drive currents less than 200 nA. Measured results from prototypes fabricated in a 0.5-μ m standard CMOS process demonstrate that the IC consumes less than 90 nA in the self-powering mode and less than 200 μW of power in the RF-powering mode with an interrogation distance up to 40 mm. By combining self-powering and RF-powering, we show that the sensor experiences minimum down-time and can continuously monitor and record level-crossing statistics of different attributes of sensor signals.
Non-mosaic tetrasomy 9p in a liveborn infant with multiple congenital anomalies: Case report and comparison with trisomy 9p

Tetrasomy of the short(p) arm of chromosome 9 has been reported in few cases. Most of these children present with microbrachycephaly, wide forehead, hypertelorism, lowset, malformed ears, beaked noses, and micrognathia. Additional anomalies include short neck, congenital heart disease, genital abnormalities, multiple limb defects, hypotonia, and early death.
Characterization and comparison of disulfide linkages and scrambling patterns in therapeutic monoclonal antibodies: using LC-MS with electron transfer dissociation.

The disulfides in three monoclonal antibodies (mAb), the anti-HER2, anti-CD11a, and GLP-1 with IgG4-Fc fusion protein, were completely mapped by LC-MS with the combination of electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) and collision induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation. In addition to mapping the 4 inter- and 12 intrachain disulfides (total 16), the identification of scrambled disulfides in degraded samples (heat-stress) was achieved. The scrambling was likely attributed to an initial breakage between the light (Cys 214) and heavy (Cys 223) chains in anti-HER2, with the same observation found in a similar therapeutic mAb, anti-CD11a. On the other hand, the fusion antibody, with no light chain but containing only two heavy chains, generated much less scrambling under the same heat-stressed conditions. The preferred sites of scrambling were identified, such as the intrachain disulfide for CxxC in the heavy chain, and the C194 of the heavy chain pairing with the terminal Cys residue (C214) in the light chain. T...
The Minnesota transracial adoption study: A follow-up of IQ test performance at adolescence

Abstract Members of 101 transracial adoptive families were restudied 10 years after the initial research (Scarr & Weinberg, 1976, 1978). In this article we report on IQ scores and school achievements of the black and interracial children and other adopted children, and the biological offspring of the adoptive families at mid- to late-adolescence. Because of changes in tests and in norms, members of the adoptive families, including parents, scored on average lower at Time 2 follow-up than at Time 1. There were no differences between the transracial adoptees and the biological offspring of the adoptive parents in IQ score change from Time 1 to Time 2. In general, the results support the original findings: Being reared in the culture of the tests and the culture of the schools benefits all children's IQ scores and school achievements.
Photoelectrochemical capacitance-voltage measurements of 4H-SiC

Photoelectrochemical capacitance-voltage (PC-V) measurements have been successfully made on 4H-SiC material. The 0.05 M KOH solution used as a Schottky contact etches the material with an average roughness of about one percent of the total average etch depth at an etch rate of 1 µm/h. This capability allows the carrier concentration profile of thicker layers with different doping levels to be analyzed. The PC-V measurements are compared with secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The results show agreement with nitrogen doping in the top epitaxial layer and in the substrate. The PC-V measurement also sees an unknown species diffusing out of the substrate into the nominally undoped buffer layer.
Catalytic dehydrocoupling of PhSiH3 with bimetallic Ti and Zr complexes

Abstract Bimetallic titanium and zirconium complexes with bridges (X) between Cp ligands were compared to Cp2MCl2 as catalysts in the presence of nBuLi for the dehydrocoupling of PhSiH3 to polyphenylsilane. The monobridged bimetallic complexes developed were of the composition [μ-X(C5H4)2][CpMCl2]2 with XMe2Si (MTi, Zr), Me2SiCH2SiMe2 (MTi) and Me2SiCH2CH2SiMe2 (MTi, Zr). The dibridged bimetallic complexes examined were of the type [μ,μ-(Me2Si)2(C5H3)2][Cp′TiCl2]2 (Cp′  Cp, trans isomer, Cp′ = Cp*, trans and cis isomers). There was not a significant difference in the molecular weight of the polysilane produced from Cp2TiCl2 and the bimetallic titanium complexes after 48 h of reaction. However, the polysilane which was generated from the bimetallic complex [μ-(Me2Si)(C5H4)2][CpZrCl2]2 was approximately twice the molecular weight compared to that obtained from Cp2ZrCl2. The structure of the bimetallic complex [μ-(Me2SiCH2CH2SiMe2)(C5H4)2][CpZrCl2]2 was determined by X-ray diffraction (monoclinic, P21/n, a = 8.7297(3) A , b = 6.7890(2) A , c = 24.9343(7) A , β = 93.7850(10)°, Z = 2).
Layer-by-layer microfluidics for biomimetic three-dimensional structures

Abstract Due to the complex structures of living systems, with size scales spanning from the micron to millimeter range, the use of microtechnology to recreate in vivo-like architecture has exciting potential applications. However, most microscale systems are two-dimensional, and few three-dimensional (3-D) systems are being explored. We have developed a versatile technique, combining surface engineering with layer-by-layer microfluidics technology, to create a 3-D microscale hierarchical tissue-like structure. The process involves immobilization of a cell–matrix assembly, cell–matrix contraction, and pressure-driven microfluidic delivery. An aminopropyltriethoxysilane-glutaraldehyde activated chip is used to effectively immobilize the cell–matrix assemblies while maintaining cell viability. Pressure-driven microfluidics is applied to transport cells-matrices with controlled flow rates, determined from dynamic flow imaging. By taking advantage of the contraction of the biopolymer matrices by cells, layer-by-layer microfluidics can be used to build multilayers of cell–matrix inside a microchannel and the thickness of each layer can be controlled down to microscale dimensions. Confocal and electron microscopy images of the final structure show a hierarchical layered cellular configuration composed of heterogeneous biomimetic materials. For a model system, a biomimetic arterial structure is formed using three types of vascular cells to mimic the 3-tunic structure found in vivo. This approach provides solutions to fabricate hierarchical “neotissues” with controlled microarchitectures and 3-D configurations of multiple cell types.
Remedying defective or deficient political agency: Cornel West's uses of the tragic

American culture has often been seen, particularly from the standpoint of Europe, as lacking a sense of the tragic. On the European view, this tragic deficit is the reason that Americans are more likely to act intemperately or with hubris. A critique of American culture for its lack of conscious engagement with tragedy figures prominently in the work of Cornel West. He argues that a broader American receptiveness to the tragedies of American history and life will result in a greater commitment to participate in public life for the purpose of relieving unnecessary suffering. In the first place, he sees tragedy as a means of fostering hopefulness and counteracting the tendency of citizens, particularly African‐Americans, to retreat to privatized modes of despair. Tragedy also functions in West's thought as a means of fostering a sense of solidarity across class and racial lines. Lastly, tragedy can heighten the appreciation of left intellectuals for the existential dimensions of political and social agency.
3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryldithio-CoA: utility of an alternative substrate in elucidation of a role for HMG-CoA lyase's cation activator.

(S)-(3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-1-thionoglutaryl)-Coenzyme A (HMG[ = S]CoA), a dithioester analog of (S)-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl)-CoA (HMG-CoA), acts as an efficient alternative substrate for avian HMG-CoA lyase. Detection of product formation by HPLC, UV absorbance and coupled enzyme assays indicates that HMG[ = S]CoA cleavage yields acetyl[ = S]CoA and acetoacetate. HMG[ = S]CoA binds to the lyase with a Km of 13 μM and undergoes the cleavage reaction at a maximal rate which is 20% of that observed with HMG-CoA. The enzyme-catalyzed cleavage of both HMG-CoA and HMG[ = S]CoA is stimulated by the divalent cations Mg2+ and Mn2+. Mg2+ produces a 2-fold higher stimulation of HMG-CoA cleavage than that observed with Mn2+. In contrast, stimulation of HMG[ = S]CoA cleavage is nearly seven times higher with Mn2+ than with Mg2+. Not only is the stimulation of enzymatic activity dependent on the cation, but also the Km values for Mg2+ and Mn2+ are dependent upon the substrate used. In contrast, the Km values for HMG-CoA and HMG[ = S]CoA are not markedly dependent on the identity of the divalent cation. These results are compatible with the initial formation of a binary enzyme-substrate complex prior to binding of the divalent cation to produce a catalytically active enzyme-substrate-metal ternary complex.
Type 1/Type 2 Immunity in Infectious Diseases

T helper type 1 (Th1) lymphocytes secrete secrete interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-gamma, and lymphotoxin-alpha and stimulate type 1 immunity, which is characterized by intense phagocytic activity. Conversely, Th2 cells secrete IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, and IL-13 and stimulate type 2 immunity, which is characterized by high antibody titers. Type 1 and type 2 immunity are not strictly synonymous with cell-mediated and humoral immunity, because Th1 cells also stimulate moderate levels of antibody production, whereas Th2 cells actively suppress phagocytosis. For most infections, save those caused by large eukaryotic pathogens, type 1 immunity is protective, whereas type 2 responses assist with the resolution of cell-mediated inflammation. Severe systemic stress, immunosuppression, or overwhelming microbial inoculation causes the immune system to mount a type 2 response to an infection normally controlled by type 1 immunity. In such cases, administration of antimicrobial chemotherapy and exogenous cytokines restores systemic balance, which allows successful immune responses to clear the infection.
Fading channels in the power limited regime

The tradeoff of spectral efficiency vs. energy-per information bit (normalized to the noise level E/sub b//N/sub 0/) is the key measure of the capacity of channels in the power-limited regime. This paper finds the fundamental bandwidth-power tradeoff of a general class of channels in the wideband regime in which the spectral efficiency is small but nonzero.
A multilayered image cache for scientific visualization

We introduce a multilayered image cache system that is designed to work with a pool of rendering engines to facilitate a frame-less, asynchronous rendering environment for scientific visualization. Our system decouples the rendering from the display of imagery at many levels; it decouples render frequency and resolution from display frequency and resolution; allows asynchronous transmission of imagery instead of the compute-send cycle of standard parallel systems; and allows local, incremental refinement of imagery without requiring all imagery to be rerendered. Interactivity is accomplished by maintaining a set of image tiles for display while the production of imagery is performed by a pool of processors. The image tiles are placed in fixed places in camera (vs. world) space to eliminate occlusion artifacts. Display quality is improved by increasing the number of image tiles and imagery is refreshed more frequently by decreasing the number of image tiles.
A causal model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk.

Research on the etiology of chronic pulmonary disease (COPD), an irreversible degenerative lung disease affecting 15% to 20% of smokers, has blossomed over the past half-century. Profound new insights have emerged from a combination of in vitro and -omics studies on affected lung cell populations (including cytotoxic CD8(+) T lymphocytes, regulatory CD4(+) helper T cells, dendritic cells, alveolar macrophages and neutrophils, alveolar and bronchiolar epithelial cells, goblet cells, and fibroblasts) and extracellular matrix components (especially, elastin and collagen fibers); in vivo studies on wild-type and genetically engineered mice and other rodents; clinical investigation of cell- and molecular-level changes in asymptomatic smokers and COPD patients; genetic studies of susceptible and rapidly-progressing phenotypes (both human and animal); biomarker studies of enzyme and protein degradation products in induced sputum, bronchiolar lavage, urine, and blood; and epidemiological and clinical investigations of the time course of disease progression. To this rich mix of data, we add a relatively simple in silico computational model that incorporates recent insights into COPD disease causation and progression. Our model explains irreversible degeneration of lung tissue as resulting from a cascade of positive feedback loops: a macrophage inflammation loop, a neutrophil inflammation loop, and an alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis loop. Unrepaired damage results in clinical symptoms. The resulting model illustrates how to simplify and make more understandable the main aspects of the very complex dynamics of COPD initiation and progression, as well as how to predict the effects on risk of interventions that affect specific biological responses.
The Production of Experimental Congestive Heart Failure in Rabbits

Observations were made on blood pressure, heart size, and physiologic state of 33 rabbits subjected to severe constriction of the abdominal aorta. Two-thirds of the rabbits developed symptoms of congestive heart failure and died within two weeks. Autopsy findings revealed acute passive congestion of liver and lungs in the majority of cases and chronic passive congestion of liver and heart failure cells in lungs in some animals which survived a month or more. Advantages of this method are simplicity of operative procedure and high incidence of heart failure.
Prevalence of Sodium Bicarbonate–Induced Alkalemia in Cardiopulmonary Arrest Patients:

Background:Intravenous sodium bicarbonate (SB) administration during cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) is intended to counteract lactic acidosis due to hypoxia, poor perfusion, and anaerobic metabolism. Despite a lack of documented efficacy and a level III recommendation from the American Heart Association, SB is widely used during resuscitation events. SB has both theoretical and measurable adverse effects. Excess or poorly timed administration during a CPA may elevate a patient's pH, inducing alkalemia. Despite decades of controversy surrounding use of this drug, the prevalence of SB-induced alkalemia has not been previously documented.Objective:To estimate the prevalence of SB-induced alkalemia in inpatients after CPA and to investigate the pattern of SB administration.Methods:Medical records were retrospectively reviewed with attention to SB administration and arterial blood gas (ABG) data. After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria to 264 CPA patients, the study group comprised 88 patients. Whe...
The engineering of cellular robotic systems

The authors discuss the potential applications and engineering problems of cellular robotic systems (CRSs). The design criteria of components are explored, and several systems are described in terms of their function and operation. System design for different classes of CRSs are explored. In particular, the authors focus on human/robot cellular systems, and a simple demonstration is described where a CRS is used to organize human movement. The authors describe the conditions under which this type of CRS could be used as an automated escape device for rapid evacuation in disaster situations. >
AI in the sky: The A2A3 testbed

Future air traffic control systems will detect conflicts up to 20 minutes or more into the future and automatically generate solutions to the conflicts detected. In support of this effort, a testbed has been created utilizing embedded AI technology. The testbed consists of components that maintain detailed models of aircraft trajectories, detect conflicts with those trajectories, generate maneuvers to resolve the conflicts, and provide a graphical interface generation component which uses heuristic search and continuous constraint satisfaction techniques implemented with a knowledge-based system tool. The testbed was implemented on a RISC System/6000. It consists of the automated problem resolution (APR) component, and an architecture to support the development and analysis of APR algorithms and their performance. These issues are discussed in detail. APR will generate maneuvers to resolve conflicts by adjusting aircraft trajectories in each dimension using a specific set of generic maneuver types. >
Interferon-γ, Tumor Necrosis Factor, and Interleukin-18 Cooperate to Control Growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Human Macrophages

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) remains a leading infectious threat to human health. Macrophages are the cells targeted for infection by the bacterium as well as key effector cells for clearance of the pathogen. Interleukin (IL)-27 opposes macrophage-mediated control of MTB because supplying IL-12 and blocking the activity of IL-27 limits bacterial growth in primary human macrophages. The purpose of this study was to determine the immunological regulators of this macrophage mechanism to restrict MTB growth. Interferon (IFN)-γ, TNF-α, and IL-18 were all demonstrated to be important to the environment that limits bacterial growth when IL-12 is supplied and IL-27 is neutralized. We find IL-18 works in conjunction with IL-12 to achieve optimal IFN-γ production in this system. We also demonstrate novel interactions between these cytokines to influence the expression or responsiveness to one another. Quantitative assays show that IFN-γ enhances expression of the IL-18 receptor signaling chain, as well as TNF expression and secretion. In turn, TNF-α augments expression of the receptor for IFN-γ, the amount at the cell surface, and the extent of IFN-γ -induced signaling. We further define how the cytokine environment supports an enhanced state of classical macrophage activation. Collectively, these results describe novel immunological mechanisms that provide additional insights into the effects of IL-12 and IL-27 on macrophage regulation during MTB infection.
Impacting Pre-service Teachers' Attitudes toward Inclusion

Despite federal mandates to educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment, teachers continue to have mixed feelings about their own preparedness to educate students with disabilities in the general education setting. However, research has documented that teachers with more positive attitudes toward inclusion are more likely to adjust their instruction and curriculum to meet individual needs of students and have a more positive approach to inclusion. With inclusion becoming the norm in today’s schools, teacher educators are now faced with the challenge of making significant changes to educational programs in preparing pre-service teachers to be ready to meet the needs of all students. These programmatic changes mirror the continuous melding transformations in progress now in traditional general education and special education programs. However, there is limited information about how these new teacher educator programs influence pre-service teachers’ confidence or attitudes toward inclusive education as future teachers. To investigate this influence of teacher preparation programs on pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion, a survey method was used to collect data from pre-service teachers in one teacher-preparation program. The responses from pre-service teachers were analyzed indicating that pre-service teachers from this particular teacher preparation program in which general education curricula were infused with special education curricula in special education survey courses had improved positive attitudes and confidence toward inclusion. The implications of this study for practice and future research are discussed.
A GPU-based voxelization approach to 3D Minkowski sum computation

We present a new approach for computing the voxelized Minkowski sum of two polyhedral objects using programmable Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). We first cull out surface primitives that will not contribute to the final boundary of the Minkowski sum. The remaining surface primitives are then rendered to depth textures along six orthogonal directions to generate an initial solid voxelization of the Minkowski sum. Finally we employ fast flood fill to find all the outside voxels. We generate both solid and surface voxelizations of Minkowski sums without holes and support high volumetric resolution of 10243 with low video memory cost. The whole algorithm runs on the GPU and is at least one order of magnitude faster than existing boundary representation (B-rep) based algorithms for computing Minkowski sums of objects with curved surfaces at similar accuracy. It avoids complex 3D Boolean operations and is easy to implement. The voxelized Minkowski sums can be used in a variety of applications including motion planning and penetration depth computation.
Changes in composition and caloric density of whole body homogenates of broilers exposed to acute gamma radiation stress.

Abstract Analyses for the major body components of water, fat and lean dry weight were conducted on whole-body homogenates of thirty 32-day commercial broiler chickens which had been exposed at the age of two days to gamma radiation delivered at 8 R./min. Total exposures ranged from 0 to 900 R. There was no effect of radiation treatment level upon water index (g. water/g. lean-dry weight). Fat indices (g. fat/g. lean-dry weight) showed a tendency to peak around the levels of 200 and 700 R. Thirty-two day body weights decreased an average of 22 g. for each additional 100 R. exposure. Regression analyses indicated that the average composition of this lost biomass closely approximated that of the biomass of the control birds which contained 67% water, 10% fat and 22% lean-dry weight. There was no effect of radiation treatment level upon the caloric density of the lean-dry biomass. Live-weight caloric density, however, showed a tendency to peak around the 200 R. exposure level and undoubtedly reflected changes in the body fat content.
Toward QoS analysis of adaptive service-oriented architecture

Service-oriented architecture provides a framework for achieving static/dynamic reconfigurability. When system requirements change, new composition of services can be determined to satisfy the new requirements. However, analysis is required to make appropriate service selections and service configurations. In this paper, we discuss the development of QoS based analysis techniques and tools to facilitate composition decision making.
SEAWEEDS UNDER STRESS: MANIPULATED STRESS AND HERBIVORY AFFECT CRITICAL LIFE-HISTORY FUNCTIONS

Terrestrial plants respond in complex ways to the interaction of stress and herbivory, but much less is known about responses of seaweeds. We studied the common intertidal rockweed Fucus gardneri to determine how stress and herbivory interact to influence its survival, growth, reproduction, and the concentration of phlorotannins, which can deter herbivory and constitute substantial mass. We manipulated stress and herbivory both in the field and in outdoor mesocosms over 2–4 months during spring and summer. In the field, disruptive stress was reduced in the upper range of the seaweed's distribution with awnings made of screen. Temperatures and relative humidities were more extreme in the no-awnings locations. This treatment was crossed with a limpet-removal treatment. In mesocosms, the tidal period was controlled so that half of the experimental thalli were exposed to air daily for 3–4 hours longer (greater limitation stress) than the other half, and three levels of isopod grazing were maintained. Grazing intensity was effectively reduced in the field and increased in the mesocosms. Net rates of photosynthesis were used as independent measures of seaweed stress. Fucus gardneri in the locations without awnings exhibited significant reductions in net photosynthesis, survival, and final size compared to thalli under awnings. The mesocosm environment was more benign; all individuals survived longer and grew larger. However, results from both experiments were generally consistent. Stress resulted in slightly lower growth and substantially reduced phlorotannin mass. Severe stress had a negative effect on reproductive output in the field experiment, but mild stress had a small positive effect in the mesocosms. Herbivory resulted in reduced thallus mass, slightly reduced growth, and reduced reproduction, but it had no effect on phlorotannin levels in either experiment. Herbivory and stress thus influenced different performance indicators in Fucus. Stress had more dramatic effects on phlorotannins than it did on growth, whereas herbivory more strongly influenced growth and reproduction. Few interactive effects were found, unlike in many terrestrial studies. If stress and herbivory act largely independently, as they appear to do here and in the limited number of other seaweed studies, predicting the effects of changes in the intertidal physical environment and in herbivory might be simpler than anticipated. The physiological basis for the observed responses to stress and herbivory is suspected to involve trade-offs in resource allocation among these key life-history parameters.
A method for determining the plasma fibrinogen titer.

Abstract A modified plasma fibrinogen titer has been devised which is useful in the early diagnosis of fibrinogenopenia.
Microbial eukaryotic distributions and diversity patterns in a deep-sea methane seep ecosystem

Although chemosynthetic ecosystems are known to support diverse assemblages of microorganisms, the ecological and environmental factors that structure microbial eukaryotes (heterotrophic protists and fungi) are poorly characterized. In this study, we examined the geographic, geochemical and ecological factors that influence microbial eukaryotic composition and distribution patterns within Hydrate Ridge, a methane seep ecosystem off the coast of Oregon using a combination of high-throughput 18S rRNA tag sequencing, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting, and cloning and sequencing of full-length 18S rRNA genes. Microbial eukaryotic composition and diversity varied as a function of substrate (carbonate versus sediment), activity (low activity versus active seep sites), sulfide concentration, and region (North versus South Hydrate Ridge). Sulfide concentration was correlated with changes in microbial eukaryotic composition and richness. This work also revealed the influence of oxygen content in the overlying water column and water depth on microbial eukaryotic composition and diversity, and identified distinct patterns from those previously observed for bacteria, archaea and macrofauna in methane seep ecosystems. Characterizing the structure of microbial eukaryotic communities in response to environmental variability is a key step towards understanding if and how microbial eukaryotes influence seep ecosystem structure and function.
Single concentration loss of activity assay provides an improved assessment of drug–drug interaction risk compared to IC50-shift

Abstract1. The utility of two abbreviated, higher-throughput assays [IC50-shift and the loss of activity (LOA) assay] to evaluate time-dependent inhibition (TDI) of 24 structurally related compounds was compared.2. Good correlation (R2 = 0.90) between % inhibition and kinact/KI suggested that the LOA assay has utility as an indicator of TDI potential. Weaker correlation was observed for the shifted IC50 (IC50(T = 30)) (R2 = 0.61) and the fold-shift in IC50 (R2 = 0.17).3. Primary mechanism for poor correlation was depletion of active enzyme at concentrations > 1 μM leading to greater than predicted inhibition in the IC50-shift assay.4. Previously reported strong correlations between IC50(T = 30) and kinact/KI were found to be dependent on potent TDI compounds with kinact/KI > 30; correlation was reduced for moderate inhibitors (kinact/KI < 30). LOA assay maintained good correlation even when strong TDI compounds were excluded.5. LOA assay (% Inhibition at 30 min, 10 μM) was a good predictor of in vivo DDI...
Three-Dimensional Bubble Reconstruction in a Pipe Flow Using Shadow Technique

Two different three-dimensional reconstruction techniques for the shape of gas bubbles flowing in a liquid are presented. The first technique is based on the Dynamic Generalized Hough Transform Algorithm, and the second on the Metaball Model. These techniques are suitable for analysis of turbulent two-phase bubbly flows. Both techniques require at least two views of the bubble intended for three-dimensional reconstruction, and can be used in either stereoscopic or orthogonal camera setups. Once the reconstruction is accomplished, the bubble images can be accurately removed from the images acquired during Particle Image Velocimtery or Shadow Image Velocimetry measurements. After removing the bubble images from PIV images, a typical analysis of the liquid phase can be performed. This improves the accuracy of the statistical analysis of the parameters of each phase.© 2002 ASME
IVANOVIA TEBAGAENSIS WAS A CYATHIFORM PERMIAN CODIACEAN MEMBRANOUS ALGA WITH DIMORPHIC CORTICES

Species of Ivanovia (Codiaceae or Udoteaceae, Chlorophyta) have traditionally been characterized as phylloid or leaf- like. Extraordinarily well preserved specimens of I. tebagaensis in limestone from the Upper Permian of southern Tunisia indicate that the thallus was cyathiform or cup-shaped, similar to the broadly conical codiacean Calcipatera and to living Udotea cyathiformis. Ivanovia also shared with Calcipatera the same general membrane structure consisting of bilateral cortices with palisades of utricles, now filled with micrite, and a medulla of tubular coenocytes, now filled with sparry calcite mosaic. A cyathiform thallus would have had an inner and an outer cortex and those of I. tebagaensis were dimorphic. The utricular structure as usually seen in thin sections using transmitted light is much clearer when viewed on polished surfaces of hand specimens using reflected light. Commonly occurring fused membranes suggest that the thalli reproduced vegetatively by budding. The complexity and regularity of the I. tebagaensis membrane structure strongly suggest that a model which proposes that Ivanovia is simply a diagenetic stage in the fossilization of the red alga, Archeolithophyllum, is invalid.
Universal boolean functional vectors

In the simplest setting, one represents a boolean function using expressions over variables, where each variable corresponds to a function input. So-called parametric representations, used to represent a function in some restricted subspace of its domain, break this correspondence by allowing inputs to be associated with functions. This can lead to more succinct representations, for example when using binary decision diagrams (BDDs). Here we introduce Universal Boolean Functional Vectors (UBFVs), which also break the correspondence, but done so such that all input vectors are accounted for. Intelligent choice of a UBFV can have a dramatic impact on BDD size; for instance we show how the hidden weighted bit function can be efficiently represented using UBFVs, whereas without UBFVs BDDs are known to be exponential for any variable order. We show several industrial examples where the UBFV approach has a huge impact on proof performance, the "killer app" being floating point addition, wherein the wide case-split used in the state-of-the-art approach is entirely done away with, resulting in 70-fold reduction in proof runtime. We give other theoretical and experimental results, and also provide two approaches to verifying the crucial "universality" aspect of a proposed UBFV. Finally, we suggest several interesting avenues of future research stemming from this program.
Genetic diversity and fitness in small populations

Geographical fragmentation and small population size cn have manifold effects on the distribution and content of genetic diversity in endangered populations. In very small populations remnant polymorphism is likely to become correlated with variation at unobserved linked loci that affect fitness. To support these arguments, I report studies of two topminnow species in the genus Poeciliopsis. Laboratory studies of the endangered Sonoran topminnow, P. occidentalis, revealed that remnant variation marked by allozyme loci is associated with greater survival, growth, fecundity, and developmental stability. Studies of a second species, P. monacha, revealed that a rapid loss of variation during an extinction/recol-onization event was associated with concomitant losses of developmental stability, tolerance to physical extremes, competitive ability, and an increase in parasite load. The relative fitness of this population was restored following the introduction of genetic variation from a nearby population. Heterozygosity as marked by allozyme loci is essential for the immediate fitness and survival of these Poeciliopsis populations. Even though most easily identified genetic polymorphisms may themselves be adaptively neutral, because of the likelihood of genic correlations arising in small populations, all remnant variation should be considered precious and worth protecting.
The influence of locus number and information content on species delimitation: an empirical test case in an endangered Mexican salamander

Perhaps the most important recent advance in species delimitation has been the development of model-based approaches to objectively diagnose species diversity from genetic data. Additionally, the growing accessibility of next-generation sequence datasets provides powerful insights into genome-wide patterns of divergence during speciation. However, applying complex models to large datasets is time consuming and computationally costly, requiring careful consideration of the influence of both individual and population sampling, as well as the number and informativeness of loci on species delimitation conclusions. Here, we investigated how locus number and information content affect species delimitation results for an endangered Mexican salamander species, Ambystoma ordinarium. We compared results for an eight-locus, 137-individual dataset and an 89-locus, seven-individual dataset. For both datasets, we used species discovery methods to define delimitation models and species validation methods to rigorously test these hypotheses. We also used integrated demographic model selection tools to choose among delimitation models, while accounting for gene flow. Our results indicate that while cryptic lineages may be delimited with relatively few loci, sampling larger numbers of loci may be required to ensure that enough informative loci are available to accurately identify and validate shallow-scale divergences. These analyses highlight the importance of striking a balance between dense sampling of loci and individuals, particularly in shallowly-diverged lineages. They also confirm the presence of a currently unrecognized, endangered species in the western part of A. ordinarium's range. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Comparison of observed and expected levels of genetic diversity based on surname frequencies: An example from historical Massachusetts.

OBJECTIVES The inverse of random inbreeding based on surname frequencies (1/Fr ) is an estimate of genetic diversity, and its expectation is a function of the number of migrants into a population. Observed and expected values of (1/Fr ) were compared to determine if observed diversity matches theoretical expectations under conditions of rapid demographic change using data from historical Massachusetts. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data on migration and surnames were taken from 6,038 marriage records from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries from five towns in north-central Massachusetts. Data for each town were broken down into a number of time cohorts defined by year of marriage, giving 33 samples based on town and year of marriage. The number of migrants (M) and the inverse of the random component of inbreeding (1/Fr ) were derived for each sample based on surname frequencies. RESULTS There was no significant difference between observed and expected values of 1/Fr in samples where there were 100 or more migrants. However, 1/Fr was significantly higher in samples where M < 100, which is possibly due to these samples not having reached equilibrium, resulting in higher than expected values of 1/Fr . Regression of residual values of 1/Fr (observed-expected) on the number of years since settlement supports this interpretation. CONCLUSION The number of migrants affects the level of genetic diversity inferred from surname frequencies, and the relationship between observed and expected measures depends on the number of migrants and the proximity of a given sample to an equilibrium state.
Achievement Outcomes among High School Graduates in College and Career Readiness Programs of Study.

This study investigated the relationships between completing the high school portion of a college- and career-preparatory program of study and high school achievement outcomes in a large urban district in the West. Programs of study are secondary-to-postsecondary educational programs mandated by the federal legislation (Perkins IV) governing career and technical education (CTE) in the United States. At graduation, 49.5% of students in the sample who began a program of study had completed their programs. Using multiple regression models, we compared graduates who completed a program of study (hereafter POS completers) to graduates who completed a number of CTE courses in a specific occupational area (CTE concentrators), and to graduates who may have taken a CTE course or two during high school but were neither POS completers nor CTE concentrators (All Others). POS completers were more likely to (a) have a higher overall GPA, (b) have a higher CTE GPA, and (c) earn more STEM (science, technology, engineerin...
To Provide and Protect: Gendering Money in Ukrainian Households

In this article, I advance a theory of gendered money and demonstrate how couples give special symbolic meaning to men’s money in domestic exchanges. Unlike previous perspectives on gender and money such as resource theories and gender performance, this framework acknowledges money as a prop and tool that couples use to construct gender boundaries and signal normalcy in the marital relationship. Integrating concepts from economic sociology with Hochschild’s insights on the symbolism of domestic labor, I find that Ukrainians use money as a token and symbol of value, not as a commodity with which to obtain desired outcomes. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 56 married and cohabiting individuals, I discover that couples subvert market meanings of money to enact a Soviet-style gender ideology. By spending men’s money on “necessary” items and avoiding accessing women’s money in the household, couples construct men’s money as both visible and valuable while rendering women’s money non-fungible. These practice...
Quantification of Busulfan in Plasma Using Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS)

Busulfan is a chemotherapy drug widely used as part of conditioning regimens for patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Challenges of busulfan treatment include a narrow therapeutic window and wide inter- and intra-patient variability. Inappropriately low drug levels lead to relapse and even graft rejection, while higher doses frequently have toxic and sometimes fatal consequences. Maintenance of plasma busulfan concentrations using repeated measurements and proper adjustment of dosage can reduce busulfan-related toxicity and improve treatment outcomes. We describe a rapid (2-minute total analysis time per sample) and simple method for accurate and precise busulfan concentration determination in plasma samples (100 microL) using high performance liquid chromatography combined with electrospray positive ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Busulfan is isolated from plasma after internal standard (busulfan-D(8))-methanol extraction, dilution with mobile phase (ammonium acetate-formic acid-water), and centrifugation. The supernatant plasma is injected onto the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and quantified using a six-point standard curve. The assay is linear from 0.025 microg/mL (approximately 0.1 micromol/L) to at least 6.2 microg/mL (approximately 25 micromol/L) with precisions of <5% over the entire range.
Meningeal and ependymal abnormalities associated with cranial neoplasms: MR findings

Cranial MR studies of patients with histologically proven neoplasms and intracranial enhancing lesions or involvement of cranial vault were assessed for abnormalities of leptomeninges. Segmental or generalized thickening of the membranes, and intraventricular nodules were most frequently observed. Meningeal involvement occurred adjacent to existing parenchymal or vault tumor, or distantly, without anatomical contiguity.