cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cloud interactions and merging - Numerical simulations

A total of 48 numerical experiments have been performed to study cloud interactions adn merging by means of a two-dimensional multi-cell model. Two soundings of deep convection during GATE and two different magnitudes of large-scale lifting have been used as the initial conditions and as the main forcing on the model. Over two hundred groups of cloud systems with a life history of over sixty minutes have been generated under the influence of different combinations of the stratification and large-scale lifting. The results demonstrate the increase in convective activity and in amount of precipitation with increased intensity of large-scale lifting. The results also show increased occurrence of cloud merger with increased intensity of large-scale lifting. The most unfavorable environmental conditions for cloud merging are (1) less unstable stratification of the atmosphere and (2) weaker large-scale lifting. A total of fourteen cloud systems qualify as mergers. Two selected cases will be described dynamically and thermodynamically in this paper. Although these cloud mergers have been simulated under the influence of different synoptic-scale conditions, the major physical mechanism related to the cloud merging process is the same as that proposed by Simpson. Cumulus downdrafts and associated cold outflows play a dominant role in the merging process in all cases studied.
Cocaine craving and attentional bias in cocaine-dependent schizophrenic patients

Cocaine craving has been implicated as a major factor underlying addiction and drug relapse. From a cognitive viewpoint, craving may reflect, in part, attentional processing biased in favor of drug-related cues and stimuli. Schizophrenic individuals (SZ), however, abuse cocaine in high numbers but typically manifest baseline cognitive deficits that impair their ability to selectively allocate their attentional resources. In this study, we examined the relationship between attentional bias and craving in patients with cocaine dependence (COC; n=20), schizophrenic patients comorbid for cocaine dependence (COC+SZ; n=23), as well as two other comparison groups using a modified version of the Stroop test to include cocaine-relevant words. Results revealed that only the COC patients demonstrated Stroop interference on the cocaine-related words. Moreover, COC patients' attentional processing biases were significantly associated with their cocaine craving severity ratings. COC+SZ patients, in contrast, did not demonstrate Stroop interference and manifested significantly fewer craving symptoms than their COC counterparts. These results suggest that COC+SZ patients' inability to selectively encode their drug-use experience may limit and shape their subjective experience of craving cocaine and motivation for cocaine use.
Some thoughts on the foundations of the theory of language use

I identify three functions of language: the communicative, the objectifying, and the objective. I claim that of these three functions, the objective function is the most essential, in the sense specified in the paper, and the communicative the least. I further indicate that language use without the communicative function is more prevalent than might commonly be believed.
Supportive friendships moderate the association between stressful life events and sexual risk taking among African American adolescents.

Objective This study examined whether uncontrollable stressful life events were associated with sexual risk taking among adolescents across a 1-year period, and whether supportive friendships modified associations.
13C NMR studies of protein motional dynamics in bovine, human, rat, and chicken ocular lenses.

The motional dynamics of lens proteins were studied by two 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques sensitive to molecular motion to define the effect of lens water content on the presence of solidlike protein domains in ocular lenses from bovine (juvenile and adult), human, rat, and chicken eyes. The solid state 13C NMR technique of proton dipolar decoupling was used to study slow (solid-like) motions (correlation time, τo⩾ 10μsec), whereas for intermediate (mobile) protein, rotational reorientational motion (τo range of 1-500 nsec) the 13C off-resonance rotating frame spin-lattice relaxation technique was employed. 13C NMR studies of calf lens cortical and nuclear homogenates indicated a reversible loss of lens protein motional freedom with decreasing water content. Values of 6% and 63% solid-like protein contents were obtained for native cortical and nuclear calf lens homogenates, respectively. At equivalent total protein concentrations cortical and nuclear calf lens homogenates exhibited essentially the same solid-like (motionally restricted) protein content. Lens protein rotational correlation times determined by off-resonance rotating frame spin-lattice relaxation measurements were consistent with lens protein aggregation. The solid-like protein content of the bovine nuclear lens region was observed to increase with age, whereas no significant change was detected for the cortex. Across lens species an inverse correlation between the percentage of solid-like protein content and water content was observed. Very broad 13C NMR resonances, even in the presence of proton dipolar decoupling, were observed for the lens proteins present in the cataractous human lens, indicating the presence of highly aggregated protein species. The occurrence of solid-like protein domains in lens tissue has implications for the interpretation of proton nuclear magnetic resonance dispersion (NMRD) measurements of lens homogenates and for proton magnetization transfer contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of lens. Solid-like protein domains may play a protective role in the maintenance of lens transparency by minimizing enhanced refractive index fluctuations created by protein packing defects resulting from post-translational modification.
Optical studies of 2D and 3D metallo-dielectric photonic crystals

We have fabricated and studied two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) metallo-dielectric photonic crystals (MDPC) in the visible/near ir spectral range using a variety of optical techniques. The 2D MDPC showed anomalous transmission due to surface plasmon polaritons in resonance with the photoluminescence band of a π-conjugated polymer based on a poly-phenylene-vinylene derivative. Consequently we fabricated an organic light emitting diode (OLED) using the 2D MDPC as a cathode with improved performance over an OLED with unperforated cathode. The 3D MDPCs are based on metal infiltrated opal photonic crystals. We studied the reflectivity spectrum of various metal infiltrated MDPCs and found that the reflectivity is low in the visible spectral range but dramatically increases towards the infrared revealing the elusive metallic gap. Our findings are in good agreement with recent theoretical and numerical calculations based on a commercial program.
The 4-Day Wave as Observed from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Microwave Limb Sounder

The "4-day wave" is an eastward moving quasi-nondispersive feature with period near 4 days occurring near the winter polar stratopause. This paper presents evidence of the 4-day feature in Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) temperature, geopotential height, and ozone data from the late southern winters of 1992 and 1993. Space-time spectral analyses reveal a double-peaked temperature structure consisting of one peak near the stratopause and another in the lower mesosphere, with an out-of-phase relationship between the two peaks. This double- peaked structure is reminiscent of recent three-dimensional barotropic/baroclinic instability model predictions and is observed here for the first time. The height variation of the 4-day ozone signal is shown to compare well with a linear advective-photochemical tracer model. Negative regions of quasigeostrophic potential vorticity (PV) gradient and positive Eliassen-Palm flux divergence are shown to occur, consistent with instability dynamics playing a role in wave forcing. Spectral analyses of PV derived from MLS geopotential height fields reveal a 4-day signal peaking near the polar stratopause. The three-dimensional structure of the 4-day wave resembles the potential vorticity "charge" concept, wherein a PV anomaly in the atmosphere (analogous to an electrical charge in a dielectric material) induces a geopotential field, a vertically oriented temperature dipole, and circulation about the vertical axis.
Active dried baker's yeast:II. Factors involved in the fermentation of flour

Summary By the use of flour, or enzymically inactivated flour with and without the addition of sugars or amylases, the likely role played by various sugars occurring in flour in the fermentation of whole flour by a dried baker's yeast has been studied. It is concluded that: 1. Sugars initially present in flour, including levosins, provide the major fermentable substrate for fermentations of short duration. 2. Fermentation of maltose is of importance only in fermentations of long duration. 3. During accelerated storage of this yeast under nitrogen its ability to ferment flour declines more rapidly than its ability to ferment simple hexose media.
Forebrain Ischemia Triggers GABAergic System Degeneration in Substantia Nigra at Chronic Stages in Rats

The long-term consequences of forebrain ischemia include delayed Parkinson's syndrome. This study revealed delayed neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra 8 weeks after 12.5 minutes of global ischemia in rat brain. Following neuronal loss of 30-40% in central and dorsolateral striatum at day 3, neuronal damage in the substantia nigra (SN) was assessed at 4-8 weeks using immunohistochemistry for glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67), vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), and calretinin (CR). At day 56, the optical density of GAD67-, but not VGAT-, immunoreactivity in substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR)-significantly decreased. CR-neurons concentrated in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) were reduced by 27% from day 3 (n = 5) to day 56 (n = 7, ANOVA, p < .01). Movement coordination was impaired at day 56, as evaluated using beam-walking test (time-to-traverse 5.6 ± 1.2 sec versus 11.8 ± 5.4 sec; sham versus ischemia, p < .05, n = 5, and 7, resp.). Our results demonstrate delayed impairment of the GABAergic system components in SN and associated with movement deficits after global ischemia.
Examination scheduling: A computerized application

Abstract While the primary objective in examination scheduling is that no student should have more than one exam during the same period, most real-life cases have a large number of other complicating constraints that make the problem complex. These may include room availability constraints, prevention of exams in successive periods for the same student, incompatibility of a few exams with certain periods, etc. We describe the successful application of a graph-coloring based examination scheduling heuristic to the scheduling problem faced by the Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. The procedure, which is currently being used at the school, is easy to implement and handles all the issues in the problem including the room availability constraints simultaneously. Our computational experience indicates that the procedure is general and flexible enough to be easily adapted to exam scheduling problems at other small schools.
Distinct protein degradation profiles are induced by different disuse models of skeletal muscle atrophy

Skeletal muscle atrophy can be a consequence of many diseases, environmental insults, inactivity, age, and injury. Atrophy is characterized by active degradation, removal of contractile proteins, and a reduction in muscle fiber size. Animal models have been extensively used to identify pathways that lead to atrophic conditions. We used genome-wide expression profiling analyses and quantitative PCR to identify the molecular changes that occur in two clinically relevant mouse models of muscle atrophy: hindlimb casting and Achilles tendon laceration (tenotomy). Gastrocnemius muscle samples were collected 2, 7, and 14 days after casting or injury. The total amount of muscle loss, as measured by wet weight and muscle fiber size, was equivalent between models on day 14, although tenotomy resulted in a more rapid induction of muscle atrophy. Furthermore, tenotomy resulted in the regulation of significantly more mRNA transcripts then did casting. Analysis of the regulated genes and pathways suggest that the mechanisms of atrophy are distinct between these models. The degradation following casting was ubiquitin-proteasome mediated, while degradation following tenotomy was lysosomal and matrix-metalloproteinase mediated, suggesting a possible role for autophagy. These data suggest that there are multiple mechanisms leading to muscle atrophy and that specific therapeutic agents may be necessary to combat atrophy resulting from different conditions.
Siegel's formula via Stein's identities

Abstract Inspired by a surprising formula in Siegel (1993), we find it convenient to compute covariances, even for order statistics, by using Stein's (1972) identities. Generalizations of Siegel's formula to other order statistics as well as other distributions are obtained along this line.
Pulsed magnetic field effects in high temperature superconductors

Abstract The use of fast rise-time pulsed magnetic fields (10E8 Oe s−1) in the study of magnetic properties of high temperature superconductors (HTSC) is described. Comparisons are made with the conventional low temperature superconductor niobium. Pulsed field techniques are shown to be particularly useful in observing flux trapping and hysteresis in materials. A weak dependence upon pulse rise-times is found for the time for field penetration to the center of HTSC samples but not for Nb. These results are shown to be consistent with theories of flux flow phenomena in superconductors.
Reducing combinatorics in testing product lines

A Software Product Line (SPL) is a family of programs where each program is defined by a unique combination of features. Testing or checking properties of an SPL is hard as it may require the examination of a combinatorial number of programs. In reality, however, features are often irrelevant for a given test - they augment, but do not change, existing behavior, making many feature combinations unnecessary as far as testing is concerned. In this paper we show how to reduce the amount of effort in testing an SPL. We represent an SPL in a form where conventional static program analysis techniques can be applied to find irrelevant features for a test. We use this information to reduce the combinatorial number of SPL programs to examine.
Tools for developing tolerance to toxic chemicals in microbial systems and perspectives on moving the field forward and into the industrial setting

Industrial fermentation imposes environmental challenges for production hosts, therefore robustness in the presence of inhibitory conditions is a necessary trait for biocatalysts. Unfortunately, due to the complex nature of tolerance phenotypes, the genetic determinants associated with tolerance to inhibitory conditions are generally not known, hindering the rational engineering of more robust biocatalysts. Recent technological advances have allowed for the rapid characterization of these complex phenotypes, and hold promise for guiding inverse engineering of tolerance from first principles. Here we review current developments of methods used to uncover the genetic determinants associated with industrially relevant phenotypes and the incorporation of new tools in inverse strain engineering efforts.
Numerical methods for elastic structural stability analysis

Abstract The Gauss-Seidel, the successive overrelaxation, the conjugate gradient, the Cholesky's square root and the Cholesky's decomposition methods for solving systems of linear algebraic equations encountered in structural analysis are considered. Theorems for these methods establishing necessary and sufficient conditions for the matrix of the coefficients to be positive definite are converted into criteria for elastic structural stability. Numerical procedures, by using these methods in conjunction with their corresponding stability criteria, for checking the elastic stability and determining the elastic critical load of a structure are proposed. Application of these procedures to the stability analysis of plane frameworks leads to the conclusion that the proposed direct schemes are more efficient than the iterative ones.
The development of maternal self-efficacy and its impact on maternal behavior.

A developmental model of the origins of maternal self-efficacy and its impact on maternal sensitivity was tested. Participants were 92 primiparous mothers and their 6-month-old infants. Mothers completed questionnaires about remembered care from their own parents and self-esteem prenatally, satisfaction with support, infant temperament, and maternal self-efficacy postnatally, and they participated in a laboratory observation with their infants. Maternal self-efficacy was predicted by remembered maternal care as mediated by global self-esteem. Infant soothability predicted maternal self-efficacy independently and in conjunction with distress to novelty and in conjunction with both distress to limits and satisfaction with support. Maternal self-efficacy interacted with distress to limits to predict maternal sensitivity during emotionally arousing activities. High infant distress was associated with less sensitive maternal behavior when maternal self-efficacy was moderately low and extremely high, but was positively associated with sensitive maternal behavior when self-efficacy was moderately high. Implications for future research are discussed.
Nitric Oxide and Angiotensin II Regulation of Renal Hemodynamics in the Developing Piglet

We have previously shown that nitric oxide (NO) is a more important intrarenal vasodilator in the developing animal compared with the adult. The interaction between NO and the renin angiotensin system in the developing kidney is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of NO and angiotensin II in the regulation of developing renal function. We examined the effects of the inhibition of intrarenal NO synthesis withN-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), 3 μg/kg/min, intrarenally, administered after intrarenal infusion of either saline or an angiotensin II AT1 receptor antagonist [ATX (A-81988), 0.4 μg/kg/min] in piglets, age 3 wk, and adult pigs. The developing piglet demonstrated significantly greater renal responses to L-NAME alone. Intrarenal NO synthesis inhibition after saline preinfusion decreased renal blood flow (RBF) in the piglet 29% compared with the adult pig 9%, but only in the piglet decreased GFR 31%, and increased plasma renin activity 57%. Intrarenal infusion of ATX significantly increased RBF in the piglet, 23%, although not altering RBF in the adult. The renal responses to L-NAME were significantly attenuated by ATX preinfusion in both age groups. After ATX pretreatment, L-NAME in piglets decreased RBF 14%, and abolished the change in GFR, whereas in adult pigs decreased RBF only 5%. In conclusion: 1) angiotensin II may be a more important vasoconstrictor in the developing kidney and 2) NO is a more important regulator of renal function in the developing kidney through modulation of the renin angiotensin system.
Characteristics of women with AIDS and invasive cervical cancer.

Objective To characterize women reported with AIDS and invasive cervical cancer in the first year of the expanded AIDS surveillance case definition. Methods Using χ 2 testing and logistic regression, we compared women with invasive cervical cancer with those having other AIDS-defining illnesses. Results Of the 16,794 women 13 years old or older and reported with AIDS in 1993, 217 (1.3%) had invasive cervical cancer and 9113 (54.3%) had other opportunistic illnesses; the remaining 7464 (44.4%) had no opportunistic illnesses and were reported based on immunologic criteria. Women with invasive cervical cancer were more likely to have had AIDS diagnosed before 1993 (73 and 56%, respectively; P Conclusion Hispanic and black women infected with HIV were less likely to be reported with invasive cervical cancer, a finding that may be associated with inadequate access to health care services. Women with invasive cervical cancer were less severely immunosuppressed than women with other AIDS opportunistic illnesses.
From Rapists to Superpredators: what the practice of capital punishment says about race, rights and the American child

At the turn of the 20 th century, the United States was widely considered to be a world leader in matters of child protection and welfare, a reputation lost by the century's end. This paper suggests that the United States' loss of international esteem concerning child welfare was directly related to its practice of executing juvenile off enders. The paper analyzes why the United States continued to carry out the juvenile death penalty after the establishment of juvenile courts and other protections for child criminals. Two factors allowed the United States to continue the juvenile death penalty after most states in the international system had ended the practice: the politics of American federalism and a system of racial subordination that excluded some juvenile off enders from the umbrella of child protection measures, a conclusion suggesting that racial prejudice has interfered with U.S. compliance with international norms of child welfare and juvenile justice.
A Review of Intelligent Systems Software for Autonomous Vehicles

The need for intelligent unmanned vehicles has been steadily increasing. These vehicles could be air-, ground-, space-, or sea-based. This paper will review some of the most common software systems and methods that could be used for controlling such vehicles. Early attempts at mobile robots were confined to simple laboratory environments. For vehicles to operate in real-world noisy and uncertain environments, they need to include numerous sensors and they need to include both reactive and deliberative features. The most effective software systems have been hierarchical or multi-layered. Many of these systems mimic biological systems. This paper reviews several software approaches for autonomous vehicles. While there are similarities, there are differences as well. Most of these software systems are very difficult to use, and few of them have the ability to learn. Autonomous vehicles promise remarkable capabilities for both civilian and military applications, but much work remains to develop intelligent systems software which can be used for a wide range of applications. In particular there is a need for reliable open-source software that can be used on inexpensive autonomous vehicles
When Clients Want Your Help to “Pray Away the Gay”: Implications for Couple and Family Therapists

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer individuals are utilizing the services of couple and family therapists and many other mental health professionals at increasing rates. Some of the clinical issues include seeking help with processing sexual and/or gender identity; coming out; improving intimate relationships and family dynamics; alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders; and receiving affectional reorientation therapy. Oftentimes, religion is a significant motivator in an individual's decision to participate in the different types of affectional reorientation therapies. The primary aims of this article are (1) to highlight the connection to religious fundamentalism as a significant motivator for many individuals who receive affectional reorientation therapy; (2) to describe ethical considerations to consider while working clinically with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer clients; and (3) to summarize clinical implications and provide a person-centered, culturally-sensitive lesb...
Mastering the Mix: Do Advertising, Promotion, and Sales Force Activities Lead to Differentiation?:

The authors consider the effects of three marketing communication activities on nonproduct based differentiation. Specifically, they examine whether advertising, sales force, and promotion activiti...
The Chronicle of Le Murate

The Benedictine convent of Santissima Annunziata delle Murate in Florence is well known to scholars because of the detailed chronicle written by Sister Giustina Niccolini. This full English transla...
Determination of Molecular Orientation of Uniaxially Stretched Polyamide Fibers by Polarized Infrared Spectroscopy: Comparison of X-ray Diffraction and Birefringence Methods

Polarized infrared (IR) spectroscopy has been used to determine the crystalline and amorphous orientation of polyamide fibers. The transition moment angle of the band at 936 cm-1 of PA66 was determined to be 48 degrees using IR spectroscopy and birefringence measurement. The crystalline orientation of PA66 fibers was estimated from the band at 936 cm-1 while the amorphous orientation of PA66 fibers was obtained by an indirect method. The alpha crystalline orientation of PA6 has been obtained using the band at 930 cm-1 and the amorphous orientation of PA6 has been determined using the band at 1124 cm-1. Crystalline orientation increased rapidly at low draw ratios (DR 3) for both PA66 and PA6 fibers, while the amorphous orientation increased slowly throughout the whole extension range for PA66 fibers. A good correlation was found between the crystalline orientation values obtained by infrared spectroscopy and other methods such as X-ray diffraction for PA66 and PA6 fibers. On the basis of this observation, it has been concluded that polarized infrared spectroscopy can be used reliably to measure the orientation of polyamide fibers without combining with other techniques.
Library Instruction in the Electronic Library: The University of Arizona's Electronic Library Education Centers

Librarians at the University of Arizona (UA) actively contribute to the university's instructional process. A library skills program started in the mid‐1970s is required of all students taking freshman English. Course‐related instruction, integrated with many undergraduate classes, brings thousands of students into the library each year. In addition, librarians give seminars presenting online resources and software products of interest to faculty members.
Cells on the MEND: exploring the role of lipidic forces in membrane trafficking.

In this issue, the Journal publishes the last two of three articles by Donald W. Hilgemann and colleagues (see [Fine et al.][1] and [Hilgemann and Fine][2] in this issue; see [Lariccia et al.][3] in the January 2011 issue). The authors have used whole cell patch clamp and fluorescence microscopy in
Device structure for the characterization of nanowire thermocouples

Nanowire thermocouples are attractive candidates for various applications including temperature measurements on the sub-micrometer scale [1], energy harvesting [2], and infrared detection [3]. Thermocouples, which consist of two wires made of dissimilar materials, produce an open-circuit voltage when a temperature difference ΔT is generated across its hot and cold junctions, expressed by V OG = (S 1 − S 2 ΔT (1).
Direct numerical simulations of two-layer viscosity-stratified flow

Abstract Two-dimensional simulations of flow instability at the interface of a two-layer, density-matched, viscosity-stratified Poiseuille flow are performed using a front-tracking/finite difference method. We present results for the small-amplitude (linear) growth rate of the instability at small to medium Reynolds number for varying thickness ratio n, viscosity ratio m, and wavenumber. We also present results for large-amplitude non-linear evolution of the interface for varying viscosity ratio and interfacial tension. For the linear case, the interfacial mode is neutrally stable for n = m as predicted by analysis. The growth rate is proportional to Reynolds number for small Re, and increases with viscosity ratio. The growth rate also increases when the thickness of the more viscous layer is reduced. Strong non-linear behavior is observed for relatively large initial perturbation amplitude. The higher viscosity fluid is drawn out as a finger that penetrates into the lower viscosity layer. The simulated interface shape compares well with previously reported experiments. Increasing interfacial tension retards the growth rate of the interface as expected, whereas increasing the viscosity ratio enhances it. Drop formation at the small Reynolds number considered in this study is precluded by the two-dimensional nature of the calculations.
Abstract 471: RNAi target evaluation in clinically relevant murine model of colon cancer metastasis

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Significant challenges remain before RNA interference (RNAi) becomes a reality in practice. Identifying the appropriate genes to target and evaluating these agents in clinically relevant animal models of metastatic cancer are critical. Short- and long-term side effects and potential in vivo toxicities of RNAi therapy are largely unknown due to lack of animal models to simultaneously evaluate RNAi effect on both cancer cells, tumor microenvironment and the host organism. The purpose of our present study was to establish a murine model for metastatic colon cancer which will allow us to evaluate the effect of RNAi on tumor metastases as well as potential side effects to the normal host. METHODS. Murine colon cancer cell lines, CT26 and MC26, expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) were injected intrasplenically into either Balb/C or Swiss-Webster mice at concentrations of 1×106, 2.5×106 and 5×106 in a volume of 100 uL. Tumor growth and metastasis were monitored for 30 days. To demonstrate siRNA delivery into colon cancer metastasis to the liver, Cy3-labeled siRNA was used. siRNA formulated in DOTAP was administered via tail vein, and mice were sacrificed at 1, 4 and 24 h postinjection. Frozen-section fluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate siRNA delivery and distribution in metastatic liver tumors. RESULTS. We observed extensive metastases in Balb/C mice injected intrasplenically with CT26 cells. The optimal concentration for metastasis was 2.5×106 cells. No intrasplenic tumor growth or metastasis was observed in Swiss-Webster mice after intrasplenic CT26 tumor cell injection or in Balb/C and Swiss-Webster mice after MC26 injection. We also demonstrated Cy3-labeled siRNA delivery into metastatic liver tumors as early as 1 h postinjection. CONCLUSIONS. Intrasplenic injection of CT26 cells offers a clinically relevant murine model for metastatic colorectal cancer and will facilitate evaluation of RNAi therapeutic targets against metastatic cancer. This model will also be useful in the assessment of the effects of RNAi on the tumor microenvironment and possible toxicity to normal host cells. Furthermore, this model may predict the clinical course and the ultimate in vivo response to RNAi therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 471.
Growth and Transformation of Communication Studies in U.S. Higher Education: Towards Reinterpretation.

Systematic data on the recent history of communication studies in U.S. higher education are much needed. Statistical data can mislead, however, when numbers are reported without careful attention to the shifting classification schemes that underlie them. The work that is needed in order to understand the recent emergence of a communication discipline is at least as much theoretical and interpretive as it is empirical. To illustrate this point, we explore two types of indicators of growth and transformation of communication studies: statistics on degrees granted and trends in the classification of books and serials. For each type of indicator we show that the emergence of communication as a category has involved qualitative transformation of the category itself as well as quantitative growth within the category. This categorical transformation, and its deeper roots in the evolution of communication as a cultural practice, will be basic to any adequate interpretation of our discipline's increasing centralit...
A Bayesian hierarchical nonlinear mixture model in the presence of artifactual outliers in a population pharmacokinetic study

The purpose of this study is to develop a statistical methodology to handle a large proportion of artifactual outliers in a population pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling. The motivating PK data were obtained from a population PK study to examine associations between PK parameters such as clearance of dexmedetomidine (DEX) and cytochrome P450 2A6 phenotypes. The blood samples were sparsely sampled from patients in intensive care units (ICUs) while different doses of DEX were continuously infused. Conventional population PK analysis of these data revealed several challenges and intricacies. Especially, there was strong evidence that some plasma drug concentrations were artifactually high and likely contaminated with the infused drug due to blood sampling processes that are sometimes unavoidable in an ICU setting. If not addressed, or if arbitrarily excluded, these outlying values could lead to biased estimates of PK parameters and miss important relationships between PK parameters and covariates due to increased variability. We propose a novel population PK model, a Bayesian hierarchical nonlinear mixture model, to accommodate the artifactual outliers using a finite mixture as the residual error model. Our results showed that the proposed model handles the outliers well. We also conducted simulation studies with a varying proportion of the outliers. These simulation results showed that the proposed model can accommodate the outliers well so that the estimated PK parameters are less biased.
Two-Factor Explanation of Post-High School Destinations in Hawaiia

Data from 484 students out of a Hawaiian high school graduating class of 643 were used in a study of post-high school destinations. of these 643 students, 360 were found to have selected academic destinations. They were going either to universities, a regional 2-year branch of the state university, 4-year colleges, junior colleges, or technical schools. A factor analysis of ten variables consisting of teachers’ ratings of school related behavior, verbal (V) and quantitative (Q) School and College Abilities Tests (SCAT) scores, and rank in graduating class (R) revealed two factors: “g” a general intellective factor (SCAT Q and V) and school skills (teachers’ ratings and R). In general the institutions of high academic quality attracted students who were significantly higher on the variables of both factors. Variation from this pattern of choice was discussed in terms of ego self-direction and social control as it affected mobility away from the island location.
Downstream radiation flux to blunt entry vehicles.

Downstream radiation flux distribution calculated for blunt entry bodies, considering self absorption effects
Melanocortin-5 Receptor Deficiency in Mice Blocks a Novel Pathway Influencing Pheromone-Induced Aggression

The rodent preputial gland secretes aggression-promoting pheromones and expresses melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5R), but the functional relationship is poorly understood. We investigated whether MC5R deficiency in male mice alters stimulatory melanocortin influences on preputial growth and pheromone-induced aggression. In wild-type (MC5R+/+) pairs, repeated NDP-MSH injection decreased attack latency and increased aggression in initial attackers. Similar NDP-MSH treatment in MC5R-deficient (MC5R−/−) pairs failed to alter attack latency or aggression frequency, but aggression increased in vehicle-injected opponents. NDP-MSH treatment promoted preputial hypertrophy, and in MC5R+/+ mice paired against non-aggressive stimulus opponents it decreased attack latency and increased aggression. MC5R−/− mice were insensitive to behavioral and physiological effects of NDP-MSH, and preputialectomized mice were insensitive to behavioral effects of NDP-MSH. The results suggest that MC5R inactivation reduced a pheromonal signal for aggression that acts on donors, rather than their opponents.
Modelling of surfaces with a bimodal roughness distribution

AbstractMost contact analyses assume that the surface heights and peak (summit) height distributions follow a single modal distribution, Gaussian or non-Gaussian. However, height distributions of many surfaces follow multi-modal distributions. In this study, for the first time, algorithms are developed to generate various bimodal surfaces on the computer. Statistical analyses and contact analyses of these surfaces have been carried out. The present algorithms are applied to particulate tapes and head-finishing processes to illustrate the effect of the bimodal distribution on the contact performance. From these analyses, an optimum bimodal roughness distribution is predicted for minimum friction and wear.
Simultaneous hybrid coronary revascularization reduces postoperative morbidity compared with results from conventional off-pump coronary artery bypass

Objectives Less-invasive options are available for surgical treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease. We hypothesized that stenting combined with grafting of the left anterior descending artery with the left internal thoracic artery through a minithoracotomy (hybrid procedure) would provide the best outcome. Methods Patients with equivalent numbers of coronary lesions (2.8 ± 0.4) underwent either hybrid (n = 15) or off-pump coronary artery bypass through a sternotomy (n = 30). Early and 1-year outcomes were compared. Blood drawn from the aorta and coronary sinus immediately postoperatively was analyzed for activation of coagulation (prothrombin fragment 1.2 and activated Factor XII), myocardial injury (myoglobin), and inflammation (interleukin 8) by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Target-vessel patency was determined by means of computed tomographic angiographic analysis. Results The hybrid procedure was associated with significantly shorter lengths of intubation and stays in the intensive care unit and hospital and perioperative morbidity ( P P = .04). Patient satisfaction after the hybrid procedure, as judged on a 6-point scale, was greater versus that after off-pump coronary artery bypass through a sternotomy. Finally, the hybrid procedure showed significantly reduced transcardiac gradients of markers of coagulation, myocardial injury, and inflammation and a trend toward significant improvement in target-vessel patency. Conclusions Perhaps because of reduced myocardial injury, inflammation, and activation of coagulation, patients undergoing the hybrid procedure had better perioperative outcomes and satisfaction, with excellent patency at 1 year's follow-up. These promising preliminary findings warrant further investigation of this procedure.
The application of demand response for frequency regulation in an islanded microgrid with high penetration of renewable generation

Increasing the penetration of variable generation sources, such as wind and solar, potentially threatens power system stability. Past studies have shown that 15-20% renewable penetration is the largest amount the power systems can handle using conventional control. To overcome the challenge that variable renewable generation presents, this paper proposes that real-time demand response (DR) be used for ancillary services (AS). The impact of varying the amount of DR on the performance of a microgrid-configured distribution feeder is evaluated in this study. Simulation results have shown that a proper amount of DR resources can help to achieve higher penetrations of renewable generation while maintaining the desired system frequency.
Laser Assisted Machining

The availability of high power cw carbon dioxide lasers with sufficient ruggedness, reliability and simplicity of operation for use in manufacturing facilities has led to the development of new machining methods. These methods currently involve the localized vaporization or melting of the material due to beam heating. (1) In the case of metallic materials beam heating is supplemented with burning enhanced by a flow of oxidizing gases at the point of impingement of the laser beam. In our research, we have developed a new and dif-ferent method of cutting with a laser, laser assisted hot spot machining (LAM), in which the laser is used to heat the volume of material directly in front of a single point cutting tool to a temperature less than its melting point.(2,3)The application of gas torch and induction heating to assist, in the turning of metals was first studied in the United States by Tour and Fletche(1949). Concurrently, Schmidt investigated the use of gas torch heating in milling. Although many advantages were reported such as reduction in power consumption tool life improvement and improvement in surface finish, hot-machining has not been perceived as a practical and economically viable method by industry. Recently, however, with the development of more intense heat sources such as the plasma-arc(5) and the laser, hot machining has become more attractive in specific applications as a metal removal technique.
Ab initio studies on calicene

Optimum geometries of planar and 90°-twisted C2v calicene are calculated with single-configuration STO-3G and 3-21-G wavefunctions. The barrier to ring–ring rotation is computed. Bond alternation is pronounced in the planar form and decreases in the twisted form, while dipolar character increases on twisting.
Effectiveness of a Conflict Resolution Training Program in Changing Graduate Students Style of Managing Conflict with Their Faculty Advisors.

We investigated the conflict management preferences of graduate students with their faculty advisors and assessed the effects of participating in a conflict resolution workshop on those preferences. One hundred and twenty-one graduate students completed the pre-workshop surveys, and 69 participants completed the post-workshop surveys after seven workshops conducted over a 3 year period. Nineteen subjects participated in three post-workshop focus groups. The quantitative pre-workshop data showed that avoidance and accommodation styles for managing conflict were preferred among participants. Participants showed a trend towards a statistically significant increase in the collaborating score post-workshop relative to pre-workshop levels. The qualitative data indicated that students applied skills taught during the workshop, including interest-based principles, when interacting with faculty.
Optimum 3-step step-stress tests

Optimum simple step-stress accelerated life testing plans have practical limitations. They highly depend upon the assumption of a linear relationship between stress and time-to-failure and use only two extreme stresses that can cause irrelevant failure modes. Thus, 3-step plans are preferable. In this paper, the authors derive the optimum quadratic plan and propose and evaluate a 3-step test plan, the compound linear, as an alternative to the optimum simple step-stress plan and optimum quadratic plan. The compound linear plan is better than two compromise plans proposed for constant stress testing and nearly as good as a proposed optimum compromise plan, the advantage being its simplicity. A small sample-size study shows that the efficiency of the test plan is not appreciably affected by the sample size, so that the asymptotic results are a good indication of the performance in sample sizes encountered in practice.
Ultrasonic irradiation of dichlorvos: decomposition mechanism.

Abstract The sonochemical degradation of dichlorvos in a batch reactor is investigated. Dichlorvos was irradiated with 500 kHz ultrasound at input powers ranging from 86 to 161 W. Acoustic power and sparge gas are two factors which greatly affect sonochemical degradation efficiency. Increasing total acoustic power input from 86 to 161 W resulted in a change in the rate constant from 0.018±0.001 min−1 to 0.037±0.002 min−1. The change in rate constant due to sparge gas (Argon, Oxygen, and Argon/Oxygen (60/40% v/v) mixture) at a power of 161 W is also investigated, with the Argon/Oxygen mixture giving the highest rate constant (0.079±0.005 min−1). Total organic carbon and ion chromatographic analyses are employed to determine and quantify major degradation products, including dimethyl phosphate, formate, carbon dioxide, chloride, and phosphate. The extent of mineralization, indicated by a decrease in the total organic carbon, and the formation of the various intermediates and products, varies with saturating gas. A pathway for dichlorvos decomposition is proposed, based upon formation rates of the various intermediates and products and the rate of decrease of the total organic carbon in the system. The limiting steps in the mineralization pathway appear to be transformation of dimethyl phosphate and formate.
Vocal Exercise Versus Voice Rest Following Botulinum Toxin Injections: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Objectives: The intensity of muscle activity immediately following intramuscular botulinum toxin injection may affect the clinical efficacy of the injection. We tested this effect in patients who underwent botulinum toxin injections for adductor spasmodic dysphonia. Methods: Patients were studied over 3 to 5 injection cycles. Cycle 1 was the baseline control; cycle 2 was randomized between a 1-hour reading aloud task ("exercise") and a 24-hour period of complete voice rest. For cycle 3, the patient completed the task not performed in cycle 2. Patients who were willing to continue for cycles 4 and 5 repeated the experiment at one half the injection dosage. Efficacy was determined with a battery of voice recordings and clinical outcomes instruments administered via telephone at 2- to 4-week intervals. The primary outcome measure was the result of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (VRQOL) instrument. Results: Nine patients (8 women, 1 man) with a mean age of 60.8 years (range, 42 to 76 years) completed at least 3 injection cycles. The VRQOL results were significantly higher for cycles that followed the exercise task. The patients reported subjectively that these were some of the best injection cycles they had ever experienced. Some achieved equivalent results with the half-dose injection plus exercise. The VRQOL results after voice rest cycles were not significantly different from the patients' baseline cycles. Conclusions: These results support the conclusion that a period of intense vocalization immediately following laryngeal botulinum toxin injections improves the efficacy of the injection. Possible mechanisms are proposed.
Genes commonly regulated by water-deficit stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cellular water-deficit stress triggers many changes in gene expression which can be used to define the response of a plant to an environmental condition. Microarray technology permits the study of expression patterns of thousands of genes simultaneously, permitting a comprehensive understanding of the types and quantities of RNAs that are present in a cell in response to water-deficit stress. The expression of specific genes was compared in three different experiments designed to understand changes in gene expression in response to water-deficit stress. Surprisingly, there was a relatively small set of genes that were commonly induced or repressed. There were 27 genes commonly induced and three commonly repressed; 1.4% and 0.2% of the genes analysed in common to all three experiments. The induced genes fell into six different functional categories: metabolism, transport, signalling, transcription, hydrophilic proteins, and unknown. The three commonly repressed genes indicated that repression of gene expression supported a frequently observed response to water-deficit stress, decreased growth. A more detailed analysis of genes involved in cell wall metabolism, indicated that there was a global decrease in expression of genes that promote cell expansion.