cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Steroid biosynthesis by adrenal tissue of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) collected in a year of peak population density

Abstract Homogenates of adrenal glands from individual snowshoe hares ( Lepus americanus ) collected during a year of peak population density were incubated for 3-hr periods with [4- 14 C] pregnenolone substrate. At substrate concentrations of 82.5 μ M , the primary product formed was cortisol, accounting for 32–37% of the added substrate. No corticosterone formation was detected. At 250 μ M substrate concentrations, the formation of cortisol, 17α-hydroxypregnenolone, and corticosterone accounted for 13–21, 23–38, and 1.6–4.0% of the added substrate, respectively. Unmetabolized pregnenolone accounted for 4–13% of the exogenous substrate in the incubations with the lower substrate concentrations, and 32–50% in the ones with the higher concentrations. The data suggest that snowshoe hare adrenal tissue primarily forms cortisol during years of peak population density, and that 17α-hydroxypregnenolone is an intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway.
Equilibrium hydrogen pressures in vanadium alloys

Abstract The dissolution of hydrogen gas in vanadium-based alloys containing niobium, chromium and titanium was studied by measuring the equilibrium pressure, at various compositions, from 763 to 1125 K. Hydrogen followed Sieverts' law in all the alloys studied up to a hydrogen-to-metal atom ratio of 0.25. The values of the enthalpies of solution of hydrogen for these vanadium-based alloys ranged from −18.5 to −46.8 ± 1.5 kJ (mol H) −1 and the standard entropies of solution of hydrogen ranged from −57.4 to −62.6 ± 5.5 J K −1 (mol H) −1 . The present results agree extremely well with a previous low temperature study of these alloys which employed an isopiestic technique to measure indirectly the equilibrium hydrogen pressures.
The impact of future developments in computer technology

Abstract The rapid progress in computer hardware technology that has been made in the past will be matched by a continuing increase in maximum computing speed. However, much of the future speed increase will be gained not through basic hardware improvements, but through entirely new types of machine organization, such as the parallel design, as is used in the ILLIAC IV, the pipeline design, as would be used in the proposed STAR, and other more speculative designs. These designs place rather severe restrictions upon the formulation of problems that can take advantage of the designs. The theoretical structure of the limitations will be developed from the viewpoint of the user, and the results of a comparative programming of several problems for the ILLIAC IV, the STAR, and other more conventional machines will be discussed.
Plant extract enhances the viability of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Lactobacillus acidophilus in probiotic nonfat yogurt

A commercial plant extract (prepared from olive, garlic, onion and citrus extracts with sodium acetate (SA) as a carrier) was evaluated to extend the viability of yogurt starter and probiotic bacteria as a means to enhance the shelf life of live and active culture, probiotic nonfat yogurt. Yogurts prepared from three different formulas (0.5* plant extract, 0.25* SA, or no supplement) and cultures (yogurt starter plus Bifidobacterium animalis,Lactobacillus acidophilus, or both probiotics) were assessed weekly during 29 days of storage at 5°C. Supplemented yogurt mixes had greater buffering capacities than non-supplemented yogurt mixes. At the end of storage, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and L. acidophilus counts in supplemented yogurts were greater compared with non-supplemented yogurts. Supplementation did not affect Streptococcus thermophilus and B. animalis counts. Hence the greater buffering capacity of yogurt containing plant extract could enhance the longevity of the probiotics, L. bulgaricus and L. acidophilus, during storage.
A three-level problem-centric strategy for selecting NMR precursor labeling and analytes.

Abstract We have developed a sequential set of computational screens that may prove useful for evaluating analyte sets for their ability to accurately report on metabolic fluxes. The methodology is problem-centric in that the screens are used in the context of a particular metabolic engineering problem. That is, flux bounds and alternative flux routings are first identified for a particular problem, and then the information is used to inform the design of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. After obtaining the flux bounds via MILP, analytes are first screened for whether the predicted NMR spectra associated with various analytes can differentiate between different extreme point (or linear combinations of extreme point) flux solutions. The second screen entails determining whether the analytes provide unique flux values or multiple flux solutions. Finally, the economics associated with using different analytes is considered in order to further refine the analyte selection process in terms of an overall utility index, where the index summarizes the cost–benefit attributes by quantifying benefit (contrast power) per cost (e.g., NMR instrument time required). We also demonstrate the use of an alternative strategy, the Analytical Hierarchy Process, for ranking analytes based on the individual experimentalist's-generated weights assigned for the relative value of flux scenario contrast, unique inversion of NMR data to fluxes, etc.
Factors Involved in in Vitro Stabilization of Nitrate Reductase from Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Cotyledons

Experiments were conducted to determine if pretreatment of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants resulted in differential in vitro stabilities of nitrate reductase (NR) activity. Although NR activity declines markedly during the second half of the daily light period, in vitro NR stability is not modified by time of harvest. Phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride, iodoacetamide, and N-ethylmaleimide do not influence in vitro NR stability, suggesting that serine or sulfhydryl proteases are not responsible for in vitro lability of NR from cotton cotyledons.Imposition of water stress or artificial extension of the dark period lead to significant reductions in NR activity, but do not change in vitro NR stability.Dilution of a crude extract leads to increasing lability of NR; hence the marked instability of NR cannot be attributed to an inactivator which follows simple enzyme kinetics. Since in vitro NR activity is much more stable in presence of both NADH and NO(3) (-), substrate availability must be considered as a possible factor influencing in vivo NR stability.
Eigenvalues of a Laplacian and commutative Lie subalgebras

If K is a compact semi-simple Lie group and g is the complexification of its Lie algebra then one knows that the algebra ? of (Maurer-Cartan) complex-valued left invariant differential forms may be naturally identified with the exterior algebra ?g. Also, one knows then that ?g is stable under the Laplacian defined with respect to the canonical Riemannian metric on K.
Identifying Sites for Riparian Wetland Restoration: Application of a Model to the Upper Arkansas River Basin

We present a conceptual model for identifying restoration sites for riparian wetlands and discuss its application to reaches within the Upper Arkansas River basin in Colorado. The model utilizes a Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyze a variety of spatial data useful in characterizing geomorphology, hydrology, and vegetation of riparian wetland sites. The model focuses on three basic properties of riparian wetland sites: relative soil moisture, disturbance regime, and vegetative characteristics. A relative wetness index is used to define nominal soil moisture classes within the watershed. These classes generally coincide with uplands (low), channel margins (moderate), and channels or open water (high). Vegetative conditions are characterized using color infrared aerial photographs. Land cover types are grouped into five major land cover classes: riparian, moist herbaceous, bare ground, upland, and open water. Disturbance regime is characterized by a reach-based index of specific power (ω). Preliminary results indicate that reaches within the Upper Arkansas River basin can be classified as high energy (ω ≥ 8 W/m 2 ) or low energy (ω ≤ 3W/m 2 ), using discharge estimates that reflect the 10-year flood event. Field surveys of channel and flood-plain conditions plain conditions show that high-energy reaches (ω ≥ 8 W/m 2 ) are characterized by sites where the channel occupies a large proportion of the valley bottom. By contrast, low-energy reaches (ω ≤ 3 W/m 2 ) are characterized by meandering channels with wide alluvial valleys. Restoration potential is evaluated as a combination of nominal scores from wetness, land cover, and disturbance indices. Application of these methods to field sites within the Upper Arkansas River basin identifies a wide range of riparian wetland sites for preservation or restoration. Potential sites within identified reaches are prioritized using size and proximity criteria.
The Normalization of Queer Theory

(2003). The Normalization of Queer Theory. Journal of Homosexuality: Vol. 45, No. 2-4, pp. 339-343.
Differential diagnosis of solitary lung nodules with gene expression ratios.

Objective We have developed a new technique that uses the ratios of select gene expression levels to translate complex genomic data into simple clinically relevant tests for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. We determined whether select gene pair ratio combinations can be used to detect and diagnose lung cancer with high accuracy and sensitivity. Methods We used gene expression profiling data to train a ratio-based predictor model to discriminate among a set of samples (n = 145 total) composed of normal lung, small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and pulmonary carcinoid (the training set). We then examined the optimal test in an independent set of samples (the test set, n=122). Finally, we used one aspect of the test to determine whether the gene ratio technique was capable of detecting cancer in specimens from fine-needle aspirations performed ex vivo with normal lung (n = 14) and suspected tumor nodules (n = 15) acquired at our institution. Results We found that a ratio-based test with 23 genes could be used to classify training set samples with 90% accuracy. This same test was similarly accurate (88%) when applied to the test set of samples. We also found that this test was 87% and 100% accurate at detecting cancer in normal and tumorous fine-needle aspiration specimens, respectively. Conclusion The gene expression ratio diagnostic technique is likely to aid in the differential diagnosis of solitary lung nodules in patients with suspected cancer and may also prove useful in developing lung cancer screening strategies that incorporate analysis of fine-needle aspiration specimens.
Material Characterisation of a Novel Permeation Barrier for Flexible Organic Displays

Encapsulation for flexible organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) is an area of active research. Multilayer barriers, with alternating organic and inorganic layers, currently offer the best resistance to oxygen and water ingression. However, the complexity of the multilayer structure makes the deposition costly and time-consuming. Here we report an effective single-compound barrier layer deposited by single-chamber plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PE-CVD) from hexamethyl disiloxane (HMDSO) and oxygen source gases. The barrier layer has displayed excellent permeation resistance, with coated OLED devices surviving over 1000 hours in accelerated shelf-life tests (65°C and 85% relative humidity) in near perfect condition. Material characterisation detailed in this paper indicates that the material is an inorganic-polymer hybrid, combining the permeation resistance of an oxide with the flexibility of a polymer. The surface characteristics, chemical composition and mechanical properties of the novel barrier material are investigated with variation in PE-CVD deposition conditions.
The Prince Hall Masons and the African American Church: The Labors of Grand Master and Bishop James Walker Hood, 1831–1918

During the late nineteenth century, James Walker Hood was bishop of the North Carolina Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and grand master of the North Carolina Grand Lodge of Prince Hall Masons. In his forty-four years as bishop, half of that time as senior bishop of the denomination, Reverend Hood was instrumental in planting and nurturing his denomination's churches throughout the Carolinas and Virginia. Founder of North Carolina's denominational newspaper and college, author of five books including two histories of the AMEZ Church, appointed assistant superintendent of public instruction and magistrate in his adopted state, Hood's career represented the broad mainstream of black denominational leaders who came to the South from the North during and after the Civil War. Concurrently, Grand Master Hood superintended the southern jurisdiction of the Prince Hall Masonic Grand Lodge of New York and acted as a moving force behind the creation of the region's black Masonic lodges—often founding these secret male societies in the same places as his fledgling churches. At his death in 1918, the Masonic Quarterly Review hailed Hood as “one of the strong pillars of our foundation.” If Bishop Hood's life was indeed, according to his recent biographer, “a prism through which to understand black denominational leadership in the South during the period 1860–1920,” then what does his leadership of both the Prince Hall Lodge and the AMEZ Church tell us about the nexus of fraternal lodges and African American Christianity at the turn of the twentieth century?
Microwave Absorption in NaCl Crystals with Various Controlled Defect Conditions

A thorough understanding of fundamental microwave absorption mechanisms in ionic crystalline solids is important for microwave sintering of ceramics, as well as the design of high speed electronic packaging, advanced radomes, etc. Of particular importance to these applications are how the density and type of crystalline defects affect the dominant microwave absorption mechanisms. We have designed experiments to measure microwave absorption in NaCl samples with controlled variations in defect conditions(pure, point defects, dislocations and grain boundaries) at different temperatures (20-400 °C) and frequencies (2-20 GHz). Initial results are reported and discussed.
Activity of mushroom tyrosinase on catechol and on a catechol estrogen in an organic solvent

A suspension of tyrosinase-coated glass beads in butanol effectively oxidizes catechol substrate. The enzyme is not soluble in the organic solvent and activity can be stopped by removal of the solid state enzyme after low-speed centrifugation or decantation. The product was assayed by HPLC and by its reactivity towards Besthorn's reagent, which gave a reaction typical for o-quinones. Addition of water to the extent of 0.5 to 4% raised the rate of substrate utilization but the accumulation of quinone first increased and then began to decrease. It is suggested that the product in dry butanol is prevented from reacting further by lack of water, which is necessary to promote secondary reactions causing free radical formation and leading ultimately to polymerization to melanin. Successive washes of the solid state enzyme with butanol increased enzyme activity, indicating presence of a butanol extractable inhibitor in the tyrosinase preparation. The enzyme on glass beads in butanol suspension was stabilized by the presence of substrate. 2-Hydroxyestradiol acted as an inhibitor of the tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of catechol. The data obtained can be interpreted to mean that the oxidation of the estrogen in the presence of tyrosinase, as previously reported, may be dependent upon the enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of catechol. The oxidation product of catechol, the o-quinone, is likely to function as oxidant towards 2-hydroxyestradiol.
Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification for detection of chromosomal abnormalities in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia

Current strategies for detecting chromosome abnormalities in MDS/AML include FISH or traditional cytogenetics. MLPA detects abnormalities in multiple loci simultaneously, with higher resolution and throughput. Peripheral blood from 50 healthy subjects was used to establish probe-specific reference ranges, increasing MLPA sensitivity and specificity. MLPA was then performed on 110 FISH-tested blood or bone marrow samples from suspected leukemia patients. Our novel MLPA analysis system combined maximum stringency with sensitive detection of low-frequency abnormalities. Accuracy/specificity of MLPA were excellent compared to FISH. Our MLPA analysis/interpretation method provides a clinically robust, high-throughput, high-resolution option for detection of abnormalities associated with MDS/AML.
Oviposition response by Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to plant quality and prey availability

The predator Orius insidiosus consumes a mixed diet of prey, vascular sap, and plant-based foods through its life. Plant species identity affects the oviposition behavior of O. insidiosus in that it prefers plants where newly hatched nymphs perform best, in the absence of prey. Choice tests were conducted in the laboratory to determine if the presence of a high-quality prey item (Lepidopteran eggs) affects oviposition choice in a monoculture and also how prey presence affects oviposition preference for plants of high (i.e., green bean, Phaseolus vulgaris) or low (soybean, Glycines max) suitability for O. insidiosus. O. insidiosus laid 56.4% more eggs on prey-free P. vulgaris than prey-free G. max. The presence of prey on P. vulgaris increased oviposition on those plants by 26.4% over that laid on prey-free P. vulgaris. When G. max with prey was presented alongside prey-free P. vulgaris, O. insidiosus still laid 55.4% more eggs on the latter. Prey availability affects oviposition on plants of equivalent quality, but plant suitability over-rides the importance of prey availability for this zoophytophagous insect. Phytophagy in young nymphs is important for their survival and we hypothesize that O. insidiosus females are better able to forecast plant quality than future prey populations as resources for their offspring.
STUDYING ENERGY-ORIENTED DYNAMIC OPTIMIZATIONS IN JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINES

Virtual machines have been increasingly used in embedded and mobile devices. Limited processing power and energy resources become a major challenge for modern virtual machines. The traditional virtual machines running on server computers also face the similar requirement to reduce energy dissipation. To address these challenges, a number of research works have been done in the area of energy-oriented dynamic optimization in Java Virtual Machines (JVM). Some of them focus on virtual machine directed hardware optimizations, while others exploit pure software approaches on virtual machine or compiler to reduce energy consumption. Additionally, client/server framework among multiple processors is also used to offload power-consuming tasks from low-power devices. This paper surveys the current progress of energy-oriented dynamic optimizations in JVMs.
Safety and efficacy of diclofenac ophthalmic solution in the treatment of corneal abrasions.

Abstract Study objective: To determine whether the use of diclofenac ophthalmic solution is a safe and effective analgesic in the treatment of traumatic corneal abrasions in the emergency department. Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Consenting consecutive patients with corneal abrasions who presented to a community-based ED from August through February 1998 were randomly assigned to receive either diclofenac or control vehicle drops. Pain relief was measured using a visual Numeric Pain Intensity Scale (NPIS) before and after treatment. Exclusion criteria were as follows: age younger than 18 years, pregnancy, history of glaucoma, ocular infection, recent eye surgery, other signs of ocular trauma, narcotics within 6 hours, minimal pain (NPIS score Results: Forty-nine patients were enrolled in the study; 25 received diclofenac and 24 received control vehicle drops. Both groups were similar in gender, age, pretreatment pain duration, NPIS score, and analgesic use. There was significantly greater improvement in the 2-hour NPIS score in the diclofenac group (3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3 to 4) compared with the control group (1.0; 95% CI 0.1 to 2.0). The difference between the 2 groups was 2.1±1.3 (95% CI 0.8 to 3.4). There was a trend toward fewer patients taking rescue oxycodone-acetaminophen in the diclofenac group (20%; 95% CI 4% to 36%) versus the control group (42%; 95% CI 22% to 62%). Other than transient mild stinging, there were no complications associated with diclofenac use. Conclusion: Diclofenac ophthalmic solution appears to be a safe and effective analgesic in the treatment of traumatic corneal abrasions in the ED. [Szucs PA, Nashed AH, Allegra JR, Eskin B. Safety and efficacy of diclofenac ophthalmic solution in the treatment of corneal abrasions. Ann Emerg Med. February 2000;35:131-137.]
Making Meaning of Educational Leadership: The Principalship in Metaphor

This article explores how future educational leaders make meaning of the principalship through metaphor. At the conclusion of a university principal preparation program, principal interns were asked to use figurative language to represent the principalship. The metaphors identified four distinct themes: (a) protection and nurturing; (b) skill, adventure, or problem solving; (c) challenge, risk, and threat; and (d) chance and luck. Their responses provide a glimpse into their perceptions and mental models that shape their understanding and influence leadership behaviors.
Synthesis of Rhodobacter sphaeroides cytochrome c2 in Escherichia coli

The cytochrome c2 structural gene, cycA, from Rhodobacter sphaeroides was expressed in Escherichia coli. CycA-specific mRNA was detected in E. coli both under aerobic and anaerobic conditions with trimethylamine-N-oxide as electron acceptor. However mature holocytochrome c2 was only detected in anaerobically-grown cells. The mature form of cytochrome c2 (Mr= 12,500) was secreted into the periplasm of E. coli suggesting that the signal polypeptide was processed. The cytochrome c2 synthesized in E. coli exhibited absorbance maxima in the reduced from at 550 nm (α-band) and 521 nm (β-band) and contained covalently attached haem c. The results indicate that a foreign c-type cytochrome can be secreted and assembled in E. coli under anaerobic conditions.
Mechanism of H. pylori intracellular entry: an in vitro study.

The majority of H. pylori reside on gastric epithelial cell surfaces and in the overlying mucus, but a small fraction of H. pylori enter host epithelial and immune cells. To explore the role of the nudA invasin in host cell entry, a ΔnudA deletion derivative of strain J99 was constructed and transformants were verified by PCR and by fluorescence in situ hybridization. AGS cells were inoculated with either wild type (WT) strain J99 or its ΔnudA mutant to determine the fraction of bacteria that were bound to the cells and inside these cells using the gentamicin protection assay. We observed no significant difference between either the density of H. pylori bound to AGS cell membranes or the density of intracellular H. pylori. To further explore this finding, separate chambers of each culture were fixed in glutaraldehyde for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunogold TEM. This addition to the “classical” gentamicin assay demonstrated that there were significantly more intracellular, and fewer membrane-bound, H. pylori in WT-infected AGS cells than in ΔnudA allele infected cells. Thus, the sum of intracellular and membrane-bound H. pylori was similar in the two groups. Since no other similar TEM study has been performed, it is at present unknown whether our observations can be reproduced by others Taken together however, our observations suggest that the “classical” gentamicin protection assay is not sufficiently sensitive to analyze H. pylori cell entry and that the addition of TEM to the test demonstrate that nudA plays a role in H. pylori entry into AGS cells in vitro. In addition, deletion of the invasin gene appears to limit H. pylori to the AGS cell surface, where it may be partly protected against gentamicin. In contrast, this specific environment may render H. pylori more vulnerable to host defense and therapeutic intervention, and less prone to trigger normal immune, carcinogenic, and other developmental response pathways.
A simple "proximity" correction for Förster resonance energy transfer efficiency determination in membranes using lifetime measurements.

Accurate measurements of oligomerization in membranes by Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) are always compromised by a substantial contribution from random chance colocalization of donors and acceptors. Recently, Li and coworkers demonstrated the use of computer simulation in estimating the contribution of this "proximity" component to correct the FRET efficiency and estimate the free energy of dimer formation of the G380R mutants of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) transmembrane domain immersed into lipid bilayer. Because tight dimerization will result in complete energy transfer from donor to acceptor, we have used the same experimental system of fluorescein- and rhodamine-labeled G380R mutants of FGFR3 for the experimental assessment of the proximity FRET corrections using fluorescence lifetime measurements. The experimental proximity FRET correction, based on time-resolved fluorescence measurements, is expected to have general advantages over theoretical correction, especially in the case of nonrandomly distributed monomers.
Success With an Inpatient Geriatric Unit: A Controlled Study of Outcome and Follow‐up

To assess the worth of a newly established geriatric unit, outcomes for 50 subject patients cared for on this unit were compared with outcomes for 50 control patients. Both groups of patients were hospitalized in Highland View Hospital, the chronic illness and rehabilitation section of a major teaching hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Analysis of admission data showed the two groups to be closely comparable. All patients were managed by multidisciplinary teams, and the length of stay of both groups was comparable. The discharge data showed that the subject patients were more independent, with significantly greater numbers improving in ambulation and significantly more subject patients being discharged to a home setting. Although the patients in the control group were discharged at lower levels of function, they showed improvement at follow-up. Follow-up data also showed that both groups largely remained in their discharge environments. Explanations for these findings are discussed. The results of this study support the establishment of geriatric inpatient units.
An Effective Culture System for Studying in Vitro Mitogenic Responses of Channel Catfish Lymphocytes

Abstract Lymphocytes of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus can be stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (ConA) to synthesize deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in vitro. The importance of the proper serum supplement and tonicity of the culture medium was established empirically. Responses to LPS were temperature-independent whereas the responses to ConA were suppressed at lower temperatures. Although peripheral blood and splenic lymphocytes exhibited similar responses to both mitogens, anterior kidney cells did not respond, probably due to the high background levels of DNA synthesis in this highly hematopoietic organ. Received September 27, 1982 Accepted June 12, 1983
Hydroxyl Tagging Velocimetry in a Mach 2 Flow with a Wall Cavity

Hydroxyl tagging velocimetry (HTV) measurements of velocity were made in a Mach 2 flow with a wall cavity. In the HTV method, ArF excimer laser (193 nm) beams pass through a humid gas and dissociate H2O into H + OH to form a tagging grid of OH molecules. In this study, a 7x7 grid of hydroxyl (OH) molecules is tracked by planar laser-induced fluorescence. The grid motion over a fixed time delay yields about 50 velocity vectors of the two-dimensional flow. Instantaneous, single-shot measurements of two-dimensional flow patterns were made in the non-reacting Mach 2 flow with a wall cavity under low and high pressure conditions. The single-shot profiles were analyzed to yield mean and rms velocity profiles in the Mach 2 non-reacting flow.
Lymphocyte Subpopulations Before Therapy in Patients With Uveal Malignant Melanoma

T-cell and B-cell lymphocyte subpopulations, monocytes, granulocytes, and immunoglobulin receptors were measured with monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometric techniques in the peripheral blood of 266 patients with posterior uveal melanoma before therapy. Statistically significant differences were found in T-helper/inducer (OKT4), T-suppressor/cytotoxic (OKT8), and B-lymphocyte populations between patients with uveal melanoma and age-matched controls.
Preparative Ultracentrifuge Method for Characterization of Carbon Nanotube Dispersions

Quantitative characterization of carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersions is critical for developing various CNT-based applications, e.g., transparent conducting thin films, CNT thin film transistors, CNT-reinforced composites, etc. Using both of the preparative ultracentrifuge and absorption spectrum measurements, this paper presents a simple, easy-to-use, and reproducible method to experimentally determine the sedimentation function of carbon nanotube dispersions. This information can then be used for the semiquantitative characterization of the dispersion of CNT in various liquid media. Theoretical analysis of the sedimentation function based upon the conventional ultracentrifugation model allows for the determination of the apparent sedimentation and diffusion coefficients for a specific SWNT dispersion. As demonstrated in the examples, this method, along with dynamic light scattering, was used for studying the processing−structure relationship of SWNT/H2O dispersions. In brief: (1) size reduction of SWNT bu...
Energy Performance Analysis of a Combined Cooling Heating and Power System for a Data Center

Data centers play an important role in modern business. They require a large amount of electricity and cooling energy simultaneously. In 2007, the percentage of total energy consumed by data centers in total US energy doubled over seven years and it is estimated to be double again by 2012. Currently data centers typically employ separate cooling, heating and power (SCHP) systems. The Combined Cooling Heating and Power (CCHP) system is an efficient, clean, and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source simultaneously on site. They could be suitable energy supply systems for data centers since demands from data centers match with the energy generation of the CCHP systems. This paper assesses the energy performance of a CCHP system for the Qualcomm data center in San Diego, California, by means of modeling and operational data analysis. The CCHP system mainly consists of four gas turbines, one exhaust fired absorption chiller, three hot water fired absorption chillers, three electrical chillers and seven cooling towers. System performance models have been developed and validated by experimental data in TRNSYS. The modeling result shows that the CCHP system is capable of meeting the electricity and cooling demands with an overall system efficiency of 46%. As a result, the CCHP system could approximately save 12.9GWh of energy per year compared with SCHP systems. Therefore, the CCHP system is a sustainable and green option for data centers.© 2012 ASME
Complete nucleotide sequence of the chiba virus genome and functional expression of the 3C-like protease in Escherichia coli.

We cloned the genome RNA of the Chiba virus (ChV; Hu/NLV/Chiba 407/1987/JP) and determined its complete nucleotide sequence. The genome is predicted to be a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA of 7697 bases, excluding a poly(A) tract. Comparison of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences with those of other members of the species Norwalk virus (NV) revealed that ChV belongs to genogroup I NV. The ChV genome contains three open reading frames (ORFs). A large 5'-terminal ORF (ORF1) encodes a polyprotein with 1785 amino acids that are likely processed into functional proteins, including RNA helicase, VPg, protease, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. ORF2 encodes the capsid protein with 544 amino acids, and a small 3'-terminal ORF (ORF3) encodes a basic protein with 208 amino acids. The amino acid sequences of five cleavage sites in ORF1 are highly conserved compared with those of other members of NV. When expressed in Escherichia coli, the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein of the ChV protease connected via a short peptide containing a human rhinovirus 3C protease cleavage site was cleaved into GST and the protease; however, this cleavage did not occur when the Cys mutation was introduced into the putative active site of the protease. Moreover, the ChV protease recognized and cleaved the predicted proteolytic sites between VPg and protease and between protease and RNA polymerase. Therefore, the ChV protease expressed in E. coli retained an enzymatic activity and a substrate specificity similar to that of the human rhinovirus 3C protease.
Leveraging social network concepts for efficient peer-to-peer live streaming systems

In current peer-to-peer (P2P) live streaming systems, nodes in a channel form a P2P overlay for video sharing. To watch a new channel, a node depends on the centralized server to join in the overlay of the channel. The increase in the number of channels in today's live streaming applications triggers users' desire of watching multiple channels successively or simultaneously. However, the support of such watching modes in current applications is no better than joining in different channel overlays successively or simultaneously, which if widely used, poses heavy burden on the centralized server. In order to achieve higher efficiency and scalability, we propose a Social network-Aided efficient liVe strEaming system (SAVE). SAVE regards users' channel switching or multi-channel watching as interactions between channels. By collecting the information of channel interactions and nodes' interests and watching times, SAVE forms nodes in multiple channels with frequent interactions into an overlay, constructs bridges between overlays of channels with less frequent interactions, and enables nodes to identify friends sharing similar interests and watching times. Thus, a node can connect to a new channel while staying in its current overlay, using bridges or relying on its friends, reducing the need to contact the centralized server. Extensive experimental results from the PeerSim simulator and PlanetLab verify that SAVE outperforms other popular protocols in system efficiency and server load reduction.
A Work Behavior Analysis of Volunteers in Social Service Agencies

The Volunteer Work Behavior Questionnaire was developed and administered to volunteers in social service programs represented by hospice, crisis, and family service agencies in an effort to identify work behaviors of volunteers. Frequency, importance, and combined item scores were factor analyzed separately to determine major dimensions of work behaviors. Analyses of variance were used to test for differences in factor “subscale scores” and type of agency, followed by Tukey's Studentized Range tests as appropriate. Results suggested a consistent factor structure of work behaviors. Volunteer work behaviors were characterized by three factors of (a) issue-specific interactions, (b) structured and administrative tasks, and (c) communication-specific interactions.
Calcium ion uptake by crustacean peripheral nerve subcellular particles.

Abstract A vesicular membrane system was prepared from peripheral nerve of the crab Callinectes sapidus, which had ATP-dependent, oxalate enhanced Ca2+ uptake properties similar to mammalian skeletal and cardiac muscle microsomal fragments. This same preparation had a high level of Na+-K+-activated ATPase. In vitro Na+ caused the release of bound Ca2+ and simultaneously stimulated the Na+-K+-activated ATPase system suggesting a relationship between these two systems in the control of nerve excitability.
Meaningful Degrees of Prevention or Improvement of Nerve Conduction in Controlled Clinical Trials of Diabetic Neuropathy

Use of nerve conduction in assessing therapy in preventing or ameliorating neuropathy is desirable because abnormalities of nerve conduction are associated with severity of neuropathic symptoms and deficits. Assuming that a therapy is associated with a statistically significant improvement of nerve conduction, what degree of nerve conduction change is clinically meaningful? We suggest that in controlled clinical trials, a mean change of 2 points on the neurologic disability score is clinically detectable and meaningful. Based on our previously published crosssectional epidemiological data, this corresponds to a change of motor nerve conduction velocity of the average ulnar median and peroneal nerves of 2.9 m/s and peroneal nerve of 2.2 m/s. The corresponding changes of amplitude were 1.2 and 0.7 mV, respectively. Smaller degrees of nerve conduction change were found when only insulin-dependent patients were evaluated.
Graph allocation in static dataflow systems

One of the most important considerations for a dataflow multiprocessor is the algorithm by which the nodes of a program graph are allocated for execution to its processors. In the case of the static type of architecture one must consider pipelining as well as spatial concurrency. This paper uses a graph partitioning scheme to aid in the design of such algorithms and selection of the associated interconnection topology. The scheme first refines the usual dataflow program graph and then partitions it into “trees.” Our study shows that the hypercube interconnection accommodates these trees in a way that allows as to develop an algorithm that places producer nodes (of a dataflow graph) nears their consumers to keep the message path very short. The algorithm achieves concurrency in simultaneous execution of subgraphs that involve parallel operations, e.g., array operations, and subgraphs that are highly iterative or recursive. An analytical model is given to evaluate the performance of the algorithm.
Autonomous Power Expert System

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control technologies to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (SSF/EPS). The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence/expert system technology paths, to create knowledge-based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces, and to integrate and interface knowledge-based and conventional control schemes [1]. This program is being developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The APS Brassboard represents a subset of a 20KHz Space Station Power Management And Distribution (PMAD) testbed. A distributed control scheme is used to manage multiple levels of computers and switchgear. The brassboard is comprised of a set of intelligent switchgear used to effectively switch power from the sources to the loads. The Autonomous Power EXpert System (APEX) portion of the APS program integrates a knowledge-based fault diagnostic system, a power resource scheduler, and interface to the APS Brassboard. The system includes knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation, and recommended actions. The scheduler autonomously assigns start times to the attached loads based on temporal and power constraints. The scheduler is able to work in a near real-time environment for both scheduling and dynamic replanning.
VH replacement is unlikely to contribute significantly to receptor editing due to an ineffectual embedded recombination signal sequence

Abstract Receptor editing is a process consisting of replacement of pre-existing H or L chain rearrangements by secondary rearrangements. This process could serve to remove autoreactive specificities, or to rescue loci with non-functional rearrangements. At the H chain locus, functional replacement of a VHDJH rearrangement by an upstream VH requires the presence of an embedded RSS located in reverse orientation near the 3′ end of the VH segment. Although most VH genes contain a fairly consensus embedded heptamer, the nonamer sequence bears little resemblance to the consensus RSS nonamer. Therefore, the physiologic rate of H chain editing by VH replacement is yet unknown. In this study, we used both conventional and sensitive competition recombination substrate assays to determine the recombination frequency of the VH81X embedded RSS relative to consensus and non-consensus RSS’s. Results show no detectable recombination of the 81X embedded RSS in a recombination substrate, and the competition substrate allows us to estimate that the 81X embedded RSS recombines at least 1300 fold less often than a consensus RSS. This suggests that VH gene replacement is not responsible for the decrease in representation of the 81X gene during differentiation. Furthermore, since the sequence of the embedded RSS is very similar for many VH genes, our results suggest that receptor editing of the H chain will be an infrequent event, leaving L chain editing as the main mode of avoiding autoreactive specificities in vivo.
Gastric and cardiac H-2 receptor effects of dimaprit and N'(Me),5(Me)histamine in conscious dogs.

Abstract Two new H-2 agonists 5,N′-dimethyl histamine (DMH), an imidazole analog, and dimaprit, a non-imidazole compound, and histamine (H), a mixed (H), a mixed H-1, H-2 agonist, were given to four conscious gastric fistula dogs. Gastric acid was stimulated dose responsively. Dimaprit stimulated a 20% greater maximum output of acid, and more pepsin than the other agents, but inhibited pepsin secretion at doses >0.63 μmol/kg·h. Heart rate was increased dose responsively by all drugs to ∼200 beats/min with ED50 of 0.17 : 0.42: 0.80 μmol/kg · h (H : DMH : dimaprit). Normalized dose responses showed that histamine was equipotent on acid and heart rate (ED50 0.15 vs. 0.14 respectively) while DMH (ED50 0.21 vs 0.40) and dimaptrit (ED50 0.27 vs. 0.85) stimulated heart rate less effectively than acid. Histamine was more effective at reducing blood pressure, with approximate ED50 of 0.28 : 0.60 : 0.96 for H, DMH and dimaprit respectively. The results indicate considerable heterogeneity of histamine responses for different actions mediated by the H-2 receptors, as well as differences for any one action between H-2 agonists.
Synthesis and characterization of D-glucosamine-derived low molecular weight gelators

Carbohydrate-based low molecular weight gelators are an interesting class of molecules with many potential applications. Previously, wehave found that certain esters and carbamatesof 4,6-O-benzylidene- a-D-methyl-glucopyranosidearelowmolecularweightgelatorsforavarietyofsolvents,includingwater.In orderto obtain effectiveand robust sugar-based organogelatorsand understand the structure and gelation relationship, we extended our studies using 4,6-O-benzylidene-a-D-methyl-2-deoxy-2-amino-glucopyr- anoside as the headgroup. A series of amides and ureas were prepared from the protected D-glucosamine andthecorresponding isocyanatesoracidchlorides,ingoodyields.Theself-assemblingpropertiesofthese compounds were studied in several solvents, including water and aqueous solutions. Comparing to the ester and carbamate derivatives previously prepared from D-glucose, the amides and urea derivatives afforded more robust gels at lower concentrations typically. Most of these compounds were found to be efficient low molecular weight hydrogelators (LMHGs) for aqueous solutions at concentrations lower than 0.5 wt %. The preparation and characterization of these compounds are reported here. 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Motion silencing of flicker distortions on naturalistic videos

We study the influence of motion on the visibility of flicker distortions in naturalistic videos. A series of human subjective studies were executed to understand how motion silences the visibility of flicker distortions as a function of object motion, flicker frequency, and video quality. We found that flicker visibility is strongly reduced when the speed of coherent motion is large, and the effect is pronounced when video quality is poor. Based on this finding, we propose a model of flicker visibility on naturalistic videos. The target-related activation levels in the excitatory layer of neurons were estimated for a displayed video using a spatiotemporal backward masking model, and then the flicker visibility is predicted based on a learned model of neural flicker adaptation processes. Experimental results show that the prediction of flicker visibility using the proposed model correlates well with human perception of flicker distortions. We believe that sufficiently fast and coherent motion silences the perception of flicker distortions on naturalistic videos in agreement with a recently observed "motion silencing" effect on synthetic stimuli. We envision that the proposed model could be applied to develop perceptual video quality assessment algorithms that can predict "silenced" temporal distortions and account for them when computing quality judgments. We study motion silencing of flicker distortions on naturalistic videos.Flicker visibility is strongly reduced when the speed of object motion is large.Motion silencing of flicker distortions is pronounced when video quality is poor.We propose a model of flicker visibility on naturalistic videos.The model prediction of flicker visibility correlates well with human perception.
Dopamine D2 receptor desensitization by dopamine or corticotropin releasing factor in ventral tegmental area neurons is associated with increased glutamate release

Neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are the source of dopaminergic (DAergic) input to important brain regions related to addiction. Prolonged exposure of these VTA neurons to moderate concentrations of dopamine (DA) causes a time-dependent decrease in DA-induced inhibition, a complex desensitization called DA inhibition reversal (DIR). DIR is mediated by conventional protein kinase C (cPKC) through concurrent stimulation of D2 and D1-like DA receptors, or by D2 stimulation concurrent with activation of some Gq-linked receptors. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) acts via Gq, and can modulate glutamater neurotransmission in the VTA. In the present study, we used brain slice electrophysiology to characterize the interaction of DA, glutamate antagonists, and CRF agonists in the induction and maintenance of DIR in the VTA. Glutamate receptor antagonists blocked induction but not maintenance of DIR. Putative blockers of neurotransmitter release and store-operated calcium channels blocked and reversed DIR. CRF and the CRF agonist urocortin reversed inhibition produced by the D2 agonist quinpirole, consistent with our earlier work indicating that Gq activation reverses quinpirole-mediated inhibition. In whole cell recordings, the combination of urocortin and quinpirole, but not either agent alone, increased spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) in VTA neurons. Likewise, the combination of a D1-like receptor agonist and quinpirole, but not either agent alone, increased sEPSCs in VTA neurons. In summary, desensitization of D2 receptors induced by dopamine or CRF on DAergic VTA neurons is associated with increased glutamatergic signaling in the VTA.