cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Driven Women: Reconceptualizing the Traffic in Women in the Margins of Europe through the Case of Gagauz Mobile Domestics in Istanbul

© 2003 Leyla J. Keough All Rights Reserved The copyright for individual articles in both the print and online version of the Anthropology of East Europe Review is retained by the individual authors. They reserve all rights other than those stated here. Please contact the managing editor for details on contacting these authors. Permission is granted for reproducing these articles for scholarly and classroom use as long as only the cost of reproduction is charged to the students. Commercial reproduction of these articles requires the permission of the authors. In this paper, I suggest that undertaking ethnographic studies which are attentive to the subjective accounts of women migrants can help us to better assess and critique discourses regarding the traffic in women and to ask new questions about the agency and power of mobile female subjects. In the spring of 2001, I followed the lives of Moldovan women of the Gagauz ethnic group who travel illegally to work as domestics in middle class Istanbul homes.1 Here I will sketch the political and economic situation that prompts this unusual migratory pattern and detail the experiences of one mobile Gagauz woman whom I came to know well. I contrast her case, and the agency and power she evidently holds, with the International Organization for Migration’s discourse that frames trafficking and women in very certain terms: young single women as victims forcibly trafficked and sold into prostitution by criminal networks. Through her case, I point to the uncertainty of these terms, and some of the problems with this discourse for understanding trafficking and the situation of illegal migrants in the margins of Europe. This example and others like it, suggests the need for us to re-conceptualize conventional and scholarly ideas of migration, of female subjects, and of agents and victims in trafficking.
Blame Avoidance and Network Coordination: Evidence from Crisis Response

The growing literature on public service networks has identified a variety of mechanisms to foster coordination, including trust and norms reciprocity. This paper argues that network actors are also driven by a desire to avoid blame. In doing so, the paper develops the concept of blame avoidance in a network setting, identifying both potential causes and consequences. The paper points out that membership of public service networks is often a political responsibility rather than a voluntary act, and that members may be at least as attuned to their extra-network reputation as to their intra-network reputation, creating an incentive to apply blame avoidance strategies. The application of such strategies, in turn, undermines the ability of networks to foster trust and coordination, and therefore represents a significant threat to the implementation of public policy. To test the preliminary salience of the concept, blame avoidance strategies are identified under the most likely conditions of high political risk and task salience, as represented by the crisis response network in Hurricane Katrina.
Shear-Coupled Waves in a Thin, Helically Wrapped Cylindrical Shell

The propagation of long wavelength, axi-symmetric, elastic waves in a thin, semi-infinite, anisotropic, circular, cylindrical shell, resulting from a uniform, axial stress pulse on the free end, is investigated. Anisotropy of the shell is a consequence of its single layer, helical wrap construction. Shear-coupling is present in the plane of the middle surface of the shell and is accounted for in the analysis. Two waves are propagated which travel with different velocities, each consisting of non-zero components of stress and displacement in the axial and circumferential directions.
Changes in the core of the mammalian-pyruvate dehydrogenase complex upon selective removal of the lipoyl domain from the transacetylase component but not from the protein X component.

The dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2) component contains a COOH-terminal inner domain (E2I) and an extended NH2-terminal structure, which is composed of two lipoyl domains (the fragment containing both is designated as E2L) and a subunit-binding domain (E2B). The four domains are connected by hinge regions. A subcomplex, composed of an oligomer of E2 subunits, protein X (which also has an NH2-terminal lipoyl domain), and the [pyruvate dehydrogenase]-kinase catalytic and basic subunits (Kc and Kb, respectively) (i.e. E2.X.KcKb subcomplex), was treated with Clostridium histolyticum collagenase. E2 subunits were selectively cleaved at the NH2-terminal end of the E2B domain, releasing the E2L fragment. Complete release of E2 subunits also released the kinase subunits, indicating that the kinase is bound to the E2L portion of E2. The residual inner core subcomplex (designated E2IB.X) has a strong tendency to aggregate, but this can be reversed with heparin (1 mg/ml). The E2IB.X subcomplex binds the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (E3) components. The E1 component, which binds to the E2B domain, blocked collagenase cleavage of E2. We evaluated the capacity of the collagenase-treated E2.X.KcKb subcomplex, from which different portions of the E2L domains were removed, to support (in combination with excess levels of the E1 and E3 components) the overall reaction of the complex. Loss of activity occurred only after more than half of the E2L domains were removed. This delay is in sharp contrast to the effect of selective removal of the lipoyl domain of protein X, which leads to an immediate decrease in activity (Gopalakrishnan, S., Rahmatullah, M., Radke, G.-A., Powers-Greenwood, S. L., and Roche, T. E. (1989) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 160, 715-721). These results suggest that multiple lipoyl domains of the E2 component service the rate-limiting E1 component. After all the E2L domains were removed and the E2IB.X subcomplex was separated from free E2L, 10% activity was retained in the overall reaction. Thus, the lipoyl domain of protein X supported the overall reaction of the complex.
Next generation pixel scaling for the digital micromirror device

Digital light processing (DLP/spl trade/) technology, is the leader in the microdisplay market using the digital micromirror device (DMD) technology. As the market for display resolution and performance grows, our strategy is focusing on decreasing the pixel pitch for the latest high resolution devices. This paper presents the issues that are associated with shrinking the micromirror and actuation circuitry, as well as design and process techniques that are used to overcome the scaling requirements. Simulation results illustrate the ability of the next generation DMD to meet these scaling requirements to overcome the electrostatic, mechanical, and optical constraints at the smaller pixel pitch.
Transnationalism, Diaspora, Translation

Sikh Formations, Vol. 3, No. 1, June 2007, pp. 51– 66 Karen Leonard TRANSNATIONALISM, DIASPORA, TRANSLATION Comparing Punjabis and Hyderabadis abroad Themes and theories Comparing the Punjabi diaspora to the US and the Hyderabadi diaspora worldwide is more than an intellectual exercise investigating issues of transnationalism, cosmopo- litanism and translation studies. An ethnographic comparison illuminates the ways in which migrants deﬁne and represent themselves and their experiences over time and in different contexts. Both diasporas represent the decline, at different points in time, of lingering Mughlai or Indo-Muslim societies in South Asia, I argue. The words and phrases used by immigrants show the disintegration of Punjabi and Hyder- abadi plural societies, and they also show slippages, or possible slippages, into com- munities narrowly based on religion. In both cases, the words used to identify and locate self and other in the shifting landscapes testify to signiﬁcant translations. The comparison is more than a two-way one, since both diasporas have internal contrasts as well. The Punjabi diaspora took place in two distinct historical periods. A few hundred speakers of the Punjabi language in India’s northwestern region migrated to the United States in the early twentieth century, to be followed after the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act by many thousands of Punjabis. Fol- lowers of the Sikh religion were prominent in both movements, although the ﬁrst diaspora consisted primarily of farmers, rural men who settled in the farming valleys of California and adjacent western states, while the second diaspora featured well-educated professional people moving in family units to cities all over the United States. The Hyderabadis too were internally differentiated. Hyderabadis is a name given chieﬂy to those from Hyderabad city who had been mulkis (countrymen) or citi- zens of the princely state ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad, a state incorporated into independent India in 1948. Again there was an earlier diaspora, of Muslims to Paki- stan in 1947– 48, followed by another, beginning in the 1960s, of emigrants to the United States and elsewhere. These later Hyderabadi migrants came from many reli- gious backgrounds (Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Parsi and Christian), although, like the ISSN 1744-8727 (print)/ISSN 1744-8735 (online)/07/010051-16 # 2007 Taylor & Francis DOI: 10.1080/17448720701332592
Dietary Psyllium Increases Fecal Bile Acid Excretion, Total Steroid Excretion and Bile Acid Biosynthesis in Rats

Psyllium, a source of dietary fiber rich in soluble components results in lower serum cholesterol concentration in several species. Suggested mechanisms for the hypocholesterolemic effect include a greater excretion of fecal bile acids and total steroids, and up-regulation of bile acid biosynthesis. The activity of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (7alphaOHase), the rate limiting enzyme in bile acid biosynthesis, is higher in rats fed 5% psyllium. Whether this higher activity corresponds to an increase in mRNA levels has not been determined. Four groups of 10 rats were fed a semipurified diet containing 5% cellulose (CEL; control), 5% cellulose plus 1% cholic acid (CCA), 5% cellulose plus 2% cholestyramine (CHY) or 5% psyllium hydrocolloid (PSY) for 3 wk. Liver cholesterol concentration, fecal bile acid and total steroid excretion, 7alphaOHase activity and 7alphaOHase mRNA levels were measured. Liver cholesterol content in rats fed CCA was significantly higher than in all other groups. Rats fed CHY and PSY had significantly lower liver cholesterol content than those fed CEL. Total fecal steroid and bile acid excretions were significantly greater in rats fed CCA, CHY and PSY than in those fed CEL. Activities and mRNA levels of 7alphaOHase in rats fed CHY and PSY were significantly higher than in rats fed CEL or CCA. These data indicate that feeding psyllium to rats increases fecal bile acid and total steroid excretion as well as 7alphaOHase activity and 7alphaOHase mRNA levels.
Microwave scattering by plants generated by a stochastic Lindenmayer system

Recent studies indicate that at high frequencies, the branches and leaves in vegetation scatter independently. However, at low frequencies, they scatter collectively so that the structure of the trees and plants needs to be taken into account. Also, the near-field interaction among branches and leaves at low frequencies can give strong polarization signatures and cross polarization. Such collective scattering effects can contribute to a variety of frequency and polarimetric dependence. To take into account the tree and plant structures, the authors have used a stochastic Lindenmayer system to generate plant and tree structures with realistic appearances. They then solve Maxwell's equations for vegetation grown in this manner.
The effect of advance ratio on the aerodynamics of revolving wings.

Recent studies have demonstrated that a quasi-steady model closely matches the instantaneous force produced by an insect wing during hovering flight. It is not clear, however, if such methods extend to forward flight. In this study we use a dynamically scaled robotic model of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the forces produced by a wing revolving at constant angular velocity while simultaneously translating at velocities appropriate for forward flight. Because the forward and angular velocities were constant wing inertia was negligible, and the measured forces can be attributed to fluid dynamic phenomena. The combined forward and revolving motions of the wing produce a time-dependent free-stream velocity profile, which suggests that added mass forces make a contribution to the measured forces. We find that the forces due added mass make a small, but measurable, component of the total force and are in excellent agreement with theoretical values. Lift and drag coefficients are calculated from the force traces after subtracting the contributions due to added mass. The lift and drag coefficients, for fixed angle of attack, are not constant for non-zero advance ratios, but rather vary in magnitude throughout the stroke. This observation implies that modifications of the quasi-steady model are required in order to predict accurately the instantaneous forces produced during forward flight. We show that the dependence of the lift and drag coefficients upon advance ratio and stroke position can be characterized effectively in terms of the tip velocity ratio – the ratio of the chordwise components of flow velocity at the wing tip due to translation and revolution. On this basis we develop a modified quasi-steady model that can account for the varying magnitudes of the lift and drag coefficients. Our model may also resolve discrepancies in past measurements of wing performance based on translational and revolving motion.
Analysis of polarization properties of lateral antiresonant reflecting optical waveguides

Polarization properties of lateral antiresonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROWs) with many periods have been investigated in a high index contrast material based on silicon-on-insulator platform. Two designs, one based on grazing incidence and a second one incorporating Brewster angle condition, with depressed and non-depressed index cores are compared. The numerical simulations with a 3D semi-vectorial beam propagation method presented demonstrate that depressed and non-depressed index core in the two analyzed designs have very different polarization properties. With non-depressed index core TE and TM polarization modes are efficiently supported, whereas with the depressed index core both designs perform well as TE mode polarizers with a TE to TM extinction ratio of better than 22 dB/mm. Attenuation properties have also been studied for different number of periods in the ARROW design.
Peristernal closure of median sternotomy using stainless steel bands.

Abstract Peristernal closure of median sternotomy incisions with interrupted stainless steel bands has proved to be a rapid and safe method for achieving solid internal fixation in approximation of the sternum. The method is particularly useful for obese patients undergoing sternotomy. There have been no instances of wound dehiscence using this technique, and several other advantages over standard forms of sternal closure are apparent. The method is a useful addition to the cardiac surgeon's armamentarium.
Exercise and estrus cycle influences on the plasma triglycerides of female rats.

AbstractSince exercise and estrogens have a significant influence on plasma triglyceride (TG) concentration, this study was performed to determine the effects of exercise on the TG titers of female rats in the four stages of the estrus cycle. Normal female rats in the various phases of the estrus cycle, ovariectomized females, ovariectomized rats receiving estradiol, and normal male rats, all of comparable age, were run to exhaustion. At the time of exhaustion, the runner and a weight-matched control were anesthetized and exsanguinated. Ovariectomized animals receiving estrogen replacement ran 61% longer than the male rats. However, this difference probably resulted from body weight differences, because when positive work was calculated, all group means were equivalent. Resting plasma TG levels were higher in normal male rats than in any other group. Ovariectomy had no effect on plasma TG levels but estrogen administration increased the concentration by 35%. Phase of the estrus cycle had no effect on rest...
The first years of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been developed since the invention of the laser in 1960. The push from analytical companies from the beginning started a huge scientific adventure combining analytical science, plasma physics engineering and commercialization that still is in place fifty years later. This historical review of the first five years of laser‐based micro‐spectrochemical analysis introduces the first measurements and systems for laser micro-analysis and its evolution to conventional LIBS.
Overexpression of the μ-opioid receptor in human non-small cell lung cancer promotes Akt and mTOR activation, tumor growth, and metastasis.

Background Recent epidemiologic studies suggesting that there were differences in cancer recurrence contingent on anesthetic regimens have raised the possibility that μ-opioid agonists can influence cancer progression. Based on our previous studies indicating the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) is up-regulated in several types of non-small cell lung cancer, this study examined the functional significance of MOR overexpression to elucidate a possible mechanism for the epidemiologic findings. Methods Stable vector control and MOR1 overexpressing human bronchioloalveolar carcinoma cells were evaluated using immunoblot analysis, proliferation and transendothelial extravasation assays with or without Akt inhibitor, mTOR inhibitor (temsirolimus), or the peripheral MOR antagonist, methylnaltrexone. In human lung cancer xenograft models, primary tumor growth rates and lung metastasis were analyzed using consecutive tumor volume measurements and nestin immunoreactivity in lungs of the nude mouse model. Results The authors provide evidence that MOR is an important regulator of lung cancer progression. MOR overexpression increased Akt and mTOR activation, proliferation, and extravasation in human bronchioloalveolar carcinoma cells. In vivo, overexpression of MOR in human bronchoalveolar carcinoma cells increased primary tumor growth rates in nude mice by approximately 2.5-fold and lung metastasis by approximately 20-fold compared with vector control cells (n = 4 per condition). Conclusions The overexpression data suggest a possible direct effect of MOR on Akt and mTOR activation and lung cancer progression. Such an effect provides a plausible explanation for the epidemiologic findings. The authors' observations further suggest that exploration of MOR in non-small cell lung carcinoma merits further study both as a diagnostic and therapeutic option.
Persistent currents from Berry's phase in mesoscopic systems.

The quantum orbital motion of electrons in mesoscopic normal-metal rings threaded by a magnetic flux produces striking interference phenomena such as persistent currents due to the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Similarly, when a quantum spin adiabatically follows a magnetic field that rotates slowly in time, the phase of its state vector acquires an additional contribution known as the Berry phase. We explore the combination of these two quantum phenomena by examining the interplay between orbital and spin degrees of freedom for a charged spin-1/2 particle moving in a mesoscopic ring embedded in a classical, static inhomogeneous magnetic field, i.e, a texture. As a consequence of its orbital motion through the texture, the spin experiences, via the Zeeman interaction, a varying magnetic field. This results in a Berry---or geometric---phase, leading to persistent (i.e., equilibrium) currents of charge and spin. These mesoscopic phenomena are related to (but should be distinguished from) the conventional persistent currents that result from magnetic flux through a ring. We develop a path-integral approach to decouple the orbital and spin motion and, by using an adiabatic approximation, we compute the equilibrium expectation values of the persistent charge and spin currents and the magnetization. We find that the persistent currents depend on the texture in a striking manner through a geometric phase (related to a surface area characterizing the texture) and a geometric vector (related to the projections of this area). In the special case of a cylindrically symmetric texture we use a spectrum obtained by Kuratsuji and Iida to obtain exact results that confirm, independently, the validity of the path-integral approach in the adiabatic limit. We discuss the connection between the geometric vector and quantum-mechanical correlations, and examine quantum fluctuations and the zero-point energy.
An ontology-enabled user interface for simulation model construction and visualization

The purpose of an ontology is to structurally define knowledge about a topic. For the practice of simulation, ontologies have been demonstrated to be useful across a variety of techniques ranging f...
PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF VEHICLE FORMATION CONTROL USING DYNAMIC INVERSION

Results are presented from a preliminary study to determine the potential benefits of utilizing dynamic inversion inspired by a structural analogy for formation control of a system of vehicles. Vehicles are modeled as unconstrained mass particles under the influence of control forces in an inertial reference frame. For a system of particles restricted to motion in one dimension only, equations of motion are developed, and a corresponding dynamic inversion control law is proposed. A dissipative mechanical structure analogy is used to establish a family of feedback controllers. The conditions for global asymptotic stability are presented, and information requirements are discussed. It is shown that a stable system can be generated with each particle obtaining measurements for the mass center location of the system, and the position of the particles immediately next to it. A simulation of the response of a system to initial errors and desired trajectories using the proposed control law is presented yielding satisfactory results.
Anticoagulants in older patients. A safety perspective

Although anticoagulants are beneficial in the prevention and management of many thromboembolic disorders, they can cause serious bleeding. However, the risk of anticoagulant-related bleeding is not clearly defined for older patients, who are likely to benefit the most from anticoagulant therapy. Older patients may be at increased risk for anticoagulant-related bleeding because of their increased incidence of adverse drug reactions, increased prevalence of comorbidity and polypharmacy and increased vascular and endothelial fragility. Furthermore, the anticoagulant effect of warfarin is increased in older patients. Therefore, it is important to determine whether or not heparin-related and warfarin-related bleeding are more common in older patients. Most studies that have examined age as a risk factor for heparin-related bleeding have found bleeding to be more frequent in older patients: patients 60 years and older were approximately 3 times as likely to develop bleeding during heparin therapy than were younger patients. Studies that have examined age as a risk factor for warfarin-related bleeding have found conflicting results. Seven studies, enrolling a total of 14,388 patients, found that older patients were approximately twice as likely to bleed during warfarin therapy. In contrast, 7 studies, enrolling a total of 2940 patients, found no increase in the frequency of warfarin-related bleeding in older patients. These findings provide a basis for weighing the risks of anticoagulant therapy and for making decisions about the use of anticoagulants in older patients. These findings also indicate the potential value of methods to decrease the frequency of anticoagulant-related bleeding in older patients. Such methods include maintaining the anticoagulant effect within the therapeutic range and recognising other modifiable factors, such as medication use, that may promote bleeding.
CAPSULE AND O-ANTIGEN FROM AN EXTRAINTESTINAL ISOLATE OF ESHERICHIA COLI MODULATE CYTOKINE LEVELS IN RAT MACROPHAGES IN VITRO AND IN A RAT MODEL OF PNEUMONIA

Gram-negative pneumonia results in significant morbidity, mortality, and cost to the healthcare system. Previously the authors demonstrated that capsule and O-antigen, virulence factors of the extraintestinal Escherichia coli isolate CP9, modulate pulmonary neutrophil influx in a rat pneumonia model. In this report, the authors utilized CP9 and mutants deficient in O-antigen (CP921), capsule (CP9.137), or both (CP923) to test the hypothesis that modulation of cytokine levels by capsule and/or O-antigen may be a contributory mechanism. Effects of capsule and O-antigen on cytokine levels in rats in vivo and in isolated pulmonary macrophages in vitro were assessed. In vivo, capsule and O-antigen had no significant effect on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), but both were associated with significant increases in the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and Cytokine-induced neutrophil Chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1). However, potential difficulties in interpreting data occurred b...
Susceptibility to nucleoside analogues of zidovudine-resistant isolates of human immunodeficiency virus

The emergence of human immunodeficiency virus resistant to 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (zidovudine, AZT) in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex has been documented. Isolates from non-AZT-treated persons or those who had received AZT for less than six months showed a narrow range of susceptibility to the drug; on the other hand, isolates from those who had received AZT for six months or more consistently showed reduced susceptibility. Five highly AZT-resistant isolates were also insensitive to other compounds containing a 3'-azido group. No cross-resistance was found to other nucleoside analogues, including 2',3'-dideoxycytidine and 2',3'-dideoxyinosine. That cross-resistance occurred only in compounds containing a 3'-azido group suggests that mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene prohibit the enzyme from using nucleoside triphosphate containing a 3'-azido group. Progressive, stepwise increases in resistance have been associated with the sequential accumulation of specific amino acid changes in the reverse transcriptase gene. It is not yet known whether the resistant phenotype as determined in vitro results in clinical resistance to AZT. The gradual appearance of resistant isolates, the variable course of human immunodeficiency virus infections, and the absence of a consistent pattern of resurgent p24 antigen will make the emergence of AZT resistance difficult to correlate with clinical status or other markers. The combination of AZT with other drugs that do not share cross-resistance is a promising area for investigation to identify regimens that are more active and less likely to induce resistance.
The effect of patient navigation on time to diagnosis, anxiety, and satisfaction in urban minority women with abnormal mammograms: a randomized controlled trial.

Delay in follow-up after an abnormal mammogram is associated with advanced disease stage, poorer survival, and increased anxiety. Despite the implementation of many patient navigator programs across the country, there are few published, peer-reviewed studies documenting its effectiveness. We tested the effectiveness of a patient navigator in improving timeliness to diagnosis, decreasing anxiety, and increasing satisfaction in urban minority women after an abnormal mammogram. Women with suspicious mammograms were randomly assigned to usual care (N = 50) or usual care plus intervention with a patient navigator (N = 55). There were no demographic differences between the two groups. Women in the intervention group had shorter times to diagnostic resolution (mean 25.0 vs. 42.7 days; p = .001), with 22% of women in the control group without a final diagnosis at 60 days vs. 6% in the intervention group. The intervention group also had lower mean anxiety scores (decrease of 8.0 in intervention vs. increase of 5.8 in control; p < .001), and higher mean satisfaction scores (4.3 vs. 2.9; p < .001). Patient navigation is an effective strategy to improve timely diagnostic resolution, significantly decrease anxiety, and increase patient satisfaction among urban minority women with abnormal mammograms.
Reshaping Antibody Diversity

Some species mount a robust antibody response despite having limited genome-encoded combinatorial diversity potential. Cows are unusual in having exceptionally long CDR H3 loops and few V regions, but the mechanism for creating diversity is not understood. Deep sequencing reveals that ultralong CDR H3s contain a remarkable complexity of cysteines, suggesting that disulfide-bonded minidomains may arise during repertoire development. Indeed, crystal structures of two cow antibodies reveal that these CDR H3s form a very unusual architecture composed of a β strand “stalk” that supports a structurally diverse, disulfide-bonded “knob” domain. Diversity arises from somatic hypermutation of an ultralong DH with a severe codon bias toward mutation to cysteine. These unusual antibodies can be elicited to recognize defined antigens through the knob domain. Thus, the bovine immune system produces an antibody repertoire composed of ultralong CDR H3s that fold into a diversity of minidomains generated through combinations of somatically generated disulfides.Wang and Ekiert, et al. Cell (2013) 153:1379-93.
On the life-cycle of some loxosomatidae (Entoprocta)

Abstract Two new species of Entoprocta, Loxosoma jaegersteni and Loxosomella vivipara, from southern Florida are described and figured. The larvae of the first-mentioned species were caught in the plankton and adults were reared from the juveniles liberated from the larvae. The last-mentioned species was found on various sponges and it was possible to follow and describe its whole life cycle; it is viviparous and the larvae lack an alimentary canal; the formation of the single, internal bud is described.
Dynamics of metal-SiOx and SiOxSi interfaces and the associated instabilities in practical metal/insulator/semiconductor structures☆

Abstract X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and ellipsometry measurements were performed at CrSiOx and YbSiOx interfaces, which are being considered for metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) solar cell applications. These measurements have led to a knowledge of instability mechanisms associated with MIS solar cells. The dynamics of the metal-oxide interface reduce the effective thickness of the insulating SiOx layer. Typically, in a 3 week period after fabrication the oxide thickness decreases by about 2 A for ytterbium MIS structures and by less than 1 A for chromium MIS structures. A structural equilibrium is reached thereafter. To explore further the dependence of MIS Schottky barrier heights on oxide thickness variations (from about 5 to 20 A) a comprehensive charge balance analysis was performed at a general MIS interface. This theoretical study supports experimental data on barrier heights and also on instabilities. In addition, the application of the theoretical model to the experimental barrier heights has yielded quantitative information regarding the density of interface states at the SiOxSi interface.
Prerupture behavior of biosystems under stress.

Abstract The prerupture behaviors of a number of stressed and stretched biological systems are analyzed on the basis of a new model composed of thin membranes on viscoelastic foundation. The central displacement field of the stretched mark is found to increase as time increases indicating the likely region where rupture will incept. However, maximum stresses are found to occur behind the edge front of the stretch mark when the modulus of the stretched muscle decreases drastically suggesting the possible propagation of the edge of the stretch mark and consequently an increase in its size prior to rupture.
Analysis of Hollow-Cathode-Discharge-Excited Ar i, Ar ii, and Au i Spectral-Line Profiles Measured with a Fabry–Perot Interferometer*

Spectral profiles of Au i, Ar i, and Ar ii lines obtained with a scanning Fabry–Perot spectrometer from a low-current, 3.2-mm-diam Au hollow-cathode discharge in ~6 torr of Ar are fitted with Voigt functions to determine the apparent lorentzian half-widths, ΔLs, and apparent Doppler temperatures, Ts, as functions of the discharge current. Ts values of the Au i 4792-A line are approximately equal to those of the Ar i lines, whereas for the Au i 3123-A line, the Ts values are much greater. Arguments are presented to show that these high Ts values result from the high initial ejection energy of the sputtered atoms and the short lifetime of the upper state. Typically, Ts = 1010, 1180, and 1760 K for the Ar i 4511, Au i 4792, and Au i 3123-A lines, respectively. The Ts values of the Ar ii doublet-state lines equal those of the Ar i lines, whereas for the Ar ii quartet-state lines, the Ts values are significantly lower. The ΔLs values of the Ar i lines, whose transitions terminate on resonance states, are predicted by resonance-broadening theory. The ΔLs values of the Ar ii lines range from 0.010 to 0.031 cm−1 and far exceed the calculated resonance- and Stark-broadening terms. A proposed model of the Ar ii spectral-line profile consists of a superposition of two pure gaussian distributions, which represent one group of high-energy ions accelerated by axial electric fields in an electrical double layer (DL) at the end of the cathode, and a second group in equilibrium with Ar atoms. The sum closely approximates a Voigt function whose analysis yields apparent values, ΔLc and Tc, which equal the corresponding observed quantities. The ΔLs values are found to vary with discharge conditions, presumably depending upon the completion of the DL formation.
Interactions between the Leucine-zipper Motif of cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase and the C-terminal Region of the Targeting Subunit of Myosin Light Chain Phosphatase

Nitric oxide induces vasodilation by elevating the production of cGMP, an activator of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). PKG subsequently causes smooth muscle relaxation in part via activation of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP). To date, the interaction between PKG and the targeting subunit of MLCP (MYPT1) is not fully understood. Earlier studies by one group of workers showed that the binding of PKG to MYPT1 is mediated by the leucine-zipper motifs at the N and C termini, respectively, of the two proteins. Another group, however, reported that binding of PKG to MYPT1 did not require the leucine-zipper motif of MYPT1. In this work we fully characterized the interaction between PKG and MYPT1 using biophysical techniques. For this purpose we constructed a recombinant PKG peptide corresponding to a predicted coiled coil region that contains the leucine-zipper motif. We further constructed various C-terminal MYPT1 peptides bearing various combinations of a predicted coiled coil region, extensions preceding this coiled coil region, and the leucine-zipper motif. Our results show, firstly, that while the leucine-zipper motif at the N terminus of PKG forms a homodimeric coiled coil, the one at the C terminus of MYPT1 is monomeric and non-helical. Secondly, the leucine-zipper motif of PKG binds to that of MYPT1 to form a heterodimer. Thirdly, when the leucine-zipper motif of MYPT1 is absent, the PKG leucine-zipper motif binds to the coiled coil region and upstream segments of MYPT1 via formation of a heterotetramer. These results provide rationalization of some of the findings by others using alternative binding analyses.
Surface-based bedload transport relation for gravel rivers

Bedload transport in gravel-bed rivers is accomplished by means of the mobilization of grains exposed on the bed surface. This mobilization is due to the action of fluid forces on the exposed grains. Substrate particles can participate in the bedload only to the extent that local or global scour results in their exposure on the surface. It follows that a calculation of the bedload transport rate of mixtures should be based on the availability of each size range in the surface layer. Herein an existing empirical substrate-based bedload relation for gravel mixtures, developed solely with reference to field data, is transformed into a surface-based relation.
RNA editing as a source of genetic variation.

KINETOPLASTID RNA editing alters mitochondrial RNA transcripts by addition and deletion of uridine residues1, producing open reading frames that may be twice as long as the original RNA2. Although the COIII gene encoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit III in Trypanosoma brucei is edited along its entire length2, the presumably homologous genes in two related trypanosomes, Leishmania tarentolae and Crithidia fasciculata, are only modestly edited at their 5′ ends1. We used a comparative approach to investigate the evolution of an edited gene and to determine how well editing creates conserved protein sequences. As RNA editing probably involves the pairing of several guide RNA molecules with the messenger RNA3,4, we expected the edited proteins to be resistant to evolutionary change. Here we report that RNA editing is extensive in the mitochondria of four species of the insect parasite Herpetomonas, which is possibly an evolutionary precursor of T. brucei and L. tarentolae5, and the discovery that RNA editing is a novel source of frameshift mutations over evolutionary time. The edited proteins accumulate mutations nearly twice as rapidly as the unedited versions.
Multiple promoters direct stimulus and temporal specific expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the somatosensory cortex

Neuronal activity rapidly induces expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the adult rat cortex. The rat BDNF gene has four differentially regulated promoters, each of which produce an mRNA containing a unique 5' exon (I-IV) and a common 3' exon (V) that encodes the mature BDNF protein. The present study used an exon-specific RT-PCR analysis to determine the time course of the induction from both seizures and whisker stimulation. Our data show that specific promoters are utilized at different stages of the activity-dependent induction of the BDNF gene. Furthermore, the data show a differential utilization of the four promoters following a specific stimulus.
Influence of DC Voltage Bias on the Converse Magnetoelectric Effect Response in PZT/Terfenol-D/PZT Laminate Composites

The converse magnetoelectric effect (CME) response of a Pb(Zr0.52 Ti0.48 )O3 (PZT)/ Tb0.30 Dy0.7 Fe2 (Terfenol-D)/PZT laminate to applied DC voltage bias has been investigated. Experimental data demonstrates that the CME coefficient αCME is highly dependent on applied voltage bias. The voltage bias is shown to increase the piezomagnetic coefficient δλ/δB of the Terfenol-D and by extension the αCME , however an optimal αCME has yet to be identified. The ME laminate exhibits considerable gains in αCME (up to 100%) due in part to the improved magnetostrictive response of Terfenol-D under piezoelectric-induced mechanical stress.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A study of Michel's film on meiosis in Psophus stridulus L.

Abstract 1. 1. Chromosome separation and the changes in cell and spindle diameters have been measured in cinematographs of two primary and two secondary spermatocyte divisions in Psophus stridulus L. 2. 2. Both primary spermatocyte divisions showed an increase in transverse diameters of the cell and spindle at the beginning of chromosome separation. In one of these there was also a concomitant decrease in longitudinal diameters and an increase in cell volume. 3. 3. An analysis of chromosome movement to the poles gives a force function which is compatible with the hypothesis of a contractile mechanism.
The Immunologic Effects of Mesalamine in Treated HIV-Infected Individuals with Incomplete CD4+ T Cell Recovery: A Randomized Crossover Trial

The anti-inflammatory agent, mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid) has been shown to decrease mucosal inflammation in ulcerative colitis. The effect of mesalamine in HIV-infected individuals, who exhibit abnormal mucosal immune activation and microbial translocation (MT), has not been established in a placebo-controlled trial. We randomized 33 HIV-infected subjects with CD4 counts <350 cells/mm3 and plasma HIV RNA levels <40 copies/ml on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to add mesalamine vs. placebo to their existing regimen for 12 weeks followed by a 12 week crossover to the other arm. Compared to placebo-treated subjects, mesalamine-treated subjects did not experience any significant change in the percent CD38+HLA-DR+ peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells at week 12 (P = 0.38 and P = 0.63, respectively), or in the CD4+ T cell count at week 12 (P = 0.83). The percent CD38+HLA-DR+ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells also did not change significantly in rectal tissue (P = 0.86, P = 0.84, respectively). During the period of mesalamine administration, plasma sCD14, IL-6, D-dimer, and kynurenine to tryptophan ratio were not changed significantly at week 12 and were similarly unchanged at week 24. This study suggests that, at least under the conditions studied, the persistent immune activation associated with HIV infection is not impacted by the anti-inflammatory effects of mesalamine. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01090102
CAM01-1: A Customized TCAM Architecture for Multi-Match Packet Classification

Most conventional packet classifiers find the highest priority filter that matches the packet. However, new networking applications such as network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) and load balancers require all (or the first few) matching results in packet classification. A TCAM -based architecture optimized for multiple match search is introduced in this paper. We propose a renovated TCAM design that can find all or the first r matches in a packet filter set. Our scheme partitions the filter set and performs the multi-match search on one partition only. A VLSI implementation of our classifier in 0.18 mum technology can achieve speed that is 1-2 order of magnitude higher than software based approaches. Power consumption is reduced by 40% which is far better than the conventional hardware based multi-match designs.
The utility of spectral measurements of secondary reaction products

The spectra of 15 MeV protons and 14 MeV neutrons produced in the burnup of 0.8 MeV THe ions and 1 MeV tritons through the d(THe,p) and d(t,n) fusion reactions contain information on the velocity distributions of the energetic THe ions and tritons. 11 refs., 2 figs.
Natural quadrics: projections and intersections

Geometrical modelers usually strive to support at least solids bounded by the results of Boolean operations on planes, spheres, cylinders, and cones, that is, the natural quadrics. Most often this set is treated as a subset of the set of quadric surfaces. Although the intersection of two quadrics is a mathematically tractable problem, in implementation it leads to complexity and stability problems. Even in the restriction to the natural quadrics these problems can persist. This paper presents a method which, by using the projections of natural quadrics onto planes and spheres, reduces the intersection of two natural quadrics to the calculation of the intersections of lines and circles on planes and spheres. In order to make the claims of the method easily verifiable and provide the tools necessary for implementation, explicit descriptions of the projections are also included.
Structural Heterogeneity and Ligand Binding in Carbonmonoxy Myoglobin Crystals at Cryogenic Temperatures

We have characterized the ligand-rebinding behavior of single crystal native sperm whale carbonmonoxy myoglobin (swMbCO) (space group P21) and a synthetic mutant swMbCO (space group P6) at cryogenic temperatures by using temperature-derivative spectroscopy (TDS) with monitoring of the CO stretch bands in the mid-infrared. Crystals were studied at pH 5.1 and 7.0 for native swMbCO and at pH 7.0 for the mutant; both short-flash and extended illumination protocols were performed. The TDS analysis yields the enthalpy barrier distributions for recombination in the individual taxonomic (A) substates, A0, A1, and A3. A single gaussian barrier distribution gave a good first-order description but was insufficient to precisely fit the data within each substate. An additional minority species was necessary to model the enhanced rebinding below 30 K, which likely appears because of quantum tunneling. The peak positions and widths of the enthalpy distributions are similar for the P21 and P6 crystal forms, indicating that crystal-packing forces have only very minor effects on the structure at the active site. Moreover, the widths of the (dominant) distributions are qualitatively similar to those observed with glycerol-water solutions, which shows that the degree of structural heterogeneity is similar for solution and crystalline samples. For the A3 substate, a significantly lower peak enthalpy was obtained (by approximately 4 kJ/mol) than for solutions, while the peak shifts in the A0 and A1 substates were small. In samples cooled under illumination, discrete populations with higher rebinding barriers were observed. Concomitant changes in the stretch absorption of the photodissociated CO (B states) only occur between 100 and 130 K. They likely arise from movements of the ligand in the heme pocket between discrete sites.
A ‘Pascal’ Mystery

Kolakowski notait qu'en depit de la defense vigoureuse des jansenistes par Pascal, les Pensees representaient un augustinisme tres orthodoxe qui n'avait que peu a voir avec la polemique janseniste. La triste religion de Pascal est en fait celle de nombreux chretiens depuis deux mille ans. Quel etait la meilleure solution pour combattre l'incroyance, celle des jansenistes ou celle des jesuites? La separation de la raison et de la foi est-elle une bonne ou une mauvaise chose pour la religion? En tous cas, Pascal avait deja percu beaucoup de choses de la nouvelle vision scientifique de l'univers
Polyaniline: Interrelationships Between Molecular Weight, Morphology, Donnan Potential and Conductivity

Methods for significantly increasing the molecular weight of polyaniline are described. The conductivity of doped polyaniline is shown to be more directly dependent on its degree of alignment/crystallinity than on its molecular weight. The tensile strength of polyanilines films and fibers increases with increasing stretch alignment. An interpenetrating polymer system involving polyaniline which shows greatly enhanced conductivity at pH values where polyaniline has negligible conductivity is described. The doping level of polyaniline is shown to be dependent not only on the pH of the dopant medium but also on the presence of dissolved neutral salts. This new phenomenon is explained in terms of Donnan equilibrium effects.
Ecosystem services of traditional irrigation systems in northern New Mexico, USA

Ecosystem services provided by community irrigation systems known as ‘acequias’ include extending the area of green space between such acequias and streams. The traditional gravity flow irrigation methods of these systems remain intact and notably, they enhance vegetative cover and diversity, support wildlife habitat, recharge shallow aquifers, sequester carbon, improve air and water quality, retain storm-water flow, and control flooding. They also provide nutrient cycling and soil formation, ecotourism and environmental education, extension of the irrigation season, and aesthetic enrichment in ecological landscape diversity. We developed a rating system for evaluating the relative extent of ecosystem services provided by acequias through a combination of GIS and field methods to determine riparian health. The rating system evaluated 16 ecosystem services on a scale from ‘poor’ to ‘excellent’ for two acequias on the Rio Hondo in Taos County, New Mexico, USA. The evaluation data provide scientific support ...