cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Raman and FTIR Spectroscopic Study of Li x FePO4 ( 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1 )

A series of compounds, Li x FePO 4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), was prepared by chemical delithiation and investigated with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy for the first time. Sample homogeneity with respect to Fe and P was analyzed with an electron microprobe. The imaging capabilities of the electron microprobe reveal larger-sized particles (10-20 μm diam) and fine intergranular particles (≤1 μm). Elemental analysis with the electron microprobe demonstrates that the Li x FePO 4 particles are relatively homogeneous. Thus, the electron microprobe may be used in conjunction with other instruments that are more commonly used to investigate particle morphology, such as scanning or transmission electron microscopes. Isotopic substitution experiments show that the symmetric and antisymmetric bending vibrations of the PO 3- 4 anion are highly mixed with Li + translatory vibrations. Consequently, no band in the IR spectrum of LiFePO 4 may be assigned solely as a lithium ion cage mode. Spectroscopic measurements of the Li x FePO 4 series demonstrate that the intramolecular modes of PO 3- 4 are particularly sensitive to the extraction of Li + ions from LiFePO 4 and the accompanying oxidation of Fe 2+ to Fe 3+ . Spectroscopic data suggest that the PO 3- 4 effective force constants (band frequencies), dipole moment derivatives (FTIR intensities), and polarizability derivatives (Raman intensities) change as LiFePO 4 is converted into FePO 4 , Together, the data strongly support the two-phase shell model of LiFePO 4 delithiation.
Probing the large and massive CGM of a galaxy at z ~ 0.2 using a pair of quasars

We present analysis of two O VI absorbers at redshift z_{abs} = 0.227, detected in the spectra of two closely spaced QSO sightlines (Q 0107-025 A and B), observed with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). At the same redshift, presence of a single bright (~ 1.2 L*) galaxy at an impact parameter of ~ 200 kpc (proper) from both the sightlines was reported by Crighton et al. (2010). Using detailed photoionization models we show that the high ionization phases of both the O VI absorbers have similar ionization conditions (e.g. log U ~ -1.1 to -0.9), chemical enrichment (e.g. log Z ~ -1.4 to -1.0), total hydrogen column density (e.g. log N_{H} (cm^{-2}) ~ 19.6-19.7) and line of sight thickness (e.g. l_{los} ~ 600-800 kpc). Therefore we speculate that the O VI absorbers are tracing different parts of same large scale structure, presumably the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the identified galaxy. Using sizes along and transverse to the line of sight, we estimate the size of the CGM to be R ~ 330 kpc. The baryonic mass associated with this large CGM as traced by O VI absorption is ~ 1.2x10^{11} M_{sun}. A low ionization phase is detected in one of the O VI systems with near solar metallicity (log Z = 0.20\pm0.20) and parsec scale size (l_{los} ~ 6 pc), possibly tracing the neutral phase of a high velocity cloud (HVC) embedded within the CGM.
PML-FDTD method for elastic waves in cylindrical and spherical coordinates

A perfectly matched layer (PML) is developed for elastic waves in cylindrical and spherical coordinates using the improved scheme of complex coordinates. With the introduction of the integrated complex stretching variables, the cylindrical and spherical PML schemes require no more unknown split field components than in Cartesian coordinates. The FDTD results confirm the efficacy of the PML absorbing boundary condition.
HIV infection: TRAILing the killers

Progressive loss of CD4+ T cells is a hallmark of HIV infection, but its mechanism remains poorly understood. In this issue of Blood , Stary and colleagues show that CD4+ T cells from viremic patients undergo apoptosis in response to death-inducing signals generated by TRAIL expressed on the surface
Quartzite compositions for the monolithic lining of steel-making ladles

Ovruch quartzite and DNPK1 clay are promising materials for ramming compounds. The quality of the compound benefits from the addition of spent sulfite liquor alone or mixed with orthophosphoric acid.
Sex Differences in the Response of Rat Heart Ventricle to Calcium

Calcium (Ca2+) is a key mediator of myocardial function. Calcium regulates contraction, and disruption of myocellular Ca2+ handling plays a role in cardiac pathologies such as arrhythmias and heart failure. This investigation examines sex differences in sensitivity of the contractile proteins to Ca2+ and myofibrillar Ca2+ delivery in the ventricular myocardium. Sensitivity of contractile proteins to Ca2+ was measured in weight-matched male and female Sprague-Dawley rats using the skinned ventricular papillary muscle fiber and Ca(2+)-stimulated Mg(2+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity methodologies. Calcium delivery was examined by measuring the contractile response to a range of extracellular Ca2+ concentrations in isolated ventricular myocytes, papillary muscle, and the isolated perfused whole heart. Findings from studies in the whole heart suggest that at a fixed preload, the male left ventricle generates more pressure than a female ventricle over a range of extracellular Ca2+ concentrations. In contrast, results from myocyte and papillary muscle studies suggest that females require less extracellular Ca2+ to elicit a similar contractile response. Results obtained from the 2 methods used to determine sex differences in Ca2+ sensitivity were equivocal. Further studies are required to elucidate sex differences in myocardial Ca2+ handling and the reasons for disparate results in different heart muscle preparations. The results of these studies will lead to the design of sex-optimized therapeutic interventions for cardiac disease.
Neonatal Lupus Erythematosus: An Unusual Congenital Presentation with Cutaneous Atrophy, Erosions, Alopecia, and Pancytopenia

Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) is a rare disorder believed to be caused by the transplacental passage of specific autoantibodies from the mother to the fetus. Affected infants typically present with either characteristic skin lesions developing in the first month or later in life or congenital heart block. We report a very unusual case of NLE that was characterized by congenital skin atrophy, erosions, alopecia, and profound pancytopenia. Ro, La, and RNP antibodies were absent, and the diagnosis was made because of light microscopic and immunofluorescent findings. This case emphasizes that NLE can have widespread congenital skin involvement and suggests that at least some cases are mediated by antibodies other than Ro, La, and RNP.
Chromatographic separation of enzymes for analytical purposes

Abstract 1. 1. The apparatus and necessary calculations for conveniently obtaining linear and accelerating concentration gradients with two mixing flasks connected in series are described. 2. 2. Procedures for charging and packing columns of cellulose ion-exchange derivatives so as to obtain rapid flow rates and reproducible results in the analysis of enzymes from crude tissue samples are given. These procedures use diethylaminoethylcellulose columns charged with magnesium ethylenedinitrilotetraacetate ions, and carboxymethylcellulose columns charged with ammonium ions. 3. 3. The preparation of diammonium magnesium ethylenedinitrilotetra-acetate is described. 4. 4. Illustrative results with commonly measured enzymes are given, with evidence that the resultant fractions are stable enough to permit accurate analysis of the activities with the expectation that the values represent the state of the original sample.
Comparison of chlorophyll a spectra in wild-type and mutant barley chloroplasts grown under day or intermittent light

The absorption (640–710 nm) and fluorescence emission (670–710 nm) spectra (77 K) of wild-type and Chl b-less, mutant, barley chloroplasts grown under either day or intermittent light were analysed by a RESOL curve-fitting program. The usual four major forms of Chl a at 662, 670, 678 and 684 nm were evident in all of the absorption spectra and three major components at 686, 693 and 704 nm in the emission spectra. A broad Chl a component band at 651 nm most likely exists in all chlorophyll spectra in vivo. The results show that the mutant lacks not only Chl b, but also the Chl a molecules which are bound to the light-harvesting, Chl a/b, protein complex of normal plants. It also appears that the absorption spectrum of this antenna complex is not modified appreciably by its isolation from thylakoid membranes.
Chiral dynamics for high-spin baryons and an application to double-pion photoproduction

An SU(2)×SU(2) chiral-dynamical Lagrangian for baryons of arbitrary spin and isospin is discussed. Cross sections for low-energy double-pion photoproduction from a nucleon are calculated by assuming that the nucleon and one final pion form an isobar Δ(1236 MeV). The results are compared with those obtained by the soft-pion dispersion-relation approach. It is shown that the static-nucleon model gives satisfactory total cross sections but is inadequate for angular-distribution differential cross sections. Our theoretical predictions are consistent with experiment.
Infinite families of quasiperfect and doubly quasiperfect binary arrays

A quasiperfect (doubly quasiperfect) binary array B is an s*t array with all entries plus or minus one, such that all periodic autocorrelation coefficients of the array are zero, except for shifts (u,v) where u identical to 0 mod s and v identical to 0 mod t. The authors construct a new infinite families of quasiperfect and of doubly quasiperfect binary arrays.
The Measurement of Levels of Aspiration

(1955). The Measurement of Levels of Aspiration. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 221-229.
Inhomogeneous Metal/Dielectric Selective Solar Absorbers

Inhomogeneous metal/dielectric films have been investigated for use as selective absorbers of solar energy. For solar energy conversion systems, the effectiveness of these films compares favorably with the best selective absorbers, but inhomogeneous films have a basic mechanical simplicity that could make automatic production both feasible and economical.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Forest fragmentation and its implications in central New York

Abstract Both historical and current land use practices have fragmented a forest resource, once covering virtually 100% of Onondaga County, NY, into small isolated forest habitat islands. An inventory of current forested areas taken from aerial photographs showed that many forest islands isolated by agricultural, industrial and urban development are so small and so isolated from areas of similar types that they may degenerate into a non-forested condition. Eighty percent of the islands mapped and measured are less than or equal to 10 ha and so are not economically valuable. Their potential ecological value as protectors of watersheds and soil stability, and as gene pools for plant and animal species is, however, considerable. These non-economic values are size dependent. The negative implications of forest resource reduction or fragmentation should be considered by land use managers and planners.
Clinical utility of EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration of mediastinal masses in the absence of known pulmonary malignancy.

Abstract Background: Mediastinal masses represent a diagnostic challenge because of their proximity to numerous critical structures, difficulty of access for tissue sampling, and myriad potential pathologic etiologies. A large, single-center experience with EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis of non-lung cancer-related mediastinal masses is presented. Methods: An EUS database was reviewed and all cases of mediastinal mass or lymphadenopathy encountered between 1994 and 1999 were included. Final diagnoses were determined by EUS-FNA cytology and clinical follow-up. Results: Forty-nine patients were identified (27 women, 22 men; mean age 58.1 years, range 30-89 years). A malignant process was diagnosed in 22 cases (45%) and a benign process in 24 (49%). The EUS-FNA specimen was nondiagnostic in 3 cases (6%). An accurate diagnosis was made in 46 of the 49 patients (94%). No complication was noted. Conclusions: EUS-FNA is a minimally invasive technique that facilitates detection and tissue sampling of mediastinal masses. It is a safe procedure that can be performed with the patient under conscious sedation in an outpatient setting. (Gastrointest Endosc 2002;56:397-401.)
The use of Deconvolution Reporting Software© and backflush improves the speed and accuracy of data processing for urinary organic acid analysis

Abstract Background Sample analysis and data interpretation for urine organic acid analyses (OAA) for metabolic diseases have not evolved significantly over the last two decades. We evaluated a number of potential improvements in the technology in order to increase productivity. Increasing numbers of this very important clinical test are being ordered resulting from expanded newborn screening programs and also due to greater clinical awareness of these metabolic disorders. This has resulted in a need for faster turn around times in order to establish a rapid diagnosis and reporting of OAA findings. Methods In this study, we introduced a backflush system which removes residual high boiling point compounds quickly and at a lower oven temperature. We have also introduced deconvolution software (DRS), which provides a mathematical technique that separates overlapping mass spectra based upon peak widths of overlapping compounds and absolute mean retention times. The potential advantages of incorporating DRS into the OAA data processing include a higher match factor (MF) for library searching, elimination of incorrect peak identification, faster data review and minimum human interaction for manual peak integration. Results In this proof of principle investigation, 64 of the most commonly encountered urinary organic acids and acyl glycines that are essential for the diagnosis and clinical follow-up of inborn errors of metabolism were selected and built into a spectral library. DRS with a customized library and quantitation database was able to clearly separate co-eluting compounds including those with very similar mass spectra such as citric acid and isocitric acid. Conclusions We were able to reduce sample analytical time from 60 to 45 min using the backflush system. Deconvolution allowed us to identify common overlapping organic acids and provide more accurate quantitation.
To Tell or Not to Tell? The Ethical Dilemma of the Would-Be Whistleblower

Despite the growing emphasis placed on the responsible conduct of research, little attention has been devoted to the question of what an individual should do upon discovering research misconduct. This article takes seriously the dilemma of a would-be whistleblower. It identifies ethical considerations that can be taken into account in moral decision-making about reporting research misconduct. It also offers rough guidelines about the moral significance of each consideration in the decision-making process based on the facts of the case in question. The article, therefore, offers tools for a would-be whistleblower to use to arrive at a defensible resolution to a difficult dilemma.
Hypertriglyceridemia associated with Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in rabbits: role of defective triglyceride removal.

Rabbits infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei develop a hypertriglyceridemia characterized by an increase in very low density lipoprotein and, to a lesser extent, low density lipoprotein, with a decrease in high density lipoprotein. Triglyceride production studies showed that the triglyceride production rate was not significantly different in trypanosome-infected rabbits from controls. Studies of triglyceride degradation using very low density lipoprotein triglyceride endogenously labelled with [3H]palmitate demonstrated a marked slowing of triglyceride removal in the infected rabbits when compared to controls. Lipase activity in post-heparin plasma was found to be deficient in trypanosome-infected animals. Furthermore, the greater the decrease in lipolytic activity, the geater the increase in serum triglyceride level. We conclude that the hypertriglyceridemia associated with T. b. brucei infection in rabbits results predominantly from a defect in triglyceride degradation.
Family orientation, language, and anxiety among low-income Latino youth

There is emerging evidence that Latino youth report higher levels of anxiety symptoms than children from other ethnic groups. Although often implicated, cultural variables have not been systematically evaluated to determine their relationship to anxiety symptoms in Latino youth. The present study examined family orientation values, as measured by family obligation and affiliative obedience, and their relationship to youth anxiety symptoms. The sample consisted of 133 Latino students (grades 5th through 7th) of low-income backgrounds in an urban public school setting. Structural equation models revealed that higher family orientation was associated with separation anxiety/panic (β=.32) and harm avoidance (β=.51). Models employing language proficiency and use mirrored those employing family orientation, suggesting that language fluency captures, in part, family socialization values. The results provide support for the impact of culture in the assessment and specific needs of Latino youth with anxiety problems.
Planning for local net congestion in global routing

Local nets are a major contributing factor to mismatch between the global routing (GR) and detailed routing (DR) stages. A local net has all its terminals inside one global cell (gcell) and is traditionally ignored during global routing. This work offers two contributions in order to estimate and manage the local nets at the GR stage. First, a procedure is given to generate gcells of non-uniform size in order to reduce the number of local nets and thus the cumulative error associated with ignoring or approximating them. Second, we approximate the resource usage of local nets at the GR stage by introducing a capacity for each gcell in the GR graph. With these two complementary approaches, we offer a mathematical model for the congestion-aware GR problem that captures local congestion with non-uniform gcells along with other complicating factors of modern designs including variable wire sizes, routing blockages, and virtual pins. A practical routing procedure is presented based on the mathematical model that can solve large industry instances. This procedure is integrated with the CGRIP congestion analysis tool. In the experiments, we evaluate our techniques in planning for local nets during GR while accounting for other sources of congestion using the ISPD11 benchmarks.
Thalidomide suppressed the growth of 4T1 cells into solid tumors in Balb/c mice in a combination therapy with the oncolytic fusogenic HSV-1 OncdSyn.

Purpose The anti-tumor properties of thalidomide or in combination with an oncolytic herpes virus (OncdSyn) was investigated in a mouse model of human breast cancer.
Curled micro-cantilevers using benzocyclobutene polymer and Mo for wafer level probing

We verified by experiments that only the compressive stressed Mo layer was enough to deflect after release because self-stress gradient originated from strain difference along thickness. This circumstance normally occurred in the sputtered thick films as the crystallography/microstructure difference along the thickness. The deflection height and contact-force at the fully compressed state were found as 128 μm and 231 μN, respectively, in conditions of 2.48 μm thickness and 500 μm length of Mo single layer. These figures are enough to apply to the wafer level testing and interconnects. In addition, composite probe, consisting of Mo metal film and BCB polymer, was analyzed numerically and fabricated for the first time in order to increase the contact-force/stiffness, and for electrical isolation in high frequency devices testing. However, the resultant composite probe showed weak structural properties due to the low stress of BCB and poor adhesion between Mo and BCB. The stress control of BCB layer and process modification for good adhesion were found as solutions for applicable composite cantilever-type probe fabrication.
A stable archaeal pyruvate carboxylase from the hyperthermophile Methanococcus jannaschii

The pyruvate carboxylase (PYC) of the hyperthermophilic, strictly hydrogenotrophic, autotrophic and marine methanarchaeon Methanococcus jannaschii was purified to homogeneity. Optimal activity was at pH 8.5, ≥80 °C, and a KCl concentration of 0.175 M. This enzyme is the most thermophilic PYC so far studied. Unlike the Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum enzyme, Mc. jannaschii PYC was expressed in cells grown without an external source of biotin and in the purified form was stable during storage at 4, –20 and –80 °C. However, it was rapidly inactivated at 80 °C. The enzyme was insensitive to aspartate and glutamate, mildly inhibited by α-ketoglutarate, and was strongly inhibited by ATP and ADP (apparent K m for ATP, 0.374±0.039 mM; apparent K i for ATP, 5.34±2.14 mM; K i for ADP, 0.89±0.18 mM). It was also strongly inhibited when the Mg2+ concentration in the assay exceeded that of ATP. Thus, this stable PYC could serve as a model for mechanistic studies on archaeal PYCs. It was apparently an α4β4-type PYC composed of a non-biotinylated 55.5-kDa subunit (PYCA) and a 64.2-kDa biotinylated subunit (PYCB). The determined NH2-terminal sequences for these subunits provided additional support for our earlier proposal to rename the ORFs MJ1229 and MJ1231 in the NCBI Mc. jannaschii genome sequence database as PYCA and PYCB, respectively; even very recently, these have been misidentified as a subunit of acetyl-CoA carbxoylase (AccC) and the α-subunit of ion-pumping oxaloacetate decarboxylase (OADα), respectively.
SU-GG-I-121: Facing a Horrifying Reality: An Anatomy of MR Magnet Explosion

Purpose: To investigate several recent sentinel events that led to catastrophic MRmagnet failures, including magnetexplosions.Method and Materials: An analysis of root cause for a catastrophic magnet failure has been performed, using available manufacturer's documentation. Practical on‐site conditions have been verified by conducting several walk‐through inspections. Further information was gathered during on‐site visits to two MRmagnet factories in the US.Results: During past few years, there has been anecdotal evidence of increased frequency of incidental magnet quenches at customer installations throughout the US. Most of them were “white” (i.e. non‐destructive) quenches that occurred during magnet handling at installation or routine servicing (e.g. ramping up). These types of events have been known for a long time and are not subject of this presentation. However, spontaneous quenches have been recorded as well, especially for high field (3T) units. In most cases, the root cause of these events could not be immediately determined. This is a cause for concern, since a few of these events (author has documented knowledge of three that occurred in the Southeast US within the last year) represented a catastrophic magnet failure that can be described in simple words as magnetexplosion. The root cause analysis, performed using available data, could not unequivocally determine the reason for the explosions. However, a failure of the magnet'scryogenic venting system has been identified as a strong, plausible candidate for the explanation of observed events. Conclusion:MRmagnetexplosions, long considered a myth, have become a reality. Since the most likely failure scenario is linked to failures of the magnet's cryoventing system, the medical physics professionals supporting MRI installations are urged to become familiar with the operational characteristics of magnet cryosystems, learn about proper site planning design, and develop methods of competent monitoring of cryoventing systems performance.
Diffuse infiltrative syphilitic retinitis in an HIV-positive patient.

This research was funded in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness (New York, NY).
The Fourth Wave of Feminism: Psychoanalytic Perspectives

The discussion focuses on the ways in which the 3 panelists in their lives and work embody fourth wave feminism, which combines politics, psychology, and spirituality in an overarching vision of change. Jane Fonda's emphasis on the importance of making narratives of gender a central organizer for personal and societal transformation, Hedda Bolgar's insistence that psychoanalysts recognize the complex dialectic between unconscious dynamics and sociocultural realities in order not to conflate conflicts rooted in social inequalities with individual issues, and Sue Shapiro's understanding of the ambiguous role of individual therapy in situations of historical and social trauma such as the tsunami in Indonesia are all examples of fourth wave feminism in practice. The unfinished business of the first 3 waves of feminism—that is, the inequalities that persist in the political and personal spheres—are discussed with the idea that these unfinished agendas will contribute to the fourth wave, in which social action ...
Ovarian cancer: predictors of early-stage diagnosis

Despite the lack of effective screening, almost 20% of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at an early stage of disease, when the prognosis is favorable. This study sought to elucidate tumor-related, census-based socioeconomic indicators, and demographic characteristics associated with early diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The study population included 16,228 women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer from 1996 through 2006 and reported to the California Cancer Registry. Women diagnosed with stage I tumors were compared to those diagnosed with stage III or IV disease with respect to several demographic and tumor-related characteristics. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and associated 95% confidence intervals. Age at diagnosis, tumor histology, tumor size, laterality, and grade were all strongly associated with EOC early stage at diagnosis. However, after adjusting for all relevant factors in this study, other disparities were detected. Compared with white women, the likelihood of being diagnosed with early-stage disease was significantly lower among African Americans (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.55–0.92), and significantly higher among women with private insurance compared to those either uninsured or covered by Medicaid (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.18–2.05). These findings suggest that, in addition to tumor biology, disparities in access to care may have a significant effect on the timely diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer.
Major Bacterial Contribution to Marine Dissolved Organic Nitrogen

Next to N2 gas, the largest pool of reduced nitrogen in the ocean resides in the enormous reservoir of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). The chemical identity of most of this material, and the mechanisms by which it is cycled, remain fundamental questions in contemporary oceanography. Amino acid enantiomeric ratios in the high molecular weight fraction of DON from surface and deep water in three ocean basins show substantial enrichment in D enantiomers of four amino acids. The magnitude and pattern of these D/L enrichments indicate that peptidoglycan remnants derived from bacterial cell walls constitute a major source of DON throughout the sea. These observations suggest that structural properties of specific bacterial biopolymers, and the mechanisms for their accumulation, are among the central controls on long-term cycling of dissolved organic nitrogen in the sea. Most of the surface ocean is characterized by low to undetectable mineral nutrient concentrations. Such oligotrophic regions are central
An in situ field-ion microscope study of the recovery behavior of ion-irradiated tungsten and tungsten alloys

Abstract Five grades of tungsten specimens with different purity levels (resistivity ratios R of 5 × 104, 1.5 × 104, 50, 15 and 5) were irradiated in situ with 30 keV W+ ions to a dose of typically 5 × 1012 ion cm−2 at 18 K. Examination with a low-temperature field-ion microscope (FIM) showed the isochronal-annealing spectra of the specimens to result from a large self-interstitial atom (SIA) flux at ~ 38 K, followed by significant SIA flux from ~ 50 to 80 K and a small amount of additional recovery up to 120 K. The spectra for these five different R value specimens were essentially identical between 18 and 120 K. High-purity W specimens (R = 5 × 104) doped with 5 × 10−5 to 1 × 10−4 atom fraction carbon showed only a small reduction in the amount of recovery observed for the long-range migration peak at 38 K. The isochronal recovery spectra for WRe alloy specimens (5 × 10−3 and 3 × 10−2 atom fraction Re) were radically different from the isochronal recovery spectra of pure W specimens. For both alloys the recovery of the Stage I long-range migration peak at 38 K was strongly suppressed; for the 3 × 10−2 atom fraction alloy, all recovery from 18 to 120 K was virtually eliminated. This result indicated that during the long-range migration substage at 38 K tightly-bound, immobile SIA-Re complexes were formed that suppressed the SIA-SIA reaction. However, this effect was only observed at these high Re atom concentrations. The lack of any significant differences for the annealing spectra of the five purity-levels of undoped tungsten and the appearance of impurity effects only in the extremely concentrated W alloys (i.e. 5 × 10−3 to 3 × 10−2 atom fraction Re) indicated that the early Stage II recovery (45–120 K) observed in the FIM isochronal-annealing spectra of self-ion irradiated high-purity W was intrinsic in nature. Because of the highly inhomogeneous SIA distribution of the W+ ion damage, the SIA-SIA interaction during Stage I long-range migration at 38 K appeared to be the dominant trapping mechanism. The early Stage II SIA recovery was therefore attributed to the migration or dissolution of these SIA clusters.
Immediate blood pressure effects of the renin inhibitor enalkiren and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalaprilat

The antihypertensive effects of the renin inhibitor enalkiren were compared with those of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalaprilat in 17 hypertensive patients (14 white, 3 black; mean age 57 years), whose renin systems had been stimulated by diuretic pretreatment. Patients were studied on 3 separate in-hospital days. On the first study day patients received placebo alone. On day 2 they received intravenous bolus doses of enalkiren (0.03 to 1.0 mg/kg), and on day 3, intravenous bolus doses of enalaprilat (0.625 to 1.25 mg). Each agent reduced systolic (p less than 0.01) and diastolic (p less than 0.01) blood pressure (BP) from baseline levels. The acute decrease in systolic BP of 18.5 +/- 0.4 mm Hg during enalkiren tended to be greater (p less than 0.01) than the decrease of 12.6 +/- 0.7 mm Hg during enalaprilat. Decreases in diastolic BP during enalkiren (11.9 +/- 0.4 mm Hg) were also slightly greater (p less than 0.1) than those during enalaprilat (9.2 +/- 0.4 mm Hg). Based on prestudy plasma renin activity (PRA), patients were divided into "high" renin (PRA greater than 3.5 ng angiotensin l/ml/hr; n = 6) and "low/normal" renin (less than 3.5 ng angiotensin l/ml/hr; n = 11) groups. Reductions in diastolic BP in the "high" renin group during enalkiren (30 +/- 5/20 +/- 3 mm Hg) tended to be greater (p less than 0.07) than those during enalaprilat (23 +/- 7/14 +/- 1 mm Hg); differences were not significant in the "low/normal" group (12 +/- 2/7 +/- 2 and 7 +/- 2/8 +/- 1 mm Hg, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Two novel ways of averaging waveforms by fourier analysis: the representative and the synchronous averages

Abstract Two algorithms are provided which define two new ways of averaging waveforms. The representative average maintains shape, has average d.c. offset, average amplitude and average position of noise-free input signals whose onset varies in time after a trigger pulse. The synchronous average removes random bipolar noise, the amplitude of which is below a critical threshhold, from a randomly occuring waveform. The latter does not require a trigger pulse, maintains its shape, has an average d.c. offset and average amplitude. Its position in the output field is such that the centroid of the waveform is placed in the center of the field. Both methods involve the definition of average phase angle and a quantity called the angular standard deviation.
Dielectric properties of hemoglobin. V. Temperature dependence and urea denaturation

Abstract The dielectric properties of oxy- and carboxyhemoglobin were investigated at various temperatures. The dielectric property of oxyhemoglobin does not have a linear temperature dependence, which indicates that oxyhemoglobin undergoes structure change even in this temperature range. The dielectric parameters of carboxyhemoglobin have linear temperature dependence, and particularly, the plot of In η against 1 T gives a straight line, indicating that the experimental results fit Kauzman's kinetic interpretation of the dielectric process. The thermodynamic quantities are calculated and listed. The effect of urea denaturation was studied, and it was found that oxyhemoglobin undergoes stretching of the tertiary structure before splitting. The dipole moment of split carboxyhemoglobin is about half that of the original protein.
Exobiological implications of potential sedimentary deposits on Mars

Abstract One of main objectives of the Mars exploration in the 21st century is to search for evidence of present or ancient life. Sedimentary processes are important on the Martian surface. However, styles of Martian sedimentation can be different from its terrestrial counterpart in some aspects because of the relatively stable Martian crust and the lack of a continuous and active surface hydrological cycle. Certain types of sedimentary deposits on Earth are closely linked to biological activities, and searching for such deposits on Mars can potentially enhance the chance of finding life or evidence of ancient life on the planet. A wide range of hypothesized siliciclastic and non-siliciclastic sedimentary deposits on Mars are of particular interest for the future exobiological exploration. Searching the substrate of sedimentary deposits is the preferred strategy because it is difficult to preserve organic matter or geochemical evidence of biological activity in the photochemically active and oxidizing surface environment of Mars.
Factors Influencing Instability and Resonances in Geared Systems

The parameters influencing high dynamic magnifications and instabilities in multiple-reduction geared systems are investigated in this study. These factors include the effect of external excitations, system inertia, variation in mesh stiffness, contact ratio and damping in the mesh. Design procedures and data are given to aid the designer in predicting system performance beforehand. The reported procedure and data can be used as a guide for safe design and application of geared systems with minimum calculations.
Changes in Tibiofemoral Kinematics and Kinetics During Stair Ascent After Partial Medial Meniscectomy

Meniscectomy is a well-known risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA) in humans. It has been reported that total meniscectomy increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis radiographically by 14 times after 21 years [1] and that partial meniscectomy increases the risk of developing radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis within 16 years by a factor of four [2]. Two possible functional measures have been suggested as mechanisms for the development and progression of premature knee osteoarthritis: alterations in either kinematics or kinetics. Changes in kinematics, such as a shift in internal-external (IE) rotation after anterior cruciate ligament injury, have been suggested as a basis for an increased rate of cartilage thinning [3]. The other possible reason for the development of premature OA post-meniscectomy is a change in kinetics, the mechanical loading that occurs, particularly in the medial compartment [4]. The knee adduction moment has been associated with the rate of progression of osteoarthritis [5] and it has thus been suggested that the knee adduction moment is a good surrogate measure for in vivo load on the medial compartment osteoarthritis [6].Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Real option theories and investment in emerging economies

Abstract Emerging economies continue to face the challenge of increasing investment. Persistent high levels of uncertainty, characterized by both variance around a mean and the history and continuing probability of structural shocks, likely keeps further investment at bay. This study uses a theoretical real option model and a series of supporting case studies carried out in Bulgaria, first to show whether option theories or the ENPV rule better describes investor decision rules, and second to look at policy implications of the real option theories.
Paleoenvironmental implications of the insoluble microparticle record in the GISP2 (Greenland) ice core during the rapidly changing climate of the Pleistocene–Holocene transition

Oscillations in the time series of insoluble microparticle characteristics between 0.7 and 11.0 μm in the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2) ice core reflect changes in environmental conditions in the Northern Hemisphere from 10 500 to 14 000 yr ago. Elevated values in microparticle number and mass, especially during the Younger Dryas, are related to Northern Hemisphere aridity and the subsequent increase in dust available for long-range transport to Greenland. This scenario occurs with the colder climatic conditions that result from a more expanded (spatially and temporally) polar vortex. Peaks in mean grain size based on number (mean number diameter) are a proxy for increased strength in zonal winds (westerlies). Highs in mean number diameter in the earlier part of the record often coincide with number and mass peaks reflecting the increased temperature and pressure gradients with an expanded polar vortex. Highs in mean grain size based on mass (mean mass diameter) reflect greater deposition of the coarser size fraction, and thus are a proxy for increased storminess associated with better developed synoptic-scale pressure systems in the northernmost Atlantic region. Peaks in mean mass diameter often lead these other parameters by 100–200 yr, suggesting an increase in storminess with the initial southward migration of the mean position of the polar front prior to full development of a more expanded polar vortex. The general decline in number and mass trends (decreased aridity with a contracting polar vortex) together with increasing mean number diameter trends (strengthening zonal winds) following the maxima in the early Younger Dryas suggest an expansion of mid-latitude circulation systems (subtropical highs), thereby maintaining latitudinal temperature and pressure gradients. Increased variability in mean mass diameter during the warm Preboreal, compared to the colder Younger Dryas, may be a function of the greater seasonality during warmer climatic periods, and thus more frequent storms associated with higher frequency oscillations in the position of the polar front with changing seasons and increased interannual variability in climate.
New optimum thresholding method using region homogeneity and class uncertainty

Thresholding is a popular image segmentation method that converts a gray level image into a binary image. The selection of optimum thresholds has remained a challenge over decades. Besides being a segmentation tool on its own, often it is also a step in many advanced image segmentation techniques in spaces other than the image space. Most of the thresholding methods reported to date are based on histogram analysis using information-theoretic approaches. These methods have not harnessed the information buried in image morphology. Here, we introduce a novel thresholding method that accounts for both intensity-based class uncertainty -- a histogram-based property -- and region homogeneity -- an image morphology- based property. The idea here is to select the optimum threshold at which pixels with high class uncertainty accumulate mostly around object boundaries. To achieve this, a new threshold energy criterion is formulated using class- uncertainty and region homogeneity such that, at any image location, a high energy is created when both class uncertainty and region homogeneity are high or both are low. Finally, the method selects that threshold which corresponds to the minimum overall energy. Qualitative experiments based on both phantoms and clinical images show significant improvements using the proposed method over a recently-published maximum segmented image information (MSII) method. Quantitative analysis on phantoms generated under a range of conditions of blurring, noise, and background variation confirm the superiority of the new method.
Amounts of coronary arterial luminal narrowing and composition of the material causing the narrowing in Buerger's disease

Abstract Relatively little information is available on the status of the coronary arteries in patients with Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans). No detailed analyses of the coronary arteries have been reported at necropsy in patients with Buerger's disease. Such is the purpose of this report.
Selectivity of odorant receptors in insects.

Insect olfactory receptors (ORs) detect chemicals, shape neuronal physiology and regulate behavior. Although ORs have been categorized as “generalists” and “specialists” based on their ligand spectrum, both electrophysiological studies and recent pharmacological investigations show that ORs specifically recognize non-pheromonal compounds, and that our understanding of odorant-selectivity mirrors our knowledge of insect chemical ecology. As we are progressively becoming aware that ORs are activated through a variety of mechanisms, the molecular basis of odorant-selectivity and the corollary notion of broad-tuning need to be re-examined from a pharmacological and evolutionary perspective.
Unimolecular Amphiphilic Nanocontainers Based on Dendronized Linear Polymers

Linear polymeric core, polyethylenimine (PEI), is successfully dendronized divergently using different-generation polyamidoamine (PAMAM)-type dendrons. The formed dendronized polymers are further end-capped using long alkyl acrylate, hexyl acrylate, to give macromolecular amphiphiles, which perform as unimolecular nanocontainers, capable of encapsulating water-soluble dye in their interiors. The encapsulation properties are found to be generation-dependent, in which, at higher generations of nanocontainers, the cavity becomes more localized, due to dense packing of the dendrons at their termini.
Ensemble State Estimation for Nonlinear Systems Using Polynomial Expansions in the Innovation

AbstractA new framework is presented for understanding how a nonnormal probability density function (pdf) may affect a state estimate and how one might usefully exploit the nonnormal properties of the pdf when constructing a state estimate. A Bayesian framework is constructed that naturally leads to an expansion of the expected forecast error in a polynomial series consisting of powers of the innovation vector. This polynomial expansion in the innovation reveals a new view of the geometric nature of the state estimation problem. It is shown that this expansion in powers of the innovation provides a direct relationship between a nonnormal pdf describing the likely distribution of states and a normal pdf determined by powers of the forecast error. One implication of this perspective is that when state estimation is performed on a nonnormal pdf it leads to state estimates based on the mean to be nonlinear functions of the innovation. A direct relationship is shown between the degree to which the state estima...
The synthesis of phosphopeptides

Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are key events in protein expression and regulation and in signal transduction. Phosphopeptides are very useful reagents for the study of these processes, and have been used to great advantage in the study of phosphatase substrate specificity, SH2 domain ligand specificity, and protein-protein interactions. Furthermore, the advent of cell-permeable peptide carriers, such as those from the antennapedia homeodomain and the HIV TAT transcription factor, has allowed the study of intracellular events, thus underscoring the utility of these reagents. In this paper we review methods for the synthesis of phosphopeptides with the emphasis on the preparation of phosphoamino acid building blocks.
901–41 Preliminary Mortality Results from the Survival with Oral D-Sotalol (SWORD) Trial

The SWORD trial was designed to enroll 6400 patients to test the hypothesis that d-Sotalol would reduce total mortality in high risk survivors of a myocardial infarction (MI). Patients (pts) ≥ 18 years of age with an LVEF ≤ 40% and a recent (6–42 days) MI or a remote (g42 days) MI with overt heart failure (NYHA class II or III) were randomized to placebo or d-Sotalol (100 mg bid, or 200 mg bid if tolerated) for a follow up ≥ 18 mos. The trial was stopped on 11/1/95 after enrolling 3119 pts (mean follow up = 156 days) because the boundary for harm was crossed (z = -2.8), 42 (2,7%) pts died on placebo; 71 (4.6%) died on d-Sotalol (p = 0.005). All baseline comparisons between placebo and d-Sotalol showned no significant difference; mean LVEF was 30,8%; 29.2% pts had a recent MI; 70.8% of pts had a remote MI. Download : Download high-res image (84KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusion Prophylactic therapy with oral d-Sotalol in a post MI population with LV dysfunction resulted in a significantly increased mortality.
Transient effective hydraulic conductivities under slowly and rapidly varying mean gradients in bounded three- dimensional random media

We have shown elsewhere [Tartakovsky and Neuman, this issue (a)] that in randomly heterogeneous media, the ensemble mean transient flux is generally nonlocal in space-time and therefore non-Darcian. We have also shown [Tartakovsky and Neuman, this issue (b)] that there are special situations in which this flux can be localized so as to render it Darcian in real or transformed domains. Each such situation gives rise to an effective hydraulic conductivity which relates mean gradient to mean flux at any point in real or transformed space-time. In this paper we develop first-order analytical expressions for effective hydraulic conductivity under three-dimensional transient flow through a boxshaped domain due to a mean hydraulic gradient that varies slowly in space and time. When the mean gradient varies rapidly in time, the Laplace transform of the mean flux is local but its real-time equivalent includes a temporal convolution integral; we develop analytical expressions for the real-time kernel of this convolution integral. The box is embedded within a statistically homogeneous natural log hydraulic conductivity field that is Gaussian and exhibits an anisotropic exponential spatial correlation structure. By the effective hydraulic conductivity of a finite box in such a field we imply the ensemble mean (expected value) of all random equivalent conductivities that one could associate with the box under these conditions. We explore the influence of domain size, time, and statistical anisotropy on effective conductivity and include a simple new formula for its variation with statistical anisotropy ratio in an infinite domain under steady state. Appendixes C-E are available with entire article on microfiche.Order by mail from American Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20009 or by phone at 800-966-2481; $2.50. Document W97-002. Payment must accompany order.