cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of multiple pathways involved in the maintenance of neuronal function during aging by fisetin

Multiple factors have been implicated in the age-related declines in brain function. Thus, it is unlikely that modulating only a single factor will be effective at slowing this decline. A better approach is to identify small molecules that have multiple biological activities relevant to the maintenance of brain function. Over the last few years, we have identified an orally active, novel neuroprotective and cognition-enhancing molecule, the flavonoid fisetin. Fisetin not only has direct antioxidant activity but it can also increase the intracellular levels of glutathione, the major intracellular antioxidant. Fisetin can also maintain mitochondrial function in the presence of oxidative stress. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory activity against microglial cells and inhibits the activity of 5-lipoxygenase, thereby reducing the production of lipid peroxides and their pro-inflammatory by-products. This wide range of actions suggests that fisetin has the ability to reduce the age-related decline in brain function.
Divergent selection for body weight and yolk precursor in Coturnix coturnix japonica. 12. Heterosis in reciprocal crosses between divergently selected lines

Abstract A selection experiment was started using Japanese quail to study the genetics of BW and plasma yolk precursor (measured by total plasma phosphorus; TPP). Lines were divergently selected for 4-wk BW (HW and LW) or plasma TPP (HP and LP). Sublines of HW were developed by continuing to select the males for increased 4-wk BW while selecting the females for increased (HW-HP line) or decreased (HW-LP line) TPP. The purpose of the present study was to determine the inheritance of traits associated with growth and reproduction in reciprocal crosses between the divergently selected lines and sublines. Reciprocal crosses were made between the HW and LW, HP and LP, and HW-HP and HW-LP lines. Traits measured included BW at various ages, age at sexual maturity, egg production, ovarian follicular development, egg weight, TPP, wet and dry liver weights, and occurrence of smooth muscle tumors in the ligaments of the oviduct. The HW line differed from the LW line in all traits measured except TPP and weight of smooth muscle tumors. No offspring were obtained from the HW x LW matings (male listed first). In the LW x HW cross, heterosis was negative for BW through sexual maturity and age at sexual maturity. Positive heterosis was observed for egg production, egg weight, and occurrence of smooth muscle tumors. Differences between the HP and LP lines were observed in the selected trait (TPP) and some correlated traits (BW at some ages, age at sexual maturity in females, egg production, and number and total weight of ovarian follicles). Positive heterosis in the HP and LP crosses was observed for BW, egg production, egg weight, and number of ovarian follicles whereas negative heterosis was observed for TPP and age at sexual maturity in females. The HW-HP and HW-LP lines differed in the selected traits and some correlated traits (egg weight and weights of the liver and smooth muscle tumors). Positive heterosis in the crosses was observed for BW, egg production, and liver weights whereas negative heterosis was evident for age at sexual maturity and TPP.
How Resource Inequalities Among High Schools Reproduce Class Advantages in College Destinations

Previous studies argued that high school resources play a modest role in students’ postsecondary destinations, but they ignored schools’ programmatic resources, which provide opportunities for marks of distinction, such as Advanced Placement courses, and they focused on older cohorts of high school students who entered colleges before competition over admission to selective colleges intensified in the 1980s. Analyses of data on a cohort of students who entered college in the mid-2000s suggest that programmatic and non-programmatic resources found in high schools influence postsecondary destinations and mediates the effect of family socioeconomic status on choices among 4-year colleges.
Design considerations for a highly segmented mirror

Design issues for a 30-m highly segmented mirror are explored, with emphasis on parametric models of simple, inexpensive segments. A mirror with many small segments offers cost savings through quantity production and permits high-order active and adaptive wave-front corrections. For a 30-m f/1.5 paraboloidal mirror made of spherical, hexagonal glass segments, with simple warping harnesses and three-point supports, the maximum segment diameter is ∼100 mm, and the minimum segment thickness is ∼5 mm. Large-amplitude, low-order gravitational deformations in the mirror cell can be compensated if the segments are mounted on a plate floating on astatic supports. Because gravitational deformations in the plate are small, the segment actuators require a stroke of only a few tens of micrometers, and the segment positions can be measured by a wave-front sensor.
Cross-Gender Supervision, Personal Privacy, and Institutional Security Perceptions of Jail Inmates and Staff

This study presents results from a survey of male and female prisoners and officers in a large county jail. The analysis examines perceptions of an issue of concern to both the courts and practitioners, namely cross-gender supervision of prisoners when they are nude or using the toilet. Specifically, the study explores the likelihood that such intrusive supervision might produce institutional conflict. Results reveal that (a) prisoners more frequently than officers expect such supervision to promote complaints, security problems, and violence and (b) most officers of both sexes expect similar negative consequences.
Dual-thermistor temperature control for semiconductor lasers

A technique using two thermistors for maintaining junction temperature of a laser diode over a wide current range is proposed. The wavelength of a 980 nm module was stabilised within 1 nm with this technique from 25 to 400 mA. compared to a wavelength shift of 5 nm with traditional one-thermistor control.
Synthesis of Poly(silylenemethylenes) through Reactions Carried Out on Preformed Polymers. 2. Investigation of the Hydrosilation Route to Substituted Poly(silylenemethylenes)

A series of polymers of the type [Si(CH3)(C3H6R)CH2]n where R = C3H7, NEt2, carbazole, and OC2H4OC2H4OCH3 were prepared by hydrosilation of the appropriate terminal olefin with the [Si(H)(CH3)CH2]n...
Analysis and modeling of quantum waveguide structures and devices

A complete description of the numerical analysis of quantum waveguide structures and devices is given. Modal expansions of the wave function together with a mode‐matching technique are utilized to calculate the generalized scattering matrices (GSMs) of junctions or discontinuities and uniform waveguide sections. The different GSMs are combined via an extended generalized scattering‐matrix technique to obtain the scattering parameters of composite quantum waveguide structures. Results for cascaded right‐angle bends and periodic multiwaveguide structures in a split‐gate configuration are presented. A sharp transition to a plateau of zero conductance is observed for the double‐bend configuration. For the periodic multiwaveguide structures, strong resonant behavior similar to that in resonant tunneling diodes is found. Calculated current‐voltage characteristics for the special case of a double constriction are shown, exhibiting a region of negative‐differential resistance (NDR) for temperatures up to approximately 10 K with a peak‐to‐valley ratio of about 2.5:1 at zero temperature. Using a simple design procedure, the temperature range with achievable NDR is extended to up to approximately 60 K with a peak‐to‐valley ratio of over 80:1 at zero temperature.
Analysis of NMR data in the superconducting state of YBa2Cu3O7.

We have extended a weak-coupling theory of antiferromagnetic fluctuations to the superconducting state and analyzed NMR data for ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$. Within this framework we find that while an s-wave gap structure with 2\ensuremath{\Delta}(0)/${\mathit{kT}}_{\mathit{c}}$=4 can fit the Knight-shift data for Cu(2) and O(2,3), it does not provide a satisfactory fit to the ${\mathit{T}}_{1}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ data. Using a ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{x}}^{2}$-${\mathit{y}}^{2}$-wave gap with 2\ensuremath{\Delta}(0)/${\mathit{kT}}_{\mathit{c}}$ of order 6 to 8 provides a reasonable fit to both the Knight-shift and ${\mathit{T}}_{1}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ data.
Learning the valid incoming direction of IP packets

Packet forwarding on the Internet is solely based on the destination address of packets, and it is easy to forge the source address of IP packets without affecting the delivery of the packets. To solve this problem, one can have routers check whether or not every packet comes from a correct direction based on its source address field. However, due to routing asymmetry in today's Internet, a router cannot simply reverse its forwarding table to determine the correct incoming direction of a packet. In this paper, we present the source address validity enforcement protocol, SAVE, which allows routers to learn valid incoming directions for any given source address. SAVE is independent from-and can work with-any specific routing protocol. By only interfacing with the forwarding table at routers, SAVE allows routers to properly propagate valid source address information from source address spaces to all destinations, and allows each router en route to build and maintain an incoming tree to associate each source address prefix with a corresponding incoming interface. The incoming tree is further valuable in handling routing changes: although a routing change at one router could affect the incoming direction of source address spaces from many locations, only the router that sees the change needs to send out new updates. Finally, SAVE has a good performance with low overhead.
Vial-based screening method for assessing pervaporation performance of flat sheet membrane samples

Abstract A vial-based method for generating screening-level pervaporation performance information for flat membrane samples, with a significantly higher sample throughput than conventional bench-scale tests, was proposed and evaluated using water/ethanol mixtures. The flux of a compound through the membrane, installed as the exposed septum of the vial, is governed by membrane permeance and the partial pressure driving force. With the proposed method, permeability is calculated from the total mass change and concentration change over time. Five replicate samples for each of three water concentrations (2, 5, and 20 wt%) and three water-selective membrane types were tested at 50 °C to assess method precision. Screening results were compared to those from prior bench-scale pervaporation experiments to assess accuracy. Water permeability was determined with good precision for all samples. Leak-tight crimp sealing of the vials was critical for good ethanol permeability precision results, particularly for membranes with a low water permeance or high water–ethanol permselectivity. Ethanol permeability accuracy was good for a non-swelling membrane material, but was poor for a swelling membrane material tested at the highest water concentration because of outward bulging of the unsupported exposed area of the membrane.
Apparel Flammability: Accident Simulations and Bench-Scale Tests:

Various apparel flammability characteristics of more than 60 fabrics were explored within the framework of the Cooperative Industry Program on General Apparel Flam mability sponsored by the American Textile Manufacturers Institute. Testing consisted of apparel fire simulations on a full size mannequin and a device simulating a moving leg, as well as laboratory measurements of ignition time, heat release, weight loss, and linear and area flame spread. This paper supplements earlier reports by participants in the program by providing a different analysis of the experimental results. Almost any test method used for these purposes satisfactorily identifies apparel fabrics with low burn injury potential. Differentiation according to injury potential among the other fabrics does not appear to be possible with any single test method, although the heat release test methods appear more promising than the others. Fabrics with short ignition times and high heat release rates and total heat release are believed to pr...
Iron, calcium, zinc, and phytic acid content of yeast-raised breads containing distillers' grains and other fiber ingredients

Abstract A comparison was made between the total and soluble iron, calcium, zinc, and phytic acid content of yeast raised breads, each containing approximately 13% total dietary fiber (TDF, as is basis) as either white wheat bran, white wheat distillers' grains, barley fiber (brewer's spent grains), soy fiber, or oat fiber. Substitution level of the fiber ingredients into the breads varied from 12 to 23% flour replacement (w/w) depending upon the TDF content of the fiber ingredient. The phytic acid content was highest in the wheat bran and oat fiber breads (24 mg/100g and 27 mg/100g, respectively). When formulated on an equal TDF basis, the level of soluble mineral in the fiber ingredient was not predictive of the level of soluble mineral in the bread. The highest amount of soluble calcium was found in the control and white wheat distillers' grain breads, 167 and 146 μg/g, respectively. The highest amount of soluble iron was found in the soy fiber bread (31.6 μg/g) and the greatest amount of soluble zinc (5.3 μg/g) was found in the wheat bran bread.
Older but not wiser? The relationship between age and wisdom

This article reviews the literature on the relationship between wisdom and aging. It opens with a discussion of different approaches to defining what wisdom is. Philosophical, implicit-theoretical, and explicit-theoretical approaches are considered. The article continues with a consideration of the main perspectives on the relationship between wisdom and aging. Then the article discusses implicit-theories data relevant to the development of wisdom. Next, it considers explicit-theories data relevant to this development. Finally, it draws conclusions. Individual differences in and situational variables relevant to the development of wisdom may overwhelm any trends represented by gross group averages.
Optimization of acoustic-to-articulatory mapping

An optimization approach for estimating vocal tract configurations from the speech signal is presented. The scheme concatenates a gradient search and linear successive approximation, providing fast convergence and small errors. The objective function is generated by the least-absolute-value (l/sub 1/-norm) error between the model-derived and the speech-derived first three formants. The gradient search is accelerated by using an algorithm inspired by the Fletcher-Reeves method. Linear successive approximation assures convergence in the region near the optimum articulatory vector. Constraints are imposed on the articulatory parameters to avoid physiologically impossible configurations. >
Three-component model and tricritical points: A renormalization-group study. Two dimensions

The global phase diagram for a three-component lattice gas or spin-one Ising model with general single-site and nearest-neighbor "ferromagnetic" interactions is worked out for two-dimensional lattices using a Migdal-Kadanoff recursion relation. It differs in important qualitative respects from the corresponding mean-field phase diagram. The set of fixed points and flows provides the characteristic phase diagrams of the three-state Potts multicritical point and the ordinary ($n=1$) tricritical point in a complete set of symmetry-breaking fields. The latter is associated, in this renormalization-group scheme, with seven distinct critical fixed points, a number which is surprisingly large.
A framework for intrusion detection systems by social network analysis methods in ad hoc networks

Social network analysis (SNA), originally introduced to provide a mathematical framework for analyzing human interactions and economic relationships, has recently been successfully applied to characterizing information propagation in wireless networks. In this paper, we introduce a SNA method as a new approach to build an intrusion detection system (SN-IDS) in mobile ad hoc networks. The SN-IDS utilizes social relations as metrics-of-interest for anomaly detections, which is different from most traditional IDS approaches. The social system can capture and represent similar network statistics as those used in data mining based IDSs. To construct proper social networks, we first investigate ad hoc MAC and network layer data attributes and select relevant social feature sets; then we build up a set of socio-matrices based on these features. Social analysis methods are applied to these matrices to detect suspicious activities and behaviors of mobile nodes. The detection results can be based on single or multi-relation rules. Finally, we analyze the performance of this SN-IDS under different simulated mobility conditions and traffic patterns. NS-2 simulation results show that this SN-IDS system can effectively detect common attacks with high detection rates and low false alarm rates. Furthermore, it has clear advantages over the conventional association rule based data mining IDS in terms of computation and system complexity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Idiopathic hypercalcemia of infancy with interruption of the aortic arch.

Supravalvar aortic stenosis is known to occur with idiopathic hypercalcemia of infancy. Interruption of the aortic arch is now reported as the second major aortic anomaly, occurring in a well-documented case of the severe form of idiopathic hypercalcemia of infancy. Since both conditions are rare, the possibility of a chance relationship is slight. In idiopathic hypercalcemia of infancy, the arterial system of the embryo may be affected at a number of different sites.
An image processing system for the monitoring of special nuclear material and personnel

An important aspect of insider protection in production facilities is the monitoring of the movement of special nuclear material (SNM) and personnel. One system developed at Sandia National Labs for this purpose is the Personnel and Material Tracking System (PAMTRAK). PAMTRAK can intelligently integrate different sensor technologies and the security requirements of a facility to provide a unique capability in monitoring and tracking SNM and personnel. Currently many sensor technologies are used to track the location of personnel and SNM inside a production facility. These technologies are generally intrusive; they require special badges be worn by personnel, special tags be connected to material, and special detection devices be mounted in the area. Video technology, however, is non-intrusive because it does not require that personnel wear special badges or that special tags be attached to SNM. Sandia has developed a video-based image processing system consisting of three major components: the Material Monitoring Subsystem (MMS), the Personnel Tracking Subsystem (PTS) and the Item Recognition Subsystem (IRS). >
Indecomposable modules over one-dimensional Noetherian rings

Abstract In this article we consider finitely generated torsion-free modules over certain one-dimensional commutative Noetherian rings R . We assume there exists a positive integer N R such that, for every indecomposable R -module M and for every minimal prime ideal P of R , the dimension of M P , as a vector space over the field R P , is less than or equal to N R . If a nonzero indecomposable R -module M is such that all the localizations M P as vector spaces over the fields R P have the same dimension r , for every minimal prime P of R , then r = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 or 6. Let n be an integer ≥ 8 . We show that if M is an R -module such that the vector space dimensions of the M P are between n and 2 n − 8 , then M decomposes non-trivially. For each n ≥ 8 , we exhibit a semilocal ring and an indecomposable module for which the relevant dimensions range from n to 2 n − 7 . These results require a mild equicharacteristic assumption; we also discuss bounds in the non-equicharacteristic case.
Moving From “Context Matters” to Engaged Partnerships With Families

There has been much progress in the recognition that important contextual influences on a variety of student outcomes exist. However, a true application of systems-ecological theory to school-based practices has yet to occur. In this article, the importance of integrating systems-ecological thinking with educational practice is described and illustrated through engaged school-family partnerships, which operate at the level of the mesosytem. It is argued that school-family partnerships are needed to promote positive outcomes for all youth as well as for ameliorating disparities in educational outcomes. A plan of action is offered that includes moving past long-standing barriers and putting partnership principles into practice, highlights the importance of empirical support and ongoing research, and describes the promise of Response to Intervention reforms for creating engaged partnerships between educators and families.
An estimate of the thermal conductivity of solid T2 from pulsed nmr data

Abstract The thermal conductivity of solid T 2 below 17 K has been estimated from pulsed nmr data to be roughly temperature independent and approximately equal to 0.7 W/mK. Results for some mixtures of T 2 with D 2 and DT are also given.
Identifying Which Patients With Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis Could Benefit From Intervention

Carotid guidelines recommend carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for patients with 60% to 99% asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) provided the perioperative stroke/death rates are <3%.1,2 Several reports have noted that the average annual risk of ipsilateral/any territory stroke among patients with asymptomatic moderate to severe internal carotid artery stenosis receiving medical therapy (MT) alone has now fallen to ≈1%.3–5 The decreased incidence of stroke has been attributed to modern MT and has made opinion leaders demand a revision of management strategies4 by either refraining from CEA6 or by identifying high-risk patients.7 Such high-risk patients should be offered prophylactic CEA in addition to MT to reduce the risk of a future stroke. It is therefore essential to develop methods to identify these ACS patients at high enough risk to warrant prophylactic intervention. Several methods have been proposed for the identification of ACS patients at high risk for future stroke (Table),6,8–22 namely: (1) the detection of microemboli by transcranial Doppler (TCD), (2) identification of the unstable carotid plaque using ultrasound, (3) reduced cerebral blood flow reserve, (4) intraplaque hemorrhage using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, (5) silent embolic infarcts on brain computed tomography (CT) or MRI, and (6) progression in the severity of ACS. A discussion of the involved mechanisms and the predictive value of each of these methods is presented. View this table: Table. Suggested Predictors of the Development of Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack in Asymptomatic Carotid Patients The predictive value of microemboli detection on TCD for the identification of ACS patients at high risk for stroke has been validated by 2 independent studies and is further supported by a meta-analysis.6,8–10,23 A small prospective, observational, cohort study failed to verify the association between TCD-detected emboli and …
Passivation of GaAs by Electrochemical Sulfur Treatments

Simple chemical sulfur treatments of GaAs have been shown to passivate the GaAs surface. These treatments result in lower surface state density, lower surface recombination velocity, and shifting or unpinning of the Fermi level, in addition to improvement in the performance of GaAs devices. Electrochemical sulfur treatment, however, has only recently been explored and pursued as a method of growing anodic surface layers which have good passivating characteristics on semiconductors. In this study, using surface infrared reflection spectroscopy (SIRS), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy, we have investigated the electrochemical sulfidation of GaAs as a method to produce a GaAs surface that has good electronic properties and is stable chemically and electronically. We have found that anodic treatments with Na2S and (NH4)2S solutions resulted in the removal of the pre-existing oxide of GaAs and in the formation of films comprising sulfur, sodium carbonate, ammonium thiosulfate, and various sulfide and sulfur-oxygen compounds of arsenic. The surface state density of this anodically treated surface was significantly better than that of untreated GaAs. Rinsing the GaAs with water removed the bulk of the film, leaving behind a surface on which only arsenic sulfide was detected. The surface state density after rinsing has degraded slightly, however, but it was still better than that of an untreated GaAs.
Public health system perspective on implementation of evidence-based fall prevention strategies for older adults.

STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS’ MISSION AND STRATEGIES State health departments have traditionally worked in many areas of public health, including injury prevention (1). The public health approach toward injury and disease prevention directs programs to examine surveillance data and then design, implement, and evaluate strategies to address problems, such as falls among older adults (1, 2). The emphasis is to select evidencebased strategies that have been successfully tested in research settings and translated into programs that are readily available for implementation. Fall prevention among older adults has been acknowledged as a priority topic area, and one for which evidence-based strategies have been identified (1, 3).
Cloning and identification of Arp1, an actin-related protein from Pneumocystis carinii.

. The complete Pneumocystis carinii Arp1 gene has been sequenced from two cDNA clones. The gene encodes a protein 385 bp in length with an estimated size of 45,000 kD. The A + T% for the Arp1 gene and a 900-bp sequence upstream of the gene were 63.7% and 70.3%, respectively. These values are consistant with A + T codon preference displayed by P. carinii and are similar to values reported for other P. carinii genes. The predicted amino acid sequence of the P. carinii Arp1 protein had a similarity of 87.6% with Neurospora crassa Arp1, 82.1% similarity with vertebrate centractin, and 71.2% similarity with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Act5p. Expression of Arp1 mRNA in P. carinii was detectable via synthesis of cDNA and subsequent PCR amplification. Affinity purified antibodies against S. cerevisiae Act5p, and canine centractin recognized both the recombinantly expressed protein and a 45,000 kD protein in P. carinii nuclear extracts. The Arp1 gene is the second member of the actin multigene family that has been identified in P. carinii.
Low Cost Experimental Vibration Analysis of a Cantilever Beam Under Base Excitation

This paper presents the investigation of operational deflection shapes of vibration of a cantilever beam using a low-cost digital video camera, and by application of image processing techniques. The beam is uniform and under base excitation. The analytical model of the system is developed using dimensionless formulation. The analytical ODS’s are derived, and then compared with those found from experiment. The significance of this research is that it provides the researchers an inexpensive alternative tool for investigating the behavior of systems with low-frequency dynamics.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Signatures of aestivation and migration in Sahelian malaria mosquito populations

During the long Sahelian dry season, mosquito vectors of malaria are expected to perish when no larval sites are available; yet, days after the first rains, mosquitoes reappear in large numbers. How these vectors persist over the 3-6-month long dry season has not been resolved, despite extensive research for over a century. Hypotheses for vector persistence include dry-season diapause (aestivation) and long-distance migration (LDM); both are facets of vector biology that have been highly controversial owing to lack of concrete evidence. Here we show that certain species persist by a form of aestivation, while others engage in LDM. Using time-series analyses, the seasonal cycles of Anopheles coluzzii, Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.), and Anopheles arabiensis were estimated, and their effects were found to be significant, stable and highly species-specific. Contrary to all expectations, the most complex dynamics occurred during the dry season, when the density of A. coluzzii fluctuated markedly, peaking when migration would seem highly unlikely, whereas A. gambiae s.s. was undetected. The population growth of A. coluzzii followed the first rains closely, consistent with aestivation, whereas the growth phase of both A. gambiae s.s. and A. arabiensis lagged by two months. Such a delay is incompatible with local persistence, but fits LDM. Surviving the long dry season in situ allows A. coluzzii to predominate and form the primary force of malaria transmission. Our results reveal profound ecological divergence between A. coluzzii and A. gambiae s.s., whose standing as distinct species has been challenged, and suggest that climate is one of the selective pressures that led to their speciation. Incorporating vector dormancy and LDM is key to predicting shifts in the range of malaria due to global climate change, and to the elimination of malaria from Africa.
Adult Health in the Context of Everyday Family Life

Background Characteristics of family life are linked both cross-sectionally and prospectively to adult mental and physical health.
Home Schooling in the United States

Home schooling is a subject of great fascination, but little solid knowledge. Despite its importance, it has received less research attention than some other recent changes in the educational system, such as the growth of charter schools. It could be argued that home schooling may have a much larger impact on educational system, both in the short and long run. This report uses the 1994 October CPS, and the National Household Education Survey of 1996 and 1999 to examine popular characterizations of the home school population. The article assembles evidence from several sources to confirm that home schooling is growing. It finds home-schooled children more likely to be middle income, white, from larger families, and from two-parent families with one parent not working. While some authors have described a division between religiously-motivated and academically-motivated home schoolers, this research finds more support for a divide based on attitude towards regular schools.
THE STOCHASTIC STRUCTURE OF DOWNSTREAM PRESSURE FROM AN AXIAL COMPRESSOR—II. AN INVESTIGATION OF BLADE-TO-BLADE VARIABILITY

Abstract This work investigates the use of statistical and time-frequency analysis of the downstream pressure signature to characterise blade-to-blade variability of both average and residual pressure associated with a single row 36 blade axial compressor. Analysis of the average pressure signatures suggests that the blade mean pressure signatures are not identical at 90% significance level. Analysis of the residual signatures, obtained by removing the average signatures, reveals that the wake region contains approximately four times as much power as the core flow region. Time-frequency analysis shows that the strong harmonic content which persists in the residual process is temporarily concentrated in the wake flow region, but that the blade-to-blade variability of this narrowband structure is sufficient to be almost eliminated upon averaging of individual blade spectra.
Oleate replacement ultrafiltration: A new method for quantitative recovery of organic acids from human plasma☆

Abstract A method was developed for the isolation of organic acids in high yields from body fluids containing a high protein content. The method, which includes ultrafiltration followed by anion-exchange chromatography, was used to recover organic acids from human plasma. It is based on the addition of oleic acid to the plasma sample before the ultrafiltration step. The oleic acid, which effectively competes for binding sites on the protein, results in the release of other organic acids, which are then recovered in the ultrafiltrate. Comparison of the recovery of various acids (with and without added oleic acid) shows that the yield of certain acids (like citric acid) can be increased by more than an order of magnitude when oleic acid is added to the plasma sample. The satisfactory reproducibility of this method, even for small amounts of plasma (less than 1 ml), makes it suitable for quantitative metabolic profiling analysis.
Aqueous phase coprecipitation of hydroxides of calcium and magnesium: A microscopic investigation

Coprecipitations of calcium and magnesium hydroxides from relatively highly supersaturated aqueous solutions were performed. Through the product was largely composed of a mixture of Ca(OH)2 and Mg(OH)2 particulates, some evidence of incorporation of foreign ions on an atomic scale was seen. The coprecipitation yielded another product — an unusual, spherulitic type of a polycrystal.
The Many Roles of Computation in Drug Discovery

An overview is given on the diverse uses of computational chemistry in drug discovery. Particular emphasis is placed on virtual screening, de novo design, evaluation of drug-likeness, and advanced methods for determining protein-ligand binding.
Heme oxygenase, carbon monoxide, and interstitial cells of Cajal.

Interstitial cells of Cajal play a central role in the control of gastrointestinal motility. The mechanisms of communication between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscle cells are to a large extent unknown. This article reviews the potential role of carbon monoxide as a messenger molecule between interstitial cells of Cajal and gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells. The machinery required for the formation of carbon monoxide is present in interstitial cells of Cajal and gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells express a target site of action for carbon monoxide, a potassium channel. Carbon monoxide may, therefore, be produced in interstitial cells of Cajal and function as a messenger molecule between interstitial cells of Cajal and gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells. Microsc. Res. Tech. 47:321–324, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Restoration of Magnetization Distributions from Joint Magnetic Force Microscopy Measurements and Micromagnetic Simulations

We demonstrate a numerical technique, which helps to restore the magnetization distribution of a ferromagnetic sample from a recorded Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) image coupled with micromagnetic simulations. While the magnetic stray field (mapped by the MFM) does not provide sufficient information to uniquely reconstruct the domain pattern, it can be applied to guide a micromagnetic simulator to converge to a magnetization distribution which is likely to be the source of this field. This method can help to establish a higher level of consistency between experimental and theoretical micromagnetics.
Competitive molecular adsorption at liquid/solid interfaces: A study by sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy

We used sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy to study competitive adsorption of water−alcohol binary liquid mixtures at hydrophilic fused silica and hydrophobic alkyl silane-covered substrates. Monitoring the strength of the methyl stretching modes of alcohols in the mixtures allowed deduction of the surface coverage of alcohols and their adsorption isotherms. It was found that for both types of substrates, alcohol adsorbs preferentially than water at liquid/solid interfaces. The driving force behind preferential alcohol adsorption appears to be the strong hydrogen-bonding interaction among water molecules as they would like to maintain the three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding network and minimize loss of hydrogen bonds in the interfacial layer. The mechanism is believed to be generally true if interaction among molecules of one species is significantly stronger than other intermolecular interactions in a mixture and the interactions of different molecular species with the substrate are about the same.
Preferences for idealized styles of supervision

Abstract Situational leadership theory and gender-based role theory were used to derive predictions for how employee maturity and gender, respectively, would be associated with preferences for idealized styles of supervision. A survey of 1137 employees across three organizations provided results that partially confirmed the predictions. Specifically, employees with higher levels of education and greater levels of job tenure expressed less preference for leader structuring, while females (relative to males) expressed greater preference for leader considerateness. These results suggest that an understanding of employee expectations for leader behaviors may be of value in optimizing the level and nature of leader involvement with subordinates.
Symmetry and positive definiteness in oriented matroids

We show the properties of a class of oriented matroids that properly generalizes the class of oriented matroids that can be represented by matrices of the form ( I , − A ), where A is a real n × n symmetric matrix and I is the n × n identity matrix. Several results from linear algebra about positive definiteness, symmetry, and eigenvalues are shown to have natural generalizations in the context of oriented matroids. The relationships among the oriented matroid generalizations of the linear algebraic concepts are seen to be analogous to the relationships among the original linear algebraic concepts.
Effect of Interruption of Copulation on Male Guinea Pig Sexual Behavior

Several investigators have reported that interruption of the mating pattern of male rats results in fewer copulations preceding ejaculation than are usually recorded in the free-mating situation. Apparently, the first study of this effect was made by Rasm~ssen.~ Beach and his coworkers (1) have also observed the same phenomenon during experiments in the Yale laboratory. In a recent monograph (4), Larsson has described several studies in which the duration and nature of the interruptions were varied systematically and the consequent change in sexual performance of male rats was measured. Before the aforementioned studies were known to the present investigator, he noted that male guinea pig behavior was influenced markedly by interference with the mating sequence whether by E or the female guinea pig used in the test. A pilot study was initiated to determine whether these observations were reliable and potentially useful. The study, it turned out, was merely a repetition of a part of the research completed by Larsson. Although the findings were not novel, the report has value in that a different laboratory animal was used, increasing the generality of results. METHOD Szlbjects.-11 male guinea pigs from a genetically heterogeneous strain between the ages of 150-250 days were used. They were relatively tame and were accustomed to being handled by E. Ss were selected from a larger group on the basis of their possessing a high probability of ejaculation which was determined during several pre-experimental 10-min. mating tests. The males were caged in pairs and had no access to females except during the testing period.
Inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation in vitro by leflunomide, a new immunosuppressant, is antagonized by uridine

Chronic rejection in the form of graft vascular disease (GVD) continues to plague clinical transplantation of vascularized organs. The histopathology of this lesion is characterized by neointimal hyperplasia, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and obliterative arteriopathy. Due to the lack of effective medical therapy for preventing or reversing these chronic vascular changes, retransplantation remains the final resort in treatment. Some of the newer immunosuppressive agents, including the new isoxazole derivative leflunomide (LFM), have shown efficacy in preventing chronic rejection in animal models of transplantation. Although its mechanism of action remains incompletely elucidated, previous work using lymphocytes in vitro suggests that the drug might act as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, an inhibitor of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, or both. In order to elucidate whether the efficacy of LFM in vivo is attributable not only to anti-proliferative effects on the recipient immune system but also to direct effects on mesenchymal cells in the donor organ, we examined the effects of LFM on a transformed 9E11G murine smooth muscle cell (M-SMC) line in vitro. We demonstrate here that the active metabolite of LFM, A77 1726, dose-dependently inhibits the constitutive and growth-factor stimulated proliferation of M-SMC in vitro. Furthermore, the anti-proliferative effect of the drug can be reversed by the addition of uridine to the culture medium. These results suggest that inhibition of uridine biosythesis appears to be a mechanism by which LFM exerts anti-proliferative effects on both lymphocytes and smooth muscle cells, and this dual action may be responsible for its efficacy in preventing GVD in vivo.
Amnesic and Punishing Effects of Electroconvulsive Shock

Rats learned to avoid a place where they were repeatedly given electroconvulsive shock treatments, but the learning was slow in comparison with that obtained with subconvulsive shock. Convulsive shock given 5 seconds after administration of subconvulsive shock retarded place-avoidance learning.
Premenstrual exacerbation of symptoms in women with panic disorder

Abstract Women with panic disorder commonly report a premenstrual worsening of panic symptoms, but to date this report has not been confirmed in prospective trials. The present study investigated fluctuations in panic symptomatology across the menstrual cycle, with particular attention to the discrepancies between retrospective and prospective studies. Ninety-four women with panic disorder reported their history of premenstrual symptoms of panic, and 24 of these patients completed prospective diaries comprising two full menstrual cycles. Similar to previous studies, 41% of the sample provided a retrospective report of premenstrual worsening of panic symptoms. Unlike previous investigations, a significant increase in panic frequency during the premenstruum was found in our prospective study, with 50% of subjects reporting at least a 100% increase in panic frequency. Women who experienced negative mood premenstrually were more likely to accurately report exacerbation of panic symptoms during the premenstruum.
Performance Analysis of an Ultrahigh Performance, 3-D Micro Convective Heat Sink With a Nearly Fractal Plumbing System

This paper presents the design and CFD analysis of a 3-D, active micro convective heat sink having high surface-to-volume ratio geometry. The heat sink consists of an array of elemental units arranged in parallel. Each unit is constructed as a network of nearly fractal geometry. The design of each unit uses the constructal method to minimize the point-to-point temperature difference within the heat sink and Murray’s Law to minimize pressure drop across the device. The heat sink is designed for the tape casting fabrication method using thick silver film techniques and co–fired with low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate. To analyze fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of the design, we use the Fluent CFD software. The numerical results are presented to validate the theoretical optimization and outline the ultra-high performance characteristics of the heat sink such as the overall thermal resistance, pumping power and effectiveness.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Farm Commodity Price Stabilization through Futures Markets

A proposal to stabilize farm prices through government operations in futures markets was examined using soybeans for 1953–1967. The example showed that soybean prices would not have been stabilized. Operation of the proposal might also have modified buying and selling behavior and cash‐futures price relations.
SiO2-Al2O3 metastable phase equilibrium diagram without mullite

A metastable binary phase diagram between SiO2 (cristobalite) andα-Al2O3 (corundum) in the absence of any mullite phase is presented. A eutectic is indicated at a temperature of ≈ 1260° C and a composition of ≈ 18 wt% (≈ 12 mol%) Al2O3. The liquidi of the proposed metastable system were positioned on the basis of the thermodynamic data calculated from the stable equilibrium diagram of Aksay and Pask [2]. Experimental evidence is also presented. A SiO2-Al2O3 melt containing 80 wt% Al2O3 cooled at a slow rate in sealed molybdenum crucibles shows crystalline Al2O3 plus a glass phase whose composition followed the calculated extension of the stable Al2O3 liquidus to lower temperatures. Compacts of cristobalite—corundum mixtures were fired at subsolidus temperatures to estimate the eutectic temperature experimentally. The proposed metastable phase diagram effectively explains the formation of non-crystalline phases in subsolidus reactions, and microstructure obtained on solidification of high alumina melts.
Nuclear lamin proteins and the structure of the nuclear envelope: Where is the function?

The nuclear envelope has recently become the object of intense scrutiny because it is the site of nuclear transport and is possibly involved in the organization of the interphase genome, thereby affecting gene expression. The major structural support for the nuclear envelope is the nuclear lamina, composed of the nuclear lamin proteins. They lie on the surface of the inner nuclear membrane and are in direct contact with the chromatin at the edge of the nucleus. The structure of the nuclear lamin proteins has recently been deduced from their cDNAs and shown to have remarkable homologies to the family of cytoplasmic intermediate filaments. However, the lamin proteins have been found to depolymerize in response to metaphase-specific phosphorylation events, and reassemble around daughter chromosomes at the completion of cell division. Little is known of the mechanisms of these dynamics, nor of other post-translational modifications evident in these proteins. In addition, we have as yet no concrete idea of the function of these highly conserved proteins in the cell. This review will summarize our present knowledge of nuclear lamin structure and the new experimental approaches designed to elucidate their function.