cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia-induced radioresistance is independent of hypoxia-inducible factor-1A in vitro.

Purpose: We sought to determine whether hypoxia-induced radioresistance is mediated by the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Methods and materials: We used 2 mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines transformed with H- ras and TAg, 1 HIF-1α +/+ and the other HIF-1α −/− . Cell were exposed to either 95% air and 5% CO 2 (normoxic conditions) or 0.2% O 2 , 94.8% N 2 , and 5% CO 2 (hypoxic conditions) for 4 hours. Cells were then irradiated and subjected to clonogenic survival assays. Results: Whereas neither +/+ ras /TAg nor −/− ras /TAg cells expressed HIF-1α under normoxic conditions, hypoxia induced expression of HIF-1α only in +/+ ras /TAg cells, confirming the absence of HIF-1α in −/− ras /TAg cells. Clonogenic survival curves for +/+ ras /TAg and −/− ras /TAg cells under normoxia and hypoxia demonstrated that hypoxia increased radioresistance in both cell lines to the same degree. At 1-log cell kill, the +/+ ras /TAg and −/− ras /TAg cells had an identical oxygen enhancement ratio of 1.28 ± 0.09 and nearly identical oxygen enhancement ratios at 2-log cell kill. Conclusion: In our system of transformed mouse embryonic fibroblasts, hypoxia-mediated radiation resistance is independent of HIF-1α.
Some examples of the contribution of applied thermodynamics to Post-Combustion CO2-Capture technology

Abstract There is intense ongoing worldwide research to develop improved solvents and processes for CO 2 capture from flue gas. The number of publications was almost 1000 in 2011, and may be expected to exceed 10,000 by 2020 if exponential extrapolation of the number of past publications is applicable. Applied thermodynamics is a valuable tool to make sense of this vast body of research, and we present three examples of its contribution to CO 2 -capture process technology. Aqueous-ammonia processes have been proposed as energy-efficient alternatives to traditional alkanolamine process, and early proponents claimed that a significant advantage of the technology is that the CO 2 enthalpy of solution is exceptionally low, about −27 kJ/mol. A rigorous thermodynamic model with correct speciation estimated that the CO 2 heat of solution is closer to about −65 kJ/mol, a number that was later confirmed by calorimetric measurements. The thermodynamic model enabled realistic analysis of the chilled-ammonia process, and these results have been supported by subsequent studies by other researchers. Further work on this subject established the rigorous and complete form of the Gibbs–Helmholtz equation, and demonstrated its value in evaluating the consistency between vapor–liquid equilibrium and calorimetric data. Theoretical and experimental studies have been used to find the best solvent for CO 2 capture. Some researchers have assumed that the goal is seek solvents with high CO 2 capacity and a low enthalpy of solution. This notion was tested by inventing solvents with various properties, the only restriction being that the properties must be thermodynamically consistent. The results have provided insight into the interplay between CO 2 absorption and the heat of regeneration (through the Gibbs–Helmholtz equation), and reveal subtle characteristics that may guide the development of future solvents. A promising step-out technology for CO 2 capture is “CO 2 -binding liquids with polarity-swing-assisted regeneration.” Reliable analysis and design of this complex technology requires a thermodynamic model that describes the chemical absorption (i.e., speciation) as well as vapor–liquid–liquid equilibrium. The initial thermodynamic model has enabled useful projections of process performance. The model limitations and the need for future improvements are also discussed.
The Bayesian explanation of transmission failure

Even if our justified beliefs are closed under known entailment, there may still be instances of transmission failure. Transmission failure occurs when P entails Q, but a subject cannot acquire a justified belief that Q by deducing it from P. Paradigm cases of transmission failure involve inferences from mundane beliefs (e.g., that the wall in front of you is red) to the denials of skeptical hypotheses relative to those beliefs (e.g., that the wall in front of you is not white and lit by red lights). According to the Bayesian explanation, transmission failure occurs when (i) the subject’s belief that P is based on E, and (ii) P(Q|E) P(Q). No modifications of the Bayesian explanation are capable of accommodating such cases, so the explanation must be rejected as inadequate. Alternative explanations employing simple subjunctive conditionals are fully capable of capturing all of the paradigm cases, as well as those missed by the Bayesian explanation.
Parallel and perpendicular electric fields in an aurora

Abstract Previously reported results of a rocket borne electric field experiment flown near local midnight from Andenes, Norway have been transformed to an Earth-fixed coordinate system and compared with plasma temperature and density measurements, energetic particle fluxes, and perpendicular electric field variations, to strengthen the earlier conclusion that ∼10 mV/m electric fields existed parallel to the magnetic field line during the flight. Perpendicular electric field measurements made as the rocket crossed six auroral arc boundaries indicated that the mean electric field strength did not vary across the boundary of an arc but that the boundary was often characterized by charge oscillations having periods of a few seconds.
Aerosol beclomethasone in patients with steroid-responsive chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract Some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have favorable responses to treatment with oral corticosteroids with increase In one-second forced expiratory volume of 30 percent or more above the baseline. The benefit of long-term steroid therapy may be outweighed by the side effects. Twelve patients who had previously demonstrated a response to oral corticosteroids were studied in a double-blind randomized crossover trial comparing prednisone (30 mg daily) with beclomethasone (metered-dose Inhaler, 16 puffs daily) for two weeks each with a two-week washout period between the two regimens. Those who were taking prednisone tapered the dose to 5 mg daily and those taking beclomethasone discontinued it for two weeks before the beginning of the study. History, physical examination, and pulmonary function were monitored. The mean one-second forced expiratory volume increased from 0.65 to 1.00 liter after prednisone therapy and it increased from 0.63 to 0.81 liter after aerosol beclomethasone (difference significant, p
Medical management of the pregnant woman infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and her child

Heterosexual contact and intravenous drug use continue to result in new cases of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection among adolescents and women of childbearing age. In North American and European surveys, 0.1% to 0.3% of childbearing women are infected with HIV; rates are 10 to 20 times higher in some inner-city areas. Timely, comprehensive, and well-coordinated care of the pregnant HIV-infected mother offers a unique opportunity to significantly influence two lives simultaneously. The mother can be offered therapeutic and prophylactic agents to treat her own infection, including antiretroviral therapy, which has been shown to markedly reduce the risk of vertical HIV-1 transmission. Recent advances in diagnostic virology now make it possible to definitively identify by 3 to 4 months of age those infants who are infected with HIV. Infants infected with HIV can be offered effective prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, which has dramatically reduced the incidence of this once common infection. Infected infants also should be monitored closely to institute antiretroviral therapy, and to diagnose and treat opportunistic and intercurrent infections and other acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining illnesses in a timely way.
Spiral image fusion by interchannel autowaves

With the onset of inexpensive 2D optical detector arrays, digitized image information is readily available. Some systems, such as AOTF systems, produce up to 256 parallel channels of image information. These hyperspectral data cubes contain portions of target information in separate channels. Rarely, does a single channel contain sufficient target information. Interchannel linking of pulse image generators is capable of segmenting the many channels in concert. Spiral image fusion occurs by phase-encoding pulse images and analyzing through complex fractional power filters.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A case of severe human allergic reaction to bites of Symphoromyia (Diptera: Rhagionidae).

Published reports of Symphoromyia biting man are reviewed from a geographical perspective. Most accounts describe the biting event but fail to document subsequent reactions to the bites. One case involving a hypersensitive allergic response to bites of Symphoromyia in western Washington is discussed. After the attack, the patient received horse fly antigen and apparently developed some degree of cross-immunity desensitization to snipe fly bites, as indicated by little or no reaction to their bites following treatment.
Effect of active interference on the performance of radio frequency identification systems

Recent advancements in wireless technology have resulted in an unprecedented demand for Radio Frequency (RF) spectral resources. Increasing frequency reuse also increases RF interference, which decreases a system's capacity and/or service quality. The primary focus of this research was the development of a test protocol for the characterisation of the performance of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems when active interference was present. The test protocol was comprised of four different experiments: Jamming on Central Frequency of Operation, Apply Full Range of Frequencies in Sweeps, Modulating the Jamming Signal and Tag Pollution. The effectiveness of the test protocol was verified by fully characterising eight RFID systems operating at frequencies that ranged from 120 kHz to 2.45 GHz. The performance measure of read rate was utilised to assess whether or not the jamming signal had an effect on the performance of the RFID systems. The results obtained through actual experimentation, as well as the validation by experts in the RFID field, indicate that the approach described in this research is viable and useful for both manufacturers and users of RFID technology.
PACAP peptides modulate guinea pig cardiac neuron membrane excitability and neuropeptide expression.

: Morphological studies identified PACAP-immunoreactive nerve fibers in dense pericellular arrangements around virtually every cholinergic parasympathetic neuron of guinea pig cardiac ganglia; all postganglionic cardiac neurons expressed membrane-associated PAC1 receptor protein. Characterization of the alternative splice variants established predominant expression of the PAC1 (very short) receptor transcript containing neither HIP nor HOP exons. PACAP depolarized cardiac neurons and increased membrane excitability; the excitability resulted from neither altered action potential properties nor inhibition of IM. Treatment of cardiac ganglia explants with PACAP significantly reduced the numbers of cholinergic neurons coexpressing somatostatin immunoreactivity, which did not appear to be correlated with prosomatostatin mRNA expression. The PACAP-mediated decrease in somatostatin immunoreactive neurons required calcium influx through L-type calcium channels and activation of adenylyl cyclase, whereas activation of phospholipase C or protein kinase A was not required. These observations indicate that PACAP through the PAC1 receptors elicits complex actions on guinea pig parasympathetic cardiac ganglia neurons, including modulation of membrane ion conductances and modulation of neuropeptide expression.
Chemical specificity of pyruvate kinase from yeast

Three analogs of phosphoenolpyruvic acid: (Z)-phosphoenol-3-fluoropyruvate, (Z)-phosphoenol-3-bromopyruvate and (Z)-phosphoenol-alpha-ketobutyrate were found to be substrates for yeast pyruvate kinase (ATP: pyruvate (Z)-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40)with maximal velocities much greater than those found for rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase. The analogs exhibited sigmoidal kinetics, which become hyperbolic upon addition of the allosteric effector, fructose 1,6-diphosphate. Moreover, the reaction of (Z)-phosphoenol-3-bromopyruvate with ADP to produce bromopyruvic acid and ATP irreversibly inhibited the enzyme with a half-life of 32 min.
Fluoride therapy for osteoporosis promotes a progressive increase in spinal bone density

Since osteoporosis is a disease of diminished bone density, and since osteoporotic fractures occur most commonly in the spine, the ideal therapeutic agent for osteoporosis is one which can increase spinal bone density and thereby reduce the risk for vertebral fractures. In the current study we sought to examine the effect of fluoride therapy on spinal bone density utilizing quantitative computed tomography to measure changes in vertebral trabecular bone density during treatment with fluoride. A group of 61 postmenopausal osteoporotic females, aged 70 +/- 9 years, were treated with 34 +/- 7 mg elemental fluoride/day (equivalent to 75 +/- 15 mg NaF/day) and 1500 mg calcium/day for 19 +/- 6 months. Spinal bone density was increased within the first 6 months of fluoride therapy by 42% or 10 +/- 13 mg/cm3 (p less than 0.001) and continued to increased throughout 2 years of observation. The skeletal response to fluoride therapy was also associated with an early increase in serum alkaline phosphatase activity (p less than 0.001), which was related to the increase in spinal bone density (r = .58, p less than 0.001). Large interpatient variation was observed in the spinal bone response to fluoride therapy, which was not explained by variations in the pretreatment spinal bone density (r = .04), age of the patient (r = .15), or dose of fluoride (r = .16). Results from these studies demonstrate (1) the therapeutic value of fluoride to increase trabecular bone density linearly for 2 years in the osteoporotic spine and (2) the clinical value of measuring spinal bone density and/or serum alkaline phosphatase activity as indices of the skeletal response to fluoride.
Identification of the vitamers of vitamin B6 excreted by a yeast mutant growing in a glucose minimal culture medium.

Abstract It has been reported that the only vitamers of vitamin B6 excreted by a yeast mutant growing in a fairly complete culture medium were pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. In this work, evidence is presented that when the same mutant grows in a glucose minimal culture medium it excretes in addition pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate. Differences in the activities of acid phosphatase(s) were found in crude extracts from yeast mutant cells growing in the two culture media.
On a Fundamental Theorem in Multiple Comparisons

Abstract A result of Tukey (1953), Spjotvoll (1971), and Einot and Gabriel (1975) concerning multiple-range tests is stated sometimes with and sometimes without an implied condition of monotonicity of the defining critical values. It is shown that this condition is not only sufficient but also necessary for the validity of this and a related result.
Adult infratentorial tumors

Abstract In adults, the combination of clinical presentation and imaging results (Table 1) permit prediction of the histology of a posterior fossa tumor. MR imaging, which uses various pulse sequences and contrast material is the most sensitive and precise technique for the evaluation of patients who have symptoms referrable to the posterior fossa.
A Bayesian hierarchical distributed lag model for estimating the time course of risk of hospitalization associated with particulate matter air pollution.

Summary. Time series studies have provided strong evidence of an association between increased levels of ambient air pollution and increased hospitalizations, typically at a single lag of 0, 1 or 2 days after an air pollution episode. Two important scientific objectives are to understand better how the risk of hospitalization that is associated with a given day's air pollution increase is distributed over multiple days in the future and to estimate the cumulative short-term health effect of an air pollution episode over the same multiday period. We propose a Bayesian hierarchical distributed lag model that integrates information from national health and air pollution databases with prior beliefs of the time course of risk of hospitalization after an air pollution episode. This model is applied to air pollution and health data on 6.3 million enrollees of the US Medicare system living in 94 counties covering the years 1999–2002. We obtain estimates of the distributed lag functions relating fine particulate matter pollution to hospitalizations for both ischaemic heart disease and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and we use our model to explore regional variation in the health risks across the USA.
Remote sensing of the nocturnal boundary layer for wind energy applications.

The fine temporal and spatial resolution of Doppler lidar observations has been highly effective in the study of wind and turbulence dynamic in the nocturnal boundary layer during Lamar Low-Level Project in 2003. The High-Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL), designed and developed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), measures range-resolved profiles of line-of sight (LOS) Doppler velocity and aerosol backscatter with a pulse repetition frequency of 200 Hz, velocity precision about 10 cm s-1, and a very narrow beam width. The majority of the lidar-measured wind speed and variance profiles were derived using a vertical-scan mode and the application of a vertical binning technique. The profile data were used to calculate quantities important for wind energy applications, including turbulence intensity, wind and directional shear through the layer of the turbine rotor. Profiles of all quantities show a strong variation with height. The mean wind fields, the turbulence, and turbulence intensities show a good agreement with sonic anemometer sodar high confidence (high SNR) measurements. The ability of HRDL to provide continuous information about wind and turbulence conditions at the turbine height and above the range of the tower measurements made HRDL as a powerful instrument for studies of the nighttime boundary layer features. Such information is needed as turbine rotors continue to rise higher into the boundary layer.
Performance evaluation of scheduling algorithms for imprecise computer systems

Abstract We study the scheduling of tasks in computer systems which utilize imprecise (partial) computations. In our system, tasks arrive randomly during run-time. Each task has two levels of computation time requirements: the full level computation requirement and the reduced level computation requirement. The reduced level computation of a task takes less time to accomplish than the full level, but produces results which are not as precise as those of full-level computation. We assume that the imprecise results are nonetheless acceptable. The tasks are scheduled in the following way: If the total number of tasks in the system is no more than M —a system parameter—the tasks are executed at the full level. When the total number of tasks exceeds M , the tasks are executed at the reduced level. The system performance under this kind of scheduling and computation model is analyzed. Attention is devoted to development of the explicit formulas for the practically important performance metrics such as the normalized mean task waiting time, the mean task served computation time, and the fraction of tasks fully processed. The effect of variations in parameter values on the system performance is also examined in detail.
INVOLVEMENT OF MICROTUBULES IN THE REGULATION OF NEURONAL GROWTH CONE MORPHOLOGIC REMODELING

The guidance of nerve fibers depends on the constant protrusion, movement, and retraction (i.e., remodeling) of growth cone lamellae and filopodia. We used drugs that interfere with the dynamics of microtubules to investigate the role of microtubules in the remodeling of larval amphibian spinal cord neuronal growth cones. Vinblastine (8-100 nM), taxol (10 nM), and nocodazole (330 nM) altered microtubule distributions in growth cones and decreased the percentage of lamellar perimeter undergoing remodeling, while not affecting the rates of lamellar protrusion and retraction. Also, 8-20 nM vinblastine caused temporary losses of the continuity of the originally fan-shaped lamella, resulting in two or more lamellae at the growth cone. At higher concentrations of microtubule drugs, the originally fan-shaped lamella broke up into separate smaller lamellae followed by the centrifugal displacement from the base of the growth cone and eventual collapse of the resultant lamellae. Low doses of cytochalasin B prevented the centrifugal displacement of lamellae in response to microtubule drugs. During microtubule drug-mediated loss of growth cone lamellae, some filopodia were observed to elongate to greater than normal lengths. Similarly, exposure to 20 nM vinblastine resulted in an increase in filopodial length but not filopodial number. As evidenced by DiOC6(3) staining, 8-20 nM vinblastine altered the distribution of membranous organelles within growth cones, suggesting that the effects of microtubule drugs on growth cones may be mediated in part by alterations in organelle localization. Our data show that microtubules are involved in the maintenance and regulation of lamellar and filopodial structures at the neuronal growth cone. These findings have implications for the mechanisms by which growth cones are guided during development and regeneration.
Optimized guided-to-leaky-mode device for graphics processing unit controlled frequency division of color

We present fabrication parameters for an annealed proton-exchanged lithium niobate guided-wave modulator, which has been optimized for frequency division color multiplexing. We present waveguide parameters that maximize individual color frequency bands while reducing the aggregate drive bandwidth to match the 200 MHz bandwidth of commodity graphics processing unit (GPU) outputs. By matching the device bandwidth to that of the GPU outputs, we have made possible highly parallel and scalable color waveguide displays.
Ecological Succession and Stochastic Variation in the Assembly of Arabidopsis thaliana Phyllosphere Communities

ABSTRACT Bacteria living on the aerial parts of plants (the phyllosphere) are globally abundant and ecologically significant communities and can have significant effects on their plant hosts. Despite their importance, little is known about the ecological processes that drive phyllosphere dynamics. Here, we describe the development of phyllosphere bacterial communities over time on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in a controlled greenhouse environment. We used a large number of replicate plants to identify repeatable dynamics in phyllosphere community assembly and reconstructed assembly history by measuring the composition of the airborne community immigrating to plant leaves. We used more than 260,000 sequences from the v5v6 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize bacterial community structure on 32 plant and 21 air samples over 73 days. We observed strong, reproducible successional dynamics: phyllosphere communities initially mirrored airborne communities and subsequently converged to a distinct community composition. While the presence or absence of particular taxa in the phyllosphere was conserved across replicates, suggesting strong selection for community composition, the relative abundance of these taxa was highly variable and related to the spatial association of individual plants. Our results suggest that stochastic events in early colonization, coupled with dispersal limitation, generated alternate trajectories of bacterial community assembly within the context of deterministic selection for community membership. IMPORTANCE Commensal bacteria associated with plants help protect their hosts against infection and promote growth. Bacteria associated with plant leaves (the “phyllosphere”) are highly abundant and diverse communities, but we have very limited information about their ecology. Here, we describe the formation of phyllosphere communities on the plant model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. We grew a large number of plants in a greenhouse and measured bacterial diversity in the phyllosphere throughout the Arabidopsis life cycle. We also measured the diversity of airborne microbes landing on leaves. Our findings show that plants develop distinctive phyllosphere bacterial communities drawn from low-abundance air populations, suggesting the plant environment is favorable for particular organisms and not others. However, we also found that the relative abundances of bacteria in the phyllosphere are determined primarily by the physical proximity of individual plants. This suggests that a mixture of selective and random forces shapes phyllosphere communities.
Virtually Unpacking Your Backpack: Educational Philosophy and Pedagogical Praxis

In this autoethnographic, conceptual philosophical reflection, the author inquires: Can my students and I, in a technologically mediated virtual space, harness the work of philosophy of education scholars to engage in a shared experience of (re)considering paths to sensitivity to diversity for equity and equality? The author engages the reader in a theoretical hike through a philosophical argument for attending to philosophical theories of education. She focuses on the work of Jane Roland Martin regarding sensitivity and cultural (mis)education and draws heavily on the scholarship of Barbara Thayer-Bacon regarding relational “(e)pistemologies,” constructed thinking, and democratic community. After examining her own practices, the author contends that in the reality of the growth of online education, she is tentatively optimistic that educators can facilitate authentic examination of educational practices in the light of theoretical work and push beyond superficial engagement to lasting transformative grow...
A thermodynamic approach to determine accurate potentials for molecular dynamics simulations: thermoelastic response of aluminum

An accurate description of the thermoelastic response of solids is central to classical simulations of compression- and deformation-induced condensed matter phenomena. To achieve the correct thermoelastic description in classical simulations, a new approach is presented for determining interatomic potentials. In this two-step approach, values of atomic volume and the second- and third-order elastic constants measured at room temperature are extrapolated to T = 0 K using classical thermo-mechanical relations that are thermodynamically consistent. Next, the interatomic potentials are fitted to these T = 0 K pseudo-values. This two-step approach avoids the low-temperature quantum regime, providing consistency with the assumptions of classical simulations and enabling the correct thermoelastic response to be recovered in simulations at room temperature and higher. As an example of our approach, an EAM potential was developed for aluminum, providing significantly better agreement with thermoelastic data compared with previous EAM potentials. The approach presented here is quite general and can be used for other potential types as well, the key restriction being the inapplicability of classical atomistic simulations when quantum effects are important.
Minimal change disease: a "two-hit" podocyte immune disorder?

Minimal change disease (MCD) is the most common nephrotic syndrome in children and is commonly thought to be a T-cell disorder mediated by a circulating factor that alters podocyte function resulting in massive proteinuria. We suggest that MCD is a “two-hit” disorder. As originally hypothesized by Reiser et al. in 2004, we propose that the initial hit is the induction of CD80 (also known as B7.1) on the podocyte, and that this results in an alteration in shape with actin rearrangement that alters glomerular permeability and causes proteinuria. We propose that CD80 expression may result from either direct binding of the podocyte by cytokines from activated T cells or by activation of podocyte toll-like receptors (TLR) by viral products or allergens. We further hypothesize that under normal circumstances, CD80 expression is only transiently expressed and proteinuria is minimal due to rapid autoregulatory response by circulating T regulatory cells or by the podocyte itself, probably due to the expression of factors [cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated (CTLA)-4, interleukin (IL)-10, and possibly transforming growth factor (TGF)-β] that downregulate the podocyte CD80 response. In MCD, however, there is a defect in CD80 podocyte autoregulation. This results in persistent CD80 expression and persistent proteinuria. If correct, this hypothesis may lead to both new diagnostic tests and potential therapeutics for this important renal disease.
Multicast and quality of service provisioning in parallel shared memory switches

Growing demand for differentiated services and the proliferation of Internet multimedia applications requires not only faster switches/routers, but also the inclusion of guaranteed qualities of service (QoSs) and support for multicast traffic. Here, the authors introduce a parallel shared memory (PSM) architecture that addresses these demands by offering both QoS guarantees and support for multicast traffic. It is well known that PSM architectures represent an effective approach for distributing the high-memory bandwidth requirement found in output-queued (OQ) switches, while maintaining their desirable performance attributes. At the core of the PSM architecture is a memory management algorithm that determines, for each arriving packet, the memory unit in which it will be placed. The PSM architecture discussed should be considered with the context of fabric on a chip in mind, where an implementation is conceivable on a single chip, providing a plug-in emulated OQ switching solution. A description and detailed analysis of an efficient memory management algorithm that supports QoS and multicast traffic is given with a discussion of hardware implementation considerations that highlight the PSM architecture's scalability and performance attributes.
Microcomputers in schools: The video case study as an evaluation tool

Our relatively limited experience with the use of microcomputers in education and the small number of educators with direct hands-on experience with the technology argue for the use of innovative research methods. Video case studies can serve a useful purpose.
250 kA compact linear transformer driver for wire array z -pinch loads

We present the application of a short rise ($\ensuremath{\sim}150\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{ns}$) 250 kA linear transformer driver (LTD) to wire array $z$-pinch loads for the first time. The generator is a modification of a previous driver in which a new conical power feed provides a low inductance coupling to wire loads. Performance of the new design using both short circuit and plasma loads is presented and discussed. The final design delivers $\ensuremath{\sim}200\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{kA}$ to a wire array load which is in good agreement with SCREAMER calculations using a simplified representative circuit. Example results demonstrate successful experiments using cylindrical, conical, and inverse wire arrays as well as previously published work on $x$-pinch loads.
Adaptive traffic light control

We address the traffic light control problem by developing a Stochastic Flow Model (SFM) for an intersection and using a policy based on partial state information defined by detecting whether vehicle backlogs are above or below certain thresholds. Using Infinitesimal Perturbation Analysis (IPA), we derive online gradient estimators of an average traffic congestion metric with respect to the green and red cycle lengths and to the backlog thresholds. The estimators are used to adjust light cycle lengths and thresholds so as to improve performance and to seek optimal values which adapt to changing traffic conditions.
Performance, attitudes, and professional socialization of women in academia

Junior faculty at two universities in the Northeast were surveyed regarding their objective job performance as well as attitudes toward work, availability of role models, self-perception and self-evaluation, and incidence and type of sexual discrimination. There were no significant sex differences in marital status; however, two-thirds of the married females reported having no children, whereas less than one-third of the married males had no children. Female junior faculty reported spending somewhat more time on work-related activities at home, generally less willingness to cancel class, somewhat higher likelihood of editing books and/or journals, but less likelihood of writing books and/or journal articles. Males generally felt they were above average in comparison to their colleagues and contemporaries; and they showed a fairly accurate appraisal of their standing vis-a-vis others on the publication dimension. In contrast, females rated themselves significantly lower than the males in comparison to others and showed little discriminative judgment of their relative standing on the publication dimension. Differences in the early socialization of men and women may result in the differential professional socialization of female faculty. Subtle areas of sexual discrimination in the academic experience are suggested. Finally, the authors caution against overgeneralizing from these results.
Cherenkov ion acoustic wave radiation generated by a pseudowave

Abstract Ion acoustic waves in a plasma are observed the propagate in a cone of Cherenkov radiation outward from the path of a pseudowave packet (ion burst) that generates them.
Transdermal rivastigmine in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: current and future directions

Despite the fact that the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is exponentially increasing, we have not yet been able to develop a new treatment to modify the course of the disease. This vacuum makes the traditional cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist the only accessible pharmacotherapy options for the treatment of this disease. Among these medications, the only available transdermal patch at this time is the rivastigmine patch. This patch provides significantly lower gastrointestinal adverse effects. A higher tolerability rate provides the option for physicians to continue treatment with higher doses of rivastigmine in advanced stages of AD. Moreover, ease of use, easy-to-follow schedule, less administration time spent by the caregiver result in greater adherent to the treatment. This article aims to provide a comprehensive drug profile for transdermal rivastigmine, to review currently available treatment options, and to try to anticipate future treatment directions for AD.
Hidden algebra and concurrent distributed software

Cleverly designed software often fails to strictly satisfy its specifications, but instead satisfies them behaviorally, in the sense that they appear to be true under all possible experiments. Hidden algebra extends prior work on abstract data types and algebraic specification [2, 6] to concurrent distributed systems, in a surprisingly simple way that also handles nondeterminism, internal states, and more [4, 3]. Advantages of an algebraic approach include decidability results for problems that are undecidable for more expressive logics, and powerful algorithms like term rewriting and unification, for implementing equational logic tools. Much work in formal methods has addressed code verification, but since empirical studies show that little of software cost comes from coding errors, our approach focuses on behavioral specification and verification at the design level, thus avoiding the distracting complications of programming language semantics.
Sexual Dimorphisms in the Brainstem of the Green Anole Lizard

Male green anoles (Anolis carolinensis) court females by extending a bright red throat fan, called a dewlap. The dewlap is larger in males than in females who do not display the str
Finding Polyps at Colonoscopy Previously Noted on CT Colonography

Colon screening examinations have been shown to discover neoplastic lesions at an early stage. Even the most careful studies by colonoscopy and by computed tomographic colonography (CTC) can overlook tumors with a diameter greater than 5 mm. Advances in technology have continually improved the ability to find polyps, which will lead to a real decrease in colorectal cancer incidence.
Pterostilbene and Cancer: Current Review

Pterostilbene (trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene) is an antioxidant that is primarily found in blueberries. Studies suggest that pterostilbene exhibits the hallmark characteristics of an effective anticancer agent based on its antineoplastic properties in several common malignancies. In vitro models have shown that pterostilbene inhibits cancer growth through alteration of the cell cycle, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of metastasis. In vivo, pterostilbene inhibits tumorigenesis and metastasis with negligible toxicity. Pterostilbene has also been shown to be effective as an inducer of antioxidant capacity in multiple cancer cell lines that may facilitate its function as an anticarcinogenic compound. Additionally, preliminary studies show that pterostilbene exhibits much greater bioavailability compared with other stilbene compounds; however the exact pharmacologic mechanism of pterostilbene and its effects in humans are still under investigation. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the antineoplastic mechanisms of pterostilbene based on the results of preclinical studies and highlight recent advances in the study of this dietary compound.
Monoterpene double-bond reductases of the (-)-menthol biosynthetic pathway: isolation and characterization of cDNAs encoding (-)-isopiperitenone reductase and (+)-pulegone reductase of peppermint.

Abstract Random sequencing of a peppermint essential oil gland secretory cell cDNA library revealed a large number of clones that specified redox-type enzymes. Full-length acquisitions of each type were screened by functional expression in Escherichia coli using a newly developed in situ assay. cDNA clones encoding the monoterpene double-bond reductases (−)-isopiperitenone reductase and (+)-pulegone reductase were isolated, representing two central steps in the biosynthesis of (−)-menthol, the principal component of peppermint essential oil, and the first reductase genes of terpenoid metabolism to be described. The (−)-isopiperitenone reductase cDNA has an open reading frame of 942 nucleotides that encodes a 314 residue protein with a calculated molecular weight of 34,409. The recombinant reductase has an optimum pH of 5.5, and Km values of 1.0 and 2.2 μM for (−)-isopiperitenone and NADPH, respectively, with kcat of 1.3 s−1 for the formation of the product (+)-cis-isopulegone. The (+)-pulegone reductase cDNA has an open reading frame of 1026 nucleotides and encodes a 342 residue protein with a calculated molecular weight of 37,914. This recombinant reductase catalyzes the reduction of the 4(8)-double bond of (+)-pulegone to produce both (−)-menthone and (+)-isomenthone in a 55:45 ratio, has an optimum pH of 5.0, and Km values of 2.3 and 6.9 μM for (+)-pulegone and NADPH, respectively, with kcat of 1.8 s−1. Deduced sequence comparison revealed that these two highly substrate specific double-bond reductases show less than 12% identity. (−)-Isopiperitenone reductase is a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily and (+)-pulegone reductase is a member of the medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily, implying very different evolutionary origins in spite of the similarity in substrates utilized and reactions catalyzed.
Mineral Parageneses in Franciscan Metamorphic Rocks, Panoche Pass, California

Approximately 33 square miles of Franciscan terrane near Panoche Pass in the Diablo Range of the central California Coast Ranges were mapped at an initial scale of 1:12,000. Serpentinite intrusions present in the area are not mantled by metasomatic glaucophane schist aureoles, but do appear to contain tectonic inclusions of chloritized eclogite, “glaucophane eclogite,” amphibolite, glaucophane schist, and greenstone. Petrographic and X-ray investigations of country rocks reveal systematic mineral parageneses in metabasalts, metacherts, and metagraywackes. Conversion of greenstones to blueschists involved reaction of albite + actinolite + chlorite to form crossite + lawsonite; greenstones contain calcite, mafic glaucophane schists calcite or aragonite. Least metamorphosed metacherts contain very minor albite + calcite; with progressive recrystallization these phases are replaced by acgirme, riebeckite, and aragonite. Metagraywacke paragenesis is from albite metagraywackes containing accessory lawsonite + calcite or aragonite, to jadeitic pyroxene + law-sonite metagraywackes carrying accessory glaucophane + aragonite. The “jadeitic pyroxene + lawsonite isograd” is recognized on the basis of metagraywacke assemblages. The aragonite isograd cannot be located precisely because of rapid postmetamorphic inversion to calcite. More extreme conditions of recrystallization appear to have been required to produce aragonite and the jadeitic pyroxene + lawsonite (+ quartz) compatibility than to convert greenstones to blueschists. Mineral parageneses and inferred phase relationships in the system CaCO 3 and in the pseudoternary system Ab-An-H 2 O suggest that metamorphism at Panoche Pass involved temperatures of about 200–300°C, lithostatic pressures approaching 7–8 kb, and high chemical potential of H 2 O. Presence of a separate aqueous phase during the metamorphism is indicated. Based on observed mineral assemblages, experimental phase equilibrium data, tectonic and spatial occurrences of blueschists, available geophysical evidence, fossil occurrences, and radiometric dates, the following tentative geologic model is proposed. Franciscan rocks principally of the Diablo Range are hypothesized to have been deposited in an oceanic trench bordering the continental margin in later Jurassic and possibly earliest Cretaceous time. Rapid deposition and subsidence could have accounted for thermal disequilibrium and consequent relatively high pressure, low temperature recrystallization in axial portions of the trench. Thickness of the Franciscan rocks in the Diablo Range is thought to have approached 30 km near the trough axis. Diastrophism nearly contemporaneous with deposition locally deformed the structural trough, resulted in periodic intrusion of serpentinized mantle material and in rapid uplift, and allowed preservation of the blueschist facies mineral assemblages. Elsewhere, portions of the trench apparently were not destroyed and continued to receive sediments well into Cretaceous time.
Latency correction explains the classical geometrical illusions.

There is a significant delay between the time when light hits the retina and the time of the consequent percept. It has been hypothesized that the visual system attempts to correct for this latency by generating a percept representative of the way the world probably is at the time the percept is elicited, rather than a percept of the recent past. Here we show that such a 'perceiving the present' hypothesis explains a number of classical geometrical illusions: the Hering, Orbison, Muller-Lyer, Double Judd, Poggendorff, Corner, and Upside-down-T illusions. Each stimulus is perceived as it would project in the next moment were the observer moving through the scene the stimulus probably represents. We also examine one general class of predictions made by the hypothesis, and report psychophysical experiments confirming the predictions.
Organization, retroactive inhibition, and free-recall learning

Three experiments were conducted to assess the influence of organization on retroactive inhibition (RI). Earlier studies of organization and RI manipulated organization by constructing different word lists. In the present study the words to be recalled were the same for all conditions. Organization was manipulated by instructing S s how to organize their list (Experiment I), by having S s sort the words into designated categories (Experiment II), or by manipulating the presentation order of the lists (Experiment III). The major finding was that there is greater RI when both lists to be learned have similar organization than when the organizations are different. The procedure of holding the content constant and manipulating strategies or organization seems to be a promising way to study memory processes.
Electrostatic charges during liquid leakage

Abstract Leakage accidents of pressurized flammable liquids often occur in chemical plants. To investigate electrostatic hazards due to liquid leakage, the amounts of electrostatic charge during the leakage were observed. The electric field of the clouds generated by liquid leakage was also examined. Various types of pipeline have been designed in consideration of potential leakage that might lead to accidents during industrial processes. Leakage pressure in the range of 0.1–0.3 MPa was used. With regard to the materials, water and kerosene were used. The results obtained from the experiments show that electrostatic charges depend on leakage parameters, such as the type of liquid, the gasket material between flanges, and the pipeline pressure. In all tests, the amount of the electrostatic charges of water, 0.12–0.83 μC/kg, was larger than that of kerosene, −0.04 to 0.16 μC/kg. The maximum value of the electric field, generated from the leakage liquid in this study, 40.9 v/cm, is a safe level. No incendiary electrostatic sparks, such as brush and/or spark discharges, were detected in our tests.
Reproductive immunology: the clinical view

The field of reproductive immunology began more than 50 years ago when Medawar proposed the paradigm of why the fetus, as a semi-allograft, is not rejected by the maternal immune system. It has sin...
Alcohol- and light-induced electro-oculographic responses: variability and clinical utility.

The alcohol-induced electro-oculographic (EOG) response has been proposed by Arden as an indicator of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) integrity. We have evaluated the consistency of the alcohol-EOG with respect to clinical applicability and compared this response to the ISCEV-standard EOG. We recorded, in a group of normal subjects (n=29, 14 men with mean age 42±11 years and 15 women with mean age 36±13 years), the alcohol response to a single oral dose of ethanol at 160 mg/kg (as 40 proof vodka, drunk in 15 s after 12 h of fasting), followed by an ISCEV-standard EOG 90 min after alcohol administration. Blood alcohol levels were monitored at regular intervals with a breath analyzer. We found a wide range of amplitudes in both light and alcohol responses among participants, from minimal to large values. Subjects had a wide range of blood alcohol concentrations from 0.02 to 0.10%; near the time of the response peak, but there was no relationship between alcohol levels and peak/baseline ratios. In addition, there was no relationship between alcohol peak/baseline ratio and the Arden ratio. Neither the alcohol nor the light response parameters showed any relationship with age or gender. Some of the inter-individual variability in the EOG response to alcohol may reflect variable absorption of oral alcohol. The alcohol-induced EOG has too broad a range of responses to be useful clinically for the one-time evaluation of individual patients. We have similar concerns regarding clinical applications of the standard light-induced EOG.