cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Charged-Particle Irradiation for Neutron Radiation Damage Studies

The use of energetic charged-particles are a useful experimental method for producing and studying radiation damage. In addition to producing displacement damage via Coulomb-moderated ballistic collisions, charged-particles can also be used to implant specific elements thus changing the chemical and compositional nature of the target material. Charged particle beam studies of radiation damage result in specimens that are usually not any more radioactive than prior to the irradiation. The specific aspect of charged-particle irradiations that makes them a powerful tool for studying the physics of radiation damage accumulation is the high displacement and implantation rates and that the experimenter can vary important variables of the radiation environment. These include the energy and mass of the charged-particle, the atomic number of the ion, the temperature, the dose and dose rate, and the mechanical stress of the specimen under test. Experiments can be designed to identify and understand the key mechanisms of radiation damage accumulation. Most importantly, the understanding gained from such experiments can inform and validate models that are then used to make science-based predictions about material performance under other radiation conditions such as those encountered in a fission reactor or as might be expected in a fusion reactor. Particularly, useful examples of charged-particle irradiation studies are those experiments that follow the growth of helium bubbles and cavities resulting from the combination of helium implantation and displacement damage Keywords: charged-particles; radiation damage; damage accumulation; displacement cascades; dual and triple beams; implantation; key mechanisms
A simple model for solvation in mixed solvents. Applications to the stabilization and destabilization of macromolecular structures.

The properties of a simple model for salvation in mixed solvents are explored in this paper. The model is based on the supposition that solvent replacement is a simple one-for-one substitution reaction at macromolecular sites which are independent of one another. This leads to a new form for the binding polynomial in which all terms are associated with ligand interchange rather than ligand addition. The principal solvent acts as one of the ligands. Thermodynamic analysis then shows that thermodynamic binding (i.e. selective interaction) depends on the properties of K′ - 1, whereas stoichiometric binding (site occupation) depends on K′. K′ is a ‘practical’ interchange equilibrium constant given by (f3/f1)K, where K is the true equilibrium constant for the interchange of components 3 and 1 on the site and f3 and f1 denote their respective activity coefficients on the mole fraction scale. Values of K′ less than unity lead to negative selective interaction. It is selective interaction and not occupation number which determines the thermodynamic effects of salvation. WhenK′ > 100 on the mole fraction scale or K′ > 2 on the molality scale (in water), the differences between stoichiometric binding and selective interaction become less than 1%. The theory of this paper is therefore necessary only for very weak binding constants. When K′ - 1 is small, large concentrations of the added solvent component are required to produce a thermodynamic effect. Under these circumstances the isotherms for the selective interaction and for the excess (or transfer) free energy are strongly dependent on the behavior of the activity coefficients of both solvent components. Two classes of behavior are described depending on whether the components display positive or negative deviations from Raoult's law. Examples which are discussed are aqueous solutions of urea and guanidinium chloride for positive deviations and of sucrose and glucose for negative deviations. Examination of the few studies which have been reported in the literature shows that most of the qualitative features of the stabilization of proteins by sugars and their destabilization by urea and guanidinium chloride are faithfully represented with the model. This includes maxima in the free energy of stabilization and destabilization, decreased and zero selective interaction at high concentrations, etc. These phenomena had no prior explanation. Deficiencies in the model as a representation of solvation in aqueous solution are discussed in the appendix.
Chapter 2 Cancer induction by ionizing radiation

Summary Ionizing radiation at high doses is known human carcinogen. Numerous population studies involving military, medical, and occupational uses of radiation clearly show that leukemia and a variety of solid tumors may be induced by radiation. However, at low doses of radiation, typically encountered in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine, the evidence for cancer causation is much less compelling. Most epidemiological studies are inconsistent. Only a few studies suggest a significant association between radiation and cancer. Even in these investigations, the causal nature of such associations and the levels of risk remain uncertain. Radiation risks for cancer have been based primarily on studies of Japanese survivors of the atomic bombings. Extrapolation of data derived from these studies, using a linear no-threshold model, has been the basis for predicting cancer risk at low doses. The derived risk estimates suggest that radiodiagnostic studies, including nuclear medicine and X-ray examinations, are associated with small risks for cancer. Radiotherapy for cancer, which involves substantially higher doses, are associated with higher risks, but these risks are still very small considering the benefits derived from the treatments.
Two Minute Training in Class Significantly Increases the Use of Professional Formatting in Student to Faculty Email Correspondence

Many university faculty value email as an important tool for communicating with colleagues, but express frustration with a high incidence of unprofessional email correspondence from students. The goals of this study were to document the frequency of specific formatting mistakes that contribute to faculty's unfavorable perception of student emails and to determine if training could reduce these errors. We analyzed emails from students to three instructors of different rank and gender co-teaching two sections of a large introductory biology class: one section received two minutes of basic email etiquette training, the second section served as the control. We report a significant increase in overall professional quality of stu dent emails in the trained class due to more frequent use of proper salutations, appropriate capitalization, and a class-specific subject line. These data suggest that most students do not send intentionally disrespectful messages and respond to guidance in constructing professionally formatted emails.
Dadok, Josef: High‐Field NMR Instrumentation

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Some ‘New’ Ideas 3 High-Field NMR at 250 MHz 4 Spectrum Containing Only Spinning Sidebands 5 Rapid Scan Correlation NMR 6 High-Field NMR at 600 MHz 7 The 900 MHz Project 8 Biographical Sketch
Alvin Curran: Live in Roma by Daniela Margoni Tortora, ed

This volume, published with parallel English and Italian texts, celebrates the life, career, and music of Alvin Curran (b. 1938), the expatriate American composer who has been a pivotal figure in t...
On the stability of the convex combinations of the stable polynomials

A procedure for checking the stability of the convex polynomials is presented. Three illustrative examples are included. >
Prevention of cardiovascular events in variant angina by long-term diltiazem therapy.

In 43 patients with variant angina, the cardiovascular event rate during diltiazem therapy was compared with that in an equal time period before initiation of therapy. Cardiovascular events, that is, myocardial infarction, sudden death and hospitalization for prolonged angina, were decreased significantly (p
Effects of Chlordiazepoxide and Scopolamine, But Not Aging, on the Detection and Identification of Conditional Visual Stimuli

Our previous studies revealed impairments in the ability of aged rats to detect brief, rarely and unpredictably occurring stimuli. The failure of these impairments to interact with the effects of benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) ligands was attributed to low demands on stimulus-related information processing. Thus, in the present experiment, rats of different ages were trained to detect visual stimuli that were flashing at 20 Hz, or were constantly illuminated, for 8, 3, or 5 sec. Additionally, selection of the correct lever to report detection required the processing of propositional rules (e.g., flashing-go left; constant-go right), i.e., the identification of the stimulus. All measures of performance varied with stimulus duration. Subsedative doses of the BZR agonist chlordiazepoxide (CDP; 3.13, 4.69 mg/kg), similar to the effects of the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine (.025, 0.1 mg/kg), impaired response accuracy, increased the number of errors of omission and decreased response latencies. Animals aged 28 months omitted more trials following the administration of CDP than 12-month-old rats. Age did not produce main effects and did not interact with the effects of the drugs on response accuracy. It is speculated that, as stimuli had to be presented for relatively long periods of time (to maintain above chance-level discrimination performance), demands on detection remained too low to replicate previously documented effects of age. The demonstration of interactions between the effects of age and of BZR-ligands appears to depend on combined demands for stimulus detection and identification.
Acute iliofemoral thrombosis secondary to Merkel cell carcinoma compressing the inferior vena cava

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive small cell neoplasm of the skin characterized by neuroendocrine differentiation. It most commonly involves the head and neck of elderly Caucasians. We present a patient with MCC of the buttock, who 32 months after primary surgery and 18 months after combined chemoradiotherapy developed retroperitoneal metastases causing inferior vena cava (IVC) compression and lower extremity thrombosis. He received anticoagulants, but died 2 months later. This is the first report of MCC causing IVC compression and iliofemoral venous thrombosis. This case illustrates the precarious natural history of this tumor and the controversies that surround its treatment.
Measurement of endogenous leucine enkephalin in canine thalamus by high-performance liquid chromatography and field desorption mass spectrometry.

Abstract A combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and field desorption mass spectrometry is used to quantify endogenous amounts of leucine enkephalin in canine thalamus tissue. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography effects rapid high resolution of brain neuropeptides using a triethylamine formate buffer. An internal standard, 2Ala-leucine-enkephalin, is used. Field desorption mass spectra of neuropeptides generally display only protonated molecular ions. (M + H)+ ion currents of endogenous leucine enkephalin and internal standard were integrated by field desorption mass spectral-selected ion monitoring techniques. The ratio of the two integrated ion currents was used to calculate endogenous amount of leu-enkephalin in thalamus tissue extracts. Leucine enkephalin was determined in this structurally unambiguous fashion in canine thalamus tissue at 50 ng/g thalamus tissue, or the 50 part per billion level.
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT IN SHOCK HEATED GASES.

Abstract This paper describes the techniques being adopted in the measurement of absolute line intensities for neutral atoms of iron, lead, and tin. Particular attention is paid to the problem of temperature measurement in the shock tube, and a method is described which gives satisfactory results in the range 4000–6000°K.
Valle's geysers begin to reappear after landslide

The geysers of the Valley of the Geysers in Kamchatka, Russia, are beginning to reemerge after having become submerged following a 3 June landslide that blocked the Geyser River. The dam of mud and debris began to erode on 7 June after the river's water reached the top. This dam may not erode completely away, and would leave behind a moderately-sized thermal lake. However, the main attractions of the valley—which is a UNESCO World site—are expected to become re-exposed, according to the nonprofit World Wildlife Fund.
Bubble transport in three-dimensional laminar gravity-driven flow – numerical results

This paper is the second part of a study on bubble transport, growth and shrinkage in three-dimensional gravity driven flow. Sample calculations with applications to glass melting furnaces are presented. First, a consistent set of thermophysical properties of the most common composition [74 SiO2-16 Na2O-10 CaO (mol.%)] of soda-lime silicate glass or similar compositions over the temperature range of 1000 to 2000 K is reported. The population balance equation is solved for the bubble density function using the backward method of characteristics. The zeroth to third order moments, i.e, number of bubbles, average radius, molar gas fraction, interfacial area, and void fraction are computed by numerical integration. Results for both transient and steady state operations are presented and analysed. Two cases are considered (1) bubbles containing only CO2 and (2) bubbles containing a diffusing gas (O2) and a non-diffusing gas (CO2). The feasibility of such complex calculation is demonstrated and is in qualitative agreement with reported results.
Thin, a Trim32 ortholog, is essential for myofibril stability and is required for the integrity of the costamere in Drosophila

Myofibril stability is required for normal muscle function and maintenance. Mutations that disrupt myofibril stability result in individuals who develop progressive muscle wasting, or muscular dystrophy, and premature mortality. Here we present our investigations of the Drosophila l(2)thin [l(2)tn] mutant. The “thin” phenotype exhibits features of the human muscular disease phenotype in that tn mutant larvae show progressive muscular degeneration. Loss-of-function and rescue experiments determined that l(2)tn is allelic to the tn locus [previously annotated as both CG15105 and another b-box affiliate (abba)]. tn encodes a TRIM (tripartite motif) containing protein highly expressed in skeletal muscle and is orthologous to the human limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2H disease gene Trim32. Thin protein is localized at the Z-disk in muscle, but l(2)tn mutants showed no genetic interaction with mutants affecting the Z-line–associated protein muscle LIM protein 84B. l(2)tn, along with loss-of-function mutants generated for tn, showed no relative mislocalization of the Z-disk proteins α-Actinin and muscle LIM protein 84B. In contrast, tn mutants had significant disorganization of the costameric orthologs β-integrin, Spectrin, Talin, and Vinculin, and we present the initial description for the costamere, a key muscle stability complex, in Drosophila. Our studies demonstrate that myofibrils progressively unbundle in flies that lack Thin function through progressive costamere breakdown. Due to the high conservation of these structures in animals, we demonstrate a previously unknown role for TRIM32 proteins in myofibril stability.
On Martian Detail

THE present seems to me a fitting time to publish the results of nearly three years' investigation of the above subject. In the pursuit of this investigation I have visited most of the principal observatories in the world and tested their seeing conditions, and I conclude categorically that the climate at Flagstaff is immeasurably superior to that of any other observatory with which I am acquainted. At Flagstaff—by the means which experience has proved to be the best—Mars is so well seen that it is difficult to believe it the same planet, the grotesque caricatures of which are apt elsewhere to mislead the observer.
THE EXONUCLEASE ACTIVITY OF HSV-1 UL12 IS REQUIRED FOR IN VIVO FUNCTION

Abstract The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) UL12 gene encodes an alkaline pH-dependent deoxyribonuclease termed alkaline nuclease. A recombinant UL12 knockout mutant, AN-1, is severely compromised for growth, and analysis of this mutant suggests that UL12 plays a role in processing complex DNA replication intermediates (R. Martinez, R. T. Sarisky, P. C. Weber, and S. K. Weller, (1996)J. Virol.70, 2075–2085). This processing step may be required for the generation of capsids that are competent for egress from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. In this report, we address the question of whether the AN-1 growth phenotype is due to the loss of UL12 catalytic activity. We constructed two point mutations in a highly conserved region (motif II) of UL12 and purified wild-type and mutant enzymes from a baculovirus expression system. Both mutant proteins are stable, soluble, and competent for correct nuclear localization, suggesting that they have retained an intact global conformation. Neither mutant protein, however, exhibits exonuclease activity. In order to examine thein vivoeffects of these mutations, we determined whether expression of mutant proteins from amplicon plasmids could complement AN-1. While the wild-type plasmid complements the growth of the null mutant, neither UL12 mutant can do so. Loss of exonuclease activity therefore correlates with loss ofin vivofunction.
Response of Aequorin Bioluminescence to Rapid Changes in Calcium Concentration

Aequorin is a protein which emits light after reaction with calcium. The rise time and decay time of luminescence are in the millisecond region, making aequorin a useful detector of calcium in biological systems.
Computed effects of electric fields upon the CNO2 and NNO2 bonds of nitromethane and dimethylnitramine

We report the results of a computational (B3PW91/6-31G**) investigation of the effects of electric fields of different strengths and directions upon some properties related to the CNO2 and NNO2 bonds in nitromethane, H3CNO2, and dimethylnitramine, (H3C)2NNO2. We look at the interaction energies of the fields with the molecules, the dipole moments of the latter, the lengths of the CNO2 and NNO2 bonds, and we particularly focus upon their stretching vibration frequencies. The field-induced frequency shifts are determined by means of a formula linking them to the dipole moment derivatives and the field strengths. This formula was derived originally for hydrogen-bonded systems, but we show that it is applicable as well to these CNO2 and NNO2 bonds; their predicted relative frequency shifts correlate extremely well with directly computed Δω(ϵ) (R2 = 0.9992). It was found that the fields that reinforce the intrinsic H3CNO2 and (H3C)2NNO2 polarities also interact favorably energetically with the molecules and, particularly important, increase the CNO2 and NNO2 stretching frequencies. This presumably indicates the strengthening of these bonds. Fields in the opposite direction do the reverse. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009
A Comparison of the SVIB Basic Interest Scales with the Regular Occupational Scales

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the recently developed Basic Scales for the SVIB would provide more generalizable and psychologically meaningful information than the regular SVIB Occupational Scales. Four groups of students were used, two entering contrasting four-year curricula (Science, N-282, vs Non-Science, N = 142) and two entering contrasting two-year curricula (Art, N = 45 vs Technical, N = 62). Basic and regular SVIB scale means were calculated for each group. Those scales with large (approximately one-half a standard deviation or more) and statistically significant differences were identified for both the four-year and the two-year group comparisons.
Mobile robot obstacle avoidance using short memory: a dynamic recurrent neuro-fuzzy approach

This paper presents a dynamic recurrent neuro-fuzzy system (DRNFS) with short memory for obstacle avoidance of mobile robots in unknown environments. The DRNFS is developed to avoid obstacles through supervised learning from a set of obstacle-avoidance trajectories provided by a human driver. The feedback connections added in the second layer of the DRNFS make the system cope with temporal problems, which allows the robot to memorize the previous environment information. The parameters and structure of the DRNFS can be automatically optimized through the learning process. The parameter optimization is realized by the ordered derivative algorithm, and the structure simplification is completed by the fuzzy rules similarity measure. Simulation results are presented to verify the feasibility of the proposed system.
Conjugation in the ciliate Metopus sigmoides C. and L

Conjugating individuals of Metopus sigmoides fuse at the anterior end, the pair presenting the appearance of an inverted letter U. The micronucleus of each conjugant by two successive divisions forms four micronuclei. Three of each four degenerate and the fourth by division forms the pronuclei. Cytoplasm and pronuclei from one conjugant pass over into the other, leaving the old macronucleus and a minimum of cytoplasm behind in the shrunken pellicle of the smaller conjugant, which then separates from the larger one. In the larger exconjugant two pronuclei fuse, forming the functional synkaryon; the two residual pronuclei degenerate and disappear. The synkaryon divides. One of the daughter nuclei condenses into the new micronucleus, the other grows into the new macronucleus. The old macronucleus liquefies and is absorbed. The larger exconjugant, after losing its cilia, secretes a cyst wall about itself and becomes dormant. The whole process requires at least six days for its consummation.
Requiem for distributive segregation: achiasmate segregation in Drosophila females

Abstract The segregation of achiasmate chromosome pairs at meiosis I is not brought about by a single ‘distributive system' as previously thought, but rather by two separate mechanisms. One system uses the pairing of proximal heterochromatic sequences to mediate the segregation of achiasmate homologs - an observation that, at long last, defines a function for heterochromatin. The other system facilitates the segregation of heterologous chromosomes, by an as yet undiscovered mechanism.
Integrated Command...or Military Protectorate

Book reviewed in this article: Frederic Bozo, Two Strategies for Europe: De Gaulle, the United States and the Atlantic Alliance
The typology of motion expressions revisited

This paper provides a new perspective on the options available to languages for encoding directed motion events. Talmy (2000) introduces an influential two-way typology, proposing that languages adopt either verb- or satellite-framed encoding of motion events. This typology is augmented by Slobin (2004b) and Zlatev & Yangklang (2004) with a third class of equipollently-framed languages. We propose that the observed options can instead be attributed to: (i) the motion-independent morphological, lexical, and syntactic resources languages make available for encoding manner and path of motion, (ii) the role of the verb as the single clause-obligatory lexical category that can encode either manner or path, and (iii) extra-grammatical factors that yield preferences for certain options. Our approach accommodates the growing recognition that most languages straddle more than one of the previously proposed typological categories: a language may show both verb- and satelliteframed patterns, or if it allows equipollent-framing, even all three patterns. We further show that even purported verb-framed languages may not only allow but actually prefer satellite-framed patterns when appropriate contextual support is available, a situation unexpected if a two- or three-way typology is assumed. Finally, we explain the appeal of previously proposed two- and three-way typologies: they capture the encoding options predicted to be preferred once certain external factors are recognized, including complexity of expression and biases in lexical inventories.
Discretization of the vorticity field of a planar jet

In data assimilation, information from sensors is used to correct the state variables of a numerical model. This has been used to great advantage by the weather prediction community in the context of direct numerical simulation (DNS) models, but has seen comparatively little use in point-vortex models. This is due in large part to data- processing issues. In order to keep up with the speeds necessary for effective data assimilation, one must extract and discretize the vortex structures from velocity field data in a computationally efficient fashion—i.e., using as few discrete vortices as possible to model the measured flow. This paper describes a new strategy for accomplishing this and evaluates the results using data from a laboratory-scale vortex-dominated planar jet. Large-scale vortex structures are found using a family of variants on traditional vortex extraction methods. By augmenting these methods with simple computational topology techniques, one obtains a new method that finds the boundaries of the coherent structures in a manner that naturally follows the geometry of the flow. This strategy was evaluated in the context of two standard vortex extraction methods, vorticity thres- holding and Okubo-Weiss, and tested upon velocity field data from the experimental fluid flow. The large-scale structures found in this manner were then modeled with collections of discrete vortices, and the effects of the grain size of the discretization and the parameters of the discrete vortex model were studied. The results were evaluated by comparing the instantaneous velocity field induced by the discrete vortices to that measured in the jet. These com- parisons showed that the two extraction techniques were comparable in terms of sensitivity and error, suggesting that the computationally simpler vorticity thresholding method is more appropriate for applications where speed is an issue, like data assimilation. Comparisons of different discretization strategies showed that modeling each large- scale vortex structure with a single discrete vortex provided the best compromise between mean-squared error and computational effort. These results are of potential interest in any situation where one must balance accuracy and expense while extracting vortices from a snapshot of a flow field; data assimilation is only one example.
Effect of composition of olfactory cues on impressions of personality

Ninety female undergraduates participated in an experiment investigating whether composition of 3 fragrances (perfumes) influenced impressions of personality traits of people who would wear each fragrance. Analysis of covariance with the variance due to liking of the fragrance (a covariate) removed, revealed that fragrance composition influenced impressions of personality. Impressions made of affiliated fragrances (oriental and chypre) were more closely aligned than impression of the dissimilar (floral) fragrance for the multi-item uninhibited and traditional male factors and single item traits such as aggressive, confident, and assertive according to Tukey’s tests. The floral fragrance produced significantly ( p < .05) lower ratings in these instances. The findings suggest that compositional components of fragrances (olfactory cues) were used in formation of impressions. This has implications for research of the role of olfactory cues in social and professional interactions.
Measurement of the neutron spectra from beam-heated PLT plasmas

MEASUREMENTS of the neutron spectra from the PLT tokamak plasma are reported here which provide information on the centre-of-mass velocity of the reacting deuteron pairs. The observation in PLT of no significant directed velocity yields additional evidence that the neuterons are produced by a thermonuclear process. Previous spectral measurements on other fusion devices have often determined that the neutron emission was non-thermonuclear and resulted from a small ‘tail’ component of energetic ions1–3. The neutron spectra indicated a directed velocity of the reacting deuterons and thus non-thermonuclear neutron emission if the injected neutral beam ions were deuterium. In this condition, the neutron spectra were consistent with the expected beam-induced d(d,n) 3He reactions. However, if the heating beam used hydrogen, then the neutron spectra are consistent with a thermonuclear neutron emission resulting from the beam heating of the bulk deuterons in the plasma.
Antioxidant activity of sodium nitrite in meat

Polar lipids were extracted from raw, nitrite-treated beef and pork by a dry column procedure. The polar-lipid fraction had substantial activity in inhibiting the oxidation of linoleic acid as determined by a β-carotene bleaching method and by conjugated diene formation. The antioxidant activity of the polar-lipid fraction was stable over several months when stored in hexane at−20 C. Residual sodium nitrite, carbon-nitroso and nitrogen-nitroso compounds or products of the addition of nitrogen oxides to olefins do not seem to account for the antioxidant activity observed.
Nest Guarding in the Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)

Abstract Nest guarding is rarely observed among reptiles. Specifically, turtles and tortoises are generally perceived as providing no nest protection once the eggs are laid. Here, we describe observations of nest guarding by female gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus).
Challenges Facing Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the First Decade of the 21st Century

In 2007, the presidents and chancellors of Hispanic-serving institutions identified 5 challenges that their institutions will face as the end of the first decade of the 21st century approaches. Almost 8 of 10 respondents listed lack of funding as the most important challenge. The 2nd most important issue was the poor academic preparedness of students, and the 3rd was student retention/success. The 2 other challenges identified were faculty and affordability, in that order. Given projected increases in the enrollment of Hispanics and the budget deficits many states will face in the next few years, challenges will probably continue.
Computer simulations of the Q.C.D. phase transitions

Abstract A brief account of the main areas of activity in computer simulations of the QCD phase transition is given.
FGFR1 forms an FRS2-dependent complex with mTOR to regulate smooth muscle marker gene expression

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) switch from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype in human cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. VSMCs show reduced expression of contractile proteins and are capable of responding to mitogens by increasing expression of growth factor receptors. Fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) signaling is one of several signaling pathways involved in this VSMC phenotypic switching. The aim of this study was to examine the signaling pathway downstream of FGFR1 in the regulation of SM marker gene expression. We found that FGFR1 activated Akt/mTOR pathway and that the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin partially reversed FGFR1-mediated downregulation of SM marker gene expression. Furthermore, we showed that mTOR forms a multi-protein complex with FGFR1 in VSMCs. These findings provide novel information for future development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of human cardiovascular disease.
PICsar: A 2.5D axisymmetric, relativistic, electromagnetic, Particle in Cell code with a radiation absorbing boundary

Abstract We present PICsar – a new Particle in Cell code geared towards efficiently simulating the magnetosphere of the aligned rotator. PICsar is a special relativistic, electromagnetic, charge conservative code that can be used to simulate arbitrary electromagnetics problems in axisymmetry. It features stretchable body-fitted coordinates that follow the surface of a sphere, simplifying the application of boundary conditions in the case of the aligned rotator; a radiation absorbing outer boundary, which allows a steady state to be set up dynamically and maintained indefinitely from transient initial conditions; and algorithms for injection of charged particles into the simulation domain. The code is parallelized using MPI and scales well to a large number of processors. We discuss the numerical methods used in PICsar and present tests of the code. In particular, we show that PICsar can accurately and efficiently simulate the magnetosphere of the aligned monopole rotator in the force-free limit. We present simulations of the aligned dipole rotator in a forthcoming paper.
The effect of surface films on photoelectrochemical solar cell performance

Abstract With the silicon/silicon oxide system as a model, we have studied the effect on solar cell characteristics of thin films on the surface of the photoanode. Silicon is an ideal material to study because the corrosion film has simple (if devastating) characteristics. We have studied the space-charge capacity as a function of the voltage of the photocurrent. As the film becomes thicker, the solar cell characteristics improve up to a thickness of about 15–20 A. Beyond that thickness, the characteristics become worse: the fill factor becomes quite low, as does the short-circuit current. A simple model is used to show how these features arise. With increasing film thickness, the voltage drop across the oxide increases; as a result, little voltage is left in the space-charge, interface-state recombination begins to dominate, and the solar cell current drops. Analogous effects can be expected from any surface films that are resistive.
Introducción: El futuro incierto de las relaciones laborales

En su introduccion, la coordinadora de este numero monografico situa la seleccion de articulos en su contexto. Las instituciones tradicionales de relaciones laborales, basadas en la premisa del derecho laboral del desequilibrio de poder entre trabajador y empleador, estan siendo socavadas por cambios globales sin precedentes en los patrones de trabajo y de empleo. Ello, junto con la aparicion de formas alternativas de representacion de los trabajadores, plantea un gran reto al sindicalismo tradicional, a los encargados de las politicas y a los estudiosos de las relaciones laborales. Este numero monografico pretende contribuir al debate sobre la evolucion futura.
Preliminary Experience with Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Myomectomy

The following retrospective case series evaluated the technique and feasibility of integrating robot-assisted technology in the performance of a laparoscopic myomectomy in order to overcome the limitations of conventional laparoscopy. We attempted 35 robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomies in a university hospital setting with a conversion rate of 8.6%. There were a total of 48 myomas removed in 31 patients with completed robot-assisted laparoscopy. The mean number of myomas removed/patient was 1.6 (range 1-5). The mean diameter of myomas removed was 7.9 +/- 3.5 cm (95% CI 6.63-9.13), with the majority greater than 5 cm. The mean myoma weight was 223.2 +/- 244.1 g (95% CI 135.8-310.6). Mean operating time was 230.8 +/- 83 minutes (95% CI 201.6-260). The average estimated blood loss was 169 +/- 198.7 mL (95% CI 99.1-238.4). One patient experienced cardiogenic shock from vasopressin, two developed postoperative infections, and one was found to have adenomatous adenomyosis instead of a leiomyoma. The median length of hospital stay was 1 day. Overall, robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy is a promising new technique that may overcome many of the surgical limitations of conventional laparoscopy.
Power converters as natural gyrators

The authors investigate the open-loop gyrator behavior of a class of DC-DC converters that are characterized by double bridges. If the switching frequency of the double bridge converter is high enough with respect to its natural frequencies, the converter can be viewed as a gyrator from its terminals. Unlike other gyrator modeling approaches for converters, the double bridge converters naturally behave as gyrators without any extra control circuits. >
Pyrolysis of biomass – fuzzy modeling

Abstract The depletion of fossil fuel and the environmental impact of using fossil fuel as a main energy source have been subjects of intense research and policy interest in recent years. Pyrolysis of biomass to produce bio-energy is a promising process. However, with the resulting high cost, creating a cost effective chemical plant is very important. A comprehensive process model, which can be used to predict the production from pyrolysis of biomass, is therefore necessary. However, modeling is complex and challenging because of short reaction times, temperatures as high as a thousand degrees Celsius, and biomass of varying or unknown chemical compositions. As such a deterministic model is not capable of representing the pyrolysis reaction system. We propose a new kinetic reaction model, which would account for significant uncertainty. Specifically we have employed fuzzy modeling using the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in order to describe the pyrolysis of biomass. The resulting model is in better agreement with experimental data than known deterministic models.
Why so few women enroll in computing? Gender and ethnic differences in students' perception

Women are seriously under-represented in computer science and computer engineering (CS/CE) education and, thus, in the information technology (IT) workforce in the USA. This is a grim situation for both the women whose potential remains unutilized and the US society which is dependent on IT. This article examines the reasons behind low enrollment of women in CS/CE education at institutions of higher education. It is based on 150 in-depth interviews of female and male undergraduate students majoring in CS/CE, members of five major ethnic groups (White, Afro-American, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American) from seven Minority-Serving Institutions in the USA. The article finds bias in early socialization and anxiety toward technology as two main factors responsible for the under-representation of women in CS/CE education. It further shows significant gender and ethnic differences in students' responses on why so few women enroll in CS/CE.
Chronic Stress, Sense of Belonging, and Depression Among Survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury

Purpose: To test whether chronic stress, interpersonal relatedness, and cognitive burden could explain depression after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: A nonprobability sample of 75 mild-to-moderately injured TBI survivors and their significant others, were recruited from five TBI day-rehabilitation programs. All participants were within 2 years of the date of injury and were living in the community. Methods: During face-to-face interviews, demographic information, and estimates of brain injury severity were obtained and participants completed a cognitive battery of tests of directed attention and short-term memory, responses to the Perceived Stress Scale, Interpersonal Relatedness Inventory, Sense of Belonging Instrument, Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale;. Findings: Chronic stress was significantly and positively related to post-TBI depression. Depression and postinjury sense of belonging were negatively related. Social support and results from the cognitive battery did not explain depression. Conclusions: Postinjury chronic stress and sense of belonging were strong predictors of post-injury depression and are variables amenable to interventions by nurses in community health, neurological centers, or rehabilitation clinics. Future studies are needed to examine how these variables change over time during the recovery process.
Tuberculosis Among Medical and Academic Students

Programs for the control of tuberculosis among college students are now being conducted at several hundred institutions. The incidence of tuberculous infection among entering students has shown a very significant decrease during the past fifteen years. In most sections of the United States less than 30 per cent of undergraduate students react to tuberculin and in many areas, less than 20 per cent. During the past fifteen years a continuous program of tuberculosis case finding at the University of Pennsylvania has resulted in the detection of 177 students with pulmonary tuberculosis. Medical students and nurses frequently show surprisingly high rates of infection during their training, a condition which invariably gives rise to a high incidence of disease. Tuberculin tests applied at intervals of two months provide a most accurate method of determining those phases of medical school training which offer the greater risks of tuberculous infection. Chest roentgenograms should be provided for all medical students who are reactors to tuberculin at least twice during each academic year.
NINETY PLUS THIRTY YEARS OF NONLINEAR DYNAMICS: LESS IS MORE AND MORE IS DIFFERENT

I review the early (1885–1975) and more recent history of dynamical systems theory, identifying key principles and themes, including those of dimension reduction, normal form transformation and unfolding of degenerate cases. I end by briefly noting recent extensions and applications in nonlinear fluid and solid mechanics, with a nod toward mathematical biology. I argue throughout that this essentially mathematical theory was largely motivated by nonlinear scientific problems, and that after a long gestation it is propagating throughout the sciences and technology.
Energy Budgets, Growth Rates, and Thermal Constraints: Toward an Integrative Approach to the Study of Life‐History Variation

abstract: Variation in thermal constraints on activity has been hypothesized to be an important ecological source of geographic variation in growth rates of juvenile eastern fence lizards Sceloporus undulatus. However, most of the evidence to support this hypothesis is either inferential or indirect. In this study, I quantitatively compared thermal constraints on activity and their relationship to growth rates of free‐ranging juvenile fence lizards from two extremes of the range of variation in growth rate (Nebraska and New Jersey) used in a reciprocal transplant experiment. I also examined energy allocation made to growth and storage by yearling lizards. Reduced growth rates in New Jersey of normally fast‐growing hatchlings from Nebraska were associated with a more stringent thermal constraint on activity corresponding to a 2–3‐h shorter predicted daily activity period in New Jersey compared to Nebraska. The thermal constraint on activity was particularly strong (24% less time available in New Jersey com...
Conformational Changes in the Lower Palm Domain of ASIC1a Contribute to Desensitization and RFamide Modulation

Acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) is a proton-gated cation channel that contributes to fear and pain as well as neuronal damage following persistent cerebral acidosis. Neuropeptides can affect acid-induced neuronal injury by altering ASIC1a inactivation and/or steady-state desensitization. Yet, exactly how ASIC1a inactivation and desensitization occur or are modulated by peptides is not completely understood. We found that regions of the extracellular palm domain and the β11-12 linker are important for inactivation and steady-state desensitization of ASIC1a. The single amino acid substitutions L280C and L415C dramatically enhanced the rate of inactivation and altered the pH-dependence of steady-state desensitization. Further, the use of methanethiosulfonate (MTS) reagents suggests that the lower palm region (L280C) undergoes a conformational change when ASIC1a transitions from closed to desensitized. We determined that L280C also displays an altered response to the RFamide peptide, FRRFamide. Further, the presence of FRRFamide limited MTS modification of L280C. Together, these results indicate a potential role of the lower palm domain in peptide modulation and suggest RFamide-related peptides promote conformational changes within this region. These data provide empirical support for the idea that L280, and likely this region of the central vestibule, is intimately involved in channel inactivation and desensitization.
Internal Medicine Training in Ambulatory Gynecology

Objective:To assess internists’ perceptions of their training in the management of common problems in ambulatory gynecology and to compare these perceptions with their clinical practice experiences.
Late Phase Allergic Reactions

L'etude des reactions allergiques montre qu'il existe une reaction immediate d'une reaction lente retardee. Etude chez l'animal et modele theorique des evenements pharmacologiques et immunologiques de cette reaction retardee
Recent Methodologies for the Estimation of N-Octanol / Water Partition Coefficients and their Use in the Prediction of Membrane Transport Properties of Drugs

The lipophilicity of drug molecules (represented as the logarithm of the n-octanol/water partition coefficient) often strongly correlates with their pharmacological and toxic activities. It is therefore, not surprising that there is considerable interest in developing mathematical models capable to accurately predict their value for new drug candidates. In this review, current major approaches for estimating partition coefficients are described and some of their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Recent uses of these partition coefficient algorithms in the development of membrane transport models are also discussed.
The use of macro‐fibre composites for pipeline structural health assessment

Pipeline structures are susceptible to cracks, corrosion, and other ageing defects. If left undetected, these forms of damage can lead to the failure of the pipeline system, which may have catastrophic consequences. Most current forms of health monitoring for pipeline systems involve non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques. These techniques require sophisticated instruments and direct access to the structure, which is not always possible for civil pipeline applications. This research proposes the use of macro-fibre composite (MFC) transducers for real-time structural health monitoring in pipeline systems. In particular, we propose the coupled implementation of impedance-based and Lamb wave-based methods that are simultaneously used to accurately determine the health of a pipeline network. The self-sensing impedance methods are used to detect structural damage occurring at pipeline connection joints, while the Lamb wave propagation measurements identify cracks and corrosion along the surface and through the wall thickness of the pipe structure. Both methods utilize the same MFC active sensors, which are flexible, durable, relatively inexpensive, and can be permanently bonded to the surface of a pipe during installation. Therefore, measurements for damage identification can be performed at any time, even while the system is in operation. Based on the success of this study, guidelines are outlined for the full-scale development of a low-cost, active-sensing-based SHM system suitable for pipeline applications. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accurate 2 dimensional drift tube readout using time division and vernier pads

Abstract A proportional drift tube (PDT) of length l = 6 m containing only two potentials for a 5 cm drift distance has been constructed. The coordinate along the drift direction is obtained conventionally. The second coordinate is obtained with an accuracy of ±0.8 mm (rms) by utilizing a combination of time division [1] and vernier pads [2], of length L = 20 cm. The left/right drift time ambiguity can be resolved using separate top and bottom vernier pad readout.