cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HYPOXIA FAILS TO CAUSE HYPERTROPHY OR HYPERPI.ASIA OF FETAL PULMONARY ARTERY SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS IN VITRO

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is associated with both prenatal hypoxia and increased pulmonary arterial (PA) smooth muscle mass in both clinical (Gersony, J Pediatr 82:1103, 1973; Murphy et al, J Pediatr 98:962, 1981) and experimental (Goldberg et al, Pediatrics 48:528, 1971; Gersony et al, J Pediatr 89:631, 1976) circumstances. To assess the ability of hypoxia to directly produce increased PA smooth muscle cell (SMC) mass, we examined the effect of hypoxia on the proliferation and size of SMC cultured from fetal bovine pulmonary arteries. SMC were cultured under ambient oxygen tensions (pO2) ranging from 2 to 145 torr. Both the rate of cell proliferation and the final cell density (10 days of culture) were decreased in cultures incubated at pO2 less than 55 torr. Final cell densities at pO2 of 2 or 24 torr were only 18% and 80%, respectively, of that seen at pO2 of 85 to 145 torr (p<0.002). Oxygen tension did not affect SMC size, as the protein:DNA ratio was constant. Therefore, hypoxia does not produce either proliferation or hypertrophy of PA SMC in vitro. We conclude that prenatal hypoxia does not act directly on SMC in the PA to produce the increased PA SMC mass observed in infants with PPHN. Other mediators of this developmental abnormality must be sought. (Supported by NIH Grant HD06763 and a Medical Student Traineeship of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.)
Renal failure in multiple myeloma: a medical emergency

Up to 50% of newly diagnosed plasma cell myeloma (PCM) patients can present with renal insufficiency, 20% with severe renal impairment and 10% requiring dialysis. PCM patients account for 2% of the dialysis population, adding 5000 new patients each year worldwide. Dialysis-dependent PCM patients have a 2.77 higher risk of death compared with other dialysis-dependent patients without this diagnosis. Renal failure and especially dialysis dependency is an independent poor prognostic factor in PCM, with the majority unable to achieve dialysis independence. Renal failure in PCM is a medical emergency with the need for rapid accurate diagnosis and prompt institution of supportive care and PCM-directed therapy, because reversal of renal impairment and recovery from dialysis dependency can occur in up to half the patients early in the course of disease and can lead to enormous survival benefits. Recently, the serum free light chain (SFLC) assay and serum β-2-microglobulin free heavy chain (SFHC) assay have been used to rapidly diagnose PCM in renal failure and provide prognostic information in the setting of renal failure where the Durie-Salmon and International Staging Systems do not. A renal biopsy early in the course of renal impairment can provide diagnostic and prognostic information. A new generation of dialyzers with larger pores than routine dialyzers can be used with extended hemodialysis to remove SFLC more efficiently than plasmapheresis, allowing for greater renal recovery. Novel chemotherapy agents such as bortezomib are associated with an improved renal response and have moved to the front line of therapy. Successful use of high-dose therapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in PCM with renal failure and even dialysis dependency has been associated with late renal recovery and also allowed for the subsequent use of renal transplantation to provide even greater survival benefits. Combined non-myeloablative allogeneic HCT with renal transplant in PCM patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis is now being studied in prospective trials.
PHOTOPUMPING IN LIQUID MEMBRANES CONTAINING PHOTOACTIVE CARRIERS

A steady-state model describing photofacilitated transport in liquid membranes is used to consider photoactive carriers with a wide range of thermodynamic and kinetic properties in order to investigate active transport against a concentration gradient (photopumping). Most experimental and theoretical studies have focused on systems in which strongly binding forms of the carrier and carrier−solute complex absorb light to convert to weakly binding forms. For such systems, absorption of light can result in transport against a concentration gradient greater than a factor of 5. However, the maximum photoefficiencies are less than 0.01%. Membranes containing carriers in which the weak forms of the carrier and complex are photoactive exhibit similar photopumping performance with an order of magnitude higher photoefficiencies. This study provides guidelines for the selection of carriers for future experimental investgations of photofacilitated liquid membranes.
REACHING OUT AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE: THE CONTEXT OF MEANING IN A HOME- BASED PRESCHOOL PROGRAM

■Two years in the operation of a local HIPPY (Home Instructional Program for Preschool Youngsters) are examined to highlight the impact of changed context on processes and impacts. Over the two years of operation, the program went from a staff consisting of a program director and paraprofessionals to an augmented staff which included a family support specialist. “Reaching out to families” and “making a difference” in their lives was a strong norm during both years of the program. The more resource-rich service context present in the second year, however, altered the nature of problems observed, directness of interventions tried, and the meaning and limits of what it meant to reach out to families and make a difference in their lives. Alternative interpretations are briefly discussed and eliminated. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The recognition that preschool and other service programs must be studied in context has become increasingly recognized over the last 20 years (Powell, 1994). Contextual factors present special challenges that may alter a program’s ability to work with families. This article presents a case study of a home-based, preschool program called HIPPY (Home Instructional Program for Preschool Youngsters). Over a two-year period, this midwestern city program negotiated additional resources that augmented its capacity to assist families with non-HIPPY related problems such as child management, drugs, and illness. This case study examines the implications of different combinations of problems and resources for families served by HIPPY.
Genetic Means and Trends of Dairy Sires in the United States

Nearly two million first-lactation records with Predicted Differences for sires were used to compare subpopulations of regions, states, progeny from artificial insemination and natural service, and registered and grade cows. Annual breed trends in sire Predicted Differences for milk for first-lactation cows calving 1973 through 1978 ranged from 15 kg for Milking Shorthorn to 32 kg for Holstein. The range in merit of sires of cows among the four regions was 69 kg of milk for Holsteins and even higher in four of five other breeds in 1978. State differences were generally large; the range in Predicted Difference milk for Holsteins was 137 kg among the 10 states having the most data. States where Holstein sires of higher merit have been used tended to have used artificial insemination more and have a larger proportion of grade cows. Artificial-insemination sires in all breeds were at least $45 higher than natural-service sires in expected gross income from milk sales per lactation. Predicted Differences for sires of grade cows were higher than those for sires of registered cows which suggests that breeders of registered cows are sacrificing production to select for other traits. Coefficients of regression of lactation yield on sire Predicted Difference within herds were 1.02 and higher, providing clear evidence of the value of selecting sires on Predicted Difference.
Reed-Solomon codes for land mobile satellite channels

The performance of Reed-Solomon codes is determined for land mobile satellite communications where a shadowed Rician channel model is used. An effective coding/interleaving scheme is proposed which uses the multipath fading and shadowing statistics of the channel.
Increased rate of sister chromatid exchanges in β-thalassaemia

Blood lymphocytes from patients with β-thalassaemia have a higher rate of sister chromatid exchanges than controls after 94 h in culture and 39 h in the presence of 5-bromodeoxyuridine. The rate was slightly increased for the present sample in the absence of transfusion but was essentially independent of serum folate concentration, splenectomy, age, sex, thalassaemia genotype, haemoglobin level, lymphocyte count, and clinical status as recorded in this study.
Optimization Theory for n-Set Functions

Abstract An optimization theory is developed for functions of n sets. Optimality conditions are established, and a Lagrangian duality is obtained.
In vitro cyclic AMP-mediated lipolytic activity of endorphins, enkephalins and naloxone.

Abstract The maximum lipolytic activity (Lmax) of β-endorphin is two and one half times that of Leu5-enkephalin and twice that of Met5-enkephalin, D-Ala2, Met5-enkephalinamide, α-endorphin and γ-endorphin in the rabbit adipocyte. D-Met2, Pro5-enkephalin-amide, however, has an Lmax 1.6 times greater than that of Met5-enkephalin. The potencies (A50) of Met5-enkephalin and its analogs and that of Leu5-enkephalin lie between 1.4 and 3 μM. The A50 values for α-endorphin, β-endorphin and γ-endorphin are significantly less (1.2 × 10−1 μM). Naloxone acts as an agonist in this system (A50 = 2.5 μM; Lmax 1.4 × Met5-enkephalin). All of the peptides and naloxone stimulated adenylate cyclase activity.
Radiographic Parameters on Noncontrast Computerized Tomography Predictive of Shock Wave Lithotripsy Success

Purpose Accurate prediction of shock wave lithotripsy success for given patient and radiographic parameters will lead to improved selection of patients for shock wave lithotripsy vs more invasive treatment. In this study we determined which radiographic parameters are the most predictive of shock wave lithotripsy success, and present a method to incorporate these into current and future models based on nonradiographic parameters. Materials and Methods A retrospective case-control study was performed to determine average, maximum and standard deviation of stone attenuation values, stone size and skin-to-stone distance on preoperative noncontrast computerized tomography for 220 patients successfully treated with shock wave lithotripsy and 105 patients in whom shock wave lithotripsy failed. Results Average stone attenuation is the best independent predictor of shock wave lithotripsy success as determined by the Student t test (p Conclusions Average stone attenuation is a convenient radiographic measure that can be used to refine a known probability of shock wave lithotripsy success. Clinical HU cutoff guidelines can be determined based on current or future predictive nomograms based on other parameters.
Direct contact membrane distillation with heat recovery: Thermodynamic insights from module scale modeling

Abstract Direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) can desalinate saline waters using low-grade heat and is thus economically attractive when low-temperature thermal energy is readily available. Coupling DCMD with a heat exchanger (HX) can significantly enhance the energy efficiency of the process by recovering the latent heat accumulated in the permeate (distillate) stream. This study evaluates the mass recovery rate (i.e., fraction of feed water recovered), γ, and the specific heat duty (i.e., energy input per unit mass of product water), β, of DCMD desalination using low-grade heat coupled with HX. Mass and heat transfer in DCMD and HX were modeled at the module scale and thermodynamic analysis of the system was performed. The relative flow rate (between the permeate and feed streams), α, was found to be a critical operation parameter to optimize process performance, regardless of the mass and heat transfer kinetics. Both numerical evaluation and analytical analysis reveal a critical relative flow rate, α⁎, that demarcates DCMD operation between a permeate limiting regime (when α α⁎), when mass transfer kinetics are not limiting. Similarly, we identified mass-limited and temperature-limited heat recovery regimes in the HX that are dependent on α. Our analysis shows that the highest γ and lowest β achievable are solely determined by the thermodynamic properties of the system and always occur at the critical relative flow rate, α⁎. For example, the thermodynamic limits for γ and β are 6.4% and 27.6 kJ kg−1, respectively, for seawater desalination by single-pass DCMD at 60 °C with HX. However, in practical operation, as the DCMD membrane area and permeability cannot be infinitely large, the process is in a mass-transfer-limiting-regime and performance departs from the thermodynamic limits. Lastly, we demonstrate that heat transfer across a thermally-conductive DCMD membrane further reduces the recovery rate and energy efficiency of the process. The findings from this study have important implications for optimization of the DCMD process and for serving as criteria to assess process performance.
Chemical cross-linking between lysine groups in vimentin oligomers is dependent on local peptide conformations.

Previous studies have shown that cytoplasmic intermediate filaments, other than the keratins, are each constructed from a single type of polypeptide chain. Studies involving chemical crosslinking between lysine groups have shown that assembly of the filaments begins with the formation of dimers in which the peptide chains are parallel and in exact register, and that these dimers further associate in antiparallel patterns having specific degrees of overlap. In the present study, molecular modeling of the conformations of vimentin molecules indicated that lysine side chains in identical positions in regions of α-helix in parallel chains might be unable to be linked because they are on opposite sides of the coiled coil hydrophobic core. Examination of published data on chemical crosslinking of lysines in vimentin confirmed that there were no instances of linkage within dimers between the nine pairs of identical lysines that lie more than one position within α-helical regions in parallel chains. Even among linkages that apparently were between dimers, only one of the 11 linkage products identified involved lysines that were both within an α-helical region. In 10 of the 11 identified linkages between dimers, one or both of the linked lysines were in regions of random coil conformation. These results of molecular modeling indicate that relative motion between polypeptide chains in oligomers of intermediate filament proteins is not sufficient to overcome an orientation of lysine groups that is unfavorable for their chemical linkage. This finding supports the interpretations of keratin cross-linking data indicating that parallel homodimers are the basis for keratin intermediate filament assembly. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dissociation of Facilitatory Mechanisms in the Midpontile Decerebrate Cat

VAGOTOMIZED, midpontile decerebrate animals have been reported to exhibit decerebrate rigidity, apneustic breathing, tachycardia and arterial hypertension1,2. These manifestations of hyperactivity in the somatic postural, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems are abolished by transections of the central neuraxis at or caudal to the level of the pontomedullary junction1. These parallelisms suggest the hypothesis that interdependent if not identical facilitatory mechanisms in the lower pons are responsible for these hyperactive states. This hypothesis has been experimentally tested here.
A β-Arrestin Binding Determinant Common to the Second Intracellular Loops of Rhodopsin Family G Protein-coupled Receptors

β-Arrestins have been shown to inhibit competitively G proteindependent signaling and to mediate endocytosis for many of the hundreds of nonvisual rhodopsin family G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). An open question of fundamental importance concerning the regulation of signal transduction of several hundred rhodopsin-like GPCRs is how these receptors of limited sequence homology, when considered in toto, can all recruit and activate the two highly conserved β-arrestin proteins as part of their signaling/desensitization process. Although the serine and threonine residues that form GPCR kinase phosphorylation sites are common β-arrestin-associated receptor determinants regulating receptor desensitization and internalization, the agonist-activated conformation of a GPCR probably reveals the most fundamental determinant mediating the GPCR and arrestin interaction. Here we identified a β-arrestin binding determinant common to the rhodopsin family GPCRs formed from the proximal 10 residues of the second intracellular loop. We demonstrated by both gain and loss of function studies for the serotonin 2C, β2-adrenergic, α2a-adrenergic, and neuropeptide Y type 2 receptorsthat the highly conserved amino acids, proline and alanine, naturally occurring in rhodopsin family receptors six residues distal to the highly conserved second loop DRY motif regulate β-arrestin binding and β-arrestin-mediated internalization. In particular, as demonstrated for the β2 AR, this occurs independently of changes in GPCR kinase phosphorylation. These results suggest that a GPCR conformation directed by the second intracellular loop, likely using the loop itself as a binding patch, may function as a switch for transitioning β-arrestin from its inactive form to its active receptor-binding state.
Is traditionally defined complete revascularization needed for patients with multivessel disease treated by elective coronary angioplasty

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of incomplete revascularization by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients with multivessel disease on adverse long-term cardiac events (death, coronary artery bypass surgery or myocardial infarction) and to develop an optimal definition of adequate revascularization based on clinical outcome. Background. The effect of incomplete coronary revascularization by coronary angioplasty on long-term adverse clinical events remains controversial. Methods. Three hundred seventy well characterized patients were followed-up for 27 ± 16 months after angioplasty. Mean patient age was 58 ± 11 years; 72% were male; 70% had two-vessel disease (≥50% diameter stenosis by caliper measurement); and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 58 ± 11% (range 20% to 85%). Angioplasty was successfully accomplished in 339 patients (91.6%), but complete revascularization by the standard definition (no residual >-50% stenosis in a coronary artery ≥1.5 mm in diameter) was achieved in only 91 patients (25%). Results. Three-year event-free survival (i.e., freedom from death, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery) in the entire cohort was 76.5%. By the standard definition, complete revascularization was strongly and negatively associated (p = 0.003) with long-term cardiac events, even after correction for the effects of other independent correlates of events, using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Seventeen other definitions, evaluating the severity and extent of residual stenoses and whether they were associated with contractile myocardium, were tested to find that which best stratified late event-free survival and had an outcome with complete revascularization no worse than that associated with the standard definition. The best definition for the entire cohort, having more predictive value than the standard definition, allowed <10% of estimated left ventricular mass to be served by vessels with mild stenoses (<60%) without being considered “incomplete.” Conclusions. Mild stenoses in coronary arteries ≥1.5 mm in diameter serving modest amounts of myocardium do not appear to need to be revascularized to achieve good long-term outcome with coronary angioplasty. Hence, angioplasty in such lesions may not be justified except when they are documented to cause life-stylelimiting angina, and the standard definition of complete revascularization by angioplasty appears to be suboptimal. The importance of optimally defined adequate revascularization should be considered in the interpretation of the results of randomized trials assessing the clinical efficacy of coronary angioplasty compared with that of other modalities of therapy.
RACISM OR CONSERVATISM: EXPLAINING RISING REPUBLICANISM IN THE DEEP SOUTH

Statewide opinion polls from the Deep South states of Alabama and Mississippi conducted during the 1990s are employed to examine the public's images of the parties, racial differences in those images, and their correlates with party identification. Racial issues appear to exert little effect over whites' partisan identifications, as a diversity of other issues that Republicans have favorable images on, such as crime and traditional values, are more important to whites. Racial differences do exist on perceptions of the two parties' strengths, as well as on the issues most salient in shaping each race's partisan ties. Racial differences in the images of the parties are the primary explanation for racial differences in party identification.
Chemical synthesis of UDP-4-O-methyl-GlcNAc, a potential chain terminator of chitin synthesis

Abstract Chitin synthase converts uridine diphosphoryl-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to chitin (poly-β-(1 → 4)-GlcNAc). During polymerization, elongation occurs at the 4-OH (nonreducing) terminus of the growing chitin chain. Blockage of the 4-OH via incorporation of UDP-N-acetyl-4-O-methylglucosamine (UDP-4-OMe-GlcNAc, 3) can potentially terminate chitin polymerization, and represents a novel strategy for chitin synthase inhibition. The chemical synthesis of 3 and preliminary evaluation of its possible incorporation by chitin synthase are reported herein.
Design of an Adaptive Controller for a Remotely Operated Air Vehicle

This paper presents an augmented control architecture for safe flight. This architecture consists of a nominal controller that provides satisfactory performance under nominal flying conditions and a direct model reference adaptive controller that provides robustness to parametric uncertainty. The design, implementation, tuning, and robustness analysis procedures of both the nominal and augmented controllers are presented. The aim of these procedures, which encompass both theoretical and practical considerations, is to develop a controller suitable for flight. The architecture proposed is applied to the NASA generic transport model. This is a model of a transport aircraft for which both a dynamically scaled flight-test article and a high-fidelity simulation are available. A robustness analysis framework, which bounds the set of adverse flying conditions for which all closed-loop requirements are met, indicates some advantages and drawbacks of adaptation. The adverse conditions considered are grouped into four categories: aerodynamic uncertainties, structural damage, unknown time delays, and actuator failures. These failures include partial and total loss of control effectiveness, locked-in-place control surface deflections, and engine-out conditions. The requirements are fast pilot-command tracking, bounded structural loading, satisfactory transient response, bounded flight envelope, and satisfactory handling/riding qualities. A computational approach that integrates this robustness analysis framework and a design-optimization technique is proposed. This approach enables the systematic search for the controller’s parameters that yield the best robustness characteristics allowed by the control structure.
Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (DSCAM) Associates with Uncoordinated-5C (UNC5C) in Netrin-1-Mediated Growth Cone Collapse

In the developing nervous system, neuronal growth cones explore the extracellular environment for guidance cues, which can guide them along specific trajectories toward their targets. Netrin-1, a bifunctional guidance cue, binds to deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) and DSCAM mediating axon attraction, and UNC5 mediating axon repulsion. Here, we show that DSCAM interacts with UNC5C and this interaction is stimulated by netrin-1 in primary cortical neurons and postnatal cerebellar granule cells. DSCAM partially co-localized with UNC5C in primary neurons and brain tissues. Netrin-1 induces axon growth cone collapse of mouse cerebellum external granule layer (EGL) cells, and the knockdown of DSCAM or UNC5C by specific shRNAs or blocking their signaling by overexpressing dominant negative mutants suppresses netrin-1-induced growth cone collapse. Similarly, the simultaneous knockdown of DSCAM and UNC5C also blocks netrin-1-induced growth cone collapse in EGL cells. Netrin-1 increases tyrosine phosphorylation of endogenous DSCAM, UNC5C, FAK, Fyn, and PAK1, and promotes complex formation of DSCAM with these signaling molecules in primary postnatal cerebellar neurons. Inhibition of Src family kinases efficiently reduces the interaction of DSCAM with UNC5C, FAK, Fyn, and PAK1 and tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins as well as growth cone collapse of mouse EGL cells induced by netrin-1. The knockdown of DSCAM inhibits netrin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of UNC5C and Fyn as well as the interaction of UNC5C with Fyn. The double knockdown of both receptors abolishes the induction of Fyn tyrosine phosphorylation by netrin-1. Our study reveals the first evidence that DSCAM coordinates with UNC5C in netrin-1 repulsion.
Multivariate partial fraction expansion

The Derive computer-algebra program has Expand as one of the menu choices: The user is prompted for successively less main expansion variables, which can be all of the variables or any proper subset. It is clear how to proceed when the expression is a polynomial: Fully distribute with respect to all expansion variables, but collect as coefficient polynomials all terms that share the same exponents for the expansion variables. Derive uses a partially factored form, so the collected coefficient polynomials can be fortuitously partially factored.For rational expressions the expand function does partial fraction expansion because it is the most useful kind of rational expansion. However, most other computer algebra systems and examples in the literature focus on partial fraction expansion with respect to only one variable, where any other variables are considered mere parameters. For consistency with multivariate polynomial expansion, we wanted a useful and well-defined meaning for multivariate partial fraction expansion. This paper provides such a definition and a corresponding algorithm.
Phantom Study Based on a High-Energy In-line Phase Contrast Tomosynthesis Prototype

The objective of this research is to demonstrate an in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis prototype operated under high x-ray tube voltage, and a phantom study was conducted to characterize the potentials of this system. The prototype is based on an in-line phase contrast system accompanying with digital tomosynthesis imaging mechanism; and the tube voltage is operated at 120 kVp. A phantom study was conducted by using a custom-designed fish bone phantom to demonstrate the ability of this imaging system in edge enhancement and noise suppression. As the result, edge enhancement could be observed on the in-plane slices by plotting and comparing the intensity profiles with DTS images. As employing phase retrieval method onto the original angular projections could dramatically improve the image quality in edge enhancement, 3D imaging box was preliminarily constructed by using reconstructed in-plane slices acquired with PAD phase retrieval. As expected, high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis imaging system shows its potentials in edge enhancement and noise suppression by introducing phase retrieval method. Dose studies and perfecting photon energies and phantom designs will be our future interest.
Least squares estimation in the regression model with autoregressive-moving average errors

SUMMARY To treat the problem of correlated errors in regression, a model in which the errors follow a stationary autoregressive-moving average time series is suggested. Simultaneous least squares estimation of the regression and the time series parameters is discussed, and it is shown that asymptotically the estimates obtained in this manner possess normal distributions, whether or not the errors themselves are normally distributed. The estimates of the regression parameters are uncorrelated with those of the time series parameters; the former are distributed as if they had arisen from a certain transformed model with uncorrelated errors, while the latter have the same covariance matrix as those from a stationary series with no deterministic component. The estimate of variance is also asymptotically normal. A Monte Carlo sampling study indicates that these results can serve as a useful approximation for samples of moderate size.
Concerted C–N/C–H Bond Formation in Highly Enantioselective Yttrium(III)-Catalyzed Hydroamination

A highly active oxazolinylborato yttrium hydroamination catalyst provides 2-methyl-pyrrolidines with excellent optical purities. The proposed mechanism, in which a yttrium(amidoalkene)amine complex reacts by concerted C–N and C–H bond formation, is supported by the rate law for conversion, substrate saturation under initial rates conditions, kinetic isotope effects, and isotopic perturbation of enantioselectivity. These features are conserved between oxazolinylborato Mg-, Y-, and Zr-mediated aminoalkene cyclizations, suggesting related transition states for all three systems. However, inversion of the products’ absolute configuration between yttrium and zirconium catalysts coordinated by the same 4S-oxazolinylborate ligands highlight dissimilar mechanisms of stereoinduction.
Introduction to programming on distributed memory multiprocessors

Abstract Often computations occuring in the physical sciences are very compute intensive and thus time consuming. Many of these problems are too big for today's supercomputers. To solve some of these problems one needs a large number of supercomputers in order to both fit the problems and find a solution in a reasonable time. Parallel distributed memory multiprocessing will be the way to cope with many of these large computing problems. This paper will touch on some of the most common tools of an established parallel message passing environment, Trollius. Several examples of solving PDE common to the physical sciences will be discussed. Finally, the paper will introduce an efficient method for doing parallel volume rendering.
EXPERIENCES WITH FARMER ORIENTED LINEAR PROGRAMMING FOR CROP PLANNING

This paper presents a linear programming model for farm planning known as the “Purdue Top Farmer Cropping Model ‘B’.” This model is designed for direct use with farmers and has been used by more than 5,000 individuals. The paper describes the features of this model and discusses the rationale for these features. In this process details on application, evolution and impact of the model are given. The success of the model is due to its design and the interplay between research and extension personnel in the model design. Un modele de programmation lineaire, connu sous le nom de “Purdue Top Farmer Cropping Model ‘B’,” et destine a la planification de la production des exploitations agricoles, est presente dans ce rapport. Le modele, deja employe par plus de 5000 individus, est construit de maniere a etre directement utilisable par les exploitants agricoles. Le rapport decrit et expose la raison d'etre des caracteristiques du modele. Des details sur les applications, l'evolution et l'impact de ce dernier sont fournis. La collaboration entre Je personel de recherche et d'extension dans le dessin du modele en explique le succes.
Diagnositc Reasoner Model Production from Atlas Test Program Sets

Model-based diagnostic reasoning provides improvements in fault isolation and repair time as well as cost savings provided by a reduction in false pull rates. To support legacy systems that use ATLAS test program sets for fault isolation and repair, Honeywell has developed a method for extracting diagnostic fault models from ATLAS source code. We will describe the content of the fault models and highlight model features that use data collected in a netcentric maintenance environment to optimize reasoner performance. We will then present a description of the method used to create bootstrap fault models, including a configurable ATLAS source code parser that uses regular text expressions to extract test and fault information from Test Program Sets and create fault models.
National traffic system evaluation using data mining techniques

This paper describes a study, using the data mining technique, to examine incident response time statistics before and after the incident management systems were deployed based on the information collected in the Metropolitan ITS Infrastructure Deployment Tracking system.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Acute topiramate differentially affects human aggressive responding at low vs. moderate doses in subjects with histories of substance abuse and antisocial behavior.

Anticonvulsant drugs have demonstrated efficacy in the management of irritability and aggression in a variety of psychiatric populations. We examined the acute effects of topiramate on aggression using a laboratory model of human aggression (PSAP) in individuals at high risk for aggressive and violent behavior.Twelve subjects, on parole/probation and with an Axis-II personality disorder and/or a substance use disorder, received 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg in an ascending sequence, with intervening placebo doses.Subjects participated 2-3 days per week over 4-6 weeks. Due to cognitive side effects at 300 mg, two subjects only completed through the 200 mg dose. Topiramate produced an inverted U-shaped dose response curve, with increases in aggression peaking at 200 mg and a modest decrease at 400 mg. Statistical analysis revealed a polynomial trend for dose (p=0.001). The observed inverted U-shaped function in aggressive responding is consistent with non-human aggression studies of GABA-A modulators. Acute topiramate doses >400 mg may have anti-aggressive effects, but dose levels in the 200-300 mg range may produce increases in aggression and side effects.
Synthesis and properties of bilirubin analogs with one propionic acid group

Unsymmetric bile pigment analogs of mesobilirubin-XIIIα and mesobilirubin-IVα were synthesized following oxidative coupling of dipyrrinones: methyl xanthobilirubinate with kryptopyrromethenone; methyl ψ-xanthobilirubinate with kryptopyrromethenone.
Corneal Ulcers in Patients with Cosmetic Extended-Wear Contact Lenses

Although cosmetic extended-wear contact lenses are generally safe, they can be associated with a number of complications. A review of 124 cases of corneal ulcers treated between Jan. 1, 1982, and June 1, 1983, disclosed six cases in otherwise healthy patients (four women and two men, ranging in age from 15 to 41 years) who wore extended-wear contact lenses for correction of myopia. In five of the six, the contact lenses had undergone recent manipulation. Two patients had changed their contact lenses without proper disinfection procedures. Five of the six had been treated with antibiotics before corneal scrapings were cultured and three had been treated with corticosteroids. The cultures grew gram-negative rods (in three cases Pseudomonas organisms and in one case Serratia organisms); both patients whose cultures grew no organisms had received antibiotics. Vigorous treatment with tobramycin and cefazolin eyedrops and cycloplegics produced final corrected visual acuities of 20/20, 20/30, 20/60, 20/20, and 20/50. In the sixth case, the final uncorrected visual acuity was counting fingers at 1 foot.
Chicken scavenger receptors and their ligand-induced cellular immune responses.

The scavenger receptors (SRs) comprise structurally and functionally divergent groups of cell surface and secreted proteins that play an important role in innate immune defenses. Searching translated chicken genomic databases revealed many proteins homologous to mammalian SRs. SR mediated immune functions (oxidative burst, degranulation, phagocytosis, nitric oxide (NO) production, and cytokine expression) were evaluated in chicken heterophils, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and a chicken macrophage cell line (HD11) using various SR class A and B ligands. Results showed that the SR-A ligands, fucoidan, poly(I) and poly(G), but not SR-B ligands, phosphatidylserine and LDL, stimulated dose-dependent NO production in HD11 cells. However, SR-A ligands failed to induce NO in chicken monocytes. Quantitative RT-PCR indicated that SR ligands differentially regulated the gene expression of cytokines and chemokine in HD11 cells with a strong up-regulation of the cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 and the chemokine MIP-1β, but had no effect on IL-4, IL-12, IFN-γ, and IFN-β. SR-B ligands did not alter expression of these genes. SR-A ligands had no stimulatory effect on functional response in heterophils. However, LDL, a SR-B ligand stimulated oxidative burst in both heterophils and PBMC. Additionally, results indicate that SRs are involved in bacterial binding in macrophages.
Observation and kinetic analysis of a metastable b.c.c. phase in rapidly solidified Ni9at.%Zr and Ni8at.%Zr1at.%X alloys

Abstract The microstructures of rapidly solidified Ni9at.%Zr and Ni8at.%Zr1at.%X (≡ Si, Ti or Mo) alloys are found to consist predominantly of micron-sized grains having a b.c.c. (A2) structure with lattice parameter a = 0.280 ± 0.005 nm. This b.c.c. phase is metastable and undergoes decomposition into equilibrium phases α-Ni + Ni5Zr upon heating. Using relevant thermodynamic data and classical nucleation and crystal growth theory, the formation of the b.c.c. phase is rationalized in terms of kinetic hierarchy of alternative crystalline phases. We find that the calculated critical cooling rate to obtain an amorphous phase in Ni9at.%Zr alloy is about 9 × 107 K s−1 which is too high for the melt-spinning process.
A 'Notion' for interactive behavioral animation control

Behavioral animation is a means for automatic motion control in which animated objects are capable of sensing their environment and determining their motion within it according to certain rules. An interactive method of behavioral animation in which the user controls motion by designing a network mapping sensor information to effectors is described. The system is called Notion. The network consists of sensors (such as distance to other objects and recognition of their qualities) and effectors (here, jet motors propel objects) connected by nodes and connections. Nodes, which embody such responses as attraction, avoidance, arbitration, and their outputs, map sensory stimuli to effector responses. Sensors, nodes, and effectors are given set limits. Such limits, together with an interactive window environment for altering the network, make it possible to explore a variety of motions quickly. >
The emergence of temporal hyperacuity from widely tuned cell populations

Typically, individual neural cells operate on a millisecond time scale yet behaviorally animals reveal sub-microsecond acuity. Our model resolves this huge discrepancy by using populations of many widely tuned cells to attain sub-microsecond resolution in a temporal discrimination task. An echolocating bat uses its auditory system to locate objects and it demonstrates remarkable temporal precision in psychophysical tasks. Auditory cells were simulated using realistic parameters and connected in three ascending layers with descending projections from auditory cortex. Coincidence detection of firing collicular cells at thalamus and subsequent integration of multiple inputs at cortex, produce an estimate of time represented as the mean of the active cortical population. Multiple estimates allow the model bat to use memory to recognize predictable change in stimuli values. The best performance is produced using cortical feedback and a computation of target time based on combining the current and previous estimates. Temporal hyperacuity is attained through population coding of physiologically realistic cells but depends on the inherent properties of the psychophysical task.
Immunoregulatory T cells in cancer immunotherapy.

Many of the tumour antigens targeted by active immunisation strategies are in fact self-antigens. Successful anticancer immunotherapy will therefore require not only potent methods of T cell activation, but also successful interference with mechanisms of immune tolerance that have evolved to prevent tissue destruction by autoreactive T cells. In addition to thymic deletion, anergy and skewing of T cell cytokine expression, a role for immunoregulatory T cells in the maintenance of self-tolerance has been suggested. Suppression of autoreactive T cells by regulatory T cells has been suggested to occur by both cytokine and cell-contact-dependent mechanisms. In murine models, suppression of auto-reactive T cells mediated by cell contact has been attributed to a population of spontaneously occurring CD4+CD25+ T cells. Cells with similar phenotype and function have been found in healthy humans. In murine models, these cells behave as regulatory T cells, counteracting autoimmune and inflammatory reactions, and ha...
Detection of interstellar vibrationally excited HCN.

The J = 3 - 2 rotational transitions of the l-doubled bending mode of HCN have been detected toward Orion-KL and IRC + 10216, representing the first interstellar medium observations of vibrationally excited HCN. The overall column density in the (0, 1, 0) mode exclusively sampling the hot core is 1.7 x 10 to the 16th/sq cm, and may be understood in terms of the doughnut model for Orion. The ground state HCN column density implied by the excited state observations is at least one order of magnitude greater than the column densities derived for HCN in its spike and plateau/doughnut components. The spectral profiles obtained have been modeled to yield abundances and excitation conditions throughout the expanding envelope.
The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution – By David O. Stewart

Once upon a time, the history of the American Revolution and Constitutional Convention told by historians was an epic story filled with larger‐than‐life men, performing godlike feats to create a de...
Theoretical extension of the gold pressure calibration standard beyond 3 Mbars

The static-lattice equation of state and structural phase stability of gold have been calculated to 10 Mbar, using two distinct density functional models; the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The fcc structure is predicted to be the most stable phase at zero pressure, transforming to the hcp structure at 3.5 Mbar (LDA) or 4.1 Mbar (GGA), which then remains stable to 10 Mbar. These transition pressures are roughly 50% larger than previous predictions. Once thermal effects are accounted for, the LDA model produces a room temperature isotherm that is in rather good agreement with existing data and that smoothly merges with the existing gold pressure calibration standard near 2 Mbar. The LDA room temperature isotherm should provide a reliable extension of the gold pressure calibration standard up to the fcc-hcp transition pressure, well above 3 Mbar.
Energy detection of unknown deterministic signals in κ-μ and η-μ generalized fading channels with diversity receivers

In this article, we present an alternative moment generating function (MGF) based method for evaluating the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) of diversity energy detectors in a generalized fading environment. In contrast to the existing approaches that are based on either the circular contour integral and/or infinite series representations of the generalized Marcum Q-function Qu(.,.), we utilize an exponential-type integral for Qu(.,.) to facilitate the statistical averaging task over the independent and non-identically distributed (i.n.d) fading signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). This leads to a very compact, exact, and an efficient solution for computing the average detection probabilities of diversity enabled energy detectors in a myriad of fading environments especially for the practical cases of square law selection (SLS) and square-law combining (SLC) diversity receivers with i.n.d and correlated fading statistics. Our unified analytical framework also encapsulates the existing results for Rayleigh, Nakagami-m, Nakagami-q and Rice fading environments by appropriate substitutions of the fading parameters in the κ-μ and η-μ generalized stochastic channel models.
Investigation of Large Format Microchannel Plate Z Configurations

The performance of triplet (Z) stacks of microchannel plates (MCP's) has been studied as a part of the instrument development for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer [1] (EUVE) satellite mission. Relatively large MCP's with a 60 mm diameter and having an 80:1 channel length to diameter (L/D) ratio were used in several configurations. These have been used in the EUVE prototype imaging detector to provide > 512 × 512 pixels with low image distortion ( 2 × 107) and tight output pulse height distributions (< 30% FWHM) may be achieved. Simple distribution techniques have also allowed low intrinsic background event rates (< .15 events cm-2 sec-1) to be obtained. Variation of the quantum efficiency of MCP's over the wavelength range 160 A to 1216 A has been investigated for a range of angles of incidence. The effect of temperature variations on MCP operating characteristics has also been evaluated.
Factors that affect molecular weight distribution of Suwannee river fulvic acid as determined by electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry

Abstract Effects of methylation, molar response, multiple charging, solvents, and positive and negative ionization on molecular weight distributions of aquatic fulvic acid were investigated by electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry. After preliminary analysis by positive and negative modes, samples and mixtures of standards were derivatized by methylation to minimize ionization sites and reanalyzed. Positive ionization was less effective and produced more complex spectra than negative ionization. Ionization in methanol/water produced greater response than in acetonitrile/water. Molar response varied widely for the selected free acid standards when analyzed individually and in a mixture, but after methylation this range decreased. After methylation, the number average molecular weight of the Suwannee River fulvic acid remained the same while the weight average molecular weight decreased. These differences are probably indicative of disaggregation of large aggregated ions during methylation. Since the weight average molecular weight decreased, it is likely that aggregate formation in the fulvic acid was present prior to derivatization, rather than multiple charging in the mass spectra.
Clinical trial of cisplatinum (NSC 119875) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Thirty-two patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma were treated with cisplatinum, 100 mg./M2 at twenty-eight-day intervals. The drug was given intravenously after first assuring adequate hydration. Response could be determined in 23 patients. There were no partial or complete responses, although 1 patient had less than a 50 per cent reduction in pulmonary lesions and 7 patients had stabilization of their disease for periods ranging from three to seven months. It is concluded that the therapeutic value of cisplatinum in the treatment of advanced renal carcinoma is negligible when used as a single agent.