cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Considerations for Choosing Sensitive Element Size for Needle and Fiber-Optic Hydrophones—Part I: Spatiotemporal Transfer Function and Graphical Guide

The spatiotemporal transfer function for a needle or reflectance-based fiber-optic hydrophone is modeled as separable into the product of two filters corresponding to frequency-dependent sensitivity and spatial averaging. The separable hydrophone transfer function model is verified numerically by comparison to a more general rigid piston spatiotemporal response model that does not assume separability. Spatial averaging effects are characterized by frequency-dependent “effective” sensitive element diameter, which can be more than double the geometrical sensitive element diameter. The transfer function is tested in simulation using a nonlinear focused pressure wave model based on Gaussian harmonic radial pressure distributions. The pressure wave model is validated by comparing to experimental hydrophone scans of nonlinear beams produced by three source transducers. An analytic form for the spatial averaging filter, applicable to Gaussian harmonic beams, is derived. A second analytic form for the spatial averaging filter, applicable to quadratic harmonic beams, is derived by extending the spatial averaging correction recommended by IEC 62127-1 Annex E to nonlinear signals with multiple harmonics. Both forms are applicable to all hydrophones (not just needle and fiber-optic hydrophones). Simulation analysis performed for a wide variety of transducer geometries indicates that the Gaussian spatial averaging filter formula is more accurate than the quadratic formula over a wider range of harmonics. Additional experimental validation is provided in Part II. Readers who are uninterested in hydrophone theory may skip the theoretical and experimental sections of this paper and proceed to the graphical guide for practical information to inform and support selection of hydrophone sensitive element size (but might be well advised to read the Introduction).
SDP Based Unit Commitment Via Moment Relaxation

Unit commitment (UC) problems are the most fundamental problems that system operators solve every day in both day-ahead and real-time markets to guarantee secure and economic operation. UC problems are usually formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) or a mixed-integer quadratic programming (MIQP) model with binary variables representing ON/OFF statuses of generators, and is solved via Branch and bound (B&B) type algorithms. With the prosperity of applying semidefinite programing (SDP) in the power system field, researchers attempt to solve UC under the SDP framework by relaxing integrality requirements, seeking an optimal solution or a better lower bound than the traditional linear programming (LP) relaxation. This paper uses 2-order moment relaxation technique to reformulate UC problems as an SDP model, which can be solved by an interior point method. Considering significant computational burden by 2-order moment relaxation, a variable reduction strategy and two refined moment relaxation based UC models are further applied. The relationship among the proposed models in terms of their tightness is studied. In addition, a sufficient condition under which a solution is exact is stated. Numerical studies illustrate effect of the proposed models and potential applicability of the proposed models is also discussed.
Informing a roadmap for cross-sectoral collaboration on portion size management as a national strategy to improve population nutrition - a Delphi study.

Background Addressing food portion sizes is a key untapped opportunity to help tackle obesity. This study sought to inform the agenda of a national movement involving diverse sectors to manage portion sizes in packaged foods, restaurants, cafeterias and prepared foods in grocery stores. Methods A Delphi study was conducted with representatives from public health, private-sector food companies and academia that formed a panel of experts (n = 32). Three iterative rounds of surveys were administered over 3 months. The surveys gathered opinions on psychological mindsets affecting portion size choice, eating habits, portion perception and distortion, passive overconsumption and challenges and advantages of this tool to improve population nutrition. The survey also inquired about visions for a future food environment. After every round, responses were analysed and questions narrowed to reach group consensus on specific items in the subsequent round. Results Although many experts fear that portion size interventions might be perceived as paternalistic, 91% of respondents agreed stealth interventions were preferable. Seventy-three per cent of experts believed that the most impactful portion size intervention was product reformulation while smaller packages were the most effective intervention according to only 28% of experts. The majority of the panel (59%) also believed that creating an artificial stopping point in packages was the best strategy to reduce food consumption. Finally, the study found that one of the most complex aspects of establishing a multi-sector collaboration for obesity prevention was to ascertain trust in the private sector's ability to balance profit versus social responsibility.[Corrections added on 21 March 2019, after first online publication: The percentage of experts who believed that small packages were the most effective intervention has been changed from "16%" to "28%".]. Conclusion This study informs the agenda of a cross-sectoral, coordinated movement to tackle obesity through a combination of changing social norms, individual behaviours and industry practices around portion size. Although cross-sectoral collaboration for non-communicable disease prevention is encouraged by different organizations, strategic efforts to define a common agenda on portion size have been limited thus far. This research highlights important strategies in portion size interventions and steps needed for the success of such a movement, as part of a wider effort across sectors and stakeholders to halt and reverse obesity rates in the USA.
Thermal and Photochemical Reactions of (η5-Cyclohexadienyl)2Fe2(CO)4 in the Presence of 2e- Donor Ligands: Isolation and Characterization of (η4-C,C′-(Cyclohexadiene)2)Fe2(CO)4L2.

Products from thermal or photochemical reaction of (I) with neutral ligands (II) are the same.
Torts in Law

This article replaces the previous edition article by T. Tanase, volume 23, pp. 15775–15779, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Gastrointestinal pathogen colonization and the microbiome in asymptomatic kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND In kidney transplant recipients, gastrointestinal (GI) pathogens in feces are only evaluated during diarrheal episodes. Little is known about the prevalence of GI pathogens in asymptomatic individuals in this population. METHODS We recruited 142 kidney transplant recipients who provided a non-diarrheal fecal sample within the first 10 days after transplantation. The specimens were evaluated for GI pathogens using the BioFire® FilmArray® GI Panel (BioFire Diagnostics, LLC), which tests for 22 pathogens. The fecal microbiome was also characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V4-V5 hypervariable region. We evaluated whether detection of Clostridioides difficile and other GI pathogens was associated with post-transplant diarrhea within the first 3 months after transplantation. RESULTS Among the 142 subjects, a potential pathogen was detected in 43 (30%) using the GI Panel. The most common organisms detected were C difficile (n = 24, 17%), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (n = 8, 6%), and norovirus (n = 5, 4%). Detection of a pathogen on the GI panel or detection of C difficile alone was not associated with future post-transplant diarrhea (P > .05). The estimated number of gut bacterial species was significantly lower in subjects colonized with C difficile than those not colonized with a GI pathogen (P = .01). CONCLUSION Colonization with GI pathogens, particularly C difficile, is common at the time of kidney transplantation but does not predict subsequent diarrhea. Detection of C difficile carriage was associated with decreased microbial diversity and may be a biomarker of gut dysbiosis.
Spectroscopy of high vibrational levels of the N-N stretching mode of N-N-16O and N-N-18O

The fundamental and overtones up to {nu} = 6 of the {nu}{sub 3} mode of N{sub 2}{sup 16}O and N{sub 2}{sup 18}O have been studied. The positions of the {nu}{sub 3} overtones can be fit by a two-parameter model since there is very limited interaction with other molecular vibrations. Vibrational self-consistent field and configuration interaction calculations and isotopic shift data show that the N-N stretching overtone is best described as a normal mode. Both N{sub 2}{sup 16}O and N{sub 2}{sup 18}O display line widths for the R branch of the {nu} = 6 overtone of less than 2 cm{sup {minus}1}.
Cochlear Implantation in Children with Single-Sided Deafness.

OBJECTIVE To describe our experience with children undergoing unilateral cochlear implantation (CI) for treatment of single-sided deafness (SSD). STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case series. METHODS A retrospective case review from a tertiary referral center involving 14 pediatric patients (<18 years) with SSD who underwent unilateral CI. Speech perception testing in quiet and noise in the CI-only and bimodal conditions with at least 1 year of device use and device usage from data logs represent the main outcome measures. RESULTS The mean age at CI was 5.0 years (median 4.4, range 1.0-11.8 years). The mean duration of deafness was 3.0 years (median 2.4, range 0.6-7.0 years). Mean follow-up was 3.4 years. Speech perception testing with a minimum of 1 year post-CI was available in eight patients. The mean word recognition scores (WRS) in the CI-only condition was 56%; a significant improvement from baseline. Testing in background noise with spatially separated speech and noise revealed that patients scored as well or better with the CI-on versus CI-off in all conditions and in no cases was interference from the CI noted. Data logs were reviewed for device usage which revealed an average use of 6.5 hr/d. CONCLUSION Cochlear implantation is a viable treatment option for pediatric SSD in this self-selected cohort. Open-set speech and improvement in background noise can be achieved. Careful patient selection and thorough counseling on expectations is paramount to achieving successful outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV Laryngoscope, 131:E271-E277, 2021.
Automated tuning of query degree of parallelism via machine learning

Determining the degree of parallelism (DOP) for query execution is of great importance to both performance and resource provisioning. However, recent work that applies machine learning (ML) to query optimization and query performance prediction in relational database management systems (RDBMSs) has ignored the effect of intra-query parallelism. In this work, we argue that determining the optimal or near-optimal DOP for query execution is a fundamental and challenging task that benefits both query performance and cost-benefit tradeoffs. We then present promising preliminary results on how ML techniques can be applied to automate DOP tuning. We conclude with a list of challenges we encountered, as well as future directions for our work.
Synergistic role of abiotic factors driving viable but non‐culturable Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae O1, a natural inhabitant of estuarine environments, is found in a dormant, viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state during interepidemic periods. Although the individual roles of abiotic factors affecting VBNC formation have been extensively studied, their interplay in driving this phenomenon remains largely unaddressed. Here, we identified that major abiotic factors synergize with low nutrient conditions governing entry of cells into the VBNC state. Specifically, V. cholerae cells exposed to a combination of alkaline pH and high salinity under aeration at low temperatures (VBNC-inducing conditions) synergize to facilitate rapid entry into VBNC, whereas the opposite conditions prevented entry into the state. The major virulence regulator ToxR, and the stringent response protein RelA played opposing roles, repressing and facilitating VBNC entry respectively. Further, VBNC-inducing conditions negated the effects of ToxR and RelA, facilitating rapid formation of VBNC cells. In summary, this study highlights the synergy between critical abiotic factors and identified ToxR and RelA as two associated regulators, allowing for the persistence of V. cholerae in aquatic environments. Insights obtained in this study will help better understand environmental survival non-sporulating bacteria and transmission of facultative bacterial pathogens.
Protean career orientation and career shock due to the pandemic: HRD’s role in supporting intersectional identity work

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted significant changes in the way we think about our work and career to the extent that it can be classified as a career shock (Akkermans, Richardson, and Kraimer fo...
Aqueous imbibition further investigation on contact area penetration enhancement for hydrocarbon extraction from tight rocks

Abstract The rapid decline of production and low oil recovery in shale and other tight formations have been identified in practice. Surfactant EOR has been considered as one of the best options for those challenging formations. Many studies indicated that the oil recovery was improved by surfactant spontaneous imbibition in a huff-n-puff mode. However, the slow oil extraction rate and the limited penetrating area into the rock matrix by laboratory experimental results indicated it might be impractical for real-time extraction. To address this problem for the carbonate-rich tight formations, a new approach of forced surfactant imbibition process coupled with enhanced contact area stimulation (acidizing, for instance) was proposed. In this paper, samples from the Middle Bakken were used for the laboratory studies. A chemical formulation (CF) consists of surfactant, organic acid, and other components was designed to evaluate the effects on carbonate-rich rocks, rock microstructure and petrophysical properties (porosity and permeability). Oil recovery was also examined by forced imbibition with chemical formulation. Research results demonstrated that CF treatment could dissolve the carbonate minerals in the Bakken rocks resulted in the microstructure changes. These changes led to the injected fluid deeply imbibe into the rock matrix and therefore enlarge the rock-fluid contact area. Rock porosity and permeability were increased and oil recovery was significantly improved with the designed chemical formulation through forced imbibition. In a summary, this laboratory study of combination of acid stimulation and forced surfactant imbibition process may serve as a possible approach for a field application to improve the hydrocarbon recovery from well to well besides of huff-n-puff method.
SUPERCONDUCTING ELECTRICAL MACHINES FOR SHIP PROPULSION

The components of an 18,000-shp-per-shaft transmission system employing superconducting electrical machines are described, and the principal considerations involved in the design of these components discussed. On the basis of the characteristics of the system design, it is apparent that superconducting machines offer a means of achieving the flexibility of electric systems at a greatly reduced weight and size.
Chemical Control of Seedling Diseases of Rice in Louisiana

Rice is a major crop in the state of Louisiana, USA, with 210,000 hectares produced in 1988 having a farm value of 192 million dollars. The water-mold disease in water-planted rice is a major problem leading to replanting or losses due to nonuniform stands. The disease is primarily caused by species of Achlya and Pythium. Seed-protectant fungicides have been field-tested since 1972. These tests are summarized and the labeled seed-protectant fungicides available in 1990 are listed. Seed-protectants gave about a 30 percent increase in stand over that produced by untreated seeds. Treatment of flood water or soil with metalaxyl significantly increased stands by controlling Pythium spp. Seedling blight caused by seedborne and soilborne fungi can also be controlled by fungicides.
Optical differentiation wavefront sensor based on binary pixelated transmission filters

An optical differentiation wavefront sensor based on measurements of wavefront slopes in two orthogonal directions obtained by far-field spatial modulation with a binary pixelated filter inducing a linear amplitude transmission is demonstrated.
SCC of High CR Alloys in BWR Environments

The current generation of weld metals used in BWRs, Alloy 182 and 82, have shown significant susceptibility to SCC in the laboratory and/or the field. With the laboratory data showing less than a factor of two difference in crack growth rate between the ~15% Cr Alloy 182 and the ~20% Cr Alloy 82, it seems clear that Alloy 82 will not be sufficiently resistant for long term SCC resistance. The higher Cr weld metals, Alloy 52i and 52, have dramatically greater (>100X) resistance to SCC than the current generation of weld metals, and indeed exhibit remarkable resistance to high corrosion potential, high water impurity levels, and high stress intensity factor.
Is there an increased risk of Haemophilus influenzae septicemia in children with sickle cell anemia

The risk of Haemophilus influenzae septicemia/meningitis to children who have sickle cell anemia (SS) has been determined to be greater than that seen among normal infants. Of ten bacteriologically proven cases, eight episodes of infection were observed among 234 children with sickle cell anemia (645 person-years), who were less than 5 years of age. There was one case per 69 infants with sickle cell anemia who were less than 18 months old and one case per 36 children with sickle cell anemia between 19 and 59 months of age. Unexpectedly, two infections occurred among 224 children (824 person-years), aged 5 to 9 years; both died. Contrary to the rapid clinical course of pneumococcal infections in children with sickle cell anemia H influenzae septicemia was regularly heralded by a greater than 24-hour prodrome of upper respiratory tract infection, low-grade fever, and otitis media. Three (30%) preventable deaths occurred. Antibiotic therapy for the febrile child with sickle cell anemia must be predicated on the known 400-fold increased risk of pneumococcal septicemia in those less than 5 years old and the fourfold risk of H influenzae septicemia in those less than 9 years of age.
Managing Innovation and Marketing in a Globally Dynamic Firm: Best Practices in Management at Diageo

Organizing and coordinating the activities of a business organization for the purpose of achieving its objectives is the goal of management. As such, management as a whole is extremely important in smoothly running a corporation and maintaining a profitable business. All the day-to-day activities can only be accomplished properly if there is good management in place. It covers all aspects of a business including marketing, daily operations, and innovation. This paper elaborates on the innovation and marketing strategies of Diageo, while using the company as a comparison for highlighting the positives and negatives of using certain management philosophies, practices and concepts that have made them successful in the alcoholic “drinking” industry.
A Pulsed NMR Study of Molecular Motions and Ordering Ethyl-[p-(p-methoxybenzylidene)-amino]-cinnamate

Abstract Pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance techniques were used to study the phase transitions in ethyl-[p-(p-methoxybenzylidene)-amino]-cinnamate from the room temperature solid phase through the isotropic liquid. Both the proton spin-lattice relaxation time an second moment were observed to change near each of the phase transitions. These quantities exhibited anisotropies in the semectic B phase similar to those observed for a typical nematic ordered in an electric field. The molecular order was stable in the smectic B phase, while molecular reordering was observed in the smectic A phase in the presence of moderate magnetic fields.
Robust time-optimal control - Frequency domain approach

The design of nonrobust and robust time-optimal controllers for linear systems in the frequency domain is presented. The bang-bang profile is represented as the superposition of time-delayed step inputs or the output of a time-delay filter subject to a step input. A parameter optimization problem is formulated to minimize the final time of the maneuver with the constraint that the time-delay filter cancels all of the poles of the system. The issue of robustness to errors in the model is addressed by placing multiple zeros of the time-delay filter at the estimated locations of the poles of the system. The design technique is illustrated on representative models of large space structures, for rest-to-rest, time-optimal, and robust time-optimal maneuvers. Spin-up maneuvers are shown to be special cases of the general formulation. IME-OPTIMAL control of flexible spacecraft is a topic of current interest.1 Many computational approaches and analyses have been presented in the recent literature to deal with the effects of flexibility. Most of these works deal with planar (singleaxis) rest-to-rest maneuvers under two categories: near-minimumtime control and exact-minimum-time control. The first category of methods is based on smooth approximations to minimum-time control for an equivalent rigid body. This class of methods has been shown to be well suited when applied moments or torques are produced by either throttlable thrusters or reaction wheels.2'3 Higher modes of the system are not excited due to the smoothness of the control profile. The second category of methods deals with on-off thrusters directly. Rajan4 formulates the problem including
Is tapentadol an advance on tramadol

Objective To review the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, tolerability, dosing, and administration of tapentadol, a combination mu-opioid-receptor agonist and monoamine-reuptake inhibitor, and compare it with tramadol, the first drug in this class. Data sources MEDLINE/PUBMED and EMBASE searches (1986 through March 2009) were conducted to identify pertinent English-language papers. In addition, meeting abstracts from multiple pain specialty organizations were searched (2000 through 2008). Study selection and data extraction All papers/abstracts evaluating any aspect of tapentadol. Data synthesis Oral tapentadol hydrochloride (HCl) is the second combination mu-opioid-receptor agonist and monoamine-reuptake inhibitor to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (approved for treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain in adults). It was active in a wide variety of pain states in animals and humans. It behaved in a similar fashion to morphine and hydromorphone in animal and human models of physical/psychological dependence. Oral tapentadol HCI is administered in doses of 50 to 100 mg every four to six hours (dose and dosing interval being selected on the basis of pain intensity). No specific recommendations have been made for elders. Conclusion Tapentadol overcomes some of the liabilities of tramadol. However, it still has some liabilities: its potential to contribute to/precipitate serotonin syndrome and anticholinergic/5-HT3 antagonist effects and to induce physical/psychological dependence (similar to schedule II opioids). There is also a dearth of information in terms of efficacy/tolerability in chronic pain states, clinical data in frail elders, and details of drug-drug interaction potential vis-a-vis glucuronidation and quantitation of the risk of serotonin syndrome.
The human calcitonin receptor gene (CALCR) at 7q21.3 is outside the deletion associated with the Williams syndrome

The human calcitonin receptor (CTR) is a transmembrane peptide with dual action as a receptor for the hormone calcitonin and as an extracellular calcium sensor. Therefore, CTR dysfunction could lead to disorders of calcium metabolism associated with hypercalcemia, such as the Williams syndrome (WS). WS is a developmental disorder caused by a deletion at chromosome 7q11.23 that includes the elastin locus (ELN). We have mapped the CTR gene (CALCR) to chromosome band 7q21.3 by polymerase chain reaction and singlestrand conformation analysis of somatic cell hybrids as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to metaphase chromosome spreads. Two-color FISH cohybridizing CTR and ELN probes confirmed that CALCR maps telomeric to ELN. Subsequent analysis of chromosome spreads from four WS patients revealed deletion of the ELN locus in all of them and normal hybridization of CTR probes to both chromosome 7 homologues, indicating that CALCR lies outside the deleted region.
Pertussis toxin-mediated ribosylation of G proteins blocks the hypnotic response to an α2-agonist in the locus coeruleus of the rat

Biologic responses mediated by adrenoceptors are transduced by a receptor-effector mechanism that involves a guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein). Recently, we determined that the transduction mechanism for the hypnotic response to dexmedetomidine, a highly selective alpha 2-agonist, is located in the locus coeruleus (LC) of the rat. In this study, we examined the role of pertussis toxin-sensitive (PTX) G proteins in the LC for the hypnotic response to dexmedetomidine. The LC of rats were stereotactically cannulated and treated with PTX, 0.34 micrograms, or vehicle. Five days later, the hypnotic response to dexmedetomidine, 7 micrograms into the LC or 50 micrograms.kg-1 IP, was tested. On the following day, the LC was harvested and assayed to determine whether the G proteins had been ribosylated by pretreatment with PTX in vivo. Quantitative immunoblotting of G0 alpha, Gi alpha 1,2, and Gi alpha 3, the alpha-subunit of three PTX-sensitive proteins, was also performed. In vivo treatment with PTX into the LC blocked the hypnotic response to LC-administered dexmedetomidine and, to a lesser extent, IP-administered dexmedetomidine. The in vivo PTX treatment effectively ribosylated the G proteins. No alteration in the amount of the different species of PTX-sensitive alpha-subunit was produced by in vivo PTX treatment. These data suggest a pivotal role for PTX-sensitive G proteins in the LC in the hypnotic response to alpha 2-agonists in the rat.
Dynamic subpattern matching with holographic associative memory

This paper presents the result of our research on a new associative memory, which unlike any existing neural network based artificial associative memories, can dynamically localize (or focus) its search on any subset of the pattern space. This new ability now makes the power of associative computing available to a new class of pattern matching applications. Application areas which will particularly benefit from this model include (1) detection of small irregular patterns (medical diagnostics), (2) detection of tiny targets, (3) background varying target recognition, (4) visual example based content-based image retrieval, (5) robust adaptive control systems which needs to continue operating with small number of surviving sensors, in the face of post learning loss of sensors.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Atherothrombosis: plaque instability and thrombogenesis.

Hemostasis involves a carefully regulated balance between circulating and endothelium-derived prothrombotic and antithrombotic factors. The unstable or vulnerable plaque facilitates thrombosis, clinically manifest as an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), by creating an environment that favors thrombus formation over prevention of lysis. Endothelial cell dysfunction is integral to both the development of the atherosclerotic lesion as well as its destabilization. The transformation of a stable plaque to an unstable one involves complex interactions among T lymphocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells. Degradation of the fibrous cap of the atherosclerotic lesion as well as the overexpression of prothrombotic and underexpression of antithrombotic factors by cells within the plaque precede thrombus formation. Accordingly, pharmacological interventions for the treatment of ACS are directed against the initiation and propagation of thrombosis, as well as toward improvement of endothelial function.
Current status of the therapy of advanced renal carcinoma.

A preclinical murine renal tumor model system is available for evaluation of the effectiveness of therapeutic agents. Clinical review reveals that objective response rates to hormonal agents reported since 1971 have been substantially lower than those reported prior to 1971. Many chemotherapeutic agents have not been adequately evaluated clinically or with the experimental model. Vinblastine to date may be the most active single agent with a 25% objective response rate. At the present time, it is uncertain whether combination chemotherapy or hormonal chemotherapy add to response rates obtained with single agents. There is some evidence that immunotherapy may be of some adjuvant benefit and, thus, may provide an additional avenue of investigation.
Identification of a human cyclin D1-derived peptide that induces human cytotoxic CD4 T cells.

Cyclin D1 is over-expressed in various human tumors and therefore can be a potential oncogenic target antigen. However, only a limited number of T cell epitopes has been characterized. We aimed at identifying human cyclin D1-derived peptides that include both CD4 and CD8 T cell epitopes and to test if such multi-epitope peptides could yield improved cytotoxic CD8 T cell responses as well as cytotoxic CD4 T cells. Five HLA-DR.B1-binding peptides containing multiple overlapping CD4 epitopes and HLA-A0201-restricted CD8 T cell epitopes were predicted by computer algorithms. Immunogenicity of the synthetic peptides was assessed by stimulating T cells from healthy donors in vitro and the epitope recognition was measured by IFN-γ ELISPOT and 51Chromium release assays. A HLA-DR.B1 peptide, designed “DR-1”, in which a HLA-A0201-binding epitopes (D1-1) was imbedded, induced CD3 T cell responses against both DR-1 and D1-1 peptides in IFN-γ ELISPOT assay. This suggested processing of the shorter D1-1 epitope from the DR-1 sequence. However, only DR-1-stimulated CD4 or CD3 T cells possessed cytotoxicity against peptide-pulsed autologous DCs and a cancer cell line, that expresses a high level of cyclin D1. Monoclonal antibody to HLA-DR abrogated the epitope-specific responses of both CD3 and CD4 T cells, demonstrating class II-mediated killing. Our studies suggest a possible role of CD4 T cells in anti-tumor immunity as cytotoxic effectors against HLA-DR expressing cancers and provide a rationale for designing peptide vaccines that include CD4 epitopes.
Paramagnetic porous polymersomes.

The ability of chelated Gd to serve as an effective magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent largely depends on fast exchange rates between the Gd-bound water molecules and the surrounding bulk water. Because water diffuses slowly across lipid bilayers, liposomes with encapsulated chelated Gd have not been widely adopted as MR contrast agents. To overcome this limitation, we have synthesized chemically stabilized, porous polymersomes with encapsulated gadolinium (Gd) chelates. The polymerosmes, 125 nm in diameter, were produced from the aqueous assembly of diblock copolymers, PEO(1300)-b-PBD(2500) (PBdEO), and phospholipids, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC). The PBdEO was cross-linked using a chemical initiator and the POPC was extracted with surfactant, generating a highly porous outer membrane. The encapsulated Gd chelates were attached to dendrimers to prevent their leakage through the pores. It was estimated that, on average, nearly 44 000 Gd were encapsulated within each polymers...
Daily and seasonal variations in Limulus visual behavior

Abstract Limulus visual thresholds were measured using psychophysical techniques over a period of almost one year. A pronounced seasonal trend was found; threshold varied over a range of approximately two log units and was lowest in Summer and highest in Winter. This seasonal trend had several properties: Thresholds measured over the whole year were not normally distributed: In Summer, thresholds clustered around one value. In Winter, thresholds clustered around another value two log units higher. And in Spring and Fall, thresholds were more widely distributed between the two values. Latencies were also season dependent: In both Summer and Winter, latency was a declining logarithmic function of intensity with the Summer latency versus intensity function shifted toward lower intensities. However, in Spring and Fall, the latencies declined at low intensities, then rose at intermediate intensities, and then fell again at high intensities. Individual animals exhibited day‐to‐day threshold alterations of a mag...
Nanoporous Si as an Efficient Thermoelectric Material

Room-temperature thermoelectric properties of n-type crystalline Si with periodically arranged nanometer-sized pores are computed using a combination of classical molecular dynamics for lattice thermal conductivity and ab initio density functional theory for electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and electronic contribution to the thermal conductivity. The electrical conductivity is found to decrease by a factor of 2-4, depending on doping levels, compared to that of bulk due to confinement. The Seebeck coefficient S yields a 2-fold increase for carrier concentrations less than 2 x 10(19) cm(-3), above which S remains closer to the bulk value. Combining these results with our calculations of lattice thermal conductivity, we predict the figure of merit ZT to increase by 2 orders of magnitude over that of bulk. This enhancement is due to the combination of the nanometer size of pores which greatly reduces the thermal conductivity and the ordered arrangement of pores which allows for only a moderate reduction in the power factor. We find that while alignment of pores is necessary to preserve power factor values comparable to those of bulk Si, a symmetric arrangement is not required. These findings indicate that nanoporous semiconductors with aligned pores may be highly attractive materials for thermoelectric applications.
Lignosulfonates: effects on plant growth and survival and migration through the soil profile

The effects of Lignosite#rm lignosulfonate, a refined lignosulfonate product that is obtained from the sulfite pulping process, on growth and survival of plants were investigated. Following applications of 0, 7500, 15,000 and 22,500 cm3#shm2 to 32 plots within a forest plantation, the following were monitored: (1) live aboveground biomass of vascular plants, (2) growth of Douglar fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and (3) lignosulfonate migration through the soil profile. Live aboveground biomass of woody vegetation was not affected, and that of herbaceous plants was significantly decreased only at the two greatest application rates. Growth of the Douglas fir trees was not significantly affected. Lignosulfonates disappeared from the soil profile at the same rate regardless of initial concentration. Although it is not practical to use this material as a herbicide in western Washington, land application of lignosulfonates may be environmentally more attractive than traditional disposal methods.
Phase of the Wilson line.

This paper discusses some aspects of the global {ital Z}({ital N}) symmetry of finite-temperature, SU({ital N}), pure Yang-Mills lattice gauge theory. It contributes to the recent discussion of the physics of the phase of the Wilson line expectation value. In the high {ital T} phase, {l_angle}{ital L}{r_angle} takes one of {ital N} distinct values proportional to the {ital N}th roots of unity in {ital Z}({ital N}), and the {ital Z}({ital N}) symmetry is broken. Only one of these is consistent with the usual interpretation {l_angle}{ital L}{r_angle}={ital e}{sup {minus}{ital F}/{ital T}} with {ital F} the excess free energy due to a source of color-electric flux at the position of the line. This relation should be generalized to {l_angle}{ital L}{r_angle}={ital ze}{sup {minus}{ital F}/{ital T}} with {ital z}{element_of}{ital Z}({ital N}) so that it is consistent with the negative or complex values. In the Hamiltonian description, the {ital physical} variables are the group elements on the links of the spatial lattice. In a Lagrangian formulation, there are also group elements on links in the inverse-temperature direction from which the Wilson line is constructed. These are unphysical, auxiliary variables introduced to enforce the Gauss law constraints. The following results are obtained. The generalized relation {l_angle}{italmore » L}{r_angle}={ital ze}{sup {minus}{ital F}/{ital T}}, which has appeared in earlier papers, is derived. The value of {ital z}{element_of}{ital Z}({ital N}) is determined by the external field that is needed for taking the infinite-volume limit. There is a single physical, high-temperature phase, which is the same for all {ital z}. The global {ital Z}({ital N}) symmetry is not physical; it acts as the identity on all physical states. In the Hamiltonian formulation, the high-temperature phase is not distinguished by physical broken symmetry. Rather the high-temperature phase has a percolating flux network that is not present in the low-temp phase.« less
Taxonomic studies on Cryptococci and related yeasts

A taxonomic methodology based on current keys and the ready availability of refrigerated slant media is presented. It utilizes defined media, surface inoculation, and reagent indicators which simplify final readings. Yeast Nitrogen Base w/o Amino Acids or Ammonium Sulfate (DIFCO) is used as a source of vitamins and trace nutrilites. The medium consists of the Seitz-filtered vitamin base (0.1 % w/v), nitrogen source (0.5 %), and carbon source (1.0 %) mixed into 1.5 % agar slants. Test inocula are taken from a vitamin base-ammonium sulfate-dextrose positive control slant. Cultures are incubated for 2–4 days at 25° C. Nitrate assimilation is tested with the usual sulfanilic acid-alphanaphthylamine reagents. Carbon assimilation is tested with 0.04 % aqueous brom-phenol-blue. These reagent tests help discriminate between negative, weak, and doubtful test results. Tables of test results onCryptococcus, Rhodotorula, and non-fermentingTorulopsis species are presented.
RECONCEPTUALIZING THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE DISTINCTION IN THE AGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The public/private distinction is one of the fundamental categories of modern social life. Historically, the two functioned as a dichotomous pair both theoretically and practically. During the height of the separation of public and private, ‘private’ was code for the home, personal, and non-professional contexts; ‘public’, on the other hand, stood for the professional world outside the home. This dichotomous treatment of public and private informed many aspects of social life ranging from gender relations and the division of household labor to the development of suburbs as purely residential (private) areas geographically separate from the public sphere of work. Recently, however, this dichotomous vision of the public/private divide has become outdated. It no longer accurately describes the ways in which public and private operate in contemporary social life; where the two spheres were once separate, there is now significant overlap and interaction. This breakdown in the public and private divide has occu...
Interfacing or models and information systems: A systematic approach

Abstract Successful implementation of an OR model within an information system occurs only when the model becomes an integral part of the system. The process of incorporating a model into a system not only necessitates a detailed analysis of the model's informational requirements, which must be satisfied once the model is introduced into the system, but also requires an analysis of the information system with respect to these requirements. Such analyses may reveal that both the model and the system must be perturbed in order to effect a feasible interface. In determining the extent of the modifications to be made to each, the total cost of the various alternatives and the resulting effects on optimality must be established. This paper focuses on the development of informational models and procedures for performing these interface operations and the definition of a basis by which optimal or near optimal modifications and adjustments of the OR model and information system may be determined.
Treatment of Avulsed Permanent Teeth: An Update

Every dental practitioner should be familiar with the current treatment recommendations for avulsed teeth. This article has attempted to update the practitioner in both the collection of data and treatment modalities for such traumatic injuries. The long-term prognosis of avulsed teeth has improved both because of the decrease in splinting time, which decreases the incidence of replacement resorption and the use of calcium hydroxide, which produces a better apical seal and decreases the incidence and severity of inflammatory resorption.
Sterol Carrier Protein-2 Overexpression Enhances Sterol Cycling and Inhibits Cholesterol Ester Synthesis and High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Secretion

Recent data indicate that sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) functions in the rapid movement of newly synthesized cholesterol to the plasma membrane (Puglielli, L., Rigotti, A., Greco, A. V., Santos, M. J., and Nervi, F. (1995) J. Biol. Chem 270, 18723-18726). In order to further characterize the cellular function of SCP-2, we transfected McA-RH7777 rat hepatoma cells with a pre-SCP-2 cDNA expression construct. In stable transfectants, pre-SCP-2 processing resulted in an 8-fold increase in peroxisomal levels of SCP-2. SCP-2 overexpression increased the rates of newly synthesized cholesterol transfer to the plasma membrane and plasma membrane cholesterol internalization by 4-fold. There was no effect of SCP-2 overexpression on the microsomal levels of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase and neutral cholesterol ester (CE) hydrolase; however, in the intact cell, CE synthesis and mass were reduced by 50%. SCP-2 overexpression also reduced high density lipoprotein-cholesterol secretion and apoA-I gene expression by 70% and doubled the rate of plasma membrane desmosterol conversion to cholesterol. We conclude that SCP-2 overexpression enhances the rate of cholesterol cycling, which reduces the availability of cholesterol for CE synthesis and alters the activity of a cellular cholesterol pool involved in regulating apoA-I-mediated high density lipoprotein cholesterol secretion. The net result of these changes in cholesterol metabolism is a 46% increase in plasma membrane cholesterol content, the implications of which are discussed.
Multiclass kernel-based feature extraction

Feature Extraction (FE) algorithms have attracted great attention in recent years. In order to improve the performance of FE algorithms, nonlinear kernel transformations (e.g., the kernel trick) and scatter matrix based class separability criteria have been introduced in Kernel-based Feature Extraction (KFE)\cite{}. However, for any L-class problem, at most L-1 nonlinear kernel features can be extracted by KFE, which is not desirable for many applications. To solve this problem, a modified kernel-based feature extraction (MKFE) based on nonparametric scatter matrices was proposed, but with the limitation of only being able to extract multiple features for 2-class problems. In this paper, we present a general MKFE algorithm for multi-class problems. The core of our algorithm is a novel expression of the nonparametric between-class matrix, which is shown to be consistent with the definition of the parametric between-class matrix in the sense of the scatter-matrix-based class separability criteria. Based on this expression of the between-class matrix our algorithm is able to extract multiple kernel features in multi-class problems. To speed up the computation, we also proposed a simplified formula. Experimental results using synthetic data are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Drought onset and recovery over the United States

[1] This study employs precipitation (P) and ensemble soil moisture data sets from 1916 to 2007 to study the drought onset and demise over the United States. Both meteorological drought, classified using the standardized precipitation indices (SPIs), and agricultural drought, classified using the soil moisture percentiles, are studied. Drought onset is more predictable than drought demise. It takes 5–8 months for a region to accumulate enough P deficits to begin a drought, whereas a drought demise can come within one month to one season. A few strong rainfall episodes can end drought. The preferred season for the meteorological drought onset is at the beginning of the rainy season. Even though drought has a preferred season to begin, the ratio between the onset occurring in that season and the total drought events is less than 45%. For agricultural drought, the ratio is 60% or higher for the northwestern interior states and the Southwest. Over the Southern Plains, a cold El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event occurs one season before the onset of drought. No drought events occur during the warm ENSO years. Therefore, the occurrence of a cold ENSO event can serve as an early warning for drought. For other areas influenced by ENSO, such as the lower Mississippi basin, the Ohio Valley, the Pacific Northwest, the upper Missouri basin, and the Southeast, most drought events occur during ENSO. The one-to-one correspondence between ENSO and drought is not good. For these areas, ENSO can only serve as a signal for intensive drought watch.
Relation between self-recalled childhood physical activity and adult physical activity: The women’s health initiative

Background: Evidence suggests that childhood physical activity may play a role in the etiology and prevention of adult chronic diseases. Because researchers must often depend on self-recalled physical activity data many years after the exposure, it is important to understand factors which may influence adult recall of childhood physical activity. This study evaluated the influence of adult characteristics on reported childhood physical activity and the association between adult physical activity and self-recalled childhood physical activity. Methods: 48,066 post-menopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study reported their physical activity level during ages 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19. Results: In this cohort, over 65% of the population reported the same category of physical activity over the three childhood age groups. While higher levels of childhood physical activity were significantly associated with higher adult physical activity, this association varied by race/ethnicity, education, smoking, body mass index, history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease, social support and physical functional status. Women who were consistently highly active reported adult physical activity levels that were 2.82 MET-hr/week (95% C.I. = 2.43, 3.20) higher compared to women who were always physically inactive during childhood. Conclusions: It is important for researchers to understand the influence of adult characteristics on reported childhood physical activity.
Electronic states of metal atoms on the GaAs(110) surface studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

Using the scanning tunneling microscope, Au adsorbates are found to bond to Ga atoms on the GaAs(110) surface. A characteristic spectrum of band-gap states is observed for the Au adsorbates. Both donor and acceptor states are seen, and they are identified with the first and second electron states of the Au-Ga bond, respectively.