cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of multiple quantum well Y-junction waveguides for high speed optical switching

We demonstrate all-optical switching in an integrated Y- junction device fabricated using conventional contact photolithography, photo-resist masking and wet chemical etching on a GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well structures. Two different mechanisms that can be used to cause the ultrafast switching are compared. They are the carrier induced nonlinearity and the nonlinearities due to the optical Stark effect. In the first case, the device geometry is exploited by a two-pulse switching process whereby one control pulse turns the device on and a subsequent control pulse turns it off. Here the relatively long relaxation time of the carriers does not impose a limit on the speed of operation and time gating of signal pulses within a 9 ps window was realized in our experiment. In the second case, the nonlinearity is ultrafast and hence switching and recovery takes place during the control pulse evolution. Consecutive switching events spaced 1.7 ps apart has been achieved.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nanostructure Integration: Is Nature's Way the Best Way?

It is always inspiring to observe how nature effortlessly integrates a myriad of nanoparticles into very complex living and non-living structures. As we increase our engineering skills from making nanoparticles to integrating them into complex but more useful structures, we are tempted to mimic the approaches used in the nature. At first glance, the "natural way" appears to be particularly suited to handling of a very large number of nanoparticles whose local interaction with each other is dominated by their surface properties. Properly functionalized nanoparticles can therefore be expected to self-assemble into predetermined structures simply by providing the right environment. This approach has indeed been successfully employed to construct many interesting structures ranging from photonic bandgap crystals to solar cells. Can we continue to refine these approaches to make more complex structures? Or, is there an ultimate limitation? In a diverse field such as nanotechnology with much upside potential, it is difficult to predict limitations. Yet, not all technological approaches are equal in terms of achieving sustainable integration techniques for higher value products. We attempt to compare various integration approaches currently used as to their viability for continued progress. Since many self-assembly techniques have counterparts in natural processes, we examine the limitations and the prospects of nanoassembly processes by attempting to learn from the nature. More specifically, the "top-down" and "bottom-up" assembly approaches are examined for their applicability for nanostructure fabrication.
Defining Strategic Publics in a Networked World: Public Diplomacy’s Challenge at Home and Abroad

SummaryThis article addresses the issue of how strategic publics should be defined in public diplomacy. The article first reviews widely accepted theories of stakeholders and publics in business and public relations that help to explain the role and value of publics to organizations and provide alternatives for the conceptualization of strategic publics. It applies these concepts to public diplomacy in an effort to demonstrate their potential usefulness in identifying and prioritizing strategic publics at home and abroad. The article then suggests that although stakeholder theory and situational theory are useful tools for conceptualizing strategic publics in public diplomacy, these theories must be expanded to capture fully the complex nature of the contemporary diplomatic environment. An expanded framework that is based on networks of influence is suggested as an alternative for defining public diplomacy publics in a networked world.
Pulmonary function in a group of young patients with bronchial asthma.

Abstract Pulmonary function studies were performed on 6 asthmatic patients, 11 to 16 years of age, at times when they considered themselves to be free of asthmatic symptoms. Decreased ventilatory function, increased residual air volumes and RATC ratios, hyperventilation, defective intrapulmonary mixing of gases, and arterial anoxemia were observed. On the basis of the pattern of disturbance of pulmonary function and the response to bronchodilator administration, persistent obstruction of the small intrapulmonary airways apparently accounted for the findings. Moderately advanced pulmonary insufficiency accompanied by pulmonary arterial hypertension was noted in one patient in whom permanent emphysema was thought to be present. The possible bearing of persistent obstruction of the bronchioles on the pathogenesis of emphysema in bronchial asthma is discussed, and the use of pulmonary function tests (M.B.C.) as a guide to management of the patient with bronchial asthma is suggested.
Anne Dudens Erzählband übergang: Zum Verhältnis von Angst und Postmoderne in der Literatur der achtziger Jahre

Summary Bei der Beschaftigung mit unmittelbar zeitgenossischer deutschsprachiger Literatur fallt der in zahlreichen Werken thematisierte Angstkomplex auf, in sowohl individueller als auch kollektiver Auspragung. Angst als dominierendes Lebensgefuhl bestimmt auch den Erzahlband ubergang, das Erstlingswerk der Schriftstellerin Anne Duden. Bei der Untersuchung der Angstursachen stost man in diesem Werk auf Probleme, die im Mittelpunkt der gegenwartigen Diskussion um den Begriff der Postmoderne stehen, insbesondere die Thematik des Mistrauens gegenuber einer sinnstiftenden, teleologisch ausgerichteten Vernunft im Sinne der Aufklarung und der Gesellschaftstheorien des 19. Jahrhunderts.
Energy-dissipative momentum-conserving time-stepping algorithms for finite strain multiplicative plasticity

Abstract This paper presents a new energy-dissipative momentum-conserving algorithm for multiplicative models of finite strain plasticity. The proposed scheme preserves exactly the conservation laws of linear and angular momenta, and leads to the exact energy dissipation between the two computed solutions in a given time step. In particular, the energy is exactly conserved if the step is elastic, thus recovering existing energy–momentum-conserving schemes in the purely elastic range. Extensions accommodating a strictly non-negative numerical energy dissipation in the high-frequency to handle the numerical stiffness of the problem are also discussed briefly. These conservation/dissipation properties are proven rigorously in the very nonlinear setting of multiplicative finite strain plasticity. In fact, the analysis drives the design of the new return mapping algorithm proposed to integrate the plastic evolution equations so the above dissipation/conservation properties hold. These analyses account for the spatial discretization of the problem in the context of the finite element method. Several representative numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the performance of the new algorithm.
Alkyne metathesis with simple catalyst systems: High yield dimerization of propynylated aromatics; scope and limitations

Abstract High yield dimerization of propynylated benzenes and propynylnaphthalene by a mixture of Mo(CO) 6 and 4-chlorophenol at 140 °C in 1,2-dichlorobenzene is reported to give the corresponding disubstituted alkynes. The scope and limitation of the reaction and the influence of substitution pattern and substitution type are discussed. Oxygen or nitrogen carrying substrates metathesize in moderate to good yields and ortho -alkyl substituted examples form the respective tolanes very efficiently.
Is There a Role for SV40 in Human Cancer

The question of whether Simian Virus 40 (SV40) can cause human tumors has been one of the most highly controversial topics in cancer research during the last 50 years. The longstanding debate began with the discovery of SV40 as a contaminant in poliovirus vaccine stocks that were used to inoculate approximately 100 million children and adults in the United States between 1955 and 1963, and countless more throughout the world. Concerns regarding the potential health risk of SV40 exposure were reinforced by studies demonstrating SV40's potential to transform human cells and promote tumor growth in animal models. Many studies have attempted to assess the relationship between the potential exposure of humans to SV40 and cancer incidence. Reports of the detection of SV40 DNA in a variety of cancers have raised serious concerns as to whether the inadvertent inoculation with SV40 has led to the development of cancer in humans. However, inconsistent reports linking SV40 with various tumor types has led to conflicting views regarding the potential of SV40 as a human cancer virus. Several recent studies suggest that older detection methodologies were flawed, and the limitations of these methods could account for most, if not all, of the positive correlations of SV40 in human tumors to date. Although many people may have been exposed to SV40 by polio vaccination, there is inadequate evidence to support widespread SV40 infection in the population, increased tumor incidence in those individuals who received contaminated vaccine, or a direct role for SV40 in human cancer.
Heat Transfer Measurements and Predictions for the Vane and Blade of a Rotating High-Pressure Turbine Stage

This paper describes heat-transfer measurements and predictions obtained for the vane and blade of a rotating high-pressure turbine stage. The measurements were obtained with the stage operating at design corrected conditions. A previous paper described the aerodynamics and the blade midspan location heat-transfer data and compared these experimental results with predictions. The intent of the current paper is to concentrate on the measurements and predictions for the 20%, 50%, and 80% span locations on the vane, the vane inner and outer endwall, the 20% and 96% span location on the blade, the blade tip (flat tip), and the stationary blade shroud. Heat-transfer data obtained at midspan for three different TBC coated vanes (fine, medium and coarse) are also presented. Boundary-layer heat transfer predictions at the off-midspan locations are compared with the measurements for both the vane and the blade. The results of a STAR-CD 3D prediction are compared with the 20% and 96% span results for the blade surface. Predictions are not available for comparison with the tip and shroud experimental results.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Magnetic and structural characteristics of some 2: 17 rare earth-cobalt systems

Abstract The R 2 Co 17 systems occuring in the Th 2 Ni 17 (hexagonal) structure have six magnetic sublattices - R in the 2b and 2d sites and Co in the 6g, 12j, 12k and 4f sites. The overall magnetic behavior is the result of a complex interplay between the several magnetic sublattices. In Er 2 Co 17 and Yb 2 Co 17 only the 2b and 12j sublattices lead to the uniaxial anisotropy which is desired for permanent magnet fabrication. The useful magnetic propties of these systems can be enhanced by partially replacing the rare earth with Pr and Co by Fe and/or Mn. Fe-containing systems are particularly interesting because they have large magnetizations, high Curie temperatures and relatively strong magnetic anisotropies. Inclusion of Pr in place of Er or Yb produces a substantial increase in magnetization plus a modest increase in anisotropy. The rise in anisotropy is attributed to preferential replacement of Er or Yb by Pr in the 2d sites. In these sites, theory shows Er and Yb to have planar and Pr axial anisotropy, and it is for this reason that the incorporation of Pr in the lattice increase the uniaxial anisotropy. The increase in anisotropy when Co is replaced by Fe and/or Mn seems to arise in two ways - (1) preferential substitution at the dumbell sites and (2) band structure effects.
Why the New Atheism Shouldn't Be (Completely) Dismissed

Daniel Dennett begins his book Breaking the Spell (2006) by comparing religion to a lancet fluke, a small parasite that enters the brain of ants, causing them to climb to the top of stalks of grass so that they may be eaten by cows or sheep. While this does not end so well for the ant, it works out great for the lancet fluke, which is able to complete its reproductive cycle in the mammal’s gut and then spread its progeny with the expelled feces. Perhaps, Dennett suggests, the human mind is enslaved by ideas in a similar manner, and goes on to remind us (in case we didn’t get the connection) that islam in translation means submission. The “New Atheism,” as the movement behind the recent wave of books attacking religion has come to be called, is many things, but subtle is not one of them. To read the recent works on the evils of religion by Dennett, Sam Harris (The End of Faith, 2004), and Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion, 2006) is to expose oneself to heavy doses of hyperbole, sarcasm, and outrage, sometimes all in the same paragraph. The books have sold well enough to be on best-seller lists, and the authors have achieved, at least briefly, intellectual celebrity status. These works are intentionally divisive, and the reviews have ranged from the laudatory to the scathing, depending in no small part on the reviewers’ sympathies with the take-noprisoners approach of these works. For most religion-and-science scholars, the likely action will be to read the reviews, perhaps listen to an interview or two on public radio, and then go on with one’s life and research, secure in the knowledge that much of what these books contain is not sophisticated enough to bother with. I would suggest, however, that to completely dismiss these works would be a mistake. It is a remarkable fact that books promoting atheism and attacking religion, typically in the name of science and reason, are now regularly
Thermoelastic stress analysis of orthotropic composites

The temperature variation in a cyclically loaded orthotropic composite is proportional to a linear combination of the changes in the normal stresses in the directions of material symmetry. An effective method is presented here to determine the individual stresses from measured thermoelastic data in a region adjacent to an arbitrarily shaped fraction-free boundary of loaded orthotropic composites. The method, which is based on equilibrium and compatibility, uses complex-variable formulations involving conformal mappings, analytic continuation and numerical techniques.
Failure of Guideline-based Anticoagulation in a Patient with Mitral Prosthetic Valve and Recurrent Thromboembolism

Prosthetic valve (PV)-related thromboembolism is a rare but serious complication of implanted mechanical valves. There is not a design that has yet achieved mechanical perfection; therefore, using these mechanical valves is not free of mortality and morbidity. Some of the complications of using such valves include PV thrombosis, systemic embolization, bleeding, endocarditis, perivalvular leak, and structural valve failure. These valves are thrombogenic, and their use requires anticoagulation postoperatively to prevent systemic embolization and PV thrombosis. This intervention also carries the risk of bleeding, which can be detrimental for a subset of patients, especially elderly, pregnant, and those with other systemic comorbidities. In this case we present a patient with recurrent thromboembolic events and a nonobstructing St. Jude mitral PV thrombosis despite vigorous anticoagulation with Coumadin (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Princeton, NJ) and aspirin.
Equilibrium thickness of saturated superfluid 3He films on a copper substrate

Abstract Much theoretical interest focuses on the equilibrium thickness of liquid helium films adsorbed onto a substrate. To address this issue in liquid 3 He, an experiment to measure the thickness d of a saturated superfluid 3 He film, on a horizontal copper substrate which is a height h above the free surface of the liquid bath, was carried out. The free surface of the bulk superfluid 3 He is slowly lowered, thus increasing h , by expanding a bellows (actuated with superfluid 4 He) at the base of the cell. While doing this, continuous measurements of the thickness of the superfluid 3 He film, from which we can obtain d ( h ), are made. These measurements then allow us to extract information on the attractive (van der Waals) potential between the superfluid 3 He film and the copper substrate.
Procedure incidence and in-hospital complication rates of bariatric surgery in the united states

Abstract Background Complication rates for bariatric surgery have been reported primarily from academic centers with specialized programs. The rates may not reflect those occurring in the community. Methods The National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) database maintained by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) was queried to determine the national incidence and complication rate for bariatric surgery as performed in the United States. Results The number of bariatric procedures rapidly increased from 6,868 in 1996 to 45,473 in 2001, with most of the increase attributable to a very large rise in the annual number of Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses performed. The in-hospital complication rate was 9.6% and 8.6% of patients has a length of stay exceeding 7 days. Cholecystectomies were performed concurrently in 28% of cases and were not associated with increases in complication rates or longer hospital stays. For those undergoing surgery, the most common preoperative comorbid conditions were hypertension (34%), arthritis (27%), GERD (22%), sleep apnea (22%), and diabetes (18%). Conclusions The rate at which bariatric procedures are being performed is rapidly increasing, resulting in the need to establish practice standards. In-house complication rates derived from a cross section of US practices compare favorably with those reported from specialized centers. Based on these nationally representative data, the expected in-house clinically significant complication rate for bariatric operations is approximately 10%. As that is the average complication rate observed nationally, it serves as the benchmark to which bariatric surgery programs can compare themselves.
Structural identification of a long-span truss bridge

An ongoing research project involving structural identification of the Commodore Barry Bridge, a major long-span truss bridge over the Delaware River, is described. Structural identification is an approach in which a constructed facility and its loading environment are objectively characterized by field observations, measurements, and controlled experiments in conjunction with an analytical model. This process is a necessary precursor to performing health monitoring of the bridge. Long-span bridges have attributes that make utilization of experimental and analytical techniques on them quite different than for short-span bridges. The concept of structural identification and the methods used in applying it to a long-span bridge are presented and discussed. The structural characteristics of the bridge are described and conceptualized. Development of the three-dimensional analytical model and the model characteristics are summarized. Static and dynamic analyses are conducted to help locate anomalies and error...
Immunocytochemical localization of enkephalin and substance P in retina and eyestalk neurones of lobster

Enkephalin and substance P are two peptides found in vertebrate nervous systems that have been intensively studied with regard to cellular distribution and receptor mechanisms1–3. Invertebrate nervous systems, which are extremely useful in elucidating general principles of neural functions4–6, can also be used as models for the analysis of peptidergic mechanisms7,8. The accessibility, regularity, small number and relatively large size of the neural components of one such system, the crustacean compound eye, have facilitated the accumulation of detailed information about their anatomy9–11 and physiology12–14, and provided insight into basic principles of intercellular communication12–14. We report here that immunoreactivity of enkephalin and substance P can be localized to specific neural elements in the visual system of the spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus. Our observations suggest that this highly organized, simple in vivo system may be a convenient model to evaluate the cellular mechanisms of these peptides. Although several neuropeptides have been localized in vertebrate retinal inter-neurones15, our results are the first to detect a known peptide in primary photoreceptors.
701 CHROMOSOMAL VARIANTS IN HABITUAL ABORTION

Parental balanced translocations are one etiologic factor in habitual abortion, and it also has been suggested that heterochromatic chromosomal variants, such as the “long Y,” may be associated with recurrent fetal wastage. Such possible relationships were investigated by examining Q-banded lymphocyte karyotypes in 99 women (and 81 of their mates) with a history of 2 or more spontaneous pregnancy losses; couples with a previous malformed abortus or child were not included. Amniocyte karyotypes were used as controls; these were randomly selected from an amniocentesis series coinciding with the study period of 1976-1980. Control parental histories were negative for pregnancy loss. All karyotypes were evaluated without knowledge of subject's reproductive histories. In 7 of the 180 parents of abortuses, a gross chromosomal anomaly was found (6 translocations, I mosaic). When quantitative polymorphisms were examined, there was a significant (t test) difference between cases and controls in the length of the centromeric heterochromatic region of chromosome 16 (p<.05 for females; p<.01 for males). Cases did not differ from controls in Y chromosomal length, in the lengths of the heterochromatic regions of chromosomes I or 9, or in the frequencies of the qualitative polymorphisms studied (3c,4c,13p,13s,14p,14s,15p,15s,21p,21s,22p,22s). These results suggest an association between recurrent fetal loss and the heterochromatic polymorphism of chromosome 16. These data do not support the previously reported relationship of Y chromosomal length to habitual abortion.
Decisional balance and stage of change for adolescent drinking

The Transtheoretical Model of Change has been proven very effective in explaining both the acquisition and cessation of many health related behaviors. In this study, this model was applied to the domain of immoderate alcohol use among adolescents (usually drinking three or more drinks per occasion). Measures for two constructs of the model were developed: Stage of Change and Decisional Balance. A total of 853 tenth and eleventh graders who attend vocational training programs were administered a 37-item decisional balance questionnaire and a 5-item staging measure. A short (16-item) psychometrically sound Decisional Balance Inventory was developed based on an exploratory factor analysis that identified two factors, the Pros and Cons of Alcohol Use. The factor structure was confirmed using structural modeling techniques on a hold-out sample. Based on a combination of model fit and parsimony considerations, an uncorrelated model was selected (IFI2 = .909). Students were classified into one of nine stages of acquisition or cessation. External validity was established by the significant and meaningful differences between the stages of change on the pros and cons of alcohol use. Implications of this research are discussed.
Quasifree fragmentation of radioactive projectiles: Extended Serber model

Transverse momentum distributions recently measured in the radioactive projectile fragmentation at 790 MeV/nucleon are compared to the extended Serber model calculations. It is shown that the observed widths are roughly consistent with the quasifree stripping of a few loosely bound neutrons from the neutron-rich nuclei.
Carrousel Sprayer: A Self-Cleaning Plot Sprayer for Large-Scale Field Trials

Large-scale chemical screening requires efficient, accurate means for treating a large number of small experimental units. A new, self-cleaning chemical field sprayer design was developed to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve precision. Sprayer units are arranged symmetrically on a carrousel-like fixture, so the sprayer units can be rotated to various fixed stations around the carrousel. The different sprayer units are loaded, sprayed, and rinsed simultaneously at the different stations as the sprayer moves through a plot. The sprayer units are rotated to the next station between plots, to allow continuous loading, application, and cleaning of the sprayer units as treatments are applied. One-meter test plots can be sprayed every 4 s with less than 0.2% contamination between samples. The sprayer provides the capability of treating 5000 to 6000 plots per day.
The meat crisis: developing more sustainable production and consumption

The meat crisis: developing more sustainable production and consumption, edited by Joyce D'Silva and John Webster, London, Earthscan, 2010, xxi + 305 pp., US$39.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-84407-903...
Photoionization cross-sections for atoms and ions of aluminum, silicon, and argon.

Photoionization cross sections for all levels belonging to the configurations of atoms and ions of aluminum, silicon, and argon have been calculated using Hartree-Fock bound-electron wave functions and close-coupling approximation free-electron wave functions. The results are presented in the form of a computationally convenient interpolation formula and should find wide astrophysical application.
Controlled English to facilitate human/machine analytical processing

Controlled English is a human-readable information representation format that is implemented using a restricted subset of the English language, but which is unambiguous and directly accessible by simple machine processes. We have been researching the capabilities of CE in a number of contexts, and exploring the degree to which a flexible and more human-friendly information representation format could aid the intelligence analyst in a multi-agent collaborative operational environment; especially in cases where the agents are a mixture of other human users and machine processes aimed at assisting the human users. CE itself is built upon a formal logic basis, but allows users to easily specify models for a domain of interest in a human-friendly language. In our research we have been developing an experimental component known as the “CE Store” in which CE information can be quickly and flexibly processed and shared between human and machine agents. The CE Store environment contains a number of specialized machine agents for common processing tasks and also supports execution of logical inference rules that can be defined in the same CE language. This paper outlines the basic architecture of this approach, discusses some of the example machine agents that have been developed, and provides some typical examples of the CE language and the way in which it has been used to support complex analytical tasks on synthetic data sources. We highlight the fusion of human and machine processing supported through the use of the CE language and CE Store environment, and show this environment with examples of highly dynamic extensions to the model(s) and integration between different user-defined models in a collaborative setting.
SIMULATING WATER, SOLUTE, AND HEAT TRANSPORT IN THE SUBSURFACE WITH THE VS2DI SOFTWARE PACKAGE

The software package VS2DI was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey for simulating water, solute, and heat transport in variably saturated porous media. The package consists of a graphical preprocessor to facilitate construction of a simulation, a postprocessor for visualizing simulation results, and two numerical models that solve for flow and solute transport (VS2DT) and flow and heat transport (VS2DH). The finite-difference method is used to solve the Richards equation for flow and the advection–dispersion equation for solute or heat transport. This study presents a brief description of the VS2DI package, an overview of the various types of problems that have been addressed with the package, and an analysis of the advantages and limitations of the package. A review of other models and modeling approaches for studying water, solute, and heat transport also is provided.
Acyl carrier protein phosphodiesterase (AcpH) of Escherichia coli is a non-canonical member of the HD phosphatase/phosphodiesterase family.

The Escherichia coli AcpH acyl carrier protein phosphodiesterase (also called ACP hydrolyase) is the only enzyme known to cleave a phosphodiester-linked post-translational protein modification. AcpH hydrolyzes the link between 4‘-phosphopanthetheine and the serine-36 side chain of acyl carrier protein (ACP). Although the existence of this enzyme activity has long been known, study of the enzyme was hampered by its recalcitrant properties and scarcity. We recently isolated the gene encoding AcpH and have produced the recombinant enzyme in quantity (Thomas, J., and Cronan, J. E., (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 34675−34683), thus allowing the first studies of its reaction mechanism. AcpH requires Mn2+ for activity, and thus, we focused on the metal binding ligands in order to locate the active site. Bioinformatic investigations indicated that AcpH and its homologues were weakly related to a phosphodiesterase of known structure, the hydrolyase domain of the bifunctional bacterial protein, SpoT, suggesting that Ac...
Identifying Significant Predictors of Student Evaluations of Faculty Through Hierarchical Regression Analysis

College teachers' ages and personalities, and students' course grades, gender, enrollment status, academic abilities, and ages were investigated as predictors of student evaluations of faculty. An evaluation form containing 7 items reflecting the personality trait of extraversion and 8 items reflecting teaching effectiveness was used to collect data from 351 undergraduates. Teachers' extraversion (.79) and teachers' ages (-.08) were correlated highest, and students' gender was correlated lowest (.08) with teaching effectiveness. Hierarchical regression revealed that teachers' extraversion was the only significant predictor of student evaluations (beta = .76, p < .001) after controlling for enrollment status, course grades, and student ages.
Glucocorticoids reverse leptin effects on food intake and body fat in mice without increasing NPY mRNA.

Glucocorticoid stimulation of appetite and leptin expression conflicts with leptin inhibition of food intake and suggests that glucocorticoids reduce sensitivity to leptin. To determine if glucocor...
Inertial range scaling law

A model for inertial range intermittency and anomalous scaling of velocity structure functions is proposed. The Navier–Stokes equation is used to derive a basic Reynolds number dependent law for th...
Environmental neurotoxin dieldrin induces apoptosis via caspase-3-dependent proteolytic activation of protein kinase C delta (PKCdelta): Implications for neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease

Background In previous work, we investigated dieldrin cytotoxicity and signaling cell death mechanisms in dopaminergic PC12 cells. Dieldrin has been reported to be one of the environmental factors correlated with Parkinson's disease and may selectively destroy dopaminergic neurons.
Modification of the Properties of Metal Overlayers on Nb(110) and Ta(110)

Modification of the physical and chemical properties of noble and near-noble metal monolayer films supported on Nb(110) and Ta(110) is demonstrated using photoemission and LEED. Strong adlayer-substrate bonding leads to the formation of two-dimensional coherent Pd or Pt overlayers at low coverage (theta < 0.7 ML). Ni and Cu form one-dimensional coherent structures because the additional interfacial misfit cannot be overcome by substrate-overlayer bonding. In the case of Ag and Au overlayers, slightly strained pseudomorphic structures are formed because the lattice misfit is small. The strong overlayer-substrate bonding produces large changes in the chemical activity of near-noble metal overlayers. Photoemission measurements on Pt monolayers show that the hybridized metal d-states are shifted further below the Fermi level ''E/sub F/'' and show a reduction in the surface density of states at E/sub F/. This absence of bonding d-states near E/sub F/ effects CO chemisorption. However, as additional layers of Pd and Pt are deposited, the d-occupancy at E/sub F/ grows, with ''constant'' atomic structure and the amount of CO increases. Hence, in these systems chemisorption changes can be studied as a function of changing electronic structure while holding the surface structure fixed.
The Transcriptional Program of Sporulation in Budding Yeast

Diploid cells of budding yeast produce haploid cells through the developmental program of sporulation, which consists of meiosis and spore morphogenesis. DNA microarrays containing nearly every yeast gene were used to assay changes in gene expression during sporulation. At least seven distinct temporal patterns of induction were observed. The transcription factor Ndt80 appeared to be important for induction of a large group of genes at the end of meiotic prophase. Consensus sequences known or proposed to be responsible for temporal regulation could be identified solely from analysis of sequences of coordinately expressed genes. The temporal expression pattern provided clues to potential functions of hundreds of previously uncharacterized genes, some of which have vertebrate homologs that may function during gametogenesis.
Adapting federated cyberinfrastructure for shared data collection facilities in structural biology

Early stage experimental data in structural biology is generally unmaintained and inaccessible to the public. It is increasingly believed that this data, which forms the basis for each macromolecular structure discovered by this field, must be archived and, in due course, published. Furthermore, the widespread use of shared scientific facilities such as synchrotron beamlines complicates the issue of data storage, access and movement, as does the increase of remote users. This work describes a prototype system that adapts existing federated cyberinfra­structure technology and techniques to significantly improve the operational environment for users and administrators of synchrotron data collection facilities used in structural biology. This is achieved through software from the Virtual Data Toolkit and Globus, bringing together federated users and facilities from the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, the Advanced Photon Source, the Open Science Grid, the SBGrid Consortium and Harvard Medical School. The performance and experience with the prototype provide a model for data management at shared scientific facilities.
Attributing authorship of revisioned content

A considerable portion of web content, from wikis to collaboratively edited documents, to code posted online, is revisioned. We consider the problem of attributing authorship to such revisioned content, and we develop scalable attribution algorithms that can be applied to very large bodies of revisioned content, such as the English Wikipedia. Since content can be deleted, only to be later re-inserted, we introduce a notion of authorship that requires comparing each new revision with the entire set of past revisions. For each portion of content in the newest revision, we search the entire history for content matches that are statistically unlikely to occur spontaneously, thus denoting common origin. We use these matches to compute the earliest possible attribution of each word (or each token) of the new content. We show that this "earliest plausible attribution" can be computed efficiently via compact summaries of the past revision history. This leads to an algorithm that runs in time proportional to the sum of the size of the most recent revision, and the total amount of change (edit work) in the revision history. This amount of change is typically much smaller than the total size of all past revisions. The resulting algorithm can scale to very large repositories of revisioned content, as we show via experimental data over the English Wikipedia.
Muscular Force in Running Turkeys: The Economy of Minimizing Work

During running, muscles and tendons must absorb and release mechanical work to maintain the cyclic movements of the body and limbs, while also providing enough force to support the weight of the body. Direct measurements of force and fiber length in the lateral gastrocnemius muscle of running turkeys revealed that the stretch and recoil of tendon and muscle springs supply mechanical work while active muscle fibers produce high forces. During level running, the active muscle shortens little and performs little work but provides the force necessary to support body weight economically. Running economy is improved by muscles that act as active struts rather than working machines.
Kirchhoff–Helmholtz reflection seismograms in a laterally inhomogeneous multi‐layered elastic medium – I. Theory

Summary. In a medium consisting of elastic layers with irregular interfaces, Kirchhoff-Helmholtz (KH) theory can be extended to synthesize the motion due to various generalized rays. An exact elastic form of the KH integral is first derived, then various asymptotic approximations are used to convert this integral into one which can be rapidly evaluated to give the motion of a single generalized ray. The approximations used are those of geometrical optics, for propagation across layers, and the Kirchhoff or tangent-plane approximation for propagation across boundaries. It is shown how the KH method leads naturally to a generalization of our usual notion of elastic reflection and transmission coefficients. The new coefficients are functions of both angle of incidence and angle of reflection or transmission and they are derived so as to obtain coordinate-free formulae that show clearly their relation to the conventional Snell’s law coefficients. The elastic KH method is applied first to the problem of a single interface, where its performance is compared to that of the Gaussian beam and Maslov methods. (For synthesizing reflections from irregular interfaces the KH method is superior because it includes signals diffracted from corners. However, when the interface is very smooth on the scale of a wavelength the Maslov and Gaussian beam methods are superior because they do not break down when there is a caustic on the reflector.) KH theory is then applied to a multilayered elastic medium and it is shown how the effects of frequency-dependent attenuation and dispersion can be incorporated into the theory by taking advantage of the approximately logarithmic variation of slowness with frequency in most earth materials. The limitations of the KH theory are discussed and some recent attempts to overcome these difficulties are reviewed. A new method for overcoming the problem of a caustic on the reflector becomes apparent when the KH integral is regarded as a member of a larger family of equivalent 1-fold integrals all of which are derivable from the same multifold path integral. Refracted or diving rays can be treated within the same formalism with equal benefit. For velocity models that are independent of one spatial direction (strike) a method is given for approximately converting 2-D results into 3-D results.
EGYPTIAN WARRIORS: THE MACHIMOI OF HERODOTUS AND THE PTOLEMAIC ARMY

The role and status of the Egyptians in the army of Hellenistic Egypt (323–30 b.c.) has been a debated question that goes back to the position within Late Period Egyptian society (664–332 b.c.) of the Egyptian warriors described by Herodotus as machimoi. Until a few decades ago, Ptolemaic military institutions were perceived as truly Greco-Macedonian and the presence of Egyptians in the army during the first century of Ptolemaic rule was contested. The Egyptians were thought of as being unfit to be good soldiers. Egyptians would have been hired only as late as 217 b.c. to fight against the Seleucid king Antiochus III in Raphia. The Ptolemaic victory (in fact rather a status quo) was made possible thanks to the addition of twenty thousand Egyptians to reinforce the Greek army. For a long time the subsequent role of Egyptians in the Ptolemaic army in the second and first centuries b.c. did not attract much attention. One usually assumed that they were ‘second-rate soldiers’ called machimoi. In recent decades, the scholarship on Ptolemaic Egypt, notably Demotic studies, reasserted the role of Egyptians in the Ptolemaic army from the late fourth century onwards.
Mesenchymal stem cells: Emerging mechanisms of immunomodulation and therapy

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a pleiotropic population of cells that are self-renewing and capable of differentiating into canonical cells of the mesenchyme, including adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteocytes. They employ multi-faceted approaches to maintain bone marrow niche homeostasis and promote wound healing during injury. Biomedical research has long sought to exploit their pleiotropic properties as a basis for cell therapy for a variety of diseases and to facilitate hematopoietic stem cell establishment and stromal reconstruction in bone marrow transplantation. Early results demonstrated their usage as safe, and there was little host response to these cells. The discovery of their immunosuppressive functions ushered in a new interest in MSCs as a promising therapeutic tool to suppress inflammation and down-regulate pathogenic immune responses in graft-versus-host and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, autoimmune diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. MSCs produce a large number of soluble and membrane-bound factors, some of which inhibit immune responses. However, the full range of MSC-mediated immune-modulation remains incompletely understood, as emerging reports also reveal that MSCs can adopt an immunogenic phenotype, stimulate immune cells, and yield seemingly contradictory results in experimental animal models of inflammatory disease. The present review describes the large body of literature that has been accumulated on the fascinating biology of MSCs and their complex effects on immune responses.
Prejudice and Intergroup Attributions: The Role of Personalization and Performance Feedback:

We manipulated personalization and group performance feedback to examine their effects on intergroup attributions and prejudice. Following high or low levels of personalized contact with a typical out-group member, participants learned either that the out-group had generally succeeded or that the in-group had failed at the participant’s task. Under high personalization and out-group success, participants exhibited less attributional bias in explaining the success of new out-group job applicants and less prejudice toward them than those under low personalization. By contrast, when one’s in-group had failed, we found similar favorability toward in-group and out-group job applicants. Importantly, when ability attributions and friendliness were separately combined with subjective personalization, both combinations mediated the effects of manipulated personalization in reducing prejudice toward new out-group persons.
Elementary particle as a localized excitation of the action function

By developing the analogy between the equation for the propagation of a flame front and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation of relativistic mechanics, one constructs a modified Hamiltonian-Jacobi equation: \((1/c^2 )S_t^2 - (\nabla S)^2 = m^2 c^2 + \alpha \hbar \square S + (\beta \hbar ^3 m^2 c^2 )\square ^2 S\). This equation admits solutions in the form of oscillating solitons. The possible connection between this kind of solutions and quantum mechanics is discussed.
Impact of an emergency medicine pharmacist on antibiotic dosing adjustment.

Abstract Objective Overall medication-related errors in the emergency department (ED) are 13.5 times more likely to occur in the absence of an emergency medicine pharmacist (EMP). Although the effectiveness of pharmacist-driven renal dosing adjustment has been studied in the intensive care unit, data are lacking in the ED setting. The aim of our study was to evaluate the appropriateness of antibiotic dosing when an EMP is physically present in the ED compared to when absent. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of patients treated in a level I trauma center with 75 adult and 12 pediatric beds and an annual census of 90 000 patients. The study period was from March 1 to September 30, 2014. An EMP was physically present in the ED from 11:00 to 01:30 and absent from 01:31 to 10:59. Male and female patients 18 years and older were considered for inclusion if cefazolin, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin-tazobactam, or vancomycin was ordered. The primary outcome was the composite rate of correct antibiotic dose and frequency. Statistics included a multivariable logistic regression using age, sex, presence of EMP, and creatinine clearance as independent predictors of correct antibiotic use. Results A total 210 cases were randomly chosen for evaluation, half during times when EMPs were present and half when they were absent. There were 130 males (62%) with an overall mean age of 54 ± 18 years. Overall, 178 (85%) of 210 of the antibiotic orders were appropriate, with 95% appropriate when an EMP was present compared to 74% when an EMP was absent (odds ratio, 6.9; 95% confidence interval, 2.5-18.8). In a logistic regression model, antibiotic appropriateness was independently associated with the presence of the EMP and creatinine clearance. Conclusion Antibiotics that require renal and/or weight dosing adjustment are 6.5 times more likely to be appropriate in the ED when an EMP is present. Prevalence of antibiotic dosing error is related to both the presence of EMPs and the degree of renal impairment.
Spasmodic Muscle Cramps and Wilson Disease

Investigators at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago report a case of Wilson disease (WD) in a 10-year-old-boy presenting with 3 months of increasingly severe spasmodic muscle cramps and weakness in lower extremities, upper extremities, and cramps in face and chest.
Consent and Sexual Violence in Canadian Public Discourse: Reflections on Ewanchuk

This paper analyses the public discourse regarding consent and sexual violence that emerged in response to the Ewanchuk (“bonnet and crinolines”) case. Analyzing the debate that ensued in the editorial pages of the National Post, I suggest that the strong response to Ewanchuk stems from the way in which participants in the debate interpreted the case through the lens of their own personal - and gendered -experience. The reaction is also the result of a clash between the dominant cultural-sexual script of heterosexual interaction, on the one hand, - a script which celebrates masculine sexual aggression, and the consensual script encoded in Canada's “No Means No” legislation, on the other. Finally, to a public already skeptical of feminism, Ewanchuk symbolized the feminist “take-over” of the Supreme Court. I argue, as well, that the interpretation of consent embraced in the dominant cultural-sexual script represents a considerable departure from the liberal ideal of free and voluntary consent in its reliance on a notion of “inferred” consent and its Hobbesian obfuscation of coercion and consent. Ultimately, Ewanchuk reflects the persistence of so-called common sense attitudes about sexual violence in spite of legal reforms, and it raises questions about whether consent can be defined in terms that would be meaningful and emancipatory for women.