cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case Studies in Nanocluster Synthesis and Characterization: Challenges and Opportunities.

Atomically precise nanoclusters (APNCs) are an emerging area of nanoscience. Their monodispersity and well-defined arrangement of capping ligands facilitates the interrogation of their fundamental physical properties, allowing for the development of structure-function relationships, as well as their optimization for a variety of applications, including quantum computing, solid-state memory, catalysis, sensing, and imaging. However, APNCs present several unique synthetic and characterization challenges. For example, nanocluster syntheses are infamously low yielding and often generate complicated mixtures. This combination of factors makes nanocluster purification and characterization more difficult than that of typical inorganic or organometallic complexes. Yet, while this fact is undoubtedly true, the past lessons learned from the characterization of inorganic complexes are still useful today. In this Account, we discuss six case studies taken from the recent literature in an attempt to identify common challenges and pitfalls encountered in APNC synthesis and characterization. For example, we show that several reducing agents employed in APNC synthesis, including the commonly used reagent NaBH4, do not always behave as anticipated. Indeed, we highlight one case where NaBH4 reduces the ligand and not the metal center, and other cases where NaBH4 acts as a Bronstead base instead of a reducing agent. In addition, we have identified several instances where the use of phase transfer agents, which were added to mediate APNC formation, played no role in the nanocluster synthesis, and likely made the isolation of pure material more difficult. We have also identified several cases of cluster misidentification driven by spurious or ambiguous characterization data, most commonly collected by mass spectrometry. To address these challenges, we propose that the nanocluster community adopt a standard protocol of characterization, similar to those used by the organometallic and coordination chemistry communities. This protocol requires that many complementary techniques be used in concert to confirm formulation, structure, and analytical purity of APNC samples. Two techniques that are underutilized in this regard are combustion analysis and NMR spectroscopy. NMR spectroscopy, in particular, can provide information on purity and formulation that are difficult to collect with any other technique. X-ray absorption spectroscopy is another powerful method of nanocluster characterization, especially in cases where single crystals for X-ray diffraction are not forthcoming. Chromatographic techniques can also be extremely valuable for assessing purity, but are rarely used during APNC characterization. Our goal with this Account is to begin a discussion with respect to the best protocols for nanocluster synthesis and characterization. We believe that embracing a standard characterization protocol would make APNC synthesis more reliable, thereby accelerating their integration into a variety of technologies.
CORONARY MICROVASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION IS ASSOCIATED WITH ADVANCED CORONARY PLAQUE CHARACTERISTICS IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS

This study tested the hypothesis that coronary microvascular endothelial dysfunction (CMED) is associated with epicardial atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). 149 patients with chest pain, found to have angiographically normal coronary arteries or nonobstructive CAD (<40% stenosis),
Learning Environments: A Review of Physical and Temporal Factors.

A theoretical integration of research concerned with environmental variables and their effects on students’ behavior and performance is presented. The impact of classroom stimuli, such as novelty, ...
Treatment of painful muscle syndromes with botulinum toxin: A review

Purpose: To review literature regarding clinical response to injections of botulinum toxin type A for a variety of painful disorders of involuntary muscular contraction. Methods: A MEDLINE search for the headings 'botulinum toxin', 'myofascial pain' and 'pain' was performed for the period 1966 to September 1997. Results: Eighteen references including 463 subjects were generated. Seven studies included 'pain' or 'myofascial pain' within the article title, while the remaining references reported pain response within the context of treatment for underlying spasticity, cervical dystonia, fibromyaJgia, focal dystonia, hemifacial spasm, painful dystonia of Parkinson's disease, pain of chronic pancreatitis, writer's cramp and masseteric hypertrophy. Results of pain response in the cited studies were favorable in all except in fibromyalgia and chronic pancreatitis. The authors discuss instruments to measure pain intensity and physical functioning for future research and introduce a new instrument that includes self-reported pain assessment linked to joint position. Conclusion: Evidence suggests that BTX-A effectively reduces painful muscular contractions associated with a variety of neurologic conditions. Further research is needed to define conditions in which injections will be most effective. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
On the sensitivity of meteorological forcing resolution on hydrologic metrics

Abstract. Projecting the spatio-temporal changes to water resources under a no-analog future climate requires physically-based integrated hydrologic models, which simulate the transfer of water and energy across the earth's surface. These models show promise in the context of unprecedented climate extremes given their reliance on the underlying physics of the system as opposed to empirical relationships. However, these techniques are plagued by several sources of uncertainty, including the inaccuracy of input datasets such as meteorological forcing. These datasets, usually derived from climate models or satellite-based products, typically have a resolution of several kilometers, while hydrologic metrics of interest (e.g. discharge, groundwater levels) require a resolution at much smaller scales. In this work, a high-resolution watershed model is forced with various resolutions (0.5 to 40.5 km) of meteorological forcing generated by a dynamical downscaling analysis based on a regional climate model (WRF) to assess how the uncertainties associated with the spatial resolution of meteorological forcing affect the simulated hydrology. The Cosumnes watershed, which spans the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley interface of California (USA), exhibits semi-natural flow conditions due to its rare un-dammed river basin and is used here as a testbed to illustrate potential impacts on snow accumulation and snowmelt, surface runoff, infiltration, evapotranspiration, and groundwater levels. Results show that localized biases in groundwater levels can be as large as 5–10 m and that other metric biases (e.g. ET and snowpack dynamics) are seasonally and spatially-dependent, but can have serious implications for model calibration and ultimately water management decisions.
Progress toward islet transplantation tolerance

Abstract Islet transplantation has potential to dramatically alter the treatment strategy for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In contrast to exogenous insulin administration, islet transplantation offers a curative therapy through the islets’ natural ability to monitor blood glucose levels and deliver the appropriate amount of insulin. However, several challenges hinder the widespread adoption of islet transplantation as a primary treatment for diabetes. Aside from the challenges of islet hypoxia and a lack of readily available donor islets, immune-mediated rejection of the transplanted islets represents a significant challenge, preventing widespread adoption of islet transplantation as a mainstay of diabetes treatment. As with any allogeneic transplantation, the decision to perform isle transplants must carefully weigh the benefits of the new, healthy tissue (i.e., superior glucose control) against the risks of life-long systemic immunosuppression. Because of the life-saving advances in exogenous insulin production and delivery over the last 100 years, islet transplantation and whole pancreas transplant are currently reserved for individuals who have exhibited life threatening, severe hypoglycemic episodes or are already immunosuppressed for an additional, concurrent organ transplant, most commonly kidney transplant recipients. Additionally, several of the most common immunosuppressants are diabetogenic and toxic to pancreatic beta cells. For these reasons, the risks of the immunosuppressive regimen typically outweigh the benefit for the average diabetic patient. However, induction of immunologic tolerance to the transplanted islet grafts has become a very attractive alternative to pharmacologic immunosuppression because it holds the promise of the benefit of the transplant without the risks of the immunosuppression. Islet transplant tolerance has, thus, become a very active area of research. Speaking generally, transplant tolerance is an immunological state in which the recipient immune system ignores the nonself-tissue, while the immune system maintains reactivity to other agents, such as bacterial or viruses. Immunologic tolerance would, therefore, establish the long-term survival of the transplanted islets without the sequalae of systemic immunosuppression. This chapter provides an overview of current clinical approaches to tolerance induction as well as preclinical strategies being studied for islet tolerance. Because islets are transplanted as an organized cluster of cells, they lend themselves to additional immunoprotective strategies that large organ transplants do not, such as encapsulation and stem-cell-derived production. The potential immunological impact of these technologies and how they work into tolerance strategies will also be discussed.
Differential Effects of Phosphorus Fertilization on Plant Uptake and Rhizosphere Microbiome of Cultivated and Non-cultivated Potatoes

There is evidence that shows that phosphorus (P) fertilization has a moderate effect on the rhizosphere microbial composition of cultivated crops. But how this effect is manifested on wild species of the same crop is not clear. This study compares the impact of phosphorus fertilization with rhizosphere bacterial community composition and its predicted functions, related to P-cycling genes, in both cultivated and non-cultivated potato (Solanum sp.) plants. It was found that the biomass of non-cultivated potatoes was more responsive to P fertilization as compared with cultivated plants. Differences in general bacterial community composition patterns under increasing P amendments were subtle for both potato groups. However, potato genotype significantly influenced community composition with several bacterial families being more abundant in the cultivated plants. In addition, the predicted phosphatases had lower abundances in modern cultivars compared with non-cultivated potatoes. In summary, despite higher accumulation of differentially abundant bacteria in the rhizosphere of cultivated plants, the responsiveness of these plants to increase P levels was lower than in non-cultivated plants.
Blockchain: a game changer for marketers?

Marketers are faced with understanding and implementing new technologies at a greater rate than ever before. Yet despite the emergence of blockchain technology over a decade ago, it has received very little attention by academic researchers in marketing. Given the unique attributes of blockchain—transparent, decentralized, and immutable—it can create a more secure, customer centric, and open marketplace for consumers and businesses. This research contends that blockchain has the potential to transform businesses and is a technology that marketers need to be acutely aware of and prepared to utilize. We seek to generate discussion and future research on the impact of blockchain on five distinct areas: cryptocurrency, digital platforms, supply chain, online advertising, and market research.
A Lawyer's Guide To Empirical Corporate Governance

Empirical studies in corporate law have proliferated in the last two decades, and have had a major impact on legal practice and policy relating to corporate governance. As a result, lawyers increasingly engage with these studies in order to understand their implications for legal practice and policy. This is often challenging because most lawyers are not trained in econometrics and statistical methods, and thus, there is a risk that they misinterpret these studies and their implications. These studies, while critical for evaluating different corporate governance regimes, suffer from well-known weaknesses. The purposes of this guide are to provide an overview of the key empirical strategies for evaluating the relationship between governance and shareholder value, and to demonstrate to lawyers how they can engage with their weaknesses. The main theme of the guide is that largely all empirical strategies are based on three key intuitive comparisons: (1) comparing firms with and without the governance provisions, (2) evaluating the value of firms before and after adoptions or removals of governance provisions, and (3) evaluating what happens to shareholder value after a legal change. By identifying these basic comparisons and the roles they play in the key methodologies for evaluating shareholder value, lawyers will be better positioned to assess empirical studies and evaluate their implications for legal policy.
Comparison of powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition for tailoring mechanical properties of traditionally brittle alloys

Abstract The mechanical performance of an Fe-Co intermetallic alloy processed by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and laser directed energy deposition (L-DED) additive manufacturing is compared. L-PBF material was characterized by high strength (500–550 MPa) and high ductility (35%) in tension, corresponding to a ~250% increase in strength and an order-of-magnitude improvement in ductility relative to conventional material. Conversely, L-DED material exhibited similarly poor tensile properties to the conventional wrought alloy, with low strength (200–300 MPa) and low ductility (0–2.7%). The disparity in properties between L-PBF and L-DED material is discussed in the context of the fundamental differences between manufacturing methods.
High-cycle fatigue and surface layer stability of case-hardened PM-steels with graded porosity

In order to increase the fatigue performance of mechanically loaded PM-components, case hardening procedures can be used to improve the surface layer states in terms of hardness and residual stress...
Decline in Sars-CoV-2 antibodies over 6-month follow-up in obstetrical healthcare workers.

Problem Limited data exists on the temporal trend of the Sars-CoV-2 immunologic response and duration of protection following natural infection. We sought to investigate the presence and duration of Sars-CoV-2 serum antibodies in obstetrical healthcare workers (HCW) on serial assessments over a 6-month period, and to assess rates of vaccine acceptance and reported vaccine side effects among this cohort. Method of study A prospective cohort study of a convenience sample of obstetrical HCWs at a tertiary hospital. Serum Sars-CoV-2 antibodies for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin M (IgM) were measured longitudinally at four intervals: baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months. Participants completed voluntary surveys on COVID19 testing, high-risk exposures, vaccine acceptance, and vaccine side effects. Results One hundred twenty-six of 150 (84%) HCWs who volunteered for participation completed all four blood draws. Prevalence of seropositive HCWs based on positive Sars-CoV-2 IgG antibodies increased from 2% at baseline to 31% at 12 weeks but declined to 21% by 6 months. Forty-two percent (19/43) of the participants considered seropositive for Sars-CoV-2 IgG antibodies at any of the initial three blood draws converted to seronegative status at the 6-month follow-up. Eighty-seven percent (72/83) of participants who responded to a follow-up survey were willing to accept the COVID19 vaccine. Rates of acceptance did not differ by participant antibody status. Those that experienced symptoms with the first injection were more likely to have positive Sars-CoV-2 IgG antibodies (36.8% vs. 9.6%, p = .01). Conclusion Sars-CoV-2 IgG antibodies wane over time and may not provide prolonged and robust immune protection. This underscores the importance of vaccination and continued research in this area while the COVID19 pandemic continues.
Abdominal imaging findings on computed tomography in patients acutely infected with SARS-CoV-2: what are the findings?

To investigate what findings are new on contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis of patients with COVID-19 at a tertiary oncologic center acquired over a 2-month period were reviewed independently by two readers and scored for new imaging abnormalities compared with a prior scan. CT scans were included if the study was performed between − 3 and 45 days from the time of COVID-19 diagnosis. Clinical information was gathered from the medical records. A total of 63 patients (34 male, 29 female; mean age 60.6 years, range 24.4–85.0 years) were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Aside from new ground glass opacities seen at the lung bases (29/63, 46.0%), the most common findings were new thickening of the stomach, small bowel or colon or fluid-filled colon (14/63, 22.2%), new small volume ascites (7/63, 14.3%), gallbladder distention in those without prior cholecystectomy (3/43, 7.0%), and single cases each of acute pancreatitis (1/63, 1.6%) as well as new portal vein thrombosis (1/63, 1.6%). Aside from lung base ground glass opacities, the most common new imaging abnormality on abdominopelvic CT in patients with COVID-19 finding in our cohort was abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract, followed by small volume ascites, gallbladder distention, and isolated cases of pancreatitis and portal vein thrombosis. These findings overlap with those previously reported that did not have a prior scan for comparison, and provide supportive evidence that some of these findings may be related to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
A review of reinforcement learning based energy management systems for electrified powertrains: Progress, challenge, and potential solution

Abstract The impact of internal combustion engine-powered automobiles on climate change due to emissions and the depletion of fossil fuels has contributed to the progress of electrified powertrains. Energy management strategies (EMS) have shown huge impact on the energy efficiency of the electrified powertrains. In recent years, Reinforcement Learning (RL) based algorithms have been intensely investigated to develop EMS for electrified powertrain with specific depth in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCV) and the research in this area is still acelerating. However, a comprehensive review of RL-based EMS is lacking in literature. This article reviews the recent penetration of RL based EMS like Q-learning, Deep Q Learning, deep deterministic policy gradient in the electrified powertrains domain. Extensive importance is given to the classification of the literature based on powertrain architecture, RL algorithm, and the different features and operation mechanisms of relevant algorithms are highlighted. The use of connected and autonomous vehicles and relevant communication technology to develop RL-based systems have also been discussed. More importantly, the challenges with regards to existing research in the field of RL-based EMS and the potential solutions with scope for future research are also discussed.
Jet Transport Characteristis Related to Airports

The changes in design and performance of jet transports, since they were first introduced in commercial service, are reviewed, particularly as these changes affect airports. The trend is to manufacture aircraft with higher thrust-to-weight ratios than their predecessors. This factor, along with improvements in the aerodynamic characteristics of aircraft, has been beneficial in preventing an increase in runway length and reducing noise over populated areas. There is a trend toward mounting engines on the fuselage aft of the wings, rather than suspending them from the wings. All new subsonic aircraft will be equipped with turbo-fan engines. These engines are less noisy on the exhaust end than turbojet engines, and are therefore better for takeoff. However, for landing, the compressor whine of the fan engine is more irritating. For aircraft with long wheel bases, radii of curvature of new taxiways should not be less than 300 to 400 ft. Existing taxiways with smaller radii will require widening.
Abstract 15731: Hypoxia and Akt Induced Stem Cell Factor Exerts Cardioprotective Effects via Specific Binding to the Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor

Introduction: Myocardial infarction results in the death of large numbers of cardiomyocytes which are not replaced. We have recently identified a protein, Hypoxia and Akt induced Stem cell Factor (HASF), which inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis and promotes the proliferation of these cells. Although the therapeutic effects of HASF were clearly demonstrated, critical aspects of the signaling pathway, namely the identity of the receptor, were unclear. Here, we report that HASF binds and signals through the Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF-1R). Methods: Mouse cardiomyocytes were isolated by the Langendorff technique. Yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation were used to identify HASF binding proteins. Kinase activation and GLUT4 translocation were assessed by immunoblot analysis. Results: A yeast two-hybrid screen identified a partial fragment of the IGF-1R as a binding partner of HASF. Direct interaction between HASF and the full-length IGF-1R was subsequently identified via co-immunoprecipitatio...
Prognosis for survival in the leukemias of childhood; review of the literature and the proposal of a simple method of reporting survival data for these diseases.

To establish a base line of prognosis for the "untreated" child with leukemia, the available literature on survival in leukemia has been reviewed. The applicable review articles (1927 to 1950), reporting a total of 428 cases of leukemia, have been analyzed. It is demonstrated that the "average survival" of patients with leukemia is a misleading indication of both the most probable time of survival and the midpoint of the series. The application of the simple, statistical technic of summarizing survival data on log-probability paper is demonstrated for the applicable series and is recommended for future reporting of similarly distributed survival data. From these analyses, the physician can expect that 50% of the children with acute leukemia, given supportive therapy not including antibiotics, will die within a period of approximately 4 months after the onset of the first definitive symptoms. The remainder of his patients with leukemia will live considerably longer, about 10% for as long as 11 months. He can expect the middle two-thirds of his patients to survive from approximately 2 to 8 months. Thus, while there is no evidence of a definitive cure for leukemia, in many cases therapy should be planned to extend over a period of months, not merely days or weeks. There are at this time insufficient data from which to evaluate the effects of cortisone, ACTH or antifolic acid compounds on the life expectancy of the patient with leukemia. There is no evidence available to indicate that the prognosis in patients with granulocytic or monocytic leukemias of childhood differs from that of those with the more common lymphocytic leukemia. There is no evidence to prove that it is identical. More information is needed.
Rhesus monkey TRIM5α SPRY domain recognizes multiple epitopes that span several capsid monomers on the surface of the HIV-1 mature viral core.

The restriction factor TRIM5α binds to the capsid protein of the retroviral core and blocks retroviral replication. The affinity of TRIM5α for the capsid is a major host tropism determinant of HIV and other primate immunodeficiency viruses, but the molecular interface involved in this host–pathogen interaction remains poorly characterized. Here we use NMR spectroscopy to investigate binding of the rhesus TRIM5α SPRY domain to a selection of HIV capsid constructs. The data are consistent with a model in which one SPRY domain interacts with more than one capsid monomer within the assembled retroviral core. The highly mobile SPRY v1 loop appears to span the gap between neighboring capsid hexamers making interhexamer contacts critical for restriction. The interaction interface is extensive, involves mobile loops and multiple epitopes, and lacks interaction hot spots. These properties, which may enhance resistance of TRIM5α to capsid mutations, result in relatively low affinity of the individual SPRY domains for the capsid, and the TRIM5α-mediated restriction depends on the avidity effect arising from the oligomerization of TRIM5α.
A Study of Thermal Energy Storage Systems With Conjugate Turbulent Forced Convection

A phase-change energy storage module with a turbulent transport fluid is studied. The forced convection due to the turbulent transport fluid is solved with the k-epsilon model and coupled with the phase-change solution in the phase-change material (PCM). The numerical method is first compared with previous investigations, then conjugate computations for the energy storage module with different cases are conducted. A correlation for the energy storage capacity is derived and its empirical constants are determined by the numerical data. The correlation provides a reference for the module design and parameter optimization. 19 refs.
The Informal Organization of the Soviet Firm

I. Introduction, 342. — II. Sources and reliability, 343. — III. Goals of managerial behavior: premia, profits, the quiet life, 347. — IV. Informal behavior principles of management: the safety factor, simulation, blat, 353. — V. Expectations facilitating informal methods, 358. — VI. Characteristics of the economic system, 361. — VII. Conclusion, 364.
Testis brain ribonucleic acid-binding protein/translin possesses both single-stranded and double-stranded ribonuclease activities.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a biological process in which animal and plant cells destroy double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and consequently the mRNA that shares sequence homology to the dsRNA. Although it...
Non-Canonical Modular Domain Interactions Dictate PKCα Function

The use of modular protein domains has emerged as a prominent feature of increasing phylogenetic complexity. Linking modular domains within a single protein allows complex regulation while conserving the sequence and structure of the individual domains. For instance, spatio-temporal control of signaling proteins is often achieved by stringing together a conserved catalytic domain with one or more regulatory modules. These modules can play multiple roles including masking the catalytic site to inhibit basal activity (auto-inhibition), releasing auto-inhibition through conformational changes triggered by second messenger stimuli, and facilitating translocation to subcellular compartments through binding secondary messengers or scaffolding proteins. Each additional module in a signaling protein provides a combinatorial enhancement to its regulation and cellular function. The protein-context independent structure and cellular function of individual modules have been extensively researched using biophysical approaches such as x-ray crystallography and NMR. Most modular domains have an evolutionarily conserved canonical function. However, coordination of interactions between these domains remains largely unexplored primarily due to the reliance on reductionist structural and biochemical approaches. As a corollary, our current structural understanding of modular signaling proteins does not adequately address the versatility of their cellular function. Using the uniquely persistent ER/K α-helix derived from the lever arm of myosin VI combined with genetically encoded fluorophores we have previously developed a methodology termed SPASM to both observe and modulate intra- molecular interactions between domains in multi-domain proteins. Using human protein kinase C α (PKCα) as a model multi-domain signaling protein, we have uncovered intra- and inter- molecular interactions involving each of its modular domains. These interactions contribute to context-dependent spatio-temporal regulation of PKC function in cells. Our findings highlight the importance of intra-molecular interactions in biologically critical multi-domain proteins.
SiC particle cracking in powder metallurgy processed aluminum matrix composite materials

Particle cracking is one of the key elements in the fracture process of particulate-reinforced metal-matrix composite (MMC) materials. The present study quantitatively examined the amount of new surface area created by particle cracking and the number fraction of cracked particles in a series of SiC-reinforced aluminum-matrix composite materials. These composite materials were fabricated by liquid-phase sintering and contained 9 vol pct of 23, 63, or 142 μm SiC. The matrix properties were varied by heat treating to either an underaged or peak-aged condition. In general, the new surface area created by particle cracking (S v ) and the number fraction of cracked particles (Fno) were linearly dependent on the local strain along the tensile specimen. Multiple cracks were frequently observed in the composites containing large particles. It was found that the new surface area created by particle cracking per unit strain was higher for the case of high-strength matrices and was not systematically affected by particle size within the range studied. The number fraction of cracked particles was affected by both particle size and matrix strength. A higher number fraction of particles cracked in the composites reinforced with large particles and with high matrix yield strengths. These results are interpreted in terms of the size of the particle defects, which is a function of particle size, and the critical flaw size necessary to crack a given particle, which is a function of the stress on the particle. The new surface area created by cracking and the fraction of cracked particles were related and are in good agreement for the large and medium sized particles.
Characterization of Unique Small RNA Populations from Rice Grain

Small RNAs (∼20 to 24 nucleotides) function as naturally occurring molecules critical in developmental pathways in plants and animals [1], [2]. Here we analyze small RNA populations from mature rice grain and seedlings by pyrosequencing. Using a clustering algorithm to locate regions producing small RNAs, we classified hotspots of small RNA generation within the genome. Hotspots here are defined as 1 kb regions within which small RNAs are significantly overproduced relative to the rest of the genome. Hotspots were identified to facilitate characterization of different categories of small RNA regulatory elements. Included in the hotspots, we found known members of 23 miRNA families representing 92 genes, one trans acting siRNA (ta-siRNA) gene, novel siRNA-generating coding genes and phased siRNA generating genes. Interestingly, over 20% of the small RNA population in grain came from a single foldback structure, which generated eight phased 21-nt siRNAs. This is reminiscent of a newly arising miRNA derived from duplication of progenitor genes [3], [4]. Our results provide data identifying distinct populations of small RNAs, including phased small RNAs, in mature grain to facilitate characterization of small regulatory RNA expression in monocot species.
Faraday rotation and signal dispersion: The geometrical optics approximation, an exact solution, and first order smoothing theory

We critically discuss the three approximations which have been employed to estimate the influence of interstellar fluctuations in both electron density and magnetic field on Faraday rotation measure and signal dispersion measure in the radio band. We demonstrate that: (i) the geometrical optics approximation employed by Ginzburg and Eruhimov (1971) relies on the unproven assertion thatall ray paths are essentially the same as the geometrical distance between source and observer; (ii) the exact solution is physically meaningless; (iii) the purported proof of Ginzburg and Eruhimov that earlier work by Lerche is in error, is itself in error and also self-contradictory; (iv) the first order smoothing theory employed earlier by Lerche gives the exact correction to the phase of the ordered field provided only that theirreducible part of a three-point correlation function is negligible.
Geographical Load Balancing for Online Service Applications in Distributed Datacenters

This work focuses on the load balancing problem for online service applications (which are response time-sensitive) considering a distributed cloud system comprised of geographically dispersed, heterogeneous datacenters. An offline solution based on force-directed scheduling is presented, which can determine the application placement for long periods of time. The solution is then extended to do online application placement and migration for geographically distributed datacenters based on predictions about the application lifetimes, workload intensities, dynamic energy prices, and renewable energy generation capacities at different datacenters in the cloud system. The simulation results demonstrate 27% to 40% improvement using the proposed algorithms with respect to the method that does not consider the geographical load balancing.
The multi-indexed partitional

Abstract In this paper we present the multi-indexed partitional. The structure is a generalization of the partitional of Foata and Schutzenberger, and gives a combinatorial interpretation for certain multivariate polynomial sequences of binomial type.
Improved safety of retinal photocoagulation with a shaped beam and modulated pulse

Shorter pulse durations help confine thermal damage during retinal photocoagulation, decrease treatment time and minimize pain. However, safe therapeutic window (the ratio of threshold powers for rupture and mild coagulation) decreases with shorter exposures. A ring-shaped beam enables safer photocoagulation than conventional beams by reducing the maximum temperature in the center of the spot. Similarly, a temporal pulse modulation decreasing its power over time improves safety by maintaining constant temperature for a significant portion of the pulse. Optimization of the beam and pulse shapes was performed using a computational model. In vivo experiments were performed to verify the predicted improvement. With each of these approaches, the pulse duration can be decreased by a factor of two, from 20 ms down to 10 ms while maintaining the same therapeutic window.
Technology trends for future low cost phased arrays

The next generation of active electronically scanned arrays (AESAs) is dependent upon many technology and application pulls and the pushes. RF and manufacturing technologies are key elements of achieving more affordable phased arrays in support of both military and commercial applications. Advanced, evolving, mature and even revolutionary device, material and packaging technologies are making significant strides for lowering the cost of phased arrays. To date, phased array usage has been limited to high end military and commercial applications. That's about to change with the evolution of more affordable AESA architectures that take advantage of RF microelectronics, surface mount RF packaging and new architectures focused on reducing the high cost drivers. New Panel AESA approaches promise a savings of more than 50% since the initial nearly 20 years ago.
Xe films on a decagonal Al-Ni-Co quasicrystalline surface

The grand canonical Monte Carlo method is employed to study the adsorption of Xe on a quasicrystalline Al-Ni-Co surface. The calculation uses a semiempirical gas-surface interaction, based on conventional combining rules and the usual Lennard-Jones Xe-Xe interaction. The resulting adsorption isotherms and calculated structures are consistent with the results of low energy electron diffraction experimental data. In this paper we focus on five features not discussed earlier [Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 136104 (2005)]: the range of the average density of the adsorbate, the order of the transition, the orientational degeneracy of the ground state, the isosteric heat of adsorption of the system, and the effect of the vertical cell dimension.
Flow in the misaligned cone-and-plate rheometer

Abstract The effects of small misalignment in the cone-and-plate rheometer on the flow of a Newtonian fluid, an upper-convected Maxwell fluid, and a White-Metzner fluid are examined in detail. The method of domain perturbation and the lubrication approximation are employed to calculate velocity and stress profiles to first order in the misalignment parameter ϵ. Results for the Newtonian fluid show symmetric velocity and stress profiles around the plane at the widest gap. The two elastic fluids studied exhibit asymmetry in their velocity and stress profiles caused by fluid memory effects. Misalignment effects on torque and thrust measurements in the cone and plate are also discussed, and results are compared with a similar calculation made for flow in the journal bearing.
0359 Nighshift work and breast cancer risk – good news, bad news ?

Objectives Using two large prospective data sets, we explored associations between rotating nightshift work and breast cancer risk. Method Among 193 396 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS and NHS2) cohorts, we documented 5575 (NHS) and 2869 (NHS2) incident invasive breast cancer cases as well as 696 (NHS) breast cancer deaths over 22 years of follow-up. Compared to our initial analysis within NHS, which was based only on 10 years of follow-up and showed that 30+ years of rotating nightshift work was associated with a 36% significant increase in breast cancer risk, we added 12 years of follow-up, which were accrued for the most part after nurses’ retirement. Results In these extended analyses, 30+ years of rotating night shift work was no longer associated with breast cancer risk (multivariable RR 30+yrs =0.95, 95% CI 0.77–1.17; p trend =0.95), and only insignificantly associated with breast cancer mortality (multivariable HR 30+yrs =1.50, 95% CI, 0.95–2.36). By contrast, in the younger NHS2 cohort, baseline 20+ years of rotating nightshift work was associated with a significantly increased risk of breast cancer (RR 20+yrs =2.11, 95% CI 1.21–3.66; p trend =0.22). Updated rotating night shift work exposure was also associated, albeit non-significantly, with a modest increase in risk of breast cancer (RR 20+yrs =1.33, 95% CI0.93–1.89; p trend =0.68). Conclusions Taken together, these results suggest that long-term rotating night shift work particularly early in career may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, which appears to diminish after nightshift work ceases. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and should explore the potential for tailored risk factor counselling in nightshift workers.
Barriers to physical activity and exercise for adults with intellectual disabilities

detailing agencies and venues accessible to disabled individuals. Following the footsteps of Washington D.C. and many other American cities that provide a resource guide for the physically disabled, we developed ACCESS MIAMI to offer disabled residents with information about a myriad of resources. Potential businesses that were reviewed for inclusion were identified through positive recommendations from disabled residents, a resource hotline and the local telephone directory. Over 40 businesses and agencies met selection criteria and the comprehensive guide was divided into 16 categories, including arts, education, wheelchair rentals, employment, equipment, home modification and online resources. Development occurred over 8 months and 500 copies of an inaugural guide were printed with support from the Dade Community Foundation. Funding was secured from the Allegheny Foundation to print a second edition in 2007.
Intraoperative aortic dissection

Intraoperative aortic dissection is a rare but potentially fatal complication of open heart operations. If the dissection is promptly recognized and repaired, however, the outcome may be significantly better. In this study, we reviewed the hospital records of patients with dissection of the aortic arch occurring as a complication of a cardiac operation at Massachusetts General Hospital and Mt. Auburn Hospital from January 1980 through June 1990. During this period, 14,877 surgical procedures with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cannulation were performed, and 24 patients (0.16%) with iatrogenic aortic dissection were identified. Dissection was discovered intraoperatively in 20 patients and postoperatively after complications developed in 4. Of the 20 patients whose injuries were discovered intraoperatively and repaired, 4 (20%) died. Of the 4 whose injuries were discovered after operation, 2 (50%) died. The primary cause of death was ventricular dysfunction resulting from myocardial ischemia. Dissections originated at the aortic cannulation site in 10 patients, at the cross-clamp site in 8, at the site of the partial-occlusion clamp in 7, at the proximal anastomosis in 1 patient, and as a result of direct injury in 1. Three of these patients had simultaneous injuries at the aortic cannulation site and at the heel of the partial-occlusion clamp. Two techniques of repair were used: primary repair and patch or tube graft insertion. There were two deaths in the patients who underwent primary repair and four deaths in patients requiring graft replacement. Although it is uncommon, intraoperative aortic dissection can be a lethal complication of cardiac operations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Increased risk of incident stroke associated with the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) G-765C polymorphism in African-Americans: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

Abstract Background A hallmark feature of atherosclerosis is inflammation mediated by prostaglandins (PGs) catalyzed by the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX). The present study explored whether the COX-2 G−765C polymorphism contributes to increased incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) or stroke in the large prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Methods Incidences of CHD and stroke were identified through annual follow-up and hospital and death certificate surveillance. The study included 1488 incident CHD and 527 stroke events after an average of 14 years of follow-up. The frequency of the −765C variant allele was markedly different between African-Americans and whites, therefore all analyses were performed separately by race. Due to the small number of persons with the −765CC genotype, heterozygous and homozygous variant genotypes were combined for this analysis. Results The COX-2 G−765C polymorphism was not a significant predictor of CHD in either racial group, but it was a significant predictor of incident stroke in African-Americans. After adjustment for age and gender, the hazard rate ratio for developing stroke for the CG+CC genotypes relative to the GG genotype was 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.74, P = 0.03) in African-Americans. This result was essentially unchanged when established predictors such as smoking, diabetes and hypertension were added to the model (HRR 1.34, 95%CI 1.03–1.76, P = 0.03). Conclusion We have found the COX-2 G−765C polymorphism to be a risk factor for incident stroke in African-Americans. This study provides additional evidence for utilizing inflammation-related genetic polymorphisms for identifying individuals at increased risk for stroke.
Improved Compartmental Modeling and Application to Three-Phase Contaminant Transport in Unsaturated Porous Media

The compartmental modeling approach has been widely used for simulating contaminant transport in porous media and surface waters. Yet a commonly used compartmental model that has only first-order accuracy may introduce considerable numerical errors under certain circumstances. Following a review of compartmental systems and compartmental modeling methodologies, performance and limitations of such a compartmental model are discussed. In particular, improvement approaches, including multipoint, high-order, linear, and nonlinear methods, are presented in detail. Finally, a number of testing problems are examined and various compartmental models that describe three-phase (dissolved, adsorbed, and vapor phases) contaminant transport in unsaturated porous media are compared with each other and also with standard numerical and analytical counterparts. The comparisons highlight the accuracy, applicability, and limitations of different compartmental models.
How to Do Good Data Mining Research and Get it Published in Top Venues

While ICDM has traditionally enjoyed an unusually high quality of reviewing, there is no doubt that publishing in ICDM is very challenging. In this tutorial Dr. Keogh will demonstrate some simple ideas to enhance the probability of success in getting your paper published in a top data mining conference, and after the work is published, getting it highly cited.
Quantum theory of lattice desorption of adatoms from solid surfaces at low temperatures

Abstract We formulate a 3-D multiphonon theory of thermal desorption at low temperatures and carry out detailed calculations for a model system. These reveal various features similar to classical theory and the necessity for a fully 3-D treatment.
Direct catecholaminergic-cholinergic interactions in the basal forebrain. II. Substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area projections to cholinergic neurons.

Previous observations indicate that the basal forebrain receives dopaminergic input from the ventral midbrain. The present study aimed at determining the topographic organization of these projections in the rat, and whether this input directly terminates on cholinergic neurons. Injections of the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) into discrete parts of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) labeled axons and terminals in distinct parts of the basal forebrain, including medial and lateral septum, diagonal band nuclei, ventral pallidum, globus pallidus, substantia innominata, globus pallidus, and internal capsule, where PHA-L-labeled terminals abutted cholinergic (choline acetyltransferase=ChAT-containing) profiles. Three—dimensional (3-D) computerized reconstruction of immunostained sections clearly revealed distinct, albeit overlapping, subpopulations of ChAT-immunoreactive neurons apposed by PHA-L-labeled input from medial VTA (mainly in vertical and horizontal diagonal band nuclei), lateral VTA and medial SNC (ventral pallidum and anterior half of substantia innominata), and lateral SNC (caudal half of the substantia innominata and globus pallidus). At the ultrastructural level, about 40% of the selected PHA-L-labeled presynaptic terminals in the ventral pallidum and substantia innominata were found to establish synaptic specializations with ChAT-containing profiles, most of which on the cell body and proximal dendritic shafts. Convergent synaptic input of unlabeled terminals that formed asymmetric synapses with the ChAT-immunoreactive profiles were often found in close proximity to the PHA-L-labeled terminals. These observations show that the cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain are targets of presumably dopaminergic SNC/VTA neurons, and suggest a direct modulatory role of dopamine in acetylcholine release in the cerebral cortical mantle. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.