cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and characterization by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of peptides related to the B‐domain of staphylococcal protein A

Solid-phase synthesis was used to prepare several peptides related to Staphylococcal protein A, including a 58-residue sequence corresponding to the entire B-domain of the protein. These materials were characterized by a combination of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and microchemical methods, including Edman degradation and tryptic digestion. The errors identified included incomplete removal of blocking groups, premature chain termination and the dehydration of an aspartic add residue in the sequence. All of these problems would have been extremely difficult to elucidate by conventional techniques of protein chemistry, and demonstrate that mass spectrometry is the method of choice for verifying the structural integrity of the products of solid-phase synthesis.
Language dominance in translation priming: Evidence from balanced and unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals

It is well established in the masked translation priming literature that the priming effect is sensitive to language direction with noncognates—namely, the priming effect is consistently observed from first language (L1) to second language (L2), but not always from L2 to L1. Several recent reports demonstrated both L1–L2 and L2–L1 priming and attributed the restoration of L2–L1 priming to high proficiency in L2. Here, the current study tested two groups of highly proficient Chinese–English bilinguals, with one group more dominant in English and the other more balanced in both languages. The L2–L1 priming effect was only observed with the balanced bilinguals, but not the English-dominant ones. Based on these results, I argue that the language proficiency account is not sufficient to explain the priming asymmetry and that the relative bilingual balance is a more accurate account. Theoretically, the cross-language balance is determined by the representational difference between L1 and L2 at the semantic leve...
Radiatively driven hypersonic wind tunnel

This paper outlines a new approach to the design of hypersonic wind tunnels. This new approach is motivated by fundamental limitations of conventional isentropic expansions that arise from the very high temperatures required to achieve the necessary enthalpy for hypersonic flow. These high temperatures lead to excessive throat degradation and contaminated air in the test section. The consequence is that the run times of conventional facilities must be short, and tests are conducted in "air" of unknown composition containing exceedingly high concentrations of radical and superequilibrium species such as NO as well as ablated plenum and throat material. The radiatively driven wind-tunnel approach takes advantage of the real gas properties of air to achieve high enthalpy at low temperature in the plenum, thus minimizing throat degradation and suppressing the formation of unwanted species in the plenum. Additional energy is radiatively added downstream of the throat in the expansion section to achieve the desired test conditions. The temperature of the air is kept low throughout the expansion, so that the formation of superequilibrium species and radicals is kept to a minimum. Radiative sources that couple to air include high-power lasers and microwave devices. A one-dimensional model including optical coupling is developed using, as an example, an HF laser coupled to the naturally occurring CCh in air.
Redefining Foreign Correspondence

Scholars have used the traditional elite foreign correspondent as a prime measure of the quality of foreign news coverage. They regularly track the size of the corps of correspondents and focus their analyses of foreign news on coverage in major established news outlets like The New York Times and CBS. While this model has worked well for many years, it does not now. This is a result of the chronic decline of elite foreign correspondents coupled with the proliferation of alternate sources of foreign news. This article outlines trends changing the flow of foreign news and suggests some of the implications for scholars who wish to study the nexus between news and foreign policy.
Creating repeating hyperbolic patterns

A process for creating repeating patterns of the hyperbolic plane is described. Unlike the Euclidean plane, the hyperbolic plane has infinitely many different kinds of repeating patterns. The Poincare circle model of hyperbolic geometry has been used by the artist M. C. Escher to display interlocking, repeating, hyperbolic patterns. A program has been designed which will do this automatically. The user enters a motif, or basic subpattern, which could theoretically be replicated to fill the hyperbolic plane. In practice, the replication process can be iterated sufficiently often to appear to fill the circle model. There is an interactive “boundary procedure” which allows the user to design a motif Which will be replicated into a completely interlocking pattern. Duplication of two of Escher's patterns and some entirely new patterns are included in the paper.
The effect of additives on the eutectoid transformation of ductile iron

The eutectoid transformation of austenite in cast iron is known to proceed by both the meta-stable γ → α + Fe3C reaction common in Fe-C alloys of near eutectoid composition, and by the direct γ → α + Graphite reaction, with the graphite phase functioning as a car-bon sink. In addition, the meta-stable cementite constituent of the pearlite can dissolve near the graphite phase (Fe3C → α + Graphite), producing free ferrite. Isothermal trans-formation studies on a typical ductile iron (nodular cast iron) confirmed that all of these reaction mechanisms are normally operative. The addition of 1.3 pct Mn was found to substantially retard all stages of the transformation by retarding the onset of the eutectoid transformation, decreasing the diffusivity of carbon in ferrite, and stabilizing the cemen-tite. Minor additions of Sb (0.08 pct) or Sn (0.12 pct) were found to inhibit the γ →α + Graphite reaction path, as well as the Fe3C → α + Graphite dissolution step, but did not significantly affect the meta-stable γ → α + Fe3C reaction. Scanning Auger microprobe analysis indicated that Sn and Sb adsorb at the nodule/metal interphase boundaries during solidification. This adsorbed layer acts as a barrier to the carbon flow necessary for the direct γ → α + Graphite and Fe3C → α + Graphite reactions. With the graphite phase dis-abled as a sink for the excess carbon, the metal transforms like a nongraphitic steel. The effects of Mn, Sn, and Sb on the eutectoid transformation of ductile iron were shown to be consistent with their behavior in malleable iron.
Effects of Dylox and Other Insecticides on Entomophagous Insects Attacking Field Crop Pests in California

Field tests were conducted to determine the relative toxicity of Dylox® ( O, O -dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-l-hydroxyethylphosphonate) and other insecticides to certain entomophagous insects which aid in regulating the population density of field crop pests in California. Dylox was applied on alfalfa hay at dosage rates of 3.6 to 11.4 ounces per acre. At higher dosages, Dylox was quite toxic to larvae of the convergent lady beetle ( Hippodamia comergens G.-M.). H. parenthesis (Say), and H. quinquesignata punctulata LeConte, but only moderately toxic to the adults. Nabis ferus (Linn.), Orius sp., and one of the Aphidiine parasites, Praon palitans Muesebeck, of the spotted alfalfa aphid, Therioaphis Maculate (Buckton), also were quite susceptible to higher dosages. At dosage rates of approximately one-half pound or less, Dylox was only slightly to moderately toxic to coccinellid adults and larvae ( Hippodamia spp. mentioned above), Chrysopa spp., and Geocoris spp. Parathion, which was used as a standard comparison material, was highly toxic to the entomophagous species at dosage rates of 3.6 to 8 ounces per acre. A DDT-toxaphene mixture (1.3 and.2.6 pounds, respectively), used to control many field crop pests in California, proved to be extremely toxic to H. convergens, Geocoris spp., Orins sp., Cltrysopa spp., Nabis ferus, and Sinea diadema (Fabr.), and to syrphids. DDT applied alone (1.3 pounds per acre) was nearly as toxic to the entomophagous species as the DDT-toxaphene combination. On the other hand, toxaphene (2.7 pounds per acre) was not nearly so toxic as DDT and was far less toxic than the DDT-toxaphene mixture. Sevin® ( N -methyl-1-naphthyl carbamate), applied at 19 ounces per acre, caused marked reductions in H. convergens, adults and nymphs of N. ferus, and adults of Collops vittaus (Say). Heptachlor applied at 2.4 ounces per acre was moderately toxic to adults of Geocoris spp, and C. vitlatus, whereas at this dosage heptachlor had essentially no effect on H. convergens, and adults and immatures of Orius sp., Chrysopa spp., and N. fetus.
A highly-resolved numerical study of turbulent separated flow past a backward-facing step

Abstract A numerical study of fully-developed turbulent flow past a backward-facing step is performed to analyze the effect of mesh refinement on the computed results. The time averaged equations of conservation of mass and momentum are solved by a finite-volume method using two versions of the K-e model of turbulence. The computations are performed with both the standard and the non-linear K-e turbulence models for 166 × 73 and 332 × 146 mesh points . The comparison of the results with available experimental findings indicate that nonlinear terms must be incorporated into the K-e model to account for normal stress differences, and that even with very fine resolution, the standard K-e model fails to provide accurate predictions of the flow field.
Albiglutide: clinical overview of a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have become an important therapeutic option for patients with Type 2 diabetes because of their ability to lower blood glucose and help patients lose weight. There are currently three glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on the market. In the near future, albiglutide will undergo review by the US FDA for possible approval. Results from Phase I/II trials have demonstrated that albiglutide is a safe and efficacious medication for treating Type 2 diabetes. It lowers hemoglobin A1c and decreases bodyweight. It appears to have fewer gastrointestinal side effects than liraglutide. The once-weekly (or possibly longer duration) dosing of albiglutide may improve adherence. Several Phase III trials are expected to be completed in 2013. These trials will shed further light on the safety and efficacy of albiglutide.
Distignuishing the source of memories reported during prior waking and hypnotic recall attempts

Subjects attempted to identify the occasion on which they first reported particular responses to questions that were asked twice during an experiment on hyphosis and memory 1 week earlier. During this earlier experiment, subjects of high and low hypnotizability had been randomly allocatd to one of two recall test sequences: wake-hypnosis ro wake-wake. Recall improved from the first (R1) to the second test (R2) in a comparable manner for both test sequences, indicating a failure of hypnosis to enhance memory. It is noteworthy that, when later queried about the origins of specific recollections, the majority of subjects exhibited a bias to attribute their responses to R1, regardless of whether hypnosis was used during R2. Moreover, low hypnotizables exposed to the hypnotic procedure and, to a lesser extent, high hypnotizables who recalled both times in the waking condition displayed and exaggerated tendency to overattribute recollections to R1. These data indicate that individuals cannot distinguish between memories retrieved prior to hypnosis and those that occured during hypnosis. Implications for implementing judicial standards regarding hypnosis are discussed. Language: en
Effects of Associative Reaction Time and Meaningfulness of Stimulus Terms in Forward and Backward Paired-Associate Learning:

Summary.--48 Ss learned a list of PAS, at either a 2-sec. or 7-sec. presentation rate (PR), in which the stimulus terms were assessed on the bases of associative reaction time (RT) and meaningfulness (M). In forward anticipation learning, the effect of RT of stimulus terms was not significant but M was, with the greatest effect at the 2-sec. PR. In a backward recsll test, the shortlatency RT stimulus terms were recalled more frequently than the long-latency RT terms and high-M terms were recalled more frequently than low-M terms. The results were interpreted in terms of a two-stage analysis in which the effecrs of M were related to srimulus recognition and the effects of RT to stimulus recall. The findings of recent research have demonstrated that associative reaction time (RT-the time elapsing between the presentation of a verbal unit and the first association produced) of response terms has a significant effect on pairedassociate learning (PAL) rate. Ley (1968), Ley and Anderson (1969), and Ley and Locascio ( 1970) found that within levels of meaningfulness (M) shortlatency RT response terms were learned in fewer trials t1.1an long-latency response terms and that the difference in the rate of learning was greater, the briefer the presentation rate. In a srudy designed to test the effects of RT and M of stimulus terms in PAL, Ley and Locascio (1969) found that RT, within levels of equated M, had no effect on the forward acquisition rate of PAS. If the effect of RT is limited to response terms, the question arises as to whether this effect would be apparent in a backward recall test following forward anticipation learning, since in backward recall, the stimulus terms of the forward anticipation task become response terms. If backward associations are affected by the same variables which affect forward associations, it would be expected that RT of response terms in backward recall (stimulus terms in forward anticipation) should have the same effect as RT response terms in forward acquisition, i.e., short-latency RT response terms in the backward test should be recalled more frequently than longlatency RT response terms. It was the primary purpose of the present snldy to test this hypothesis. Although the data of Ley and Locascio (1969) corroborated the general finding that M is a significant stimulus-term variable, a crend in the data suggested that the facilitative effect of M may be a function of presentation rate. If This research was supported in part by a Scate University of New York Research Foundation Faculty Research Fellowship to the first author.
Integrated Design and Minimum Sensitivity Design of Controlled Multibody Systems

The design methods that have been traditionally used for controlled mechanical systems suffer from three major drawbacks. First, the design process is generally sequential, with the mechanical design being done first and frozen before the control system design is done. Secondly, the design is usually tuned to improve performance only without worrying about the sensitivity of the system’s performance to small variations in the system parameters. Third, there is a lack of systematic guidance for traversing the design space and arriving at a high quality design. In this work, we propose a design approach that addresses all three of these concerns. This approach first extends the constrained multi-element formulation for multibody systems to include a generic controller model. This gives the basic capability to simulate controlled multibody systems in a general way by numerically solving a set of differential-algebraic equations (DAE’s). A direct differentiation technique is then applied to the unified mathematical model to obtain a set of DAE’s in the sensitivities of the system variables. This is then used to compute the sensitivity of any performance function of interest. The system analysis and sensitivity analysis are then treated as inputs to a suitable nonlinear programming problem (NLP). The NLP serves as a vehicle to unify mechanical system and control criteria in the design process, and to incorporate sensitivity considerations along with performance considerations. The NLP also provides the means for automating the solution process through the use of optimization algorithms. Two representative example, including an industrial problem, are solved using this method. The results clearly show that the methodology is feasible and leads to a vast improvement in the quality of the final design, whatever the design considerations may be.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Social anxiety, hypomania and the bipolar spectrum: data, theory and clinical issues

Reports in the literature indicate a subtle but consistent relationship between panic and bipolar II disorder. The possible connection between social phobia and bipolarity is less investigated. When we studied the treatment outcome of 32 social phobic patients administered either the reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor (RIMA) meclobomide or the irreversible inhibitor MAOI phenelzine, we found that eighteen had remission > 50% of their socially anxious symptoms. Moreover, 14/18 of those improved became hypomanic, according to the Raskin Mania Scale (RMS) and the Young Mania Scale (YMS) coupled with expert clinical diagnosis. These findings possibly allude to a relationship of social phobia to bipolarity. Treatment with RIMA or MAOI exposed these subjects as having an atypical bipolar syndrome which is part of the bipolar spectrum. We then compared this special subset of subjects to the 18 socially phobic patients who failed to respond to RIMA's or MAOI's and to 26 patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Eleven of the 14 hypomanic responders gave histories of serious developmental deprivation (anaclisis); only 5/18 social phobics and 3/26 GADs without hypomanic responses had anaclitic histories. The author raises the possibility that anaclisis may have interacted with the impediment of volition of uncomplicated bipolar depression to produce social inhibition and anxiety. Finally, the author upholds the central role of depressive inhibition in bipolar disorder, which during antidepressant therapy often overshoots in a hypomanic direction; even in the absence of prior spontaneous hypomania, such disinhibition should classify this special subset of social phobic patients within the bipolar spectrum.
Mouse Dispatched homolog1 Is Required for Long-Range, but Not Juxtacrine, Hh Signaling

Abstract Precise patterning of cell types along the dorsal-ventral axis of the spinal cord is essential to establish functional neural circuits [1]. In order to prove the feasibility of studying a single biological process through random mutagenesis in the mouse, we have identified recessive ENU-induced mutations in six genes that prevent normal specification of ventral cell types in the spinal cord. We positionally cloned the genes responsible for two of the mutant phenotypes, smoothened and dispatched , which are homologs of Drosophila Hh pathway components. The Dispatched homolog1 ( Disp1 ) mutation causes lethality at midgestation and prevents specification of ventral cell types in the neural tube, a phenotype identical to the Smoothened ( Smo ) null phenotype. As in Drosophila , mouse Disp1 is required to move Shh away from the site of synthesis. Despite the existence of a second mouse disp homolog, Disp1 is essential for long-range signaling by both Shh and Ihh ligands. Our data indicate that Shh signaling is required within the notochord to maintain Shh expression and to prevent notochord degeneration. Disp1, unlike Smo, is not required for this juxtacrine signaling by Shh.
Lower gaba levels in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex impair ability to ignore smoking-related cues in tobacco-dependent volunteers

Conclusions: Different patterns of fMRI activation were observedpostMPHandPL.Whilst the role of prefrontal andparietal regions in cognitive control is well established, that of the occipital cortex is less so. Increased activation of visual pathways in AMD postMPHmay be necessary to bias selective attentionmechanisms towards the task-relevant stimulus feature. The results from this study inform us how MPH acts in the brains of AMD and provide insights for potential behavioural or pharmacological interventions. Financial support: NZPERF, UoAFDRF, Oakley.
Direct measurement of the photochemical ring opening in 1,3-cyclohexadiene by picosecond time-resolved UV resonance Raman

The kinetics of the photochemical ring opening of 1,3-cyclohexadiene to form cis-hexatriene was studied by time-resolved, picosecond UV resonance Raman spectroscopy. The frequency-doubled 283.5 nm output of an amplified, synchronously pumped dye laser was used to perform pump-probe Raman experiments with 2 ps time resolution. Transient Raman spectra were obtained from 0 ps to 3.1 ns after the excitation pulse. The intensity of the 1624 cm−1 ethylenic line of the cis-hexatriene product was monitored versus time. The ring-opened photoproduct appeared with a time constant of 8±1 ps. Analysis of the vibrational spectra suggests that after crossing to the ground state surface, a thermal single-bond isomerization occurs in < 20 ps to produce, e.g. s-cis, cis, s-trans-hexatriene.
SKCa and IKCa Channels, myogenic tone, and vasodilator responses in middle cerebral arteries and parenchymal arterioles: effect of ischemia and reperfusion.

Background and Purpose— The role of SKCa and IKCa channels in myogenic tone and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) responsiveness was investigated under control conditions and after ischemia and reperfusion in parenchymal arterioles (PA) versus middle cerebral arteries (MCA). Methods— MCA and PA were dissected from male Wistar rats that were ischemic for 1 hour with 24 hours of reperfusion (n=12) or sham controls (n=12). Basal tone and reactivity to apamin (300 nmol/L), TRAM-34 (1.0 μmol/L), and nitro-l-arginine (0.1 mmol/L) were compared in PA and MCA pressurized to 40 mm Hg and 75 mm Hg, respectively. SKCa and IKCa channel mRNA expression was measured using real-time PCR. Results— PA developed greater basal tone than MCA (42±4% versus 19±3%; P<0.01). Addition of apamin and TRAM-34 increased tone of PA by 25±3% and 16±2%, respectively, whereas MCA had no response to either inhibitor. After ischemia and reperfusion, the response to nitric oxide synthase inhibition (NOS) was diminished in PA...
Cisterna magna clot and subsequent post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus.

Background. Posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) is an ominous complication of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in premature infants. Previous studies have correlated lateral intraventricular clot with subsequent PHH, but there are no studies assessing the outcome of clot in the cisterna magna (CM). Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine if the identification of clot in the CM on the initial positive cranial ultrasound for intraventricular hemorrhage increased the risk of subsequent PHH. Materials and methods. A review of ultrasound records over a 4-year period identified 41 neonates with at least grade 2 IVH who had specific CM views prospectively performed. Results. Thirty-six survived more than 3 months. Overall, 22 (61 %) developed hydrocephalus. On the initial positive cranial ultrasound, CM blood was identified in 21 (58 %). Of these 18 (86 %) developed hydrocephalus [odds ratio (OR) 16.5, confidence interval (CI) 2.5–125.7, P < 0.001] and 14 (67 %) required intervention or remained dilated (OR 28.0, CI 2.8–1265.8). All patients that required permanent shunt placement had initial CM clot (P < 0.01). Initial ventriculomegaly was not a significant predictor of subsequent hydrocephalus, but a dilated third ventricle (≥ 8 mm) was (OR 9.0, CI 1.2–103.3, P < 0.04). Asymmetric intraventricular clot filling of more than 50 % was not predictive of hydrocephalus, but symmetric clot of more than 50 % was (OR 10.8, CI 1.4–61.6, P < 0.01). Nine neonates had concomitant parenchymal damage with varying outcomes (three shunted, two persistent ventriculomegaly, four resolved with normal sized ventricles). Conclusion. In this study CM clot significantly increased the risk and was a better predictor of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus than initial hydrocephalus.
Errors in Opioid Prescribing: A Prospective Survey in Cancer Pain

Abstract Context Cancer pain is debilitating and has multidimensional consequences. It can be treated adequately in up to 90% of patients by following pain management guidelines. Nevertheless, inadequate pain control remains a global problem. Objectives We surveyed prescribing patterns in patients referred to our Palliative Medicine Program (PMP) to identify common errors in opioid use. Methods Consecutive cancer patients seen by our PMP were prospectively surveyed for the presence of pain and errors in opioid prescribing at the time of initial consultation. Our recommendations to correct and optimize pain management also were recorded. Results One hundred eighty-six consecutive cancer patients were screened. One hundred seventeen (63%) had cancer pain, 151 opioid prescribing errors were detected, and 147 different recommendations were made. Most common were failure to order around-the-clock opioids for constant pain, and the failure to treat or prevent opioid side effects. Multiple errors were more common in females, but the sex difference did not reach statistical significance. There was no difference in the errors by pain severity or reason for consultation. Conclusion Opioid prescribing errors were common. Females may be at greater risk of multiple errors. A PM consultation program is effective in identifying and correcting a wide variety of opioid prescribing errors.
176 EARLY REFEEDING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE DIARRHEA IN INFANTS BETWEEN 0–1 YEAR

The authors compared early versus late refeeding in the management of acute diarrhea in infants between 0-1 year. The study was carried out on two homogeneous patient groups. In the study group (73 patients) breast feeding was resumed or early refeeding was performed in infants on nonbreast feeding, so that feeding prior to the onset of the disease was reached within 2-3 days. Refeeding was performed by resuming the milk formula in infants 5 months. In the control group (49 patients) late refeeding was performed, introducing milk formula after 24-36 hours (in infants 5 months), reverting to original feeding after 4-6 days. There were significant differences regarding the number of stools and duration of evolution. Weight halt and loss during diet was noted more frequently in the group with late refeeding. The differences between the changes of weight curve between the two groups are statistically significant (t = 5.32, at p = 0.01). The results of the study indicate the favourable effect of early refeeding on the weight curve in the management of acute diarrhea.
Skeletal muscle expression of creatine kinase-B in end-stage renal disease

The tissue specificity of creatine kinase (CK-MB) has been shown not to be absolute for the myocardium. Unexplained increases of plasma creatine kinase (CK-MB) occur in patients with skeletal muscle disease, confounding the diagnosis of myocardial injury. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of CK-B as well as of the nuclear regulatory factor MyoD by Western blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques in skeletal muscle biopsies obtained from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Quantitation of CKMB mass demonstrated a 35-fold greater concentration in skeletal muscle from ESRD patients (n=45) vs normal skeletal muscles (n=10), (p<0.01). In 22 of 45 ESRD skeletal muscles, CK-B expression was detected by Western blot analysis, molecular weight 46 kDa. In the seven CK-B Western blot positive tissues studied, one demonstrated a RT-PCR amplification product at 111 bp. In contrast, no CK-B expression was detected by either Western blot or RT-PCR in normal skeletal muscles. MyoD expression (98 bp) was found in all ESRD and normal skeletal muscles. The intensity of the MyoD expression was greatest in tissues that demonstrated a higher CKMB mass concentration. Our findings demonstrate an increase in CK-B protein expression in human skeletal muscle obtained from patients with ESRD, that may in part be controlled by an increase in expression of mRNA for CK-B. The resulting increase in CKMB mass in skeletal muscle from ESRD patients may also be regulated by alterations in expression of the nuclear regulatory protein MyD.
Dynamic periodic fixed appointment scheduling for home health

This paper defines the Home Health Nurse Routing and Scheduling (HHNRS) problem and presents a rolling horizon approach for its solution. The HHNRS is a dynamic periodic fixed appointment time routing problem with visit time consistency constraints. A set of patients, revealed dynamically, must be visited according to a prescribed weekly frequency over a prescribed number of weeks, where each visit must be assigned a precise appointment time chosen from a fixed menu of allowable appointments. Furthermore, weekly visits must repeat on the same days and times throughout a patient's service duration, and should occur according to an allowable visit day combination for the patient. The objective is to maximize the number of patients served per nurse per unit time. We develop a rolling horizon myopic planning approach for the single nurse HHNRS variant that uses a new capacity-based insertion heuristic to explicitly consider remaining available time in the nurse's schedule when inserting current patient reques...
First Report of Blueberry scorch virus on Highbush Blueberry in Connecticut and Massachusetts

During June and July 2001, the Marucci Center received 33 foliage samples from healthy- and unhealthy-looking highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) bushes from growers in Connecticut and Massachusetts, via local extension agents. Unhealthy bushes were reported to exhibit symptoms including leaf chlorosis and necrosis, blossom blight, tip dieback, or a general decline in vigor. Marginal leaf chlorosis, reddening, or necrosis characterized foliage samples from these bushes. Five-leaf samples from each bush were tested for Blueberry scorch virus (BlScV) (3) with Agri-Check detection kits (Hydros, Inc., Falmouth, MA). These kits use an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocol and antibodies developed at Rutgers University that are specific to the two eastern strains of BlScV (NJ1 and NJ2) (1). The ELISA extraction buffer was based on that used by Martin and Bristow (3) with 1% (wt/vol) nonfat dry milk powder added as a blocking agent. Fourteen samples from cvs. Blueray and Berkeley in both states and cvs. Elliott, Bluecrop, and Coville in Massachusetts tested positive for BlScV. These results were confirmed by a second test. Six of seven samples from symptomatic bushes and 8 of 26 samples from asymptomatic bushes harbored BlScV. Virus preparations extracted from five infected plants (two from Connecticut and three from Massachusetts) were examined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with oligonucleotide primers (5'-TGTGTCAAACAATATGGC-3' and 5'-GCATTTCGATGA-TTGCGG-3') designed to amplify a portion of the coat protein gene from any of the three known virus strains (1,2). Sequence analysis of fragments amplified from their coat protein genes revealed that two of the isolates from Massachusetts (GenBank Accession Nos. AY530957 and AY530958) and the two isolates from Connecticut (GenBank Accession Nos. AY530955 and AY530956) were similar but not identical to one another, and these four were most similar to strain NJ2. One isolate from Massachusetts (GenBank Accession No. AY530958) was most similar to strain NJ1. To our knowledge, this is the first report of BlScV on the east coast outside of New Jersey, where it was first reported in 1983 (4). These results indicate that the disease is now present in other blueberry-growing areas in the northeast and is likely to be spreading locally within those areas. Because blueberry scorch is symptomless in propagation material and may take several years to express symptoms in the field, the initial spread of the disease was probably due to the shipping of latently infected plants to BlScV-free areas before reliable testing was available. References: (1) T. D. Cavileer et al. J. Gen. Virol. 75:711, 1994. (2) B. T. Halpern and B. I. Hillman. Plant Dis. 80:219, 1996. (3) R. R. Martin and P. R. Bristow. Phytopathology 78:1636, 1988. (4) A. W. Stretch. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 73:375, 1983.
Recent advances in holographic data storage in SBN

In this paper we discuss recent advances in holographic data storage using ferroelectric SBN as the recording medium. A novel optical architecture involving an array of SBN fibers is discussed that allows 2 - 3 orders of magnitude faster access times than for conventional magnetic data storage devices of Gbyte size. To realize this potential we are studying fundamental materials issues related to SBN fiber growth and photorefractive processes underlying prolonged readout in SBN.
Radio Bursts, Origin Unknown

Analyzing the transient electromagnetic signals pervading the cosmos has led to the identification of a plethora of exotic astrophysical objects. On page 53 of this issue, Thornton et al. ( 1 ) report on the discovery of several short radio bursts, only a few milliseconds in duration, from four widely spaced directions during a survey of the sky using the Parkes radio telescope in Australia. The bursts are not unlike individual pulses seen from pulsars, neutron stars whose spins regularly sweep a lighthouse-like beam into Earth's direction. Because of their weak emission, the majority of known pulsars reside within the Milky Way or in one of its satellite dwarf galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. By contrast, the new bursts appear to originate from large distances, outside the Milky Way. Truly remarkable is that a burst rate of about 104 bursts per day over the entire sky has been deduced. It is still early days for identifying the astrophysical origins of such common but (so far) rarely detected events.
Striped Phase and Temperature Dependent Step Shape Transition on Highly B-Doped Si(001)-( 2×1) Surfaces

Low-energy electron and scanning tunneling microscopies were used to make the first conclusive observation of an equilibrium ``striped'' phase on heavily B-doped Si(001) surfaces. Finely striped step structures $\ensuremath{\sim}10$ nm wide form at temperatures below 800 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, which grow in size with increasing temperature and evolve into ``triangular-tiled'' structures above 900 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. These results are explained in terms of stress relaxation effects enhanced by a temperature-dependent surface segregation of B. This work suggests a simple method for producing self-assembled nanostructures on Si(001) surfaces.
White-light continuum z-scan technique for nonlinear materials characterization

We present a rapid characterization technique for nonlinear absorption and refraction: the white-light continuum z-scan. The broadband nature of this pump permits us to measure the two-photon absorption spectrum of ZnSe using only one beam.
Distributed Optimal generation Dispatch considering transmission losses

Economically dispatching the generation is essential to the efficient operations of a power system. As an approximation to the nonconvex AC optimal power flow (ACOPF) problem, the convex DC optimal power flow (DCOPF) problem is used in many studies. In this paper, the DCOPF with transmission line losses (DCOPFL) is formulated to better approximate the ACOPF problem. A Cooperative Distributed Optimal Dispatch (CDOD) algorithm is proposed to solve the DCOPFL problem in a distributed manner. The convergence and correctness of the CDOD algorithm are verified through two representative case studies. The DCOPFL is also verified to have the smallest approximation error comparing with DCOPF and economic dispatch considering transmission losses (EDL) by taking ACOPF solution as reference.
Structural insights into the exchange domain of sec2p: expression, purification, crystallization, and preliminary x-ray diffraction data analysis.

Sec2p is an essential yeast gene and is part of the cell polarization process that leads to budding. The Nterminal domain of sec2p (Sec2pN) the guanine-nucleotide exchange factor for sec4p has been expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and crystallized. Crystals belong to the space group P21 with unit cell dimensions 178.1 x 98.4 x 180.0 {angstrom}, {beta} = 91.7{sup o}, and diffract synchrotron-generated X-rays to better than 3.6 {angstrom} resolution. Pseudo-precession plots reveal a Laue symmetry of 2/m, corresponding to the aforementioned space group, and unusual weak diffraction in the -5--7 {angstrom} resolution range. The Matthews number calculations for a typical crystal density suggest a range of 28 to 64 molecules per asymmetric unit. Self-rotation and native Patterson calculations demonstrate a pure helical array of protein subunits. Based on the X-ray diffraction data analysis and amino-acid sequence alignments, the paper presents a hypothetical model of the exchange domain of sec2p as a pair of coiled-coil helices that binds to sec4p and facilitates nucleotide disassociation.
Method for enumeration of 5-cyano-2,3-ditoyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC)-active cells and cell-specific CTC activity of benthic bacteria in riverine, estuarine and coastal sediments

Abstract Bacteria are the most abundant and active organisms in marine sediments and are critical for nutrient cycling and as a food source to many benthic and pelagic organisms. Bacteria are found both as free-living cells and as particle-associated cells, which can make investigations of these communities difficult. We found that common procedures for extracting bacteria from sediments leave the bacteria clay particle-associated and the clay particles clump, which reduce the reproducibility of direct counts. We optimized a sonication/surfactant method that produces a homogeneous suspension of bacterial cells against a uniform background of clay particles, which results in reproducible samples for epifluorescence microscopy. We developed a method to estimate CTC-positive cells and cell-specific CTC content in intact cores of surficial sediment communities from riverine, estuarine and coastal sites. Benthic bacterial abundances averaged 4.9×108 cells/g dry wt sediments in Apalachicola River, Florida sediments, 4.9–13.8×109 cells/g dry wt sediments in a variety of Apalachicola Bay sediments and 3.6×108 cells/g dry weight in shallow, anoxic Gulf of Mexico sediments. Percent CTC-positive cells ranged from low values of 9–10% CTC-positive cells in Apalachicola River and Apalachicola Bay sediments to high values of 25% CTC-positive cells in anoxic Gulf of Mexico sediments. After correction for abiotic CTC reduction and chlorophyll interference, estimates of cell-specific CTC reduction ranged from 0.15 to 0.55 fmol CTCred/active cell in the Apalachicola Bay sediments to 1.6 to 3.8 fmol CTCred/active cell in anoxic Gulf of Mexico sediments.
Finite difference and finite element methods for mhd channel flows

A Galerkin finite element method and two finite difference techniques of the control volume variety have been used to study magnetohydrodynamic channel flows as a function of the Reynolds number, interaction parameter, electrode length and wall conductivity. The finite element and finite difference formulations use unequally spaced grids to accurately resolve the flow field near the channel wall and electrode edges where steep flow gradients are expected. It is shown that the axial velocity profiles are distorted into M-shapes by the applied electromagnetic field and that the distortion increases as the Reynolds number, interaction parameter and electrode length are increased. It is also shown that the finite element method predicts larger electromagnetic pinch effects at the electrode entrance and exit and larger pressure rises along the electrodes than the primitive-variable and streamfunction–vorticity finite difference formulations. However, the primitive-variable formulation predicts steeper axial velocity gradients at the channel walls and lower axial velocities at the channel centreline than the streamfunction–vorticity finite difference and the finite element methods. The differences between the results of the finite difference and finite element methods are attributed to the different grids used in the calculations and to the methods used to evaluate the pressure field. In particular, the computation of the velocity field from the streamfunction–vorticity formulation introduces computational noise, which is somewhat smoothed out when the pressure field is calculated by integrating the Navier–Stokes equations. It is also shown that the wall electric potential increases as the wall conductivity increases and that, at sufficiently high interaction parameters, recirculation zones may be created at the channel centreline, whereas the flow near the wall may show jet-like characteristics.
A chimeric activator of transcription that uses two DNA-binding domains to make simultaneous contact with pairs of recognition sites

Many well-known transcriptional regulatory proteins are composed of at least two independently folding domains and, typically, only one of these is a DNA-binding domain. However, some transcriptional regulators have been described that have more than one DNA-binding domain. Regulators with a single DNA-binding domain often bind co-operatively to the DNA in homotypic or heterotypic combinations, and two or more DNA-binding domains of a single regulatory protein can also bind co-operatively to suitably positioned recognition sequences. Here, we examine the behaviour of a chimeric activator of transcription with two different DNA-binding domains, that of the bacteriophage λ cI protein and that of the Escherichia coli cyclic AMP receptor protein. We show that these two DNA-binding moieties, when present in the same molecule, can bind co-operatively to a pair of cognate recognition sites located upstream of a test promoter, thereby permitting the chimera to function as a particularly strong activator of transcription from this promoter. Our results show how such a bivalent DNA-binding protein can be used to regulate transcription differentially from promoters that bear either one or both recognition sites.
NADH/NAD redox state of cytoplasmic glycolytic compartments in vascular smooth muscle

The cytoplasmic NADH/NAD redox potential affects energy metabolism and contractile reactivity of vascular smooth muscle. NADH/NAD redox state in the cytosol is predominately determined by glycolysis, which in smooth muscle is separated into two functionally independent cytoplasmic compartments, one of which fuels the activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. We examined the effect of varying the glycolytic compartments on cystosolic NADH/NAD redox state. Inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase by 10 microM ouabain resulted in decreased glycolysis and lactate production. Despite this, intracellular concentrations of the glycolytic metabolite redox couples of lactate/pyruvate and glycerol-3-phosphate/dihydroxyacetone phosphate (thus NADH/NAD) and the cytoplasmic redox state were unchanged. The constant concentration of the metabolite redox couples and redox potential was attributed to 1) decreased efflux of lactate and pyruvate due to decreased activity of monocarboxylate B-H(+) transporter secondary to decreased availability of H(+) for cotransport and 2) increased uptake of lactate (and perhaps pyruvate) from the extracellular space, probably mediated by the monocarboxylate-H(+) transporter, which was specifically linked to reduced activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. We concluded that redox potentials of the two glycolytic compartments of the cytosol maintain equilibrium and that the cytoplasmic NADH/NAD redox potential remains constant in the steady state despite varying glycolytic flux in the cytosolic compartment for Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase.
Stage II breast cancer: Differences between four coping patterns in side effects during adjuvant chemotherapy

Abstract Fifty-six women with stage II breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were recruited for a study evaluating and comparing coping patterns for differences in physical and psychological side effects during treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy. Cluster analyses were used to split women into confrontive, avoidant-confrontive, avoidant-resigned, and resigned coping clusters. Side-effect measurements were taken on the day of adjuvant chemotherapy infusion and 3 and 7 days later. Repeated measures ANCOV As indicated that coping clusters predicted significant variance in physical, psychological, and total side effects when variance in covariates was held constant. Confrontive subjects reported significantly fewer psychological and physical symptoms than avoidant-confrontive and avoidant-resigned copers. Confrontive copers also reported fewer side effects than resigned copers, but this difference was not significant when differences in covariate distributions were controlled. Particularly robust differences were noted when confrontive copers were compared with avoidant-confrontive copers. Results suggest that a critical component in optimal coping may be a willingness to discuss and think about illness.
Cisternal Organization of the Endoplasmic Reticulum during Mitosis

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of animal cells is a single, dynamic, and continuous membrane network of interconnected cisternae and tubules spread out throughout the cytosol in direct contact with the nuclear envelope. During mitosis, the nuclear envelope undergoes a major rearrangement, as it rapidly partitions its membrane-bound contents into the ER. It is therefore of great interest to determine whether any major transformation in the architecture of the ER also occurs during cell division. We present structural evidence, from rapid, live-cell, three-dimensional imaging with confirmation from high-resolution electron microscopy tomography of samples preserved by high-pressure freezing and freeze substitution, unambiguously showing that from prometaphase to telophase of mammalian cells, most of the ER is organized as extended cisternae, with a very small fraction remaining organized as tubules. In contrast, during interphase, the ER displays the familiar reticular network of convolved cisternae linked to tubules.
IL-10 and TGF-β Redundantly Protect against Severe Liver Injury and Mortality during Acute Schistosomiasis

The cytokines IL-10 and TGF-beta regulate immunity and inflammation. IL-10 is known to suppress the extent of hepatic damage caused by parasite ova during natural infection with Schistosoma mansoni, but the role of TGF-beta is less clear. Cytokine blockade studies in mice revealed that anti-IL-10R mAb treatment during acute infection modestly increased cytokine production and liver damage, whereas selective anti-TGF-beta mAb treatment had marginal effects. In contrast, mice administered both mAbs developed severe hepatic inflammation, with enlarged, necrotic liver granulomas, cachexia, and >80% mortality by 8 wk postinfection, despite increased numbers of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) T regulatory cells. Blocking both IL-10 and TGF-beta at the onset of egg production also significantly increased IL-4, IL-6, TNF, IFN-gamma, and IL-17 production and markedly increased hepatic, peritoneal, and splenic neutrophilia. In contrast, coadministration of anti-IL-10R and TGF-beta mAbs had little effect upon parasite ova-induced intestinal pathology or development of alternatively activated macrophages, which are required to suppress intestinal pathology. This suggests that inflammation is controlled during acute S. mansoni infection by two distinct, organ-specific mechanisms: TGF-beta and IL-10 redundantly suppress hepatic inflammation while intestinal inflammation is regulated by alternatively activated macrophages.