cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Band Edge Recombination in CdSe, CdS and CdSxSe1−x Alloy Nanocrystals Observed by Ultrafast Fluorescence Upconversion: The Effect of Surface Trap States

The effect of surface trap states on band edge recombination in CdSe, CdS and CdSxSe1−x alloy nanocrystals has been determined using fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy. These measurements reveal that there is both a size and composition dependence on the short-lived (τ1) and long-lived (τ2) components of fluorescence lifetime at the band edge. An increase in nanocrystal diameter, ranging from 23 to 60 A, is accompanied by an increase in τ1. This behavior is explained by the decrease in accessible trap sites through a reduction in surface-to-volume ratio. Similarly, τ2 is found to increase with increasing nanocrystal size. However, with increasing sulfur concentration in the alloy nanocrystals, both a reduction in the magnitude of τ1 and a reversal in the trend for τ2 are observed. These changes in lifetimes associated with the addition of sulfur are explained by increased trapping on the nanocrystal surface. These results indicate that carrier dynamics may be controlled not only through size, but also...
Nonlinear optical effects in the LIGO gravitational-wave interferometer

LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) is a trio of sensitive Michelson interferometers designed to detect extremely relativistic astrophysical processes by the ripples they produce in spacetime. For best sensitivity, these interferometers are kilometers long, contain nearly unstable cavities, and operate at high optical power, making them uniquely susceptible to thermal aberrations and radiation-pressure-derived instabilities. We describe the LIGO interferometers, and their high power lasers and input optics, and described how thermal aberrations have been successfully controlled using adaptive corrective heating. The Advanced LIGO detectors, an upgrade to LIGO planned for installation in the year 2010, will operate with even higher optical power. We detail the additional challenges in construction and thermal compensation for Advanced LIGO, and detail how radiation-pressure derived instabilities influence the design, operation, and sensitivity ofAdvanced LIGO.
Primary prevention of cancer.

The special issue “Cancer Crusade at 40” (25 March, pp. [1539–1570][1]) overlooked the importance of primary prevention through the identification of environmental and occupational carcinogens. The IARC Monographs Program on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans has evaluated ∼1000
Domination critical graphs

Abstract A set of vertices S is said to dominate the graph G if for each v ∉ S , there is a vertex u ∈ S with u adjacent to v . The smallest cardinality of any such dominating set is called the domination number of G and is denoted by γ ( G ). The purpose of this paper is to initiate an investigation of those graphs which are critical in the following sense: For each v , u ∈ V ( G ) with v not adjacent to u , γ ( G + vu ) γ ( G ). Thus G is k-y-critical if γ ( G ) = k and for each edge e ∉ E ( G ), γ ( G + e ) = k −1. The 2-domination critical graphs are characterized the properties of the k -critical graphs with k ≥ 3 are studied. In particular, the connected 3-critical graphs of even order are shown to have a 1-factor and some stringent restrictions on their degree sequences and diameters are obtained.
Lead detection in environmental water sample using an organoclay film-based attenuated total reflectance sensor

A novel, portable and cost-effective optical sensor for lead detection in water has been developed, which combines a miniature sensing platform based on multiple internal reflection attenuated total reflectance (MIR-ATR) with a one-step synthesized thiolated organoclay thin film. This film is highly effective for the sequestration and pre-concentration of Pb2+ ions. Lead was detected with high sensitivity achieved through the combination of multiple internal reflections and large Pb2+ uptake capacity of the organoclay after forming bright yellow lead-thiolate (PbSx) complexes within the film. Un-optimized detection limits of 200 ppb Pb2+ in deionized water samples and slightly higher in Pb2+-spiked natural water samples were measured. The sensor response was reasonably fast and depended on the Pb2+ solution flow rate. The Pb2+ uptake at equilibrium was greater at slower flow rates, as Pb2+ ions require longer times to enter the galleries of the organoclay film and bind to the thiol groups. Operation of the sensor over pH values ranging from 5.0 to 7.0 appeared optimal for maximum sensitivity and longevity of the organoclay films. Lead-loaded films could resist up to 10 recycling treatments with acid before film degradation occurred.
A note on reliability estimation of functionally diverse systems

It has been argued that functional diversity might be a plausible means of claiming independence of failures between two versions of a system. We present a model of functional diversity, in the spirit of earlier models of diversity such as those of Eckhardt and Lee, and Hughes. In terms of the model, we show that the claims for independence between functionally diverse systems seem rather unrealistic. Instead, it seems likely that functionally diverse systems will exhibit positively correlated failures, and thus will be less reliable than an assumption of independence would suggest. The result does not, of course, suggest that functional diversity is not worthwhile; instead, it places upon the evaluator of such a system the onus to estimate the degree of dependence so as to evaluate the reliability of the system.
Application of spin-spin relaxation to measurement of surface area and pore size distributions in a hydrating cement paste

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation analysis has been applied to interpret the evolution of microstructure in a cement paste during hydration. Measurements of transverse magnetic relaxation were made in fully and partially filled white cement pastes for hydration times between 1 h and 6 mo. It was found that only the evaporable water molecules contributed to the echo amplitude in the NMR measurement, while both the evaporable and the hydrated water contribute to the amplitude of the free induction decay. The spin-spin relaxation rate was found to increase markedly during hydration and can be directly related to the total surface area of the CSH gel accessible to evaporable water. The amount of water consumed during the hydration process was determined independently from the amplitude of the NMR echo signal extrapolated to the beginning of the pulse sequence. A numerical inversion of the full spin-spin relaxation profile, determined with a CPMG pulse sequence, was interpreted as a pore volume distribution function. The measurements of total surface area, amount of water consumed, and pore distributions were performed in situ nondestructively, throughout the hydration period for a single sample of cement paste.
An upper limit to the amount of hydration of a protein molecule. A corollary to the "limiting law of protein structure".

Abstract A theory is presented which predicts the amount of hydration possessed by any given protein based solely on the amino acid composition of that protein. The predicted values agree closely with those experimentally determined in such cases where direct measurements are available. An extension of this theory permits the prediction of the “asphericity” of any given protein molecule from its amino acid composition and molecular weight alone. The “asphericity” so determined is a function of molecular shape alone and is independent of the hydration of the molecule. Consideration of the values of this function predicted for a number of proteins reveals that, in general, the higher the molecular weight a protein molecule possesses, the more it must deviate from a spherical shape. The implications of the dependence of tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins on their amino acid composition are considered in relation to mechanisms of protein synthesis.
A pattern of post-traumatic demineralization of bone simulating permeative neoplastic replacement: A potential source of misinterpretation

Long bones with a prominent endosteal trabecular pattern, particularly the ‘herringbone’ configuration, when immobilized, will demineralize in a striking ‘spotty’ pattern which may simulate neoplastic permeative replacement of bone. The recognition of this phenomenon will obviate needless concern and investigation.
Influenza Vaccines: A Moving Interdisciplinary Field

Vaccination is by far the most effective way of preventing morbidity and mortality due to infection of the upper respiratory tract by influenza virus. Current vaccines require yearly vaccine updates as the influenza virus can escape vaccine-induced humoral immunity due to the antigenic variability of its surface antigens. In case of a pandemic, new vaccines become available too late with current vaccine practices. New technologies that allow faster production of vaccine seed strains in combination with alternative production platforms and vaccine formulations may shorten the time gap between emergence of a new influenza virus and a vaccine becoming available. Adjuvants may allow antigen-sparing, allowing more people to be vaccinated with current vaccine production capacity. Adjuvants and universal vaccines can target immune responses to more conserved influenza epitopes, which eventually will result in broader protection for a longer time. In addition, further immunological studies are needed to gain insights in the immune features that contribute to protection from influenza-related disease and mortality, allowing redefinition of correlates of protection beyond virus neutralization in vitro.
Visual object processing as a function of stimulus energy, retinal eccentricity and Gestalt configuration: a high-density electrical mapping study.

Abstract To reveal the fundamental processes underlying the different stages of visual object perception, most studies have manipulated relatively complex images, such as photographs, line drawings of natural objects, or perceptual illusions. Here, rather than starting from complex images and working backward to infer simpler processes, we investigated how the visual system parses and integrates information contained in stimuli of the most basic variety. Simple scatterings of a few points of light were manipulated in terms of their numerosity, spatial extent, and organization, and high-density electrophysiological recordings were made from healthy adults engaged in an unrelated task. We reasoned that this approach permitted an uncontaminated view of the spatio-temporal dynamics of the related neural processes. We were guided in our predictions by the “frame-and-fill” model for object perception, whereby fast inputs to the dorsal stream of the visual “where” system first frame the spatial extent of visual objects, which are subsequently “filled-in” by the slower activation of the ventral stream of the visual “what” system. Our findings were consistent with this view, showing a rapidly-onsetting effect of spatial extent in dorsal stream sources, and later-onsetting effects due to dot number and symmetry, which were deemed to be more closely tied to the details of object identity, from ventral stream sources. This collection of observations provides an important baseline from which to understand the spatio-temporal properties of basic visual object perception, and from which to test dysfunction of this system in clinical populations.
Analysis of fine splittings in the fourier transform 1H magnetic resonance spectra of some 15N labeled borazine derivatives

Proton NMR spectra are reported for 15N enriched borazine and a series of 15N enriched derivatives: N-methyl-borazine, N,N′-dimethylborazine and a new photochemical product, 1-methyl-2-aminoborazine. Chemical shifts for the ring (15NH) protons have been measured. Using a Fourier transform spectrometer, fine structure in the 15NH doublet is resolved. Ortho and meta ring proton and three-bond 15N to H coupling constants have been determined. Substituent effects on chemical shifts and coupling constants for borazine derivatives are compared with those for analogous benzene derivatives.
APOGEE: Global optimization of standard, generalized, and extended pooling problems via linear and logarithmic partitioning schemes

Abstract Our recent work globally optimized two classes of large-scale pooling problems: a generalized pooling problem treating the network topology as a decision variable and an extended pooling problem incorporating environmental regulations into constraints. The pooling problems were optimized using a piecewise linear scheme that activates appropriate under- and overestimators with a number of binary decision variables that scales linearly with the number of segments in the piecewise relaxation. Inspired by recent work Vielma and Nemhauser, 2010 , Vielma et al., 2010a , we introduce a formulation for the piecewise linear relaxation of bilinear functions with a logarithmic number of binary variables and computationally compare the performance of this new formulation to the best-performing piecewise relaxations with a linear number of binary variables. We have unified our work by developing APOGEE, a computational tool that globally optimizes standard, generalized, and extended pooling problems. APOGEE is freely available to the scientific community at helios.princeton.edu/APOGEE/ .
Energy-to-peak induced norm upper bound control approach for collocated structural systems

The current paper presents an explicit expression for an upper bound on the induced energy-to-peak norm for structural systems with collocated sensors and actuators. Using a linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based representation of the L 2 - L∞ norm of a collocated structural system, we determine an analytical upper bound on the L 2 - L∞ norm of such a system. The paper also addresses the problem of static output feedback controller design for such systems. By employing simple algebraic tools, we derive an explicit parametrization of feedback controller gains which guarantee a prescribed level of L 2 - L∞ performance for the closed-loop system. Finally, numerical examples are provided to validate the effciency and benefits of the proposed techniques. The effectiveness of the obtained bound and control design methodology is evident, in problems involving very large scale structural systems where solving Lyapunov equation or LMIs with large number of decision variables is time-consuming or intractable.
Effects of arsenic doping on the solidification dynamics of pulsed laser melted silicon

The effects of arsenic doping on the solidification dynamics during pulsed melting of silicon have been studied using the transient conductance technique. At As concentrations below 1 at. %, the incorporation of As into the Si lattice results in negligible differences in the solidification dynamics. Between 2 and 7 at. % As, however, the interface velocity is dramatically modified as the liquid-solid interface crosses the As containing region. These velocity changes are consistent with a reduced melting temperature for Si-As alloys. For concentrations of 11 at. % As, the depression in the melting temperature is sufficient to allow the surface to solidify while considerable melt remains buried within the sample. At 16 at. %, the melting temperature is drastically reduced and internal nucleation of melt occurs prior to normal surface melting. 11 refs., 4 figs.
Spectral sensitivity optimization of color image sensor considering photon shot noise

A filter optimization was investigated to design digital camera color filters that achieved high color accuracy and low image noise when accounting for a sensor's inherent photon shot noise. In the computer simulation, Gaussiantype spectral-sensitivity curves along with an IR blocking filter were used. When only color reproduction was considered, the best peak wavelengths for RGB channels were 600, 550 and 450nm, respectively, but when both color reproduction and photon shot noise were considered, the peak wavelength of the R channel should be longer (620 - 630nm). Increasing the wavelength reduced noise fluctuation along the a* axis, the most prominent noise component in the former case; however, color accuracy was reduced. The tradeoff between image noise and color accuracy due to the peak wavelength of the R channel led to a four-channel camera consisting of two R sensors and G and B. One of the two R channels was selected according to the difference in levels in order to reduce noise while maintaining accurate color reproduction.
How multiple interventions influenced employee turnover: A case study

Many studies offer insights into the relationship between employee turnover and organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Such variables predict turnover, but they do not offer possible solutions to the problem of excessive turnover. The study reported in this article addressed employee turnover in a textile plant as a multifaceted performance issue, identified various causes of turnover through a performance analysis, and analyzed the results of implementation of multiple interventions that were designed to alleviate high turnover among trainees.
The X-Ray Diffracting Power of Copper and Iron for Molybdenum and Copper Radiation

Ionization spectrometer measurements were made of the intensity of reflection of the $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ doublet of Mo and Cu from copper and iron powders. From the relative intensities of reflections from the different planes of the powdered crystals, the relative $F$ values for these reflections were calculated. These relative values were placed on an absolute scale by comparison of the intensity of one reflection with that of the (220) reflection of NaCl, for which the absolute value with Mo radiation has been determined by James and Firth. On the assumption that the atomic scattering factors are independent of the wave-length and are proportional to $\frac{sin\ensuremath{\theta}}{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$, the same absolute value of $F$ was used for the (220) reflection of Cu $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ from NaCl. Because of the difficulty experienced in making plates of the copper and iron powders sufficiently thin for use in absorption measurements, previously determined values of absorption were used in the calculation of the absolute values. Calculated values of the absorption coefficient for NaCl were used.The absolute values of $F$ are shown as functions of $\frac{sin\ensuremath{\theta}}{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$. Those for copper radiation do not lie on the same curve as those for molybdenum. The fact that the two curves do not coincide suggests that the assumption that ${F}_{220}$ for NaCl is the same for copper as for molybdenum radiation may not be justified, and that $F$ is not entirely independent of the wave-length.
Radiation Tolerant MESFET-CMOS Low Dropout Linear Regulator for Integrated Power Management at the 45nm Node

A low dropout linear regulator comprising a MESFET pass transistor with an integrated CMOS error amplifier has been fabricated using a commercial 45nm SOI foundry. Good regulation is observed after irradiation to 1 Mrad(Si).
Children with Down Syndrome Are High-Risk for Severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

Objective To assess Down syndrome as an independent risk factor for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization in children younger than 3 years of age and to evaluate illness severity. Study design A retrospective cohort study of children enrolled in the military health system database was conducted. The effect of Down syndrome on RSV hospitalization was assessed by Cox proportional hazards model, while we controlled for risk factors. Disease severity was assessed by length of hospital stay, need for respiratory support, and age at hospitalization. Results The study included 633 200 children and 3 209 378 person-years. Children with Down syndrome had a hospitalization rate of 9.6% vs 2.8% in children without Down syndrome. Down syndrome had a greater adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for RSV hospitalization than most risk factors, 3.46 (95% CI 2.75-4.37). A sensitivity analysis demonstrated HR 3.21 (95% CI 2.51-4.10) for patients with Down syndrome ages 0-23 months and HR 5.07 (95% CI 2.21-11.59) ages 24-36 months. The median (IQR) length of stay of children with and without Down syndrome was 4 days (2-7) and 2 days (1-4) ( P P Conclusions Down syndrome is independently associated with an increased risk for RSV hospitalization. Children with Down syndrome are older at time of RSV hospitalization and have more severe RSV illness than children without Down syndrome. This increased risk for hospitalization continues beyond 24 months.
Inclusive Classroom Management: Using Preintervention Strategies

Discusses alternative intervention strategies for educational problems in the inclusive classroom prior to evaluating a student for special education placement
Microbeam Irradiation of C. elegans Nematode in Microfluidic Channels

To perform high-throughput studies on the biological effects of ionizing radiation in vivo, we have implemented a microfluidic tool for microbeam irradiation of Caenorhabditis elegans. The device allows the immobilization of worms with minimal stress for a rapid and controlled microbeam irradiation of multiple samples in parallel. Adapted from an established design, our microfluidic clamp consists of 16 tapered channels with 10-μm-thin bottoms to ensure charged particle traversal. Worms are introduced into the microfluidic device through liquid flow between an inlet and an outlet, and the size of each microchannel guarantees that young adult worms are immobilized within minutes without the use of anesthesia. After site-specific irradiation with the microbeam, the worms can be released by reversing the flow direction in the clamp and collected for analysis of biological endpoints such as repair of radiation-induced DNA damage. For such studies, minimal sample manipulation and reduced use of drugs such as anesthetics that might interfere with normal physiological processes are preferable. By using our microfluidic device that allows simultaneous immobilization and imaging for irradiation of several whole living samples on a single clamp, here we show that 4.5-MeV proton microbeam irradiation induced DNA damage in wild-type C. elegans, as assessed by the formation of Rad51 foci that are essential for homologous repair of radiation-induced DNA damage.
Dislocation slip and twinning in Ni-based L12 type alloys

Abstract We report theoretical results on dislocation slip and twinning in Ni3 (Al, Ti, Ta, Hf) compositions with L12 crystal structures utilizing first-principles simulations. The lattice parameters of Ni3Al, Ni3Al0.75Ta0.25, Ni3Al0.5Ta0.5, Ni3Ta, Ni3Ti and Ni3Al0.75Hf0.25 are calculated, and the crystal structures with lower structural energies are determined. We established the Generalized Stacking Fault Energy (GSFE) and Generalized Planar Fault Energy (GPFE), and calculated stacking fault energies APB (anti-phase boundary) and CSF (complex stacking fault) matched other calculations and experiments. Based on the extended Peierls–Nabarro model for slip and the proposed twin nucleation model, we predict slip and twinning stress and the results show a general agreement with available experimental data. The results show that in the studied intermetallic alloys, twinning stress is lower than slip stress; Ta and Hf ternary addition are substantial to increase flow stress in Ni3Al. The models proposed in the paper provide quantitative understanding and guidelines for selecting optimal precipitate chemistry and composition to obtain higher mechanical strength in Shape Memory Alloys.
Band-to-band transitions in poly (phenyl methyl silane)

We have measured the quantum efficiency for carrier generation as a function of photon energy and the electroabsorption spectrum in poly (phenyl methyl silane). The experimental data are consistent with a band gap of about 4.6 eV. A strong absorption peak which is observed at 3.7 eV is an exciton band. 9 refs., 4 figs.
Data structures for associative supercomputers

The simplicity of programming associative supercomputers is described, and conventional associative data references are expanded into a generalized associative data structure reference mechanism which encompasses the arrays, data structures, and data-typing constructs of conventional languages. A unified approach is presented for representing arbitrarily complex data structures in content addressable memories and associative computers. This approach to data structures in associative computers has the advantages of (1) automatically extracting fine-grain parallelism. (2) eliminating much of the complexity of the nonalgorithmic address computation in program development, (3) allowing multiple data structures to be associated with each datum, (4) allowing the data structures themselves to be modified, and (5) allowing information exchange between vastly different program languages such as Lisp, Prolog, OPS5, Fortran and Pascal. >
Differences in morphology, growth rate, and protein synthesis between cultured arterial and venous endothelial cells

Abstract Intrinsic differences between aortic and venous endothelial cells were demonstrated by studies of morphology, growth rates, and protein synthesis. Endothelial cells from bovine thoracic aortas (AECs) and inferior vena cavas (VECs) were harvested, maintained in cell culture, and characterized. VECs were consistently larger (mean cell diameter 14.3 μm vs 12.7 μm; p 35 S-methionine-labeled proteins from cell lysates. Synthesis of 257 proteins was significantly different ( p
Metal partitioning between colloidal and dissolved phases and its relation with bioavailability to American oysters

Kinetics and the extent of metal partitioning between colloidal and dissolved phases and coagulation of metals associated with colloids were examined to determine their effects on the bioavailability of selected metals (Cd, Co, Hg, Ag, Fe, and Zn) to American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) using radiotracer and short term exposure experiments. After dispersion of radiolabeled colloids into low molecular weight (LMW, <1 kDa) seawater, metal partitioning between dissolved (<1 kDa) and colloidal (1 kDa-0.2 μm) phases resulted in a consistent pattern, with a relatively constant percentage in the colloidal phase for each metal. On average, about 90% of Hg and Fe, ∼60% of Ag and ∼40% of Zn, Co, and Cd were measured in the colloidal fraction during a short term exposure experiment, consistent with their partitioning in natural waters. Controlled laboratory experiments carried out in parallel using radioactively tagged colloids showed that coagulation of colloidal species, quantified as the fraction retained by a 0.2 μm filter, was insignificant for most metals under the conditions and time periods of the uptake experiments. The bioavailability of colloidally complexed metals, measured in terms of dry weight concentration factor (DCF, ml g−1) and uptake rate constant (ml g−1 h−1), was somewhat depressed compared with their counterpart in the LMW treatment, but could be well predicted from the results of the LMW treatment and metal partitioning. Both DCF values and uptake rate constants were higher in the LMW treatment than in the colloidal treatment. In addition, B-type metals, such as Ag, Hg, and Zn, all had higher values of DCF and uptake rate constants, regardless of treatments, except for Cd which had a lower DCF and uptake rate constant. In contrast, Co and Fe had significantly lower DCF values and uptake rate constants. Most of Hg and Ag (60–80%) were measured in the soft tissue of oysters in both LMW and colloidal treatments. In contrast, 80% of Fe, 75% of Co, and ∼60% of Cd were observed on the shell, while Zn was found evenly distributed between shell and soft tissue of oysters. These results agree well with the variation pattern of both DCF value and uptake rate constant for these two groups of metals.
A new technique of analysis of unequally spaced linear arrays

The analysis of unequally spaced (thinned) linear arrays originated with the work of Unz. Computer-aided procedures include perturbation methods and dynamic programming for the design of arrays with optimal radiation patterns. More recently, genetic and improved statistically thinning algorithms have been developed for the design of low-sidelobe unequally spaced arrays. In this paper, we apply a mathematical relation of the Legendre polynomials to simplify the relation between the array factor and current distribution of typical unequally spaced arrays.
eComment. Application of prostaglandin E1 and pentoxyphylline in clinical mesenteric ischaemia.

We read with great interest the original article by San Norberto Garcia and colleagues describing the effects of intra-arterial and intravenous prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury [1]. Using a rat model, the study was designed to assess histopathological score following ileal segment resection, polymorphonuclear leukocytes visualized and myeloperoxidase activity following a well-designed protocol of ischaemia time and reperfusion time with variable route administration of PGE1. The ischaemic insult presents a vicious cycle at the molecular and biochemical level. Vasodilatation occurs with increased microvascular permeability and release of lysosomal hydrolases and ultimately increased proteolysis. This cascade is aggravated by reperfusion, where an already oxygen deprived organ territory is now exposed to oxygen free radicals through oxidation of the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system resulting in the superoxide anion [2]. The main determinants of haemodynamic instability, and subsequent mortality, are the generation of oxygen free radicals and the increased capillary permeability [3]. The spectrum of mesenteric ischaemia encompasses either an acute insult or a chronic phase, and can be caused by thrombosis, embolism, non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia, and significant venous obstruction. Clearly with acute mesenteric ischaemia, mortality is quite high. As pointed out by the authors, thromboembolic acute occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery is usually unpredictable, so pretreatment is not possible or practical. However, in such a case like the critically ill with non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia, with early diagnosis and detection, the initiation of continuous intravenous PGE1 may increase survival as noted in a study by Mitsuyoshi and colleagues [4]. The 60-minute ischaemia time and 7 days reperfusion portended the best outcome with regard to Chiu classification of intestinal tissue injury as well as myeloperoxidase activity and polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration. Another promising vascular drug that has been evaluated experimentally is pentoxyphylline. It has specific antioxidant properties that directly inhibit the superoxide anion and indirectly blocks xanthine-oxidase enzyme activity. It has been shown to reduce histopathological changes secondary to ischaemia-reperfusion in intestinal experimental models [5]. Again, although in acute mesenteric ischaemia it is impossible to pretreat these patients with PGE1 (or even pentoxyphylline), it may be clinically appropriate to consider such pretreatment in elective revascularization of patients with chronic mesenteric ischaemia or the critically ill in whom high-dose vasoactive agents are necessary for haemodynamic control. Further translational studies are necessary to try delineate whether a functional benefit is clinically realized from a histopathological and anatomic amelioration of the ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Conflict of interest: none declared
Recombinant influenza virus vectors

Newly optimized reverse genetics techniques have allowed influenza researchers to generate recombinant influenza viruses expressing mutant viral proteins, as well as foreign proteins. Approaches include the insertion of noninfluenza epitopes and polypeptides into viral glycoproteins, foreign open reading frames as additional segments, and the fusion of independent proteins into viral genes encoding glycoproteins or the nonstructural protein 1. These genetically engineered viruses have been demonstrated to be good viral vectors for mounting B- and T-cell responses and are attractive candidates for vaccine development. As the molecular biology of influenza viral infection is more fully understood, influenza vectors can be concurrently manipulated to produce designed chimeric viruses, unveiling the possibility of a prosperous future with cheap, effective and safe vaccines against different human diseases.
Job scheduling in a partitionable mesh using a two-dimensional buddy system partitioning scheme

The job scheduling problem in a partitionable mesh-connected system in which jobs require square meshes and the system is a square mesh whose size is a power of two is discussed. A heuristic algorithm of time complexity O(n(log n+log p)), in which n is the number of jobs to be scheduled and p is the size of the system is presented. The algorithm adopts the largest-job-first scheduling policy and uses a two-dimensional buddy system as the system partitioning scheme. It is shown that, in the worst case, the algorithm produces a schedule four times longer than an optimal schedule, and, on the average, schedules generated by the algorithm are twice as long as optimal schedules. >
The Political Culture of Emancipation: Morality, Politics, and the State in Garrisonian Abolitionism, 1854–1863

Historians have long recognized the unprecedented expansion of federal power during the Civil War. Moreover most scholars agree that the expansion of federal power manifested itself most immediately and profoundly in the abolition of slavery. In a sense, through the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican administration injected the national government into the domain of civil rights, and by doing so imbued federal power with a distinct moral purpose. The passage of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments codified this expression of federal authority, rejecting the bedrock tenet in American republican thought that centralized power constituted the primary threat to individual liberty.
Stimulation of Aromatase Activity by Follicle Stimulating Hormone in Rat Granulosa Cells in Vivo and in Vitro

The role of FSH in the activation of aromatase enzymes in granulosa cells was studied by using immature, hypophysectomized, estrogen-primed rats as a model system. After twice daily injections of ovine FSH, aromatase activity was induced in granulosa cells after a 24-h lag period. Continued FSH treatment caused a further increase in aromatase activity. After 48 h, the enzyme activity was comparable to that found in granulosa cells of adult preovulatory follicles. The effects of enzyme substrate (androstenedione) as well as purified FSH and LH upon aromatase activity were investigated in vitro by culturing granulosa cells for 2 days in a chemically defined medium containing these hormones. In the absence of aromatase substrate, no significant stimulation of estrogen secretion was observed in control and gonadotropin-treated cultures. However, in the presence of enzyme substrate (10-7 M androstenedione), highly purified FSH (200 ng/ml), but not LH (200 ng/ml), stimulated estrogen production 8.8- and 40-fold...
High Tc Superconductor Films Grown by the Liquid Phase Epitaxial Technique

High Tc superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 films have been prepared by the Liquid Phase Epitaxial (LPE) technique. The x-ray diffraction patterns displayed a high degree of (00l) preferred orientations with c-axes perpendicular to the film surfaces. The in-situ grown YBa2Cu3O7 films showed zero-resistivity at 76*K. Examination of the film cross sections by SEM revealed a growth mechanism.
Micrometeorological determination of release rate of Venturia inaequalis ascospores from a ground-level source during rain

Abstract Apple scab, caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis , is an important disease of apples throughout the world. Disease epidemics are initiated in spring time by ascospores, which are discharged from infected leaves on the ground during periods of rain. The probability of new infections for such an aerially dispersed plant disease depends on the aerial concentration of spores around the plant. A major difficulty in predicting concentration lies in determining the rate of release, Q, of spores from a source. The rate of release of V. inaequalis ascospores was determined using two methods. The first method involves the measurement of vertical profiles of ascospore concentration and wind speed above a source in the field, which were used to obtain profiles of horizontal spore flux. The vertical integration of the horizontal fluxes was used in conjunction with a mathematical model for conservation of spore numbers to estimate Q during natural release events. The second method employed a spore tower in the laboratory to measure the ascospore release potential from source leaves collected twice weekly from the field sources. The two independent methods yielded values for the cumulative total seasonal release of ascospores which agreed to within a factor of two for a source in a grass field and to within a factor of three for a source in an orchard of dwarf apple trees. The spore tower method offers a relatively simple yet quantitative means for estimating the release of ascospores from field sources and should aid in modeling disease spread and in making management decisions.
Videoscopic left cardiac sympathetic denervation for patients with recurrent ventricular fibrillation/malignant ventricular arrhythmia syndromes besides congenital long-QT syndrome.

Background— Treatment options for patients with recurrent ventricular arrhythmias refractory to pharmacotherapy and ablation are minimal. Although left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD) is well established in long-QT syndrome, its role in non–long-QT syndrome arrhythmogenic channelopathies and cardiomyopathies is less clear. Here, we report our single-center experience in performing LCSD in this setting. Methods and Results— In this institutional review board–approved study, we retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of all patients (N=91) who had videoscopic LCSD at our institution from 2005 to 2011. Data were analyzed for the subset (n=27) who were denervated for an underlying diagnosis other than autosomal dominant or sporadic long-QT syndrome. The spectrum of arrhythmogenic disease included catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (n=13), Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome (n=5), idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (n=4), left ventricular noncompaction (n=2), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n=1), ischemic cardiomyopathy (n=1), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (n=1). Five patients had LCSD because of high-risk assessment and β-blocker intolerance, none of whom had a sentinel breakthrough cardiac event at early follow-up. Among the remaining 22 previously symptomatic patients who had LCSD as secondary prevention, all had an attenuation in cardiac events, with 18 having no breakthrough cardiac events so far and 4 having experienced ≥1 post-LCSD breakthrough cardiac event. Conclusions— LCSD may represent a substrate-independent antifibrillatory treatment option for patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia syndromes other than long-QT syndrome. The early follow-up seems promising, with a marked reduction in the frequency of cardiac events postdenervation.
Relationship between genomic distance‐based regression and kernel machine regression for multi‐marker association testing

To detect genetic association with common and complex diseases, two powerful yet quite different multimarker association tests have been proposed, genomic distance-based regression (GDBR) (Wessel and Schork [2006] Am J Hum Genet 79:821–833) and kernel machine regression (KMR) (Kwee et al. [2008] Am J Hum Genet 82:386–397; Wu et al. [2010] Am J Hum Genet 86:929–942). GDBR is based on relating a multimarker similarity metric for a group of subjects to variation in their trait values, while KMR is based on nonparametric estimates of the effects of the multiple markers on the trait through a kernel function or kernel matrix. Since the two approaches are both powerful and general, but appear quite different, it is important to know their specific relationships. In this report, we show that, under the condition that there is no other covariate, there is a striking correspondence between the two approaches for a quantitative or a binary trait: if the same positive semi-definite matrix is used as the centered similarity matrix in GDBR and as the kernel matrix in KMR, the F-test statistic in GDBR and the score test statistic in KMR are equal (up to some ignorable constants). The result is based on the connections of both methods to linear or logistic (random-effects) regression models.
Klotho: a master regulator of cardiovascular disease?

Finding the mechanism that will make us live a long and healthy life is the goal of medical research. How appropriate that Klotho, the Greek goddess of life is involved in vascular disease. Klotho is one of the Greek Moirai, the goddesses of fate who controlled the ultimate destiny of man: death. Klotho spins the thread of life, Lakhesis measured the thread of life, and Atropos cut the thread of life. For this reason, the gene that seemed to control aging was named Klotho when first discovered by Kuro-o et al in 19971. This klotho knock out 'aging' mouse suffered from early demise, infertility, arteriosclerosis and arterial calcification, osteoporosis, hyperphosphatemia, emphysema and skin atrophy. This landmark discovery has not (yet) extended our life span, but has opened up an amazing understanding of the role of Klotho and mineral homeostasis in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. (SELECT FULL TEXT TO CONTINUE)
Recombinase polymerase amplification-based assay to diagnose Giardia in stool samples

Giardia duodenalis is one of the most commonly identified parasites in stool samples. Although relatively easy to treat, giardiasis can be difficult to detect as it presents similar to other diarrheal diseases. Here, we present a recombinase polymerase amplification-based Giardia (RPAG) assay to detect the presence of Giardia in stool samples. The RPAG assay was characterized on the bench top using stool samples spiked with Giardia cysts where it showed a limit-of-detection nearly as low as the gold standard polymerase chain reaction assay. The RPAG assay was then tested in the highlands of Peru on 104 stool samples collected from the surrounding communities where it showed 73% sensitivity and 95% specificity against a polymerase chain reaction and microscopy composite gold standard. Further improvements in clinical sensitivity will be needed for the RPAG assay to have clinical relevance.
Motor control testing of upper limb function after botulinum toxin injection: a case study.

Hurvitz EA, Conti GE, Flansburg EL, Brown SH. Motor control testing of upper limb function after botuli- num toxin injection: a case study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2000;81:1408-15. Objective: To evaluate changes in upper extremity function in a hemiparetic patient after treatment with botulinum toxin (BTX) using motor-control testing (MCT) techniques. Design: Interventional with longitudinal study, open label. Setting: A children's hospital and a motor-control laboratory at a major academic center. Participants: A 16-year-old male with right hemiparetic cerebral palsy and a healthy 12-year-old control subject. Interventions: BTX injections to the elbow and wrist flexors. Main Outcome Measures: MCT was used to examine 4 upper extremity movements: forward reach, bilateral rhythmic movements (both muscle homologous and direction homolo- gous), isometric pinch, and hand tapping. The patient was tested before treatment and at 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks after treatment. In addition, range of motion (ROM), the Ashworth scale of spasticity, Functional Independence Measure TM , and the mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) sections of the Pediatric Evaluation of the Disability Inventory were performed. Results: Forward reach demonstrated little change initially despite patient reports of ''feeling looser.'' Improvement was noted after 18 weeks, but returned to baseline level at 24 weeks. Bilateral rhythmic movements also showed slight improvement at 18 weeks. Pinch force increased significantly after 2 weeks, but declined again at 6 weeks. Improvements occurred in ROM and the Ashworth rating of spasticity, but were not temporally associated with each other or with MCT results. Functional assessment data did not change during the study period. Conclusions: Improvements in more complex motor tasks were noted after significant delay from the time of treatment, while simpler tasks demonstrated a more rapid improvement, followed by a rapid return to baseline levels. This case suggests that MCT techniques can provide quantitative and qualitative data, which can add new information about upper extremity motor disability and the outcome of treatment.
Pilot study of bone mineral density in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) in breast cancer patients previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Sixteen of 27 patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy became permanently amenorrheic as a result of chemotherapy. BMD was measured at the lumbar spine using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Chemotherapy drugs and dosages along with a history of risk factors for reduced bone density including activity level, tobacco and/or alcohol use, metabolic bone disease, family history, and hormone exposure were identified. Results showed that women who became permanently amenorrheic as a result of chemotherapy had BMD 14% lower than women who maintained menses after chemotherapy. Chemotherapy-treated women who maintained ovarian function had normal BMD. This study suggests that women who have premature menopause as a result of chemotherapy for breast cancer are at increased risk of bone loss and may be at risk for early development of osteoporosis. Women who maintain menses do not appear to be at risk for accelerated trabecular bone loss.
Building a New Institutional Infrastructure for Corporate Responsibility

Executive Overview This paper describes an emerging institutional infrastructure around corporate responsibility that has resulted in the evolution of initiatives such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the social investment movement, and related efforts that place more emphasis on corporate responsibility, accountability, transparency, and sustainability. Using a framework that roughly classifies initiatives into state/government, market/economic, and civil society categories, the paper illustrates the rapid evolution of new infrastructure that is pressuring companies to be more responsible.
A linear-time algorithm for routing in a convex grid

An algorithm for the problem of routing two-terminal nets in a convex grid is presented. A convex grid is a subset R of the planar rectangular grid without any nontrivial holes, i.e. every finite face has exactly four incident vertices, so that every vertical and horizontal line crosses the boundary of the grid at most twice. A net is a pair of vertices of nonmaximal degree on the boundary of A. A solution of the problem is a set of edge-disjoint paths, one for each net. The vertices of a net are called its terminals. The algorithm is based on a theorem of H. Okamura and P.D. Seymour (J. Combinatorial Theory, vol.31, series B., p.75-81, 1981) on multicommodity flows in a planar graphs. The algorithm is very simple, uses only one simple data structure and works in time O(n) on a more general routing region. >