cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical outcome of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia and FLT3 mutations.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) represents a subset of AML with t(15;17), responsiveness to ATRA, and a favorable prognosis, yet the impact of FLT3ITD mutations over wild-type (wt)FLT3 remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of 26 APL patients treated at our center according to their FLT3 receptor mutation status. We show that APL patients with an ITD mutation (n = 9) have a lower fibrinogen at presentation (103.5 vs. 235 mg/dl, p = 0.04) and a worse disease free survival (DFS) (p = 0.0114) but similar overall survival (OS) compared to patients with a wt FLT3 (n = 13). Our data suggests that APL with FLT3ITD represents a subset of APL patients who have a higher risk of relapse and should be treated with aggressive therapies upfront, possibly by including targeted therapy in the form of FLT3 inhibitors.
A radioisotope assay for L-glutaminase: the measurement of tritiated water formation from the reaction of L-[2-3H]glutamine with the L-glutaminase and glutamate oxalacetate transaminase couple.

Abstract An assay for the determination of l -glutaminase in extracts and intact cells is described. The method is based on the stereospecific release of 3 H 2 O from l -[2- 3 H]glutamine when l -glutaminase is coupled to l -aspartate:2-oxoglutarate amino transferase. The substrate, glutamine, and intermediate product, glutamate, are separated from the final reaction product, tritiated water, on a mixed-bed ion-exchange column which retains amino acids and organic acids but not water. The method has been adapted to determine the activity of l -glutaminase in cultured human diploid fibroblasts.
Games Students Play: Incorporating the Prisoner's Dilemma in Teaching Business Ethics

The so-called "Prisoner's Dilemma" is often referred to in business ethics, but probably not well understood. This article has three parts: (1) I claim that models derived from game theory are significant in the field for discussions of prudential ethics and the practical decisions managers make; (2) I discuss using them as a practical pedagogical exercise and some of the lessons generated; (3) more speculatively, I suggest that they are useful in discussions of corporate personhood.
Performance improvement of an extraction Lambertson septum magnet in the Spallation Neutron Source accumulator ring

The SNS ring Extraction Lambertson Septum magnet contains a strong skew quadrupole term, which has been identified as the source of causing a beam profile distortion on the target. We have performed 3D computer simulations to study the magnetic field quality in the magnet. The skew quad term is computed with different methods in simulations and is compared to measurement data. The origin of the large skew quad term is thoroughly investigated. The remedy for minimizing the skew quad term by modifying the magnet is proposed. Particle tracking is performed to verify the beam profile evolution through the existing and modified septum. The magnetic interference to the septum performance from an adjacent quadrupole is also assessed.
Desmids and Biofilms of Freshwater Wetlands: Development and Microarchitecture

Freshwater wetlands constitute important ecosystems, and their benthic, attached microbial communities, including biofilms, represent key habitats that contribute to primary productivity, nutrient cycling, and substrate stabilization. In many wetland biofilms, algae constitute significant parts of the microbial population, yet little is known about their activities in these communities. An analysis of wetland biofilms from the Adirondack region of New York (USA) was performed with special emphasis on desmids, a group of evolutionarily advanced green algae commonly found in these habitats. Desmids constituted as much as 23.7% of the total algal and cyanobacterial flora of the biofilms during the July and August study periods. These algae represented some of the first eukaryotes to colonize new substrates, and during July their numbers correlated with fluctuations in general biofilm parameters such as biofilm thickness and dry weight as well as total carbohydrate. Significant numbers of bacteria were associated with both the EPS sheaths and cell wall surfaces of the desmids. Colonization of new substrates and development of biofilms were rapid and were followed by various fluctuations in microbial community structure over the short- and long-term observations. In addition to desmids, diatoms, filamentous green algae and transient non-motile phases of flagellates represented the photosynthetic eukaryotes of these biofilms.
Superior vena cava syndrome induced by endocardial defibrillator and pacemaker leads

Two cases of superior vena cava syndrome induced by endocardial defibrillator and pacemaker leads are described. The 2 patients had histories of multiple endocardial leads and device upgrades and venous thrombosis. The first patient was treated with laser lead extraction followed by percutaneous venoplasty and stenting. The second patient was treated conservatively with long-term anticoagulation. The 2 patients had symptomatic reduction. In conclusion, superior vena cava syndrome induced by transvenous leads is an uncommon but serious complication. Anticoagulation can be effective in select patients, but in severe cases, thrombolytic therapy or surgical or percutaneous intervention may be required.
Open Source Software Systems: Understanding Bug Prediction and Software Developer Roles

Complex software systems and the huge amounts of data they produce are becoming an integral part of our organizations. We are also becoming increasingly dependent on high quality software products in our everyday lives. These systems 'evolve' as we identify and correct existing defects, provide new functionalities, or increase their nonfunctional qualities-such as security, maintainability, performance, etc. Simultaneously, more software development projects are distributed over multiple locations often globally and are often several millions of dollars in development costs. Consequently, as the Internet continually eliminates geographic boundaries, the concept of doing business within a single country has given way to companies focusing on competing in an international marketplace. The digitalization of work and the reorganization of work processes across many organizations have resulted in routine and/or commodity components being outsourced.
Some ratio limit Theorems for a general state space Markov Process

Consider a discrete time parameter Markov Process with stationary probability functions, a general state spaceX and the Harris recurrence condition. This then implies the existence and essential uniqueness of a sigma-finite stationary measureπ. It is also assumed that the class of measurable sets ∇ contains single point sets. LetP (m)(x, S) denote them-step transition probability fromx toS∃∇ andp (m)(x, ·), the component ofP (m)(x, ·) which is absolutely continuous with respect toπ. Let ℒ=C: C∃∇, for some $$\mathop {\inf }\limits_{x,y \in C} p^{(n)} (x,y) > 0\} $$ and $$ = \{ n:\mathop {\inf ,}\limits_{x,y \in C} p^{(n)} (x,y) > 0,C \in $$ ℒ}. The paper here presented contains theorems of which the following is typical:Theorem: LetS∃ℐ withπ(S)>0, measurableB⊃S, π(B)>0 andq∃B with $$\mathop {\lim }\limits_{m \to \infty } \int\limits_B {f(x)P^{(m + 1)} (y,dx)/P^{(m)} (q,B)} = \int\limits_B {f(x)\pi } (dx)/\pi ({\rm B})$$ uniformly iny, y∃B for all non-negative measurable f. Then for all measurableA⊃S withπ(A)>0,k=0,±1, ±2,... $$\mathop {\lim }\limits_{m \to \infty } P^{(m + k)} (x,A)/P^{(m)} (q,B) = \pi ({\rm A})/\pi ({\rm B})$$ in measureπ onS. If the g.c.d. (ℐ)=1 and π′ ≪π withπ′(X)<∞ then the above limit holds in measureπ′ onX.
Microfluidic mixer and transporter based on PZT self-focusing acoustic transducers

This paper describes noninvasive acoustic micromixer and transporter as well as a microfluidic subsystem (on a single silicon chip) based on the two microfluidic actuators. The actuators use a piezoelectric PZT sheet to generate about 10-12.5MHz acoustic waves (corresponding to the PZT thickness), an array of sectored Fresnel annular rings [for the electrodes sandwiching the piezoelectric transducer (PZT)] to self-focus the acoustic waves, and acoustic streaming effect to produce a body force for fluidic motion. The self-focused waves from the PZT array propagate through 200-mum-thick silicon without any significant energy loss, and move the liquid contained in the channels and chambers (without a cover) on a micromachined silicon chip, up to 123 mm/s in-plane speed. The PZT array (consisting of a PZT sheet with an array of electrode patterns for sectored Fresnel rings) is bonded to the micromachined silicon chip to produce a fast in-plane liquid motion in the open channels and chambers. When the liquid motion is produced in a channel, we have a liquid transporter; while when the motion is produced in a large area chamber, we have a micromixer. Various channel and chamber structures have been fabricated to verify the efficacies of the liquid transport and mixing. A microfluidic subsystem integrating a micromixer, transporters and reservoirs has been shown to transport two types of liquids from their reservoirs to a mixer and to mix the liquids together within 2 s. The experimental results agree well with theoretical studies and simulation results
Nonoperative control of hypernephroma bleeding with preservation of functioning parenchyma.

Abstract Refractory hemorrhage from a large hypernephroma in an elderly patient was controlled by selective arterial embolization. Because of poor contralateral renal function, parenchyma and function in the tumor-bearing kidney were largely preserved.
Erosional phenomena associated with volcanic eruption of Parícutin, Mexico

Spectacular erosion of volcanic ash in the vicinity of the Volcano and its damaging effects downstream in the Los Reyes Valley were reported by William F. Foshag, Kenneth Segerstrom, and others, which led to recommendation for a study under the auspices of the National Research Council of the United States and the Comision Impulsora y Coordinadora de la Investigacion Cientifica of Mexico. Upon approval of the project, plans were perfected for a preliminary field study on and about the Volcano during the month of August 1945. Jose Navarro y Samano and Manuel Sandoval Vallarta, with a car, were assigned by Lorenzo R. Patino, Jefc del Departamento de Conservacion de Suelos of Mexico, for collaboration in the study with W. C. Lowdermilk of the Soil Conservation Service and Reed W. Bailey of the Forest Service of the United States.
A Mechanistic Framework for Co-transcriptional Folding of the HDV Genomic Ribozyme in the Presence of Downstream Sequence

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a circular pathogenic RNA that uses self-cleavage by closely related 84 nt genomic and antigenomic ribozymes to facilitate the replication of its genome. Downstream of each ribozyme is a stretch of nucleotides termed the attenuator that functions to base-pair with and unfold the ribozyme into a rod-like fold. The competing rates of RNA synthesis, ribozyme folding and cleavage, and rod folding are therefore likely to affect the efficiency of co-transcriptional self-cleavage. In these studies, co-transcriptional folding of the genomic ribozyme was assayed in vitro by monitoring co-transcriptional self-cleavage of transcripts having variable lengths of sequence downstream of the ribozyme. Co-transcriptional cleavage data were simulated successfully only with kinetic models in which cleavage-inactive channels were populated during transcription. Partitioning to and escape from these channels was influenced, in part, by whether the available attenuator sequence could form structures with the ribozyme, and by the stability of such structures. Surprisingly, only 23 nt of attenuator were needed for strong inactivation of cleavage. Self-cleavage of certain 3'-virus-containing sequences could be restored, partially, by renaturation; however, self-cleavage of transcripts with a full-length attenuator could not be restored efficiently by renaturation in vitro. This suggests that in the presence of the attenuator, the cleavage-active ribozyme fold is not the thermodynamically most stable species. In accordance with this model, the efficiency of self-cleavage of the ribozyme followed by a full-length attenuator was increased by decreasing the rate of transcription. These results suggest that, in the absence of additional factors, efficient co-transcriptional cleavage of the full-length genomic HDV RNA may require cleavage to occur prior to synthesis of the attenuator.
Chiefdoms in northern South America

The multiple and varied trajectories of chiefdom development in northern South America (and adjacent Central America) offer a rich opportunity for evaluating generalizations about the processes of chiefdom development. Sequences of the south coast of Ecuador, the Alto Magdalena, Calima, the Muisca region, Barinas, and the Tairona region are well enough documented to attempt to use in this way. Although centralized hierarchical societies develop in all these regions, there are many differences in the character of centralization and hierarchy and in the pacing of the development, and none of the traditionally proposed forces of social change is entirely adequate to account for these cases. Attention to the role played by competition between aspiring chiefs and their factions offers promise for more satisfactory generalizations that could be evaluated through further comparative study.
The structural context of family welfare in the regions of Italy

A factor analysis of household-level attributes of welfare reveals three dimensions across the 20 regions of Italy: affluence, nuclear family oriented style of life, and basic consumption. Because the data on which these empirical patterns is based is normatively oriented, these dimensions conform to the definition of social indicators. The three dimensions of regional social structure that resulted from a separate factor analysis of variables selected from the point of view of structural theory were not so interpreted. These three structural dimensions — industrial-urban differentiation, agrarian rigidity, and central government subsidies — predict affluence, family oriented style of life and basic consumption respectively. This unexpectedly symmetrical result can be interpreted in causal or definitional terms.
The Mitochondrial Uniporter: From Molecular Discovery to Physiology

Calcium uptake via the mitochondrial “uniporter” was documented nearly 50 years ago, and has been studied extensively at the physiological level. This channel is hypothesized to be crucial to disease pathogenesis, yet its molecular identity has remained elusive. In this talk I will present our work over the past few years that has combined mitochondrial proteomics and comparative genomics to identify MCU (the putative pore-forming subunit) and MICU1 (a key regulatory partner). The molecular characterization has enabled us to gain new insights into the function and physiology of this channel complex.
Phosgene in Air—Development of Improved Detection Procedures

Abstract Air-borne acids, alkalies, and halides introduced intolerable uncertainties into the hydrolysis of phosgene to acid and chloride ion in aqueous collection media. Colorimetric detectors produced reliable results in (1) liquid reagents, (2) impregnated paper, and (3) granular solids. “Ketone” (4,4′-diethylaminobenzophenone) substituted for the diphenylamine coupling to 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in Harrison's reagent in liquid systems was sensitive to 0.1 to 10 ppm of phosgene but insensitive to SO2, H2S, HCl, NO2, or Cl2. Application of Witten and Prostak's 4-(4′-nitrobenzyl) pyridine reagent to paper delivered semiquantitative results by color comparison or gas titration. Adaptation to chlorinated solvents gave sensitivity to 0.01 ppm and a unique calibration technique. A commercial granule-filled length of stain tube further extended mobile survey facilities.
The Tumor Suppressor, PTEN/MMAC1, Dephosphorylates the Lipid Second Messenger, Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-Trisphosphate

Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3) is a key molecule involved in cell growth signaling. We demonstrated that overexpression of PTEN, a putative tumor suppressor, reduced insulin-induced PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production in human 293 cells without effecting insulin-induced phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation. Further, transfection of the catalytically inactive mutant of PTEN (C124S) caused PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 accumulation in the absence of insulin stimulation. Purified recombinant PTEN catalyzed dephosphorylation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, specifically at position 3 on the inositol ring. PTEN also exhibited 3-phosphatase activity toward inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate. Our results raise the possibility that PTEN acts in vivo as a phosphoinositide 3-phosphatase by regulating PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 levels. As expected, the C124S mutant of PTEN was incapable of catalyzing dephosphorylation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 consistent with the mechanism observed in protein-tyrosine phosphatase-catalyzed reactions.
Factors affecting the diurnal variation in the level of β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and cholesterol-synthesizing activity in rat liver

Abstract It has been demonstrated through kinetic analysis that the diurnal variation in β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in rat liver microsomes is produced by changes in the rate of enzyme formation. The rate constant for enzyme breakdown is essentially the same for the periods of diurnal rise and diurnal fall in enzyme activity; whereas the rate constant for enzyme formation for the period of diurnal rise is 7- to 10-fold that for the period of diurnal fall. The location of the rise and fall of enzyme activity in the daily cycle is feeding and not light dependent. However, the diurnal rise in enzyme activity can be elicited without feeding at the time of day that it ordinarily occurs. The diurnal variation in cholesterol synthesis from acetate, when animals are fed, may be controlled by the quantity of an enzyme of the cholesterol pathway that acts prior to the reductase. Under fasting conditions when β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity increases similar to the increase under feeding conditions, this enzyme is not rate limiting in the synthesis of cholesterol from acetate.
Surfactants: their role in preventing the precipitation of proteins by tannins in insect guts

Much more tannic acid or pin oak tannin is required to precipitate the abundant leaf protein, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPC), from Manduca sexta gut fluid adjusted to pH 6.5 than is required to precipitate this protein from an aqueous buffer at the same pH. This finding demonstrates that some characteristic of M. sexta gut fluid, in addition to its basicity, counteracts the potential of tannins to precipitate ingested proteins. Gut fluid of M. sexta has a surface tension of 36–39 dynes/cm, indicating the presence of surfactants. Lysolecithin and linoleoylglycine, surfactants known to be present in insect gut fluids, also interfere with the precipitation of RuBPC by tannins at pH 6.5. It is concluded that detergency is a widespread property of insect gut fluids that counteracts the potential of tannins to precipitate die ary proteins, and it is argued that there is no longer any justification for continuing to refer to tannins as digestibility-reducing-substances. Finding that there has been no formidable barrier to the evolution of mechanisms that counter a generalized antidigestive action by tannins is difficult to reconcile with the idea that reduced digestibility is an evolved anti-herbivore adaptation of apparent plants.
WEIGHTED LEAST-SQUARE ESIMATE FOR SOFTWARE ERROR INTENSITY

For estimating the software error intensity of parametric models, weighted least-square (WLS) estimate is suggested for the first time. Unlike the widely-favored maximum likelihood (ML) estimate which only exists under certain conditions, the WLS estimate always exists as long as the expected mean and the expected variance of error count are available. The weight to the square of estimating error is chosen to be the reciprocal of the expected variance which should decrease with testing time in order to meet the intuition of weighing heavy on recently detected errors. This requirement is essentially met by the error count of RK model, but not by the most popular non-homogenous Poisson model. The WLS estimate is theoretically developed and numerically compared with least-square estimate on a set of real data. The idea of weighted estimation is also briefly discussed for other parametric models which make assumptions on the time elapsed between successive errors.
Aspects of large-scale, subsonic, wind-tunnel design for propulsion noise research

The case for full-scale acoustic testing of propulsion systems at flight conditions and the use of wind tunnels for this work are discussed. The problems associated with measuring noise in wind tunnels are discussed, and wind-tunnel design requirements to provide a useful facility for noise research are established. Full-scale subsonic wind-tunnel designs that meet the requirements are described, and it is shown that state-of-art acoustics technology must be used in the drive-fan design to minimize background noise. If this is successfully done, acoustic treatment in the drive system area may be avoided.
Can photoperiod predict mortality in the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic?

Amplitude of the seasonal change in day length increases with distance from the equator, and changes in day length markedly alter immune function in diverse nonhuman animal models of infection. Historical records of mortality data, ambient temperature, population density, geography, and economic indicators from 42 countries during 1918-1920 were analyzed to determine relative contributions toward human mortality during the “Spanish” influenza pandemic of 1918-1920. The data identify a strong negative relation between distance from the equator and mortality during the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic, which, in a multiple regression model, manifested independent of major economic, demographic, and temperature variables. Enhanced survival was evident in populations that experienced a winter nadir day length ≤10 h light/day, relative to those that experienced lower amplitude changes in photoperiod. Numerous reports indicate that exposure to short day lengths, typical of those occurring outside the tropics during winter, yields robust and enduring reductions in the magnitude of cytokine, febrile, and behavioral responses to infection. The present results are preliminary but prompt the conjecture that, if similar mechanisms are operant in humans, then they would be predicted to mitigate symptoms of infection in proportion to an individual's distance from the equator. Although limitations and uncertainties accompany regression-based analyses of historical epidemiological data, latitude, per se, may be an underrecognized factor in mortality during the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic. The author proposes that some proportion of the global variance in morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases may be explained by effects of day length on the innate immune response to infection.
Production and photodetachment of stoichiometric sodium chloride cluster anions

Abstract We have observed the stoichiometric sodium chloride cluster anions (NaCl)n− (n=2 to 22) in the plume of laser-vaporized sodium chloride. The absolute and relative abundances of these particles are very sensitive to source conditions, indicating that they do not all bind their extra electron in the same manner. While several species may permit the electron to occupy a crystalline lattice site, as though it were a chlorine ion, photodetachment threshold measurements on (NaCl)2− support the theoretical prediction that this cluster anion has the electron bound in the dipole field of a linear chain molecule (NaClNaCl).
Tsunami hits the Solomon Islands

A magnitude 8.1 earthquake shook the Solomon Islands on 1 April at approximately 7:40 A.M. local time. The earthquake generated a tsunami several meters high that struck many of the islands. The earthquake occurred along the boundary of the Pacific plate where the Australia, Woodlark, and Solomon Sea plates subduct beneath it, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Hazards Program. At least 34 people were killed by the tsunami and several dozen more are still missing, according to the National Disaster Council in the Solomon Islands. The NDC estimates that 900–2500 homes were destroyed by the tsunami, displacing about 5500 people
Magmatic processes that generated the rhyolite of Glass Mountain, Medicine Lake volcano, N. California

Glass Mountain consists of a 1 km3, compositionally zoned rhyolite to dacite glass flow containing magmatic inclusions and xenoliths of underlying shallow crust. Mixing of magmas produced by fractional crystallization of andesite and crustal melting generated the rhyolite of Glass Mountain. Melting experiments were carried out on basaltic andesite and andesite magmatic inclusions at 100, 150 and 200 MPa, H2O-saturated with oxygen fugacity controlled at the nickel-nickel oxide buffer to provide evidence of the role of fractional crystallization in the origin of the rhyolite of Glass Mountain. Isotopic evidence indicates that the crustal component assimilated at Glass Mountain constitutes at least 55 to 60% of the mass of erupted rhyolite. A large volume of mafic andesite (2 to 2.5 km3) periodically replenished the magma reservoir(s) beneath Glass Mountain, underwent extensive fractional crystallization and provided the heat necessary to melt the crust. The crystalline residues of fractionation as well as residual liquids expelled from the cumulate residues are preserved as magmatic inclusions and indicate that this fractionation process occurred at two distinct depths. The presence and composition of amphibole in magmatic inclusions preserve evidence for crystallization of the andesite at pressures of at least 200 MPa (6 km depth) under near H2O-saturated conditions. Mineralogical evidence preserved in olivine-plagioclase and olivine-plagioclase-high-Ca clinopyroxene-bearing magmatic inclusions indicates that crystallization under near H2O-saturated conditions also occurred at pressures of 100 MPa (3 km depth) or less. Petrologic, isotopic and geochemical evidence indicate that the andesite underwent fractional crystallization to form the differentiated melts but had no chemical interaction with the melted crustal component. Heat released by the fractionation process was responsible for heating and melting the crust.
Nonlinear Maximal Monotone Operators in Banach Space.

Such a set G is said to be maximal monotone if it is maximal among monotone sets in the sense of inclusion, and a mapping T is said to be maximal monotone if its graph G(T) is a maximal monotone set. If D(T) is convex and T is hemicontinuous from D(T) to X* (i.e. T is continuous from each line segment of D(T) to the weak* topology of X*), then T is maximal monotone if and only if it is maximal in the sense of operator inclusion in the family of monotone mappings from X to X*. For operators T with D(T) = X , the basic result obtained independently by BROWNER [5] and MINTY [31] states that for a reflexive space X, if T is a hemicontinuous monotone operator from D(T) = X to X* and if in addition, T is coercive, i.e.
Planning as Persuasive Storytelling About the Future: Negotiating an Electric Power Rate Settlement in Illinois:

This paper suggests that good planning is persuasive storytelling about the future, and that planners are future-oriented storytellers who write persuasive texts that other people read (construct and interpret) in diverse and often conflicting ways. The paper explores the merits of this view by analyzing Common wealth Edison Company's hotly-contested effort to persuade the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to approve an innovative rate increase for three large nuclear power plants. The analysis concludes that Edison failed to persuade the ICC and others because the company's story had crucial weaknesses in plot, point of view, and character develop ment.
Reductive metabolism of heptachlor, parathion, 4,4′-dichlorobenzophenone, and carbophenothion by rat liver systems

Abstract An attempt was made to survey systems which carry out reduction of four pesticidal chemicals, heptachlor, parathion, 4,4-dichlorobenzophenone, and carbophenothion sulfoxide, in rat liver microsomes and in the supernatant in vitro . On the basis of the stimulatory effects of nicotinamide cofactors (NADPH and NADH), a flavin cofactor (FAD), localization of the systems, and their sensitivities to heat-inactivation treatment, four different reductive systems were recognized. They are (a) the mixed-function oxidase-coupled reductive systems, (b) an independent NADH-stimulated (instead of NADPH as above) microsomal system for parathion reduction, (c) FAD-stimulated system for reduction of carbophenothion sulfoxide and parathion, present specifically in the supernatant, and (d) a heat stable, nonenzymatic reduction system in the microsomes operated by flavoproteins and a flavin cofactor.
Modeling Pavement Fragility

Pavement performance models are the key to efficient designs and effective management practices. Over the years, a number of researchers have developed reliability models to account for the uncertainty in pavement responses and utilization patterns. However, these efforts were mostly directed toward coupled capacity-demand limit state functions that do not take into account the discontinuities after the application of rehabilitation actions (e.g., overlays). The aim of this paper is to develop a pavement fragility modeling framework that accounts for the effects of the rehabilitation actions. The fragility, defined as the conditional probability of failure given a unit level of utilization, uncouples the reliability function into the capacity and demand functions, which are two separate areas of study in pavement engineering. Closed-form approximations of the fragility curves are developed to illustrate the process and allow for seamless integration in design and management optimization models.
Suspension Plasma Spray and Performance Characterization of Half Cells with NiO/YSZ Anode and YSZ Electrolyte

The use of a liquid feedstock carrier in suspension plasma spray (SPS) permits injection of fine powders, providing the possibility of producing sprayed coatings that are both thin and dense and have fine microstructures. These characteristics make SPS an attractive process for depositing highly efficient electrodes and electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications. In this study, NiO-yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode and YSZ electrolyte half cells were successfully deposited on porous Hastelloy X substrates by SPS. The NiO-YSZ anode deposition process was optimized by design of experiment. The YSZ electrolyte spray process was examined by changing one parameter at a time. The results from the design-of-experiment trials indicated that the porosity of the as-deposited coatings increased with an increase of suspension feed rate while it decreased with an increase of total plasma gas flow rate and standoff distance. The deposition rate increased with an increase of total plasma gas flow rate, suspension feed rate, and standoff distance. The microstructure examination by SEM showed that the NiO and YSZ phases were homogeneously distributed and that the YSZ phase had a lamellar structure. It was observed that the density of the YSZ electrolyte layer increased as input power of the plasma torch increased. Electrochemical characterization of the fabricated cells indicated that an open cell voltage of 0.989 V at 500 °C and a peak power of 0.610 W/cm2 at 750 °C were reached.
Novel Method for Fast Characterization of High-Surface-Area Electrocatalytic Materials Using a Carbon Fiber Microelectrode

A carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME) was used for characterization of the nanoparticle catalysts as an alternative to the well-established rotating disk electrode (RDE) method. We found that the novel CFME method yielded comparable results to the RDE method when investigating the adsorption/desorption processes as well the specific activity for reactions such as the oxygen reduction reaction. Its major advantage over the RDE method is a fast sample preparation and rapid measurement, reducing significantly the time of a single sample characterization from 2-3 h to a favorable 5-10 min.
Euonymus Scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae) Effects on Plant Growth and Leaf Abscission and Implications for Differential Site Selection by Male and Female Scales

Effects of infestation by the euonymus scale, Unaspis euonymi (Comstock) on leaf abscission and growth of the woody plant Euonymus fortunei (Turcz) Rand.-Mazz. were measured in the field during 1985 and 1986. During the first summer, leaf abscission by infested plants significantly increased in August and September, coinciding with development of the second generation of scale insects. Infested plants suffered relatively greater winter injury than did uninfested plants, so that by spring 1986, they supported significantly lower stem and leaf weights. Reduction in root weight of infested plants was not evident until July of the second growing season. Proportionately more mortality of leaf tissue than of stem tissue occurred during the winter, so that the probability of plant tissue bearing over wintering females surviving until spring was nearly three times higher for stems than for leaves. We suggest that the characteristic distribution of U. euonymi with males mainly on leaves and longer-lived females on stems reflects the relatively greater risk to females of mortality from leaf abscission and from winter injury to leaves.
Using Natural-Kind Essentialism to Defend Dispositionalism

Marc Lange and Ann Whittle have independently developed an important challenge to dispositionalism, arguing that dispositions are reducible to primitive subjunctive facts. I argue in reply that by pairing dispositionalism with a certain version of natural-kind essentialism, their objection can be overcome. Moreover, such a marriage carries further advantages for the dispositionalist. My aim is therefore two-fold: to defend dispositionalism, and to give the dispositionalist some new motivation to adopt natural-kind essentialism.
Auto-summarization of audio-video presentations

As streaming audio-video technology becomes widespread, there is a dramatic increase in the amount of multimedia content available on the net. Users face a new challenge: How to examine large amounts of multimedia content quickly. One technique that can enable quick overview of multimedia is video summaries; that is, a shorter version assembled by picking important segments from the original.We evaluate three techniques for automatic creation of summaries for online audio-video presentations. These techniques exploit information in the audio signal (e.g., pitch and pause information), knowledge of slide transition points in the presentation, and information about access patterns of previous users. We report a user study that compares automatically generated summaries that are 20%-25% the length of full presentations to author generated summaries. Users learn from the computer-generated summaries, although less than from authors' summaries. They initially find computer-generated summaries less coherent, but quickly grow accustomed to them.
Physiological Role of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Their Potential Use in Cancer Immunity

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the control of innate and adaptive immune responses. They are a heterogeneous cell population, where plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a unique subset capable of secreting high levels of type I IFNs. It has been demonstrated that pDCs can coordinate events during the course of viral infection, atopy, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Therefore, pDC, as a main source of type I IFN, is an attractive target for therapeutic manipulations of the immune system to elicit a powerful immune response against tumor antigens in combination with other therapies. The therapeutic vaccination with antigen-pulsed DCs has shown a limited efficacy to generate an effective long-lasting immune response against tumor cells. A rational manipulation and design of vaccines which could include DC subsets outside “Langerhans cell paradigm” might allow us to improve the therapeutic approaches for cancer patients.
THE SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR HOMOLOGUE, SER, HAS TYROSINE KINASE ACTIVITY AND IS LOCALIZED IN ADULT MUSCLE

DNA encoding the full-length Schistosoma mansoni epidermal growth factor receptor, SER, was obtained by combining partial cDNA clones. Three different anti-SER antibody preparations, specific either to the SER amino-terminus or the predicted ligand binding domain were generated with recombinant or synthetic peptides and purified by antigen affinity. Recombinant SER was expressed within insect cells using the baculovirus expression system and detected by each of the anti-SER antibodies as well as anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. By in vitro phosphorylation of immunoprecipitated recombinant SER, the protein has been shown to be capable of tyrosine autophosphorylation but this activity is not affected by human epidermal growth factor. Native SER is detected as a 170 kDa protein in Western blots of S. mansoni adult worm membrane preparations. Adult worm sections, labeled with anti-SER antibodies, localize SER predominantly to the muscle of adult male and female worms. These results confirm a place for SER in the EGFR family of tyrosine kinases and strongly suggest that it participates in schistosome signal transduction, perhaps related to muscle development or function.
Identification of amino acids critical for the cytotoxicity of Shiga toxin 1 and 2 in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Shiga toxins (Stx1 and Stx2) are produced by E. coli O157:H7, which is a leading cause of foodborne illness. The A subunits of Stx1 (Stx1A) and Stx2 (Stx2A) are ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) that inhibit translation by removing an adenine from the highly conserved α-sarcin ricin loop (SRL) of the large rRNA. Here, we used mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to identify residues critical for cytotoxicity of Stx1A and Stx2A. The A subunits depurinated the SRL, inhibited translation and caused apoptotic-like cell death in yeast. Single mutations in Asn75, Tyr77, Glu167 and Arg176 reduced the cytotoxicity of both toxins around 10-fold. However, Asn75 and Tyr77 were more critical for the depurination activity of Stx2A, while Arg176 was more critical for the depurination activity of Stx1A. The crystal structures of the two proteins lack electron density for some surface loops, including one which is adjacent to the active site in both molecules. Modeling these loops changed neither the secondary nor the tertiary structures of the rest of the protein. Analysis of solvent accessible surface areas indicated that Asn75 and Tyr77 are more exposed in Stx2A, while Arg176 is more exposed in Stx1A, indicating that residues with higher surface exposure were more critical for enzymatic activity. Double mutations at Glu167 and Arg176 eliminated the depurination activity and cytotoxicity of both toxins. C-terminal deletions of A chains eliminated cytotoxicity of both toxins, but showed functional differences. Unlike Stx1A, cytotoxicity of Stx2A was lost before its ability to depurinate ribosomes. These results identify residues that affect enzymatic activity and cytotoxicity of Stx1A and Stx2A differently and demonstrate that the function of these residues can be differentiated in yeast. The extent of ribosome depurination and translation inhibition did not correlate with the extent of cell death, indicating that depurination of the SRL and inhibition of translation are not entirely responsible for cell death.
Testing for Asymmetric Information Effects in Failed Mergers

In this paper we report the results of an empirical investigation based on a sample of 105 failed merger bids that occurred in the UK in the 1980's. We find that target firms report large, significant, positive gains after the bid while bidder firms report large, significant, negative gains. We also find that these returns are affected by the extent to which the bidder and target firms are related. In related bids target returns are significantly lower and bidder returns are significantly more negative than in unrelated bids. We conclude that these results are consistent with an information based explanation of merger activity.
Novel MEMS 900 MHz electrostatic silicon delay line

We report design, fabrication and operation of a silicon acoustic delay line suitable for low voltage (1–5 V) and high-frequency (10 MHz-10 GHz) operations and implementation of signal processing and transversal filters. The acoustic waves in these delay lines were generated electrostatically using a periodic electrode that was coupled through a 1–20 nm air-gap to a slab of a polysilicon region. The propagating acoustic waves were detected using a dc-biased identical electrode array situated 0.7 cm away from the first array along the polysilicon slab. Depending on biasing conditions, our devices resonated at 301 MHz or at 903 MHz (the third harmonic).
Distributed algorithm for nuclear structure investigations

Since the form of the nuclear force is not explicitly known, various models have been proposed to account for the nucleon-nucleon scattering data and gross properties of nuclei, such as quadrupole moments, binding energy, etc. Some of the better known models are the liquid-drop [7], shell [4], unified [5] and grouptheoretical [6] approximations. This paper presents a hypercube based algorithm for the derivation of nuclear structure energy levels and binding energies for a wide range o isotopes. The algorithm is based on previous work f l, 21 which studied isotopes in the f-p-g shell shown in Figure 1. Extensions to higher order shells are obtained using a distributed decomposition of the coupled state and perturbation calculations. The results of scaling experiments for the NCUBE/lO system at the University of South Carolina are also included.
Measuring Physical and Economic Impacts of Controlling Water Pollution in a Watershed

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the application of an analytical framework using physical and economic models to an Illinois watershed. The results show the cost and effectiveness of the Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP) as implemented in the watershed, compared with several implementation alternatives to reduce nutrient and sediment loading to a local lake used for water supply and recreation. The cost effectiveness of the program in the watershed could have been increased by using program expenditures to achieve more widespread adoption of conservation tillage and certain crop rotation(s) instead of implementing structural measures. Application of the modeling approach to pre-project analysis could have helped rank areas of the watershed for treatment and provide other insights for improving the design and efficiency of the project.
Prescription medication burden in patients with newly diagnosed diabetes: A SUrveillance, PREvention, and ManagEment of Diabetes Mellitus (SUPREME-DM) study

Abstract Objective To understand the burden of medication use for patients with newly diagnosed diabetes both before and after diabetes diagnosis and to identify subpopulations of patients with newly diagnosed diabetes who face a relatively high drug burden. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting 11 integrated health systems in the United States. Participants 196,654 insured adults 20 years of age or older newly diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes from January 2005 through December 2009. Main outcome measures Number of unique therapeutic classes of drugs dispensed in the 12 months before and 12 months after diagnosis of diabetes in five categories: overall, antihypertensive agents, antihyperlipidemic agents, mental health agents, and antihyperglycemic agents (in the postdiagnosis period only). Results The mean number of drug classes used by newly diagnosed patients with diabetes is high before diagnosis (5.0) and increases significantly afterward (6.6). Of this increase, 81% is due to antihyperglycemic initiation and increased use of medications to control hypertension and lipid levels. Multivariate analyses showed that overall drug burden after diabetes diagnosis was higher in women, older, white, and obese patients, as well as among those with higher glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations and comorbidity levels (significant for all comparisons). The overall number of drug classes used by newly diagnosed patients with diabetes after diagnosis decreased slightly but significantly between 2005 and 2009. Conclusion Patients newly diagnosed with diabetes face a substantially increased burden of medications used to control diabetes and other comorbidities. This study shows an increased focus on cardiovascular disease risk factor control after diagnosis of diabetes. However, total drug burden may be slightly decreasing over time.
Gaze Pattern Differences Between Objective and Subjective Search of E-Commerce Web Pages

Both users and retailers benefit from optimizing e-commerce web pages for consumers who freely browse, subjectively search (e.g., “Find a gift for your uncle.”), or objectively search (e.g., “Find the laptop.”) for merchandise online. However, search behavior of e-commerce web pages under these conditions is not well understood. We studied how gaze patterns were modulated by search task on 12 e-commerce web pages. Search for objectively defined targets yielded larger saccade amplitudes than when freely browsing or subjectively searching. Furthermore, users fixated product images more often than product text or navigation regions when searching for particular items. On the other hand, search for subjectively defined gifts led to longer fixation durations of navigation regions, in particular. These findings show that search behavior of e-commerce web pages is influenced by consumer objectives and concurs with classic findings from the scene perception literature about the influences of top-down goals on eye...
Unsaturated slope stability analysis with steady infiltration or evaporation using elasto‐plastic finite elements

SUMMARY The paper presents results of unsaturated slope stability analyses using elasto-plastic finite elements in conjunction with a novel analytical formulation for the suction stress above the water table. The suction stress formula requires four parameters, three for the soil type and one for the steady infiltration (or evaporation) due to environmental effects. The suction stress approach enables the analysis to proceed in the context of classical effective stress, while maintaining the advantages of a general non-linear finite element approach in which no advance assumptions need to be made about the shape or location of the critical failure surface. The results show the extent to which suctions above the water table can increase the factor of safety of a slope for a variety of different soil types and infiltration rates. All stability analyses that include the effects of suction stresses are contrasted with more traditional approaches in which water pressures above the water table are ignored. Copyright # 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.