cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single-mode operation of a coiled multimode fiber amplifier

The authors report a new approach to obtain single-transverse-mode operation of a multimode fiber amplifier, in which the gain fiber is coiled to induce significant bend loss for all but the lowest-order mode. They have demonstrated this method by constructing a coiled amplifier using Yb-doped, double-clad fiber with a core diameter of 25 {micro}m and NA of {minus}0.1 (V {approx} 7.4). When operated as an ASE source, the output beam had an M{sup 2} value of 1.09 {+-} 0.09; when seeded at 1,064 nm, the slope efficiency was similar to that of an uncoiled amplifier. This technique does not require exotic fiber designs or increase system complexity and is inexpensive to implement. It will allow scaling of pulsed fiber lasers and amplifiers to significantly higher pulse energies and peak powers and cw fiber sources to higher average powers while maintaining excellent beam quality.
Evaluation of Regional Differences in Right Ventricular Systolic Function by Acoustic Quantification Echocardiography and Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background—Accurate quantitative evaluation of right ventricular (RV) function has been limited by its complex structural geometry. Although embryological and anatomic observations suggest that the RV is composed of 2 distinct components, the RV sinus and infundibulum, most studies on RV dimensions and function viewed it as a single chamber. This study was designed to determine the volumes, relative contribution to global systolic function, and temporal course of contraction and relaxation of the RV sinus and infundibulum. Methods and Results—Thirty-one individuals without heart disease (aged 1 month to 17 years, 16 boys and 15 girls) participated in this study. Instantaneous area over time, its derivatives, and the temporal course of contraction and relaxation were studied by acoustic quantification echocardiography and phonocardiography in 20 individuals. Global and regional RV volumes and ejection fraction were determined by cine MRI in 11 individuals. The RV sinus made up 81±6% of the combined RV end-...
Using Fourier Descriptor Features in the Classification of White Matter Fiber Tracts in DTI

In this paper, we present a novel set of features which mainly comprises Fourier descriptors to facilitate the classification of white matter (WM) fiber tracts reconstructed from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography. Particularly, Fourier descriptors composing the feature vectors are different frequency terms of the discrete Fourier transform of the Euclidean coordinates of the step points of WM fiber tracts. This approach can effectively reduce the computing cost in WM fiber tract classification due to the decreased feature vector dimensionality. As integrals, Fourier descriptor features make the algorithm less sensitive to DTI noise. The fact that Fourier descriptors achieve spatial independent representation and normalization of WM fiber tracts makes it useful for group studies of WM fiber tracts. Specially, a new strategy for using Fourier descriptors is proposed. Experimental results with real datasets show that this technique is feasible and may be an alternative to existing approaches.
High flame resistant and strong electrospun polyacrylonitrile–carbon nanotubes–ochre nanofibers

Abstract Environmentally friendly, colorful, and flexible electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN)–carbon nanotubes (CNTs)–ochre (Oc) nanofibers (as-spun, stabilized) with very high flame resistance (heat release capacity of 24–143 J g −1 K −1 , total heat release of 2.1–8.7 kJ g −1 , char yield of 55–74%, limiting oxygen index of 22.5–34.5%) and mechanical properties (ultimate tensile strength of 80–177 MPa) were produced using a mineral, non-toxic, economic Oc and CNT in 1% CNTs and 10% Oc based on polymer concentration from a predominant synergistic effect between CNTs and Oc. This approach using a mineral material is an environmentally friendly method which may possibly solve a number of problems related to materials science and economics such as improving a flame resistance and lowering the cost for various applications in automobile, protective textile, and other areas.
Your favorite parallel algorithms might not be as fast as you think

A problem that requires I inputs, K outputs and I computations is to be solved on a d-dimensional parallel processing machine (usually d >
Are natural hybrids fit or unfit relative to their parents

The process of natural hybridization may produce genotypes that establish new evolutionary lineages. However, many authors have concluded that natural hybridization is of little evolutionary importance because hybrids, in general, are unfit relative to their progenitors. Deciding between these alternative conclusions requires that fitness be measured for hybrid classes and parental species. Recent analyses have found that hybrids are not uniformly unfit, but rather are genotypic classes that possess lower, equivalent or higher levels of fitness relative to their parental taxa.
A theory of typestate-oriented programming

Engineers in many disciplines use state machines to reason about system changes, and many object-oriented libraries require their clients to follow state machine protocols. No existing language, however, has native support for state machines, and programmers often lose productivity and introduce errors when trying to understand and follow interaction protocols. The Plaid language extends the object paradigm with explicit states and state transitions, in order to better model object state transitions. In this paper, we present Plaidcore, a core calculus for Plaid, which uses states and permissions to statically guarantee that clients use object protocols correctly.
Seine: a dynamic geometry-based shared-space interaction framework for parallel scientific applications

While large-scale parallel/distributed simulations are rapidly becoming critical research modalities in academia and industry, their efficient and scalable implementations continue to present many challenges. A key challenge is that the dynamic and complex communication/coordination required by these applications (dependent on the state of the phenomenon being modeled) are determined by the specific numerical formulation, the domain decomposition and/or sub-domain refinement algorithms used, etc. and are known only at runtime. This paper presents Seine, a dynamic geometry-based shared-space interaction framework for scientific applications. The framework provides the flexibility of shared-space-based models and supports extremely dynamic communication/coordination patterns, while still enabling scalable implementations. The design and prototype implementation of Seine are presented. Seine complements and can be used in conjunction with existing parallel programming systems such as MPI and OpenMP. An experimental evaluation using an adaptive multi-block oil-reservoir simulation is used to demonstrate the performance and scalability of applications using Seine. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vav2 is required for cell spreading

Vav2 is a widely expressed Rho family guanine nucleotide exchange factor highly homologous to Vav1 and Vav3. Activated versions of Vav2 are transforming, but the normal function of Vav2 and how it is regulated are not known. We investigated the pathways that regulate Vav2 exchange activity in vivo and characterized its function. Overexpression of Vav2 activates Rac as assessed by both direct measurement of Rac-GTP and cell morphology. Vav2 also catalyzes exchange for RhoA, but does not cause morphologic changes indicative of RhoA activation. Vav2 nucleotide exchange is Src-dependent in vivo, since the coexpression of Vav2 and dominant negative Src, or treatment with the Src inhibitor PP2, blocks both Vav2-dependent Rac activation and lamellipodia formation. A mutation in the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain eliminates exchange activity and this construct does not induce lamellipodia, indicating the PH domain is necessary to catalyze nucleotide exchange. To further investigate the function of Vav2, we mutated the dbl homology (DH) domain and asked whether this mutant would function as a dominant negative to block Rac-dependent events. Studies using this mutant indicate that Vav2 is not necessary for platelet-derived growth factor– or epidermal growth factor–dependent activation of Rac. The Vav2 DH mutant did act as a dominant negative to inhibit spreading of NIH3T3 cells on fibronectin, specifically by blocking lamellipodia formation. These findings indicate that in fibroblasts Vav2 is necessary for integrin, but not growth factor–dependent activation of Rac leading to lamellipodia.
An Examination of Recreationists' Relationships with Activities and Settings

The place attachment construct has demonstrated utility for explaining a variety of leisure behavior in outdoor recreation contexts. Preliminary evidence suggests that recreationists' involvement with leisure activities is an antecedent to their attachment to specific settings. Multidimensional measures of these constructs, however, indicate that linear interpretations of their relations may be misleading. Given that both involvement and place attachment examine recreationists' association with activities and settings, the potential for variation among activity and setting types is high. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to further examine the relationship between involvement and place attachment for hikers along the Appalachian Trail, boaters (i.e., kayakers and rafters) along the South Fork of the American River in California, and anglers in New England. The results illustrated that recreationists' relationships with activities and settings varied among the three groups examined. That is, the ...
Variation in Aggressiveness of Stagonospora nodorum Isolates in North Dakota

Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB), caused by Stagonospora nodorum, is an important disease in the northern Great Plains of the United States and in other wheat-producing regions in the world. SNB can be managed by different strategies including the use of resistant cultivars. Genetic variation in the pathogen populations is one of the important factors in the development of durable resistant cultivars. Our main objective was to determine variation in aggressiveness/virulence in the 40 isolates of S. nodorum collected from various locations in North Dakota. To achieve this goal, we tested the isolates on two susceptible wheat cultivars (cvs ‘ND495’ and ‘Alsen’) and two resistant wheat cultivars (cvs ‘Erik’ and ‘Salamouni’) – two-leaf-stage seedlings under controlled conditions. Aggressiveness of each isolate was characterized by the two epidemiological parameters: percent necrotic leaf area (% NLA) and lesion type (LT) 8 days post-inoculation. The isolates differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) for % NLA and LT, and were grouped into three aggressiveness groups (AG): low, medium and highly aggressive. Four isolates (S50, S57, S66 and S89) induced 18–26% NLA and were included into the low aggressive group (AG 1). Three isolates (S15, S39 and S89) induced 57–59% NLA and were considered highly aggressive (AG 3). Thirty-three isolates were medium aggressive (AG 2). No relationship between AG and mating types was observed. There were significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences in % NLA and LT among wheat cultivars. Significant wheat cultivars by isolates interaction was also demonstrated, suggesting evidence for the existence of host specificity in this system. Overall, our results indicate that S. nodorum isolates prevalent in North Dakota varied greatly in their aggressiveness and that AG 3 isolates can be utilized in breeding wheat for resistance to SNB.
A synthesis of 2-amino-2,6-dideoxy-L-mannose (L-rhamnosamine) and 2-amino-2,6-dideoxy-L-glucose (L-quinovosamine)

Abstract : The note records the successful synthesis of 2-amino-2,6-dideoxy-L-mannose(L-rhamnosamine) and 2-amino-2,6-dideoxy-L-glucose(L-quinovosamine) from 5-deoxy-L-arabinose by the nitromethane addition-method.
Ergotism associated with HIV antiviral protease inhibitor therapy

Ergotism is a rare condition of acute vasospasm found classically in young and middle-aged women taking ergot alkaloid agents to treat migraine headache. We report the case of a young man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity and describe the drug interaction between protease inhibitors and ergot alkaloid agents, which most likely predisposed to development of ergot toxicity. The HIV-positive population receiving antiviral therapy may be an under-recognized group at risk for ergotism through decreased hepatic metabolism of ergot preparations.
Nitrogen and Tillage Effects on Wheat Leaf Spot Diseases in the Northern Great Plains

There is a need for management practices in cropping systems that can reduce the impact of plant diseases. Leaf spot diseases on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were evaluated for 11 yr to determine the influence of tillage, N fertilization, and cultivar on disease severity in a long-term cropping system project, which included two cropping systems {spring wheat (SWF)–fallow and annual cropping [spring wheat (SWA)–winter wheat (WWA)–sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)]}. The major leaf spot diseases were tan spot and Stagonospora nodorum blotch. In low precipitation years, the impacts of management practices on leaf spot disease severity were minimal. No-till (NT) did not consistently increase the severity of leaf spot diseases. During the drier years, NT had the advantage of conserving soil water while not increasing the risk to leaf spot diseases. When N treatments influenced leaf spot disease severity, higher levels of disease severity were associated with the low-N fertilizer treatment compared with higher levels of N fertilization. When a tillage 3 N treatment interaction was significant, disease severity was higher with NT at the low N treatment, but at the high N treatment the differences among tillage treatments were greatly reduced or eliminated. This indicates an advantage of using adequate N fertilizer especially with NT under our environmental conditions. When differences in leaf spot diseases for cultivars were evident, Roughrider winter wheat had higher levels of disease severity compared with Norstar; however, the differences between the spring wheat cultivars Butte86 and Stoa were not consistent for both cropping systems. Producers should integrate a combination of management practices to develop a consistent long-term strategy for disease management suited to their production system and location.
A Robust Navigation System for Autonomous Vehicles using Ultrasonics

Abstract A navigation system has been developed for the guidance and control of autonomously guided vehicles using a novel ultrasonic 3D location system in conjunction with traditional ultrasonic rangefinders. This system is most suitable for navigation in structured environments, e.g., factories, hospitals, offices, airplane and space shuttle assembly plants, nuclear power plants and other hazardous areas. The strengths of the system are accuracy (2.54mm), ease of use, self installation/calibration and fast position update rates (>50Hz). A method for automatic modifications of maps has been implemented. An object oriented approach has been used to develop a system that is robust and flexible
Childhood Femoral Head Osteonecrosis

Femoral head osteonecrosis (FHO) is potentially a devastating condition of the hip joint that can affect children and adults. The most serious outcome of this condition is the development of painful progressive osteoarthritis necessitating a total hip replacement at a relatively young age. This review focuses on childhood FHO with a special attention to the conditions that are more commonly seen in the pediatric population: Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, corticosteroid-associated FHO, and sickle cell disease.
Color Performance of Yellow Pavement Markings at Night in the Field

A field experiment was conducted to determine the perceptual color correlates of yellow pavement markings at night under tungsten-halogen and high-intensity-gas-discharge headlamps. Participants viewed a battery of yellow pavement markings laid out in a skip line pattern on a straight and level roadway. Four different thermoplastic pavement markings with organic yellow pigments and a waterborne latex paint-type pavement marking were used. Three of the four thermoplastic pavement markings were custom tailored for the experiment and differed by the recipes of the titanium dioxide (which is white) content to vary the yellow saturation while trading off retroreflectivity. The participants were asked to identify each pavement marking color at different distances as either yellow or white when the markings were presented in a set of six markings in a random design. Pavement marking type and viewing distance affected the participants' responses. Headlamp type did not have a statistically significant effect. A fi...
Ethnicity moderates the relationship between perceived stress and benefit finding in HIV+ men who have sex with men (MSM)

Numerous studies conducted within the USA demonstrate higher levels of benefit finding in ethnic minority individuals compared to nonminority individuals living with chronic disease. As benefit finding may be a salient buffer for the effects of stress, the current study examined the association between perceived stress and benefit finding in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)+ men who have sex with men (MSM) living in the southeast USA and investigated whether ethnicity was a moderator of this relationship. We hypothesized that benefit finding would be greater in ethnic minority MSM than in white MSM and that ethnic minority MSM with high levels of stress would experience greater benefit finding than their white MSM counterparts. The current study utilized baseline (T1) and 3-month follow-up (T2) data drawn from a previous trial of a psychosocial intervention in HIV+ MSM. Participants were 130 HIV+ MSM; 52 % were white and 48 % belonged to minority ethnic groups (African-American, Caribbean-American, Hispanic). Analyses revealed that benefit finding was greater in ethnic minority MSM at baseline; however, this difference became nonsignificant when age, education level, highly active antiretroviral therapy adherence, and CD4 count were added to the model. Moderated regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between T1 perceived stress and ethnicity in predicting T2 benefit finding, such that higher levels of T1 perceived stress predicted lower levels of T2 benefit finding in ethnic minority MSM only. This association was independent of intervention group assignment. The current study's results highlight potential differences in the relationship between stress and benefit finding processes in white and ethnic minority HIV+ MSM.
Mucosal innate immune response to intragastric infection by Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis.

Abstract The innate immune response is critical to enteric disease resistance and the induction of mucosal adaptive immunity. In mucosae of the small intestine, Peyer's patches play a central role in immune surveillance and sampling of bacteria by specialized M cells. The innate immune response to Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis, an enteric pathogen of swine, involves IL-1β and IL-8 mRNA induction but not that of IL-6 and TNFα, in contrast to Salmonella serovar Typhimurium infection of murine small intestine. We investigated in vivo responses to Salmonella and potential effects of animal variation since the gut environment is highly dynamic and constantly changing physiologically. Salmonella serovar Choleraesuis induced an early proinflammatory cytokine response at 6 h after infection, which was characterized by a 4-fold increase in production of CXCL2 mRNA by jejunal Peyer's patches (JPP), and a 12-fold increase in IL-1β and 4-fold increase in IL-8 (CXCL8) mRNAs by distal ileal Peyer's patches (IPP). Levels of IL-1β and IL-8 mRNA were positively correlated with numbers of mucosal neutrophils in the distal IPP. Salmonella DNA was also detected in ileal tissues, including Peyer's patches, absorptive epithelium and mesenteric lymph nodes, in 33–83% of infected animals, compared to the jejunal tissues, which were positive in 0–33% of infected pigs. Notwithstanding substantial animal-to-animal variation, IL-1β was increased in both proximal and distal IPP, IL-8 was increased in the distal IPP, and calprotectin was associated with both by cluster analysis. These data indicate that IL-1β and IL-8 expression in the IPP plays a key role early in the interaction between Salmonella serovar Choleraesuis and the small intestine.
Population Dynamics of an Insect Herbivore in Simple and Diverse Habitats

Much of the recent experimental work on the effect of vegetational diversity on arthropod herbivores has tested Root's (1973) resource concentration hypothesis and natural enemies hypothesis. Two limitations of this work are that only a part of any arthropod life cycle has been examined, and that there is no common currency by which to compare the influence of resource concentration and natural enemies. In this paper, I describe and analyze the demographic response of Epilachna varivestis, a beetle that feeds on Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean), to four experimental habitats at Ithaca, New York: bean monocultures, bean-mustard mixtures, and two bean-weed mixtures. Beetle population densities were significantly lower in the weed mixtures, and only slightly lower in the mustard mixture compared to the bean monoculture. Colonization and egg survival were lower in the weed mixtures, confirming both hypotheses. Demo- graphic analysis provided a common currency to compare the relative influence of colo- nization and egg survival, and showed that variation in colonization accounted for 58% of the variation in first generation offspring, while variation in egg survival accounted for only 1.7% of this variation. Larval/pupal survival was higher in the weed mixtures, which contradicted the predictions of the natural enemies hypothesis, and obliterated the potential effect of egg survival on first generation offspring. Independent experiments and observa- tions suggested that non-host plants inhibited immigration and hastened emigration, that predaceous coccinellids ate more eggs in vegetationally diverse habitats, and that variation in larval/pupal survival could be related to greater larval movement at high densities. In this study, non-host plant interference influenced beetle populations more than mortality from natural enemies. Demographic analysis was essential for determining the causes of beetle response to vegetational diversity.
DEPTOR, an mTOR Inhibitor, Is a Physiological Substrate of SCFβTrCP E3 Ubiquitin Ligase and Regulates Survival and Autophagy

Summary DEPTOR, an inhibitor of mTORC1 and mTORC2, is degraded via ubiquitin-proteasome pathway by an unknown E3 ubiquitin ligase. Here we report that DEPTOR is a physiological substrate of SCF βTrCP E3 ligase for targeted degradation. Upon growth factor stimulation, RSK1 and S6K1 kinases are activated to phosphorylate DEPTOR, which is then recognized by the F box protein, βTrCP, via its degron sequence for subsequent ubiquitination and degradation by SCF E3. Endogenous DEPTOR levels are negatively regulated by βTrCP. DEPTOR half-life is shortened by βTrCP but extended by a dominant-negative mutant of βTrCP, by RSK1/S6K1 inhibition, and by βTrCP degron site mutations. Biologically, DEPTOR accumulation upon βTrCP knockdown inactivates mTORC1 and activates AKT in cancer cells to confer resistance to rapamycin and paclitaxel. Furthermore, DEPTOR accumulates upon glucose deprivation and mTOR inhibition to induce autophagy. Thus, βTrCP-DEPTOR-mTOR intertwine to regulate cell survival and autophagy.
A review of experimental pancreatitis.

Abstract It is apparent from this review that a great deal of effort has been devoted to problems related to the pathophysiology of pancreatic inflammation. It is equally obvious that many aspects of the disease deserve further study. It can be said that a foundation has been laid; some of the stones will collapse under the weight of additional knowledge, while others will be replaced because they fail to conform to the structure which evolves. A beginning has been made, but much remains to be learned.
Coupling ion mobility separations, collisional activation techniques, and multiple stages of MS for analysis of complex peptide mixtures.

An ion trap/ion mobility/quadrupole/collision cell/time-of-flight mass spectrometer that incorporates a differentially pumped orifice-skimmer cone region at the back of the drift tube has been developed for the analysis of peptide mixtures. The combined approach allows a variety of strategies to be employed for collisionally activating ions, and fragments can be monitored by subsequent stages of mass spectrometry in a parallel fashion, as described previously (Anal. Chem. 2000, 72, 2737). Here, we describe the overall experimental approach in detail. Applications involving different aspects of the initial mobility separation and various collisional activation and parallel sequencing strategies are illustrated by examining several simple peptide mixtures and a mixture of tryptic peptides from β-casein. Detection limits associated with various experimental configurations and the utility for analysis of complex systems are discussed.
Implementation and performance issues of a massively parallel atmospheric model

Abstract We present implementation and performance issues of a data parallel version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model (CCM2). We describe automatic conversion tools used to aid in converting a production code written for a traditional vector architecture to data parallel code suitable for the Thinking Machines Corporation CM-5. Also, we describe the 3-D transposition method used to parallelize the spherical harmonic transforms in CCM2. This method employs dynamic data mapping techniques to improve data locality and parallel efficiency of these computations. We present performance data for the 3-D transposition method on the CM-5 for machine size up to 512 processors. We conclude that the parallel performance of the 3-D transposition method is adversely affected on the CM-5 by short vector lengths and array padding. We also find that the CM-5 spherical harmonic transforms spend about 70% of their execution time in communication. We detail a transposition-based data parallel implementation of the semi-Lagrangian Transport (SLT) algorithm used in CCM2. We analyze two approaches to parallelizing the SLT, called the departure point and arrival point based methods. We develop a performance model for choosing between these methods. We present SLT performance data which shows that the localized horizontal interpolation in the SLT takes 70% of the time, while the data remapping itself only require approximately 16%. We discuss the importance of scalable I/O to CCM2, and present the I/O rates measured on the CM-5. We compare the performance of the data parallel version of CCM2 on a 32-processor CM-5 with the optimized vector code running on a single processor Cray Y-MP. We show that the CM-5 code is 75% faster. We also give the overall performance of CCM2 running at higher resolutions on different numbers of CM-5 processors. We conclude by discussing the significance of these results and their implications for data parallel climate models.
In vitro phase II comparison of the cytotoxicity of a novel platinum analog, nedaplatin (254-S), with that of cisplatin and carboplatin against fresh, human ovarian cancers

Purpose: To compare the in vitro cytotoxicity of nedaplatin, an investigational platinum analog, with that of the standard platinum agents, cisplatin and carboplatin, against fresh human, epithelial ovarian cancers. Methods: The Hamburger-Salmon human tumor colony-forming assay (HTCA) was used to measure the chemosensitivity of 36 fresh tumor samples obtained during initial exploratory laparotomy from patients with newly diagnosed stage III – IV epithelial ovarian cancer who had received no prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Tumor samples were exposed to the platinum analogs for 1 h at concentrations of 10 and 100 μg/ml of nedaplatin and cisplatin and 100 and 1000 μg/ml of carboplatin. The resulting survival data were used to estimate the IC50 (drug concentration associated with 50% inhibition of tumor colony forming units, TCFUs) of each of the platinum analogs for each of the tumor samples, as well as the estimated survival following exposure to clinically achievable drug levels (i.e. the ultrafiltrable platinum area under the plasma disappearance curve, AUC, achieved in cancer patients following administration of standard or phase II doses). Results: At the lowest concentration tested (i.e. 10 μg/ml nedaplatin and cisplatin and 100 μg/ml carboplatin) the percentages of tumor samples which were sensitive (as defined by 50% or less survival of TCFUs as compared with controls) were 42, 50, and 40% for nedaplatin, cisplatin and carboplatin, respectively. The median IC50 values were 28.5, 12 and 121 μg/ml for nedaplatin, cisplatin and carboplatin, respectively. The estimated percentage of tumors sensitive to clinically achievable dose levels was 42% for nedaplatin and 36% for cisplatin and carboplatin. Nedaplatin and carboplatin proved relatively crossresistant with cisplatin in vitro; of the 18 tumor samples which were resistant to cisplatin, only 5 (28%) were sensitive to nedaplatin and 3 of 17 (18%) were sensitive to carboplatin. Conclusion: Nedaplatin was associated with cytotoxicity similar to cisplatin and carboplatin in this study. Although nedaplatin appears to be crossresistant with cisplatin, its high rate of in vitro cytotoxicity, relative lack of neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, and large in vivo bioavailability establish nedaplatin as a promising platinum analog for further clinical development as a salvage and primary chemotherapeutic agent for patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
Regeneration of serotonergic fibers in the rat hypothalamus following unilateral 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine injection.

Abstract The time course of degeneration and regeneration of serotonin (5-HT) fibers in the rat hypothalamus was studied with 5-HT immunocytochemistry and [3H]5-HT uptake following uniilateral injections of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) into the dorsolateral hypothalamus. Within 3 days of the lesion, 5-HT fibers in the ipsilateral hypothalamus were swollen and darkly stained stained for 5-HT. In the contralateral hypothalamus few swollen fibers were apparent and these were generally restricted to the area adjacent to the fornix. Swollen 5-HT fibers wre evident in the ipsilateralhypothalamus 3–19 days post-lesion in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) during which time there was a gradual decrease in thier density. In the medial and periventricular areas of the ipsilateral hypothalamus there were essentially no 5-HT fibers 7–30 days post-lesion. Sprouting 5-HT fibers were observed 12–19 days post-lesion. Thirty days post-lesion the density of 5-HT fibers in the MFB appeared normal; however, medial and periventricular areas remained denervated. Fifty days post-lesion there was an apparent bilateral hyperinnervation in the lateral and dorsomedial hypothalamic areas of 5,7-DHT-injected animals as compared to sham-injected animals. The morphological data were paralleled by changes in [3H]5-HT uptake. Seven days post-lesion specific high affinity uptake was reduced to 27% of sham in the ipsilateral hypothalamus and to 53% of sham in the contralateral hypothalamus. By 50 days post-lesion, specific high affinity uptake of [3H]5-HT was 141% of sham in the ipsilateral hypothalamus and 96% of sham in the contralateral hypothalamus.
Aromaticity of five-membered heterocycles: an experimentally convenient theoretical model for prediction of relative aromaticity

Abstract An experimentally convenient theoretical model for prediction of relative aromaticity of 5-membered heterocycles is presented. The model is an improvement of our earlier model based on the Dewar-Breslow definition of aromaticity and can accommodate a broader range of heterocycles than the previous model.
Design and control of interfacial temperature gradients in solidification

Abstract In a unidirectional solidification design problem, the solidification velocity and the liquid-side interfacial temperature gradient are of principle interest due to their effect on the morphology of the cast structure. The design challenge is prediction of the temporal conditions at the boundaries, such that the solidification velocity and the liquid-side temperature gradient at the solid–liquid interface follow a predetermined design scenario. The stated problem requires the resolution of two inverse problems: one, in an expanding solid domain and the second, in a shrinking liquid domain. An innovative solution technique is proposed and demonstrated for design of the liquid-side temperature gradient during unidirectional solidification. During the early transient, the control of the interfacial temperature gradient presents a challenge due to the diffusion time between the boundary and the interface. This challenge is met using a combination of initial condition design and time structuring, which allows independent control of the interfacial temperature gradient for the extent of the solidification process. The solution is developed in the context of a classic weighted-residual method, where the temporal variable is treated in an elliptic fashion.
Clinical Science: Treatment of Medication Overuse Headache and Long‐term Outcome

Medication overuse headache is an important and challenging problem for clinicians and researchers. The new International Headache Society classification now gives specific limits for medication use based on the number of days of treatment per month. Medication overuse headache is increasingly recognized in children. Triptan overusers have a more migrainous phenotype than overusers of other medications, as well as a shorter period of induction and a milder and more ultimately successful medication withdrawal course. Treatment may involve weaning the overused medications or abrupt discontinuation using a transitional medication for 1 or 2 weeks. Detoxification may be performed in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Repetitive intravenous valproate, prochlorperazine, or lidocaine may be reasonable alternatives to the traditional treatment of metoclopramide and dihydroergotamine. Biofeedback-assisted relaxation training improves outcomes after detoxification at 3 years. Even aggressive treatment is unsuccessful in a significant number of cases.
Rethinking 'secondary' metabolism: physiological roles for phenazine antibiotics

Microorganisms exist in the environment as multicellular communities that face the challenge of surviving under nutrient-limited conditions. Chemical communication is an essential part of the way in which these populations coordinate their behavior, and there has been an explosion of understanding in recent years regarding how this is accomplished. Much less, however, is understood about the way these communities sustain their metabolism. Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas are ubiquitous, and are distinguished by their production of colorful secondary metabolites called phenazines. In this article, we suggest that phenazines, which are produced under conditions of high cell density and nutrient limitation, may be important for the persistence of pseudomonads in the environment.
Automatic recognition of corpus callosum from sagittal brain MR images

We propose a new method to find the corpus callosum from sagittal brain MR images automatically. First, we calculate the statistical characteristics of the corpus callosum and obtain shape information. The recognition algorithm consists of two stages: extracting regions satisfying the statistical characteristics (gray level distribtuions) of the corpus callosum, and finding a region matching the shape information. An innovative feature of the algorithm is that we adaptively relax the statistical requirement until we find a region matching the shape information. In order to match the shape information, we propose a new directed window region growing algorithm instead of using conventional contour matching. Experiments show promising results.
Earthquake Predictability, Brick by Brick

“It seems probable that a very long period will elapse before another important earthquake occurs along that part of the San Andreas rift which broke in 1906; for we have seen the strains causing the slip were probably accumulating for 100 years.” Professor Reid in his 1910 contribution to the Lawson Commission report thus anticipated why the centenary of the San Francisco earthquake would be so significant to earthquake scientists: the northern San Andreas, in decimal markers of logarithmic age, is entering a mature stage of the Reid cycle. It is this context—the heightening risk to a sometimes indifferent society—that compels my own thinking on the troublesome topic of earthquake prediction. The south-central portion of the San Andreas reached its earthquake centenary when I was a kid (in 1957), while the southernmost stretch probably passed this milestone before Thomas Jefferson was elected president (circa 1800). Tectonic forces are inexorably tightening the springs of the San Andreas fault system. The probability that at least one of these three segments will rupture in the next 30 years is thought to lie somewhere between 35% and 70%, depending on how you interpret the paleoseismic data and other constraints on the regularity of the Reid cycle. The sedimentary basins of coastal California have become highly urbanized since the last major San Andreas earthquake. These basins are strung out along the San Andreas fault system in a natural but unfortunate geometry that funnels energy from large earthquakes into very intense, long-duration basin waves. New physics-based simulations of San Andreas earthquakes indicate that the low-frequency shaking in the urban basins could be substantially larger than previously predicted. Moreover, the strong shaking from large ruptures on subsidiary faults, such as the Puente Hills blind thrust directly beneath Los Angeles, could be even worse—in the words of one …
Sacrococcygeal teratomas in children.

Abstract Forty-four patients with sacrococcygeal teratomas are reported, and their surgical management discussed. Early complete excision with removal of the coccyx is recommended and was practiced in 33 cases. Such management eliminates recurrence, with its increased chance of neoplastic change. The mortality in this series from all causes was 27%.
Stoichiometry of the amido black reaction with proteins.

Abstract Amido black 10B (C 22 H 14 N 6 O 9 S 2 Na 2 ) reacted with nine different proteins to yield nearly identical molar ratios of sorbed dye to protein-bound basic amino acids.
Identification of paramyosin as a potential protective antigen against Brugia malayi infection in jirds.

Abstract Vaccination of jirds with irradiated infective larvae of Brugia malayi has been reported to provide partial immunity to larval challenge. In the present study, we found that sera from vaccinated animals recognized larval antigens with apparent molecular weights of 97, 55–60, and 10 kDa that were not recognized by sera from infected animals. A B. malayi cDNA expression library in λgt11 was screened to identify clones that were preferentially recognized by sera from immunized animals. One of these clones (BM-5) was chosen for further study. BM-5 contains a 2.1 kb DNA insert and produces a fusion protein with a molecular weight of 185 kDa. Antibody, affinity-purified with the BM-5 fusion protein, binds to a 97 kDa native B. malayi antigen. Immunological studies and partial DNA sequence data confirm that BM-5 encodes paramyosin. Recombinant B. malayi paramyosin is strongly recognized by antibodies in sera from jirds that have been immunized either by injection with irradiated larvae or by chemotherapy-abbreviated infection. Most sera from infected jirds do not contain antibody to paramyosin. Additional studies are needed to determine whether paramyosin is actually protective in this filariasis model.
Induced tolerance to the discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine

Abstract Twenty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained in five two-lever operant chambers on a DRL-15 sec schedule of positive food reinforcement to discriminate 10 mg/kg cocaine from 1 ml/kg saline. Following acquisition of discrimination a counterbalanced design of extinction tests was performed before and after repeated administration of 20 mg/kg cocaine or saline (three times a day at five hr intervals for seven days). The extinction tests consisted of testing responses of animals following 1 ml/kg saline, 2.5 mg/kg cocaine, or 5 mg/kg cocaine. The results showed no significant difference in animals' lever choice before and after repeated injection with saline. However, the percent cocaine lever choice with the two doses of cocaine was lower after repeated administration of cocaine than before the repeated injections. This indicates tolerance developed to the discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine.
Topological insulator Bi2Se3 nanowire high performance field-effect transistors.

Topological insulators are unique electronic materials with insulating interiors and robust metallic surfaces. Device applications exploiting their remarkable properties have so far been hampered by the difficulty to electrically tune the Fermi levels of both bulk and thin film samples. Here we show experimentally that single-crystal nanowires of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 can be used as the conduction channel in high-performance field effect transistor (FET), a basic circuit building block. Its current-voltage characteristics are superior to many of those reported for semiconductor nanowire transistors, including sharp turn-on, nearly zero cutoff current, very large On/Off current ratio, and well-saturated output current. The metallic electron transport at the surface with good FET effective mobility can be effectively separated from the conduction of bulk Bi2Se3 and adjusted by field effect at a small gate voltage. This opens up a suite of potential applications in nanoelectronics and spintronics.
Observation of retrogressive reactions under liquefaction conditions utilizing the oxidized coal completely dissolved in solvent at room temperature

We have found that the brown coal oxidized by nitric acid at 70 °C can be completely dissolved in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. Utilizing this oxidized coal, we performed the temperature-programmed reaction under liquefaction conditions in several types of solvents under nitrogen atmosphere to evaluate the retrogressive reactions. More than one-half of the tetrahydrofuran-soluble fraction was converted into the THF-insoluble fractions at 240 °C. The changes in the solid caused by the retrogressive reaction were examined from the change in the TG curves of insoluble fractions in toluene or tetrahydrofuran. From this analysis, it was found that two types of retrogressive reactions occurred during the liquefaction of the oxidized brown coal: one is the cross-linking reaction of THF-soluble fraction by the decomposition of oxygen functional groups at low temperatures and the other is the structural change, such as polymerization of the tetrahydrofuran-insoluble fractions, at >350 °C. The retrogressive...
Quantitative comparison of detailed numerical computations and experiments in counterflow spray diffusion flames

A comprehensive numerical model of counterflow spray diffusion flames was developed using detailed chemical kinetics and transport. The liquid phase was modeled by assuming that droplets were surrounded by a quasi-steady spherically symmetric film and that the temperature within each droplet was spatially uniform but time varying, as it traveled toward the flame. The evolution of the droplet size distribution was followed by using sectional conservation equations. The model was tested on a methanol flame under conditions of small velocity slip between the droplets and the gas at the fuel boundary. The latter constraint was dictated by the need to use similarity solutions and to treat the problem as one dimensional. Input conditions were such that the droplet vaporization region was well separated from the flame; that is, droplets did not interact directly with the flame. Consequently the flame structure was found to be relatively insensitive to vaporization details, such as the number of sections used to describe the droplet size distribution. Quantitative agreement was found between model predictions and experimental measurements of gas-phase temperature, velocity, droplet size, and velocity distributions, provided that the measured gas-phase velocity gradients at the boundaries were used in the model, as opposed to common modeling assumptions such as plug or potential flow.
Technology options for 22nm and beyond

This paper explores the challenges facing the 22nm process generation and beyond. CMOS transistor architectures such as ultra-thin body, FinFET, and nanowire will be compared and contrasted. Mobility enhancements such as channel stress, alternative orientations, and exotic materials will be explored. Resistance challenges will be reviewed in relation to key process techniques such as silicidation, implantation and anneal. Capacitance challenges with traditional and new architectures will be discussed in light of new materials and processing techniques. The impact of new transistor architectures and enhanced channel materials on traditional junction engineering solutions will be summarized.
Presenting characteristics of depressed outpatients as a function of recurrence: preliminary findings from the STAR*D clinical trial

Abstract Objectives Recurrent depression predicts risk for subsequent episodes, but it is unclear how it relates to demographic features, course of illness, and clinical presentation. Methods We report on the baseline data for the first 1500 patients enrolled in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study ( www.star-d.org ). Patients were required to have a DSM-IV diagnosis of nonpsychotic major depression and to score ⩾ 14 on the 17-item Hamilton rating scale for depression. Status with respect to recurrent depression and other aspects of illness course and demographic features were ascertained at intake, along with measures of depression and concurrent general medical illness. Results Patients with recurrent depression were older, had an earlier age of onset, and were more likely to have a positive family history of depression than first episode patients. However, recurrent patients were less likely to be chronic and reported shorter current episodes than first episode patients, something that was largely confined to females. Recurrent patients were more likely than first episode patients to report non-essential aspects of mood, cognition, and somatic symptoms, although largely as a consequence of greater overall depressive symptom severity. Conclusions As compared to single episode depressions, recurrent depression was associated with greater symptom severity and illness characteristics suggestive of greater underlying risk, but not other demographic characteristics than age. Risk for recurrence appeared to be distinct from chronic depression. A subset of chronic first episode patients may lack the capacity to remit and may therefore be distinct from those with recurrent episodes.
Phonon and polaron enhanced IR-THz photodetectors

Thanks to the modern compound semiconductor growth and processing technologies, quantum wells and related semiconductor nanostructures have been widely investigated for infrared-terahertz devices. Here we propose a new general approach to make use of polar optical phonons in quantum wells for infrared (IR) and terahertz (THz) detection. Polar optical phonons strongly couple with both electrons and photons, and hence are potentially useful for photonic devices. As the first example, we show the coupling of phonon and intersubband transition leading to Fano resonance in photocurrent spectra. We investigate the phenomenon experimentally in specially designed GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetectors. Finally, we discuss the future research and potentials. Strongly coupled systems of electrons and phonons, i.e., polarons, may lead to new IR-THz photodetectors.