cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subtype-Dependent Relationship Between Young Age at Diagnosis and Breast Cancer Survival

PurposeYoung women are at increased risk for developing more aggressive subtypes of breast cancer. Although previous studies have shown a higher risk of breast cancer recurrence and death among young women with early-stage breast cancer, they have not adequately addressed the role of tumor subtype in outcomes.MethodsWe examined data from women with newly diagnosed stage I to III breast cancer presenting to one of eight National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers between January 2000 and December 2007. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the relationship between age and breast cancer–specific survival.ResultsA total of 17,575 women with stage I to III breast cancer were eligible for analysis, among whom 1,916 were ≤ 40 years of age at diagnosis. Median follow-up time was 6.4 years. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model controlling for sociodemographic, disease, and treatment characteristics, women ≤ 40 years of age at diagnosis had greater breast cancer mortality...
Reductive Elimination of H2 Activates Nitrogenase to Reduce the N≡N Triple Bond: Characterization of the E4(4H) Janus Intermediate in Wild-Type Enzyme

We proposed a reductive elimination/oxidative addition (re/oa) mechanism for reduction of N2 to 2NH3 by nitrogenase, based on identification of a freeze-trapped intermediate of the α-70Val→Ile MoFe protein as the Janus intermediate that stores four reducing equivalents on FeMo-co as two [Fe–H–Fe] bridging hydrides (denoted E4(4H)). The mechanism postulates that obligatory re of the hydrides as H2 drives reduction of N2 to a state (denoted E4(2N2H)) with a moiety at the diazene (HN═NH) reduction level bound to the catalytic FeMo-co. EPR/ENDOR/photophysical measurements on wild type (WT) MoFe protein now establish this mechanism. They show that a state freeze-trapped during N2 reduction by WT MoFe is the same Janus intermediate, thereby establishing the α-70Val→Ile intermediate as a reliable guide to mechanism. Monitoring the Janus state in WT MoFe during N2 reduction under mixed-isotope condition, H2O buffer/D2, and the converse, establishes that the bridging hydrides/deuterides do not exchange with solven...
Second language acquisition of pragmatic inferences: Evidence from the French c'est-cleft

This paper examines the extent to which second language (L2) speakers of French acquire the semantic and pragmatic (or interpretive) properties associated with the c'est-cleft, specifically the exhaustive inference. This phenomenon is relevant to theories of language acquisition because it is situated at the interface of syntax and pragmatics. The results from a forced-choice task challenge the empirical adequacy of the interface hypothesis (Sorace, 2011, 2012; Sorace & Filiaci, 2006), which claims that external interfaces between a linguistic module and a cognitive module remain problematic even at the highest levels of L2 acquisition. The results from 40 L2 learners at three proficiency levels reveal development from nontargetlike to nativelike behavior. In particular, the high-proficiency group interprets the c'est-cleft, as well as canonical subject–verb–object sentences and sentences with exclusives (i.e., seul(ement) “only”), in a statistically identical way to the French native speaker control group.
Grain neighbour effects on twin transmission in hexagonal close-packed materials

Materials with a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystal structure such as Mg, Ti and Zr are being used in the transportation, aerospace and nuclear industry, respectively. Material strength and formability are critical qualities for shaping these materials into parts and a pervasive deformation mechanism that significantly affects their formability is deformation twinning. The interaction between grain boundaries and twins has an important influence on the deformation behaviour and fracture of hcp metals. Here, statistical analysis of large data sets reveals that whether twins transmit across grain boundaries depends not only on crystallography but also strongly on the anisotropy in crystallographic slip. We show that increases in crystal plastic anisotropy enhance the probability of twin transmission by comparing the relative ease of twin transmission in hcp materials such as Mg, Zr and Ti.
ZAP-70 Expression in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Is Associated with Altered Signal Transduction.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a malignancy of mature B-cells with a variable clinical course. Given the heterogeneity of disease course, identification of prognostic factors is imperative. One recently identified negative prognostic indicator in CLL is the T-cell tyrosine kinase ZAP70. ZAP70 is analogous to, and can functionally substitute for, the B-cell tyrosine kinase Syk and is activated following B cell receptor (BCR) crosslinking in CLL cells. However, the role of ZAP70 expression in CLL remains elusive. Utilizing flow cytometric analyses of signal transduction molecules, this study examined if ZAP70 expression affects signal transduction in CLL. Peripheral blood samples from ZAP70+ and ZAP70− CLL patients were analyzed. The levels of phosphorylated ERK, STAT5, and S6 (p-ERK, p-STAT5, p-S6) were measured by flow cytometry with and without BCR stimulation. Kinase inhibitors were used to verify the measured phosphorlyated protein levels. Increased constitutive levels of p-ERK, p-STAT5, and p-S6 were seen in ZAP70+ CLL cells as compared to ZAP70− CLL cells. BCR crosslinking gave variable responses in both ZAP70+ and ZAP70− CLL. The majority of ZAP70− cases showed no significant activation or a predominant activation of ERK with rare p-S6 activation. ZAP70+ cells showed activation of either, or both, ERK and S6 pathways and fewer showing no activation. In summary, though the role of ZAP70 in B cell signaling is poorly understood, expression of ZAP70 in CLL correlates with a constitutively active phenotype. Additionally, differential response in ZAP70+ versus ZAP70− cases following BCR crosslinking suggests a possible modulatory role of the BCR pathway. Current studies are underway to determine if these measures carry prognostic information and if the varying signal responses to BCR stimulation correlate with reported differences in apoptotic versus proliferative response.
Readability Formulas and User Perceptions of Electronic Health Records Difficulty: A Corpus Study

Background: Electronic health records (EHRs) are a rich resource for developing applications to engage patients and foster patient activation, thus holding a strong potential to enhance patient-centered care. Studies have shown that providing patients with access to their own EHR notes may improve the understanding of their own clinical conditions and treatments, leading to improved health care outcomes. However, the highly technical language in EHR notes impedes patients’ comprehension. Numerous studies have evaluated the difficulty of health-related text using readability formulas such as Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning-Fog Index (GFI). They conclude that the materials are often written at a grade level higher than common recommendations. Objective: The objective of our study was to explore the relationship between the aforementioned readability formulas and the laypeople’s perceived difficulty on 2 genres of text: general health information and EHR notes. We also validated the formulas’ appropriateness and generalizability on predicting difficulty levels of highly complex technical documents. Methods: We collected 140 Wikipedia articles on diabetes and 242 EHR notes with diabetes International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code. We recruited 15 Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) users to rate difficulty levels of the documents. Correlations between laypeople’s perceived difficulty levels and readability formula scores were measured, and their difference was tested. We also compared word usage and the impact of medical concepts of the 2 genres of text. Results: The distributions of both readability formulas’ scores (P<.001) and laypeople’s perceptions (P=.002) on the 2 genres were different. Correlations of readability predictions and laypeople’s perceptions were weak. Furthermore, despite being graded at similar levels, documents of different genres were still perceived with different difficulty (P<.001). Word usage in the 2 related genres still differed significantly (P<.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggested that the readability formulas’ predictions did not align with perceived difficulty in either text genre. The widely used readability formulas were highly correlated with each other but did not show adequate correlation with readers’ perceived difficulty. Therefore, they were not appropriate to assess the readability of EHR notes. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(3):e59]
The physics experiment for a laser-driven electron accelerator

Abstract A physics experiment for laser-driven, electron acceleration in a structure-loaded vacuum is being carried out at Stanford University. The experiment is to demonstrate the linear dependence of the electron energy gain on the laser field strength. The accelerator structure, made of dielectric, is semi-open, with dimensions a few thousand times the laser wavelength. The electrons traverse the axis of two crossed laser beams to obtain acceleration within a coherence distance. We predict that the demonstration experiment will produce a single-stage, electron energy gain of 300 keV over a 2.5 mm distance. Ultimately, acceleration gradients of 1 GeV m−1 should be possible.
Generation of higher-order orbital angular momentum in polarization-maintaining fiber

Light with orbital angular momentum of +/-2ħ per photon is produced in commercially available polarization maintaining fiber with modal purity >96%. Twist measurements demonstrate that the orbital angular momentum can be continuously tuned between +/-2ħ.
Enforcement Evasion Highlights Need for Better Satellite‐Based Forest Governance

Our recent article, “Are Brazil's Deforesters Avoiding Detection?” demonstrated that focusing illegal deforestation enforcement on the subset of forest monitored by the flagship PRODES system has caused PRODES to capture a declining share of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Deforesters may be purposively seeking out forests not monitored for enforcement. Addressing the problem would help Brazil maintain a cutting‐edge forest governance model worthy of transfer to other nations. Two commentaries questioned our decision to investigate solely PRODES and not additional government monitoring systems. We focused on PRODES because it is the most salient deforestation monitoring system. Other key deforestation monitoring systems are all either limited to the same monitoring footprint as PRODES, not used for enforcement, or are rarely used for measuring forest loss in the Brazilian Amazon. We do agree with the commentaries that Brazil's new satellite monitoring protocol for greenhouse gas emissions estimation is critical progress of the type we were advocating in our original article.
Overexpression of Exportin-5 Overrides the Inhibitory Effect of miRNAs Regulation Control and Stabilize Proteins via Posttranslation Modifications in Prostate Cancer

Abstract Although XPO5 has been characterized to have tumor-suppressor features in the miRNA biogenesis pathway, the impact of altered expression of XPO5 in cancers is unexplored. Here we report a novel "oncogenic" role of XPO5 in advanced prostate cancer. Using prostate cancer models, we found that excess levels of XPO5 override the inhibitory effect of the canoncial miRNA-mRNA regulation, resulting in a global increase in proteins expression. Importantly, we found that decreased expression of XPO5 could promote an increase in proteasome degradation, whereas overexpression of XPO5 leads to altered protein posttranslational modification via hyperglycosylation, resulting in cellular protein stability. We evaluated the therapeutic advantage of targeting XPO5 in prostate cancer and found that knocking down XPO5 in prostate cancer cells suppressed cellular proliferation and tumor development without significantly impacting normal fibroblast cells survival. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the oncogenic role of XPO5 in overriding the miRNAs regulation control. Furthermore, we believe that these findings will provide an explanation as to why, in some cancers that express higher abundance of mature miRNAs, fail to suppress their potential protein targets.
Comparing residence-based to actual path-based methods for defining adolescents’ environmental exposures using granular spatial data

This paper uses data from a population-based case control study of daily activities and assault injury to examine residence-based versus actual path-based approaches to measuring environmental exposures that pose risks for violence among adolescents. Defining environmental exposures based on participant home address resulted in significant misclassification compared to gold standard daily travel path measures. Dividing participant daily travel paths into origin-destination segments, we explore a method for defining spatial counterfactuals by comparing actual trip path exposures to shortest potential trip path exposures. Spatial methods explored herein can be utilized in future research to more accurately quantify environmental exposures and associations with health outcomes.
Slow ruptures, roaring tsunamis

Subduction zones are where one tectonic plate over-rides another, and they are very active seismically. New analyses show that in these zones shallower earthquakes atke longer to break than those that occur deeper at the plate interface -- that is, rupture lasts longer. The explanation centres on the relative rigidity of material at different depths, and should help our understanding of tsunami-causing earthquakes.
Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity of Suspended Black Phosphorus Probed by Opto-Thermomechanical Resonance Spectromicroscopy.

Atomic layer semiconducting black phosphorus (P) exfoliated from its bulk crystals offers excellent properties and promises for emerging two-dimensional (2D) electronics, photonics, and transducers. It also possesses unique strong in-plane anisotropy among many 2D semiconductors, stemming from its corrugated crystal structure. As an important thermophysical aspect, probing the anisotropic thermal conductivity of black P is essential for device engineering, especially for energy dissipation and thermal management. Here, we report on measurement and analysis of anisotropic in-plane thermal conductivity of black P crystal, in a mechanically suspended device platform, by exploiting a novel opto-thermomechanical resonance spectromicroscopy (OTMRS) technique. With spatially resolved heating effects and thermomechanical resonance motions of suspended structures, anisotropic in-plane thermal conductivity (κAC and κZZ) is determined for black P crystals of 10–100 nm thick. This study validates a new noninvasive ap...
The Computer in Ship Structure Design

Publisher Summary The area of ship structure design and construction is undergoing continuous change. New configurations as well as previously unattempted vessel sizes are constantly emerging. A very important development has been the marketing of relatively inexpensive mini- and medium-sized computers that are capable of performing small computations efficiently. A number of large-scale, general-purpose, finite-element programs are now available to the engineering community, including NASTRAN, ASKA, STARDYNE, STRUDL, and DAISY. These represent the first generation of engineering analysis programs that were developed with a large, fast computer in mind. The digital computer is a recently acquired engineering tool. As all tools, it should be regarded as an extension to the user's personality and an amplifier of his or her capabilities. The present relationship between a digital computer and an engineering user leaves a lot to be desired. Far from always being the helpful tool, the computer often enslaves the user. A constant effort is required to make this relationship more satisfactory. The importance of the communication problem between man and machine can be appreciated if we study the expenses and effort encountered in the full-scale analysis of a large vessel.
Investigating polymer coated piezo-ceramic sensor for the very early strength monitoring of cementitious materials (Conference Presentation)

Electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique coupled with the piezoelectric sensor has been explored as a promising non-destructive testing (NDT) method to determine the quality of cementitious materials. Among the piezoelectric sensors, Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) is the most commonly used piezo-ceramic materials for conducting the EMI because of the high sensitivity and high piezoelectric constant. However, the inherent brittleness of PZT limited their potential application as embedded sensors for in-situ monitoring of materials/structure properties. To improve the durability and flexibility of the PZT sensor, we have systematically investigated the effect of different polymer coating methods of PZT on their sensitivity and effectiveness of EMI sensors. Specifically, two polymer coating agents were used to encapsulate the PZT sensor including the flexible organic polymer compound - Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the rigid polymer compound- Polyepoxides (Epoxy) We have also investigated the feasibility of EMI technique with the surface bonded sensor and embedded sensor to test the compressive strength gain of mortars. The compressive strength test of samples was also conducted using conventional mechanical methods per ASTM C109 as a baseline at the first 5th to 8th hour. The EMI signatures were collected for all the samples at the same time. Our preliminary results have shown a high correlation of EMI methods’ results with the compressive testing results for two different polymers coated PZT sensors, which indicated the polymer-coated PZT sensors can be used as an effective NDT method for in-situ monitoring of concrete compressive strength gain at the very early age.
Voltage-gated sodium channels (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

Sodium channels are voltage-gated sodium-selective ion channels present in the membrane of most excitable cells. Sodium channels comprise of one pore-forming α subunit, which may be associated with either one or two β subunits [176]. α-Subunits consist of four homologous domains (I–IV), each containing six transmembrane segments (S1–S6) and a pore-forming loop. The positively charged fourth transmembrane segment (S4) acts as a voltage sensor and is involved in channel gating. The crystal structure of the bacterial NavAb channel has revealed a number of novel structural features compared to earlier potassium channel structures including a short selectivity filter with ion selectivity determined by interactions with glutamate side chains [268]. Interestingly, the pore region is penetrated by fatty acyl chains that extend into the central cavity which may allow the entry of small, hydrophobic pore-blocking drugs [268]. Auxiliary β1, β2, β3 and β4 subunits consist of a large extracellular N-terminal domain, a single transmembrane segment and a shorter cytoplasmic domain.The nomenclature for sodium channels was proposed by Goldin et al., (2000) [143] and approved by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on sodium channels (Catterall et al., 2005, [51]).
Secure mmWave Cellular Network for Drone Communication

Using radio frequency (RF) coverage from the existing cellular networks is an attractive option to maintain beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) connectivity with drones. These cellular drones can connect with a ground control station (GCS) for control and data delivery wherever cellular service is available. However, RF coverage for these cellular networks has been optimized for the ground users and while they do leak upwards, reliable RF coverage exists to only about 400 feet high. As the drones are becoming more commonly used for activities ranging from emergency responses to aerial deliveries, the base stations covering users both on the ground and in the air with RF transmission cannot scale to the capacity needed to support increasing number of drones. Use of directional beams that are necessary for millimeter wave (mmWave) transmission in the 5G cellular system can reduce interference among users, and hence increase capacity compared to sector based transmissions used for 4G systems without massive MIMO (mMIMO). In this paper, considering the multiplicative capacity gains needed to support large number of drones, we propose a separate mmWave cellular network with optimized coverage for a ''drone corridor'' in the air. We present our current findings in the following areas critical to validating the effectiveness of this proposed network: 1) RF propagation characteristics towards drones in the air compared with propagation towards users on the ground; 2) use of multiple access (MA) technology for increased spectral efficiency for a swarm of drones; 3) optimal design of protected zones and beamforming to secure drone specific wireless communications.
Abundance and activity of ammonia oxidizing archaea and bacteria in bulk water and biofilm in water supply systems practicing chlorination and chloramination: Full and laboratory scale investigations.

Abstract The abundance and nitrification activity of ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in bulk water and biofilm in chloraminated and chlorinated water supply systems were investigated. The abundance of AOB varied between cold and warm periods while that was the case for AOA only in biofilm. Lower ammonia concentrations favored the abundance of AOA over AOB. AOA and AOB were found more in distal zones of the distribution system (DS). Higher numbers of AOA and AOB were observed in DS associated with chloramination compared to those associated with chlorination. Significant positive correlations between ammonia-N in bulk water and AOA indicate a possibility of involvement of AOA in nitrification in DS. A separate laboratory-based experiment simulating DS condition was conducted to understand the effects of chlorine and chloramine dosages and temperature on AOA and AOB. AOA were inhibited less than AOB in the presence of lower concentrations of chlorine and chloramine (1.5 and 2.0 mg/L chlorine; 0.05–0.1 and 0.3–0.4 mg/L chloramine) while both of them were not detected at higher dosages (2.5 mg/L chlorine and 1.5–1.6 mg/L chloramine). At a low temperature (10–12 °C), chloramine and chlorine provided similar inhibition trends in which AOB were inhibited more than AOA. At a high temperature (25 °C), chloramine was less inhibitory to AOA and AOB than chlorine.
Selective pulsed chemical vapor deposition of water-free HfOx on Si in preference to SiCOH and passivated SiO2

Abstract HfOx was selectively deposited on Si in preference to SiCOH using an oxygen-containing precursor, Hf(OtBu)4, via a pulsed chemical vapor deposition. The water-free process avoids nucleation by water on passivated oxide surfaces. The uniform HfOx film was deposited on Si by the thermal decomposition of the precursor, and the inherent selectivity of HfOx was retained over SiCOH until ~ 2 nm of HfOx was deposited on Si at 250 °C. Additional selectivity enhancement was demonstrated by employing molecular surface passivation and reversible adsorption/desorption of the precursor via control of the purge time. 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane (TMDS) and Bis(dimethylamino)dimethylsilane (DMADMS) were employed to passivate reactive –OH sites on SiO2 and SiCOH to increase the selectivity to ~ 7 nm HfOx deposition on Si before any significant nucleation occurred on TMDS passivated SiCOH. It is expected that the selective water-free HfOx deposition can be used for patterning nanoscale structures in MOSFET devices.
Weimar, Cold War, and Historical Explanation: Re-reading Forman

This essay is part of a special issue entitled “Looking Backward, Looking Forward: HSNS at 50,” edited by Erika Lorraine Milam.
A Qualitative Needs Assessment and Analysis of Perceptions of a Mobile Health App for Low-Income, At-Risk Mothers

This study examined the feasibility of using a mobile app to communicate mental health, parenting, and nutrition information to low-income mothers. Using focus group discussions, four sessions were conducted with an average of 8 participants in each session to gather their perceived health information needs, iterative feedback about the app design, usability, and relevance of messages and information shared via the app. Participants were recruited from low-income serving programs. Our results demonstrated the unique needs and concerns of low-income mothers, such as concerns regarding lack of social support as well as knowledge and skill deficits (e.g., parenting, nutrition). To address these key needs expressed, an app was developed with such components as a forum for parent interaction as well as health information and community resources. After 1-week trial of the app, an evaluation of participating women revealed that they found the content focused on local accessible resources and the discussion platform for interacting with other parents to be the most helpful. Further, the option for searchable content to address immediate questions or concerns was also emphasized. A mobile app could potentially provide social support as well as answers to common concerns that could ultimately be effective in minimizing stress for families and improving maternal and child health.
The Front Door Opens Wide for the Backdoor Roth IRA

Invoking allusions to Caligula and Roman tax law, the Sixth Circuit, in Summa Holdings, reversed the Tax Court and held that the Commissioner could not use the substance-over-form doctrine to prevent taxpayers from combining the tax savings effects of a domestic international sales corporation with a Roth IRA. In this article, we argue that the Summa Holdings rationale supports and allows the backdoor Roth IRA — that is, making a nondeductible, traditional IRA contribution and then converting it into a Roth IRA (ostensibly to avoid the income limits on direct contributions to Roth IRAs).
Burner Platform for the Investigation of Ozonolysis-Assisted Flame Speeds

This study presents a new coinjected reactor-assisted Bunsen (CRAB) burner for the experimental investigation of ozonolysis-assisted flame speeds at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The C...
A Waved Journal Bearing Concept-Evaluating Steady-State and Dynamic Performance With a Potential Active Control Alternative

Analysis of the waved journal bearing concept featuring a waved inner bearing diameter for use with a compressible lubricant (gas) is presented. The performance of generic waved bearings having either three or four waves is predicted for air lubricated bearings. Steady-state performance is discussed in terms of bearing load capacity, while the dynamic performance is discussed in terms of fluid film stability and dynamic coefficients. It was found that the bearing wave amplitude has an important influence on both the steady-state and the dynamic performance of the waved journal bearing. For a fixed eccentricity ratio, the bearing steady-state load capacity and direct dynamic stiffness coefficient increase as the wave amplitude increases.
Assessing students' global awareness

Professional skills are an important part of students' college education, but they are not the simplest to measure and assess. This research shows the steps that have been taken to assess students' global awareness, who are in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The research focuses on creating assessment tools and rubrics that will evaluate a student's stage of competency (i.e., acclimation, competency and proficiency) in the three different components (i.e., interest, knowledge and strategic processing) based on the Model of Domain Learning (MDL) assessment framework. We first introduce global awareness competencies and learning outcomes expected from STEM students, with a special emphasis on measuring students' interest levels. After defining specific global awareness knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) in each learning outcome area, we define assessment items to measure them. Then, how these assessment items can be mapped into a standard assessment framework based on the MDL is discussed. In addition, we present a review of existing rubrics or assessments tools from the literature to measure global awareness along with a discussion of their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we present our preliminary findings about students' global awareness development throughout their education.
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Hydrologic Change Due to Regulation and Tributary Contributions on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park WY

Channel and floodplain form are primarily determined by the flux of water through a reach and the associated transport of the sediment delivered from the upstream watershed. The dominant paradigm of fluvial geomorphology is that the size of the bankfull channel and the characteristics of the adjacent floodplain are maintained by the current hydrologic and sediment supply regimes (Wolman and Miller, 1960; Andrews, 1980; Leopold, 1994). The linkage among flow regime, sediment supply, and channel and floodplain form is well illustrated on regulated rivers where the flow regime and sediment supply are altered by dams. Bed incision under conditions of sediment deficit has been widely described (Mostafa, 1957; Komura and Simmons, 1967; Galay, 1983; Williams and Wolman, 1984). The longitudinal change from near-dam sediment deficit to sediment surplus further downstream has been described by Andrews (1984) and Grant et al. (2003), although local differences in bed texture, channel organization, and valley confinement affect the magnitude of channel and floodplain change in any specific reach (Lagasse, 1981; Grams and Schmidt, 2002, 2005).
Purification and Properties of Peroxidase from Nitrosomonas europaea

Abstract Peroxidase from the obligate chemosynthetic bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea was purified 1,500-fold, and its properties were examined. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 53,000 and exhibited characteristic absorption maxima at 410, 524, and 558 mμ. The optimal pH and temperature were 7.5 and 44 C, respectively. The peroxidase reaction had an energy of activation of 5,850 cal/mole and required a primary substrate (H2O2) concentration of 7 × 10−6m to proceed at half maximal velocity (Km). Reduced cytochrome, c,p-phenylenediamine and pyrogallol acted as hydrogen donors to the purified peroxidase-H2O2 complex. Conditions most suitable for the chemical oxidation of ammonium by H2O2 were determined. The reaction was rapid and produced nitrite but no nitrate. Hydroxylamine was not detected as an intermediate, but it could substitute for ammonium in the system. Neither the rate nor the extent of these reactions was influenced by purified peroxidase, and no evidence was obtained to support a conclusion that the enzyme performs a vital role in the transformation of ammonium to nitrite by N. europaea.
Functional neuro-ophthalmology

Patients with physical signs and symptoms for which no adequate organic cause can be found may receive any one of a large range of diagnostic labels, including functional illness, functional overlay, hysteria, hysterical overlay, conversion reaction, psychophysiological reaction, somatization reaction, hypochondriasis, invalid reaction, neurasthenia, psychogenic reaction, psychosomatic illness, malingering, and Munchausen syndrome. In this chapter, we describe both common and uncommon "functional" ocular symptoms and signs, including visual loss in one or both eyes, constricted visual fields and other field defects, various types of ocular motor dysfunction, including disorders of ocular motility and alignment, disorders of pupillary size and reactivity, and abnormalities of eyelid position and function. We also discuss and illustrate the methods by which the nonorganic nature of these manifestations can be determined. In many cases simple techniques performed in the clinic are sufficient to establish a diagnosis of nonorganic ocular disease, whereas in other cases ancillary studies such as electrophysiological testing may be necessary. The chapter also describes the appropriate approach that the physician should take when dealing with a patient who has proven functional ocular signs and symptoms.
Spatial sorting promotes the spread of maladaptive hybridization

Invasive hybridization is causing loss of biodiversity worldwide. The spread of such introgression can occur even when hybrids have reduced Darwinian fitness, which decreases the frequency of hybrids due to low survival or reproduction through time. This paradox can be partially explained by spatial sorting, where genotypes associated with dispersal increase in frequency at the edge of expansion, fueling further expansion and allowing invasive hybrids to increase in frequency through space rather than time. Furthermore, because all progeny of a hybrid will be hybrids (i.e., will possess genes from both parental taxa), nonnative admixture in invaded populations can increase even when most hybrid progeny do not survive. Broader understanding of spatial sorting is needed to protect native biodiversity.
Size-dependent theories of piezoelectricity: Comparisons and further developments for centrosymmetric dielectrics

Here the recently developed size-dependent piezoelectricity and the strain gradient theory of flexoelectricity are compared. In the course of this investigation, the strain gradient theory of flexoelectricity is shown to violate fundamental rules of mathematics, continuum mechanics and electromagnetism. The major difficulties are associated with ill-posed boundary conditions, the missing angular (moment) equilibrium equation and the appearance of a non-physical extraneous vectorial electrostatic law. Therefore, the strain gradient flexoelectricity must be classified as an inconsistent theory. The present investigation further reveals that the new size-dependent piezoelectricity is the more consistent theory to describe linear electromechanical coupling in dielectrics. Some new aspects of this theory are presented for isotropic and centrosymmetric cubic dielectric materials, whose coupling effect is described by only one parameter.
Complexity measures for software engineering

The aim of this paper is further development of the mathematical theory of algorithmic complexity measures for evaluation of the computer software design and utilization. We consider some basic concepts and constructions from the theory of algorithmic complexity and develop a system structure in the theory of algorithmic complexity. The paper contains main concepts from the axiomatic complexity theory, which are fundamental for the whole theory of algorithmic complexity. Important classes of dual complexity measures are studied. The research is oriented at the development of software engineering and, in particular, creation of more efficient software metrics.
Surface Enhancement Factors for Ag and Au Surfaces Relative to Pt Surfaces for Monolayers of Thiophenol

Raman signal intensities from the 997 cm-1 ring breathing mode of thiophenol monolayers adsorbed at Ag, Au, and Pt surfaces were employed for determination of absolute surface enhancement factors (SEFs). Unlike previous estimations of SEFs, these SEFs are determined by referencing the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensities to the unenhanced Raman scattering at Pt surfaces. The surfaces studied include those commonly prepared in a laboratory ambient and those prepared in vacuum. Surfaces prepared in ambient include polycrystalline Ag electrochemically roughened by an oxidation-reduction cycle (ORC), mechanically polished (MP) polycrystalline Ag, chemically polished (CP) polycrystalline Ag, Ag (111), MP polycrystalline Au, and MP polycrystalline Pt. Vacuum environment surfaces include coldly deposited Ag films (cold Ag) and room temperature-deposited (RT) "thick" Ag films. Each of these thiophenol/metal systems was sampled with an excitation wavelength (lambdaex) of 514.5 nm; MP Au surfaces were also studied with lambdaex of 720 nm. SEFs of 2.0 X 104 for ORC Ag, 5.3 X 103 for MP Ag 160 for cold Ag, 64 for MP Au720(lambdaex = 720 nm), 69 for Ag (111), 39 for CP Ag, 7.9 for RT "thick" Ag, and 2.2 for MP Au514.5 (lambdaex = 514.5 nm) are observed relative to the SEF of MP Pt, which is assigned as 1. For practical purposes, the significance of the magnitudes of these SEFs is discussed in terms of estimated surface Raman limits of detection (LODs).
Reflections on religious belief and prosociality: Comment on Galen (2012).

Does religion do more harm than good? In public debate, religion’s adversaries point to yesterday’s inquisitions and witch hunts, and today’s gay-bashing, antiscience fundamentalists, while religion’s advocates remind us of the legacy of religion-inspired hospitals, hospices, orphanages, and universities. Christopher Hitchens (2007), in God Is Not Great, sought to explain, in the words of its subtitle, how religion poisons everything. Indeed, many who profess love practice hate. The “insane courage” that enabled the 9/11 terrorism, “came from religion,” noted Richard Dawkins (2001). But so did the nobler courage that motivated William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Mother Teresa, reply religion’s defenders, noting also the life-devaluing brutality of the irreligious Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot,
A FOXy target in B-cell survival

In this issue of Blood , van Keimpema et al present a novel study highlighting the role of FOXP1 in cooperation with nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in the survival and proliferation of B cells.[1][1] ![Figure][2] The FOXP1 and NF-κB pathways work together to promote the growth of normal
Characteristics of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Taiwan: a population-based study.

Abstract A population-based study was performed to characterize the genotype and drug-resistant patterns of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Taiwan. From 2007 to 2008, we analyzed 494 MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates using spacer oligonucleotide typing and drug susceptibility testing. The majority of cases occurred in the age groups of 45–54 (24.3%) and ≥65 (23.1%). Of the 494 MDR isolates, 25.1% were resistant to ethambutol, 15.6% were resistant to streptomycin, 27.1% were resistant to all four first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs, 28.9% were resistant to ofloxacin, and 8.7% were extensively drug-resistant (XDR). Compared with the SpolDB4, 86 spoligotypes were identified in 492 isolates. We observed 427 (86.8%) isolates belonging to 49 known spoligotypes and 65 isolates (13.2%) in 37 undesignated spoligotypes. Beijing lineages (50.0%) were the predominant genotype, followed by Haarlem (18.2%) and East-African-Indian (EAI) (5.7%). Geographically, Beijing lineages were predominant in all regions, whereas Haarlem lineages were predominant only in the east (28.1%) and EAI (11.3%) only in the south. Beijing lineages are statistically associated with MDR in younger age groups and eastern Taiwan. Furthermore, we found that Beijing ST1 (46.1%), Haarlem3 ST50 (7.1%) and ST742 (4.7%), and EAI2_MANILA ST19 (3.9%) were the prevalent groups. Thus, continuous surveillance with more thorough genotyping and epidemiological investigation is crucial for the prevention of further dissemination, the determination of the temporal and spatial trends of multi-drug resistance, and the emergence of XDR-TB in Taiwan.
Farnesyl transferase expression determines clinical response to the docetaxel-lonafarnib combination in patients with advanced malignancies†

BACKGROUND: Lonafarnib (LNF) is a protein farnesyl transferase (FTase) inhibitor that has shown synergistic activity with taxanes in preclinical models and early stage clinical trials. Preclinical findings suggested tubulin acetylation and FTase expression levels may be important determinants of drug sensitivity that would help identify patient populations more likely to benefit from this regimen. This pilot study evaluated the biological effects of LNF and docetaxel (DTX) combination therapy in refractory solid tumors by comparing pretreatment and post-treatment tumor biopsies. METHODS: Patients with histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic solid malignancies refractory to standard therapies or with no effective therapies available were eligible. Patients were randomized to 1 of 4 dosing cohorts: 1) 30 mg/m2, 100 mg; 2) 36 mg/m2, 100 mg; 3) 30 mg/m2, 150 mg; or 4) 36 mg/m2, 150mg of DTX intravenously weekly, LNF orally twice daily, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 38 patients enrolled, 36 were treated, and 29 were evaluable for toxicity and response assessment. The combination of LNF and DTX was tolerated in all cohorts with the exception of a 28% incidence of grade 3/4 diarrhea, which was manageable with aggressive antidiarrheal regimens. Seven patients derived clinically meaningful benefit from this combination treatment; these patients had significantly lower basal FTase-beta mRNA expression levels than the mean study population level (P < .05). Correlation of clinical benefit with tubulin acetylation content as well as basal acetyl-tubulin content were evaluated. However, no significant correlation was found. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the small number of patients, these findings support our preclinical mechanistic studies and warrant further clinical investigations using FTase-beta mRNA expression as a potential predictive biomarker to select for an enriched patient population to study the effects of taxane and FTase inhibitor combination therapies. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
A hexamer peptide ligand that binds selectively to staphylococcal enterotoxin B: isolation from a solid phase combinatorial library.

: By screening a solid-phase combinatorial peptide library, a short peptide ligand, YYWLHH, has been discovered that binds with high affinity and selectivity to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), but only weakly to other SEs that share sequence and structural homology with SEB. Using column affinity chromatography with an immobilized YYWLHH stationary phase, it was possible to separate SEB quantitatively from Staphylococcus aureus fermentation broth, a complex mixture of proteins, carbohydrates and other biomolecules. The immobilized peptide was also used to purify native SEB from a mixture containing denatured and hydrolyzed SEB, and showed little cross-reactivity with other SEs. To our knowledge this is the first report of a highly specific short peptide ligand for SEB. Such a ligand is a potential candidate to replace antibodies for detection, removal and purification strategies for SEB.
Control techniques for millimeter-wave active arrays

Control techniques for millimeter-wave active arrays are considered. In addition to voltage control, optical and quasi-optical approaches are discussed as analog control techniques. Digital control techniques discussed include on/off switching arrays and designs with superimposed device and/or grid structures for multi-bit capability. A quasi-optical Q switch, capable of high peak power pulse generation, is discussed as an example application of these techniques.
Discharge patterns in the cochlear nucleus of the chinchilla following noise induced asymptotic threshold shift

Chinchillas were exposed to an 86 dB SPL octave band of noise centered at 4.0 kHz for 3.5–5 days. The noise elevated the hearing thresholds between 4.0 and 16.0 kHz to between 60 and 75 dB SPL. Measurements from single neurons in the cochlear nucleus revealed abnormalities in the response properties of neurons with characteristic frequencies (CF) above 2.0 kHz. Units above 2.0 kHz had elevated thresholds (between 50 and 90 dB SPL) and broad tuning curves due to a greater loss in sensitivity near CF than at lower frequencies. The tuning curve Q10dB values for high frequency neurons were generally less than 3.0 and approached the Q10dB values for basilar membrane displacement. Spontaneous activity rates in units above 2.0 kHz were also low. In a few units, the threshold for single tone inhibition was significantly lower than that for excitation; the best inhibitory frequencies were always below 2.0 kHz. Two-tone inhibition was present in both low and high threshold neurons, but its strength was not assessed. Cochleagrams obtained 12 hours postexposure revealed discrete hair cell lesions in the basal third of the cochlea. The locations of the lesions were consistent with the frequencies of maximum hearing loss. The behavioral thresholds and the thresholds at CF of the most sensitive units were within 10–15 dB of each other. The results indicate that intense sounds reduce the sensitivity, frequency selectivity and spontaneous activity of units in the cochlear nucleus. The findings are similar to those obtained in auditory nerve fibers with ototoxic drugs and hypoxia.
Roasted Peanut Flavor Intensity Variations Among U.S. Genotypes1

Abstract Roasted flavor should be a critical factor in the acceptance of a peanut cultivar edible use. A 5-yr study was made on variation in roasted peanut flavor intensity of U.S. peanut cultivars and advanced breeding lines. Sixty-one genotypes were evaluated with sufficient location and replication observations (4) to have a 40% chance of detecting a true difference of 0.5 sensory units in flavor score with P = 0.05. Cultivars Florunner, NC 7, and Pronto were used as comparison standards for the roasted peanut attribute in the runner, Virginia, and Spanish market types, respectively. The adjusted mean difference between control and test germplasm was largest within the Virginia type, with an adjusted mean difference of +0.7 units for roasted peanut attribute intensity. Runner types were next with a difference of +0.3 units and Spanish types were not different. Broad-sense heritability for the roasted peanut attribute among germplasm sources was 9.3%, which compares favorably with previously published v...
Effect of CH4 plasma treatment on O2 plasma ashed organosilicate low-k dielectrics

During an O2 plasma ashing process, carbon depletion and subsequent moisture uptake caused increase of keff and the leakage current in an organosilicate (OSG) low-k dielectric. For dielectric restoration, additional CH4 plasma treatment on the O2 plasma ashed OSG low-k dielectric was investigated using angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS), XPS depth profiling, x-ray reflectivity (XRR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle goniometer. After CH4 plasma treatment on the O2 plasma ashed OSG, the surface carbon concentration and surface hydrophobicity were partially recovered. A dense surface layer containing C=C bonds was found to have formed on the top of the damaged OSG. The C-V hysteresis and the leakage current were reduced as a result of the CH4 plasma treatment. XPS depth profiling revealed that the recovery effect was limited to the surface region.
A Study of Aerosol Impacts on Clouds and Precipitation Development in a Large Winter Cyclone

AbstractAerosols influence cloud and precipitation development in complex ways due to myriad feedbacks at a variety of scales from individual clouds through entire storm systems. This paper describes the implementation, testing, and results of a newly modified bulk microphysical parameterization with explicit cloud droplet nucleation and ice activation by aerosols. Idealized tests and a high-resolution, convection-permitting, continental-scale, 72-h simulation with five sensitivity experiments showed that increased aerosol number concentration results in more numerous cloud droplets of overall smaller size and delays precipitation development. Furthermore, the smaller droplet sizes cause the expected increased cloud albedo effect and more subtle longwave radiation effects. Although increased aerosols generally hindered the warm-rain processes, regions of mixed-phase clouds were impacted in slightly unexpected ways with more precipitation falling north of a synoptic-scale warm front. Aerosol impacts to reg...