cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alterations in human fetal hematopoiesis are associated with maternal HIV infection.

ABSTRACT: In the majority of adult and pediatric patients with AIDS, hematologic abnormalities including leukopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia are commonly observed. In addition to these findings, changes in hematopoietic progenitor cells occur, including a reduction of multipotential-forming units, granulocyte-macrophages, macrophage as well as eosinophil colony-forming units, and bone marrow erythyroid burst-forming units. This study examined alterations in human fetal liver hematopoiesis in 2nd trimester abortuses from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive women. The differentiation and growth potential of hematopoietic cells in vitro were monitored. Upon initial isolation, some populations of liver hematopoietic cells from abortuses of HIV-sero-positive women were significantly decreased when compared to age-matched samples from fetuses of normal females including the percentage of early T cells [cluster of differentiation (CD)2], B cells (CD19), and early monocytes (CD14). A decrease in multipotent progenitors (CD34), myelomonocytes (CD33), and panleukocytes (CD45) was also observed. In contrast, after 21 d in culture, cells from HIV abortuses demonstrated an increase in the percentage of CD14 cells when stimulated with erythro-poietin and granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor, as well as an increase in CD45 phenotype after exposure to granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor alone. These samples showed a persistence of erythropoietic elements (transferrin and CD36 phenotype) when compared to normal controls. No significant difference in the in vitro growth of hematopoietic progenitors (bone marrow erythroid burst-forming units, granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units, and multipotential forming units) between these samples and normal controls was found. These findings may be the result of transplacental hematopoietic inhibitors produced as a consequence of maternal HIV infection that result in similar hematologic abnormalities in AIDS patients.
A framework for transportation decision making in an integrated supply chain

There has been little conceptual work that comprehensively examines the changing role of the corporate transportation function in the modern business environment. Successful managers today require a broad view of transportation management’s role and responsibilities in an integrated supply chain. This paper clarifies the major transportation decision areas and introduces a framework that positions corporate transportation management within the overall integrated supply chain environment. The framework portrays initial transportation decisions as strategic, long‐term decisions that focus on the overall supply chain transportation system. Once decisions are understood at this level, the decision‐making scope becomes increasingly tactical in nature, focusing on operations that implement the overall system decisions.
Analysis of oxygen transport to hepatocytes in a flat-plate microchannel bioreactor.

Oxygen transfer to cultured hepatocytes in microchannel parallel-plate bioreactors with and without an internal membrane oxygenator was investigated with a mathematical model and the results were corroborated with fluorescence imaging experiments. The consumption of oxygen by hepatocytes was assumed to follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Our simulations indicate that under conditions of low Peclet (Pe) number (<80) and fixed Damlkohler number (= 0.14, corresponding to rat hepatocytes) the cells are hypoxic in the bioreactor without an internal membrane oxygenator. Under the same conditions, the bioreactor with an internal membrane oxygenator can avoid cell hypoxia by appropriate selection of membrane Sherwood number and/or the gas phase oxygen partial pressure, thus providing greater control of cell oxygenation. At high Pe, both bioreactors are well oxygenated. Experimentally determined oxygen concentrations within the bioreactors were in good qualitative agreement with model predictions. At low Pe, cell surface oxygen depletion was predicted from analytically derived criteria. Hepatocytes with oxygen dependent functional heterogeneity may exhibit optimal function in the bioreactor with the internal membrane oxygenator.
Falling Out: The United States in the Global Community

A Faustian Foreign Policy from Woodrow Wilson to George W. Bush: Dreams of Perfectibility. By Joan Hoff. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. 261 pp., $80.00 hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-521-87905-7), $24.00 paper (ISBN: 978-0-521-71404-4). The Hidden Power of the American Dream: Why Europe's Shaken Confidence in the United States Threatens the Future of U.S. Influence. By Giovanna Dell'Orto. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International, 2008. 207 pp., $49.95 hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-313-34818-1). The Bitter Fruit of American Justice: International and Domestic Resistance to the Death Penalty. By Alan W. Clarke, Laurelyn Whitt. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 2007. 231 pp., $35.00 (ISBN: 979-1-55553-682-4). Many uncertainties will confront the new US administration as it succeeds that of President George W. Bush. But one reality is clear: the United States will face enormous difficulties reviving its global stature after years of estrangement from its international community. Rejoining this community, once dismissed by Condoleezza Rice as a romantic illusion, is no longer a strategic option, but a necessity for a superpower running the risk of imperial overstretch. The nation's overseas favorability ratings plunged in 2003, due in large part to its unilateral and preemptive invasion of Iraq. Since then, most public opinion surveys report that a minority of citizens hold a favorable view of the United States. Common complaints about the US government involve its tendency to pursue military rather than diplomatic solutions, its failure to consider or consult with allies on foreign policies of mutual concern, and its perceived capture by special interest groups, especially religious groups and multinational corporations. To Andrew Kohut (2007:2), president of the Pew Research Center, animosity toward the United States “is worldwide. This is not just a rift with our European allies or hatred of America in the Middle East. It is a global slide, and positive views of the United States have declined in other regions of the world, particularly in Latin America and Asia.” The war in Iraq is widely considered by foreign citizens to make them feel less rather than more safe. By the end of 2006, citizens in 33 of 35 countries surveyed believed the US war against Iraq had increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks around the world (World Public Opinion 2006). Citizens in countries with large numbers of Muslims reported being especially anxious. In Indonesia, 80% of survey respondents worried about a US threat to their government; the figure stood at 71% in …
The X3D geospatial component: X3DOM implementation of GeoOrigin, GeoLocation, GeoViewpoint, and GeoPositionInterpolator nodes

We present new implementations of important X3D nodes which enable a large class of geospatial applications in standard web browsers. We have chosen the freely available X3DOM code base as an implementation framework since it provides a very functional set of X3D nodes along with a broad selection of support functionality. In our implementations of the GeoOrigin, GeoLocation, GeoViewpoint and GeoPositionInterpolator nodes, we fully conform to the ISO specification and use well known example scenes as references for correctness. While GeoOrigin is deprecated in version 3.3 of the specification, we demonstrate that limited precision in the WebGL rendering pipeline still makes its use desirable at least until alternative solutions are formalized and coded. GeoLocation and GeoViewpoint nodes require specific alignments of coordinate systems which we document in detail. In addition, GeoViewpoint has the property to control navigation speed which conceptually conflicts with user speed control. We resolve this conflict by using relative speed and also make this control optional. Somewhat terse language in the GeoPositionInterpolator specification required clarification of its existing usage and inspired an option for coordinate interpolation along great circles which is often the expected interpolation path in global scenes. Finally, all functionality was integrated into current, stable releases of the X3DOM distribution available from www.x3dom.org.
Ground-Water Flow Model Determinations of Areal Hydrogeology and Geology

The two-dimensional ground-water flow model developed by Trescott et al. (1976) was used to determine several important parameters needed to compute the ground-water flow component to and from Lake Wingra, Madison, Wisconsin; these include horizontal hydraulic conductivity (Kh), ratio of horizontal hydraulic conductivities between two layers (Kh1/Kh2), average anisotropy of the sediments in each layer (Kh/Kv), and average depth of interaction between a lake and an aquifer. In addition to gaining hydrogeologic information, the model was used successfully to estimate general geologic relationships (i.e., location and configuration of geologic contacts) in part of the northeast shore area of Lake Wingra.
Steady‐state method of measuring unsaturated hydraulic conductivity

Abstract A simple technique for measuring steady‐state hydraulic conductivity of a soil is reconsidered. The advantages are (1) the technique is simple to perform as a routine operation, (2) the hydraulic conductivity for the entire field moisture range can be determined from a single experiment. By controlling the water potential at the porous plate bottom of an open soil container and controlling the rate of evaporation from the soil surface, a steady‐state or constant water flux through the soil column was obtained. Several temperature compensated soil psych‐rometers were used to measure the potential gradient of the water in the soil column. The water flux was measured using a calibrated water supply. The steady‐state hydraulic conductivity can be determined as a function of water potential.
Clean electromigrated nanogaps imaged by transmission electron microscopy.

Electromigrated nanogaps have shown great promise for use in molecular scale electronics. We have fabricated nanogaps on free-standing transparent SiNx membranes which permit the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to image the gaps. The electrodes are formed by extending a recently developed controlled electromigration procedure and yield a nanogap with approximately 5 nm separation clear of any apparent debris. The gaps are stable, on the order of hours as measured by TEM, but over time (months) relax to about 20 nm separation determined by the surface energy of the Au electrodes. A major benefit of electromigrated nanogaps on SiNx membranes is that the junction pinches in away from residual metal left from the Au deposition which could act as a parasitic conductance path. This work has implications to the design of clean metallic electrodes for use in nanoscale devices where the precise geometry of the electrode is important.
Storage of Fuel in Hydrates for Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs)

The need for alternative fuels to replace liquid petroleum-based fuels has been accelerated in recent years by environmental concerns, concerns of shortage of imported liquid hydrocarbon, and congressional prompting. The fact is accepted that natural gas is the cheapest, most domestically abundant, and cleanest burning of fossil fuels. However, socio-economical and technical handicaps associated with the safety and efficiency of on-board fuel storage inhibit its practical use in vehicles as an alternative fuel. A concept is presented for safely storing fuel at low pressures in the form of hydrates in natural gas vehicles. Experimental results lead to gas storage capacities of 143 to 159 volumes/volume. Vehicle travel range could be up to 204 mi. Controlled decomposition rate of hydrates is possible for feeding an automotive vehicle. Upon sudden pressure decrease in the event of a vehicle accident, the rate of release of hydrocarbons from the hydrates at constant temperature is 2.63 to 12.50 percent per min, slow enough to prevent an explosion or a fireball. A model is given for predicting the rates of gas release from hydrates in a vehicle wreck. A storage tank design is proposed and a process is suggested for forming and decomposing hydrates on-board vehicles. A consistent fuel composition is obtained with hydrates.
The amphibians and reptiles of Manu National Park and its buffer zone, Amazon basin and eastern slopes of the Andes, Peru

We compile a list of all amphibians and reptiles known to occur within Manu National Park, Peru and its buffer zone, located in one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Covering approximately 0.01% of the planet's terrestrial surface, this protected area preserves 155 species of amphibians and 132 species of reptiles, corresponding to 2.2% and 1.5% respectively of the known diversity for these groups. Moreover, Manu National Park preserves natural habitats and populations of one critically endangered (Atelopus erythropus), three endangered (Bryophryne cophites, Pristimantis cosnipatae and Psychrophrynella usurpator), three vulnerable amphibians (Atelopus tricolor, Gastrotheca excubitor, Rhinella manu) and two vulnerable reptiles (Chelonoidis denticulata, Podocnemis unifilis), according to the threat categories of the IUCN Red List.
AC impedance technique in PEM fuel cell diagnosis—A review

Because the AC impedance technique, also known as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), is being utilized by more and more researchers in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell studies, the technique has developed into a primary tool in such research. In this paper the recent work on PEM fuel cells using the AC impedance technique is reviewed. Both in situ and ex situ impedance measurements are discussed, with primary focus on the in situ measurements. Within the domain of in situ studies, various methods for measuring the impedance of a PEM fuel cell are examined, and typical impedance spectra in several common scenarios are presented. Representative applications of the AC impedance technique in PEM fuel cell research are also discussed. Finally, the necessity of a time domain rapid AC impedance technique is briefly discussed.
Graphene-based plasmonic nano-transceiver for terahertz band communication

In this paper, a plasmonic nano-transceiver for wireless communication in the Terahertz Band (0.1-10 THz) is proposed, modeled and analyzed. The nano-transceiver is based on a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) built with a III-V semiconductor and enhanced with graphene. In transmission, when a voltage is applied between the HEMT drain and source, electrons are accelerated at the HEMT channel. This movement of electrons results in the excitation of a plasma wave which, on its turn, induces a Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) wave on the graphene-based gate. The reciprocal behavior is achieved in reception. The performance of the proposed nano-transceiver is analytically investigated in transmission by coupling the hydrodynamic equations that govern the generation of plasma waves in the HEMT, with the dynamic complex conductivity of graphene and the Maxwell's equations. Numerical results show that the proposed nano-transceiver can effectively generate the necessary SPP wave to drive a plasmonic nano-antenna at Terahertz Band frequencies. Moreover, the utilization of the same nanomaterial as in the plasmonic nano-antennas is expected to ease the transceiver-antenna integration and opens the door to tunable compact nano-transceivers for Terahertz Band communication.
Romanomermis culicivorax parasitism and the development, growth, and feeding rates of two mosquito species.

Abstract The dry weight, development, and feeding rates of Culex pipiens and Toxorhynchites amboinensis larvae infected with the nematode, Romanomermis culicivorax, were measured and gross conversion efficiences were calculated. The weight of C. pipiens larvae infected at two different inoculum levels did not differ significantly from controls until day 6 postinfection (PI). Infected larvae of T. amboinensis were significantly lighter than controls at days 2, 4, and 6 PI. The rate of larval mosquito development was slowed after day 3 in parasitized individuals of both mosquito species. Infection significantly retarded the interval feeding rate of the filter-feeding C. pipiens throughout development. Infected T. amboinensis larvae consumed significantly fewer prey larvae of C. pipiens than controls. Calculation of gross conversion efficiency (GCE) showed that lightly infected C. pipiens larvae had an elevated GCE early in the infection but were less efficient relative to controls after 4 days PI. Lightly parasitized T. amboinensis had a lower total GCE than controls.
Non-contrast spiral CT for patients with suspected renal colic

Renal colic, defined as acute flank pain caused by the passage of a ureteral calculus, is a common condition, but the correct diagnosis may not be apparent clinically. For decades, intravenous urography has been the test of choice for evaluating patients with suspected renal colic. Recently, unenhanced (non-contrast) helical CT has been shown to be an accurate and highly effective examination which can be used instead of intravenous urography. In this article, the technique is reviewed in detail, including its advantages and potential pitfalls.
Collateral behavior of the pigeon during conditioned suppression of key pecking

Ethological recording procedures measured collateral behavior in pigeons whose key-pecking performance was suppressed during a tone that ended with unavoidable electric shock. Independent recordings of gross behavior were made by two observers throughout 60-sec intervals immediately before, during, and after tone presentation. Results indicated significant reductions in the frequency of collateral movements and an increase in the time between successive movements during tone presentations. These effects were observed in all subjects, despite differences in the sequential patterns of behavior. Only partial recovery of the behavior evidenced before tone presentation was found during a 60-sec interval following shock. It was concluded that conditioned suppression procedures caused the bird to “freeze” during tone presentation and in this fashion produced a general inhibitory effect on ongoing overt activity, including key pecking.
Adsorption and Transport of Uranium(VI) in Subsurface Media

Uranium(VI) adsorption and transport in three natural, heterogeneous subsurface media were investigated in batch and column experiments. The rate of U(VI) adsorption to the natural samples was rapid over the first few hours of the experiments, and then slowed appreciably after 24 to 48 h. The adsorption of U(VI) to the samples was also nonlinear, suggesting a decreasing attraction for the surface with increased surface loading. The extent of adsorption on each of the media was strongly pH-dependent, increasing sharply as the pH increased from 4.5 to 5.5 and then decreasing sharply over the pH range 7.5 to 8.5 as the concentration of dissolved carbonate and U(VI)-carbonate complexes increased. The similarities in the pH-dependent behavior between the three materials despite differences in bulk mineralogy was likely due to the similar Fe contents of the materials. The transport of U(VI) through packed columns of the soils and sediments was significantly retarded but reversible. The local equilibrium assumption and the batch-measured adsorption isotherms dramatically underestimated the degree of retardation observed in the columns. The U(VI) displacement experiments were modeled with the one-dimensional advective-dispersive equation and several different model formulations describing the interactions of U(VI) with the solid phase. These models were able to fit the observed breakthrough curves within 0.1 root mean square error of the initial concentration.
COPD Exacerbation Associated with a Skin Rash

ischemia. The appropriate management ofany patient who has experienced a cardiac arrest not related to a reversible mechanism (sepsis, pulmonary embolism) is to perform electrophysiology studies. The electrophysiology study is a reproducible method for studying the tachycardia and judging efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs. If an antiarrhythmic drug can be found that prevents the provocation or induction of reproducibly induced ventricular tachycardia, there is an excellent chance (85-90 percent) that this drug will be effective at preventing a recurrence of the initial arrhythmia. For patients in whom a successful antiarrhythmic drug cannot be found, alternative therapies, such as the AICD (automatic implantable cardioverted defibrillator) are used. This therapy approaches 98 percent efficacy in preventing recurrent sudden cardiac death over a five-year period. recurrent, which may have been the situation in this case. Calcium channel blockers may improve coronary blood flow through vasodilatation and inhibition of coronary spasm, but despite these attractive features, their routine use in the uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction is not recommended. A review of studies analyzing the effect of routine use of calcium-channel blockers in the setting of acute myocardial infarction shows no benefit from this intervention and in fact suggests that their use may be associated with a slightly increased mortality. Like nitroglycerin, however, calcium channel blockers may be ofbenefit when ischemic chest pain persists, especially if coronary spasm is suspected.
Nanoscale Adhesion Ligand Organization Regulates Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation.

It was hypothesized that nanoscale adhesion ligand spacing regulates cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, and that this control can be decoupled from the overall ligand density. Alginate was chemically modified with a peptide containing the cell adhesion sequence arginine−glycine−aspartic acid (RGD), and the nanoscale spacing of RGD ligands in alginate gels was varied. A decrease in the RGD island spacing from 78 to 36 nm upregulated the proliferation rates of MC3T3-E1 cells from 0.59 ± 0.08 to 0.73 ± 0.03 day-1 and resulted in 4-fold increase of the osteocalcin secretion rate. This finding was independent of the bulk ligand density of gels. These results indicate that nanoscale ligand organization may provide an important variable to regulate cell functions in many biomedical applications, including tissue engineering.
A study of the adsorption of acetonitrile on a gold electrode from aqueous solutions using in situ vibrational spectroscopy

Abstract The structure of the interphase at the gold/aqueous solution interface with adsorbed acetonitrile was studied by subtractively normalized FTIR spectroscopy (SNIFTIRS). Two types of acetonitrile and water molecules were observed in the interphasal region. The first involved chemisorbed molecules in which important vibrational modes are shifted strongly in frequency with respect to that observed in the bulk of the solution. In the case of acetonitrile, adsorption resulted in a CN stretching band at 2342 cm −1 , and for water, a bending mode at 1688 cm −1 . The second type of molecule in the double layer with a band at 2261 cm −1 in the case of acetonitrile, and at 1628 cm −1 in the case of water, was assumed to be hydrogen bonded to chemisorbed water molecules, and thus located further away from the geometrical interface. A band due to perchlorate ion at 1107 cm −1 is attributed to anions attracted into the double layer by the positive charge on the electrode. No evidence was obtained for contact adsorption of this anion.
Segment difficulty in two-stroke movements in patients with Parkinson's disease.

In the horizontal plane on a digitizer tablet, subjects made an elbow-extension, two-stroke movement away from the trunk to a first target and then on to a second target. If the two segments of the movement were executed in an integrative manner, the accuracy constraint on the first segment should have produced changes in kinematic features not only of that segment but also of the second segment. Two-stroke movements of ten Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients and ten controls were studied to examine whether a high-accuracy constraint on the first segment influences the performance of the second, when the second target has either a high- or lowaccuracy requirement. When the accuracy requirement of the second segment was low, both PD patients and controls showed that changing the first target size from large to small influenced the performance of not only the first segment but also the second segment. For the first segment, movement time, acceleration time, and deceleration time increased when moving to the small first target as compared to the large first target. The peak velocity and peak acceleration also decreased as the first target size decreased. For the second segment, similar patterns of kinematic changes in relation to the first segment were observed in all of these parameters. When the accuracy requirement of the second segment was high, the controls showed similar changes in the first and second segments in relation to the change of first target sizes. In contrast, the PD patients showed that the target size that defined the first movement mainly influenced the performance of that segment. Among kinematic parameters tested for the second segment, only acceleration time increased as the first target size decreased. Other parameters in general did not change, regardless of whether movement of the first segment was made to the small or large target. These results indicate that the two-stroke movements of PD patients showed little evidence that they were planned and organized in an integrative manner when there was a high-accuracy constraint imposed on the second segment. On the other hand, control subjects performed two-stroke movements in a manner that suggested the two segments were planned and organized together regardless of an accuracy constraint imposed.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND POLICY FAILURE: THE NUCLEAR WASTE POLICY ACT OF 1982

We examine the role of environmental assessments in the siting process mandated under the ambitious Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. We analyze the effect of these assessments in both the western and eastern United States using the original documents, critiques of the methodology of the assessments, and public comments on the siting process, including a content analysis of hearings in Wisconsin and Maine. We conclude that the major effect of the assessments on the policy process was to stimulate public and state opposition to the Department of Energy's efforts to implement NWPA, leading to what could be called policy failure and a significant redirection of the act by Congress in late 1987. The paper represents an early report of a more comprehensive and ongoing study of the politics of nuclear waste disposal.
Rigid Rod-Shaped Polyols: Functional Nonpeptide Models for Transmembrane Proton Channels†

The present study concerns the mode of action of a rigid rod-shaped polyol 1 and the corresponding hexamer 2. Proton flux mediated by 1 is shown to be strongly favored over metal cations and anions. The modest selectivity for monovalent cations (Rb+ > Cs+ > K+ > Na+ ≈ Li+, Eisenman sequence II) is determined by the dehydration energy and is weakly influenced by the local electric (ionophoric) field. The induction of membrane defects was ruled out by the absence of dye leakage. Structural studies by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy imply that 1 aggregates in polar and nonpolar solvents, but not in lipid bilayers. Furthermore, it is shown that a very small fraction of 1 adopts a monomeric transmembrane tunnel-like structure which accounts for activity, while the remainder forms inactive self-assemblies. The above results suggest that 1 acts as a functional unimolecular proton wire which mimics the hydrogen-bonded chain mechanism found in bioenergetic systems.
"Me-too" products--friend or foe?

A second drug-eluting coronary stent. Another drug for erectile dysfunction. A sixth statin (or seventh, counting cerivastatin). Medical journals seem filled with research articles that induce a sense of deja vu. Readers wonder, “Have I read this paper before?” No, that was a similar study of a similar product. Critics of the pharmaceutical and medical-device industry argue that “me-too” products cause problems for medicine beyond confusion. They assert that these market latecomers often differ trivially from earlier products and that the billions of dollars spent marketing me-too products could be spent in better ways, such as developing orphan drugs for . . .
New Shubnikov-de Haas effects in a two-dimensional electron-hole system.

Abstract : We report the temperature dependence of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations from a two-dimensional electron-hole system in GaSb-InAs-GaSb quantum wells at very low temperatures. The samples are double heterostructures containing separate electron and hole layers. The oscillations arising from the electron layer behave regularly with temperature. Additional oscillations, characterized by strong temperature dependence, and relatively large peak widths are believed to arise from the presence of hole layers. Keywords include: Magnetotransport, Two dimensional systems, InAs, GaSb, Heterostructures, and Quantum Hall Effect.
Potential of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Based Therapeutics

The link between proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and cholesterol metabolism was established only in 2003 when genetic mapping and positional cloning in patients with autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemia in which linkage to the loci coding for the LDL receptor and apolipoprotein B had been excluded identified the genetic defect missense as mutations in PCSK9, a protein/enzyme previously unknown to be related to lipid metabolism. Laboratory-based investigations confirmed that these were gain-of-function mutations. Further studies in cohorts with low LDL cholesterol (LDLc) levels from large epidemiological cardiovascular studies reported that loss-of-function mutations in PCSK9 were associated with protection from cardiovascular disease. An additional critical observation provided evidence that the interaction of PCSK9 and the LDL receptor was through circulating, not intracellular, PCSK9, which bound to the receptor, and then mediated the recycling of the LDL receptor. These findings established PSCK9 as a potential therapeutic target and resulted in biopharmaceutical companies developing interventions designed to lower LDLc levels. Clinical development programs for monoclonal antibodies against PCSK9 have advanced rapidly with completion of comprehensive phase 1 and 2 trials with both REGN727/SAR236553 (REGN727) and AMG 145, clearly demonstrating substantial reductions in LDLc levels in patients receiving diet alone, low, moderate, and high doses of statins, or statin combined with ezetimibe, and both heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and nonfamilial hypercholesterolemia subjects. Concomitant and parallel reductions in the levels of apolipoprotein B and its related lipoproteins, and small but significant increases in HDL cholesterol levels were seen as anticipated. An unanticipated and robust decrease in lipoprotein(a) levels was also noted. Although these trials have been relatively short term, no significant safety issues or target organs of interest have emerged. Larger and much longer phase 3 trials are now in progress to assess the long-term tolerability, safety, and impact on cardiovascular disease events of these very effective LDLc lowering compounds.
An O(n0.4)-approximation algorithm for 3-coloring

This paper presents a polynomial-time algorithm to color any 3-colorable n-node graph with O(n2/5 log8/5n) colors, improving the best previously known bound of O(√n/√logn) colors. By reducing the number of colors needed to color a 3-colorable graph, the algorithm also improves the bound for k-coloring for fixed k ≥ 3 from the previous O((n/log n)1-1/(k-1)) colors to O(n1-1/(k-4/3) log8/5n) colors. An extension of the algorithm further improves the bounds. Precise values appear in a table at the end of this paper.
35Cl NMR relaxation study of cement hydrate suspensions

Abstract 35 Cl nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T 1 and T 2 relaxation study of suspensions of the cement hydrate phases portlandite, C 4 ACH 11 (an AFm phase), and jennite provides significant insight into the mechanisms of chloride sorption in Portland cement systems. For these three phases, all observed chloride is in rapid exchange ( υ ex >1.6 kHz) between surface and bulk solution sites and is predominantly in a hydrated, solution-like chemical environment. A two-site exchange model for the T 1 relaxation rate data yields sorption densities in excellent quantitative agreement with sorption isotherm measurements for portlandite and C 4 ACH 11 . For jennite, the NMR results underestimate the sorption isotherm results by about 40%, but the sorption densities are low, and the results are probably in agreement within experimental error. The observed sorption densities are much greater than can be accommodated by bonding directly to atoms on the solid surfaces and the amount predicted to be in the Stern and diffuse layers by a Gouy-Chapman calculation assuming sorption of only isolated chloride ions. The significance of understanding the structural and dynamical properties of solution-state chloride and the roles of ion pairs and clusters in the solution near the solid surface are discussed.
A diffusion model for the Dirac equation

In previous work the author was able to derive the Schrodinger equation by an analytical approach built around a physical model that featured a special diffusion process in an ensemble of particles. In the present work, this approach is extended to include the derivation of the Dirac equation. To do this, the physical model has to be modified to make provision for intrinsic electric and magnetic dipoles to be associated with each ensemble particle.
The Aftermath of Childhood Suicide: Influences on the Perception of the Parent.

The present study investigated the responses of 148 adult citizens of a city in the southeastern United States to specially prepared newspaper accounts of a child's death. Results indicated that when the child's death was suicidal parents were viewed in a more negative way than when the child's death was a result of illness. In addition, the presence of environmental pressures which reduced potentially negative perceptions of parents when the child's death was due to a disease, did not have a similar impact when the child's death was suicidal. The findings suggested that parents of the child suicide are likely to encounter attitudes which are relatively more negative in general. In addition, factors which may mitigate negative judgments of parents in other types of death may not operate when the death is a suicide.
Constants underlying frequency changes in biological rhythmic movements

When an animal increases or decreases the frequency of its limb motions, how should the transformation in timing be characterized? It has been hypothesized that the transformation is adiabatic, even though the biological conditions are nonconservative and non-rate-limited (Kugler and Turvey 1987). An adiabatic transformation requires that the rhythmic system's action (energy/frequency) and entropy production remain time-invariant throughout the transformation. The non-conservative adiabatic hypothesis was evaluated through an experiment on human rhythmic hand movements. On each trial, a subject began at a prescribed frequency and then, over a 30 s interval, increased (or decreased) the frequency continuously at will. For each subject, on each increasing and decreasing trial, cycle kinetic energy was a linear function of cycle frequency with a negative energy intercept. By the adiabatic hypothesis, the slope of the function defines the constant action and the intercept defines the constant dissipation -- changes in cycle frequency incur no changes in energy dissipated per cycle. Slopes and intercepts were correlated suggesting a common basis for the two constants, and the variety of cycle amplitude-cycle duration relations were in agreement with the nonmonotonic, nonlinear space-time function predicted by the hypothesis. The possibilities of addressing aspects of the data through (a) muscle modeled as a continuum of Kelvin bodies with a continuous relaxation spectrum, and (b) various classes of autonomous differential equations, were discussed. Most importantly, the discussion focused on the puzzling independence of energy cost and speed exhibited by locomoting animals differing in morphology, physiology, size, and taxa. It was suggested that the independence may reflect a very general principle -- adiabatic transformability of biological movement systems.
’And all is semblative a woman's part’: Body politics and Twelfth Night

(1993). ’And all is semblative a woman's part’: Body politics and Twelfth Night. Textual Practice: Vol. 7, Desire, pp. 428-452.
Crude oil, petroleum product, and water discrimination on terrestrial substrates with airborne imaging spectroscopy

The Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent sinking produced the largest oil spill in U.S. history. One of the most prominent portions of the response is mapping the extent to which oil has reached thousands of miles of shoreline. The most common method of detecting oil remains visual spotting from airframes, supplemented by panchromatic / multispectral aerial photography and satellite imagery. While this imagery provides a synoptic view, it is often ambiguous in its ability to discriminate water from hydrocarbon materials. By employing spectral libraries for material identification and discrimination, imaging spectroscopy supplements traditional imaging techniques by providing specific criteria for more accurate petroleum detection and discrimination from water on terrestrial backgrounds. This paper applies a new hydrocarbon-substrate spectral library to SpecTIR HST-3 airborne imaging spectroscopy data from the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005. Using common material identification algorithms, this preliminary analysis demonstrates the applicability and limitations of hyperspectral data to petroleum/water discrimination in certain conditions. The current work is also the first application of the petroleum-substrate library to imaging spectroscopy data and shows potential for monitoring long term impacts of Deepwater Horizon.
Postprocessing of Compressed 3D Graphic Data

This work presents a postprocessing technique applied to a 3D graphic model of a lower resolution to obtain a visually more pleasant representation. Our method is an improved version of the modified butterfly subdivision scheme developed by Zorin and his colleagues. Our main contribution is to exploit the flatness information of local areas of a 3D graphic model for adaptive refinement in relatively coarser areas. We can avoid unnecessary subdivision in regions which are smoother. Consequently, the new algorithm reduces the computational complexity and also saves the storage space for many models. Our algorithm can also remove overshoots around sharp edges and retain sharp features.
Ultrafast mode-locked optical frequency Kerr comb oscillators

Recently, continuous-wave pumped monolithic microresonators have been examined as an alternative platform for frequency comb and ultrashort pulse generation. With a delicate balance of anomalous group velocity dispersion (GVD) and self-phase modulation, optical solitons can be formed in these microresonators and remarkable broad optical bandwidths and RF-optical stability have been demonstrated. Here we report the first observations of coherent broadband frequency combs and ultrashort pulse generation from on-chip normal group-velocity dispersion microresonators. The observation is supported by phase noise characterization, direct frequency-resolved optical gating pulse measurement, and first-principles nonlinear coupled-mode modeling. All comb spectral lines are collected in our frequency-resolved optical gating pulse measurement and the phase-retrieved pulses demonstrate mode-locking down to 74 fs, one of the shortest frequency comb pulses on-chip to date. Nonlinear coupled-mode modeling of the comb growth and dynamics, with the measured normal group velocity dispersion and quality factor, confirms the feasibility of frequency comb and ultrashort pulse generation. We show, through measurements and theory, the physical mechanisms and basis for ultrafast mode-locking in Kerr comb oscillators.
Reentrant superconductivity at high pressures in (La1 − nCen)Al2 and (La0.8Th0.2)1 − nCen

Abstract Measurements of the critical temperature T c ( n , P ) as a function of Ce concentration n and pressure P ≤ 20 kbar are reported for the reentrant superconductors (La 1 − n Ce n )Al 2 and (La 0.8 Th 0.2 ) 1 − n Ce n . No evidencce was found for a third transition back to the superconducting state. Monte Carlo calculations including strong electron-phonon coupling may explain our experiments, although the effects of interimpurity interactions remain uncertain.
Trees and unicyclic graphs with Hamiltonian path graphs

We prove two conjectures of Broersma and Hoede about path graphs of trees and unicyclic graphs.
Using afterimages to test neural mechanisms for perceptual filling-in

Many theories of visual perception propose that brightness information spreads from edges to define the perceived intensity of the interior of visual surfaces. Several theories of visual perception have hypothesized that this filling-in process is similar to a diffusion of information where the signals coding brightness spread to nearest neighbors. This paper shows that diffusive mechanisms fail to account for the characteristics of certain afterimage percepts that seem to be dependent on the filling-in process. A psychophysical experiment tests a key property of diffusion-based filling-in mechanisms and finds data that rejects this class of models. A non-diffusive based filling-in mechanism is proposed and is shown to act much like the diffusive based mechanism in many instances, but also produces afterimage percepts that match the experimental data.
A simplification of the protein assay method of Lowry et al. which is more generally applicable

Abstract Some recent modifications of the protein assay by the method of Lowry, Rosebrough, Farr, and Randall (1951, J. Biol. Chem.193, 265–275) have been reexamined and altered to provide a consolidated method which is simple, rapid, objective, and more generally applicable. A DOC-TCA protein precipitation technique provides for rapid quantitative recovery of soluble and membrane proteins from interfering substances even in very dilute solutions (
Zn Transporter Levels and Localization Change Throughout Lactation in Rat Mammary Gland and Are Regulated by Zn in Mammary Cells

Mechanisms regulating the decrease in milk zinc (Zn) concentration that occurs during the course of lactation are currently unknown. We demonstrated Zn transporter expression (Zip3, ZnT-1, ZnT-2 and ZnT-4) in rat mammary gland during mid-lactation and we hypothesize that changes in the levels and localization of these transporters play a role in the longitudinal decrease in milk Zn concentration. Furthermore, we suggest that cellular Zn levels can mediate these responses and determined the effects of Zn exposure on Zn transporter expression and localization in cultured mouse mammary epithelial (HC11) cells. Although the milk Zn level declined, mammary gland Zn, ZnT-1 and ZnT-2 mRNA levels increased through mid-lactation; ZnT-4 was unaltered and ZIP3 decreased. Zip3 protein decreased through lactation and localized to the basolateral membrane of rat mammary cells. Although ZnT-1 and ZnT-4 protein increased, data indicate that these proteins are members of larger complexes whose levels change throughout lactation. ZnT-2 protein decreased, whereas apical membrane staining of ZnT-1, ZnT-2 and ZnT-4 was low by the end of lactation. Zn-treated HC11 cells had lower 65Zn uptake and ZIP3 mRNA levels and higher 65Zn export, ZnT-1 and ZnT-2 mRNA levels than untreated cells. Zn treatment resulted in relocalization from the plasma membrane (Zip3) or Golgi apparatus (ZnT-4) to an intracellular compartment, from an intracellular compartment toward the plasma membrane (ZnT-2) or from a perinuclear to an intracellular compartment (ZnT-1). The results from this study indicate that the decrease in milk Zn concentration that occurs throughout lactation is in part a result of changing Zn transporter protein levels and cellular localization, possibly as a consequence of increasing mammary gland Zn concentration.
Modeling contextual effects in developmental Research:Linking theory and method in the study of social development

This special section was inspired by the recent increased interest and methodological advances in the assessment of context-specificity in child and adolescent social development. While the effects of groups, situations, and social relationships on cognitive, affective and behavioral development have long been acknowledged in theoretical discussions of social development, empirical research has largely relied on the assessment of individual differences rather than contextual differences in these processes—perhaps due to the fact that advanced data analytic techniques are required to access contextual dependencies in such data. While still developing, best practice data analytic techniques enable us to access the ‘social’ of social development in more precision today than ever before. In this special section we examine three of these techniques through the work of our invited authors.
Conoco's New Approach To Drill Site Construction In Difficult, Remote, Swamp And Jungle Terrain Jaya, Indonesia

In October 1982, Conoco Irian Jaya as operator: and partners: Pertamina, Inpex Bintuni Limited, and Moeco Irian Jaya Company, mobilized construction equipment from Singapore to the KBS ''A'' contract area in Irian Jaya, Indonesia for the purpose of constructing a base camp and drill three exploratory sites. What made this construction effort different from others previously used in Irian Jaya; was that it incorporated several new and unique features, namely: a turnkey approach to construction; that is Conoco providing complete set of specifications and conditions with contractor assuming risks for a lump sum payment; special equipment designed by contractor for Irian Jaya operations; an incentive to co pensate or penalize contractor for helicopter hours flown below or above a predetermined number; structural steel pile platform designs for two swamp locations (Ayot and Aum), as opposed to the more conventional corduroy timber log-plank arrangement; and drilling rig pads designed for specific heli-rig with limited extra space. All work was successfully completed within the time frame stipulated in the contract, that is five months from the time the contractor was notified to begin mobilization of equipment, materials and personnel.
Effects of scaling thickness and niobium doping level on ferroelectric thin film capacitor memory operation

Ferroelectric thin film capacitors (FTFCs) are the basic storage element in ferroelectric memory cells. In this paper, the effects of varying film thickness and niobium doping level on electrical properties for memory applications in FTFCs are examined. Reliability issues such as leakage current and fatigue are studied while the niobium doping level is varied. We find that reducing film thickness (in 0.3 /spl mu/m range) by a factor of 2 should be accompanied by addition of niobium doping up to 5% in order to maintain reliable capacitor operation.