cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Enhanced Encapsulation Capacity of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane‐based Copolymers for the Fabrication of Electrospun Core/Shell Fibers

This paper reports the use of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based copolymers to stabilize the core/shell interface for the facile fabrication of electrospun core/shell fibers. For the poly[(propylmethacryl-heptaisobutyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane)-co-(methyl methacrylate)] (POSS-MMA)/poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) system, the bicontinuity of hybrid core/shell fibers can be tuned by controlling the phase separation of POSS-MMA/PCL in electrospinning solutions and therefore the size of PCL-in-POSS-MMA emulsion droplets. Our results demonstrate the enhanced encapsulation capacity of POSS-MMA copolymers as shell materials. Taking advantage of the rapid advancement of POSS-based copolymer synthesis, this study can potentially be generalized to guide the fabrication of various other POSS-based core/shell nano-/microstructures by using single-nozzle electrospinning or coaxial electrospinning.
Morphology development during shearing of poly(ethylene oxide) melts

A parallel glass-plate rotary shearing device has been constructed. This device allows direct observation of the crystallization of polymeric melts being subjected to a constant rate of shear under controlled temperature conditions. Polarized light microscopy and small-angle light-scattering techniques were employed to study the kinetics and morphology of poly(ethylene oxide) melts as they crystallized under various combinations of supercooling and shear rate. The techniques of epimicroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide-angle x-ray diffraction were used to study the already crystallized material. Crystalline aggregates developing from sheared melts showed a sheaf-like lamellar morphology. The long axes of the sheaf-like structures oriented perpendicular to the flow direction when crystallized under shear. This behavior can be explained in terms of hydrodynamic theory.
Concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiation International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB2 cervical carcinoma.

Objective The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of primary chemoradiation for stage IB 2 cervical carcinoma. Study Design A retrospective study of patients treated with primary chemoradiation at selected hospitals in Cleveland, OH, from 1992 to 2006 was performed. Patients with regional or distant metastasis on pretreatment imaging were excluded. Patients received pelvic teletherapy with weekly concurrent cisplatin and high- or low-dose-rate brachytherapy. Results Forty-nine patients with a median age of 51 years were identified. The majority of patients were white (81.6%) and had squamous cell carcinomas (81.6%) and a median tumor diameter of 5 cm (range, 4.1-10 cm). The median duration of follow-up was 41 months. Progression of disease was observed in 10 (20.4%) patients. The local control rate was 86%. At 36 months, the progression-free survival (PFS) was 79% and the overall survival (OS) was 86%. Conclusion Primary chemoradiation has a high clinical response rate, PFS, and OS for women with stage IB 2 cervical cancer.
The Galactic 26Al Problem and the Close Binary Type Ib/c Supernova Solution?

The origin of the long-lived (1.07 Myr mean life) radioactive 26Al, which has been observed in the Galactic interstellar medium from its 1.809 MeV decay gamma-ray line emission, has been a persistent problem for over 20 years. Wolf-Rayet (W-R) winds were thought to be the most promising source, but their calculated 26Al yields are not consistent with recent analyses of the 1.809 MeV emission from the nearest W-R star and nearby OB associations. The expected 26Al yield from the W-R star exceeds, by as much as a factor of 3, that set by the 2 ? upper limit on the 1.809 MeV emission, while the W-R yields in the OB associations are only about of that required by the 1.809 MeV emission. We suggest that a solution to these problems may lie in 26Al from a previously ignored source: explosive nucleosynthesis in the core-collapse Type Ib/c supernovae (SNe Ib/c) of W-R stars that have lost most of their mass to close binary companions. Recent nucleosynthetic calculations of SNe Ib/c suggest that their 26Al yields depend very strongly on the final pre-SN mass of the W-R star and that those with final masses around 6-8 M? are expected to produce as much as 10-2 M? of 26Al per SN. Such binary SNe Ib/c make up only a small fraction of the current SNe Ib/c and only about 1% of all Galactic core-collapse SNe. But they appear to be such prolific sources that the bulk of the present 26Al in the Galaxy may come from just a few hundred close binary SNe Ib/c, and the intense 1.809 MeV emission from nearby OB associations may come from just one or two such SNe. More extensive SN Ib/c calculations of the 26Al yields versus pre-SN mass are clearly needed to test this possibility.
guitarlib: modeling stringed instruments using songlib

Software is often used to record, manipulate, and visualize music. These tasks may be performed programmatically to aid in computer science education. This poster describes guitarlib, a C library that aids in the emulation of stringed instruments. guitarlib is an extension of songlib, a C library that allows for the programmatic generation and manipulation of audio. guitarlib abstracts the details of songlib, which models each string as an individual instrument. This abstraction allows for simple creation and management of a stringed instrument, such as a guitar. Following a modular paradigm, users may create, tune, and interact with these instruments programmatically.
Inhibition of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis through pre-treatment with collagen type V.

Background Tolerance to collagen structures has been shown to inhibit the progression of autoimmune scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis. More recently, tolerance induction to collagen type V (colV) in experimental models of lung transplantation was shown to ameliorate the complex pathology known as "chronic rejection." The link between colV autoimmunity and progressive graft dysfunction and subsequent development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) has been established in human lung transplant recipients. We hypothesized that intravenous injection of colV inhibits development of lung fibrosis in a bleomycin-induced lung injury mouse model. Methods Experimental animals were injected intravenously with saline or colV 10 days before intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Pulmonary inflammation was monitored and quantified for the presence of cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by flow cytometry and histology of lung tissue. Results ColV–pre-treated animals showed a significant reduction in lung inflammation compared with non-treated animals, according to histology and morphometry. The number of inflammatory cells in the BAL fluid was significantly reduced and associated with a lower proportion of γδ T cells and CD4 + T cells in the colV–pre-treated group. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and -9; also known as gelatinase A and gelatinase B, respectively) levels in the BAL fluid were significantly reduced in colV–pre-treated mice compared with the non-treated mice. In addition, intravenous injection of colV was associated with a significant reduction in the relative expression of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17 and IL-22 in cells present in BAL fluid at 7 and 14 days after bleomycin instillation. Conclusions Pre-treatment by intravenous injection of colV inhibits bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting IL-6 and IL-17 production. Fibrosis treatment in this context therefore should target induction of colV tolerance and Th17 development.
Synthetic musk fragrances in urban and rural air of Iowa and the Great Lakes

Abstract Synthetic musk fragrances are semivolatile organic compounds used to scent a variety of household and personal care products. In this study, six polycyclic musk fragrances (HHCB, AHTN, ATII, AHMI, ADBI, and DPMI) and two nitro musk fragrances (musk xylene and musk ketone) were evaluated in 181 air samples collected at urban, suburban, and rural sites in Iowa and the Great Lakes. This is the largest reported study of the compounds in ambient air and reveals the ubiquitous nature of these environmental contaminants. HHCB and AHTN were detected most frequently and at the highest concentrations at all sites. Synthetic musk fragrance concentrations were highest in urban locations, including Milwaukee, WI (previously reported) and an urban location in Cedar Rapids, IA. Urban concentrations of HHCB and AHTN are on the order of 1–5 ng m −3 and background terrestrial concentrations are about an order of magnitude less. In rural Iowa, the concentrations and frequency of detection of the synthetic musk fragrances are comparable to (and often greater than) gas-phase pesticide concentrations. The concentrations measured at the suburban location in Iowa City, IA and over the Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Michigan were generally intermediate of those measured at the rural and urban locations. Concentrations of HHCB and AHTN were correlated with temperature at the sampling sites in Iowa.
Costs of fungal endophyte infection in Lolium perenne genotypes from Eurasia and North Africa under extreme resource limitation

Abstract The effects of asexual, leaf-inhabiting endophytes on the growth of Lolium perenne are notoriously inconsistent and appear to be contingent on environmental conditions and host genetics. Both positive and negative growth effects of endophytes have been documented in some forage crop cultivars. Because they utilize host photosynthates, it is hypothesized that endophytes would impart a growth cost to infected plants under extreme resource limitation. The potential costs of infection by the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii to its host grass, L. perenne , were investigated in accessions from Italy, Turkey, Morocco and Tunisia, the native part of the host's range. Four to five infected (+E) genotypes of L. perenne per accession were cloned into ramets, and the endophyte exterminated from half of the ramets (−E). Six +E and six −E ramets per genotype were grown for 5 months in a nutrient-poor substrate (vermiculite) within temperature- and light-controlled growth chambers. Accession and genotype within accession affected dry mass. Endophyte infection significantly reduced root:shoot ratio and the proportion of the shoot that was alive and photosynthetic. Relative interaction intensity indexes were negative for most genotypes, indicating host–endophyte associations were mostly parasitic. However, there were significant infection by genotype interactions; thus, endophyte-mediated effects depend on particular host genotype–endophyte combinations. This research is one of the few that have documented costs to endophyte infection in a grass–endophyte symbiosis. This cost, manifested as reduced root:shoot ratio and photosynthetic shoot fraction, was evident for infected L. perenne growing under conditions of extremely poor substrate nutrient availability.
Spin reversal simulations on a rolling marble

Abstract It is known from experience that a piece of boat-shaped marble can sometimes display a strong preference in spin direction. When spun opposite to its preference, the spin can quickly turn into rattling. Even more interesting is the fact that the marble may produce multiple spin reversals following the rattling, until the energy is completely dissipated. So far, several theoretical models exist, but none completely matches all the qualitative features of the motions or fully explains the mechanism. The numerical simulations in this paper serve to fill the gap of previous studies.
Accounting for sex-related differences in the estimation of breath alcohol concentrations using transdermal alcohol monitoring

Rationale Previously, we reported methods to estimate peak breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) from transdermal alcohol concentrations (TAC) under conditions where alcohol consumption was controlled to produce similar BrAC levels in both sexes.
Comparison of Shoreline Change Rates along the South Atlantic Bight and Northern Gulf of Mexico Coasts for Better Evaluation of Future Shoreline Positions under Sea Level Rise

ABSTRACT Passeri, D.L.; Hagen, S.C.; and Irish, J.L., 2014. Comparison of shoreline change rates along the South Atlantic Bight and Northern Gulf of Mexico coasts for better evaluation of future shoreline positions under sea level rise. Shoreline change rates established by the USGS Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) (Thieler and Hammar-Klose, 1999; Thieler and Hammar-Klose, 2000), the USGS National Assessment of Shoreline Change (Morton et al., 2004; Morton and Miller, 2005) and erosion rates estimated using the Bruun Rule (Bruun, 1962) are compared along sandy shorelines of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight and Northern Gulf of Mexico coasts. The intent of the study is not to regard one method better than another, but rather to explore similarities and differences between the methods. Based on the comparison, the following recommendations are offered for quantifying future shoreline positions under sea level rise(SLR). In areas where long-term erosion rates correspond well with rates predicted by the Bruun R...
The Politics of Risk-sharing: Fiscal Federalism and the Greek Debt Crisis

Focusing on the ability of financial markets to discipline state economic performance, EU fiscal federalism specifies three conditions that need to be met for it to work effectively: clear market signals, no bailout, and corrective action driven by central rules and implemented by domestic populations. While some conditions have obviously not been met in the European response to the Greek sovereign debt crisis (2009–2012), evidence suggests the explanatory power of fiscal federalism is surprisingly robust. The study raises concerns with risk-sharing in EU economic governance and has implications for theories of EU institution-building.
A sociocultural perspective on symbolic development in primary grade classrooms

This chapter examines literacy development from within children's social worlds and illustrates the sociocultural dynamics through which children may negotiate a Junctional role for writing within their symbolic repertoires.
Exercise-induced bronchospasm caused by maprotiline.

M aprotiline, a "second generation" antidepressant, has been in use in Europe for about 10 years and was released in the United States in 1981. Several adverse reactions to this drug have come to light, the best known of which is a decrease in the seizure threshold. I•2 There have been no previous reports of bronchospasm with this drug, but we recently observed this complication in a patient we treated.
Rooting for the Home Team: Sport, Community, and Identity

As American comedian Jerry Seinfeld famously pointed out, fans ‘root for clothes’. Rooting for the Home Team: Sport, Community, and Identity, edited by Daniel A. Nathan, challenges, reaffirms and q...
Identifying and managing alcohol problems of adolescents

Abstract In recent years physicians have seen increasing numbers of adolescents with drinking problems. When dealing with these, it is important to distinguish between incipient alcoholism and drinking that the young person can learn to control. The author offers guidelines for interviewing an adolescent, taking a drinking history, presenting the diagnosis, locating treatment resources, and referring for specialized treatment.
Depth profiles of deuterium in titanium from gas emission during sputtering

A simple technique for the determination of the depth distributions of deuterium and tritium in the near-surface region (0–1 μm) of materials has been demonstrated. In particular, the depth distribution of deuterium in a layered, deuterided titanium film has been determined by monitoring the HD and D2 gas emissions during sputtering by 2 keV argon ions. For the nonoptimized conditions employed the detection sensitivity was D/Ti $0.02 and the fractional depth resolution was ~0.24 (i.e., ~240A for a 1000A film). Even for these conditions, this technique has a near-surface depth resolution superior, or equal, to that of other techniques for profiling hydrogen and a more than adequate sensitivity for the detection of deuterium and tritium in CTR-related studies, hydride studies and studies of tritided targets for neutron production.
TUBULIN IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

In the mammalian brain, tubulin is the major protein and microtubules are major organelles. Neurite outgrowth, axoplasmic transport and synaptic function are thought to be dependent upon microtubule integrity. Studies of microtubule structure and function relationship, and the control mechanism of tubulin expression shed light on more complicated neuronal functions, as described in the following review.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers for IgA nephropathy

The lengthy course of IgA nephropathy and the possibility of good outcomes without therapy suggest nontoxic therapies such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs.) Among patients with IgA nephropathy, both ACE inhibitors and ARBs reduce the transglomerular passage of large, but not small, molecules, reducing proteinuria. The antiproteinuric effects of ACE inhibitors and ARBs are probably equivalent. Dual ACE inhibitor-ARB therapy reduces proteinuria by 54% to 73% and is more effective than either agent alone. To determine whether ACE inhibitors or ARBs preserve renal function long-term, one must rely on trials studying nondiabetic, proteinuric renal diseases rather than on trials specific to IgA nephropathy. Among this group of patients, several randomized, controlled trials, including the AIPRI trial, the REIN trial, and a metaanalysis of 11 randomized, controlled trials, have established clearly that the ACE inhibitors preserve renal function. There is no reason to believe that this information is not applicable to IgA nephropathy. The COOPERATE trial, in which 50% of the subjects had IgA nephropathy, established that ACE inhibitors and ARBs preserve renal function equally, and that dual ACE inhibitor-ARB therapy preserves renal function more effectively than either therapy alone. These data suggest that most individuals with proteinuric renal diseases, including IgA nephropathy, should be treated with ACE inhibitors and ARBs, ideally in combination. Polymorphisms of the angiotensinogen gene, the ACE gene, and the angiotensin II type I receptor gene have, so far, failed to predict either susceptibility to or progression of IgA nephropathy. However, the D allele of the ID polymorphism, particularly the DD genotype, could predict a favorable response to renin-angiotensin blockade.
Temperature and pressure dependence of the velocity of ultrasound in argon

Abstract Measurements have been made of the velocity of ultrasound in argon at temperatures ranging from 90 to 165°K and at pressures from 10 to 100 atm. The results have been used to determine the adiabatic compressibility and the ratio of specific heats below the critical point. Above the critical point the minima of the velocity versus pressure curves have been determined. Though they appear to define a curve that is an extension of the vapor pressure curve, these minima become quite indistinct above 160°K.
Molecular Structures of Quiescently Grown and Brain-Derived Polymorphic Fibrils of the Alzheimer Amyloid Aβ9-40 Peptide: A Comparison to Agitated Fibrils

The presence of amyloid deposits consisting primarily of Amyloid-β (Aβ) fibril in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The morphologies of these fibrils are exquisitely sensitive to environmental conditions. Using molecular dynamics simulations combined with data from previously published solid-state NMR experiments, we propose the first atomically detailed structures of two asymmetric polymorphs of the Aβ9-40 peptide fibril. The first corresponds to synthetic fibrils grown under quiescent conditions and the second to fibrils derived from AD patients' brain-extracts. Our core structure in both fibril structures consists of a layered structure in which three cross-β subunits are arranged in six tightly stacked β-sheet layers with an antiparallel hydrophobic-hydrophobic and an antiparallel polar-polar interface. The synthetic and brain-derived structures differ primarily in the side-chain orientation of one β-strand. The presence of a large and continually exposed hydrophobic surface (buried in the symmetric agitated Aβ fibrils) may account for the higher toxicity of the asymmetric fibrils. Our model explains the effects of external perturbations on the fibril lateral architecture as well as the fibrillogenesis inhibiting action of amphiphilic molecules.
Relationships between assertiveness and factorially validated measures of irrational beliefs

Assertiveness deficits have been construed as response inhibition which results from negative self-appraisal. Therapy procedures designed to modify negative self-appraisal through rational restructuring and self instructional training have been shown to be effective in modifying such deficits. However, there has been no prior research demonstrating the association between validated measures of irrational beliefs and assertiveness. The results of the present study show that self-reported assertiveness deficits are associated with Demand for Approval, High Self-expectations, Problem Avoidance and total irrational belief score. The implications for therapy process and outcome research are discussed.
An FBAR/CMOS Frequency/Phase Discriminator and Phase Noise Reduction System

A phase noise reduction scheme using a sensitive resonator-based low-noise phase-frequency discriminator is presented in this paper. The discriminator uses a high quality factor thin film bulk acoustic resonator in a notch filter configuration with common-mode traps to reduce the low-frequency noise up-conversion. The phase noise reduction scheme comprises of a main feedback loop to lock a voltage-controlled oscillator to the discriminator and another loop to adjust the depth of the notch. Two chips were fabricated in 0.13- $\mu$ m CMOS technology integrating the discriminator and the phase noise reduction schemes, respectively. The 1.5-GHz discriminator shows phase noise floor of ${-}{\hbox{128}}$ dBc/Hz at 20 kHz, ${-}{\hbox{142}}$ dBc/Hz at 100 kHz, ${-}{\hbox{162}}$ dBc/Hz at 1 MHz, and ${-}{\hbox{166}}$ dBc/Hz at 4 MHz, while consuming 26 mW of power. The measured phase noise of the feedback reduction circuitry reaches the phase noise floor of the discriminator within the loop bandwidth, as expected.
Creating an educational digital library: GROW a national civil engineering education resource library

The GROW (Geotechnical, Rock and Water Engineering) project (http://www.grow.arizona.edu) is the first iteration of a National Civil Engineering Education Resource Library (NCERL). This educational digital library uses precise coding and metadata to integrate fully with the National Sciences Digital Library (NSDL) and to meet the learning, teaching, and research needs of audience groups consisting of K-12, higher education, engineering professionals, and the community at large. GROW is a portal to reviewed Civil Engineering resources throughout the World Wide Web and interactive, multimedia learning objects created by GROW team members. Through this project we demonstrate how to create an educational digital library that is flexible enough to meet the needs of a diverse audience and innovative enough to provide interactive self-contained learning objects.
Implementable requirements in problem orientation

The goal of this paper is to demonstrate how Problem Oriented Software Engineering (POSE), an extension and generalisation of Problem Frames, supports the systematic transformation of requirements from overall system level requirements through to specific requirements that can be implemented by the machine to be designed.We will apply POSE in the context of safety systems development, which particularly benefits from the ability of POSE to distinguish between the extant, indicative properties of the environment and the desired properties expressed as the requirements.
How northward turnings of the IMF can lead to substorm expansion onsets

The frequent triggering of the expansion phase of substorms by northward turnings of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) can be understood in terms of the existence of two neutral points. The distant neutral point produces a plasma sheet on closed field lines that resupplies the magnetized plasma surrounding the near-Earth neutral point. As long as the near-Earth neutral point reconnects in moderately dense plasma, the reconnection rate is low. When the IMF turns northward, reconnection at the distant neutral point ceases but reconnection at the near-Earth neutral point continues and soon reaches open, low density magnetic field lines where the rate of reconnection is rapid, and a full expansion phase occurs. This model is consistent with the observations of substorms with two onsets: an initial one at low invariant latitudes when reconnection at the near Earth neutral point first begins and the second when reconnection reaches low density field lines at the edge of the plasma sheet and continues into the open flux of the tail lobes. It is also consistent with the occurrence of pseudo breakups in which reconnection at the near Earth neutral point begins but does not proceed to lobe field lines and a full expansion phase.
Femtosecond laser drilling of high-aspect-ratio 1-micron holes in silicon

There is a need in many scientific and manufacturing processes to drill to small diameter holes with high aspect ratios in both brittle materials as well as metals. Femtosecond lasers operating at 795 nm or frequency doubled to 400 nm provide a unique tool for carrying out these processes. In this work, the femtosecond laser nanomachining facilities at the University of Nebraska is discussed to drill 1 micrometers holes in Si/SiO 2 with aspect rations > 8. The quality of the cut and the small nanoparticles are discussed.
New measurement of solar gravitational deflection of radio signals using VLBI

RADIO observations using very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) can measure the deflection of electromagnetic radiation by the Sun's gravitational field with an accuracy of better than 1 milliarcsecond, and can thus be used to test General Relativity. For an object at an angle a from the centre of the Sun, the expected deflection is1 (1 + γ) (Ms/re)((l + cos α)/(l-cos α))1/2, where Ms is the mass of the Sun in geometrized units2 (1.477 × 105 cm), re is the distance from the Earth to the Sun in cm, and y is a parameter whose value is 1 if General Relativity is correct but which takes on different values in other theories of gravity. For γ = 1, the deflection is 1,750 mas at the Sun's limb, 4 mas at α =90° and 0 at α = 180°. Our analysis of ten years of VLBI data, including observations of objects in the range 2.5° < a< 178°, yields an estimate γ = 1.0002 with a formal standard error of 0.00096 and an estimated standard error of 0.002. This determination is comparable in accuracy and in good agreement with the determination from Mars–Viking time-delay measurements3.
Ensuring cache freshness in on-demand ad hoc network routing protocols

In a wireless ad hoc network, nodes cooperate to forward packets for each other over possibly multi-hop paths, to allow nodes not within direct wireless transmission range to communicate. Many routing protocols have been proposed for the ad hoc network environment, several of which operate on-demand and utilize a route cache listing links that this node has learned. In such protocols, aggressive caching of overheard routes can significantly improve performance; in particular, overhead can be reduced by leverag-ing information received in packets overheard or forwarded from other nodes, including other routing packets and the source routes on other data packets. Unfortunately, such information sharing can substantially increase the risk of cache cross-pollution, since stale routing information in one node's cache, representing a link that no longer exists, can easily be added into the caches of other nodes. Even when a node has actually learned that a link no longer exists, it is still possible for that node to again hear the stale information. In this paper, we present a new mechanism which we call epoch numbers, to reduce this problem of cache staleness, by preventing the re-learning of stale knowledge of a link after having earlier heard that the link has broken. Our scheme does not rely on ad hoc mechanisms such as short-lived negative caching; rather, we allow a node having heard both of a broken link and a discovery of the same link to sequence the two events in order to determine whether the link break or the link discovery occurred before the other.
To Pull or Not to Pull: What Is the Question?

The terms pull and lean production have become cornerstones of modern manufacturing practice. However, although they are widely used, they are less widely understood. In this paper, we argue that while the academic literature has steadily revealed the richness of the pull/lean concepts, the practitioner literature has progressively simplified these terms to the point that serious misunderstandings now exist. In hopes of reducing confusion, we offer general, but precise definitions of pull and lean. Specifically, we argue that pull is essentially a mechanism for limiting WIP, and lean is fundamentally about minimizing the cost of buffering variability.
Recombinant Parainfluenza Virus 5 Expressing Hemagglutinin of Influenza A Virus H5N1 Protected Mice against Lethal Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 Challenge

A safe and effective vaccine is the best way to prevent large-scale highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks in the human population. The current FDA-approved H5N1 vaccine has serious limitations. A more efficacious H5N1 vaccine is urgently needed. Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5), a paramyxovirus, is not known to cause any illness in humans. PIV5 is an attractive vaccine vector. In our studies, a single dose of a live recombinant PIV5 expressing a hemagglutinin (HA) gene of H5N1 (rPIV5-H5) from the H5N1 subtype provided sterilizing immunity against lethal doses of HPAI H5N1 infection in mice. Furthermore, we have examined the effect of insertion of H5N1 HA at different locations within the PIV5 genome on the efficacy of a PIV5-based vaccine. Interestingly, insertion of H5N1 HA between the leader sequence, the de facto promoter of PIV5, and the first viral gene, nucleoprotein (NP), did not lead to a viable virus. Insertion of H5N1 HA between NP and the next gene, V/phosphorprotein (V/P), led to a virus that was defective in growth. We have found that insertion of H5N1 HA at the junction between the small hydrophobic (SH) gene and the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene gave the best immunity against HPAI H5N1 challenge: a dose as low as 1,000 PFU was sufficient to protect against lethal HPAI H5N1 challenge in mice. The work suggests that recombinant PIV5 expressing H5N1 HA has great potential as an HPAI H5N1 vaccine.
Inverse Scattering in the Geometric-Optics Limit

The geometric-optics inverse-scattering method of Keller and Lewis is described. This method, which applies to smooth conducting convex bodies of revolution, requires a knowledge of the monostatic radar cross section at all aspects. The method is applied to a number of simple axisymmetric bodies for which exact cross-section results are available. Results are designed to demonstrate the bounds on size and shape which can be determined.
Order acceptance and scheduling: A taxonomy and review

Abstract Over the past 20 years, the topic of order acceptance has attracted considerable attention from those who study scheduling and those who practice it. In a firm that strives to align its functions so that profit is maximized, the coordination of capacity with demand may require that business sometimes be turned away. In particular, there is a trade-off between the revenue brought in by a particular order, and all of its associated costs of processing. The present study focuses on the body of research that approaches this trade-off by considering two decisions: which orders to accept for processing, and how to schedule them. This paper presents a taxonomy and a review of this literature, catalogs its contributions and suggests opportunities for future research in this area.
A parallel algorithm for the generalized symmetric eigenvalue problem on a hybrid multiprocessor

Abstract We discuss the implementation of an algorithm for the generalized eigenvalue problem on a distributed-memory, hybrid multiprocessor. The basic goal is to obtain good concurrency, data reference locality, load balance and a task granularity that is consistent with the expected parallelization overhead. The implementation is based on restructured EISPACK routines using various standard high-level parallel constructs such as serieal sections, parallel do-loops, critical sections and barriers. In addition, we also consider the explicit use of dynamic task scheduling at the application level to perform the highly concurrent management of work queues. The issues related to algorithm development and performance are discussed and speedup and efficiency measurements are presented.
Synthesis and structural, optical and electrical properties of TiO2/SiO2 nanocomposites

Sole components of titania (TiO2), silica (SiO2) nanoparticles, and binary TiO2–SiO2 nanocomposites with various molar ratios of silica contents were prepared by modified sol–gel method. The samples were calcined at 500 °C for 5 h and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–Vis spectroscopy, Brunauett–Emmett–Teller (BET), and photoconductivity. The crystallite size for TiO2/SiO2 nanocomposites was calculated using Scherrer’s formula and found to be 5 nm for TiO2 nanoparticles. The binary oxide shows the anatase type of TiO2 at the mole ratio up to 80 mol% of TiO2 added. The band gap for as-synthesized nanocomposites was calculated and it was found that the band gap decreases with increase of SiO2 content and then decreases with excess SiO2 content. FTIR confirms that both TiO2 and SiO2 phases have been formed. The BET surface area for TiO2/SiO2 nanocomposite is found to be 303 m2/g, and pore size distribution has an average pore diameter about 10 nm for 40 mol% of TiO2 added. It also confirms the absence of macropores and the presence of micro and mesopores. The field-dependent dark and photoconductivity studies reveal that the dark and photocurrent increase linearly with applied field confirming the ohmic nature of the electric contacts. The dark and photocurrent increase slightly with increase of SiO2 content and decrease with excess amount of SiO2.
Occult pleural involvement in Stage III ovarian carcinoma: Role of diaphragm resection

Abstract In a 2-year period 12 diaphragmatic resections were performed on 11 patients with invasive metastases from ovarian carcinoma without significant complications, via transabdominal approach in 10 instances and thoracoabdominal incision in 1. Full-thickness penetration of the diaphragm by tumor occurred in all instances without prior evidence of pleural involvement (occult Stage IV). Six patients had primary disease (Group A) and 5 had recurrent disease (Group B). Ten patients who underwent excision of nonpenetrating diaphragmatic metastases were analyzed for comparison (Group C). Mean diameters of the metastases were as follows: Group A, 7.84 ± 1.60 cm; Group B, 7.00 ± 2.24 cm; Group C, 2.51 ± 1.08 cm. The difference in mean diameter between the penetrating (Groups A and B) and nonpenetrating (Group C) tumors was highly significant ( P P
GraphCT: Multithreaded Algorithms for Massive Graph Analysis

The digital world has given rise to massive quantities of data that include rich semantic and complex networks. A social graph, for example, containing hundreds of millions of actors and tens of billions of relationships is not uncommon. Analyzing these large data sets, even to answer simple analytic queries, often pushes the limits of algorithms and machine architectures. We present GraphCT, a scalable framework for graph analysis using parallel and multithreaded algorithms on shared memory platforms. Utilizing the unique characteristics of the Cray XMT, GraphCT enables fast network analysis at unprecedented scales on a variety of input data sets. On a synthetic power law graph with 2 billion vertices and 17 billion edges, we can find the connected components in 2 minutes. We can estimate the betweenness centrality of a similar graph with 537 million vertices and over 8 billion edges in under 1 hour. GraphCT is built for portability and performance.
Toughening of nanoporous glasses using porogen residuals

Nanoporous glasses are inherently brittle materials that become increasingly fragile with increasing porosity. We show that remarkable increases in fracture energy can be obtained from remnants of the porogen molecules used to create the nanoscale pores. The interfacial fracture energy of approximately 2.6 J m(-2) for dense methylsilsesquioxane glass films is shown to increase by over one order of magnitude to >30 J m(-2) for glasses containing 50 vol.% porosity. The increased fracture resistance is related to a powerful molecular-bridging mechanism that was modelled using bridging mechanics. The study demonstrates that significant increases in interfacial fracture energy may be obtained using strategies involving controlled decomposition of the porogen molecule during processing of nanoporous glasses. The implications are important for a range of emerging optical, electronic and biological technologies that use nanoporous thin films, but are limited by the degradation of mechanical properties with increasing porosity.
A Method for Improving Intergenerational Encounters: The Case of Mama Bettie

The purpose of this article is to describe a method for developing and improving intergenerational interactions or encounters. Older peoples' life experiences do not mirror the life experiences of younger cohorts today. As such, we propose a method for fostering intergenerational interactions and increasing bases for communication through exploring the life experiences of elders within the context of a larger world or national historical timeline. Younger people can benefit from the use of an historical timeline—the events on which can serve as anchor points in understanding and communicating with older adults.
Serum level of protein bound radioactive iodine (I131) in the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.

Summary1. The serum protein bound radioactive iodine (I131) level was determined 24 hours after the oral administration of 150 microcuries I131. Twenty subjects were studied; 10 were thyrotoxic and 10 euthyroid. The protein bound I131 was determined by a modification of the method described by Chaikoff et al.82. The serum protein bound I113 in thyrotoxic patients was 38 to 146 × 10−5 microcuries/cc averaging 68. In euthyroid subjects, the serum level ranged from 3 to 28 × 10−5 microcuries/cc, averaging 13.3. It would appear that this test may be of diagnostic value as a measure of thyroid function.
Proper self maps of weakly pseudoconvex domains

This theorem was proved by Burns and Shnider I-5] in the case that D is strongly pseudoconvex. In the more general case, Pin6uk 1-9, Corollary 2] has reduced the problem of showing that a proper mapping f : D ~ D is biholomorphic to proving that f is unbranched, i.e., that det [ f ' ] + 0. Our interest in the theorem above stems from the fact that if f : D t ~ D 2 is a proper holomorphic mapping of a weakly pseudoconvex domain D 1 onto a second domain Dz, it is possible for f to branch if D1 +D 2. This is contrary to what may occur if D 1 is assumed to be strongly pseudoconvex (see Alexander [1], Pin6uk [-9, 10], Fornaess 1-8], Bell 1,3], Diederich and Fornaess 1"7]). It has recently been proved in 1-4] and in I-6] that the mapping f in the theorem extends smoothly to/) . This fact is basic to our proof. The theorem may be shown to remain valid if 112" is replaced by a Stein manifold (see [2]), but si~ace-,the arguments of [4] and [6] do not carry over automatically to this case, the methods used in 1-2] are more technical.
What's wrong with git?: a conceptual design analysis

It is commonly asserted that the success of a software development project, and the usability of the final product, depend on the quality of the concepts that underlie its design. Yet this hypothesis has not been systematically explored by researchers, and conceptual design has not played the central role in the research and teaching of software engineering that one might expect.As part of a new research project to explore conceptual design, we are engaging in a series of case studies. This paper reports on the early stages of our first study, on the Git version control system. Despite its widespread adoption, Git puzzles even experienced developers and is not regarded as easy to use. In an attempt to understand the root causes of its complexity, we analyze its conceptual model and identify some undesirable properties; we then propose a reworking of the conceptual model that forms the basis of (the first version of) Gitless, an ongoing effort to redesign Git and experiment with the effects of conceptual simplifications.
A comparison of two electric taste stimulation devices

Electrical stimulation of the tongue, commonly used in clinical evaluations of taste dysfunction, can produce a variety of sensations including reports of metallic taste. Two studies compared responses to a fabricated electrical stimulator (a 1.6 V battery, anode side exposed) and a clinical electrogustometer (Rion TR-06). Batteries placed on the anterior dorsal tongue surface produced sensations similar in intensity and quality to those produced by the clinical electrogustometer, with equal intensity on the tongue tip for the 1.6 V battery in the range of 33-56 microA from the electrogustometer. A second study examined responses on three areas of the tongue on each side. Responses declined for areas lower in fungiform papillae for both devices, but at different rates. Higher current levels were required to match the battery in lower density areas, indicating spatial summation for the larger battery surface area. A consistent pattern of lateral differences was seen in only one subject. Quality descriptions were similar in frequency whether or not a word list was provided, with metallic, sour, pain and bitter being the most frequently mentioned words for both electric stimuli. Similarities in response to the battery device and electrogustometer were evident in intensity, qualities evoked, lack of a laterality effect and decreasing response in areas with lower fungiform papillae density. The battery device may provide an inexpensive portable alternative to an electrogustometer for use in clinical testing of taste.
Phalloidin suppresses force in nebulin-rich lamprey cardiac muscle

We assessed the effect of phalloidin, known to detach nebulin from actin in skeletal myofibrils, on the isometric force of skinned lamprey cardiac muscle, which has nebulin in amounts comparable to that in skeletal muscle. In contrast to mammalian cardiac muscle, which contains much less nebulin and reacts to phalloidin only by an increase in force, the lamprey cardiac muscle responds to phalloidin by a pronounced (∼ 50%) reduction in isometric force, thereby resembling the behavior of skeletal muscle. These results support our hypothesis that nebulin detachment from actin underlies phalloidin-induced force loss and suggest a role of actin-nebulin interaction in contractile function.
Lipid-free structure and stability of apolipoprotein A-I: probing the central region by mutation.

To probe the structure and stability of the central region of lipid-free apolipoprotein (apo) A-I (residues 123−165), we studied the effects of four mutations made in this region on the conformation, stability, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) binding kinetics, and size of discoidal reconstituted high-density lipoprotein (rHDL) particles. The apoA-I deletion Δ(144−165) leads to a red shift in the wavelength of maximum fluorescence and a reduction in the α-helical content, the stability, the initial rate of association with DMPC liposomes, and the size of the discoidal particles. The data are consistent with the helical structure of residues 144−165, and the deletion appears to perturb the tertiary organization of the N-terminal half of apoA-I. In contrast, the deletion of the adjacent region, Δ(136−143), leads to stabilization without altering the number of residues in the helical conformation or the initial rate of association with DMPC liposomes. The quadruple substitution E125K/E128K/K133E/E139K l...
Regulon organization of Arabidopsis

Background Despite the mounting research on Arabidopsis transcriptome and the powerful tools to explore biology of this model plant, the organization of expression of Arabidopsis genome is only partially understood. Here, we create a coexpression network from a 22,746 Affymetrix probes dataset derived from 963 microarray chips that query the transcriptome in response to a wide variety of environmentally, genetically, and developmentally induced perturbations.
Coalescence and sintering of Pt nanoparticles: in situ observation by aberration-corrected HAADF STEM

An aberration-corrected JEOL 2200FS scanning-transmission electron microscope (STEM), equipped with a high-angle annular dark-field detector (HAADF), is used to monitor the coalescence and sintering of Pt nanoparticles with an average diameter of 2.8 nm. This in situ STEM capability is combined with an analysis methodology that together allows direct measurements of mass transport phenomena that are important in understanding how particle size influences coalescence and sintering at the nanoscale. To demonstrate the feasibility of this methodology, the surface diffusivity is determined from measurements obtained from STEM images acquired during the initial stages of sintering. The measured surface diffusivities are in reasonable agreement with measurements made on the surface of nanoparticles, using other techniques. In addition, the grain boundary mobility is determined from measurements made during the latter stages of sintering.
Maturational changes in early auditory evoked potentials and myelination of the inferior colliculus in rats.

Abstract There is a correlation between developmental changes in the latencies of early auditory evoked potentials (far-field potentials) and the lipid composition of the inferior colliculus, the most rostral of the brainstem acoustic relays that probably sequentially generate these potentials in rats. The rapid decline in latency between the 15th and 26th postnatal day is accompanied by a corresponding increase in inferior collicular concentrations of cerebroside, which is exclusively a myelin lipid. These results suggest a specific correlation between the latency changes of far-field potentials and myelination.