cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the U.S. TBI data infrastructure: geospatial perspective

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a rapidly growing global public health problem. It causes premature loss of lives, the interruption of workforce supply pipelines, increased care demand for ...
Complex Role of Touch in Social Relationships for Older Adults' Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

The purpose of this study was to examine the links among relationship quality (RQ) and predictors of cardiovascular risks and consider the role of physical touch as a moderator. The sample includes...
Field-Effect Transistors 4

β-Ga2O3-based field-effect transistor (FET) is regarded as a promising candidate for the next-generation power electronics due to its ultrawide bandgap of 4.5–4.8 eV, estimated critical field of 8 MV/cm and decent intrinsic electron mobility limit of 250 cm2/Vs, yielding a high BFOM of more than 3000, which is several times higher than GaN and SiC. Meanwhile, β-Ga2O3 crystal also possesses a unique property that it has a large lattice constant of 12.23 A along [100] direction, which allows a facile cleavage into thin belts or nano-membranes. Therefore, by transferring β-Ga2O3 nano-membrane from its bulk substrate to a foreign substrate, we can fabricate β-Ga2O3 on insulator FETs and then explore material and device potentials before β-Ga2O3 epitaxy technology becomes mature and the cost of the epi-wafers reduces significantly. In this chapter, we will focus on the nano-membrane-based FETs and their electrical interfaces, demonstrating record high drain current density of the devices, minimize the self-heating effect by the integration of nano-membrane on high thermal conductivity substrates and expand research direction toward a low-power and wide bandgap logic application.
When Does Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure Affect Investment Efficiency? A New Answer to an Old Question:

Prior evidence that firm’s investment behavior is positively affected by its corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure, as one of the key CSR areas of the company, leaves unaddressed whether...
Spitz nevi in African Americans: A retrospective chart review of 11 patients.

Background Spitz nevi are benign melanocytic neoplasms that typically present as rapidly growing solitary lesions on the head, neck, or lower extremities. Very rare reports have been described in African Americans. Methods A single-institution 29-year retrospective review of African American patients diagnosed with Spitz nevi was thoroughly analyzed in order to characterize these rare clinical and histopathologic presentations. Results Eleven African Americans with spitzoid lesions were identified. Seven (64%) cases were in pediatric patients and nine (82%) were in females. Most lesions were hyperpigmented (73%) and elevated (82%). Six (55%) were compound Spitz nevi, three (27%) were dermal Spitz nevi, and two (18%) were junctional Spitz nevi. Two lesions had more than one atypical feature. Histopathologically, common features were symmetry, sharp circumscription, pagetoid spread (55%) with most being centrally, predominance of epithelioid cells (64%), Kamino bodies (45%), slight pigmentation (46%), maturation of dermal component with depth, and lack of subcutaneous fat involvement or ulceration. Excision was performed on all patients and there were no recurrences although follow-up was limited. Conclusion Awareness of the possibility and various presentations of Spitz nevi in African Americans will help prevent misdiagnosis.
Strategies to Improve Convolutional Neural Network Generalizability and Reference Standards for Glaucoma Detection From OCT Scans.

Purpose To develop and evaluate methods to improve the generalizability of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) trained to detect glaucoma from optical coherence tomography retinal nerve fiber layer probability maps, as well as optical coherence tomography circumpapillary disc (circle) b-scans, and to explore impact of reference standard (RS) on CNN accuracy. Methods CNNs previously optimized for glaucoma detection from retinal nerve fiber layer probability maps, and newly developed CNNs adapted for glaucoma detection from optical coherence tomography b-scans, were evaluated on an unseen dataset (i.e., data collected at a different site). Multiple techniques were used to enhance CNN generalizability, including augmenting the training dataset, using multimodal input, and training with confidently rated images. Model performance was evaluated with different RS. Results Training with data augmentation and training on confident images enhanced the accuracy of the CNNs for glaucoma detection on a new dataset by 5% to 9%. CNN performance was optimal when a similar RS was used to establish labels both for the training and the testing sets. However, interestingly, the CNNs described here were robust to variation in the RS. Conclusions CNN generalizability can be improved with data augmentation, multiple input image modalities, and training on images with confident ratings. CNNs trained and tested with the same RS achieved best accuracy, suggesting that choosing a thorough and consistent RS for training and testing improves generalization to new datasets. Translational relevance Strategies for enhancing CNN generalizability and for choosing optimal RS should be standard practice for CNNs before their deployment for glaucoma detection.
Authentication of a novel antibody to zebrafish collagen type XI alpha 1 chain (Col11a1a).

Extracellular matrix proteins play important roles in embryonic development and antibodies that specifically detect these proteins are essential to understanding their function. The zebrafish embryo is a popular model for vertebrate development but suffers from a dearth of authenticated antibody reagents for research. Here, we describe a novel antibody designed to detect the minor fibrillar collagen chain Col11a1a in zebrafish (AB strain). The Col11a1a antibody was raised in rabbit against a peptide comprising a unique sequence within the zebrafish Col11a1a gene product. The antibody was affinity-purified and characterized by ELISA. The antibody is effective for immunoblot and immunohistochemistry applications. Protein bands identified by immunoblot were confirmed by mass spectrometry and sensitivity to collagenase. Col11a1a knockout zebrafish were used to confirm specificity of the antibody. The Col11a1a antibody labeled cartilaginous structures within the developing jaw, consistent with previously characterized Col11a1 antibodies in other species. Col11a1a within formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded zebrafish were recognized by the antibody. The antibodies and the approaches described here will help to address the lack of well-defined antibody reagents in zebrafish research.
Young at gut

Evidence is growing that the microbes in your intestines play a key role in ageing and longevity, as Scott Anderson discovers
Effects of Production Feedback and Standards on Worker Productivity in a Repetitive Production Task

Abstract The main objective of this research was to determine whether production feedback and/or standards could be provided singly or jointly to operators to improve worker productivity in a repetitive production task. Only the combination of production feedback on quantity and quality in the presence of an assigned hard-task production standard had a significant positive effect on worker productivity, both in terms of production quantity and quality output. The percentage increases in quantity and quality output were 13& and 15&, respectively, compared to the control group. All the subjects who were provided with this experimental condition had accepted the assigned standard and 75& of them showed innovation(s) in task performance. The interaction between production feedback and standard was highly significant, in terms of both quantity and quality. The provision of an assigned hard-task production standard alone failed to improve worker productivity; monetary incentive added no incremental performance ...
Families of prisoners of war held in Vietnam: A seven-year study

A paucity of information exists about how families of prisoners of war (POWs) cope with their prolonged, ambiguous period of family disruption. This report summarizes the lessons learned from a 7-year longitudinal study of families of POWs and servicemen missing in action (MIA) during the Vietnam War. The study was carried out at the now-defunct Center for Prisoner of War Studies (CPWS)from 1971 through 1978. The Center, located in San Diego, CA, was disestablished in 1978, prior to a comprehensive distillation of lessons learned. Nonetheless, much of what is known today about how families cope with both the captivity period, as well as the post-repatriation or reintegration process, is derived from the CPWS effort.
Reaching coverage closure in post-silicon validation

Obtaining coverage information in post-silicon validation is a difficult task. Adding coverage monitors to the silicon is costly in terms of timing, power, and area, and thus even if feasible, is limited to a small number of coverage monitors. We propose a new method for reaching coverage closure in post-silicon validation. The method is based on executing the post-silicon exercisers on a pre-silicon acceleration platform, collecting coverage information from these runs, and harvesting important test templates based on their coverage. This method was used in the verification of IBM's POWER7 processor. It contributed to the overall high-quality verification of the processor, and specifically to the post-silicon validation and bring-up.
Scholarly mathematical communication at a crossroads

Author(s): Kuperberg, Greg | Abstract: This essay was invited for publication in Nieuw Archief voor Wiskunde; it will also appear in translation in the SMF Gazette and in the DMV Mitteilungen. I discuss the recent trends in scholarly communication in mathematics, the current state and intentions of the arXiv, and a proposal to reform peer review with the arXiv as a foundation.
A Novel Photonic Clock and Carrier Recovery Device

As data communications rates climb toward 10 Gbits/s, clock recovery and synchronization become more difficult, if not impossible, using conventional electronic circuits. The high-speed photonic clock regenerator described in this article may be more suitable for such use. This photonic regenerator is based on a previously reported photonic oscillator capable of fast acquisition and synchronization. With both electrical and optical clock inputs and outputs, the device is easily interfaced with fiber-optic systems. The recovered electrical clock can be used locally and the optical clock can be used anywhere within a several kilometer radius of the clock/carrier regenerator.
Synthesis of sulfate esters of lithocholic acid, glycolithocholic acid, and taurolithocholic acid with sulfur trioxide-triethylamine.

The facile synthesis of lithocholic acid sulfates by a procedure that produced the desired products in over 90% yield is described. Lithocholic acid sulfate and glycolithocholic acid sulfate were synthesized by reacting lithocholic acid or glycolithocholic acid with sulfur trioxide-triethylamine complex in dimethylformamide for 0.5 to 1 hr. Taurolithocholic acid sulfate was obtained by conjugating lithcoholic acid sulfate with taurine in dimethylformamide at 90/sup 0/C for 0.5 hr. The one-pot synthesis of taurolithocholic acid sulfate starting from lithocholic acid is also described. This proceudre, which generated lithocholic acid sulfate in situ, produced taurolithocholic acid sulfate in 98% yield, compared to an overall yield of less than 10% obtained by previously published procedures.
Reflections on a Research Career: It Ain't over Till it's over

The CEC Research Award recognizes researchers for the significant contributions they have made to special education. We believe that the members of this distinguished group have much to share with our readers. We have invited each of them to contribute an article, addressing past, present, and future research needs and practices in special education. Tanis Bryan was awarded the Research Award in 1996, recognizing her 25 years of research in special education. Her article focuses on research and change in special education, the continued need for research on learning disabilities, and ways to ensure that research is translated into practice.
Photoproduction of hydrogen from water in hydrogenase-containing algae.

Abstract Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorella vulgaris cells had active hydrogenase after dark anaerobic adaptation. Illumination of these algae with visible light led to an initial production of small quantities of hydrogen gas which soon ceased owing to production of oxygen by photolysis of water. The presence of oxygen-absorbing systems in a separate chamber, not in contact with the algae, gave only a slight stimulation of hydrogen production. Addition of sodium dithionite directly to the algae led to an extensive light-dependent production of hydrogen. This stimulation was due to oxygen removal by dithionite and not to its serving as an electron donor. 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, an inhibitor of photosystem II, abolished all hydrogen photoproduction. Hydrogen evolution was not accompanied by CO2 production and little difference was noted between autotrophically and heterotrophically grown cells. Hydrogen was not produced in a photosystem II mutant of Scenedesmus even in the presence of dithionite, establishing that water was the source of hydrogen via photosystems II and I. Hydrogen production was stimulated by the presence of glucose and glucose oxidase as an oxygen-absorbing system. Oxygen inhibited hydrogen photoproduction, even if oxygen was undetectable in the gas phase, if the algal solution did not contain an oxygen absorber. It was demonstrated that under these conditions hydrogenase was still active and the inability to produce hydrogen was probably due to oxidation of the coupling electron carrier.
Acoustical comparison between decrescendo calls of female mallards and mimicry by humans using artificial duck calls

Female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) emit a diverse repertoire of vocalizations. Duck hunters and callers mimic these vocalizations using artificial calls made from wood or plastic. The extent to which humans can mimic live mallards using artificial calls is unknown. We compared acoustic features of field recordings of the decrescendo calls of wild female mallards with those of duck callers. A panel of 38 duck callers used artificial calls equipped with single and double reeds that were made of 7 species of hardwoods and cast acrylic. We found that cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa), osage orange (Maclura pomifera), pecan (Carya sp.), acrylic, and bocote (Cordia alliodora) calls with double reeds produced notes acoustically most similar to female mallard decrescendos. We recommend that duck hunters and callers use calls made of acrylic or harder wood species, recognizing that double reed calls generally out-performed single reed calls in this study. We recommend that similar studies be conducted for other types of game calls, and we recommend additional future research to determine whether use of such calls influences mallard harvest and hunter satisfaction. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Victorian ‘Companions’: Forward to the Past?

(2005). Victorian ‘Companions’: Forward to the Past? Journal of Victorian Culture: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 87-95.
Evolutionary responses by butterflies to patchy spatial distributions of resources in tropical environments

The greatest diversity of butterflies and their host plants occurs in tropical regions. Some groups of butterflies in the tropics exhibit monophagous feeding in the larval stage, exploiting only one family of plants; others are polyphagous, feeding on plants in two or more distinct families. The two major types of tropical habitats for butterflies, namely primary and secondary forests, offer very different evolutionary opportunities for the exploitation of plants as larval food. Butterflies are faced with the major logistical problem, as are many other herbivorous insects, of depositing eggs on the correct plant for successful larval feeding. This paper, using the concepts of phenotype set and spatial patchiness of resources, attemps to make some predictions as to the optimal phenotypic systems for monophagous and polyphagous feeding in tropical butterflies, as related to the spatial patchiness of larval host plants in primary and secondary forests. In addition to the secondary compound chemistry of larval host plants as playing a role in the evolution of monophagy and polyphagy, the assumption is made that the spatial patchiness of host plants within and among different families also acts as a major factor in determining optimal ranges of phenotypes for different patterns of larval feeding. Owing to the high spatial patchiness of primary forest species of canopy trees and vines, it is predicted that butterflies exploiting these will be mostly polyphagous, whereas secondary forests having stable formations of fewer plant species and larger patches of these plants, will have mostly monophagous species. Forest understories may have both monophagous and polyphagous species, depending upon the layer of forest and the general type of understory (i.e. palmaceous or dicotyledonous). Field data on some groups of butterflies from tropical America support these predictions. Polyphagous butterflies are predicted to possess a genetic system of mixed morphs with a population being polymorphic as a whole; monophagous butterflies are predicted to have individuals all more or less similar genetically, and with a high amount of genic variation within individuals. Other forms of monophagy may evolve in species that are essentially monomorphic but with various mechanisms (physiological, developmental, behavioral) of phenotypic flexibility at the individual level. Although the environment is essentially coarse-grained for larvae since most are sedentary and polymorphism is an optimal adaptive strategy, the oviposition strategy of the adult must also be considered and some situations (i.e. forest canopy) have resources (host plants) distributed in a fine-grained fashion. Other forms of limited polyphagy may result from monomorphic genetic systems in which there is considerable phenotypic flexibility.
Mechanisms in the interconversion of ribose 5-phosphate and hexose 6-phosphate in human hemolyzates. I. Sedoheptulose and triose phosphates as intermediates in the conversion of ribose 5-phosphate to hexose 6-phosphate in human hemolyzates☆

Abstract 1. 1. Incubation of the hemolyzate at 43 °C. at pH 8.4 inactivates the transaldolase activity by more than 96%. 2. 2. The remaining residual transaldolase activity is more resistant against incubation at pH 8.4 than the original transaldolase activity. 3. 3. The transketolase of the hemolyzate is inactivated by the same treatment by about 27%. 4. 4. The mixture of ribose 5-phosphate and its two ketopentose phosphate isomers inhibits completely the residual transaldolase at concentrations of pentose 5-phosphate above 0.005 M . 5. 5. At this concentration of pentose 5-phosphate, the latter is converted quantitatively to equivalent amounts of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate and triose phosphate. 6. 6. Sedoheptulose 7-phosphate and triose phosphate are converted by the residual transaldolase to an equilibrium mixture of glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate. 7. 7. The rate of this conversion increases with the concentration of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate and triose phosphate.
First record of Orconectes rusticus (Girard, 1852) (Decapoda, Cambaridae) west of the Great Continental Divide in North America

Orconectes rusticus (Girard, 1852), known as the rusty crayfish, have spread over the last 50 years from their historical range in the Ohio River drainage, United States, to waters throughout much of 18 additional eastern and central states, provinces of Ontario and Qu?bec in Canada, and the Laurentian Great Lakes (Hobbs et al., 1989; Olden et al., 2006; Taylor et al., 2007). O. rusticus are omni vores and aggressive, resulting in numerous ecological and evolutionary impacts manifested across entire food webs. The invasion of this species has been associ ated with negative effects on aquatic plants, invertebrates, snails, and fishes (e.g., Olsen et al., 1991; Lodge et al., 1994; McCarthy et al., 2006), in addition to dis placing and hybridizing with native crayfish (e.g., Perry et al., 2001). The most westward reported occurrences of O. rusticus are the North Platte River near Dou glas, Wyoming (where the population is believed to have been successfully eradi cated) and Conchas Lake in north-east New Mexico (Bouchard, 1977). Preventing the westward spread of aquatic nuisance species from eastern North America is a primary goal of the 100th Meridian Initiative (http://www.100thmeridian.org). Here we are the first to document the presence of O. rusticus west of the Continental Divide in North America, separating watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain into the Atlantic Ocean. On 19 July 2005, a field survey conducted by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon revealed the occurrence of a non-native Orconectes sp. crayfish in the upper
A Closer Look at the Hydroiodination of Propiolic Acid

Abstract The crystal structures of cis‐3‐iodoacrylic acid (1), trans‐3‐iodoacrylic acid (2), trans‐3‐iodoacrylic acid methyl ester (3), 3,3‐diiodopropanoic acid (4), and trans‐2,3‐diiodoacrylic acid (5) are reported. Compounds 1 and 2 are the kinetic and thermodynamic products, respectively, of the hydroiodination of propiolic acid. Compound 4 results from addition of a second equivalent of hydroiodic acid to 1 or 2, whereas 5 results from the addition of trace elemental iodine to propiolic acid.
Between-cow variation in dermal fibroblast response to lipopolysaccharide reflected in resolution of inflammation during Escherichia coli mastitis

Effective response to mammary gland infection depends on efficient early innate immune response. The desired response would be one that is sufficient to clear the infection with a rapid return to the production of high-quality milk and limited tissue damage. In this study, 43 early lactation cows were ranked based on the ability of their fibroblasts to produce IL-8 in response to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Subsequently, the effect of a low or high response phenotype on the response to E. coli mastitis was determined. Untreated fibroblasts produced no detectable IL-8, whereas the range of IL-8 production in response to LPS (100 ng/mL) was approximately 7-fold between the lowest and highest responding cultures. Similar patterns of between-cow variation were observed in fibroblast production of IL-8 and IL-6 in response to IL-1β and Pam2CSK4 (a synthetic diacylated lipopeptide ligand). Four low and 4 high responder cows were challenged in late lactation with intramammary infusion of E. coli. All cows developed clinical mastitis in the challenged quarters and all cows cleared the infection within 8 d. However, somatic cell count began to decline earlier in the low responder group, and milk BSA concentration (an indicator of tissue damage) was also lower in low responders compared with high responders. Milk production from the challenged quarter was markedly depressed in both groups, but returned toward prechallenge values earlier in low responder cows. Dermal fibroblast cells appear predictive of a cow's response to mastitis. In this study, the low responder phenotype was sufficient to contain an E. coli infection with a more rapid return to the production of high quality milk.
The daytime equatorial F-layer

Abstract It is shown that the main features of the daytime equatorial F-region can be explained by rapid photo-ionization and recombination in a neutral atmosphere whose temperature increases rapidly during the morning and is roughly constant during the afternoon. The main features explained in this way are: the exponential shape of the electron density versus height profiles, the morning maximum in curves of electron density at fixed heights versus time, and the gradual rise of h max F2 during the day to great height. It is suggested that the increase of ƒ 0 F2 after sunset observed in the sub-equatorial regions is due to the rapid cooling of the atmosphere and ionosphere after sunset.
Changes in cadmium accumulation as a mechanism for cadmium resistance in the least killifish Heterandria formosa.

Abstract Evolution of resistance to heavy metals may involve complex changes at the physiological level. We report here on research into changes in cadmium uptake and accumulation as mechanisms underlying the increased resistance to Cd in laboratory lines of the least killifish, Heterandria formosa . We compared Cd accumulation between three control lines and three lines selected successfully for an increased Cd-resistance. Individuals of the Cd-adapted lines had a lower short-term (2 h) uptake of Cd than those of the control lines. A time-series experiment showed that selection-line fish had a lower rate of Cd accumulation than fish from the control lines during the first 14 h of exposure to 6 mg/l of Cd. At the 14 h time point, Cd accumulation in the control-line fish approached lethal levels, while Cd levels in selection-line fish from this point on increased at a slower rate than in the initial 14 h. Overall, the relatively small changes in uptake and accumulation patterns caused lethal body burdens in the fish from the selection lines to be reached at more than twice the exposure duration at which this occurred in fish from the control lines. Lethal Cd levels appeared to be the same in control- and selection-line fish. Our results suggest that reduced uptake and accumulation of Cd accounted for approximately two-third of the increased resistance in the Cd-adapted lines.
Synchronization of mammalian cells in S phase by sequential use of isoleucine-deprivation G1- or serum-withdrawal G0-arrest and aphidicolin block

Procedures are described for synchronizing (1) rodent cells in G1 using the isoleucine-deprivation method, (2) normal diploid human and other kinds of fibroblasts in G0 using serum withdrawal, and (3) rodent and human cells in S phase using synchronized G0/G1 cells and aphidicolin. The effects of G0/G1-arrest and aphidicolin block on cyclins/cyclin dependent kinases and on the composition and structure of chromatin are summarized. Implications of these effects and the uses of the procedures are considered.
Kernel-Based Machine Learning for Background Estimation of NaI Low-Count Gamma-Ray Spectra

Virtually all gamma-ray spectrometry measurements contain background components due to the ubiquitous presence of primordial radionuclides in the Earth's crust and cosmic radiation interactions high in the Earth's atmosphere. In principle, spectral signatures due to radiation source(s) of actual interest can be extracted from the measured gamma-ray spectrum by background subtraction. However, if separate background measurements are unavailable or infeasible, and particularly for measurements exhibiting low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), background subtraction is nontrivial, and it requires accurate background estimation . An example application of gamma-ray spectroscopy with low SNR is the “source search” scenario, where the position of a source is sought using measurements taken over very short time intervals by a detector in motion. We have developed an algorithm for background estimation in low-count gamma-ray spectra using kernel-based Gaussian processes (GP) taken from the field of machine learning. We have evaluated the performance of our algorithm using a group of three kernels tested against a dataset composed of background spectra measured in an urban environment using a mobile sodium iodide (NaI) detector. We have also simulated datasets containing nonbackground gamma-ray sources in an urban background measured with a NaI detector. The simulated scenarios employed a variety of source-detector distances and different types of source shielding. As a metric of algorithm performance, we calculated correlation coefficients, Theil inequality coefficients, and count difference statistics between estimated and actual backgrounds. We concluded that our method adequately estimates the gamma-ray background, but we also observed a strong dependence of the algorithm's performance on the selected kernel.
Identification of superoxide dismutase as a cofactor for the Pseudomonas type III toxin, ExoU

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that uses a type III secretion system and four effector proteins to avoid innate immune responses. ExoS, ExoT, ExoY, and ExoU all possess enzymatic activities that disrupt host cellular physiology and prevent bacterial clearance by host defense mechanisms. The specificity of these toxins for eukaryotic cells depends on the presence of substrate targets and eukaryotic cofactors responsible for effector activation. We used a combined biochemical and proteomic approach to identify Cu(2+), Zn(2+)-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) as a cofactor that activates the phospholipase activity of ExoU. Recombinant ExoU (rExoU) was activated in a dose-dependent manner by either bovine liver SOD1 or the yeast ortholog, Sod1p, but not by either Fe or Mn-containing SODs from E. coli or small molecule SOD mimetics. Inhibitor studies indicated that SOD enzymatic activity was not required for the activation of rExoU. The physical interaction between rExoU and SOD was demonstrated by capture techniques using either of the two proteins immobilized onto the solid phase. Identification of SOD as a cofactor allowed us to develop a new assay using a fluorescent substrate to measure the phospholipase activity of rExoU. The ability of SOD to act as a cytoplasmic cofactor stimulating ExoU phospholipase activity has significant implications for the biological activity of the toxin. Further elucidation of the structural mechanism of ExoU activation by this eukaryotic cofactor may provide a rational approach to the design of inhibitors that can diminish tissue damage during infection by ExoU-producing strains of P. aeruginosa.
Granular Cell Tumor of Larynx and Bronchus

Abstract A patient was seen with an unusual combination of multiple granular cell tumors involving the larynx and the left main bronchus. A review of the reported cases of such tumors in the respiratory tract reveals a significant incidence of multicentricity. Complete excision and careful follow-up are mandatory as local recurrences have been reported. However, the prognosis for patients with these tumors is favorable.
A simple plasticity theory for frictional cohesionless soils

Abstract A simple elastic-plastic constitutive model for cohesionless soils is proposed. The model retains the extreme versatility and accuracy of the simple multi-surface J 2 -theory in describing observed shear nonlinear hysteretic behaviour, shear stress-induced anisotropy; and reflects the strong dilatancy dependency on the effective stress ratio. The theory is applicable to general three-dimensional stress-strain conditions, but its parameters can be derived entirely from the results of conventional laboratory soil tests. A number of examples are presented including an analysis of seismically induced liquefaction behind a retaining structure.
Methods for mutagenesis of Bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki strains HD-1 and cry-B, an acrystalliferous mutant, could be mutagenized with the chemical ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and with the transposon Tn917. Both auxotrophic and sporulation mutants were obtained.
A convection/reaction/switching system

Abstract We consider a spatially distributed hybrid system consisting of a convection/reaction system in which the reaction switches discontinuously in time between modes, independently at each spatial point on reaching “switching thresholds”. The model involves a novel formulation for evolution of the free boundary between the modal regions.
A New Annular Waveguide Rotary Joint

A new waveguide rotary joint has been designed which will permit multiple stacking of similar joints on a common axis. The rotary joint of annular waveguide design will carry high power and permit low vswr and low insertion loss operation throughout the full rotation. The theory, design, and characteristics of such a joint are presented.
Comment on ``Lattice Resistance to Dislocation Motion at the Nanoscale''

A Comment on the Letter by A. Dutta et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 115506 (2008). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.
Soluble HLA‐G Molecules Induce Apoptosis in Natural Killer Cells

Membrane-bound human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) molecules are primarily expressed by cytotrophoblasts of the fetus. They are thought to protect the fetus from immunologic attack by the maternal immune system and have recently been associated with transplantation graft acceptance. In addition, soluble HLA-G molecules (sHLA-G) have been shown to play a role in the success of pregnancies, but are upregulated in certain cancers. However, the exact mechanism for this regulation has remained elusive. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanism by which sHLA-G interact with natural killer (NK) cells in vitro. sHLA-G effectively blocked NK lysis of target cells via fracticide killing of NK cells by apoptosis. These studies support the protective role of sHLA-G in immunologic reactions by interacting with NK cells, thus providing a regulatory function.
Group Transfer Polymerization of N-Substituted Maleimides

Group transfer polymerization (GTP) of N-phenylmaleimide (NPM), N-phenylcitraconimide (NPC), and N-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)maleimide (NAPM) was investigated with methyl trimethylsilyl dimethylketene acetal (MTDA) as initiator and tetrabutylammonium bibenzoate (TBAB) as catalyst. NPM can be polymerized by GTP initiators and can be incorporated into statistical copolymers with methyl methacrylate (MMA). These reactions do not exhibit the characteristics of living polymerization. NPM is more reactive than MMA in GTP-initiated copolymerizations, and at low concentration effectively inhibits the polymerization of MMA. Poly(MMA-block-NPM) can be obtained by adding NPM to living poly(MMA), but the block copolymer is polydisperse in size and composition. NAPM can also be polymerized, but NPC gave no polymers via GTP. Poly(NPM) and poly(MMA-co-NPM) prepared by GTP show excellent thermal stability.
Medical pattern recognition: applying an improved intuitionistic fuzzy cross-entropy approach

One of the toughest challenges in medical diagnosis is the handling of uncertainty. Since medical diagnosis with respect to the symptoms uncertain, they will be assumed to have an intuitive nature. Thus, to obtain the uncertain optimism degree of the doctor, fuzzy linguistic quantifiers will be used. The aim of this article is to provide an improved nonprobabilistic entropy approach to support doctors examining the work of the preliminary diagnosing. The proposed entropymeasure is based on intuitionistic fuzzy sets, extrainformation regarding hesitation degree, and an intuitive and mathematical connection between the notions of entropy in terms of fuzziness and intuitionism has been revealed. An illustrative example for medical pattern recognition demonstrates the usefulness of this study. Furthermore, in order to make computing and ranking results easier and to increase the recruiting productivity, a computer-based interface system has been developed to support doctors in making more efficient judgments.
A framework for developing word fragment completion tasks

Abstract To broaden our understanding of the person-based phenomena that impact organizational behavior, researchers are increasingly making use of implicit measures. Explicit measures tap affect, attitudes, and self-concepts that are accessible to introspective awareness, which are sometimes unreliable or distorted by response biases. In contrast, implicit measures assess mental content and processes that operate outside awareness. Unfortunately, the ad hoc manner in which implicit measures are sometimes developed is problematic. As a way of improving research on implicit content and processes, we present a detailed and practical framework for developing one type of implicit measure: word fragment completion tasks. Such tasks have been successfully used to measure a variety of individual difference variables in previous organizational research. Our framework draws on previous research and well understood psychometric principles to describe a process for creating reliable and valid word fragment completion tasks.
Tracking expanding star curves using guidance vector fields

This paper describes a constructive method for creating provably stable vector fields for a class of star shaped, three-dimensional curves. Using the approach, vector fields can be designed that provide essentially global exponential convergence to a desired curve expressed in cylindrical coordinates. Additional terms are added to the vector fields to account for time-varying curves and to enable normalization of the vector field in order to keep the resulting speed bounded. Simulation results demonstrate the method for tracking a variety of different closed curves and for following a family of patterns when time-varying elements are included.
Effect of increases in afterload before and after coronary occlusion in awake dogs

Ventricular function curves relating stroke work and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were generated in awake dogs during increases in preload produced by infusion of fluid and during increases in afterload produced by administration of phenylephrine. The ventricular function curves produced by preloading were steeply upsloping whereas those produced by afterloading were essentially horizontal. Coronary occlusion produced downward displacement of these horizontal curves, but no change in slope. Thus increases in afterload did not help to demonstrate the functional impairment produced by coronary occlusion.
Developmental expression of cannabinoid receptor mRNA.

Abstract Cloning of the cannabinoid receptor affords the opportunity to examine its developmental expression. Other G-protein-coupled receptor systems, those for the opioids for example, exhibit distinct ontogenies. For the initial study, therefore, cannabinoid receptor mRNA expression was assessed in rat pups postnatal days 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18 and 21. The brains were grossly dissected into cerebellum/brainstem and forebrain, and total RNA was extracted by a modified acid-extraction method. Expression of the cannabinoid receptor was analyzed by two methods: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Northern blot analysis. Oligonucleotide primers based on bp 1–21 and bp 824–843 on the opposite strand were chosen for use in the PCR. The probe used in the Northern blot analysis was a full length cDNA corresponding to the rat cannabinoid receptor and was cloned in our lab based on published sequence information. Our results indicate that by postnatal day 3, cannabinoid receptor mRNA can be detected in the brain. Our results further indicate that cannabinoid mRNA expression steadily increases in the cerebellum/brainstem until postnatal days 18–21, while expression in the forebrain does not change. The findings from the present study indicate that cannabinoid receptor mRNA is present in very young rats. Our data also suggest, however, regional differences in the relative expression of message which may parallel cerebellar proliferation and organization.
Industrie 4.0 – Lösung zur Optimierung von Instandhaltungsprozessen

Der folgende Beitrag beschreibt eine serviceorientierte Betrachtung der Fertigungsprozessuberwachung im Zusammenhang mit veranderten Kundenanforderungen. In diesem Artikel wird eine Industrie 4.0-Losung zur Optimierung von Instandhaltungsprozessen vorgestellt. Grundidee der Losung ist die Integration und Vernetzung unterschiedlicher ,,intelligenter“ Objekte in einem Produktionsumfeld. Des Weiteren soll die These untermauert werden, dass mithilfe von Cloud Computing und analytischen Auswerteverfahren, die wesentlichen Informationsbausteine gewonnen werden konnen, die zu effizienteren Serviceprozessen und zu einem optimierten Kosten-Nutzenverhaltnis fuhren. Fur Maschinen- und Anlagenbauer kommt heute die Kombination von Produkt und Dienstleistung im Sinne eines Product Service Systems immer starker in den Fokus.
Another look at the evidence for rational partisan cycles

In presenting evidence in favor of rational partisan cycles, where electoral victories by leftist parties are expected to create temporary expansions and electoral victories by rightist parties are expected to create temporary recessions, Alesina, Cohen, and Roubini (1999) rely upon autoregressive time series intervention regressions. These regressions, however, are not consistent with their model. In this paper, a model is derived which is consistent with the intervention approach in its reduced-form. The differences between the models are highlighted and new empirical estimates are presented on a panel of seven OECD nations, which generally does not support the rational partisan cycle implications.
Microvascular decompression in the treatment of hypertension: review and update.

BACKGROUND Neurogenic hypertension in association with vascular compression of the left rostral ventrolateral medulla has been documented. A recent group of these clinical reports has raised great interest in decompression of this area of the brainstem as a definitive therapy for essential hypertension. METHODS To further clarify the mechanism by which decompression of the left rostral ventrolateral medulla relieves neurogenic hypertension, we describe in detail the basic science, animal models, human studies, and most recent clinical trials regarding surgical decompression of this area. CONCLUSION Multi-disciplinary evidence supports the hypothesis that a sub-population of hypertensive patients achieve significant relief of their hypertension after microvascular decompression. A multi-institutional, prospective, randomized study is necessary to determine the efficacy of microvascular decompression for neurogenic hypertension.
Systematics of Oenothera Sections Contortae, Eremia, and Ravenia (Onagraceae)

Previous classifications based on morphology recognized a distinctive but poorly delimited group of species from western North America as Oenothera subg. Pachylophus. In earlier papers, I split this group into four sections more comparable to others in the genus, but nevertheless assumed the whole group was monophyletic based on morphological analyses. Recent molecular analyses indicate that the morphological analysis was incorrect, however, and suggest instead that the sections are part of a basal grade within the genus. The two yellow flowered sections are shown by the molecular study to be sister taxa, yet because of highly distinctive morphology, especially of the capsules and seeds, I maintain them as separate sections, sect. Contortae (O. xylocarpa) and sect. Eremia (O. primiveris) comparable to others in the genus. The two white flowered sections, sect. Pachylophus (O. brandegeei, O. cespitosa, O. cavernae, O. harringtonii, and O. psammophila) and sect. Ravenia (O. muelleri, O. riskindii, and O. tubifera with two subspecies, tubifera and macrocarpa), are not so closely related and the shift to white petals appears to have been independent. Detailed taxonomic descriptions are given for the species of sects. Contortae, Eremia, and Ravenia. Taxonomic treatment of the species of sect. Pachylophus was given elsewhere.
Toll Pricing: Computational Tests for Capturing Heterogeneity of User Preferences

Because of the increasing interest in implementation and exploration of a wider range of pricing alternatives, a study was done to compare approaches for capturing the heterogeneity of user preferences in forecasting the demand for tolled facilities resulting from user responses to pricing schemes. Existing tools used in practice typically deal with users’ value of time (VOT) heterogeneity in one of two ways: (a) ignore VOT and use a constant value of time and (b) recognize VOT by defining discrete user classes, each corresponding to a given VOT range, represented by its midpoint or average VOT. The first approach is fundamentally incorrect and would lead to highly biased estimates of network performance; the second is only a coarse approximation. A third approach, which recognizes that VOT is a continuous variable that is distributed probabilistically across the user population, is gaining greater attention. The following questions are examined: (a) What are the impacts of different VOT assumptions on prediction biases in forecasts of toll road usage under different pricing schemes? (b) Do the discrete treatments provide a good approximation of models with continuously distributed VOT, and if so how should VOT be assigned to user classes? (c) What are the relative computational implications of different VOT assumptions, and what is the role of efficient implementation techniques for large-scale network applications? The results suggest that recognizing the continuous nature of the VOT distribution is justified both with regard to accuracy and on computational grounds, especially in light of recent algorithmic and implementation advances.
Methane and dust controls for headgate cutouts

Abstract The headgate cutout is an area of concern for all retreating longwall mining operations. Because of the equipment and activities located in the headgate area, along with the ventilation flow pattern, methane and dust levels recorded at the shearer during the cutout are higher than for any other phase of the longwall mining cycle. This report presents several different techniques found by the Bureau of Mines over the past few years to successfully lower methane and dust levels during the headgate cutout for retreating longwall sections using antitropal ventilation (headgate to tailgate). Each of these techniques improves the health and safety of longwall workers and is economically feasible.
Wrapping hydroxyapatite orbital implants with posterior auricular muscle complex grafts.

Abstract PURPOSE: To report the use of posterior auricular muscle complex grafts as a wrapping material for hydroxyapatite orbital implants in enucleation surgery. METHOD: In a retrospective multicenter study, autogenous posterior auricular muscle complex grafts were used to cover hydroxyapatite orbital implants in 83 patients with a mean age of 38.6 years (range, 1 to 85 years), of whom 63 had primary unilateral enucleation and 20 had secondary orbital implants following enucleation. The mean follow-up period after posterior auricular muscle complex grafts was 36 months (range, 14 to 60 months). RESULTS: Of the 83 patients, two (2.4%) developed limited orbital implant exposure, which was treated with a second posterior auricular muscle complex "patch graft." No patient developed postoperative orbital infection or implant extrusion. All patients were fitted with an acceptable prosthesis and had satisfactory cosmetic and functional results. No patient developed vascular compromise or a wound defect associated with the posterior auricular donor site. CONCLUSION: Autogenous posterior auricular muscle complex grafts should be considered as an appropriate wrapping material for hydroxyapatite orbital implants for primary enucleation and for secondary orbital implants after enucleation.