cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a prototype dry decontamination method for particulate contamination: The DryCon system.

Objective: This article describes the development of a prototype dry decontamination system (DryCon) for use in the event of a contamination incident involving a particulate contaminant. Disrobing and showering is currently recommended almost exclusively in mass decontamination, although it may not be feasible when water is scarce, in cold weather environments, or when there may be compliance issues with the requirement to disrobe, ie, unwillingness to disrobe. During disrobing, dust particles could also re-aerosolize, leading to inhalation of contaminants. Design: The DryCon prototype uses air jets for dry decontamination. The system is portable and can run on building-supplied 220-V power or generator power. Multiple contaminated persons can be treated rapidly, one after the other, using this system. Setting: We tested DryCon in a controlled environment, using a manikin and three different types of fabric squares to investigate its effectiveness, with a decontamination time of 60 seconds. Main outcome: At the higher airflow tested, ie, 90 percent of full blower speed or approximately 540 cfm (15 m3 / minute), mean decontamination efficiencies of 56.8 percent, 70.3 percent, and 80.7 percent were measured for firefighter (FF) turnout fabric, cotton denim, and polyester double knit fabric, respectively. Results: Removal of this easily re-aerosolized fraction of the contaminants helps protect contaminated people, as well as healthcare providers they come in contact with, from the potential risk of further inhalation exposures from the re-aerosolization caused by doffing clothing. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the promise of the DryCon system for use where water is not available, as a first step prior to wet decontamination, or in an industrial setting for post-work-shift decontamination. Further lab and field research will be necessary to prove the effectiveness of this technique in real-world applications and to determine if respiratory protection or other personal protective equipment (PPE) is needed during use of the DryCon system.
La-doped BaSnO3 films for near- and mid-infrared plasmonic applications

Recently, ternary perovskite oxides have attracted great attention as alternative transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) because their structures are compatible with many other perovskite oxides that allow devices to be fabricated comprised entirely of perovskite oxides. Among these perovskite oxides, BaSnO3 has attracted considerable attention as a promising TCO because of its high mobility at room temperature (~320 cm2V-1s-1 in bulk single crystals and ~100 cm2V-1s-1 in epitaxial thin films) and high temperature stability in oxygen atmospheres compared to other TCOs, such as In2O3, ZnO, and SnO2. The electrical and optical properties of the BaSnO3 can be improved by either inducing oxygen vacancies or cationic doping. We have grown epitaxial La-doped BaSnO3 (LBSO) thin films on MgO (001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition using a La0.04Ba0.96SnO3 target, and investigated their structural, electrical, and optical properties as a function of the oxygen pressure during deposition. The permittivity of the LBSO films can be modified as a function of the oxygen pressure during deposition allowing tuning of their epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) wavelength from 2.2 μm to 7 μm. We will present details of the deposition conditions on the properties of LBSO films and the ability to tune the permittivity in this infrared range.
Linkages between soil organic matter and magnetic mineral formation in agricultural fields in southeastern Minnesota, USA

Abstract Magnetic properties of soil are widely utilized to study soil development in a variety of settings due to the formation of strongly magnetic iron oxides during pedogenesis. Similarly, soil organic matter (SOM) is commonly measured in soil surveys conducted on agricultural lands due to the essential role SOM plays in the soil ecosystem. Here, we present data from two agricultural fields in southeastern Minnesota that demonstrate a relationship between soil magnetic properties and SOM. In each field, we collected 100 topsoil samples along a 40 m by 20 m grid to determine spatial variability in soil magnetic properties and SOM, as well as two soil cores to constrain variability with depth (∼0–60 cm). Magnetic susceptibility, low-field remanence, and hysteresis properties were used to characterize magnetic mineral abundance and grain-size in the soils. There are strong positive correlations between SOM and three magnetic properties: the frequency dependence of susceptibility (χfd), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM), and the ratio of ARM to isothermal remanent magnetization (ARM/IRM). All three of these magnetic properties (χfd, ARM, and ARM/IRM) are sensitive to the concentration (or relative abundance) of fine-grained (
What isn’t new in the new normal: A feminist ethical perspective on covid-19

This essay argues that dominant responses to the COVID-19 pandemic redouble disparities in vulnerability to harms because these responses simply attempt to return to conditions prior to the outbreak of the virus. Although the widespread impact of COVID-19 has made interdependence more vivid, the underlying sociocultural devaluation of vulnerability, relationality, and dependency has intensified structural inequalities. People who were already disempowered and disadvantaged have been consigned to even more precarious conditions. A feminist ethical perspective avows vulnerability, relationality, and dependency as conditions that are both unavoidable and central to life. Such a perspective thus provides insight into why some dominant responses to the virus are unjust and what more ethical and more socially just responses to the pandemic, which foster social health as well as physical health, might look like.
An investigation of matrix damage in composite laminates using continuum damage mechanics

Abstract Transverse and shear damage in the polymer matrix of fiber reinforced composites are often treated independently, while the associated cracks are similar in appearance and effect. Matrix damage is often quantified by its crack density. However, damage also can be presented as a state variable. The definition of damage state variables and their evolution laws are the foundation of continuum damage mechanics, yet experimental data for shear damage evolution is limited. The effect of crack closure on the transverse stiffness of laminates was already incorporated in the damage models. However, the shear modulus sensitivity to crack closure has received little attention due to the complicated constitutive equations. This paper focused on the in-plane shear modulus reduction due to matrix transverse cracks and the evolution of transverse and shear damage. The comparison of existing models with experimental data showed that shear damage is currently not suitably described. Accordingly, a shear damage evolution model was proposed that included the effect of internal traction and crack closure on the in-plane shear modulus. The numerical predictions of the modified shear model resulted in good agreement with experimental data by predicting the same saturation crack density, axial and shear responses.
Interface and Bulk Trapping Centers in Low Temperature Ion-Beam Sputtered Silicon Dioxide Films

Current and capacitance voltage data obtained using a metal-sputtered oxide-semiconductor capacitor revealed trapping centers similar to those observed in irradiated thermal oxides. A positive charge density of approximately 5 × 1012cm−2 exists in the as-sputtered film and an equivalent amount of charge is present at the silicon/silicon dioxide intgrface. Analysis of current-induced trapping yields a 5 × 10−15cm2 electron capture cross section for a bulk trapping center.
Analysis of in situ manganese(II) oxidation in the Columbia River and offshore plume: linking Aurantimonas and the associated microbial community to an active biogeochemical cycle.

Summary The Columbia River is a major source of dissolved nutrients and trace metals for the west coast of North America. A large proportion of these nutrients are sourced from the Columbia River Estuary, where coastal and terrestrial waters mix and resuspend par- ticulate matter within the water column. As estuarine water is discharged off the coast, it transports the particulate matter, dissolved nutrients and microor- ganisms forming nutrient-rich and metabolically dynamic plumes. In this study, bacterial manganese oxidation within the plume and estuary was investi- gated during spring and neap tides. The microbial community proteome was fractionated and assayed for Mn oxidation activity. Proteins from the outer membrane and the loosely bound outer membrane fractions were separated using size exclusion chro- matography and Mn(II)-oxidizing eluates were analy- sed with tandem mass spectrometry to identify potential Mn oxidase protein targets. Multi-copper oxidase (MCO) and haem-peroxidase enzymes were identified in active fractions. T-RFLP profiles and cluster analysis indicates that organisms and bacte- rial communities capable of oxidizing Mn(II) can be sourced from the Columbia River estuary and near- shore coastal ocean. These organisms are producing up to 10 fM MnO2 cell -1 day -1 . Evidence for the pres- ence of Mn(II)-oxidizing bacterial isolates from the genera Aurantimonas, Rhodobacter, Bacillus and Shewanella was found in T-RFLP profiles. Specific Q-PCR probes were designed to target potential homologues of the Aurantimonas manganese oxidiz- ing peroxidase (Mop). By comparing total Mop homo- logues, Aurantimonas SSU rRNA and total bacterial SSU rRNA gene copies, it appears that Aurantimonas can only account for ~1.7% of the peroxidase genes quantified. Under the broad assumption that at least some of the peroxidase homologues quantified are involved in manganese oxidation, it is possible that other organisms oxidize manganese via peroxidases.
Voyager Neptune Telemetry: The Voyager Telemetry System

The features of the Voyager telemetry system are described. Link improvements that have been made for the Neptune encounter are summarized. The ground-receiving aperture and the line margins are discussed.
The Design of a Parallel Adaptive Multi-level Code in Fortran 90

Software for the solution of partial differential equations using adaptive refinement, multi-level solvers and parallel processing is complicated and requires careful design. This paper describes the design of such a code, PHAML. PHAML is written in Fortran 90 and makes extensive use of advanced Fortran 90 features, such as modules, optional arguments and dynamic memory, to provide a clean object-oriented design with a simple user interface.
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF LIKE-SEX TWINS IN THE U.S.

Between 1968 and 1970, 3441 preschool children were included in a national study of nutritional status based on a probability sample drawn by the Univ. of Michigan Survey Research Center. The purpose of this report is to comment on the geographic distribution of 29 like-sex twin pairs, 17 of which were female-female. From radiographs (metacarpal-phalangeal profile patterns), anthropometry, biochemical determinations and correspondence with families, it appeared that nearly half the like-sex twins were identical. Altogether, 90% of like-sex twin pairs (26) lived in the northern half of the country (above latitude 37.5°) although only 55% of the study population lived in the northern half of the country. Further analysis of data suggested some relation between frequency of like-sex twinning and altitude. Only 7.5% of the study population resided at elevations greater than 900 meters above sea level but it accounted for 40% (12 pairs) of like-sex twins. Four pairs of like-sex twins (3 F-F and 1 M-M) were encountered in one California county at an elevation of 2000 meters.
Anarchy and the condition of contemporary humanism

If by anarchy one understands a state of human affairs lacking canons of validity, lacking foundational rules of conduct and lacking universal order, then the culture of our time -its literature, science, politics and philosophy- is in a state of anarchy
An Adaptive-Transmission Cross-Layer Protocol with Selective MAC Layer Spatial Reuse Capabilities for Ad Hoc Networks

This paper explores the interaction between medium access control (MAC) techniques such as selective node silencing with physical-layer adaptive techniques such as spreading adaptation for direct-sequence spread-spectrum packet radio networks. Because this type of network shares a spatial resource, interaction between adaptive mechanisms at each radio must be considered in concert to derive optimal system parameters and modes of operation. This paper explores how MAC techniques can be employed to enhance previously suggested adaptive physical layer techniques. We propose and evaluate a distributed-heuristic, cross-layer protocol to govern efficient use of spatial resources based on specific physical layer measurements. We compare our proposed protocol to standard protocol approaches for this type of network using various measures to test network performance. The benefits of protocols which integrate the MAC protocol with higher layers are also considered.
Angle-contingent color aftereffects.

Abstract Visual aftereffects of color, contingent on the stimulus pattern, provide evidence that anglecontingent aftereffects may be mediated by broadly tuned mechanisms different from those which mediate line orientation. Angle-contingent aftereffects generalize to test patterns made up of curves, and curvaturecontingent aftereffects generalize to angles. Some characteristics of angle-contingent aftereffects can be explained by a neural substrate with characteristics like those that have been reported for higher-order hypercomplex cells in the visual cortex.
A Demonstrably Optimum One Dimensional Journal Bearing

By the use of a new variational technique, the bearing profile which maximizes the load carrying capacity of an infinite length journal bearing is obtained. The lubricant is assumed to be incompressible and of constant viscosity. The flow is assumed to be laminar and the optimization is based upon a minimum film thickness. The solution obtained is a concentric step bearing with a film thickness ratio of 1.812 and a ridge to pad ratio of 0.328. It is mathematically shown by the use of the “nonlocal” formulation that this step profile does yield a maximum among all profiles sufficiently “close.”
Learning user interest dynamics with a three-descriptor representation

Learning users' interest categories is challenging in a dynamic environment like the Web because they change over time. This article describes a novel scheme to represent a user's interest categories, and an adaptive algorithm to learn the dynamics of the user's interests through positive and negative relevance feedback. We propose a three-descriptor model to represent a user's interests. The proposed model maintains a long-term interest descriptor to capture the user's general interests and a short-term interest descriptor to keep track of the user's more recent, faster-changing interests. An algorithm based on the three-descriptor representation is developed to acquire high accuracy of recognition for long-term interests, and to adapt quickly to changing interests in the short-term. The model is also extended to multiple three-descriptor representations to capture a broader range of interests. Empirical studies confirm the effectiveness of this scheme to accurately model a user's interests and to adapt appropriately to various levels of changes in the user's interests.
An empirically based model of the electrically evoked compound action potential.

Abstract The relationship between electrically evoked single-fiber action potentials and the electrically evoked compound action potential of the auditory nerve is of interest to those attempting to model such responses with computational techniques. It also relates to efforts to exploit the gross potentials that can now be recorded by some implantable cochlear prostheses. In this paper, we develop a computational model of the auditory nerve response to single, pulsatile, electrical stimuli based upon the response characteristics obtained from 230 single fibers of 13 cats. These fibers were stimulated by brief (39 μs) monophasic cathodic stimuli delivered by a monopolar intracochlear electrode. The data were pooled to obtain an estimate of the distribution of fiber thresholds. Post-stimulus time histograms were modeled using Poisson functions and adjusted to account for empirically determined latency and jitter characteristics. The probabilistic nature of single-fiber input-output functions (i.e. Verveen’s (1961) ‘relative spread’) was also modelled. PST histograms from 5000 modelled fibers were then summed and convolved with an estimated ‘unit potential’ following the method of Goldstein and Kiang (1958). This convolution produced modelled compound action potentials, which were then compared with experimentally obtained data. Manipulations of model parameters affecting threshold, jitter, and relative spread suggest that the most important determinant of the shape of the EAP amplitude-level function is the threshold distribution. A model based solely on threshold distribution produces an EAP input-output function similar to one that accounts for probabilistic single-fiber input-output functions. Discrepancies between these two models do occur if the threshold distribution function is compressed significantly, as might be the case in pathological cochleae with altered distributions or numbers of nerve fibers.
Pedestrian deaths in Rio de Janeiro and Baltimore

Pedestrian fatalities in the cities of Baltimore (U.S.) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) were studied using medical examiner data. The population-based death rate for Rio was about four times the rate for Baltimore. The difference reflected extremely high death rates in Rio among sober adults of working age. In Baltimore, 72% of the fatally injured pedestrians were either younger than 10 years old or older than 64, or had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.10% by weight or greater. In Rio, only 28% were similarly youthful, aged, or impaired by alcohol.
A Higher-Order Theory for Plane Stress Conditions of Laminates Consisting of Isotropic Layers

In this paper, a higher-order theory is derived for laminates consisting of isotropic layers, on the basis of three-dimensional elasticity with displacements as higher-order functions of in the thickness direction. The theory employs three stress potentials, Ψ (an Airy function), p (a harmonic function), and its conjugate q, to satisfy all conditions of stress equilibrium and compatibility. Interlaminar shear stresses, i.e., antiplane stresses, are shown to be present at the interfaces, especially near material discontinuities where gradients of in-plane stresses are usually high. For illustrating its practical application, the problem of a plate containing a hole patched with an intact plate is solved.
Vitrification of radioactive waste by reaction sintering under pressure

Abstract Silicate nuclear waste glasses were synthesized by reaction sintering of powdered precursors under pressure. The glass samples contained a glass matrix phase with embedded zirconia (baddeleyite) particles. A waste composition with 38 wt% of ZrO 2 was prepared with a waste loading of 30–50 wt% at 800°C and 28 MPa, by hot isostatic pressing. The glass former was commercial amorphous silica powder to which simulated waste was added as calcined oxides. Phase compositions and microstructure of the sintered glass samples were characterized using scanning and analytical electron microscopy. The results show that extensive sintering took place and that a continuous glass phase was formed, particularly at higher waste loading. Waste components such as Na 2 O, CaO, MnO 2 , La 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , Cr 2 O 3 , and P 2 O 5 dissolved completely in the glass phase. ZrO 2 was also dissolved but recrystallized from the glass as aggregates of baddeleyite crystallites surrounding the original silica particles. MCC-1 type chemical durability tests showed that the glasses are durable with dissolution rates similar to or lower than that of the highly durable French R7T7 borosilicate glass. This glass contains 13 wt% high-level radioactive waste from light water reactor fuel reprocessing and has a melting temperature of 1150°C. The long-term chemical durability of our sintered glasses is expected to be as high as that of rhyolitic glasses, based on hydration energies of 3.7 and 3.3 kJ/mole, respectively. Rhyolitic glasses show little alteration over geological periods of time with a typical corrosion rate of 1 μm/1000 yr.
Model Scaling of Ocean Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Systems

Numerical simulations are performed to validate a nondimensional dynamic scaling procedure that can be applied to subsurface and deeply moored systems, such as hydrokinetic ocean renewable energy devices. The prototype systems are moored in water 400 m deep and include: subsurface spherical buoys moored in a shear current and excited by waves; a subsurface ocean current turbine excited by waves; and a deeply submerged spherical buoy in a shear current excited by strong current fluctuations. The corresponding model systems, which are scaled based on relative water depths of 10 and 40 m, are also studied. For each case examined, the response of the model system closely matches the scaled response of the corresponding full-sized prototype system. The results suggest that laboratory-scale experimentation of complete ocean current renewable energy systems moored in a current is possible.
Rapid scene perception with tragic consequences: observers miss perceiving vulnerable road users, especially in crowded traffic scenes

How does scene complexity influence the detection of expected and appropriate objects within the scene? Traffic research has indicated that vulnerable road users (VRUs: pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists) are sometimes not perceived, despite being expected. Models of scene perception emphasize competition for limited neural resources in early perception, predicting that an object can be missed during quick glances because other objects win the competition to be individuated and consciously perceived. We used pictures of traffic scenes and manipulated complexity by inserting or removing vehicles near a to-be-detected VRU (crowding). The observers’ sole task was to detect a VRU in the laterally presented pictures. Strong bias effects occurred, especially when the VRU was crowded by other nearby vehicles: Observers failed to detect the VRU (high miss rates), while making relatively few false alarm errors. Miss rates were as high as 65% for pedestrians. The results indicated that scene context can interfere with the perception of expected objects when scene complexity is high. Because urbanization has greatly increased scene complexity, these results have important implications for public safety.
Velocity Spectra of Vortices Scanned with a Pulse-Doppler Radar

Abstract Doppler velocity spectra of a combined Rankine model vortex are computed by assuming a Gaussian antenna pattern, various vortex sizes, pulse volume depths, and reflectivity profiles. Both very narrow and very broad antenna beamwidths may produce bimodal spectra. Most often, the theoretically derived spectra exhibit a rapid power decrease for spectral components near maximum velocity which agrees with an experimental observation previously reported. In spring 1973, NSSL's 10 cm, high-resolution Doppler radar scanned the vicinity of a large tornado that devastated Union City, Okla. Digital radar samples were recorded and Fourier-analyzed to derive power spectra for sample volumes spaced about the vortex location. Power spectra were examined for white noise type signatures that indicated vortex rotation contained within the radar sample volume. Spectra were simulated using radar and tornado cyclone parameters matched to those existing during the observations to determine spectral features for compar...
Mutation of an N-terminal acidic-rich region of p115-RhoGEF dissociates α13 binding and α13-promoted plasma membrane recruitment

The Ras homology (Rho) guanine nucleotide exchange factor p115-RhoGEF couples the α13 heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein) subunit to Rho GTPase. α13 binds to a regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) domain in p115-RhoGEF, but the mechanism of α13 activation of p115-RhoGEF is poorly understood. In this report, we demonstrate in cell-based assays that the acidic-rich N-terminus, adjacent to the RGS domain, is required for binding to activated α13, and refine the importance of this region by showing that mutation of glutamic acids 27 and 29 in full-length p115-RhoGEF is sufficient to prevent interaction with activated α13. However, α13-interacting deficient N-terminal mutants of p115-RhoGEF retain α13-dependent plasma membrane recruitment. Overall, these findings demonstrate a critical role for the N-terminal extension of p115-RhoGEF in mediating binding to α13 and dissociate two activities of p115-RhoGEF: binding to activated α13 and translocation to the PM in response to activated α13.
Synthesis and characterization of some new complexes of the Vaska-type trans-[IrX(CO)L2] (XCl or I; L=phosphite, phosphinite or phosphonite) and the direction of dihydrogen addition to these species

Abstract A series of new Vaska-type complexes trans -[IrX(CO)L 2 ] (XCl, LP(OEt)Ph 2 ( 1 ), P(OEt) 2 Ph ( 2 ), P(O- o -C 6 H 4 Ph) 3 ( 3 ), P(OPr i ) 3 ( 4 ), P(OBu n ) 3 ( 5 ); XI, LP(OEt)Ph 2 ( 6 ), P(OEt) 2 Ph ( 7 ), P(O- o -C 6 H 4 Ph) 3 ( 8 ), P(OBu n ) 3 ( 9 ) are prepared and characterized. In solution complex 8 undergoes slow cyclometallation to give [IrHI(CO){P(O- o -C 6 H 3 Ph)(O- o -C 6 H 4 Ph) 2 } {P(O- o -C 6 H 4 Ph) 3 }] ( 10 ). The oxidative addition of H 2 to 1–9 occurs stereospecifically with cis addition of H 2 parallel to the XIrCO axis rather than perpendicular to the axis, leading to cis , trans -[IrH 2 X(CO)L 2 ] with a trans disposition of the two L ligands. This direction of H 2 addition is not in agreement with a prior suggestion based on ab initio quantum chemical calculations.
Sperm Mobility: Deduction of a Model Explaining Phenotypic Variation in Roosters (Gallus domesticus)

In previous work, variation in sperm mobility phenotype was attributed to the proportion of ejaculated fowl sperm containing dysfunctional mitochondria. In the present work, latent mitochondrial dysfunction was inferred from patterns of sperm egress from the oviduct's sperm-storage tubules. In addition, experiments were performed to help explain how mitochondrial function could be compromised in viable sperm cells. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that sperm Ca2+ content differed between low and high sperm-mobility phenotypes when sperm were stained with rhod-2 AM, a Ca2+ -specific dye. Fluorescence was associated with the nuclear envelope, a variant of the endoplasmic reticulum, and greater fluorescence was observed in sperm from low sperm-mobility males. Fluorescence was reduced by 50% when motile sperm were rendered immotile by incubation with a Ca2+ chelator. Thus, a relationship was established between a dynamic intracellular Ca2+ pool and sperm motility. Sperm N-methy-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors were inferred by the action of D-homocysteinesulfinic acid, a potent NMDA receptor agonist. Seminal plasma from low sperm mobility males was characterized by an elevated glutamate concentration. Thapsigargin, which inhibits the smooth endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump and thereby promotes Ca2+ efflux, rendered sperm immotile. This effect was blocked by cyclosporin A, which prevents the formation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP) in response to elevated mitochondrial Ca2+ content. In summary, we propose that 1) glutamate enables Ca2+ uptake into sperm before ejaculation, 2) excessive Ca2+ uptake triggers formation of the PTP in a subpopulation of sperm, and 3) sperm mobility is decreased in proportion.
Purification and characterization of lens specific calpain (Lp82) from bovine lens.

Ubiquitous type m-calpain and lens specific Lp82 calpain were separated and partially purified from fetal bovine lens and the enzymatic characteristics were compared. Lens m-calpain required 200 microM calcium for 1/2 maximal activity, while Lp82 required 30 microM. Both types of calpains were inhibited by 0.1 mM E64, and 5 mM iodoacetamide, but not by 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. Lp82 was insensitive to 1 microM calpastatin peptide while m-calpain was effectively inhibited. In the presence of calcium, m-calpain lost most of its activity within 2 hr, while Lp82 was continually active for 18 hr. Both calpains cleaved the natural substrates betaA3 and alphaB crystallins in a similar manner. However, incubation of alphaA crystallin with m-calpain removed ten amino acid residues from its C-terminus, while incubation with Lp82 removed only five residues. The latter truncation product of alphaA was also found in vivo. These data suggested that Lp82 may have a more important role than m-calpain in modification of crystallins during lens maturation.
Children with Hearing Loss: Developing Listening and Talking, Birth to Six

Children with Hearing Loss: Developing Listening and Talking, Birth to Six Elizabeth B. Cole and Carol Flexer ISBN-13: 978-1-59756-1587-7 (paperback) ISBN-10: 1-59756-1584-4 (paperback) Plural Publ...
Fixative composition alters distributions of immunoreactivity for glutaminase and two markers of nociceptive neurons, Nav1.8 and TRPV1, in the rat dorsal root ganglion.

Most, if not all, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons use the neurotransmitter glutamate. There are, however, conflicting reports of the percentages of DRG neurons that express glutaminase (GLS), the enzyme that synthesizes glutamate, ranging from 30% to 100% of DRG neurons. Defining DRG neuron populations by the expression of proteins like GLS, which indicates function, is routinely accomplished with immunolabeling techniques. Proper characterization of DRG neuron populations relies on accurate detection of such antigens. It is known intuitively that fixation can alter immunoreactivity (IR). In this study, we compared the effects of five formaldehyde concentrations between 0.25% and 4.0% (w/v) and five picric acid concentrations between 0.0% and 0.8% (w/v) on the IR of GLS, the voltage-gated sodium channel 1.8 (Nav1.8), and the capsaicin receptor TRPV1. We also compared the effects of five incubation time lengths from 2 to 192 hr, in primary antiserum on IR. Lowering formaldehyde concentration elevated IR for all three antigens, while raising picric acid concentration increased Nav1.8 and TRPV1 IR. Increasing IR improved detection sensitivity, which led to higher percentages of labeled DRG neurons. By selecting fixation conditions that optimized IR, we found that all DRG neurons express GLS, 69% of neurons express Nav1.8, and 77% of neurons express TRPV1, indicating that some previous studies may have underestimated the percentages of DRG neurons expressing these proteins. This manuscript contains online supplemental material at http://www.jhc.org. Please visit this article online to view these materials. (J Histochem Cytochem 58:329–344, 2010)
Mean field variational inference using bregman ADMM for distributed camera network

Bayesian models provide a framework for probabilistic modelling of complex datasets. However, many of such models are computationally demanding especially in the presence of large datasets. On the other hand, in sensor network applications, statistical (Bayesian) parameter estimation usually needs distributed algorithms, in which both data and computation are distributed across the nodes of the network. In this paper we propose a general framework for distributed Bayesian learning using Bregman Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (B-ADMM). We demonstrate the utility of our framework, with Mean Field Variational Bayes (MFVB) as the primitive for distributed affine structure from motion (SfM).
Distinct graft-versus-leukemic stem cell effects of early or delayed donor leukocyte infusions in a mouse chronic myeloid leukemia model

Among hematologic neoplasms, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is exquisitely sensitive to graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) because patients relapsing after allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (alloHSCT) can be cured by donor leukocyte infusion (DLI); however, the cellular mechanisms and strategies to separate GVL from GVHD are unclear. We used a BCR-ABL1 transduction/transplantation mouse model to study the mechanisms of DLI in MHC-matched, minor histocompatibility antigen-mismatched allogeneic chimeras with CML-like leukemia, in which DLI can be administered at the time of transplantation (early) or after recovery of hematopoiesis (delayed). After early DLI, CML-like leukemia cannot be transferred into immunocompetent secondary recipients as soon as 4 days after primary transplantation, demonstrating that cotransplantation of T lymphocytes blocks the engraftment of BCR-ABL1-transduced stem cells. In contrast, in allogeneic chimeras with established CML-like leukemia, combined treatment with delayed DLI and the kinase inhibitor imatinib eradicates leukemia with minimal GVHD. The GVL effect is directed against minor histocompatibility antigens shared by normal and leukemic stem cells, and is mediated predominantly by CD8+ T cells, with minor contributions from CD5- splenocytes, including natural killer cells. These results define a physiologic model of adoptive immunotherapy of CML that will be useful for investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms of GVL.
Phase-offset multiplanar (POMP) volume imaging: A new technique

Phase-offset multiplanar (POMP) imaging is a technique that excites several sections simultaneously for improved imaging efficiency. The centers of the reconstructed images from each of the POMP sections are offset from each other in the phase-encoding direction by means of view-dependent phase modulation of the radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulses and are placed adjacent to each other in the reconstruction. With a suitable reconstruction matrix size, the images can be made nonoverlapping and stored separately. At constant imaging time, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and resolution, POMP imaging produces a factor In: Book of abstracts: Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine In: Book of abstracts: Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Np more sections than a conventinal sequence but with a reduced field of view. Alternatively, imaging time may be invreased by the factor Np to retain the same field of view but with the expected S/N advantage. The average RF power deposited by the 90° composite RF pulse is greater by the factor Np, but the power for the 180° pulse is unchanged. The POMP method is discussed and compared with three-dimensional and Hadamard techniques.
Transcriptional and ERK1/2-Dependent Synergistic Upregulation of p21cip1/waf1 Associated with Steel Factor Synergy in MO7e

Steel factor (SLF) plus GM-CSF induces proliferative synergy in myeloid progenitors and factor-dependent cell line MO7e. We previously reported that the protein level of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21cip1/waf1 (p21) increased synergistically when MO7e cells were stimulated with SLF plus GM-CSF and that p21 induction was required for SLF synergistic responses. Here we show that this p21 induction is regulated at the transcriptional level. Based on use of a multiprobe RNase protection assay, the synergistic increase of p21 mRNA was unique among many cell cycle regulators. While STAT5A and 5B were activated after stimulation with GM-CSF alone or SLF plus GM-CSF, there was no difference in activation between the groups. p44/42 MAP kinase (ERK1/2) was synergistically activated by SLF plus GM-CSF, but SAPK/JNK and p38 MAP kinase were not. Synergistic induction of p21 was significantly decreased with a MEK1 inhibitor, suggesting that the ERK1/2 pathway is involved in the synergistic increase of p21 after GM-CSF plus SLF stimulation.
A new interpretation of the fundamental exciton region in LiF

Abstract We have reanalyzed LiF optical data between 12 and 15 eV. We show that the conductivity spectrum can be fitted using effective mass theory for excitons with asymmetric Lorentzian lineshapes. We find the band gap is about 14.5 eV. The determination of the effective rydberg is not accurate enough to give the short-range correction to the hydrogenic energy for the n =1 state.
Laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis versus in vitro fertilization: cost-based decision analysis

Objective Regret after tubal ligation continues to be a problem. After tubal ligation, couples have the option of tubal surgery or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Study Design Using decision analysis techniques, we compared cost-effectiveness of tubal reanastomosis by tubal type vs tubal surgery or in vitro fertilization (IVF) for 3 separate age groups of women: 40 years of age. Tubal techniques was divided into type A, those with more favorable prognosis because of the likelihood of having a more significant length tube at time of reanastomosis and type B, those with a worse prognosis of success. We incorporated delivery costs to address the impact of high order multiples in IVF. Data were extracted by studies available in the literature. All costs were adjusted to 2012 US dollars. One-way and 2-way sensitivity analyses were performed. Results The laparoscopic reanastomosis of type A dominated the other groups, because it was more effective and less costly then type B and IVF. However, when women were >40 years old with a history of type B, IVF was favored when its costs were at the lower limit. Conclusion The most cost-effective choice for a woman desiring pregnancy after tubal ligation is laparoscopic reanastomosis after a prior clip or ring tubal ligation for women ≤40 years old. It is also the most cost-effective for the oldest cohort, assuming IVF costs are greater than $4500.
Indeterminate Melanocytic Proliferations of the Conjunctiva

Objective To test the hypothesis that a subset of conjunctival melanocytic proliferations exists that cannot be reproducibly classified as benign, malignant, or indeterminate. Methods Three groups of excisional biopsy specimens of conjunctival melanocytic proliferations were evaluated by a panel of 5 ophthalmic pathologists. These groups included lesions that we considered to represent benign (group 1 [n=5]), malignant (group 2 [n=5]), and indeterminate melanocytic proliferations (group 3 [n=5]). The panel classified the same sections in all 3 groups in a randomized, masked fashion, first without and then with a clinical history of patient age, sex, and race. The κ statistic was used to quantify the degree of agreement among observers. Results There was strong concordance among the panel members for both group 1 (benign [κ=0.76]) and group 2 (malignant [κ=0.70]) melanocytic proliferations. There was no concordance of the panel for group 3 (indeterminate) lesions (κ=−0.045). The concordance for groups 1 and 2 and lack of concordance for group 3 lesions were independent of knowledge of clinical history of age, sex, and race. Conclusion A subset of melanocytic proliferations of the conjunctiva exists that cannot be reproducibly classified by pathologists as benign, malignant, or indeterminate.
Enzymatic isomerization kinetics of D-glucose to D-fructose

Abstract An investigation into the kinetics of the enzymatic isomerization of D-glucose to D-fructose, employing spectrophotometric techniques, is described. It is shown that the free solution enzymatic catalytic reaction is coupled with the two mutarotation reactions of D-glucose (α, β-D-glucopyranose simple mutarotation) and D-fructose (α, β-D-fructopyranose mutarotation and interconversion with α, β-D-fructofuranose mutarotation). Plausible reaction schemes are suggested and two simplified cases are employed to intarpret the data. Experimental evidence presented herein and previously reported by Schray and Rose appear to indicate that the isomerase is stereospecific to α-D-glucopyranose. The enzymatic interconversion follows Michaelis—Menten kinetics and values of the rate coefficients are presented. Arrhenius temperature dependency is indicated for all rate constants over the temperature range 50 – 80 °C, and energies of activation values are reported.
Phase separation in the size-asymmetric primitive model

For the class of size-asymmetric primitive models (SAPM) of binary electrolyte solutions (models comprising equal numbers of positively and negatively charged hard-spheres of different diameter) we examine the dependence of the liquid-liquid coexistence line as the degree of size-asymmetry between cations and anions is varied. The asymmetry is measured by the ratio ω of the diameters of the cationic and anionic species. The phase diagram for liquid-liquid equilibria is calculated under a modified Bjerrum theory, in which the electrolyte solution is represented as a mixture of free ions and (cation-anion) ion-pairs. More specifically, we have extended to the SAPM model the theory of Ebeling and Grigo originally formulated for the restricted primitive model (RPM). Several schemes for estimating the association constant for ion-pair formation are considered. We find that the features of the coexistence line are very sensitive with respect to ω, with the critical temperature, the critical density, and the width of the coexistence line increasing as the asymmetry of the SAPM model increases. We also report results for the critical parameters of the RPM calculated under the associative-mean spherical approximation; these values serve to gauge the limitations of the simpler Ebeling-Grigo theory.
Binocular properties of lateral suprasylvian cortex are not affected by neonatal corpus callosum section

The lateral suprasylvian cortex (LS) was physiologically examined in cats with neonatal section of the posterior corpus callosum (CC) at 2 or 3 weeks after birth. All receptive field properties of the LS cells, including ocular dominance, were found to be normal, despite a reduction in binocular activation in area 17 in the 2 week CC cats. Therefore, binocular activation of LS cells is not dependent on callosal input at any age, nor is it dependent on normal levels of binocular activation of striate cortex.
Present Status of Anticoagulant Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction

CONCLUSION Anticoagulants, like other drugs, should be used only under certain well-defined circumstances. In acute myocardial infarction, the initial clinical appearance of the patient, irrespective of age, constitutes the best index to his future course and the deciding factor regarding the need for anticoagulants. The physician's knowledge of the life history of this disease and of the limitations and dangers of thromboprophylactic therapy has progressed sufficiently to warrent individual selection of cases for treatment on the basis of established clinical criteria.
Pattern analysis of cortical evoked potential parameters during attention changes

Five cats were trained to perform a discriminative operant to electrical stimulation of the lateral olfactory tract. The criterion for attentiveness to the electrical stimulus was operationally defined as the one-second interval preceding the bar press. Evoked potentials from the prepyriform cortex were averaged over these one-second intervals (AEP). AEP's were similarly obtained during the one-second interval post-bar press and during the one-second interval beginning at the onset of lapping. AEP parameters were transformed into the constants V . T2 . K2 . o derived from a mathematical feedback model of the cortex. The pattern of change in these parameters was determined as the cats went from one state to another. The electrographic change that characterized an increase in selective attention to the olfactory discriminant (electrical stimulation) was “-o”, decreased phase of onset of the AEP. Increased vigilance to either an olfactory or visual discriminant was correlated with the pattern “+T2 . +K2”, representing a decrease in frequency and decay rate of AEP. The behavioral change from a pre-lapping to an onset-of-lapping state was accompanied by “+V”, an increase in the initial amplitude of the AEP.
Early Man Site Found in Highland Ecuador

Field investigations in Ecuador have produced archeological evidence for the occupation of the northern Andes by early nomadic hunters. Surface collections and test excavations have demonstrated a complex of stone tools with typological relationships to level I at Fell's Cave in southern Chile, and technological relationships to the late Pleistocene "fluted point" complexes of North America. The date of these materials is estimated at 7000 to 8000 B.C.
Silencing Viral Infection

The authors describe recent progress and obstacles to harnessing RNA interference to prevent or treat viral infection.
Prebiotic synthesis of histidyl-histidine

Histidyl-histidine (His-His) has been synthesized in a yield of up to 14.4% under plausible prebiotic conditions using histidine (His), cyanamide, and 4-amino-5-imidazole carboxamide. A trace amount of His trimer was also detected. Because the imidazole group of His is involved in a number of important enzymatic reactions, and His-His has been shown to catalyze the prebiotic synthesis of glycyl-glycine, we expect this work will stimulate further studies on the catalytic activities of simple His-containing peptides in prebiotic reactions.
Distributed Parse Mining

We describe the design and implementation of a system for data exploration over dependency parses and derived semantic representations in a large-scale NLP-based search system at powerset.com. Because of the distributed nature of the document repository and the processing infrastructure, and also the complex representations of the corpus data, standard text analysis tools such as grep or awk or language modeling toolkits are not applicable. This paper explores the challenges of extracting statistical information and of building language models in such a distributed NLP environment, and introduces a corpus analysis system, Oceanography, that simplifies the writing of analysis code and transparently takes advantage of existing distributed processing infrastructure.
Short-term decision support system for maintenance task prioritization

Abstract Maintenance operations have a direct influence on production performance in manufacturing systems. Short-term production analysis is imperative to enable manufacturing operations to optimally respond to dynamic changes in the system behavior. However, most of the conventional decision support systems for production and maintenance focus on long-term statistic analysis, which is usually not applicable to a short-term period. Maintenance task prioritization is crucial and important for short-term analysis to reduce unnecessary or improper maintenance activities, especially when availability of maintenance resources is limited. The existing methods for maintenance priority assignment are often through heuristic methods or experience, which could cause unscheduled downtime and production losses. In this paper, a short-term decision support system for maintenance task prioritization based on the system operating conditions is introduced. The impact factor for priority assignment is obtained theoretically. A case study based on the simulation of an automotive assembly line illustrates that the proposed short-term system improves the system performance with a lower cost than the long-term method.