cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Oxygen Precipitation during the Czochralski Crystal Growth

An unusual pattern of the Oxidation Induced Stacking Faults (OISF) in the heavily boron-doped silicon is reported. Instead of the commonly reported simple OISF ring, we observe a banded OISF pattern. The pattern reflects the distribution of residual vacancies as it is described by Voronkov and Falster [J. Crystal Growth 204 (1999) 462]. We show that the oxygen precipitates in the L- and H- bands grow to an abnormally large size during the crystal growth and which serve as the OISF nuclei during subsequent wafer oxidation. It is concluded that a combination of the high boron, oxygen and vacancy concentration is responsible for the enhanced oxygen precipitation during the crystal growth.
Life-Threatening Malfunction of Implantable Cardiac Devices

Drs. Robert Myerburg, David Feigal, and Bruce Lindsay write that industry should work collaboratively with physicians, professional societies, patient representatives, and regulatory agencies to establish reasonable standards and guidelines for the device industry to follow.
Microwave enhanced reaction kinetics in ceramics

&p.1: Numerous observations have been reported in the literature of enhanced mass transport and solid-state reaction rates during microwave heating or processing of a variety of ceramic, glass, and polymer materials. These empirical observations of microwave enhancements have been broadly called the “microwave effect”. In the past, these claims have been the source of significant controversy, due in part to the lack of a credible and verifiable theoretical explanation. Moreover, certain notable microwave heating experiments have failed to observe any resolvable reaction or transport rate enhancements. This paper describes a series of recent experimental and numerical investigations that have established the fact that strong microwave electric fields induce a (previously unknown) nonlinear driving force for (ionic) mass transport near surfaces and structural interfaces (e.g., grain boundaries) in ceramic materials. This driving force can influence reaction kinetics by enhancing mass transport rates in heterogeneous solid-state reactions. Most of the previously reported observations regarding “microwave effects” (both for and against) are consistent with the characteristics of this newly identified microwave-induced driving force. &kwd: Microwave processing · Microwave effect · Ponderomotive force · Ionic transport · Nonthermal · Sintering&bdy:
Exactly well-balanced discontinuous Galerkin methods for the shallow water equations with moving water equilibrium

Hyperbolic conservation laws with source terms often admit steady state solutions where the fluxes and source terms balance each other. To capture this balance and near-equilibrium solutions, well-balanced methods have been introduced and performed well in many numerical tests. Shallow water equations have been extensively investigated as a prototype example. In this paper, we develop well-balanced discontinuous Galerkin methods for the shallow water system, which preserve not only the still water at rest steady state, but also the more general moving water equilibrium. The key idea is the recovery of well-balanced states, a special source term approximation, and the approximation of the numerical fluxes based on a generalized hydrostatic reconstruction. We also study the extension of the positivity-preserving limiter presented in [40] in this framework. Numerical examples are provided at the end to verify the well-balanced property and good resolution for smooth and discontinuous solutions.
Robust Adaptive OFDM with Diversity for Time-Varying Channels

The performance of an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) system can be significantly increased by using adaptive modulation and transmit diversity. An accurate estimate of the channel, however, is required at the transmitter to realize this benefit. Due to the time-varying nature of the channel, this estimate may be outdated by the time it is used for detection. This results in a mismatch between the actual channel and its estimate as seen by the transmitter. In this paper, we investigate adaptive OFDM with transmit and receive diversities, and evaluate the detrimental effects of this channel mismatch. We also describe a robust scheme based on using past estimates of the channel. We show that the effects of the mismatch can be significantly reduced with a combination of diversity and multiple channel estimates. In addition, to reduce the amount of feedback, the subband approach is introduced where a common channel estimate for a number of subcarriers is fedback to the transmitter, and the effect of this method on the achievable rate is analyzed.
The effect of steric bulk on coordination sphere geometry for BiCl3 complexes with bulky heterocyclic imidazolethione ligands

The synthesis and characterization of three new complexes, BiCl3(mipit)2, BiCl3(emit)2 and BiCl3 (mnpit) 2 are reported where emit = 1-ethyl-3-methyl-2(3H)-imidazolethione; mnpit = 1-methyl-3-(1-propyl)-2(3H)-imidazolethione; mipit = 1-methyl-3-(2-propyl)-2(3H)-imidazolethione. X-ray crystallographic results are reported for the mnpit and mipit complexes whereas the structure of the emit complex is under reinvestigation because of disorder. BiCl3(mnpit)2 crystallizes in a triclinic space group (P ) with lattice parameters: a = 9.4223(6) A, b = 10.6275(6) A, c = 12.8860(8) A, α = 108.329(1)°, β = 90.388(1)°, γ = 115.200(1)°, V = 1093(1) A3, Z = 2. BiCl3 (mipit) 2 crystallizes in a triclinic space group (P ) with lattice parameters: a = 10.4347(8) A, b = 11.0018(9) A, c = 11.2075(9) A, α = 95.827(1)°, β = 104.890(1)°, γ = 117.064(1)°, V = 1071(1) A3, Z = 2. Both complexes show the same pattern with two BiL2Cl4 (L = ligand) octahedra sharing a common edge through bridging chlorine atoms and the ligands occup...
Unemployment persistence under profit sharing

Abstract In a simple dynamic model with an employment externality generated by union bargaining, an increase in a mandated rate of profit sharing reduces not only the steady-state unemployment rate but also the persistence of unemployment out of steady state
ELECTROTHERMAL PROPULSION OF SPACECRAFT WITH MILLIMETER AND SUBMILLIMETER ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY.

The concept of millimeter and submillimeter wave electrothermal propulsion is considered. State-of-the-art radiation sources from 30-1000 GHz are examined to determine their applicability to electrothermal propulsion systems. The problem of energy conversion and power conditioning in this frequency range is also addressed. The potential advantage of utilizing power beaming with millimeter and submillimeter systems is examined. Finally, areas of future research and development are indicated.
Premature replication of late S period DNA regions in early S nuclei transferred to late S cytoplasm by fusion in Physarum polycephalum.

Fusion of a late S period plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum to an early S period plasmodium causes premature replication of late S replicating regions in the nuclei of the early S plasmodium. The extent of ahead-of-schedule replication of late S replicating regions in early S period nuclei increases to a plateau of 16–20% for fusions with 40–70 min of phase difference, then declines for larger phase differences. The stimulatory factors for late S replicative units are present only in late S plasmodia and appear to act only on late S regions. Once replicated, early S replicating regions are not stimulated to replicate again by fusion to a plasmodium entering the S period. Our data do not discriminate between anti-termination of replication by factors of stop sites on long replicons, and a sequential initiation of replication on new, possibly nonadjacent regions, but does provide evidence that the stimulatory factors are distinct from one another and specific for certain target replicative units.
Classical Transport in Disordered Media: Scaling and Effective-Medium Theories

Electrical conduction in resistor networks with all but a fraction $p$ of the resistors removed is studied as a paradigm of classical transport in disordered materials. A self-consistent effective-medium theory provides a quantitative description of the model, except in a small critical region, where the scaling law ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{\ensuremath{\propto}}{(p\ensuremath{-}{p}_{c})}^{\frac{8}{5}}$ is satisfied (in three dimensions), with ${p}_{c}$ the critical probability for bond percolation. It is also contrasted with a critical-path analysis recently developed for the study of hopping conduction.
Identification of an epitope in the C terminus of normal prion protein whose expression is modulated by binding events in the N terminus.

We have characterized the epitopes of a panel of 12 monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) directed to normal human cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) using ELISA and Western blotting of recombinant PrP or synthetic peptide fragments of PrP. The first group of antibodies, which is represented by Mabs 5B2 and 8B4, reacts with PrP(23-145), indicating that the epitopes for these Mabs are located in the 23 to 145 N-terminal region of human PrP. The second group includes Mabs 1A1, 6H3, 7A9, 8C6, 8H4, 9H7 and 2G8. These antibodies bind to epitopes localized within N-terminally truncated recombinant PrP(90-231). Finally, Mabs 5C3, 2C9 and 7A12 recognize both PrP(23-145) and PrP(90-231), suggesting that the epitopes for this group are located in the region encompassing residues 90 to 145. By Western blotting with PepSpot(TM), only three of Mabs studied (5B2, 8B4 and 2G8) bind to linear epitopes that are present in 13-residue long synthetic peptides corresponding to human PrP fragments. The remaining nine Mabs appear to recognize conformational epitopes. Two N terminus-specific Mabs were found to prevent the binding of the C terminus-specific Mab 6H3. This observation suggests that the unstructured N-terminal region may influence the local conformation within the folded C-terminal domain of prion protein.
Intermediate metabolism of electric tissue in relation to function. II. Comparison of glycolysis rates in organs of Electrophorus electricus.

Abstract The glycolytic activity of organs of Electrophorus electricus has been determined with different substrates and cofactors with the following results: 1. 1. Hexose monophosphates (G-1-P or G-6-P) are glycolyzed much more rapidly than HDP in main organ. 2. 2. Both of these substrates are glycolyzed at similar rates in organ of Sachs and in the several other tissues and organs tested. 3. 3. HDP is glycolyzed in electric organ at about a fifth the rate at which it is glycolyzed in other organs on a fresh weight basis, but at approximately the same rate on the basis of tissue nitrogen content. 4. 4. The glycolysis rates appear to be about the same in electric organ whether ADF or ATP is added and independent of the concentrations of these cofactors within the limits tested in the present experiments. 5. 5. Although hexokinase appears to be present in electric tissue, its concentration is so low that it determines the rate-limiting step when glucose is used as the substrate for glycolysis. 6. 6. An endogenous reaction which takes place in the absence of added substrate does not appear to be glycolysis.
Effect of Calcium and Calcium Antagonists on Phospholipid Secretion Induced by Lung Inflation in Newborn Rabbits

The effect of calcium and selected calcium antagonists on the lung phospholipid secretion associated with lung distension was examined in newborn rabbits. Lung distension was produced by saline lavage or air inflation in freshly killed pups. Calcium or calcium antagonists were added to the lavage solution. The fractional stimulation of secretion with 1.0 mM calcium was 1.94 ± 0.28 (p < 0.01), but ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) did not have the expected inhibitory effect. There was dose-related inhibition of phospholipid secretion induced by the calcium antagonist, lanthanum, the fractional recovery decreasing from 1.0 ± 0.23 at 10−5 molar, to 0.43 ± 0.19 at 0.5 X 10−4 molar, to 0.22 ± 0.03 at 10−4 molar and 0.19 ± 0.05 at 10−3 molar (p < 0.001). This inhibition was significantly reversed by the addition of 10 mM calcium. Although nifedipine and verapamil had no effect, nickel and cadmium also inhibited secretion. Therefore, it is likely that lanthanum acted as a calcium channel blocker, suggesting the importance of extracellular calcium. The observation that intense calcium chelation with ethylene glycol bisaminoethylether tetraacetic acid-bis-minophenoxyethane tetraacetic acid (EGTA-BAPTA) had a significant inhibitory effect, supports the conclusion that a superficial calcium pool in the plasma membrane may be an important stimulus for phospholipid secretion during lung distension. The inhibitory effect of neomycin, a drug known to displace superficial calcium, was consistent with this conclusion.
Geophysical evidence for the intersection of the St Paul, Cape Palmas and Grand Cess fracture zones with the continental margin of Liberia, West Africa

PUBLISHED reconstructions of Gondwana continent1 (Fig. la) show a gap in fit near the junction of the Americas and Africa. To study this critical area, the Unitedgeo I made geophysical measurements and collected rock samples across the continental margin of Liberia (USGS-IDOE cruise leg 5) in November 1971. Figure Ib indicates the location of the 5,400 km of ship track on a generalised bathymetric map2. We shall discuss the data in detail elsewhere. Here we present the evidence for the existence of three fracture zones, two of which have not been reported previously, intersecting the continental margin at the north end of the South Atlantic, which remained closed probably until Cretaceous time. We suggest that Precambrian structures on the African continent controlled the location of these fracture zones. Figure Ic compares gravity and magnetic profiles and interpretations of the seismic profiles for three selected lines (27, 30 and 34) crossing the Grand Cess, Cape Palmas and St Paul fracture zones, respectively.
Saturated Lipid Sources in Feeds for Sunshine Bass: Alterations in Production Performance and Tissue Fatty Acid Composition

Abstract Feeds rich in saturated (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) appear to maximize the retention of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) in the fillets of sunshine bass (female white bass Morone chrysops × male striped bass M. saxatilis). To determine whether different sources of SFA and MUFA have equivalent effects on tissue fatty acid (FA) profile change, coconut (CO) and palm oils(PO) were evaluated as partial and complete substitutes for fish oil (FO) in feeds for juvenile sunshine bass. After 8 weeks of culture, the production performance of all groups was within the acceptable range for sunshine bass; however, weight gain was significantly reduced within the 100%-CO group. Partial replacement of FO with CO or PO resulted in significant alteration of fillet FA profiles, and these changes were exacerbated in the complete-FO-replacement groups. The LC-PUFA were disproportionately enriched in the fillets of fish fed the reduced or FO-free feeds, whereas dietary surpluses of 12...
The Experiences of HIV-Positive Women Living in an African Village Perceptions of Voluntary Counseling and Testing Programs

Kenya has approximately 1.4 million adults infected with HIV/AIDS, with a national prevalence rate of approximately 7.4%. The majority of the Kenyan people have not participated in a Voluntary Coun...
John Kitsuse: An Appreciation

Soon after I was invited to contribute to this special issue on John Kitsuse, I looked at several of the comments that were already in hand. I realized that my experience of John was somewhat different from that of others. Except for one academic year in the early 1960s, John and I never served on the same faculty, and the Kitsuse and Erikson families never lived in the same place. So Joanna Erikson and I were only occasionally guests in those wondrous gatherings that others here speak of so fondly—I in Evanston in the earlier years when travel brought me to the Chicago area, and the two of us in Santa Cruz in later years. John’s and my friendship, then, was formed in visits we shared in each other’s home territories, in professional meetings, and in travels we undertook together. In those early years when money was tight, we often shared accommodations at meetings of the American Sociological Association and regional societies, and even during the year when both families were resident in Atlanta, he and I seemed to spend a lot of time on the road. The notes I made to myself when I was pondering what to write here are alive with occasions and exchanges, of things said and things done, of anecdotes and stories. They all seem telling to me, although, looking back, I’m not at all sure what truth I think they tell. My notes speak of dining in New Orleans, of a journey across New England and upstate New York to lecture at a college neither of us knew anything about, of missing a flight in Austin, of John and Keith, our oldest child, carving a pumpkin for Holloween, of visits to Santa Cruz, of . . . well, of this and that. I won’t go into any of that, but I will ask your indulgence for a story that took on a new significance for me lately. One evening in the year the Kitsuses and Eriksons were living in Atlanta, 1964, John and I and a group of six or eight colleagues went out on the town to celebrate the upcoming wedding of one of us. He was African American. When it came to age and gender, our gathering was male and relatively young. When it came to ethnicity and race, however, we were a motley crew. We Am Soc (2009) 40:33–35 DOI 10.1007/s12108-009-9064-3
Physician assisted suicide and the Supreme Court: putting the constitutional claim to rest

Like the debate about many controversial questions of ethics and medical care in America, public debate about physician assisted suicide became focused on questions of constitutional law. On June 26, 1997, the United States Supreme Court unanimously rejected any constitutional right of terminally ill patients to physician assisted suicide. An analysis of the Court's reasoning reveals that its decisions resolved only a narrow constitutional question that affects relatively few people--mentally competent, terminally ill patients who wish to hasten their imminent deaths by having a physician prescribe medication that they intend to use to commit suicide. Although suicide is not a crime, states remain free to prohibit assisted suicide. One consequence of the Court's decisions may be renewed debate on state laws. A more productive result would be to address the broader public health concerns that gave rise to support for physician assisted suicide--inadequate care for the terminally ill and prevention of suicide.
Marine corrosion protective coatings of hexagonal boron nitride thin films on stainless steel.

Recently, two-dimensional, layered materials such as graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have been identified as interesting materials for a range of applications. Here, we demonstrate the corrosion prevention applications of h-BN in marine coatings. The performance of h-BN/polymer hybrid coatings, applied on stainless steel, were evaluated using electrochemical techniques in simulated seawater media [marine media]. h-BN/polymer coating shows an efficient corrosion protection with a low corrosion current density of 5.14 × 10–8 A/cm2 and corrosion rate of 1.19 × 10–3 mm/year and it is attributed to the hydrofobic, inert and dielectric nature of boron nitride. The results indicated that the stainless steel with coatings exhibited improved corrosion resistance. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic analysis were used to propose a mechanism for the increased corrosion resistance of h-BN coatings.
Initial experience with FK506 (Tacrolimus) in pediatric renal transplant recipients

Abstract Purpose: The efficacy and safety of the new immunosuppressant agent, FK506 (tacrolimus), was assessed in pediatric renal transplant recipients over a mean 12-month follow-up period. Methods: Twenty pediatric renal transplant recipients received oral FK506 therapy (0.3 mg/kg/d) in combination with azathioprine (1 to 2 mg/kg/d) and lowdose prednisone as primary therapy (n = 11) or were converted from cyclosporine-based therapy (n = 9) for complications including cyclosporine toxicity (n = 2), acute refractory rejection (n = 4), and chronic rejection (n = 3). Patients were then followed-up prospectively to evaluate effectiveness of therapy and complications. Results: In the primary treatment group, 45% of patients had one or more rejection episodes. Two required OKT3 therapy (18%) for persistent rejection, with one (9%) graft loss at 3 months. All other episodes were treated effectively with FK506 dose adjustment and steroid pulses. Patient and graft survival was 100% and 91%, respectively, at 12 months mean follow-up. In the FK506 conversion group, two teenage girls with intractable acne and hirsutism were converted with complete resolution and no change in renal function. Four patients were converted for acute rejection: two who did not respond to steroid pulse and two who did not respond to both steroids and OKT3. All four grafts were salvaged (mean follow-up, 12 months; mean Creatinine [Cr], 1.1). Three patients were converted for biopsy-proven chronic rejection at 3, 10, and 12 years after transplant (mean Cr, 2.4) with two of three of patients stable with functioning grafts at 1 year after conversion. Complications of FK506 therapy included temporary insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (10%), neurological complications (25%), renal toxicity (15%), and hypertension (85%). There were no cases of gastrointestinal toxicity, hepatic dysfunction, lymphoproliferative disorders, or life threatening viral infection. All symptoms of toxicity responded to dose adjustment. No patient required conversion from FK506 to other agents. Conclusion: This early experience indicates that FK506 in combination with low-dose steroids and azathioprine appears to provide safe and effective immunosuppression in the pediatric age group as a primary agent and may salvage grafts in patients with refractory steroid and OKT3 resistant rejection. Graft and patient survival is comparable to that seen with conventional cyclosporine-based immunosuppression.
A polychrome stain for conventionally fixed paraffin-embedded woody plant tissues

SUMMARY A method for the differential staining of conventionally fixed paraffin-embedded woody plant tissue is described. A five-component stain combination is used with Bismarck Brown, included to avoid the stain variability, precipitation, and overstaining problems often encountered when using safranin.
The transnational drug trade and regional security

(1989). The transnational drug trade and regional security. Survival: Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 533-548.
Age-related changes in enzyme activity in the rat diaphragm.

Abstract Limited data exist concerning the effect of growth and aging on the metabolic properties of the diaphragm. Therefore, we investigated age-related changes in protein concentration and glycolytic and Krebs cycle enzyme activity in the diaphragm as well as the plantaris muscle of female Sprague-Dawley rats ranging in age from 1 to 12 months. Samples from the costal and crural diaphragm and the plantaris muscle were obtained from 38 animals in the following age groups: (1) 1 month old (N = 7); (2) 4 month old (N = 6) (3) 6 month old (N = 13); and (4) 12-month-old (N = 12). Body weight and diaphragm weight increased rapidly by a factor of 6 and in parallel during 1–4 months postpartum before reaching a plateau at 6 months of age. No significant difference (P>0.05) existed in the ratio of diaphragm weight to body weight among age groups. Protein concentration was significantly higher (P
Fluorescent sensors for diamines

A series of seven diamine sensors was prepared using dimers of a quinolone aldehyde chromophore. Binding to six different diamine guests was explored by a combination of NMR, absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. It was shown that the dimeric sensors bound the diamine guests by formation of a bis-iminium ion which produced large changes in the fluorescence of the quinolone core. Issues of selectivity between guests are discussed.
Fitting in: the embodied politics of race in Seattle's desegregated schools

By considering the performative dimensions of racial identity construction, this paper joins recent calls to more fully incorporate the materiality of the body into geographical treatments of race (McKittrick 2000; Nash 2003; Saldanha 2006). Through an analysis of school desegregation in Seattle, Washington, this analysis investigates the ways in which students of different racial backgrounds negotiated the multiracial environments at their schools. Specifically, I examine how students' racial identities are worked through embodied practices as both conscious and unconscious attempts to fit into particular social realms. Drawing on performativity theory, I show how students actively mobilized their bodies to negotiate belongings that were ostensibly foreclosed by the primacy of phenotype. This paper suggests that by focusing on the active work that the body does in the social construction of race we can better theorize the ways in which racial categories are both reproduced and destabilized through everyd...
Google and Godel.

The article “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” in last Summer’s Atlantic Monthly, raised a number of provocative, and indeed worrisome, questions about computer usage and cognitive development. For instance, persons with considerable experience of reading for the sake of pleasure report that, after a couple of years using computers a great deal, they have experienced a loss of interest in pleasure-reading, even feeling impatient when written sources do not supply the information they seek quickly and conveniently. One suggestion is that these effects are somehow related to the mathematical basis of computing provided in the work of Alan Turing. Since, however, Turing's work is based on earlier work by Kurt Godel, the question may be referred to Godel's results and it is argued that the mathematical architecture underlying computer operation and applications in no way limits the creativity or even the cognitive activity of its users.
Affect: from information to interaction

While affective computing explicitly challenges the primacy of rationality in cognitivist accounts of human activity, at a deeper level it relies on and reproduces the same information-processing model of cognition. In affective computing, affect is often seen as another kind of information - discrete units or states internal to an individual that can be transmitted in a loss-free manner from people to computational systems and back. Drawing on cultural, social, and interactional critiques of cognition which have arisen in HCI, we introduce and explore an alternative model of emotion as interaction: dynamic, culturally mediated, and socially constructed and experienced. This model leads to new goals for the design and evaluation of affective systems - instead of sensing and transmitting emotion, systems should support human users in understanding, interpreting, and experiencing emotion in its full complexity and ambiguity.
Pannexin: From discovery to bedside in 11±4 years?

Pannexin1 (Panx1) originally was discovered as a gap junction related protein. However, rather than forming the cell-to-cell channels of gap junctions, Panx1 forms a mechanosensitive and highly ATP permeable channel in the cell membrane allowing the exchange of molecules between the cytoplasm and the extracellular space. The list of arguments for Panx1 representing the major ATP release channel includes: (1) Panx1 is expressed in (all?) cells releasing ATP in a non-vesicular fashion, such as erythrocytes; (2) in cells with polar release of ATP, Panx1 is expressed at the ATP release site, such as the apical membrane in airway epithelial cells; (3) the pharmacology of Panx1 channels matches that of ATP release; (4) mutation of Panx1 in strategic positions in the protein modifies ATP release; and (5) knockdown or knockout of Panx1 attenuates or abolishes ATP release. Panx1, in association with the purinergic receptor P2X7, is involved in the innate immune response and in apoptotic/pyroptotic cell death. Inflammatory processes are responsible for amplification of the primary lesion in CNS trauma and stroke. Panx1, as an early signal event and as a signal amplifier in these processes, is an obvious target for the prevention of secondary cell death due to inflammasome activity. Since Panx1 inhibitors such as probenecid are already clinically tested in different settings they should be considered for therapy in stroke and CNS trauma.
Polynomial decomposition algorithms

We consider the following problem : given a polynomial f(x) @? k[x], k a field, find a complete decomposition of f in the form f= g"1^^og"2^^o^.^.^.^^og"nwhere ^o denotes functional composition . After reviewing some known results about existence and uniqueness of such decompositions two algorithms are presented that solve the decomposition problem.
Working Wisdom: Timeless Skills and Vanguard Strategies for Learning Organizations

The article reviews the book ‘Working Wisdom: Timeless Skills and Vanguard Strategies for Learning Organizations,’ by Robert Aubrey and Paul M. Cohen.
Partial purification of sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) nematocyst toxin.

SummarySoluble toxin was released from fresh Chrysaora quinquecirrha (sea nettle) nematocysts by gentle grinding or sonic treatment in distilled water. The lethal activity was not decreased by three cycles of freezing and thawing nor by lyophilization. Organic solvents such as acetone, ether, alcohol, and dimethylsulfoxide inactivated the toxin. Passage of the toxin through Sephadex gel results in partial purification and separation of the lethal activity into at least 2 fractions which are presumably proteinaceous.The authors acknowledge the aid and assistance of Drs. Elijah Adams, Seymour H. Pomerantz, and J. Tyson Tilden of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
APPL1, APPL2, Akt2 and FOXO1a interact with FSHR in a potential signaling complex.

Abstract A number of signaling proteins have been demonstrated to interact with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor (FSHR), including APPL1, 14-3-3τ and Akt2. To further define the repertoire of proteins involved in FSH-induced signal transduction, several signaling and adapter proteins were examined for the ability to associate with FSHR. This report shows that, in addition to APPL1, FSHR interacts with FOXO1a and APPL2. Moreover, APPL1 and APPL2 associate with one another via the N-terminus of APPL1, presumably via the Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) domain. The interactions between FSHR and APPL2 and between FSHR and FOXO1a evidently are distinct since FOXO1a does not associate with either APPL1 or with APPL2. Though APPL1 and APPL2 show some similarity in primary sequence, APPL1 associates with Akt2, whereas APPL2 does not. This is the first documented difference in function between APPL1 and APPL2. These results suggest that FSHR, APPL1, APPL2, Akt2 and FOXO1a are organized into distinct scaffolding networks in the cell. Accordingly, the spatial organization of signaling and adapter proteins with FSHR likely facilitates and finely regulates the signal transduction induced by FSH.
Standard CMOS implementation of a multiple-valued logic signed-digit adder based on negative differential-resistance devices

This paper presents MOS-NDR, a new prototyping technique for multiple-valued logic circuits combining MOS transistors and multipeak negative differential-resistance (NDR) devices such as resonant-tunneling diodes (RTDs). MOS-NDR emulates the folded current-voltage characteristics of NDR devices such as RTDs using only NMOS transistors, MOS-NDR has enabled the development of a fully integrated multivalued signed-digit full adder (SDFA) circuit by means of a standard 0.6-micron CMOS process technology. The prototype has been fabricated and correct operation has been verified. The circuit dimensions are 123.75 by 38.7 microns, which is more than 15 times smaller than the area required by the equivalent hybrid RTD-CMOS prototype. The propagation delay of the hybrid RTD-CMOS design is estimated to be close to six times higher than that of the MOS-NDR implementation.
The Economics of Fire Protection: From the Great Fire of London to Rural/Metro

This article examines the history of fire protection in London from the Great Fire of 1666 to the present and argues that many of the popular perceptions of market failure in the provision of fire protection that are repeated in standard economics textbooks are in fact myths. In reality, fire protection began in the private sector and only transferred to the public sector when insurance companies faced the prospect of collecting escalating premiums from their clients. To this day, voluntary and private provision in parts of the USA is a model of how fire protection can be provided more cheaply and more effectively outside the public sector.
Tuberculosis and pregnancy.

Purpose of reviewTo provide a summary of the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, including risks and benefits of treatment, of tuberculosis and latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection during pregnancy.Recent findingsRecent developments in diagnostic options have added to the armamentarium of
Invasive Enterobacter sakazakii Disease in Infants

Enterobacter sakazakii kills 40%–80% of infected infants and has been associated with powdered formula. We analyzed 46 cases of invasive infant E. sakazakii infection to define risk factors and guide prevention and treatment. Twelve infants had bacteremia, 33 had meningitis, and 1 had a urinary tract infection. Compared with infants with isolated bacteremia, infants with meningitis had greater birthweight (2,454 g vs. 850 g, p = 0.002) and gestational age (37 weeks vs. 27.8 weeks, p = 0.02), and infection developed at a younger age (6 days vs. 35 days, p<0.001). Among meningitis patients, 11 (33%) had seizures, 7 (21%) had brain abscess, and 14 (42%) died. Twenty-four (92%) of 26 infants with feeding patterns specified were fed powdered formula. Formula samples associated with 15 (68%) of 22 cases yielded E. sakazakii; in 13 cases, clinical and formula strains were indistinguishable. Further clarification of clinical risk factors and improved powdered formula safety is needed.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: a decade of responding to violence against women

Violence against women is a common phenomenon worldwide. Effects can be severe and life-long. As physicians who treat women exclusively, the obstetrician-gynecologist has a medical and ethical obligation to recognize and intervene on behalf of their abused patients. At the same time, because of the special nature of the patient-physician relationship, the obstetrician-gynecologist is in a unique position to provide such assistance. This article presents an overview of violence against women and its consequences, highlights responses to the problem, and details the activities of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to educate its members on domestic violence. ACOG activities may serve as a model of response to domestic violence for similar organizations.
Noise tolerant oscillator design using perturbation projection vector analysis

The impact of an oscillatorpsilas intrinsic and extrinsic noise sources on its noise performance is evaluated using the perturbation projection vector (PPV) analysis. The projection of a perturbation into the phase deviation for white and flicker noise, as well as for deterministic perturbations is explained qualitatively. The PPV analysis is then applied to two ring-type voltage controlled oscillators (VCO). Comparisons with measured results demonstrate the usefulness of the PPV analysis for design of noise tolerant oscillators.
Velocity Properties of CO2-saturated Water And Methane-saturated Water At Temperatures Up to 200 °C And Pressures Up to 138 MPa

Summary Within a wide range of temperatures (25°C up to 200°C) and pressures (10,000 psi to 20,000 psi), the velocities of CO2-saturated water and methane-saturated water were investigated and compared. Experimental results show that the effects of temperature and pressure on the velocities of CO2-saturated water and methane-saturated water are the same trends as on that of pure water. The effect of solubility generally decreases the velocity of saturated water, but only 1~3 % for the velocity of methane-saturated water and the difference is ignorable. A special temperature around 60°C reverses the velocity of CO2-saturated water from higher to lower than that of pure water with temperature increases. The different velocity slops and solubility effects may separate velocity properties of CO2saturated water from that of methane-saturated water.
Legacy of Wilbur O. Atwater: Human Nutrition Research Expansion at the USDA–Interagency Development of Food Composition Research

The systematic chemical analysis of foods for human consumption in the United States had its origin with Wilbur O. Atwater. This activity began in the 1860s while Atwater was a student at Yale University and continued through his tenures at Wesleyan University and the Storrs (Connecticut) Experiment Station. These activities moved with Atwater to the USDA in Washington, DC and ultimately to the Henry D. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, MD early in the 1900s. During the first half of the 20th century, food composition activities were guided by the discovery of new essential nutrients and the need to measure and tabulate their levels in foods. Later in the century, the association between diet and chronic diseases was recognized. As a result, collaborations were established between other food- and health-related government agencies, the food industry, and many universities. At the same time, computer and communication technology greatly advanced, which became integral to laboratory instrumentation and allowed data in the National Nutrient Databank System to be available electronically. Simultaneously, accuracy of analytical data came under scrutiny and a new paradigm was established in collaboration with governmental metrology units worldwide. Advances in computer technology and the increased focus on accuracy of analytical data subsequently led to the development of quality indicators for all food composition data. Recently, increased consumption of dietary supplements resulted in the broadening of food composition efforts and development of new collaborations with government agencies, several industries, and universities.
Acute pulmonary artery hypertension produced by distention of the main pulmonary artery in the conscious dog.

In order to delineate further the function of the main pulmonary artery as a receptor site, a specially designed Laks triple-lumen balloon catheter was inserted transvenously and positioned in the main pulmonary artery. In six conscious nonsedated dogs, inflation of a balloon in the main pulmonary artery produced acute reversible pulmonary arterial hypertension; the pressure beyond the balloon increased from a mean of 21/6 mm Hg to 43/14 mm Hg (P 0.05) or right ventricular end-diastolic pressure (P > 0.1). Left atrial and pulmonary artery wedge pressures did not change or decreased slightly (P > 0.1 and P > 0.1, respectively). The calculated pulmonary vascular resistance increased (P 0.04). Therefore, we postulate that distention of the main pulmonary artery in the conscious dog reflexly produces constriction of pulmonary arterioles, and possibly venules, due to excitation of receptors probably located in the wall of the pulmonary artery or possibly the right side of the heart, or both.
Generalized n-dimensional k-order systems: computing the transfer function

A new generalized multi-dimensional (n-dimensional) multi-order (k-order) (GnDkO) linear system/model is introduced. Using this model, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is used to compute the coefficients of the transfer function. The algorithm is straightforward and can be easily implemented. A step-by-step example illustrating the application of the algorithm is presented.
Effect of Hypophysectomy on Immobilization-Induced Elevation of Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Phenylethanolamine-N-methyl Transferase in the Rat Adrenal

The depletion of adrenal epinephrine observed after immobilization stress in normal rats is even greater in hypophysectomized rats. The activities of adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase (PNMT), enzymes in the epinephrine biosynthetic pathway, are decreased following hypophysectomy. After repeated immobilization TH levels in hypophysectomized rats increase significantly but do not reach control levels. In hypophysectomized rats PNMT levels remain markedly decreased with repeated immobilization. When ACTH is administered to hypophysectomized rats before each period of immobilization there is less depletion of adrenal epinephrine and levels of TH and PNMT approach those found in sham-hypophysectomized immobilized rats. When dexamethasone is given prior to immobilization there is again less depletion of adrenal epinephrine and an increase in PNMT levels but no change in TH levels. Thyroxine does not increase epinephrine or enzyme levels in hypophysectomized immobilize...
Comparison of two proposed methods in adaptive noise canceling

In this paper, an adjusted step size LMS (least mean squares) algorithm is proposed for possible improvements in the performance of adaptive FIR filters in nonstationary environments. Nonstationary signals means that the statistical properties of the noise changes in time such as the high frequency channel time variations. We propose two methods to improve the adaptive filtering characteristics. One of the proposed methods is based on the signal to noise ratio value for adjusting the adaptive step size parameter. The other method is based on a self-correcting approach for a fast processing time. Both methods are compared to each other and to the classic approach used in the adaptive filtering area.
Evolution of Cooperation in Multi-Class Wireless Sensor Networks

Cooperation among nodes is essential for the reliable routing of packets in large scale wireless sensor networks from nodes to base station. Most of the previous works have assumed a single governing authority with full cooperation among nodes. The assumption of node cooperation, however, cannot be applied to wireless sensor networks (WSNs) with more than one governing authority. In this paper, we introduce the concept of multi-class wireless sensor networks where each class is governed by a different authority. We study the evolution of cooperation in static and mobile multi-class wireless sensor networks using evolutionary game theory which has, to the best of our knowledge, never been attempted before. We then propose a novel localized distributive algorithm we call the patient grim strategy (PGS), and demonstrate that it provides a Nash equilibrium solution to the game theoretic problem of cooperation in multi-class static wireless sensor networks. Our simulation results show that in static multi-class WSNs populations playing the prisoner's dilemma, significant propensities to cooperate can evolve.
Detection of Bluetongue Virus Using a cDNA Probe Derived from Genome Segment 4 of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 2

The double-stranded (ds) RNA genome segment 4 of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 2 was cloned and used as a serogroup-specific complementary (c) DNA probe for BTV diagnosis. A cDNA representing a 60% copy of genome segment 4 of BTV-2 prototype was produced. The specificity of the cDNA probe was determined by hybridizing this probe to a northern blot of dsRNA (separated by polyacrylamide gel electro- phoresis) of plaque-purified BTV-2 prototype. This cDNA probe was then used to hybridize to the RNA samples. Because the probe hybridized to all BTV samples but not to epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus samples, it appears to be a group-specific probe that could be used in BTV diagnosis. Bluetongue virus (BTV), a double-stranded (ds) RNA virus, is the prototype virus in the genus Orbivirus, which is 1 of 6 genera in the family Reoviridae. 5,12 There are 24 serotypes of BTV identified worldwide, 7,10 among which BTV-2 has been either isolated or se- rologically detected in animals from most parts of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, India, South- east Asia, North America, and South America. l5 The genome of BTV is composed of 10 segments of dsRNA, each of which encodes for at least 1 protein. 11 The genome segments 2 and 5 encoding for the outer capsid proteins VP2 and VP5, which are responsible for the neutralization characteristic of the virus, have the highest sequence variability. 9 Presently, laboratory methods for diagnosis are embryonated chicken egg (ECE) inoculation, serum neutralization (SN) test, agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), enzyme-linked immu- nosorbent assay (ELISA), and fluorescent antibody (FA) test. However, a cross-reaction between BTV and epi- zootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV, of deer and other ruminants) has been reported using the serologic method, and the ECE inoculation method is time con- suming. 19 Consequently, the nucleic acid hybridization technique has been employed as an alternative method to increase the specificity, rapidity, and sensitivity of BTV diagnosis. 17,19,22
Identification of Products of Inhibition of GES-2 β-Lactamase by Tazobactam by X-ray Crystallography and Spectrometry

The GES-2 β-lactamase is a class A carbapenemase, the emergence of which in clinically important bacterial pathogens is a disconcerting development as the enzyme confers resistance to carbapenem antibiotics. Tazobactam is a clinically used inhibitor of class A β-lactamases, which inhibits the GES-2 enzyme effectively, restoring susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics. We have investigated the details of the mechanism of inhibition of the GES-2 enzyme by tazobactam. By the use of UV spectrometry, mass spectroscopy, and x-ray crystallography, we have documented and identified the involvement of a total of seven distinct GES-2·tazobactam complexes and one product of the hydrolysis of tazobactam that contribute to the inhibition profile. The x-ray structures for the GES-2 enzyme are for both the native (1.45 A) and the inhibited complex with tazobactam (1.65 A). This is the first such structure of a carbapenemase in complex with a clinically important β-lactam inhibitor, shedding light on the structural implications for the inhibition process.
Atomistic Simulation of Band-to-Band Tunneling in III-V Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors

Efficient atomistic simulators are required for full band treatments in strongly quantum confined systems, and for simulation of transport in emerging materials and devices such as graphene. Here we present an efficient transmission matrix based approach to ballistic quantum transport calculation for full three-dimensional, nearest-neighbor tight-binding based atomistic simulations. The method is then used to demonstrate how band-to-band tunneling increases the leakage current in OFF state in field-effect transistors with low band gap semiconductors such as InSb as channel material. Keywords-component; atomistic, quantum transport