cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Trafficking: The Local Becomes Global

Human sex trafficking is the prostitution of persons by force, coercion, or threat; it is also the prostitution of young persons. Most victims are female, and many have been initially deceived about the labor services that they are to provide. Once in prostitution, many victims find it hard to escape. It is hard to identify victims of trafficking; they may not even be seen or recognized as needing assistance, and they may hide from the police or service officials trying to help them. The victims may also be identified merely as illegal immigrants or prostitutes or otherwise dismissed as homeless, poor vagabonds. For the past decade, the United States and other nations have increasingly taken notice of the problem of human sex trafficking in the hopes of working together to end it. The U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report attempts to characterize nations and their efforts to combat human trafficking on the global stage.
Generalized characteristic functions applied to propagation in bounded inhomogeneous anisotropic media—reciprocity and energy relationships

Abstract The problems of radio wave propagation, in bounded inhomogeneous anisotropic media, can be expressed as sets of four simultaneous first order differential equations with variable coefficients. A nonsingular transformation matrix which consists of generalized characteristic vectors is introduced to diagonalize the coefficient matrix even when two or more of its characteristic values are equal. Thus, the original set of differential equations for the transverse electromagnetic field components are converted into loosely coupled generalized characteristic functions. These generalized characteristic solutions are suitable for regions where there is strong coupling between the upward and downward traveling ordinary and extraordinary waves. In this work, numerical solutions are presented for the transmission and reflection scattering coefficients that characterize a bounded inhomogeneous plasma in an arbitrarily oriented magnetic field. These numerical solutions for arbitrary excitations are shown to be consistent with the adjoint reciprocity conditions for dissipative anisotropic media and also with energy conservation for nondissipative media.
Contact chemoreceptive sex recognition in the male cricket, Teleogryllus commodus

. A behavioural continuum ranging from extreme aggression to overt sexual behaviour was used to measure male crickets' reactions to being touched in a standardized manner on their antennae with freshly severed antennae of male and female conspecifics. Sexually receptive males responded primarily with the aggressive song to male antennae and with the courtship song to female antennae. The ontogeny of the antennal effectiveness and the males' reaction was also determined. Because the ability of the antennae to elicit a reaction could be eliminated by treating them with chloroform, and since there were no morphological differences between male and female antennae, separate male and female sex recognition pheromones must be implicated. The chemo-tactile nature of these substances is indicated by the inability to obtain either behavioural or EAG responses to air carrying the odour of males or females.
High-performance quantum dot optoelectronic devices

Self-organized quantum dots are fascinating nanostructures with unique electronic, optical and structural properties. The properties of lasers, intersubband detectors, amplifiers and microcavity light sources, with In(Ga)As/GaAs quantum dot active regions will be described.
Does competition magnify the fitness costs of induced responses in Arabidopsis thaliana ? A manipulative approach

Studies have increasingly shown that the constitutive or induced expression of resistance in plants is costly to fitness in the absence of enemy attack. If such costs are based on resource allocation tradeoffs, it has been hypothesized that resource limitation associated with plant competition increases the fitness costs of resistance. In two greenhouse studies, I examined the expression and costs of induced responses in pot-grown Arabidopsis thaliana grown alone or surrounded by six intraspecific neighbors. In the first study, I manipulated the expression of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) with the application of salicylic acid and monitored peroxidase activity and total seed production in treated plants. I used five lines of A. thaliana that varied in their competence to express SAR in this study. In the second study, I manipulated the expression of induced resistance (IR) with the application of jasmonic acid and monitored trypsin inhibitor activity and total seed production in treated plants. I used two lines of A. thaliana that varied in the competence to express IR in this study. Lines varied in their chemical and fitness responses to hormone treatment and competition in each study, but the application of wound-related hormones significantly increased levels of chemical defenses and reduced total seed production by an average of 15% overall in both studies. Competition reduced peroxidase activity by 6% in the first study, had no effect on trypsin inhibitor levels in the second study, and reduced total seed production by an average of 35% overall in both studies. However, there was no interaction between competition and hormone treatment on total seed production in either study. Induced responses were costly to fitness in A. thaliana, but competition had no effect on the magnitude of costs.
Anthraquinone Photonucleases: Mechanisms for GG-Selective and Nonselective Cleavage of Double-Stranded DNA

Anthraquinone derivatives 2AQA2(HEt2) and 2AQC2(HEt2) were examined as light-activated agents that initiate DNA cleavage. The substituents control the electronic configuration of the lowest excited...
Tuning the Regioselectivity of the Staudinger Reaction for the Facile Synthesis of Kanamycin and Neomycin Class Antibiotics with N-1 Modification

[reaction: see text] A novel method for achieving the desired regioselective reduction of the N-1 azido group on a tetraazidoneamine has been developed that leads to the synthesis of both kanamycin and neomycin class antibiotics bearing N-1 modification. Both classes of aminoglycosides are active against aminoglycoside-resistant bacteria carrying APH(3')-I and AAC(6')/APH(2'').
Natural frequencies of multicylinder engines

Abstract A rapid graphical method is devised to estimate the natural frequencies of a multicylinder engine with flywheel and accessory drive on opposite ends. This method is valid, provided that the inertia loads contributed by all cylinders are equal and the torsional stiffness between the cranks does not vary. The accuracy of the values of natural frequencies can be improved by a simple iteration procedure.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplant: midterm outcomes.

Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used occasionally as a bridge to lung transplantation. The impact on mid-term survival is unknown. We analyzed outcomes after lung transplant over a 19-year period in patients who received ECMO support. Methods From March 1991 to October 2010, 1,305 lung transplants were performed at our institution. Seventeen patients (1.3%) were supported with ECMO before lung transplant. Diagnoses included retransplantation (n = 6), pulmonary fibrosis (n = 6), cystic fibrosis (n = 4), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 1). Fifteen patients underwent double lung transplant, one patient had single left lung transplant and one patient had a heart-lung transplant. Venovenous and venoarterial ECMO were implanted in eight and nine cases, respectively. Median duration of support was 3.2 days (range, 1 to 49 days). Mean patient follow-up was 2.3 years. Results Thirty-day, 1-year, and 3-year survivals were 81%, 74%, and 65%, respectively, for the supported patients and 93%, 78%, and 62% in the control group (p = 0.56). Two-year survival was not affected by ECMO type, with survival of five out of nine patients supported by venoarterial ECMO vs seven out of eight patients supported by venovenous ECMO (p = 0.17). At 1- year follow-up, allograft function for the ECMO-supported patients did not differ from the control group (forced expiratory volume in one second, 2.35 L vs 2.09 L, p = 0.39) (forced vital capacity, 3.06 L vs 2.71 L, p = 0.34). Conclusions Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation is associated with higher perioperative mortality but acceptable mid-term survival in carefully selected patients. Late allograft function did not differ in patients who received ECMO support before lung transplant from those who did not receive ECMO.
Prime-Time Hypoglycemia: Factitious Hypoglycemia During Insulin-Pump Therapy

Unexplained hypoglycemia in a pediatric diabetic patient can perplex even the savviest health care providers and lead to an extensive medical workup. We present here the cases of 2 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus treated with insulin pumps who were hospitalized for episodes of hypoglycemia. Review of their insulin pumps revealed normal basal and bolus insulin delivery. However, subsequent review of the priming history in the pump revealed that both children were receiving additional insulin under the manual-prime function, which is not included in the daily totals and, therefore, was initially unnoticed. Ultimately, both children confessed to surreptitiously using this priming function to self-administer extra insulin. It is important that health care professionals who are caring for diabetic patients be aware of this possibility.
Characterization of a T cell line bearing natural killer receptors and capable of creating psoriasis in a SCID mouse model system

T cells bearing natural killer receptors (NKRs) such as CD94 and CD161 are present in psoriasis. These immunocytes express several receptors for both classical and non-classical class I MHC molecules. Whether T cells bearing NKRs in psoriatic lesions represent immunoregulatory versus pathogenic immunocytes or are just bystander cells is unclear. To address this issue, a CD94+/CD161+ T cell line was established from a psoriatic patient using IL-2/superantigens, and the interaction between NK-T cells and keratinocytes was characterized using in-vitro and in-vivo assays. Upon incubation between NK-T cells and CD1d positive keratinocytes, high levels of IFN-gamma and IL-13 were produced. Cytokine production was inhibited by a mAb against CD1d, implicating recognition of this surface molecule in the T cell response. Furthermore when this line was injected into pre-psoriatic skin engrafted onto a SCID mouse, a psoriatic plaque was created. The hyperplastic epidermal keratinocytes diffusely expressed CD1d, and were infiltrated by CD161+ T cells. RNase protection assay revealed predominantly IFN-gamma and IL-15 mRNAs, with barely detectable IL-13 mRNA in the acute lesion. These in-vivo findings demonstrated that this T cell line was pathogenic by creating a psoriatic plaque. The in-vitro results support a pathophysiologic role for interaction between T cells expressing NKRs and CD1d positive keratinocytes, with subsequent production of IFN-gamma. Upon injection in-vivo, the cytokine network produced was characterized by an immunological response polarized towards Th1 rather than Th2 cytokines. Thus, this pathogenic cell line provides evidence that T cells bearing NKRs can directly provoke a Th1 disease such as psoriasis.
Importance of adventitious roots to growth of floodedPlatanus occidentalis seedlings

Flooding of soil with standing water for 50 or 110 days drastically reduced growth of 178-day-oldPlatanus occidentalis seedlings, with growth inhibited more as the duration of flooding was increased. Flooding reduced the rate of height and diameter growth, leaf initiation and expansion, and dry weight increment and relative growth rates of leaves, stems, and roots. Flooding also induced leaf epinasty, leaf necrosis, and formation of hypertrophied lenticels and many adventitious roots on submerged portions of stems. Severing of adventitious roots after 50 and 95 days from the submerged portions of stems of continuously flooded seedlings reduced several growth parameters including height and stem diameter growth and relative growth rates of leaves and roots. Evidence for the physiological importance of flood induced adventitious roots is discussed.
DECOMPOSITION OF TWO-DIMENSIONAL MICROLASER PATTERNS

For an ordinary individually addressable microlaser array, a separate control line is used for each microlaser, which requires a large number of control lines for even a small array. An organization that reduces the width of the control stream and simplifies packaging is matrix addressing, in which microlasers are arranged at the crossings of horizontal and vertical control lines. We consider the problem of decomposing arbitrary two-dimensional microlaser patterns into matrix-addressable patterns that are applied time sequentially to realize the target pattern. We present a mathematical model for the decomposition process and present an algorithm for optimal decomposition. We also consider bake factor, in which no more than N microlasers in a neighborhood of M (where N < M) are enabled, which avoids thermal overload by limiting the density of enabled microlasers. We conclude with a case study and show that, for completely arbitrary two-dimensional patterns, the average number of time-sequential patterns is less than the number of rows in a square array.
Electrocatalysis of aqueous dioxygen reduction

Abstract In the reduction of dioxygen to water, proton transfer must be involved. Therefore, dioxygen reduction may be regarded as a modified type of proton transfer reaction. To understand it, the underlying phenomenon of proton transfer must first be understood. This requires an evaluation of the kinetic models for the proton transfer reaction. After deciding which model applies best, the effects of adsorption on proton transfer in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are compared with those which have been observed experimentally in dioxygen reduction. Both reactions in acid media are characterized by volcano relationships. However, the volcano in the HER results from reversible absorption effects and that in dioxygen reduction results from irreversible absorption. The effect of this is to reduce the pre-exponential value in the rate expression from a figure close to the theoretical values predicted from the model to a value several orders of magnitude lower. The models of the separate oxygen electrode steps are shown to give excellent agreement with experiment in both acid and alkaline solution over a wide range of materials. The consequences for practical dioxygen reduction catalysts are discussed.
The Spider Phobia Card Sorting Test: An investigation of phobic fear and executive functioning

Recent studies indicate that anxious participants show cognitive biases favouring threat‐related stimuli. However, most of this evidence comes from Stroop tasks, which are believed to tap a narrow range of executive skills. The current study investigated phobic fear and cognitive biases using tasks designed to tap a wider range of executive processes: the standard Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST; Heaton, 1981), a modified version that included emotionally salient pictorial stimuli; the Spider Phobia Card Sorting Test (SPCST); and an emotionally valenced version of a verbal fluency task (VF). A total of 80 female participants (38 lower and 42 higher scorers on the Spider Phobia Questionnaire; SPQ) drawn from a larger sample of 126 completed either the standard WCST or the SPCST, the VF, and several mood measures. On the card sort, the higher SPQ SPCST group showed a significantly lower proportion of conceptual level responses, required a greater number of trials to complete the first category, and sorted...
Completely quantal treatment of the van der Waals forces between atoms: application to positronium

The attractive interaction between atoms is described as a self-energy in which the effects of recoil and finite relative velocity are treated exactly. For systems involving positronium significant deviations from the van der Waals potential are found due to both recoil and relative motion.
The role of decreased levels of Niemann-Pick C1 intracellular cholesterol transport on obesity is reversed in the C57BL/6J, metabolic syndrome mouse strain: a metabolic or an inflammatory effect?

We have previously shown that decreased dosage of Niemann-Pick C1 (Npc1) protein, caused by heterozygosity at the null mutation, Npc1nih, locus, causes altered lipid metabolism in mice. When studied on the “lean” BALB/cJ genetic background, the decreased protein was associated with no weight changes in either males or females when on a regular diet but increased weights and adiposity when on a high fat diet Jelinek et al. (Obesity 18: 1457-1459, 2010, Gene 491:128-134, 2012). When the heterozygotes were studied on a mixed C57BL/6J, BALB/cJ background, increased weight and adiposity were also found on a regular diet (sexes pooled Jelinek et al. [Hum Molec Genet 20:312-321, 2011]). We find somewhat different results when the hypomorphic Npc1 mutation, Npc1nmf164, is studied on a pure C57BL/6J, “metabolic syndrome” genetic background with male, but not female, heterozygotes having lower weights on the regular diet. The result does not seem to be due to the difference in the two mutations as heterozygous Npc1nmf164 mice on the BALB/cJ background acted like the null mutant heterozygotes. Studies of glucose tolerance, liver enzymes, liver triglycerides and fat deposition, and adipose tissue caveolin 1 levels did not disclose reasons for these differing results.
STREAM TYPES IN THE DES MOINES RIVER BASIN

Stream tributaries in the Des Moines River basin have been classified according to the glacial terrain through which they flow. Three stream types were categorized as follows: (1) streams that flow entirely on Wisconsin drift, (2) streams that flow entirely on Kansan drift, and (3) streams that have their headwaters located on new drift but have their lower reaches flowing on older drift. Selected channel and valley characteristics were measured and used to verify the stream type classification. Five variables were chosen for use in a multiple linear discriminatory analysis, which is a statistical technique developed for the purpose of classifying observations into one of several categories which have been predetermined. The streams in each group were verified with the exception of three anomalies based on the probability associated with the largest linear discriminant function. The rationale for the three anomalous streams is not easily determined. But, they are considered to be associated with pre-glacial drainage or at least pre-Wisconsin age drainage. Otherwise, the analysis shows that the major channels and valleys in the Des Moines River basin tend to reflect the glaciated upland surface.
Catalyst recognition of cis -1,2-diols enables site-selective functionalization of complex molecules

Carbohydrates and natural products serve essential roles in nature, and also provide core scaffolds for pharmaceutical agents and vaccines. However, the inherent complexity of these molecules imposes significant synthetic hurdles for their selective functionalization and derivatization. Nature has, in part, addressed these issues by employing enzymes that are able to orient and activate substrates within a chiral pocket, which increases dramatically both the rate and selectivity of organic transformations. In this article we show that similar proximity effects can be utilized in the context of synthetic catalysts to achieve general and predictable site-selective functionalization of complex molecules. Unlike enzymes, our catalysts apply a single reversible covalent bond to recognize and bind to specific functional group displays within substrates. By combining this unique binding selectivity and asymmetric catalysis, we are able to modify the less reactive axial positions within monosaccharides and natural products.
Measuring the efficiency of multiunit banking: An activity analysis approach

Abstract We present an activity analysis model of multiunit banking. Multiunit banks include banks with several branches, multibank holding companies with several affiliate banks, and banks that result from the merger or consolidation of two or more banks. In addition, various efficiency measures are presented in an attempt to gauge the potential gains from multiunit banking.
McCauley and Miller Respond

We appreciate Scheidell's interest in our study. Indeed, the Gender-Equitable Norms scale was originally developed and tested among a sample of Brazilian young men(1) and has been used in modified form by researchers in numerous settings in the United States and elsewhere, among both adolescents and adults.(2,3) Our team previously tested a version of the scale among a clinic-based sample of 14- to 20-year-old males in the Northeastern United States and found that, similar to the Coaching Boys into Men (CBIM) study, boys holding traditional gender attitudes were more likely to report dating violence perpetration.(3) Because the psychometric properties of any scale are dependent on the population in which data are collected, we then conducted extensive pilot testing of these measures for the CBIM study in collaboration with Futures Without Violence and the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention (nonprofit violence prevention organizations). (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print January 16, 2014: e1. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301795). Language: en
Pulsed laser induced confined vapor deposition for thin layer of dense nanoparticle arrays on various substrates

Abstract A general approach to generate dense nanostructure on various substrates has been investigated in this paper. During this process, so called pulsed laser induced confined vapor deposition (PLCVD), a pulsed laser irradiation with a transparent confinement was applied to various surfaces, such as gold thin film on silicon wafer, AA6061 alloy and silicon wafer. When a 20 nm thick Au film was irradiated by 3 kHz pulsed laser, a short-range ordered thin layer of nanoparticles with average diameter of 9.0 ± 3.5 nm and density of 43.8 × 1010 cm−2 is observed. Highly dense alumina nanoparticles were deposited on surface of AA6061 alloy by PLCVD process. Several silicon nanostructures, such as nanoparticles and microrings, can be produced under different experimental conditions. The formation mechanisms of these nanostructures were also discussed.
Study of localization of response to fibroblast growth factor-2 in murine calvaria using Raman spectroscopic imaging

Raman spectral imaging provides the means to study spatially localized response to controlled external perturbations to tissue specimens with light microscopy resolution. We discuss use of heparin-acrylic microbeads soaked with the protein fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2). Microbeads containing FGF2 are placed in murine calvarial tissue and stimulate abnormally rapid mineralization. The tissue response simulated the effects of craniosynostosis, a birth defect occurring in 1 in 2400 live births. We describe Raman imaging measurements of the spatial distribution of apatitic mineral and matrix (predominantly type I collagen) from normal murine calvarial tissue and murine calvarial tissue modeling craniosynostosis. We also discuss spectroscopic evaluation of the state of the mineral induced by the FGF2 beads.
HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir increases endothelial monolayer permeability

Abstract HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) are often associated with metabolic and cardiovascular complications although they are effective anti-HIV drugs. In this study, we determined whether HIV PI ritonavir could increase endothelial permeability, one of the important mechanisms of vascular lesion formation. Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) treated with ritonavir showed a significant increase of endothelial permeability in a dose- and time-dependent manner assayed with a transwell system. Ritonavir significantly reduced the mRNA levels of tight junction proteins zonula occluden-1, occludin, and claudin-1 by 40–60% as compared to controls ( P
Sterols of Uromyces phaseoli uredospores

Abstract The major sterol of bean rust uredospores (Uromyces phaseoli) has been identified as 7,(Z)-24(28)-stigmastadien-3β-ol. A second sterol component appears to be 7-stigmasten-3β-ol. Both steroids are synthesized by the organism during the germination of the uredospores.
Image denoising with neighbour dependency and customized wavelet and threshold

Image denoising by means of wavelet transforms has been an active research topic for many years. For a given noisy image, which kind of wavelet and what threshold we use should have significant impact on the quality of the denoised image. In this paper, we use Simulated Annealing to find the customized wavelet filters and the customized threshold corresponding to the given noisy image at the same time. Also, we propose to consider a small neighbourhood around the customized wavelet coefficient to be thresholded for image denoising. Experimental results show that our approach is better than VisuShrink, our NeighShrink with fixed wavelet, and the wiener2 filter that is available in Matlab Image Processing Toolbox. In addition, our NeighShrink with fixed wavelet already outperforms VisuShrink for all the experiments.
Combustion of crude oil on water

Large-scale test burns on the combustion of crude oil on water completed in a 2 m i.d. test pan to simulate large-scale crude oil fires. Data on burning rate, composition changes, thermal radiation, and the effect of heat addition, indicate combustion may be a viable method for mitigating oil spills on open waters. With the exception of thermal radiation data, the data are presented in this paper. The combustion mechanism appears to be described by equilibrium flash vaporization (EFV) followed by a limited amount of entrainment. In addition, burning rate for the crude oils tested was found to be a weak function of heat addition and to be relatively independent of specific gravity.
Melatonin: identification of sites of antigonadal action in mouse brain

Long-term implants releasing a small quantity of melatonin (45 nanograms per day) were used to determine the brain sites of the hormone's antigonadal action in a photoperiodic species, the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). Implants in the medial preoptic and supra- and retrochiasmatic areas elicited completed gonadal regression after 7 weeks. Implants in other brain regions had little effect on the animals' reproductive state.
Missing Massive Stars in Starbursts: Stellar Temperature Diagnostics and the Initial Mass Function

Determining the properties of starbursts requires spectral diagnostics of their ultraviolet radiation fields, to test whether very massive stars are present. We test several such diagnostics, using new models of line ratio behavior combining CLOUDY, Starburst99, and up-to-date spectral atlases. For six galaxies we obtain new measurements of He I 1.7 μm/Br10, a difficult to measure but physically simple (and therefore reliable) diagnostic. We obtain new measurements of He I 2.06 μm/Brγ in five galaxies. We find that He I 2.06 μm/Brγ and [O III]/Hβ are generally unreliable diagnostics in starbursts. The heteronuclear and homonuclear mid-infrared line ratios (notably [Ne III] 15.6 μm/[Ne II] 12.8 μm) consistently agree with each other and with He I 1.7 μm/Br10; this argues that the mid-infrared line ratios are reliable diagnostics of spectral hardness. In a sample of 27 starbursts, [Ne III]/[Ne II] is significantly lower than model predictions for a Salpeter initial mass function (IMF) extending to 100 M☉. Plausible model alterations strengthen this conclusion. By contrast, the low-mass and low-metallicity galaxies II Zw 40 and NGC 5253 show relatively high neon line ratios, compatible with a Salpeter slope extending to at least ~40-60 M☉. One solution for the low neon line ratios in the high-metallicity starbursts would be that they are deficient in 40 M☉ stars compared to a Salpeter IMF. An alternative explanation, which we prefer, is that massive stars in high-metallicity starbursts spend much of their lives embedded within ultracompact H II regions that prevent the near- and mid-infrared nebular lines from forming and escaping. This hypothesis has important consequences for starburst modeling and interpretation.
Convenient purification of tritylated and detritylated oligonucleotides up to 100-mer

Oligomers from crude phosphoramidite synthesis mixtures have been purified by reversed-phased high-performance liquid chromatography by exploiting the chromatographic variables of stationary phase pore size, chain length, and gradient shape. Chromatography was performed on oligomers up to 100-mer with mobile phases containing triethylammonium acetate/acetonitrile mixtures. Convenient guidelines are offered to enrich or purify synthetic oligomers. Tritylated oligomers up to 25 bases in length are best purified on C8 or C18, 80 A columns with moderate strength mobile phases using a combination of isocratic delays and shallow gradients. For oligomers longer than 25-mer, C3, 300 A columns provide adequate fast purification in as little as 5 min, while 300 A, C8 columns with long, slow gradients gave substantially increased purity. Chromatography of detritylated oligomers requires a modified approach. Up to 25-mer they are best purified on 80 A, C18 columns with much lower organic concentrations and shallower gradients than those used for tritylated oligomers. Detrytilated oligomers greater than 25-mer can be enriched on both C3 and C8, 300 A columns using the same conditions described for shorter detritylated oligomers.
Deep sequencing and Circos analyses of antibody libraries reveal antigen-driven selection of Ig VH genes during HIV-1 infection.

The vast diversity of antibody repertoires is largely attributed to heavy chain (VH) recombination of variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) gene segments. We used 454 sequencing information of the variable domains of the antibody heavy chain repertoires from neonates, normal adults and an HIV-1-infected individual, to analyze, with Circos software, the VDJ pairing patterns at birth, adulthood and a time-dependent response to HIV-1 infection. Our comparative analyses of the Ig VDJ repertoires from these libraries indicated that, from birth to adulthood, VDJ recombination patterns remain the same with some slight changes, whereas some VH families are selected and preferentially expressed after long-term infection with HIV-1. We also demonstrated that the immune system responds to HIV-1 chronic infection by selectively expanding certain HV families in an attempt to combat infection. Our findings may have implications for understanding immune responses in pathology as well as for development of new therapeutics and vaccines.
Quantum Discord and Entanglement for Two Coupled Quantum Dots in a Driven Cavity

Quantum Discord and Geometric Discord are calculated and compared with entanglement for two coupled quantum dots in a coherently driven cavity in the presence of dot as well as cavity decay and detuning.
Transport and deposition of respiratory aerosols in models of childhood asthma

Abstract The effects of asthma induced airway constriction on aerosol dynamics and particle deposition have been investigated in bifurcating models of pediatric airways. Geometries considered include double bifurcation models of upper (G3–G5) and central (G7–G9) airways for a four-year-old child under healthy and 30% constricted conditions. Steady inhalation flow rates consistent with sedentary, light and high activity conditions have been employed. For this study, the deposition patterns of particles ranging from 1 to 7 μ m have been evaluated in terms of branch-averaged filtering efficiencies and highly localized cellular-level deposition rates. These cellular-level deposition values were calculated within 150 μ m diameter regions based on a novel microdosimetry factor. For both upper and central airway models, airway constriction increased branch-averaged filtering efficiencies by factors ranging from 1.5 to 10. More significantly, airway constriction was found to increase local cellular-level deposition rates by one to two orders of magnitude, as encapsulated by the microdosimetry factor. Based on these results, asthma constriction is observed to induce a significant increase in branch-averaged particle deposition as well as an even larger increase in local cellular-level deposition and cellular burden. These increased cellular-level deposition values may translate to an increased health risk associated with the inhalation of particulate matter in cases of asthma related bronchoconstriction.
Thread motion ratio used to monitor sewing machines

A prototype system for detecting sewing defects through analysis of thread motion has been developed. A piezo‐electric transducer provides information on the time of motion of the top thread in a lockstitch sewing process. The ratio of this time of motion to the total single sewing cycle time is a measure termed the thread motion ratio. This measure offers consistency over variations in sewing machine speed. Research results are that the system yields reliable indication of thread consumption‐related faults, such as broken top or bobbin threads, misfed fabric, and thread tension imbalance, for several stitch types.
Adjusting to BRICs in Glass Houses: Replacing Obsolete Institutions and Business Models

Global adjustment to the rise of the BRIC and other emerging economies is an important challenge for firms in the advanced economies. Emerging market firms increasingly trade and invest globally while monetary imbalances continue to rise and hobble advanced economy firms. Advanced country firms feel like they live in glass houses as the tectonic forces of technology, demographics, globalization, sustainability, and climate change force obsolescence in their business models. In this article, this overseas projection of economic power by the rising new economies is illustrated by the Indian and Chinese overseas economic expansion focused on Africa. This analysis shows that noneconomic state-driven entities are likely to be a significant part of the rise of South-South economic trade and investment flows and it poses theoretical and practical problems for existing market-based economic and geopolitical institutions. Global adjustment to these new realities is also challenging as existing multilateral institutions seem to be inadequate. These changes in the global environment have significant implications for policy makers and managers of global companies. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Civil Engineering Faculty Incorporation of Sustainability in Courses and Relation to Sustainability Beliefs

AbstractProfessional practice within civil and environmental engineering demands that practitioners within the field have knowledge of sustainability. Engineering education has attempted to reflect this standard, as noted in statements of expected student outcomes from ABET. Yet, the degree of integration of sustainability in engineering education is varied and inconsistent across and within institutions of higher learning. In order to address this issue, this study investigates one of the potential barriers to integrating sustainability into undergraduate engineering classrooms: educators’ beliefs regarding sustainability. The two-fold relationship between civil engineering faculty beliefs about sustainability and actual practice of integrating and incorporating sustainability within their classrooms is investigated in this study. Using thematic analysis of semistructured interview data; we present three personas that emerged from the data set. These personas represent characteristics shared among partic...
A genome-wide association study of saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated red blood cell fatty acids in the Framingham Heart Offspring Study.

Most genome-wide association studies have explored relationships between genetic variants and plasma phospholipid fatty acid proportions, but few have examined apparent genetic influences on the membrane fatty acid profile of red blood cells (RBC). Using RBC fatty acid data from the Framingham Offspring Study, we analyzed over 2.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for association with 14 RBC fatty acids identifying 191 different SNPs associated with at least 1 fatty acid. Significant associations (p 11%) fatty acids, but only 1-3% in 4 low abundance (<3%) fatty acids, with the notable exception of dihomo-gamma linolenic acid with 53% of variance explained by SNPs. Further studies are needed to determine the extent to which variations in these genes influence tissue fatty acid content and pathways modulated by fatty acids.
Temperature-dependent kinetics study of the gas-phase reactions of atomic chlorine with acetone, 2-butanone, and 3-pentanone

A laser flash photolysis–resonance fluorescence technique has been employed to study the kinetics of the reactions of atomic chlorine with acetone (CH3C(O)CH3; k1), 2-butanone (C2H5C(O)CH3; k2), and 3-pentanone (C2H5C(O)C2H5; k3) as a function of temperature (210–440 K) and pressure (30–300 Torr N2). No significant pressure dependence is observed for any of the reactions studied. Arrhenius expressions (units are 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1) obtained from the data are k1(T) = (1.53 ± 0.19) exp[(−594 ± 33)/T], k2(T) = (2.77 ± 0.33) exp[(+76 ± 33)/T], and k3(T) = (5.66 ± 0.41) exp[(+87 ± 22)/T], where uncertainties are 2σ and represent precision only. The accuracy of reported rate coefficients is estimated to be ±15% over the entire range of pressure and temperature investigated. The room temperature rate coefficients reported in this study are in good agreement with a majority of literature values. However, the activation energies reported in this study are in poor agreement with the literature values, particularly for 2-butanone and 3-pentanone. Possible explanations for discrepancies in published kinetic parameters are proposed, and the potential role of Cl + ketone reactions in atmospheric chemistry is discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 259–267, 2008
Quasiparticle properties of the superconducting state of the two-dimensional Hubbard model

Cluster dynamical mean field methods are used to calculate the normal and anomalous components of the electron self-energy of the two-dimensional Hubbard model. Issues associated with the analytical continuation of the normal and anomalous parts of the gap function are discussed. Methods of minimizing the uncertainties associated with the pseudogap-related pole in the self-energy are discussed. From these the evolution of the superconducting gap and the momentum-dependent electron spectral function across the phase diagram are determined. In the pseudogap regime, decreasing the temperature into the superconducting state leads to a decrease in the energy gap and the formation of a ``peak-dip-hump'' structure in the electronic density of states. The peak feature disperses very weakly. The calculated spectral functions are in good qualitative agreement with published data. The mathematical origin of the behavior is found to be the effect of the superconductivity on the pole structure giving rise to the normal state pseudogap. In particular the ``hump'' feature is found to arise from a zero crossing of the real part of the electron self-energy rather than from an onset of scattering. The effect of superconductivity on the zone diagonal spectra is presented.
The influence of protein and carbohydrate type on serum and liver lipids and lipoprotein cholesterol in rabbits.

The non-lipid portions of semi-synthetic diets appear to be important determinants of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in the rabbit. Serum and liver lipid concentrations were determined in rabbits which had been pair-fed various protein (casein or soy protein isolate) and carbohydrate (sucrose or dextrose) sources as part of low fat, low cholesterol, semi-synthetic diets. It was verified that caseincontaining diets render rabbits hypercholesterolemic, while soy protein caused a degree of hypocholesterolemia. Additionally, sucrose, when fed in conjunction with casein, appears to augment this hypercholesterolemic effect. The distribution of total cholesterol among lipoprotein subclasses was increased in both the intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) (1.006–1.019 g/ml) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) (1.019–1.063 g/ml) fractions and decreased in the high density lipoprotein (HDL) (1.063–1.21 g/ml) fraction when casein is fed. Soy protein feeding caused relatively more cholesterol to appear only in the IDL fraction when compared with commercial chow fed rabbits. Reasons for these differences may involve the saturation or suppression of endogenous lipoprotein hepatic receptors.
Distribution of the neuropeptide galanin in the cat heart and coexistence with vasoactive intestinal peptide, substance P and neuropeptide Y

Abstract The neuropeptide galanin (GAL) has been detected in the peripheral and central nervous systems. However, little is known about its distribution and localization in heart, and the possible coexistence of GAL with other neuropeptides in the heart is not established. The present immunocytochemical study describes the distribution of GAL in nerves of the feline heart and its colocalization with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), substance P (SP), and neuropeptide Y (NPY). GAL-like immunoreactivity was widely distributed in the atrial and ventricular myocardium and around coronary arteries. Colocalization of GAL with VIP, SP and NYP was observed in many nerve fibers. Further, GAL and NPY were colocalized in nerve cell bodies of intracardiac ganglia. Since these neuropeptides have been found to be associated with sensory and autonomic innervation in the heart, the present findings provide evidence that GAL is shared by functionally different neuronal populations in the heart and that GAL may participate in controlling cardiac function by combined action with other neuropeptides.
Resonant coherent excitation of fast hydrogenic ions by a crystal surface: The ionization effect

Abstract Ionization probabilities of the hydrogenic ions, with atomic number between 4 and 9, impinging upon a crystal at grazing angle are calculated. It is found that the transition probability from the ground state nlm = (100) to the continuum states is negligible. For incident ions at near-resonance velocity, transition probabilities from 2 lm and 3 lm states to the continuum states exhibit high peaks. As a result of ionization, the efficiency of coherent excitation of the ions by a crystal is greatly reduced. Based on the present ionization data, we point out some possible methods to enhance stimulated emission of soft X-rays by a crystal surface.
Proximity-Based Outlier Detection Method for Roadway Infrastructure Condition Data

AbstractThe quality of roadway condition data is critical for the accuracy of infrastructure management decision support systems and, ultimately, for the confidence in these systems. This paper presents a novel outlier detection method for roadway infrastructure condition data. By taking the spatial and temporal attributes of condition data into account, this method is able to detect outliers and differentiate them into gross and pseudo outliers. The method consists of two major steps. In the first step, homogenous clusters of neighboring roadway sections are identified so that sections within each cluster have the most homogeneous condition-versus-time deterioration patterns. In the second step, outliers within each cluster are detected and delineated into gross outliers (i.e., likely errors) and pseudo outliers (i.e., roadway sections affected by isolated local factors, causing their condition data to be dissimilar to their neighboring sections). The developed method was applied to roadway pavement in T...
Unilateral, neonatal olfactory deprivation alters tyrosine hydroxylase expression but not aromatic amino acid decarboxylase or GABA immunoreactivity.

Abstract Recent publications have demonstrated an important role for olfactory afferent innervation in maintenance of the dopamine phenotype of olfactory bulb target neurons. The mechanisms underlying the control of phenotypic expression in this system are not known. These studies employed the model of unilateral neonatal olfactory deprivation to investigate the effects of lack of odorant stimulation on dopamine expression in the rat. Immunoreactivity of tyrosine hydroxylase, the first and rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine biosynthesis, used as a marker of the dopamine system, exhibited a large decrease both 40 and 70 days following olfactory deprivation. The losses were region specific suggesting that the deprivation was not complete. The number of immunoreactive GABAergic neurons was not reduced. The number of neurons containing aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase (the second enzyme in the dopamine biosynthetic pathway) was also not decreased. Olfactory marker protein immunoreactivity in the glomeruli, a marker for afferent innervation, was not significantly altered indicating that the olfactory bulb was not denervated. These data demonstrate that neonatal deprivation, and the resulting lack of odorant stimulation, produces a transneuronal alteration in dopamine expression without neuronal loss. The studies also suggest that neuronal activity or the activity-dependent release of a trophic factor is necessary for the expression of the dopamine phenotype.
Copy number variation at 1q21.1 results in a spectrum of developmental abnormalities

Recurrent rearrangements of chromosome 1q21.1 and variable pediatric phenotypes. Mefford H et al.. (2008) N Eng J Med 359: 1685–1699.
The leadership academy at UNC Charlotte

In addition to the academic preparation engineering students receive in the classroom, today's graduates also need to be prepared to enter the workforce with the ability to confidently interact in a corporate setting, as well as have an awareness of their own personal strengths and weaknesses. Technically competent graduates who also possess these "soft skills" are much more attractive candidates for potential employers. To address this need, the Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte has developed the leadership academy, a unique program providing the opportunity for students to develop their leadership potential. The leadership academy teaches engineering students to deal with realistic challenges they will face in the business world, explore their own personal development process, and practice their leadership skills in a controlled setting. This extra-curricular program is conducted through evening and weekend retreats and is facilitated by a range of engineering faculty, alumni, and corporate partners over a two year time span. This paper describes the purpose of the leadership academy, engaging structure of the active learning environment, partnerships with industry, and specific areas of focus within the program components.
Medication Safety: A Protocol for Nursing Action

Medication consumption represents a significant source of adverse events, therapeutic misadventure, and toxicity to older Americans. Estimates indicate that as many as 25% to 40% of all U.S. prescriptions are written for older people. Hospital admission rates for drug-related problems and toxicity in elders approach 33% in some studies. This article addresses some of the physiological changes associated with aging and their effects on the absorption, distribution, and metabolic fate of common medications in elders. High-risk medications are identified, and strategies for combating their adverse effects are suggested.