cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dendrimer-like Star Polymers

Dendrimer-like star polymers, a novel type of molecular architecture, have been synthesized. The architecture of the new polymers resembles that of three-dimensional spherical dendrimers as well as classical star polymers. The controlled structures, based on aliphatic polyesters, are synthesized by a divergent growth approach. A hexa hydroxy-functional 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid (bis-MPA) derivative was used as the “initiator” for the stannous-2-ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)2) catalyzed living ring opening polymerization of e-caprolactone. The polymerization generated a six-arm polymer with a molecular weight of 14 300 (Mn) and a Mw/Mn of 1.06. The new polymer was functionalized with a protected bis-MPA, deprotected, and used as the “macroinitiator” for the polymerization of a second generation 12 armed poly(e-caprolactone) (Mn = 42 300, Mw/Mn = 1.16). Another iteration of the same procedure generated a third generation 24 arm dendrimer-like star polymer with a Mn of 96 000 and Mw/Mn of 1.14. The comp...
Theory of Light Scattering by an Isotropic System Composed of Anisotropic Units. Out-of-Plane Scattering

A previous theory [Polym. J., 3, 67 (1972)] of light scattering by an isotropic system composed of anisotropic units is extended to the case of the out-of-plane scattering where the intensity of scattered light is measured outside the scattering-plane. Two cases are considered: the intensity is measured photoelectrically in one and photographically in the other. It is shown that the out-of-plane scattering at any direction can be reduced to the in-plane scattering with the planes of polarization of the polarizer and the analyzer inclined properly (by ψ and ω) to the vertical direction. In the photoelectric case the intensity I(ψ,ω) of the latter scattering can be expressed as I(ψ,ω)=a IVv+b IHv+c IHh+d I(45°, 45°), where IHv≡I(0°, 90°) etc. I(45°, 45°) (or some alternative) is found to give information substantially independent of those which were previously studied on IVv, IHh, and IHh. A refined method for analysis of experimental data is proposed on the basis of the four intensity functions described above. In the photographic case three photographs are shown to give all of the information, which are taken with such experimental arrangements that the plane of polarization of the polarizer is set vertical while that of the analyser is set vertical, (Vv pattern) or horizontal (Hv pattern).
Positive-negative KG cassettes for construction of multi-gene deletions using a single drug marker

Positive-negative KG cassettes were developed in order to create a number of independent deletion mutations on the bacterial chromosome using a single drug marker. These cassettes consist of a kanamycin-resistant (KmR) gene for positive screening and a galactokinase gene (galK) for negative screening. Both genes are in an operon driven by the native KmR promoter and are flanked by identical fragments of yeast chromosomal DNA approximately one kb in size. An internal region of a cloned target gene of a bacterium is replaced with a cassette, which is then transformed into the bacterium. The intact gene on the chromosome is replaced with the mutated gene by homologous recombination. From the KmR cells thus obtained, those cells which lose both KmR and galK genes by homologous recombination between the identical yeast DNA fragments are subsequently screened on plates containing 2-deoxygalactose, a non-metabolizable analogue of galactose. This method was applied to isolate a triple-deletion mutant of pkn3, pkn1, and pkn11 from Myxococcus xanthus.
Secretion from the Rhoptries of Toxoplasma gondii during host-cell invasion

To determine whether the rhoptries of Toxoplasma gondii play a role in the invasion of host cells by this parasite, we inoculated toxoplasmas into the peritoneal cavities of normal mice and into macrophage cultures, fixed the specimens at various intervals thereafter, and analyzed them by electron microscopy. We found that during host-cell invasion, the rhoptry membrane fused with the anterior limiting membrane of the toxoplasma, producing an opening to the exterior. Since such openings were formed when the host-cell membrane was disrupted, it appears that the rhoptries may secrete a lytic product that facilitates invasion through the host-cell membrane. Such a "penetration-enhancing factor" was previously isolated from lysed toxoplasmas (Lycke and Norrby, 1966). Occasionally, when secretion was incomplete, masses of tubules were found in the rhoptries, sometimes as soon as 15 sec after the toxoplasms had been injected into mice. Similar tubules were found in the parasitophorous vacuole that was formed 10-15 min later, and such tubules are typical of vacuoles containing replicating parasites. Because these tubules are in continuity with the vacuolar membrane, it appears to be a hybrid membrane, composed in part of toxoplasma products. We speculate that the hybrid nature of the vacuolar membrane prevents it from fusing with the lysosomes of phagocytes and thereby contributes to the intracellular survival of the parasites.
Increased Vascular Permeability in Spontaneously Diabetic BB/W Rats and in Rats With Mild Versus Severe Streptozocin-Induced Diabetes: Prevention by Aldose Reductase Inhibitors and Castration

125I-labeled albumin permeation (IAP) has been assessed in various tissues in spontaneously diabetic insulin-dependent female BB/W rats and in male Sprague-Dawley rats with severe or mild forms of streptozocin-induced diabetes (SS-D and MS-D, respectively). In BB/W diabetic rats and in rats with SS-D, indices of IAP were significantly increased in tissues and vessels predisposed to diabetic vascular disease in humans, including the eyes (anterior uvea, posterior uvea, and retina), sciatic nerve, aorta, kidney, and new vessels formed after induction of diabetes. No evidence of increased IAP was observed in heart, brain, testes, or skeletal muscle in BB/W or SS-D rats. In MS-D rats, indices of IAP were increased only in the kidney and in new vessels formed after the onset of diabetes. Marked tissue differences were observed in the effects of two structurally different aldose reductase inhibitors (sorbinil and tolrestat) and of castration on diabetes-induced increases in IAP and in tissue levels of polyols in SS-D rats. Both aldose reductase inhibitors and castration completely prevented diabetes-induced increases in IAP in new vessels and in sciatic nerve in BB/W and SS-D rats. Both aldose reductase inhibitors also markedly decreased IAP in the anterior uvea (approximately 85%), posterior uvea (approximately 65-75%), retina (approximately 65-70%), and kidney (approximately 70-100%); castration reduced IAP in the anterior uvea (approximately 55%), kidney (approximately 50%), and retina (approximately 30%) but had no effect on the posterior uvea. The diabetes-induced increases in IAP in the aorta were reduced only slightly (approximately 20%) by aldose reductase inhibitors and castration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Arab France: Islam and the Making of Modern Europe, 1798–1831

By Ian Coller (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2011), xi + 288 pp. $24.95 paper. The subtitle of this book may surprise those who understand that since the 1960s significant immigrati...
A comparative study of iterative and non-iterative feature selection techniques for software defect prediction

Two important problems which can affect the performance of classification models are high-dimensionality (an overabundance of independent features in the dataset) and imbalanced data (a skewed class distribution which creates at least one class with many fewer instances than other classes). To resolve these problems concurrently, we propose an iterative feature selection approach, which repeated applies data sampling (in order to address class imbalance) followed by feature selection (in order to address high-dimensionality), and finally we perform an aggregation step which combines the ranked feature lists from the separate iterations of sampling. This approach is designed to find a ranked feature list which is particularly effective on the more balanced dataset resulting from sampling while minimizing the risk of losing data through the sampling step and missing important features. To demonstrate this technique, we employ 18 different feature selection algorithms and Random Undersampling with two post-sampling class distributions. We also investigate the use of sampling and feature selection without the iterative step (e.g., using the ranked list from a single iteration, rather than combining the lists from multiple iterations), and compare these results from the version which uses iteration. Our study is carried out using three groups of datasets with different levels of class balance, all of which were collected from a real-world software system. All of our experiments use four different learners and one feature subset size. We find that our proposed iterative feature selection approach outperforms the non-iterative approach.
Caffeine consumption and vegetarian diets affect D-glucaric acid excretion in man

Abstract The urinary excretion of D-glucaric acid (DGA) has been used as a nonspecific measure of the induction of hepatic enzymes associated with drug metabolism in man. A survey of 124 nonmedicated men (18–56 years of age), who kept a 5-day food, beverage, and drug intake record and collected their total urinary output for the last three days of the five, was conducted to assess the relationship between DGA excretion and various dietary factors. Eighteen nonmedicated healthy women collected the same data, but started on the eighth day from the commencement of menstruation. DGA was determined by an enzymatic assay and recorded as umoles D-glucaro-1,4-lactone/g creatinine. A positive association was found between total DGA excreted and the use of marijuana, caffeine, and tobacco products, the heaviest users excreting higher levels of urinary DGA than the moderate or low users of the same substance (P
Thermodynamic and Kinetic Modeling of Piperazine/2-Methylpiperazine

Abstract The equimolal CO 2 solvent, 4 m 2-methylpiperazine (2MPZ)/4 m piperazine (PZ), was modeled in Aspen Plus® using the eNRTL thermodynamic framework. Data were regressed using binary interaction parameters. The sequential regression method was used starting from prior PZ and 2MPZ models. The model correctly predicts the CO 2 equilibrium partial pressure from 40–160 °C. The average differential heat of absorption is close to the expected value of –70 kJ/mol CO 2 . Newly reported data show that previous data overpredicted viscosity. Activity-based kinetics were used with pairs of power-law reactions representing the forward and reverse reactions. Fluxes measured in a WWC for lean to rich loading and for 40–100 °C were matched, yielding a SSE of 2.39. The kinetic model used ten different reactions along with the diffusivity of amine-products to capture the rate behavior. This model can be used for techno-economic assessments, pilot plant data reconciliation, and process modeling.
Singular Points of Real Sextic Curves I

A complete classification of the individual types of singular points is given for irreducible real sextic curves. This classification is derived by using the computer algebra system Maple. There are 191 types of singular points for real irreducible sextic curves. We clarify that the classification is based on computing just enough of the Puiseux expansion to separate the branches. A significant portion of the proof consists of a sequence of large symbolic computations that can be done nicely using Maple.
Magnetic resonance imaging in lumbar gunshot wounds: an absolute contraindication?

Object Performance of MR imaging in patients with gunshot wounds at or near the lumbar spinal canal is controversial. The authors reviewed the literature on the use of MR imaging in gunshot wounds to the spine. They discuss the results from in vitro and clinical studies, analyze the physical properties of common projectiles, and evaluate the safety and indications for MR imaging when metallic fragments are located near the spinal canal. Methods A review of the English-language literature was performed. Data from 25 articles were analyzed, including 5 in vitro studies of the interaction between 95 projectiles and the MR system's magnetic fields, and the clinical outcomes in 22 patients with metallic fragments at or near the spinal canal who underwent MR imaging. Results Properties of 95 civilian and military projectiles were analyzed at a magnet strength of 1, 1.5, 3, and 7 T. The most common projectiles were bullets with a core of lead, either with a copper jacket or unjacketed (73 [76.8%] of 95). Steel-c...
The Accuracy of Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis of Tibial Nonunion

Background When a patient is seen with a possible tibial nonunion and equivocal findings on plain radiographs, the surgeon may choose to obtain a computed tomography scan to better delineate the bone anatomy. However, the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography in this setting is not known. We investigated the accuracy of computed tomography for detecting nonunion in this clinical situation. Methods Thirty-five patients with equivocal findings on plain radiographs underwent computed tomography scanning. The patients were first seen at an average of 9.7 months after the injury and had undergone a mean of 2.6 prior operations. A so-called gold standard of union or nonunion was determined by either surgical findings (for twenty-five patients who were operatively treated) or six months of clinical observation (for ten patients who had nonoperative treatment). Computed tomography scans were assessed by two radiologists and one orthopaedic surgeon who were blinded to the clinical outcome. Results Computed tomography scans displayed very good diagnostic accuracy. Intraobserver agreement was high (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.89), the sensitivity for detecting nonunion was 100%, and the overall accuracy was 89.9%. Computed tomography was limited by a low specificity of 62%, as three patients who were diagnosed as having tibial nonunion with computed tomography underwent surgery and were found to have a healed fracture. Conclusions Computed tomography displays very good accuracy in the evaluation of tibial fracture-healing. However, it is limited by low specificity and may sometimes misrepresent a healed fracture as a nonunion. Surgeons must be aware of this pitfall in order to accurately determine which patients need surgical intervention.
Synthesis of Filibuvir. Part I. Diastereoselective Preparation of a β-Hydroxy Alkynyl Oxazolidinone and Conversion to a 6,6-Disubstituted 2H-Pyranone

This is the first in a series of three papers describing the identification and development of a commercial synthesis of filibuvir (1). This contribution describes development of an Evans aldol reaction to control the tertiary alcohol stereocenter, a challenging variant of that strategy in that both reacting partners were nonstandard (acetate enolate and ketone electrophile). A sequence consisting of Sonogashira coupling, acylation and hydrogenation delivered acetate 24, and Dieckmann cyclization provided β-keto lactone 2.
Monovalent cations regulate DNA sequence recognition by 434 repressor.

Abstract The bacteriophage 434 repressor distinguishes between its six naturally occurring binding sites using indirect readout. In indirect readout, sequence-dependent differences in the structure and flexibility of non-contacted bases in a protein's DNA-binding site modulate the affinity of DNA for protein. The conformation and flexibility of a DNA sequence can be influenced by the interaction of the DNA bases or backbone with solution components. We examined the effect of changing the cation-type present in solution on the stability and structure of 434 repressor complexes with wild-type and mutant O R 1 and O R 3, binding sites that differ in their contacted and non-contacted base sequences. We find that the affinity of repressor for O R 1, but not for O R 3, depends remarkably on the type and concentration of monovalent cation. Moreover, the formation of a stable, specific repressor–O R 1 complex requires the presence of monovalent cations; however, repressor–O R 3 complex formation has no such requirement. Changing monovalent cation type alters the ability of repressor to protect O R 1, but not O R 3, from OH radical cleavage. Altering the relative length of the poly(dA)·poly(dT) tract in the non-contacted regions of the O R 1 and O R 3 can reverse the cation sensitivity of repressor's affinities for these two sites. Taken together these findings show that cation-dependent alterations in DNA structure underlies indirect readout of DNA sequence by 434 repressor and perhaps other proteins.
Attractive Interaction between Similarly Charged Colloidal Particles

The pair interactions between the charged colloidal particles dispersed in a solvent are studied theoretically by the integral equation method. The pair potential of the mean forces, accounting for the effective pair interaction between colloidal particles, is calculated from the solution of the Ornstein-Zernike equation with the mean spherical approximation (MSA). An attractive interaction was found between two similarly charged colloidal particles in contrast with the purely repulsive force predicted by the Debye-Huckel theory. Such an attractive interaction provides physical insight for the condensed phenomena in charged colloidal dispersions, that is, the coexistence of a condensed phase and an expanded phase (voids). At the higher concentration and charge on colloidal particles, the effective pair interaction becomes oscillatory.
A proteomics view of the molecular mechanisms and biomarkers of glaucomatous neurodegeneration.

Abstract Despite improving understanding of glaucoma, key molecular players of neurodegeneration that can be targeted for treatment of glaucoma, or molecular biomarkers that can be useful for clinical testing, remain unclear. Proteomics technology offers a powerful toolbox to accomplish these important goals of the glaucoma research and is increasingly being applied to identify molecular mechanisms and biomarkers of glaucoma. Recent studies of glaucoma using proteomics analysis techniques have resulted in the lists of differentially expressed proteins in human glaucoma and animal models. The global analysis of protein expression in glaucoma has been followed by cell-specific proteome analysis of retinal ganglion cells and astrocytes. The proteomics data have also guided targeted studies to identify post-translational modifications and protein–protein interactions during glaucomatous neurodegeneration. In addition, recent applications of proteomics have provided a number of potential biomarker candidates. Proteomics technology holds great promise to move glaucoma research forward toward new treatment strategies and biomarker discovery. By reviewing the major proteomics approaches and their applications in the field of glaucoma, this article highlights the power of proteomics in translational and clinical research related to glaucoma and also provides a framework for future research to functionally test the importance of specific molecular pathways and validate candidate biomarkers.
Multinode Unsteady Surface Element Method With Application to Contact Conductance Problem

Methode MUSE appliquee aux problemes de conduction thermique bidimensionnels avec des conditions aux limites lineaires
Relationship between methylmercury and total mercury in blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus).

Blue crabs were harvested from an area known to have a high level of mercury in the sediment. The edible body meat was extracted and analyzed for both total and methylmercury concentrations. A highly significant correlation was observed (0.957) with respect to the amount of total mercury present as methylmercury. Analysis indicated that approximately 35% of the total mercury was present as methylmercury.
Neotectonics and the 2004 and 2005 earthquake sequences at Sumatra

Coseismic and interseismic deformation of the outer-arc islands of Nias and Simeulue associated with the great Indonesian earthquakes of 2004.12.26 and 2005.3.28 is generally ascribed to elastic stress storage and release on the interface between the Indian and Eurasian plates at the Java trench. However, the nature of the associated shallow seismicity and the pattern of Holocene deformation of the islands suggest that there has also been substantial activity on imbricate faults within the sediment prism behind the trench. The distinction between the two kinds of seismicity is of practical as well as theoretical significance because, in contrast with the megathrust, outer-arc faulting is not subject to appreciable postseismic relaxation and is, moreover, well placed to generate tsunami.
A non-standard analysis approach to systems involving friction

Many physical systems involve discontinuous forces. The conventional numerical discretization approach does not always yield a consistent prediction of the behavior of these systems. Here, as an example of a system involving discontinuous forces, a simple frictional system subjected to continuous as well as discontinuous excitations is considered. A set of orthogonal tracking functions is introduced, and the discontinuous excitation is expanded in a series of these tracking functions. Using non-standard analysis, the discontinuous functions are rigorously represented by continuous hyperreal approximations. The transformation of discontinuous forces to continuous ones allows consistent prediction of the system's behavior, thus providing a reliable technique for simulation of systems involving discontinuous forces.
Male sexual rest affects litter sex ratio of newborn Norway rats

Abstract Associations between male sexual rest and litter sex ratio have been reported in Norway rats,Rattus norvegicus, but the direction of the effect has been inconsistent. Female rats were paired with either a male that had copulated to satiety three weeks previously or a male that had copulated within the previous four days. Females were paired during both a cycling oestrus and a postpartum oestrus. Sex-ratio biases were only observed in litters conceived during a cycling oestrus. Litters sired by rested males had higher sex ratios than litters sired by unrested males. This relationship was mediated by differences in the timing of mating events, including length of post-ejaculatory interval and the time at which effective mating was completed. Sex ratio was negatively associated with time of mating completion, replicating earlier findings. Only litters that had fewer pups at birth than at implantation showed the relationship between sex ratio and rest-mediated mating behaviour. These litters were not smaller than litters without loss, however. Post-implantation loss was more likely to occur when uterine horns were crowded, suggesting that this type of sex-ratio biasing occurs in the context of adaptive litter reduction. This association between paternal behaviour, paternal condition and offspring sex ratio prompts the hypothesis that females use the timing of mating behaviour to evaluate heritable traits that might affect male mating success, and then adjust offspring sex ratio to maximize offspring reproductive success.
Implementing an IT concentration in a CS department: content, rationale, and initial impact

The increasing use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software has created a demand for IT professionals—people that build and manage systems assembled from COTS components. In Fall 1999, the ETSU Dept. of CIS started a program of study for training IT professionals. This IT concentration differs from existing concentrations in four key ways:The IT concentration emphasizes VB instead of C++.It emphasizes web, database, and networking applications instead of systems software;It puts more emphasis on human issues in computing: ethics, computer-assisted instruction, and systems analysis and specification;It deemphasizes science and math, giving students more opportunity to complete a minor of their choosing.Key design criteria for the concentration included making the content practical and attractive; teaching short-term and long-term skills; and minimizing the need for additional faculty. This final concern was addressed by reworking selected courses in computer organization, databases, networking, and software engineering for the concentration.The new concentration should meet the needs of students and employers while improving retention and increasing enrollment. Preliminary indications suggest that the IT will become the department's most popular concentration.
Enhanced efficiency of a capillary-based biosensor over an optical fiber biosensor for detecting calpastatin.

Abstract A capillary-based optical biosensor has been developed to detect calpastatin, an indicator of meat tenderness. Longissimus muscle samples (n = 11) were extracted from beef carcasses at 0 and 48 h post-mortem. These samples were assayed for calpastatin by traditional laboratory methods and with a newly developed capillary tube biosensor as well as for Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and crude protein and the responses were compared. Additionally, the response from the capillary-based biosensor was compared to a previously developed optical fiber biosensor. When the 0 and 48 h sampling periods were combined, the capillary tube biosensor was moderately accurate in predicting calpastatin activity (R2 = 0.6058). There was less variation in the 0 h capillary tube biosensor compared to the 0 h pre-column (P = 0.006) and post-column optical fiber biosensors (P = 0.047), therefore the capillary tube biosensor is a more precise system of measurement. This research further advances the development of a calpastatin biosensor and makes online assessment one step closer to reality.
The challenges of the integration of cancer survivorship care plans with electronic medical records.

Objectives To provide an overview of issues and challenges associated with integrating development of survivorship care plan processes with electronic medical records (EMRs). Data Sources Published peer-reviewed literature. Conclusion Evidence seems to indicate that survivorship care plans have value to survivors, oncology specialist providers, and primary care providers. Yet, the existence of cost and time restraints are major barriers to creation and use of survivorship care plans, and the expectations that EMR can simplify and expedite survivorship care plan development have yet to be realized. Implications for Nursing Practice Nurses participating in the development of survivorship programs can contribute to successful implementation of EMR-facilitated survivorship care plans by involvement in strategic planning processes, and establishment of reasonable timelines to address the known and unknown barriers, and assuring the resulting EMR product includes essential data and information.
Acute and Chronic Pulmonary Emboli.

Under most circumstances, the goal of treatment of pulmonary embolism is the prevention of recurrent embolic events, achieved through conventional anticoagulant therapy with unfractionated heparin or a low molecular weight heparin, followed by warfarin therapy for a minimum of 6 months. When acute pulmonary embolism is associated with significant right ventricular dysfunction or systemic hypotension, more aggressive intervention may be warranted. Under these circumstances, potential interventions include thrombolytic therapy (either systemic or catheterdirected), placement of an inferior vena caval filter, catheter-based embolectomy, or surgical embolectomy. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension may develop in a small minority of patients who survive an acute, massive embolic event or who have suffered recurrent thromboembolic events. Due to the fixed nature of the pulmonary vascular obstruction, vasodilator therapy has proven far less effective in chronic thromboembolic disease than it has in primary pulmonary hypertension and other secondary forms of pulmonary hypertension. Correction of hypoxemia and volume overload and the prevention of recurrent embolic events are essential. Definitive therapy, however, requires surgical intervention to remove the chronic thromboembolic obstruction and to restore patency of the pulmonary vascular bed.
Green’s Function for Elastic Medium With General Anisotropy

It is difficult to obtain explicit expressions of Green's function for elastic medium with general anisotropy. The difficulty is associated with an integration of functions with high degrees of singularity. In this paper, we propose a method employing extend functions. This method avoids the difficulty of singularities and renders an explicit series expression of Green's function for general anisotropic conditions. Analytical expression of the coefficients in the series are provided. Numerical examples are given to evaluate the applicability of this method.
The role of generation in recognition

In contrast to the widely accepted opinion, a negatively accelerated RT function was obtained with varied mapping of stimuli to responses in Sternberg's (1966) recognition task when the task was designed to reduce proactive inhibition. These results are similar to the results obtained in the distractor task. Those aspects of the distractor task that proactively inhibit recall of the trigram are also necessary to produce a linear RT function in the recognition task. Hence, the varied-set procedure only results in a linear RT function when the memory sets on successive trials contain similar items, but not when successive trials contain different kinds of items, e.g., digits versus letters. Also, once subjects have been trained on the fixed-set procedure to produce a negatively accelerated RT function, the training transfers completely and immediately to entirely new sets of targets and distractors. The results of both tasks, as well as other retrieval tasks, can be explained by a model containing a single comparison process and an optional serial generation process which is invoked to increase the discriminability of the memory set from distractors.
Augmenting clinical evaluation of hemiparetic arm movement with a laboratory-based quantitative measurement of kinematics as a function of limb loading.

Background. Kinematic and kinetic measurements used in laboratory settings can quantify upper extremity movement impairment following stroke, but their relationship to clinical methods of evaluating movement impairment is unclear. Objective. To test whether the Arm Coordination Training 3D device (ACT3D) could provide a repeatable quantitative measurement of range of motion during upper extremity reaching along a range of functional levels of loads on the arm and correlate with clinical assessments of arm impairment. Methods . Work area during reaching along clockwise and counterclockwise hand paths was measured under 9 limb-loading conditions ranging from no load to twice the weight of the upper extremity in 11 individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke on 2 separate occasions. Participants were given a battery of clinical assessments that included the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment, Chedoke McMaster Stroke Assessment, Reaching Performance Scale, Modified Ashworth Scale, and the Stroke Impact Scale, by a p...
The importance of basic concepts in the individual assessment of preschool children

Abstract The directions for administering four major preschool instruments were analyzed to determine whether any basic concepts are included in the words spoken by the examiner. Boehm found that young children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, tend to have difficulty with numerous basic concepts. Consequently, the inclusion of several of these concepts in test directions may hinder a preschool child's understanding of what is expected of him (and possibly invalidate his scores). The WPPSI directions were found to include the greatest number of basic concepts, and the ITPA directions included the fewest; the Stanford-Binet and McCarthy Scales were between these extremes. The implications of these findings for individual assessment of young children's abilities were discussed.
Anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving properties of benzo-lipoxin A4 analogs

Lipoxins (LXs) are potent endogenous counter-regulatory lipid mediators that dampen acute inflammation and promote its resolution. Here, we present our investigation of a new class of thermally and metabolically stable benzo-LXA(4) analogs that are potently anti-inflammatory and easier to synthesize. Replacement of the tetraene unit of native LXA(4) with a benzo-fused ring system not only increases the thermal stability but also enables highly convergent and efficient syntheses of these analogs. In addition, they resist rapid catalysis and inactivation by eicosanoid oxidoreductase. Like native LXs, o-[9, 12]-benzo-omega6-epi-LXA(4), o-[9, 12]-benzo-deoxy-LXA(4), m-[9, 12]-benzo-omega6-epi-LXA(4) and [9, 14]-benzo-omega6-(R/S)-LXA(4) demonstrated potent time-dependent reduction, at nanogram dosages, of PMN infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine generation in vivo in murine peritonitis and were organ protective in hind limb ischemia-reperfusion injury of the lung. The o-[9, 12]-benzo-omega6-epi-LXA(4) and m-[9, 12]-benzo-omega6-epi-LXA(4) were most potent in nanogram doses; both decreased PMN infiltration by approximately 32%, while o-[9, 12]-benzo-deoxy-LXA(4) and [9, 15]-omega6-(R/S)-LXA(4) were less potent. The [9,12]-benzo-omega6-epi-LXA(4) also activated a lipoxin A(4) GPCR and increased macrophage phagocytic activity. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a new generation of LXA(4) stable analogs that are easy to synthesize and anti-inflammatory. These benzo-LXA(4) analogs are promising tools for new therapeutic approaches as well as assessing endogenous mechanisms in anti-inflammation and resolution.
Suppression of Phase Separation in Bovine γIV Crystallin Solutions: Effect of Modification by Charged Versus Uncharged Polar Groups

Abstract γIVa Crystallin, the ocular lens protein with the highest critical temperature (Tc) for phase separation, has been chemically modified with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) at neutral pH. NEM, a polar but uncharged modifier reacts with the cysteine residues of the protein. A maximum of 80-85% of the thiol groups are modified and the phase separation temperature is lowered by about 10°C at a protein concentration of 30 mg ml-1 The coexistence curve of the NEM-modified protein with nearly four out of the six cysteines modified was determined and compared with that obtained by modifying the protein with a charged reagent, N-bromoacetylethanolamine phosphate (NBAEP). NBAEP modifies both cysteine and methionine residues of γIVa crystallin. The results of these two modification studies indicate that for the same total degree of modification of the sulfur-containing residues, the suppression in Tc due to the charged NBAEP is at least twice as large as that due to the polar but uncharged NEM. In order to obtain some measure of the relative hydrophilicities of the two modifiers, we have estimated the free energies of hydration of the nonionic segments of NEM and NBAEP, using structural additivity schemes. We find that the intrinsic hydrophilicities of the nonionic segments of these two modifiers are nearly equal. Hence the much larger suppression of Tc resulting from NBAEP modification is most probably due to the strongly polar, doubly charged phosphate group.
Selection of antibodies that regulate phenotype from intracellular combinatorial antibody libraries

A method is presented that uses combinatorial antibody libraries to endow cells with new binding energy landscapes for the purpose of regulating their phenotypes. Antibodies that are expressed in cells infected with a lentiviral combinatorial antibody library are selected directly for function rather than only for binding. The potential diversity space can be very large because more than one lentivirus can infect a single cell. Thus, the initial combinatorial diversity of ∼1.0 × 1011 members generated by the random association of antibody heavy and light chains is greatly increased by the reassortment of the antibody Fv domains themselves inside cells. The power of the system is illustrated by its ability to select unusual antibodies. Here, the selected antibodies are potent erythropoietin agonists whose ontogeny depends on recombination at the protein level of pairs of antibodies expressed in the same cell to generate heterodimeric bispecific antibodies. The obligate synergy between the different binding specificities of the antibody’s monomeric subunits appears to replicate the asymmetric binding mechanism of authentic erythropoietin.
Stacking gravitational wave signals from soft gamma repeater bursts

Soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) have unique properties that make them intriguing targets for gravitational wave (GW) searches. They are nearby, their burst emission mechanism may involve neutron star crust fractures and excitation of quasinormal modes, and they burst repeatedly and sometimes spectacularly. A recent LIGO search for transient GW from these sources placed upper limits on a set of almost 200 individual SGR bursts. These limits were within the theoretically predicted range of some models. We present a new search strategy which builds upon the method used there by “stacking” potential GW signals from multiple SGR bursts. We assume that variation in the time difference between burst electromagnetic emission and burst GW emission is small relative to the GW signal duration, and we time-align GW excess power time-frequency tilings containing individual burst triggers to their corresponding electromagnetic emissions. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we confirm that gains in GW energy sensitivity of N^(1/2) are possible, where N is the number of stacked SGR bursts. Estimated sensitivities for a mock search for gravitational waves from the 2006 March 29 storm from SGR 1900+14 are also presented, for two GW emission models, “fluence-weighted” and “flat” (unweighted).
Modeling Backscatter Properties of Snowfall at Millimeter Wavelengths

Ground-based vertically pointing and airborne/spaceborne nadir-pointing millimeter-wavelength radars are being increasingly used worldwide. Though such radars are primarily designed for cloud remote sensing, they can also be used for precipitation measurements including snowfall estimates. In this study, modeling of snowfall radar properties is performed for the common frequencies of millimeter-wavelength radars such as those used by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (Ka and W bands) and the CloudSat mission (W band). Realistic snowflake models including aggregates and single dendrite crystals were used. The model input included appropriate mass–size and terminal fall velocity–size relations and snowflake orientation and shape assumptions. It was shown that unlike in the Rayleigh scattering regime, which is often applicable for longer radar wavelengths, the spherical model does not generally satisfactorily describe scattering of larger snowflakes at millimeter wavelengths. This is especially true when, due to aerodynamic forcing, these snowflakes are oriented primarily with their major dimensions in the horizontal plane and the zenith/nadir radar pointing geometry is used. As a result of modeling using the experimental snowflake size distributions, radar reflectivity–liquid equivalent snowfall rates (Ze–S) relations are suggested for “dry” snowfalls that consist of mostly unrimed snowflakes containing negligible amounts of liquid water. Owing to uncertainties in the model assumptions, these relations, which are derived for the common Ka- and W-band radar frequencies, have significant variability in their coefficients that can exceed a factor of 2 or so. Modeling snowfall attenuation suggests that the attenuation effects in “dry” snowfall can be neglected at the Ka band for most practical cases, while at the W band attenuation may need to be accounted for in heavier snowfalls observed at longer ranges.
Conservation of Rhodococcus equi (Magnusson 1923) Goodfellow and Alderson 1977 and rejection of Corynebacterium hoagii (Morse 1912) Eberson 1918.

A recent review of the nomenclatural history of Rhodococcus equi and its heterotypic synonyms reveals a situation in which the strict application of the Rules of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes have resulted in the renaming of this known zoonotic pathogen, which may be reasonably viewed as a perilous name. This situation can be remedied only by the Judicial Commission rendering an opinion to conserve the name Rhodococcus equi and to reject its earlier heterotypic synonym, Corynebacterium hoagii .
A model of asymmetric bureaucratic inertia and bias

This paper explores effects that bureaucratic discretion may be expected to have on policy implemented by bureaucratic organizations. While the effects of discretion on bureaucratic function play a role in any treatment of bureaucracy which assumes other than super-organic machine-like performance, little attention has been focused upon the extent to which the ultimate implementation of policy is changed by that discretion. This note aims at partially filling that gap by developing a model of the implementation of policy. The model developed suggests that the mere existence of bureaucratic discretion is sufficient to allow both bureaucratic distortion of policy (bureaucratic bias) and resistance to changes in official policy (bureaucratic inertia). Importantly, these consequences are shown to be a result of pure optimizing behavior by bureaucrats given their constraints rather than effects of non-rational zones, as in the organizational theories of Simon (1959) and Liebenstein (1966), or of particular bureaucratic tastes or incentives, as in Parkinson (1962), Tullock (1965), Williamson (1967), Niskanan (1971), and Migue and Belanger (1974). The existence of bureaucratic discretion is a consequence of policy constraints faced by bureaucrats.' The bounds of discretion may be directly specified as a matter of policy, or they may be implied by the combination of policy directives and efforts at oversight embodied in the 'marching orders'. Normally, bureaucrats will face both budget and policy constraints. If policy may be thought of as specifying a particular direction for bureau expansion, that is, as an output expansion path, then a perfectly defined and policed policy allowing no discretion together with a binding budget constraint defines a single output vector to be produced by the bureaucratic machinery. The bounds of bureaucratic discretion normally fall somewhere between this extreme, of completely constrained behavior, and that of complete freedom to allocate the budget as the bureaucrat sees fit.
Sol–gel materials for electrochemical biosensors

Abstract An overview is presented of the state-of-the art of electrochemical biosensors employing sol–gel materials. Low-temperature, porous sol–gel ceramics represent a relatively new class of materials for the immobilization of biomolecules. The rational design of sol–gel sensing materials, based on the judicious choice of the starting alkoxide, encapsulated reagents, and preparation conditions, allows tailoring of material properties in a wide range, and offers great promise for the development of electrochemical biosensors. The various advantages of biogels for amperometric biosensing are discussed, along with common designs of sol–gel-derived bioelectrodes, recent advances and trends, and future prospects.
Effects of pico-to-nanometer-thin TiO2 coating on the biological properties of microroughened titanium

Abstract The independent, genuine role of surface chemistry in the biological properties of titanium is unknown. Although microtopography has been established as a standard surface feature in osseous titanium implants, unfavorable behavior and reactions of osteogenic cells are still observed on the surfaces. To further enhance the biological properties of microfeatured titanium surfaces, this study tested the hypotheses that (1) the surface chemistry of microroughened titanium surfaces can be controllably varied by coating with a very thin layer of TiO2, without altering the existing topographical and roughness features; and (2) the change in the surface chemistry affects the biological properties of the titanium substrates. Using a slow-rate sputter deposition of molten TiO2 nanoparticles, acid-etched microroughened titanium surfaces were coated with a TiO2 layer of 300-pm to 6.3-nm thickness that increased the surface oxygen levels without altering the existing microtopography. The attachment, spreading behavior, and proliferation of osteoblasts, which are considered to be significantly impaired on microroughened surfaces compared with relatively smooth surfaces, were considerably increased on TiO2-coated microroughened surfaces. The rate of osteoblastic differentiation was represented by the increased levels of alkaline phosphatase activity and mineral deposition as well as by the upregulated expression of bone-related genes. These biological effects were exponentially correlated with the thickness of TiO2 and surface oxygen percentage, implying that even a picometer-thin TiO2 coating is effective in rapidly increasing the biological property of titanium followed by an additional mild increase or plateau induced by a nanometer-thick coating. These data suggest that a super-thin TiO2 coating of pico-to-nanometer thickness enhances the biological properties of the proven microroughened titanium surfaces by controllably and exclusively modulating their surface chemistry while preserving the existing surface morphology. The improvements in proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts attained by this chemical modification is of great significance, providing a new insight into how to develop new implant surfaces for better osseointegration, based on the established microtopographic surfaces.
A 30-W flyback converter operating at 5 MHz

Motivated by the recent commercialization of gallium-nitride (GaN) switches, an effort was initiated to determine whether it was feasible to switch the flyback converter at 5 MHz in order to improve the power density of this versatile isolated topology. Leakage inductance, harmonic losses in the coupled windings, core loss, layout impedances, gate drivers, and other issues problematic at high frequency were quantified by analysis and simulation for a bus converter stepping 36–72 V down to 12 V at 0–30 W. The layout of the coupled windings was optimized by finite-element simulation to achieve 30 nH of leakage inductance with respect to 0.96 μH of magnetizing inductance in order to limit voltage stress. Even with optimal layout, the windings consumed almost 3% of the output power, and dominated the total loss. After breaking down the copper losses in frequency domain, harmonic analysis revealed that 38% of the winding losses were consumed by the harmonics. In order to validate all analysis, a quasi-square-wave (QSW) flyback converter with zero-voltage switching (ZVS) was measured with peak efficiency of 87%. The coupled inductors were composed of a commercial planar ER core fabricated from nickel-zinc ferrite; the size was measured as 18×3.2×10 mm3 and occupied 30% volume of the power stage. In addition, the high dv/dt of 16 V/ns and high di/dt of 10 A/ns caused by the smaller output capacitance of GaN FETs necessitated negative 2 V between gate and source to prevent false turn-on of the switches.
Toward a Generalized Model of Fish Migration

Abstract Recent research utilizing mathematical approaches to marine fish migration problems is critically reviewed. An analogy between the diffusion of organisms and physical quantities is drawn, and the well-known heat diffusion equation is examined as a possible general model for migration. Specific solutions to this equation under various boundary conditions utilizing empirically determined movement parameters derived from tagging and recapture data are obtained utilizing digital computer techniques. Available data are examined with a view toward suggesting the relative significance of the coefficients of directed movement and dispersion under various conditions. The possible mechanisms involved are briefly considered and the utility of the model in testing various hypotheses regarding the precision of the orientation is demonstrated.