cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dysregulation of interleukin-10-dependent gene expression in rheumatoid arthritis synovial macrophages.

Objective The inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) are produced by activated macrophages, are key mediators of pathogenesis, and are validated therapeutic targets in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and seronegative spondylarthritis (SpA). IL-10 is a potent antiinflammatory cytokine that suppresses macrophage TNFα and IL-1 production, yet is not effective in suppressing inflammatory arthritis. To gain insight into IL-10 responses in inflammatory arthritis, we used microarray analysis to determine the patterns of IL-10–inducible gene expression in freshly isolated RA and seronegative SpA synovial macrophages. Methods Macrophages from the synovial fluid of 5 patients with RA and 3 with seronegative SpA (2 with psoriatic arthritis and 1 with ankylosing spondylitis) were isolated by positive selection and stimulated ex vivo with IL-10 or interferon-γ (IFNγ). Gene expression was analyzed using Affymetrix microarrays and protocols. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm changes in gene expression. Results The number of genes induced by IL-10 in arthritic macrophages was markedly smaller than that induced in control macrophages, and the strength of induction was lower in arthritic macrophages for most genes. The residual response of arthritic macrophages to IL-10 stimulation was qualitatively altered, such that IL-10 preferentially increased expression of IFNγ-inducible genes. In contrast, arthritic macrophages expressed many IFNγ-inducible genes prior to stimulation, and their response to IFNγ remained mostly intact. Conclusion These results demonstrate that IL-10 responses are dysregulated in RA synovial macrophages. An altered biologic response to IL-10, with attenuation of its antiinflammatory function and a concomitant retention of IFNγ-like activating functions, provides a basis for the lack of efficacy of IL-10 in suppressing inflammatory arthritis.
Bevacizumab Improves Quality of Life in Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma

Objective. To quantify the benefits in survival and quality of life in patients receiving bevacizumab (BEV) for recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). Methods. This is a retrospective study of 40 adult patients with recurrent GBM treated between 2005 and 2009 at a single institution. All patients had initial treatment with surgery, radiation, and concurrent temozolomide, then monthly temozolomide. Over 250 charts were screened. Sufficient data was available for 20 patients treated with BEV and 20 patients who did not receive BEV at the time of recurrence. The independent living score (ILS), designed to reward long-term independent survival, was calculated for each patient. Results. The mean ILS was nearly double in the BEV group compared to the No-BEV group (15.0 versus 8.2, P = 0.002, t-test). Two months after initiation of therapy, the median steroid dose dropped by over 90% in patients treated with BEV, but doubled in the NoBEV group. Median survival from the time of recurrence was significantly affected: 10.6 months in the BEV group versus 4.2 months (P < 0.001, log rank survival) in the NoBEV group. Conclusions. BEV increases independent living and lengthens overall survival after GBM recurrence. Reduction in steroid dose may contribute to prolonged independence.
Youth Anxiety and Parent Factors Over Time: Directionality of Change Among Youth Treated for Anxiety

The relationship between improvements in child anxiety and changes in parent factors (e.g., parental anxiety, parenting behaviors) is poorly understood. The present study investigated the directionality of change for child anxiety and parent factors among youth treated for anxiety disorders. Structural equation modeling examined these relationships pre- to posttreatment and at 1-year follow-up for 111 youth aged 7 to 14 (57% male, 84% Caucasian). Child anxiety was measured using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children and the Child Behavior Checklist. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Children's Report of Parental Behavior Inventory, and Family Assessment Device were used to measure maternal anxiety, psychological control, behavior control, and family affective involvement. Findings suggest that decreases in mother-reported child anxiety led to decreases in maternal anxiety. Decreases in maternal psychological control and family affective involvement preceded decreases in clinician-rated ch...
The Drosophila Cadherin Fat regulates tissue size and planar cell polarity through different domains.

The Drosophila Cadherin Fat (Ft) has been identified as a crucial regulator of tissue size and Planar Cell Polarity (PCP). However, the precise mechanism by which Ft regulates these processes remains unclear. In order to advance our understanding of the action of Ft, we have sought to identify the crucial Ft effector domains. Here we report that a small region of the Ft cytoplasmic domain (H2 region) is both necessary and sufficient, when membrane localized, to support viability and prevent tissue overgrowth. Interestingly, the H2 region is dispensable for regulating PCP signaling, whereas the mutant Ft lacking the H2 region is fully capable of directing PCP. This result suggests that Ft’s roles in PCP signaling and tissue size control are separable, and each can be carried out independently. Surprisingly, the crucial regions of Ft identified in our structure-function study do not overlap with the previously reported interaction regions with Atrophin, Dco, or Lowfat.
High cooling power density SiGe/Si micro-coolers

SiGe/Si superlattice micro-coolers are investigated experimentally. They can be monolithically integrated with Si-based microelectronic devices to achieve localised cooling and temperature control. Cooling by as much as 4.2 K at 25/spl deg/C and 12 K at 200/spl deg/C was measured on 3 /spl mu/m thick. 60/spl times/60 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ devices. This corresponds to maximum cooling power densities approaching kW/cm/sup 2/.
In Vitro Promotion by Auxins of Divalent Ion Release from Soybean Membranes

Release of divalent ions from membrane pellets of soybean hypocotyls was promoted by the natural auxin, indole-3-acetic acid, and the synthetic auxin, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The calcium release occurred at auxin concentrations as low as 1 nanomolar, and maximum release was observed at 1 micromolar. Hormone concentrations greater than 1 micromolar showed reduced effectiveness in releasing membrane-associated calcium. 2,3-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, a weak-auxin analog of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, did not promote calcium release. In some experiments, the analog actually promoted calcium association with the membranes. Red blood cells treated in a similar manner to soybean hypocotyl membranes did not release calcium in response to indole-3-acetic acid. The release phenomenon was hormone specific but not ion specific. Auxin released manganese from membranes in a manner similar to that of calcium. The calcium release, following auxin treatment, is accompanied by a decrease in membrane-associated sites for calcium binding.
Efficiency of photosynthesis as a solar energy converter

A serious gas shortage has developed in the past few years. Its magnitude is seen by comparing the projected annual demand with the projected domestic production over the period of 1970--1990 (Fig. 1) [1]. This shortage is a consequence of a rapidly increasing demand, a finite supply, and the economic, political and technological constraints encountered in exploiting recoverable resources. If the use of a gaseous fuel is to be continued,
Photoexcitation of electron-hole pairs during SIMS

During analysis with SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy) a HeNe laser beam was focussed on the sample surface. While sputtering Si with oxygen ions, the laser irradiation produced a strong increase of the target current and the SIMS intensities as well. This was found for lightly p-doped Si only, whereas no effect was observed for highly p-doped or n-doped Si. To explain this we assume that a depletion layer exists under the surface oxide layer and free charged carriers are created therein by laser excitation. The laser induced effects observed in the SIMS intensity or the target current can be used for measuring the profile of an ion beam or for measuring the alignment of an ion beam at a laser marked target. In addition, laser irradiation combined with SIMS allows one to measure qualitatively both the profile of the doping impurity and its electrically active part.
Isotope Fractionation in Photosynthetic Bacteria during Carbon Dioxide Assimilation.

The δ PDB 13 C values have been determined for the cellular constituents and metabolic intermediates of autotrophically grown Chromatium vinosum . The isotopic composition of the HCO 3 - in the medium and the carbon isotopic composition of the bacterial cells change with the growth of the culture. The δ PDB 13 C value of the HCO 3 - in the media changes from an initial value of −6.6‰ to +8.1‰ after 10 days of bacterial growth and the δ PDB 13 C value of the bacterial cells change from −37.5‰ to −29.2‰ in the same period. The amount of carbon isotope fractionation during the synthesis of hexoses by the photoassimilation of CO 2 has a range of −15.5‰ at time zero to −22.0‰ after 10 days. This range of fractionation compares to the range of carbon isotope fractionation for the synthesis of sugars from CO 2 by ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase and the Calvin cycle. The amount of carbon isotope fractionation during the synthesis of aspartic acid from CO 2 is −24.9‰ at time zero and −15.0‰ after 10 days of bacterial growth. This amount of fractionation is in the range of carbon isotope fractionation for the synthesis of C 4 amino acids by a double carboxylation through ribulose 1,5-diphosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.
A concurrent microprogramming facility

Control-unit microcode is characterized by the control of multiple asynchronous devices. This paper describes the Concurrent Microprogramming Facility (CMF), a general-purpose microcode operating system that applies recent advances in programming technology to define a uniform method of expressing this inherent asynchrony. This method is shown to be the basis for the partition of the microcode function and to provide a framework for communication between programmers as well as programs. CMF provides an environment where microcode is viewed as disjoint asynchronous processes that communicate with each other and hardware adapters using a small set of primitives based on the concept of message passing. A uniform process interface both streamlines documentation and accommodates multiprocessor designs. A macro-based system definition facility drives the system and allows the structure of a large microprogram to be specified on a single page.
The effects of pituitary growth hormone on the metabolism of administered amino acids in nephrectomized rats.

The anterior pituitary growth hormone is known to promote the retention of nitrogen in the body. This effect is best seen when observations are made in animals fed adequate protein over a day or more. Anterior pituitary extracts will lower the plasma amino nitrogen of fasted animals within a few hours, an effect presumably also the result of growth hormone action. From the conditions of these experiments, it is not possible to say whether the effects seen are due to suppression of protein catabolism or to an increase in the rate of protein anabolism. An acute effect of the growth hormone on the retention of administered nitrogen has not heretofore been demonstrated. In the present experiments, the rate of increase of urea in the blood of nephrectomized rats has been used as a measure of the rate of protein metabolism. A mixture of amino acids in the form of a casein hydrolysate was given intravenously,
Loperamide Abolishes Exercise-Induced Orocecal Liquid Transit Acceleration

Previous work in our laboratory has found that mild physical activity accelerates mouth-to-large intestinal transit of lactulose in a mixed liquid meal. Because loperamide is commonly used as an antidiarrheal agent, we wondered if it would blunt the orocecal transit acceleration provoked by mild exercise. We investigated this equation in 12 healthy persons by comparing orocolonic liquid transit at rest and in mild exercise. Each subject ingested 8 mg loperamide 1 hr prior to study under both resting and exercise conditions. With loperamide treatment, exercise (walking at 5.6 km/hr) failed to hasten increased H2 excretion (mean transit time 72±12 min at rest, 90±15 min in exercise;P=NS). This result contrasts sharply with previously reported controls: loperamide completely abolished exercise-induced orocecal transit acceleration (−23±5 min in controls +18±13 min with loperamide;P<0.05). Compared with these same controls, resting transit was not significantly slowed by the drug, while transit in exercise was retarded (64±5 min in controls, 90±15 min with loperamide;P=0.06). Loperamide left unchanged the heart rate and oxygen uptake rises associated with exercise. In summary, by showing that loperamide blocks an exercise effect on the upper gut, these results suggest that the drug might prove effective in treating some gut symptoms induced by physical activity.
THE COORDINATION OF ZINC IN THE Zn(TTA)2TBP COMPLEX IN BENZENE SOLUTION USING EXAFS

ABSTRACT Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS)was used to determine the molecular species obtained in the synergistic extraction of zinc by a benzene solution of TTA [thenoytrifluoro-acetone, or 4,4,4-(trifluoro-l-(2-thienyl)-l,3-butadione]and TBP (tributyl phosphate). The zinc in the extracted complex is surrounded by five oxygen atoms at a distance of 2.01 A. The coordination number is established by the zinc-oxygen distance, which is shown to be characteristic of this type of pentacoordinated zinc compound. The coordination number is also independently determined by direct comparison of an EXAFS function with those obtained from compounds of known structure. The coordination number is in agreement with that concluded by Nash and Choppin from thermodynamic results. The Debye-Waller term for a series of zinc crystals and solutions is discussed.
Neural influence on corpus allatum activity and egg maturation in starved virgin Periplaneta americana

. Of sixty-seven adult female Periplaneta americana (L.) isolated when less than 8h old and kept without food at 25–30°C in LD 12:12, only six produced oothecae during 25–35 days. Growth of the basal oocytes was retarded, and maximal oocyte volume, only one-third of that in fed virgins, was achieved after about 12 days. By day 14, 60% of the basal oocytes were being resorbed in the starved females, and corpora lutea were usually all that remained beyond day 20. Oocyte growth was potentiated in starved, virgin females by severing either of the two nervi corporis allati 1 (NCA 1), and oothecae were then produced in 45–80% of cases. Sham-operated controls oviposited in fewer than 27% of the trials. Because oocyte maturation was prevented by extirpating both corpora allata (CA), but not when the glands were replaced, and because the juvenile hormone analogue, ZR 515, was highly effective in causing the starved cockroaches to produce oothecae, the starvation-induced reproductive failure probably reflects diminished hormone production by the CA. The most likely consequence of severing NCA 1 is de-repression of juvenile hormone production. The directness of the neural influence was shown by removing the one denervated CA, in which case stimulation of oogenesis was minimal even though the contralateral innervated gland was present. The incidence of ootheca production was not enhanced by transecting the NCA 2, which suggests that the CA of starved cockroaches are not inhibited via this pathway.
Hematological evaluation of lead intoxication in mallards.

The measurement of blood lead has been the most widely accepted laboratory test for monitoring environmental lead exposure. Many technical difficulties are inherent in the precise quantification of blood lead at low concentrations and a margin of error of fifteen percent is not uncommon. Measurement of critical biochemical alterations resulting from lead exposure may provide a better indication of the toxic response of an individual than the actual measurement of blood lead. Lead exposure alters a number of enzymes resulting in impaired heme synthesis and an elevation or excretion of intermediates. Although the determination of blood lead has been the reference standard for monitoring lead exposure, the measurement of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity (delta-ALAD) and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentrations (FEP) have been utilized to evaluate the extent of lead exposure in several species. In humans, there is a good correlation between both delta-ALAD and FEP and the deleterious effects seen following lead exposure. In avian species, investigators have measured elevated lead concentrations and an inhibition of delta-ALAD activity in lead-dosed mallards.
Parental caregiving of children with cancer and family impact, economic burden: nursing perspectives

Pediatric cancer diagnoses affect the entire family: parents, well siblings, the ill child, and others. The objective of this study was to review nursing studies on parental caregiving of children with cancer, family impact, and costs. The study used inclusion/exclusion criteria and family systems theory, self/dependent-care, and symptom management (monitoring, alleviation) concepts. Regarding "levels of evidence," 3 studies were Level II; 7 were Level IV; 7 were Level VI; 1 review was Level V and the second was Level I. Of 19 studies: 11 were qualitative; 4, quantitative; 2 were mixed methods. Content analysis themes were: Parental caregiving and family impact, economic burden. Conclusions were that (a) qualitative studies are predominant; findings supported quantitative findings; (b) quantitative nursing studies are less common: found one longitudinal, randomized controlled trial (RCT) focused on outcomes of an intervention for well siblings and parents, implemented by Clinical Nurse Specialists, CNSs; (c) few quantitative studies with large samples were found, especially ones with theoretical models of the family system and measures of illness impact on families; and (d) "mixed methods" longitudinal nursing research is illustrated. There is a need for "evidence-based" practice (EBP) nursing studies of interventions focused on parent education/support/assistance; respite care, and increasing family/well sibling knowledge/other information on the child's illness.
Evaluation of ActiGraph’s Low-Frequency Filter in Laboratory and Free-Living Environments

ABSTRACTThe ActiGraph (AG) is the most commonly used research-grade physical activity monitor. Although several investigators have examined the effects of the “low-frequency extension” (LFE) on step counts in the free-living environment, a direct comparison with a valid criterion method is lacking.
Multicast receiver access control by IGMP-AC

IP multicast is best-known for its bandwidth conservation and lower resource utilization. The present service model of multicast makes it difficult to restrict access to authorized End Users (EUs) or paying customers. Without an effective receiver access control, an adversary may exploit the existing IP multicast model, where a host or EU can join any multicast group by sending an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) join message without prior authentication and authorization. We have developed a novel, scalable and secured access control architecture for IP multicast that deploys Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) protocols to control group membership. The principal feature of the access control architecture, receiver access control, is addressed in this paper. The EU or host informs the multicast Access Router (AR) of its interest in receiving multicast traffic using the IGMP protocol. We propose the necessary extensions of IGMPv3 to carry AAA information, called IGMP with Access Control (IGMP-AC). For EU authentication, IGMP-AC encapsulates Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) packets. EAP is an authentication framework to provide some common functions and a negotiation of the desired authentication mechanism. Thus, IGMP-AC can support a variety of authentications by encapsulating different EAP methods. Furthermore, we have modeled the IGMP-AC protocol in PROMELA, and also verified the model using SPIN. We have illustrated the EAP encapsulation method with an example EAP method, EAP Internet Key Exchange (EAP-IKEv2). We have used AVISPA to validate the security properties of the EAP-IKEv2 method in pass-through mode, which fits within the IGMP-AC architecture. Finally, we have extended our previously developed access control architecture to accomplish inter-domain receiver access control and demonstrated the applicability of IGMP-AC in a multi-domain environment.
‘A threshold of platelet reactivity for ischaemic events?’ and ‘The optimal threshold of high post-treatment platelet reactivity could be defined by a point-of care VerifyNow P2Y12 assay’: reply

We thank Dr Bonello and colleagues and Jeong and colleagues for their interest in our paper.1 We agree with Dr Bonello and colleagues that the clopidogrel regimen around the time of platelet function measurement is crucial, since this impacts both the level of platelet reactivity and possibly acute clinical outcomes. As we note in the methods section of our paper, patients on chronic clopidogrel therapy in our study were not re-loaded, and those who were clopidogrel-naive received a 600 mg loading dose. There was no significant difference in ADP-induced platelet reactivity between these two groups (mean 183 + 94 PRU vs. 186 + 73 PRU), nor was there a difference between these groups in the rate of patients having high platelet …
Central representation of the sympathetic nervous system in the cerebral cortex

The sympathetic-related regions of the cerebral cortex were identified in rats after pseudorabies virus injections were made in functionally different targets: adrenal gland, stellate ganglion which regulates the heart, or celiac ganglion which innervates the gastrointestinal tract. Extensive transneuronal labeling was found in limbic system areas: (1) extended amygdaloid complex, (2) lateral septum, and (3) infralimbic, insular, and ventromedial temporal cortical regions (viz., ectorhinal cortex=Brodmann's area 36, perirhinal cortex=area 35, lateral entorhinal=area 28, and ventral temporal association cortex=Te3 region). Deep temporal lobe structures were prominently labeled, including the amygdalopiriform and amygdalohippocampal transition areas, ventral hippocampus and ventral subiculum. The cortical circuits mediating emotional-autonomic changes (i.e., mind-body control) are discussed.
Prospective evaluation of surgical site infection rate among patients with Mohs micrographic surgery without the use of prophylactic antibiotics

Background Antibiotics may be indiscriminately given to patients undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) for the prevention of surgical site infections, despite a low risk of infection in these patients. Objective We sought to evaluate the rate of wound infections among patients undergoing MMS without the use of prophylactic antibiotics. Methods We prospectively evaluated 1000 consecutive patients undergoing MMS for nonmelanoma skin cancer or modified MMS/"slow Mohs" for lentigo maligna melanoma in situ. Results The overall wound infection rate among 1000 patients with 1115 tumors was 0.7% (8/1115 tumors). Five (62.5%) of 8 infections occurred on the nose with an overall 1.7% (5/302) nose infection rate. Seven (87.5%) of 8 infections occurred after flap reconstruction with an overall 2.4% (7/296) flap closure infection rate. Four (50%) of 8 infections occurred in patients requiring more than one Mohs stage for tumor clearance with a 0.8% (4/487) overall infection rate in cases requiring multiple Mohs stages. Two (25%) of 8 infections had cultures positive for oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. No wound infections occurred in cases involving the lips or ears, skin-graft closures, or below-knee or modified MMS procedures. Limitations This was a prospective single institution uncontrolled study. Conclusion Rates of infections among patients undergoing MMS or modified MMS are exceedingly low. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics increases patient risk to adverse drug reactions and antibiotic resistance. Administration of antibiotics to patients undergoing MMS should be on a case-by-case basis according to the known risk factors combined with clinical judgment.
Molecular characterization of a subtype of DQw1 recognized by hapten-specific T cells.

Previous studies of HLA-restricted antigen recognition by cloned T cells have frequently demonstrated reactivity that did not correlate precisely with the expression of serologically defined HLA specificities. To further explore such discrepancies, we utilized monoclonal antibody (MoAb) blocking, partial NH2-terminal amino acid sequencing, and Southern blot hybridization techniques to analyze the fine specificity of four autologous trinitrophenyl-specific T cell lines restricted to DR2-linked epitopes. MoAb blocking studies demonstrated that two of these lines recognized determinants on DR molecules while the other two recognized determinants on the same molecule that expresses the DQw1 determinant. However, these latter two lines appeared to recognize a DQw1-related determinant found primarily in association with DR2, but not the other DQw1-associated DR alleles, DR1 and DRw6. To ascertain whether these lines were defining a functional split of DQw1, we performed partial NH2-terminal amino acid sequencing of the molecules precipitated with a DQw1-specific MoAb (Genox 3.53) from different stimulator lines. The results showed that these T cell lines recognized a subtype of DQw1 that is in linkage disequilibrium with DR2. Moreover, we identified characteristic restriction fragment length polymorphisms with a DQβ-specific cDNA that correlated with stimulatory capacity for the DQw1-restricted lines. These results demonstrate that: (1) DQ molecules may provide restriction determinants that are incorrectly assigned to DR molecules on stimulator panel analyses; (2) cloned antigen-specific T cell lines recognize polymorphic regions of class II molecules not distinguished by either conventional typing antisera or xenogeneic MoAb; and (3) the DQw1 epitope(s) is located on a heterogeneous group of DQ molecules that differ from each other in the primary sequence of their β chains.
Coagulation—control of particle number during nonaqueous emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Abstract Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized in heptane in the presence of an amphipathic graft copolymer stabilizer to produce nonaqueous latices. The stabilizer was formed by copolymerizing a polyhydroxy stearate “macromer” and MMA. The initiator was cumene hydroperoxide/dodecylmercaptan redox system. The kinetics of particle formation were followed using a sampling dilatometer along with electron microscopy. Primary particles were presumed to be formed by homogeneous nucleation in analogy to the behavior of aqueous latex systems. Aggregation played an important role in the determination of the number concentration of particles and their rate of growth. Renucleation of subsequent generations of primary particles at later stages in the polymerization was observed. Calculations of the interaction potentials between particles, using the approximate theory of Hesselink, Vrij, and Overbeek, showed a secondary minimum. These were based on previous measurements of surface coverage by the stabilizer. The final number of particles was found to be determined by the amount of stabilizer and the fact that a fixed interfacial area per stabilizer soluble moiety is maintained. Particle formation kinetics are determined by three factors: dN dt = R i − R c − R f , in which R i is the rate of free radical generation, R c is the rate of oligomeric free radical capture by polymer particles, and R f is the rate of coagulation. These, in turn, were found to depend upon the stabilizer, initiator, and monomer concentrations.
Respect in children across cultures.

This volume overall provides a compelling description of what respect entails and how it functions and emerges in childhood and adolescence. This construct requires further conceptual clarification and study across cultures. The strength of this volume lies in its cultural perspective and diverse empirical approaches.
Visualization of Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers Negotiating Convex Curvature

The effects of convex curvature on the outer structure of a high-Reynolds number Mach 4.9 turbulent boundary layer are visualized using condensate scattering and analyzed using twopoint spatial correlations, intermittency, and fractal theory. Consistent with other studies, the large-scale flow structures appear to survive the initial expansion. They appear to increase in size, consistent with the effects of bulk dilatation, and undergo a reorientation, leaning farther away from the wall. The intermittency, however, does not change significantly. There is a decrease in the fractal dimension, indicating that the boundary layer interface becomes more regular. Because fractal scale similarity does not encompass the largest scales, this suggests that the change in fractal dimension is due to the action of the smaller-scales, thereby supporting the notion that the small-scale structures are quenched during the expansion. Thus, the effects of convex curvature appear to create larger-scale structures, which lean farther away from the wall, and which exhibit a more regular interface. Time-resolved visualizations using a 500 kHz laser system enable the volumetric reconstruction of the boundary layer’s instantaneous structure.
Substructure in the postsynaptic density of purkinje cell dendritic spines revealed by rapid freezing and etching

In tissue prepared by rapid freezing, freeze fracture, and shallow etching, the postsynaptic density of Purkinje cell dendritic spines has a substructure consisting of fine filaments and irregular, globular adherent proteins. The number and packing density of the globular proteins vary from region to region within a single density and are even more variable when different junctions are compared. Whereas actinlike microfilaments and spectrinlike filaments are juxtaposed to the postsynaptic density, they do not appear to be continuous with the constituent filaments of the density. We suggest that the postsynaptic density at this class of synapse is composed of fine filamentous proteins that insert on the postsynaptic membrane and serve as a supporting framework for a variety of globular proteins. The globular proteins may vary qualitatively and quantitatively from junction to junction, and are positioned in the region of the spine that has the greatest concentration of ionized calcium entering with the synaptic current, and the greatest extent of postsynaptic depolarization.
An exact probability model for finite hash tables

The author presents an exact probability model for finite hash tables and applies the model to solve a few problems in the analysis of hashing techniques. The model enables exact computation of table sufficiency index, a parameter useful in the design of small hash tables. The author also presents an exact analysis of the expected length of the longest probe sequence in hashing with separate chaining, and successful search length in infinite uniform hashing giving explicit expressions. It appears that the model can be extended to analyze other hashing schemes such as bounded disorder index method, and to problems in robust data structures, etc. >
The Aspect Ratio Dependence of the Fluorescence of Gold Nanorods: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

Experimental observations and theoretical treatments are carried out for the band shape and relative intensity of the emission from gold nanorods of various aspect ratios in the range between 2.6 (1.5 theory) and 6.3 (9 theory). The calculation of the fluorescence spectra requires knowledge of the nanorod size distribution, the enhancement factors and the shape of the un-enhanced fluorescence spectrum. The comparison between the observed and calculated fluorescence band shapes is found to be good. The calculated changes in the relative intensities with aspect ratios are found to be much greater than that observed experimentally. This is due to the fact that for the observed emission of all the rods studied, nonradiative processes dominate the relaxation mechanism of the excited state, a fact that was not included in the theoretical treatments. Experimental results and theoretical treatments will be presented.
The chroma sensor® CS-5: A tradition of improved performance

In a previous article [R. Stanziola, B. Momiroff, H. Hemmendinger, Color Res. Appl. 4, 157–163 (1979)], a new generation of scanning spectrophotometer was described. The new generation instrument contained many improvements to the recording spectrophotometer designed by A. C. Hardy. This article describes the progeny of that generation. Continued improvements in both optics and electronics have been implemented so that the routine performance of the CS-5 now far exceeds the ability to make and judge colored specimens.
The Effects of a Physical Activity Program on Sleep-and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Persons With Arthritis

Few studies have examined the effects of physical activity on sleep in older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the short- and long-term effects of an 8-week, low-to-moderate-intensity physical activity program on improvements in sleep and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a sample of community-based older adults with arthritis (N = 346). Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or control group that received the intervention on a delayed basis. Sleep and HROQL were assessed with self-report instruments at baseline and 8 weeks using intention-to-treat (ITT) and as-treated (AT) analyses. The intervention group was also assessed at 3 and 6 months. At 8 weeks, the intervention group reported fewer days waking up tired (ITT and AT results) and fewer days waking up at night and/or having poor mental health (AT results). Treatment effects were not maintained at 3 and 6 months.
Clearness of tuning possibilities in long-range predictive control (LRPC)

It is shown that generalized predictive control (GPC) offers the possibility of properly controlling even unstable and nonminimum-phase plants with dead time. GPC can be adjusted so that robust behavior is achieved in order to cope with plants whose model order, dead time, and parameters are not well known or time-varying. GPC has appropriate tunings with respect to control performance and robustness. The design effort of GPC increases as a result of more difficult plants. To control unstable and nonminimum-phase processes, several control changes must be projected. The number depends on that of unstable and badly damped poles and zeros. If the plant is changing to such an extent that the output will leave behind the setpoint dynamics, GPC can be used in an adaptive scheme. The success of predictive controllers depends to a large extent on the quality of the process model. GPC offers a larger tuning variety, which is particularly useful in analyzing design methods together with concrete plants. >
A fast expected time algorithm for the 2-D point pattern matching problem

Point set pattern matching is an integral part ofmany pattern recognition problems. We study a randomized algorithm f or the alignment approach to model-based recognition. Under certain mild assumptions we show that ifour scene is a set of n points and our model is a set of min points our algorithm has expected running time O(n(log m) 3=2 ) for 5nding an occurrence of the model in the scene. This is signi5cantly faster than any existing algorithms in the literature. We then describe some experimental results on randomly generated data using a practical version ofour algorithm. These results agree well with the theoretical analysis. ? 2004 Pattern Recognition Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Comparative Investigation on CSMA/CA-Based Opportunistic Random Access for Internet of Things

Wireless communication is indispensable to Internet of Things (IoT). Carrier sensing multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) is a well-proven wireless random access protocol and allows each node of equal probability in accessing wireless channel, which incurs equal throughput in long term regardless of the channel conditions. To exploit node diversity that refers to the difference of channel condition among nodes, this paper proposes two opportunistic random access mechanisms: overlapped contention and segmented contention, to favor the node of the best channel condition. In the overlapped contention, the contention windows of all nodes share the same ground of zero, but have different upper bounds upon channel condition. In the segmented contention, the contention window upper bound of a better channel condition is smaller than the lower bound of a worse channel condition; namely, their contention windows are segmented without any overlapping. These algorithms are also polished to provide temporal fairness and avoid starving the nodes of poor channel conditions. The proposed mechanisms are analyzed, implemented, and evaluated on a Linux-based testbed and in the NS3 simulator. Extensive comparative experiments show that both opportunistic solutions can significantly improve the network performance in throughput, delay, and jitter over the current CSMA/CA protocol. In particular, the overlapped contention scheme can offer 73.3% and 37.5% throughput improvements in the infrastructure-based and ad hoc networks, respectively.
A preliminary report on the extraction of strophanthus.

Two tinctures were prepared, one by the N. F. VIII method and the other using 65 per cent alcohol as menstruum. Both were found to be above the N. F. standard when tested by the Knudson-Dresbach colorimetric method. The tincture extracted with 65 per cent alcohol was found to be stronger than the tincture prepared by the official method The latter remained clear for 6 months while the tincture containing more water precipitated slightly after six months at room temperature.
Substrate-specific inhibition of RecQ helicase

The RecQ helicases constitute a small but highly conserved helicase family. Proteins in this family are of particular interest because they are critical to maintenance of genomic stability in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Eukaryotic RecQ helicase family members have been shown to unwind not only DNA duplexes but also DNAs with alternative structures, including structures stabilized by G quartets (G4 DNAs). We report that Escherichia coli RecQ can also unwind G4 DNAs, and that unwinding requires ATP and divalent cation. RecQ helicase is comparably active on duplex and G4 DNA substrates, as measured by direct comparison of protein activity and by competition assays. The porphyrin derivative, N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM), is a highly specific inhibitor of RecQ unwinding activity on G4 DNA but not duplex DNA: the inhibition constant (K(i)) for NMM inhibition of G4 DNA unwinding is 1.7 microM, approximately two orders of magnitude below the K(i) for inhibition of duplex DNA unwinding (>100 microM). NMM may therefore prove to be a valuable compound for substrate-specific inhibition of other RecQ family helicases in vitro and in vivo.
A Cross-Site Analysis of Strategies Used by Three Middle School Art Teachers to Foster Student Learning

This cross-site, collaborative study focused on the instructional practices of three middle school art teachers from Arizona, Indiana, and New York. The researchers found similarities as well as di...
Field-induced electron localization: Molecular quantum-dot cellular automata and the relevance of Robin–Day classification

Abstract Mixed-valence complexes are potential candidates for the molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) approach, which encodes binary information using the configuration of localized and mobile charges. In the Robin–Day classification of mixed-valence complexes, charge localization/delocalization is determined by the ratio of the nuclear reorganization energy and the electron transfer (ET) matrix element. We point out that the driving force for charge localization in molecular QCA is the Coulomb interaction between neighboring molecules rather than nuclear relaxation. This suggests a different criterion for the relevant charge localization, one based on the ET matrix element and the driving bias of a neighboring molecule.
Adult Lung Spheroid Cells Contain Progenitor Cells and Mediate Regeneration in Rodents With Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Lung diseases are devastating conditions and ranked as one of the top five causes of mortality worldwide according to the World Health Organization. Stem cell therapy is a promising strategy for lung regeneration. Previous animal and clinical studies have focused on the use of mesenchymal stem cells (from other parts of the body) for lung regenerative therapies. We report a rapid and robust method to generate therapeutic resident lung progenitors from adult lung tissues. Outgrowth cells from healthy lung tissue explants are self-aggregated into three-dimensional lung spheroids in a suspension culture. Without antigenic sorting, the lung spheroids recapitulate the stem cell niche and contain a natural mixture of lung stem cells and supporting cells. In vitro, lung spheroid cells can be expanded to a large quantity and can form alveoli-like structures and acquire mature lung epithelial phenotypes. In severe combined immunodeficiency mice with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, intravenous injection of human lung spheroid cells inhibited apoptosis, fibrosis, and infiltration but promoted angiogenesis. In a syngeneic rat model of pulmonary fibrosis, lung spheroid cells outperformed adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in reducing fibrotic thickening and infiltration. Previously, lung spheroid cells (the spheroid model) had only been used to study lung cancer cells. Our data suggest that lung spheroids and lung spheroid cells from healthy lung tissues are excellent sources of regenerative lung cells for therapeutic lung regeneration.
From HOPE en I'ESPERANCE On the Role of Computational Neurolinguistics in Cross-Language Studies

Computational neurolinguistics (CN) is an approach to computational linguistics which includes neurally-motivated constraints in the design of models of natural language processing. Furthermore, the knowledge representations included in such models must be supported with documented behaviorial evidence, normal and pathological.This paper will discuss the contribution of CN models to the understanding of linguistic "competence" within recent research efforts to adapt HOPE (Gigley 1981; 1982a; 1982b; 1982c; 1983a), an implemented CN model for "understanding" English to l'ESPERANCE, one which "understands" French.
Regularity of Harmonic Maps from a Flat Complex

We show that a harmonic map from an admissible fiat simplicial complex into a metric space of non-positive curvature is Lipschitz continuous away from the (n - 2)-simplices.
DiffCode: A System for the Simulation of Diffusion Driven Phase Evolution in Solids

Diffusion is an important mechanism for failure inducing phenomena in many applications. The common Pb-free solder alloys used in the current generation of electronics packages are complex multiphase multicomponent materials. As the scale of the solder joint decreases, it becomes increasingly important to account for the effect of surface phenomena such as grain boundary evolution, surface diffusion and interfacial reactions in the mechanics of the solder joints. The dynamics of these diffusion driven interfacial phenomena are affected by the state of stress and the electric current in the solid. The primary challenges to modeling the dynamics of evolution are the tracking of the interface while satisfying the boundary conditions for the bulk problem.In previous work, the authors utilized the phase field method in conjunction with a commercial finite element code to study the effect of stress and electrical fields on the diffusion driven evolution of voids in solder interconnects. The utilization of commercial tools for the simulation of the stress, electrical and thermal fields allowed for the use of pre-existing meshes and allowed the study of electromigration failure in assemblies of solder joints. However, the use of commercial tools can be expensive and the options for parallel simulation are limited, restricting the size and complexity of the simulations.In this work, the authors describe DiffCode, a parallel adaptive finite element code for three-Dimensional simulation of electromigration and stress migration driven failure due to void evolution and growth in solder as well as line interconnects using the phase field method. Several illustrative two-dimensional and three-dimensional electromigration driven void evolution simulations are demonstrated using the code.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Larvae influence thermoregulatory fanning behavior in honeybees ( Apis mellifera L.)

For many animals, maintaining a specific range of temperatures during offspring development is critical for the survival of the young. While this is most studied in birds and mammals, some insects regulate nest temperatures to create an ideal environment for larval development. Here, we explore the thermoregulatory fanning behavior in honeybees performed to maintain colony temperatures in the presence of larvae. We found that honeybees are more likely to fan when larvae are present, but need direct contact with larvae to fan. We found no evidence that exposure to brood pheromone plays a role in stimulating fanning behavior. Finally, we saw a shift in the fanning response seasonally. These results show that the presence of developing offspring influences the fanning response in honeybees and help us to understand how honeybee colonies achieve the fine thermoregulation necessary for healthy larval development.
Fostering STEM literacy through a tabletop wind turbine environmental science laboratory activity

Increasingly, national education policy is focusing on improving science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) literacy by using energy as a subject matter. In particular, The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS 2014) identified energy as an issue that collectively relates the principles of science, technology, engineering, and math for students. Learning about energy, especially alternative energy, is much broader than STEM as it also connects a current issue to environmental impacts, the economy, and society—the three pillars of sustainability. In this paper, we present a hands-on laboratory activity developed for an introductory environmental science course that uses tabletop wind turbines designed to improve students’ STEM and energy literacy and to introduce them to the science and technology of wind energy and basic land use considerations of siting wind farms. In this lab, students conceptualize and calculate the basic physical properties of wind energy potential and production by measuring velocities and calculating optimal energy production through various modifications to turbine placement and blade manipulation. Students construct mini-wind farms with multiple turbines and manipulate the footprint and height to achieve the greatest energy production on the smallest footprint thus incorporating land use considerations. This lab engages students, most of whom are not STEM majors; supports their ability to solve a real, hands-on integrated STEM problem; and increases their understanding and ability to communicate about the scientific and technical aspects of energy, in particular wind energy.