cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hexagonal mesostructured chalcogenide frameworks formed by linking [Ge4Q10]4− (Q = S, Se) clusters with Sb3+ and Sn4+

The synthesis and properties of new hexagonal ordered mesostuctured phases of framework containing adamantane [Ge4Q10]4− (Q = S, Se) clusters linked by Sb3+ and Sn4+ ions and templated with cetylpyridinium surfactant are reported.
Catalytic Triple Bond Activation and Vinyl−Vinyl Reductive Coupling by Pt(IV) Complexes. A Density Functional Study

A density functional theoretical study has been performed for the mechanisms of platinum(IV)-catalyzed alkyne-to-conjugated diene conversion reaction, which involves two subsequent triple bond activation steps followed by vinyl−vinyl coupling. Calculations have shown that acetylene triple bond activation by PtI62- in water or methanol solution may proceed through either external nucleophile addition or intramolecular insertion, with the former mechanism occurring with a lower barrier and leading to thermodynamically favored product. The rate-determining step of the entire catalytic cycle is found to be the formation of a platinum(IV) cis-divinyl derivative. Although vinyl−vinyl coupling reaction may take place from both six-coordinated octahedral and five-coordinated square-pyramidal platinum(IV) divinyl complexes, the five-coordinated derivative was found to react with a significantly lower barrier. The results obtained here are in good agreement with available experimental data and reveal important deta...
High Surface Area Carbon Electrodes for the Bromine Reactions in H2-Br2 Fuel Cells

The H2-Br2 system is considered as one of the viable options for large scale electrical energy storage due to faster H2 and Br2 reaction kinetics, low cost, and high round-trip efficiency. In order to improve the performance of the H2-Br2 fuel cell, carbon electrodes with high active surface area are needed. A preliminary study was conducted to synthesize and characterize the carbon nanotube based electrodes. Based on the results obtained from SEM, TEM, and EDX analysis, multi-wall carbon nanotube growth is confirmed. Also, the results from the multi-step chronoamperometry study have shown that the active areas of carbon nanotube electrodes are significantly higher than a plain carbon electrode.
Dose-response relationship of a tumorpromoting agent.

Abstract The time of appearance of the tumors, and the cumulative response, varied with the dose of a fraction of croton oil which was applied on the initiated skins of mice. The present results have not established a rigorous dose-response relationship; they indicate nevertheless a definite quantitative trend.
Measurement Error in Nonparametric Item Response Curve Estimation

Nonparametric, or kernel, estimation of item response curve (IRC) is a concern theoretically and operationally. Accuracy of this estimation, often used in item analysis in testing programs, is biased when the observed scores are used as the regressor because the observed scores are contaminated by measurement error. In this study, we investigate the deconvolution kernel estimation of IRC, correcting for the measurement error in the regressor variable. Using item response theory (IRT) simulated data and some real data, we compared the traditional kernel estimation and the deconvolution estimation of IRC. Results show that in capturing important features of the IRC, the traditional kernel estimation is comparable to the deconvolution kernel estimation in item analysis.
A SPACE VIEW OF A SYMMETRIC OBJECT

Symmetric features, both natural and man-made, exist on earth and are visible in space data. This paper closely examines one circularly symmetric object, the Robert F. Kennedy stadium in Washington, DC, which is contained in a Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper image. The effect of the space measurement on the appearance of the feature varies according to the band of the image. The human perception of the data is affected by the band and also by the magnification and context of the feature. The differences in interpretability of one object demonstrate the nature of the challenges involved in achieving computer vision. The future computing systems and related developments that may enable a machine to “understand” a symmetric object are described.
Sensitivity limits of coupled resonator optical waveguide (CROW) gyroscopes when subject to material losses

In recent years there has been a growing interest in optical microresonators as viable low cost on chip micro-optical gyroscopes with navigation grade sensitivities. Here, we analyze and compare the rotational sensitivity of coupled resonator optical waveguide (CROW) gyroscopes to equivalent single resonator gyroscopes under various geometric constraints and device parameters. We show that the CROW gyros offer a sensitivity enhancement over conventional single resonator gyros at low propagation losses. However, the single ring resonator gyro is found to be more stable over a wider range of propagation losses as well as boasting greater sensitivities for larger propagation losses compared to a CROW of the same size. Furthermore, an analysis of the maximum achievable sensitivity for different material technologies (Hydex, silicon oxynitride, and SOI) is conducted. While all materials achieved tactical grade sensitivities, Hydex shows the greatest potential for CROW gyros because of the stability of its sensitivity over a wide range of device parameters.
Cholesterol and serotonin indices in depressed and suicidal patients.

Background: Prolactin and cortisol responses to d-fenfluramine challenge of central serotonin are reduced in depressed and suicidal patients. Low serum cholesterol levels are also reported in suicidal behavior. Thus, we examined for a relationship between serum cholesterol and fenfluramine challenge responses in patients with depression and/or attempted suicide. Methods: We studied 12 patients and six controls. Blood was drawn for baseline serum cholesterol and the d-fenfluramine challenge test performed. Results: Serum cholesterol levels were significantly lower in suicidal patients than in either non-suicidal patients or controls. However, neither the prolactin nor cortisol responses to d-fenfluramine correlated significantly with serum cholesterol levels. Conclusion: No relationship was found between serum cholesterol and these peripheral indices of serotonergic function.
Development of a New Fluorescence Method for the Detection of Beryllium on Surfaces

A rapid, quantitative, sensitive test for the detection of beryllium on surfaces has been developed. The method is based on the fluorescence of beryllium bound to sulfonated hydroxybenzoquinoline at pH 12.8, which emits at 475 nm when excited at 380 nm and includes a novel dissolution technique. The intensity of fluorescence is linear with respect to beryllium concentration. A detection limit of 0.02 µg Be/100 cm2 has been achieved, which is ten times lower than the DOE recommended working limit for non-beryllium work areas [1]. Interference studies have been carried out with a variety of metals including Al, Fe, Pb, U, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ca, W, Ni, Co, and Cu with minimal or no interferences found for detection of Be at 100 nM in the presence 0.4 mM of the other metal. The method has proven successful under various operating conditions, including the detection of beryllium on a variety of surfaces both in laboratory settings and in field trials. It fulfills the requirements for a fast, inexpensive, field deployable method of detection of beryllium on surfaces.
Characterizing the antigenic profile of the human trachea: implications for tracheal transplantation.

Background. Tracheal transplantation may be a viable alternative in select situations of long-segment tracheal stenosis. Issues concerning human tracheal antigenicity and the requirement for systemic immunosuppression need to be addressed. This study examined the distribution of the major transplantation antigens on fresh human trachea. Methods. Frozen sections of 10 human tracheas were examined for class I (HLA [human leukocyte antigen]-A, -B, -C) and class II (HLA-DR) histocompatibility antigens using mouse monoclonal antibodies in an indirect immunoperoxidase assay. The tracheal mucosa, perichondrium, cartilage matrix, and chondrocytes were examined and assigned a semiquantitative score for HLA class I and class II expression. Results. The tracheal mucosa was strongly antigenic for HLA class I and class II antigens, whereas the perichondrium contained only scattered fibroblasts that were positive for both classes. The polysaccharide matrix was consistently devoid of class I or class II expression. The chondrocytes of all 10 specimens expressed diffuse class I positivity; only two specimens contained chondrocytes that expressed class II positivity. Conclusions. The human trachea contains compartments of highly antigenic tissue that are morphologically distinct from regions of lesser antigenicity.
Interleukin-1β and its type 1 receptor are expressed in developing neural circuits in the frog, Xenopus laevis

The cytokine interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) is an evolutionarily conserved molecule that was originally identified in the immune system. In addition to regulating peripheral immune responses, IL-1β plays an important role in mediating neural-immune interactions and regulating glial activities during healing and repair in the damaged nervous system. Active IL-1β is produced by interleukin-converting enzyme (ICE), a caspase thought to be involved in the induction of apoptosis. We report that, in the developing frog, Xenopus laevis, IL-1β and the IL-1 type 1 receptor proteins are coexpressed in specific neurons that comprise early sensory-motor circuits. IL-1β and IL-1 type 1 receptor proteins are colocalized in specific midbrain and hindbrain reticular cells, including Mauthner's neuron; specific cells in the trigeminal (fifth), lateral line (seventh), and vestibular (eighth) cranial ganglia; oculomotor neurons; and the primordial Purkinje cells of the lateral cerebellar auricle. In the spinal cord, Rohon-Beard sensory neurons, dorsal root ganglion cells, and primary motoneurons are immunopositive. Anteriorly, the olfactory pits, olfactory nerves, and olfactory bulbs are labeled, as are retinal cells, especially photoreceptor inner segments. With regard to the function of IL-1β during neural development, IL-1β and its type 1 receptor are present throughout the course of neural development in identifiable, long-lived neurons, such as Mauthner's neuron. These and other data suggest that IL-1β and its type 1 receptor may be involved in the maintenance of cell survival rather than induction of neuronal death. J. Comp. Neurol. 394:242–251, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The prevalence of psychological distress and help-seeking in a college student population

This paper examines the prevalence of treated and untreated psychological distress as measured by various indices within subgroups of a student population. Comparisons are made on these indices between a random sample of the college population of 1502 respondents and applicants from the same population seeking psychiatric and counseling assistance. As anticipated, we found high levels of reported distress in the random sample although it is difficult to assess the clinical significance of such reports. Forty-five per cent of students in the random sample scored six or higher on the Langner 22-item scale as compared with 75 % among psychiatric applicants and 66 % among counseling applicants. While half of the psychiatric sample, and a third of the counseling sample, reported that their problems often prevent activities, only a tenth of the random sample gave comparable responses. Forty-seven predictors of levels of reported distress were examined. Most socio-demographic factors have either modest or no effect on reported distress; women, younger students and unmarried students were more likely to report distress. Other variables found to be correlated with reported distress include: having a high proportion of friends with emotional problems, identifying with introspective others and a low sense of self-efficacy and control. The significance of these and other findings is evaluated in light of methodological issues and uncertainties in the measurement of distress in community populations.
Backstepping high-order differential neural network control of a type of nonlinear systems

This paper presents an output feedback control. The control algorithm does not require plant mathematical model. However, the actual plant is assumed to be affine with respect to local inputs. High order differential neural networks are used to identify the unknown plant. Luenberger-type observer provides estimated states. Controller is based on backstepping and Lyapunov direct method. Variable structure control handles uncertainties arising from the estimation processes. Closed loop errors are proved to be bounded. A trajectory tracking example demonstrates the effectiveness of the design.
Readings on Rhetoric and Performance

Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, and Phaedra C. Pezzullo, eds. Readings on Rhetoric and Performance. State College, PA: Strata Publishing, 2010. 461 pp. $66.25 (paperback) Readings on Rhetoric and Perfor...
Fisher’s Zeros as the Boundary of Renormalization Group Flows in Complex Coupling Spaces

We propose new methods to extend the renormalization group transformation to complex coupling spaces. We argue that Fisher's zeros are located at the boundary of the complex basin of attraction of infrared fixed points. We support this picture with numerical calculations at finite volume for two-dimensional O(N) models in the large-N limit and the hierarchical Ising model. We present numerical evidence that, as the volume increases, the Fisher's zeros of four-dimensional pure gauge SU(2) lattice gauge theory with a Wilson action stabilize at a distance larger than 0.15 from the real axis in the complex β=4/g{2} plane. We discuss the implications for proofs of confinement and searches for nontrivial infrared fixed points in models beyond the standard model.
SLANG KNOWLEDGE AS AN INDICATOR OF A GENERAL SOCIAL DEVIANCY SUBCULTURAL FACTOR

Evidence for a general social deviancy subcultural factor was found using the Kulik, Sarbin, and Stein (1971) slang test on drugs, gangs, law enforcement, and general words. The slang scores of 68 confirmed opiate addicts exceeded those of normals and young delinquents reported by Kulik, et al. (1971), including delinquents who were recidivists. Addicts knew more drug and alcohol slang than slang in the three other categories. It was recommended that more attempts should be made to subdivide measures of social deviancy by means of slang as there is some evidence of possible further differentiation of subcultural types by means of slang.
Stationary and Trellis Encoding for IID Sources and Simulation

Necessary conditions for asymptotically optimal sliding-block or stationary codes for source coding and rate-constrained simulation are presented and applied to a design technique for trellis-encoded source coding and rate constrained simulation of memoryless sources.
Expression and function of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors at the maternal-embryonic boundary during mouse embryo implantation

Gelatinase B, a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) of high specific activity, is highly expressed and activated by mouse blastocysts in culture, and inhibition of this enzyme activity inhibits lysis of extracellular matrix (Behrendtsen, O., Alexander, C. M. and Werb, Z. (1992) Development 114, 447-456). Because gelatinase B expression is linked to invasive potential, we studied the expression of gelatinase B mRNA and protein in vivo, in implanting trophoblast giant cells, and found that it was expressed and activated during colonization of the maternal decidua. mRNAs for several other MMPs (stromelysin-1, stromelysin-3 and gelatinase A) and MMP inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) were expressed in the undifferentiated stroma toward the outside of the decidua, and TIMP-3 mRNA was expressed in primary and some mature decidual cells during their differentiation. Both mRNA and TIMP-3 protein were present at high concentrations transiently, and declined from 6.5 days post coitum onward, as the cells underwent apoptosis during the main period of gelatinase B expression and ectoplacental growth and expansion. To assess the function of MMPs during implantation and decidual development, we either injected a peptide hydroxamate MMP inhibitor into normal mice or studied transgenic mice overexpressing TIMP-1. In both cases, decidual length and overall size were reduced, and the embryo was displaced mesometrially. Embryo orientation was less strictly regulated in inhibitor-treated deciduae than in control deciduae. Morphogenesis and development of oil-induced deciduomas were also slowed in the presence of the inhibitor. We conclude that administration of MMP inhibitors retards decidual remodeling and growth, and we suggest that the MMPs expressed in precursor stromal cells promote their differentiation and expansion.
Laboratory study of the impact of evaporative coolers on indoor PM concentrations

Abstract Evaporative cooling is used extensively in low humidity areas of the Southwest United States desert region and throughout other dry climate areas worldwide for residential thermal comfort. A literature review suggested the possibility of evaporative cooling increasing personal exposures to particulate matter along with increased incidences of respiratory illnesses. Indoor and outdoor particulate matter concentrations have been measured to determine the effects of evaporative cooling on ambient air in an evaporative cooler test chamber. The test chamber experiment was conducted to better evaluate the impact of evaporative cooling without interference by household activities such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, etc. Measurement of particulate matter was performed with tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) instruments to provide a larger number of data points for comparison. Based on the experiments performed on two popular models of evaporative coolers, it was found that the evaporative cooler reduces indoor PM10 by approximately 50%, and has a varying reduction effect of between 10 and 40% on PM2.5. These findings are consistent with the predicted outcomes suggested by particulate matter deposition models.
Acid-Induced Release of Platelet-Activating Factor by Human Esophageal Mucosa Induces Inflammatory Mediators in Circular Smooth Muscle

In a human in vitro model of esophagitis, we investigated the genesis of esophagitis-associated dysmotility by examining HCl-induced production of inflammatory mediators in the mucosa and investigating their effect on esophageal circular muscle. Muscularis propria was removed from organ donors' esophagi, leaving the mucosal tube intact. The tube was tied at both ends, forming a sac, and filled with HCl at pH 4. After 3 h of incubation, the supernatant surrounding the sac was analyzed or applied to circular muscle strips. HCl alone did not affect circular muscle contraction in response to electrical field stimulation (EFS), but supernatant of HCl-treated mucosa abolished contraction. The inhibition was reversed by the platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist CV3988 [(+/-)-3-(N-octadecylcarbamoyl)-2-methoxy) propyl-(2-thiazolioethyl) phosphate], whereas the PAF analog 2-O-methyl platelet-activating factor C-16 (PAF-16) inhibited EFS-induced contraction and acetylcholine (ACh) release in circular muscle strips. The hydrogen peroxide scavenger catalase reversed the inhibition in contraction, to the same extent as CV3988. We therefore measured PAF and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in mucosa, mucosa supernatant, and circular muscle. HCl increased PAF and interleukin (IL)-1beta (but not IL-6, prostaglandin E(2), or H(2)O(2)) in mucosa, and only PAF was released into the supernatant, presumably to affect circular muscle. In circular muscle, exogenous PAF induced sequential formation of IL-6, H(2)O(2), IL-1beta, and PAF. Release of PAF by the mucosa inhibits ACh release from circular muscle layer neurons and initiates sequential formation of inflammatory mediators in muscle, resulting in production of PAF by the muscle itself, possibly initiating in a self-sustaining cycle.
Systematic family‐wide analysis of sodium bicarbonate cotransporter NBCn1/SLC4A7 interactions with PDZ scaffold proteins

NBCn1 (SLC4A7) plays a role in transepithelial HCO3 movement and intracellular pH maintenance in many tissues. In this study, we searched PDZ proteins capable of binding to NBCn1. We screened a protein array membrane, on which 96 different class I PDZ protein peptides were blotted, with the C-terminal domain of NBCn1 fused to GST. Thirteen proteins were identified in these screens: MAGI-3, NHERF-1, NHERF-2, PSD-95, chapsyn-110, ERBIN, MALS-1, densin-180, syntrophins a1, b2, c2, MUPP1, and PDZK1. After determining these binding partners, we analyzed the database of known and predicted protein interactions to obtain an NBCn1 interaction network. The network shows NBCn1 being physically and functionally associated with a variety of membrane and cytosolic proteins via the binding partners. We then focused on syntrophin c2 to examine the molecular and functional interaction between NBCn1 and one of the identified binding partners in the Xenopus oocyte expression system. GST/NBCn1 pulled down syntrophin c2 and conversely GST/syntrophin c2 pulled down NBCn1. Moreover, syntrophin c2 increased intracellular pH recovery, from acidification, mediated by NBCn1’s Na/HCO3 cotransport. Syntrophin c2 also increased an ionic conductance produced by NBCn1 channel-like activity. Thus, syntrophin c2 regulates NBCn1 activity. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that NBCn1 binds to many PDZ proteins, which in turn may allow the transporter to associate with other physiologically important proteins.
THE PRODUCT OF THE CBL ONCOGENE FORMS STABLE COMPLEXES IN VIVO WITH ENDOGENOUS CRK IN A TYROSINE PHOSPHORYLATION-DEPENDENT MANNER

The cellular homologs of the v-Crk oncogene product are composed exclusively of Src homology region 2 (SH2) and SH3 domains. v-Crk overexpression in fibroblasts causes cell transformation and elevated tyrosine phosphorylation of specific cellular proteins. Among these proteins is a 130-kDa protein, identified as p130cas, that forms a stable complex in vivo with v-Crk. We have explored the role of endogenous Crk proteins in Bcr-Abl-transformed cells. In the K562 human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line, p130cas is not tyrosine phosphorylated or bound to Crk. Instead, Crk proteins predominantly associate with the tyrosine-phosphorylated proto-oncogene product of Cbl. In vitro analysis showed that this interaction is mediated by the SH2 domain of Crk and can be inhibited with a phosphopeptide containing the Crk-SH2 binding motif. In NIH 3T3 cells transformed by Bcr-Abl, c-Cbl becomes strongly tyrosine phosphorylated and associates with c-Crk. The complex between c-Crk and c-Cbl is also seen upon T-cell receptor cross-linking or with the transforming, tyrosine-phosphorylated c-Cbl. These results indicate that Crk binds to c-Cbl in a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent manner, suggesting a physiological role for the Crk-c-Cbl complex in Bcr-Abl tyrosine phosphorylation-mediated transformation.
Apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon sources in lower Fox River, USA, sediments by a chemical mass balance model

Four sediment cores were collected from the lower Fox River, Wisconsin, USA, to identify possible sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using a chemical mass balance model. The cores, which were obtained in 1995 from areas close to Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA, had total PAH concentrations between 19.3 and 0.34 ppm. To determine historical trends of PAH inputs, 210Pb and 137Cs dating was used, and elemental carbon particle analysis was done to characterize particles from the combustion of coal, wood, and petroleum. Source fingerprints were taken from the literature. Our results indicate that coke oven emissions, highway dust, coal gasification, and wood burning are likely sources of PAHs in the lower Fox River. Coke oven emissions are in the range of 40 to 90% of total PAHs, and this fraction decreases from 1930 to 1990, except in core Fox River–A (FR-A). The overall highway dust (HWY) contribution is between 10 and 75%, and this fraction increases from 1930 to present, except in core FR-A. The wood burning (WB) contribution (i.e., wood burning or coal gasification) is less than 7% in cores FR-B, FR-C, and FR-D. In core FR-A, a maximum (≈23%) is found around 1960. The contribution of wood burning has changed from less than 6% in 1950 to between 3 and 10% in 1995. Evidence of aerobic biodegradation or photolysis in the sediment of phenanthrene, with a half-life of approximately 0.5 years has been found at the site of core FR-D, which is the shallowest (1.1 m) of the four core sites.
Nuclear magnetic resonance structure and dynamics of the response regulator Sma0114 from Sinorhizobium meliloti.

Receiver domains control intracellular responses triggered by signal transduction in bacterial two-component systems. Here, we report the solution nuclear magnetic resonance structure and dynamics of Sma0114 from the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, the first such characterization of a receiver domain from the HWE-kinase family of two-component systems. The structure of Sma0114 adopts a prototypical α5/β5 Rossman fold but has features that set it apart from other receiver domains. The fourth β-strand of Sma0114 houses a PFxFATGY sequence motif, common to many HWE-kinase-associated receiver domains. This sequence motif in Sma0114 may substitute for the conserved Y-T coupling mechanism, which propagates conformational transitions in the 455 (α4−β5−α5) faces of receiver domains, to prime them for binding downstream effectors once they become activated by phosphorylation. In addition, the fourth α-helix of the consensus 455 face in Sma0114 is replaced with a segment that shows high flexibility on the pico- to nanosecond time scale by 15 N relaxation data. Secondary structure prediction analysis suggests that the absence of helix α4 may be a conserved property of the HWE-kinase-associated family of receiver domains to which Sma0114 belongs. In spite of these differences, Sma0114 has a conserved active site, binds divalent metal ions such as Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ that are required for phosphorylation, and exhibits micro- to millisecond active-site dynamics similar to those of other receiver domains. Taken together, our results suggest that Sma0114 has a conserved active site but differs from typical receiver domains in the structure of the 455 face that is used to effect signal transduction following activation.
Involvement of Cytoskeletal Components in BK Virus Infectious Entry

Posttransplant reactivation of BK virus (BKV) in the renal allograft progresses to polyomavirus-associated nephropathy in 1% to 8% of kidney recipients. Graft dysfunction and loss in 30% to 45% of polyomavirus-associated nephropathy-affected patients are secondary to extensive tubular epithelial cell injury induced by the lytic replication of BKV. The early events in productive BKV infection are not thoroughly understood. We have previously shown that BKV enters cells by caveola-mediated endocytosis. In this report we examine the role of microfilaments and microtubules during early viral infection. Our results show that BKV infection of Vero cells is sensitive to nocodazole-induced disassembly of the microtubule network for the initial 8 hours following virus binding. In contrast, suppression of microtubule turnover with the stabilizing agent paclitaxel has no effect on BKV infectivity. Selective disassembly of the actin filaments with latrunculin A does not impede BKV infection, while inhibition of microfilament dynamics with jasplakinolide results in reduced numbers of viral antigen-positive cells. These data demonstrate that BKV, like other polyomaviruses, relies on an intact microtubule network during early infection. BKV, however, does not share the requirement with the closely related JC virus for an intact actin cytoskeleton during intracellular transport.
Measuring the effects of RNAV departure procedures on airport efficiency

To analyze the impact of area navigation-standard instrument departure (RNAV SID) on operations at Atlanta terminal radar approach control (ATL TRACON). The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) collected radar track data prior to implementation of the RNAV procedures, as well as post-implementation data. Through analysis of this radar track data, we measure the effects of RNAV SID procedures on departure throughput, and the resulting effects on taxi-out time and departure delay. In addition, distance flown inside the terminal area is a key metric. Vertical performance inside the terminal area was analyzed for reductions in level-offs. Results are coordinated and validated with anecdotal data from the airlines regarding these benefits and others, and statistical analyses combined with operational feedback provides insight towards the benefits of these procedures.
The Supreme Court and American Trade Associations, 1921–1925

In the 1920's, the Supreme Court reversed its previously hostile position on the legality of many activities of trade associations. Professor Carrott finds that the primary cause of the court's shift lay in the changing social milieu of the decade, as the older insistence on rigorous competition was supplanted by an emphasis on the value of cooperation in business.
Communication in end-stage cancer: review of the literature and future research.

Concerns have been raised about the quality of life and health care received by cancer patients at the end of life (EOL). Many patients die with pain and other distressing symptoms inadequately controlled, receiving burdensome, aggressive care that worsens quality of life and limits patient exposure to palliative care, such as hospice. Patient–physician communication is likely a very important determinate of EOL care. Discussions of EOL with physicians are associated with an increased likelihood of the following (1) acknowledgment of terminal illness, (2) preferences for comfort care over life extension, and (3) receipt of less intensive, life-prolonging and more palliative EOL care; while this appears to hold for White patients, it is less clear for Black, advanced cancer patients. These results highlight the importance of communication in determining EOL cancer care and suggest that communication disparities may contribute to Black–White differences in EOL care. We review the pertinent literature and di...
Differential amplifier input impedance and Blackman's impedance relation

Recently the input impedance of a differential amplifier was derived and discussed. This correspondence derives similar results using a different approach, namely, Blackman's impedance relation, and generalizes earlier observations. The results provide an alternative active RC realization of a bilinear RL impedance. Various all-pass networks are also analyzed.
Social Cost and Groves Mechanisms

When an individual’s reported preference scheme makes a difference to the selection of a policy, that individual’s report imposes a cost on the rest of society because the selected policy would have been different had the individual’s reported preference been different. In a paper in Economic Notes, Giacomo Bonanno argues that the penalty assessed by the pivotal mechanism is not equal to the cost that the individual’s participation imposes on the rest of society. This note argues to the contrary, by presenting what we believe to be the correct definition of social cost. (J.E.L: D62, D71, H41).
Linear space-time codes optimized for successive cancellation decoding

We optimize linear space-time codes for the case when the receiver uses successive cancellation decoding. Specifically, the proposed codes minimize the perfect cancellation bound on word error probability, which assumes error-free cancellation of previously detected symbols. Assuming perfect cancellation, we prove that to minimize the error probability in each stage of decoding, the encoding matrix must have orthogonal columns, regardless of the channel matrix. Given the encoding matrix, the average of the perfect cancellation bound over the random channel matrix serves as an upper bound on word error probability. The bound is minimized by numerically optimizing the distribution of data rate and energy among the various inputs to the space-time code. Simulation results for a 4-input, 4-output Rayleigh fading channel show that, at 12 b/s/Hz, optimizing the data rate and energy allocations for a linear complex field code leads to a performance improvement of nearly 9 dB.
The interaction of HMGA2 with Ku80/70 dysregulates DNA-PK signaling: a novel regulatory pathway in response to genotoxic stress by doxorubicin

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 1972 Ku80/70 heterodimers promote nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) of DNA breaks by complexing with DNA-PKcs and, as shown here, interact with architectural transcription factor HMGA2. Consequently, the interaction of HMGA2 with Ku80/70 leads to accumulation of basal DNA strand breakage and dysregulation of DNA-PK signaling upon exposure of doxorubicin (Dox). We have previously reported the hypersensitivity of HMGA2-expressing cells to Dox, cisplatin and irradiation; however, the detailed mechanism underlying HMGA2-dysregulated DNA damage response remains unclear. In the present study, we first demonstrate that HMGA2-expessing cells display a deficiency in overall and precise end-joining repair and accumulate more endogenous DNA damage prior to Dox-treatment. Second, HMGA2 renders a sustained phosphorylation of DNA-PKcs-Ser-2056/-Thr-2609, perhaps reflecting the lack of proper repair in Dox-treated cells. While HMGA2 potentiates Dox-induced caspase-3 activation and accumulation of p53-Ser-15 phosphorylation, HMGA2 attenuates phosphorylation of ATM-Ser-1981 and Chk2-Thr-86 in response to Dox-exposure. Altogether, DNA-PK signaling and DNA repair are probably uncoupled in HMGA2-expressing cells. Biochemically, both C-terminal region and AT-hooks of HMGA2 are indispensable for the interaction of HMGA2 with Ku80 and the enhancement of Dox-elicited cytotoxicity. Therefore, HMGA2 dysregulates DNA damage-triggered DNA-PK and ATM signaling network, representing a novel regulatory pathway to promote sensitivity to DNA damage.
Spin Polarized Photoemission from Fe On CU(100)

The spin resolved electronic structure of ultra-thin Fe films on Cu(100) was investigated using spin polarized angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. All exchange splitting of the Fe ∆s band of 2.5 eV is observed for photon energies between 20 and 30 eV. ∆ peak at 6 eV binding energy which has been previously identified as a many-electron resonance was observed only after contamination of the films with oxygen. In addition, the spin dependent attenuation lengths for electrons in Fe were measured at 11, 19, and 40 eV above E f . The attenuation length for the minority spin electrons was found to be shorter than that of the majority spin electrons. The difference between the two attenuation lengths was shown to increase at low energy. Short attenuation lengths of ≃3 monolayer were measured at II eV. The large increase of the attenuation length at low energy which is expected from the “universal curve” is not observed in Fe.
The EPILOG trial. Abciximab prevents ischemic complications during angioplasty. Evaluation in PTCA to improve Long-Term Outcome with Abciximab GP IIb/IIIa Blockade.

The EPILOG trial showed that the platelet glycoprotein llb/llla inhibitor abciximab, together w i t h heparin in a low, w e i g h t -adjusted dose, markedly reduced the risk of acute ischemic complications during percutaneous coronary revascularization, w i t h o u t increasing the risk of hemorrhage.
Integration of Model Reduction and Probabilistic Techniques with Deterministic Multi-physics Models

Over the years, great progress has been made in high fldelity physics models and their solution. Speed, accuracy and veriflcation have all increased substantially, such that models possess a much more complete embodiment of the physics and computational robustness in their resulting equations. The solution times for these equations are continually decreasing. An environment (e.g., a ∞uid and its properties) is never the same every time it’s entered, nor is every system (e.g., a ∞eet of 100 air vehicles) in a manufactured set comprised of identical members, especially as the ∞eet ages. Therefore, the response of a set of manufactured systems in an uncertain environment for a given set of parameters will have a statistical distribution of some sort. In the interest of incorporating these realities into system modeling, many probabilistic techniques have been developed. Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) is considered the most robust and reliable of these techniques, but also the most computationally expensive. This computational expense occurs because 1) the number of MCS simulations required to describe the system or environment in a probabilistic manner is large, and 2) MCS is typically run on a model the size of the deterministic model. Even today’s high computational speeds do not render the problem of bounding the probabilistic system response computationally tractable. Traditionally, reduced order modeling (ROM) has been used to construct a compact surrogate model of a computationally expensive, full-order model (FOM). Currently, ROM construction from an uncertain FOM has been applied using MCS on the FOM, which does not alleviate the computational expense problem. Once constructed in this manner, the resulting uncer
Brief standardized interview for emotionally disturbed children.

Repeatedly, investigators have noted differences in the Standardized Interview behavior of nosological groups. Matarazzo, Saslow, Matarazzo, and Phillips (1957) have clearly shown that the interactional variables of their standardized interview technique separate diagnostic groups. They have demonstrated chat normals spoke fewer times but with a longer mean utterance than did their clinical Ss. Schizophrenics also showed a longer mean latency in the interview than did normal controls. Recently Dinoff, Patterson, Hannon, and Morris ( 1967) have reported data very similar to those of Matarazzo and his associates. The purpose of the present research was to see it nosological differences were manifested in the comparison of emotionally disturbed children and normal subjects. Third and sixth grade (8 boys and 7 girls) were used for the baseline data. These data were reported in a prior paper (Dinoff, Burkert, Griffin, & Gilbert, 1968) as was the laboratory setting. The children who were defined as emotionally disturbed (8 boys and 3 girls) were selected from children attending Camp Ponderosa during the summer of 1966. Camp Ponderosa (in Mentone, Alabama) has a program for the mild to moderately emotionally disturbed children. Different observers (0) were used to compile the normal and camp data. In both cases, however, one author was the interviewer (I). The rules for the standardized interview technique are summarized in Dinoff, et dl. (1968). Only Periods I, 111, and V, the usual free give-and-take periods, were ~~sed in the statistical analyses. The combined data of the 15 third and sixth grade normal youngsters (Table 1) serve as baseline estimates for behavior of 13 camp children (second through sixth grades). Only S's units (frequency of responding) and S's time (total amount of talking time) are used as measures. S's units show that normal children consistently talk with a greater frequency than the emotionally disturbed Ss. This trend is consistenc with the often mentioned clinical impression that emotionally disturbed persons as a group are fearful in a social interacticn and hence their productivity is less. For both
Sensitivity Analysis-Based Reduced-Order Models for Flow Past an Elliptic Cylinder

Reduced-order models have a number of practical engineering applications that require either low-dimensional approximations for analysis and control or repeated simulation of unsteady flows over a range of parameter values. The standard method for building these reduced-order models uses the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and Galerkin projection. However, the standard method may be inaccurate when used “off-design” (at parameter values not used to generate the POD). In a previous study, we demonstrated the benefits of using sensitivity analysis of POD to generate models that are accurate over a wider range of Reynolds numbers. This paper investigates the use of POD sensitivity vectors to improve the accuracy and dynamical system properties of the reduced-order models to problems with geometric or shape parameters. To carry out this study, we consider flows past an elliptic cylinder with varying thickness ratios. Flow sensitivities (derivatives of flow variables with respect to parameters) are used to compute the POD sensitivity vectors. Numerical studies test the accuracy of the new bases to represent flow solutions over a range of parameter values.
A Transfer Power Flow Based State Estimation Model

The objective functions of traditional state estimation are to get the weighted least squares of the residual sum or the weighted least absolute value of the residual sum and so on,constrained by measurement function,thus could not identify topology error directly.In order to identify topology error and bad data at the same time,this paper extends the transfer power flow function as constraints,while taking account of the residual of transfer power flow as well as the measurement residual in the objective function.By improving the existing weighted least absolute value state estimation,a new state estimation model is proposed for identifying the topology error and bad data simultaneously.Its performances are highlighted via simulations performed on a real provincial power network.
The Lost Wave. Women and Democracy in Postwar Italy

The history of postwar Italy has been examined in numerous scholarly works in the past few years, in particular in the United Kingdom and North America, where historians are commenting more and mor...
Leaf spectral clusters as potential optical leaf functional types within California ecosystems

Our ability to measure and map plant function at multiple ecological scales is critical for understanding current and future changes in Earth's ecosystems and the global carbon budget. Conventional plant functional types (cPFTs) based on a few productivity-related traits have been previously used to simplify and represent major differences in global plant functions, but more recent research has directly focused on the use of functional trait information. Still, sampling limitations have constrained efforts to truly understand the variance and covariance of functional traits globally. Reflectance spectra offer a fast, repeatable, simultaneous measurement of a wide variety of leaf functional traits and could be used to optically define leaf functional types. To evaluate this concept, we measured leaf reflectance from a wide range of species in a diverse set of ecosystems across central and northern California, including observations from multiple individuals, sites, and seasons. Using principal components analysis, we analyzed spectral variation in relation to categorical attributes such as species and cPFTs, as well as to a set of functional trait metrics calculated from the spectra. We found the first three principal components (PCs) to be weakly related to categorical attributes and more strongly related to spectrally-derived functional metrics. Each PC was more strongly associated with different portions of the spectrum and contained different functional information. We applied a hybrid clustering algorithm to the PC coordinates of the observations to define potential optical leaf functional types. Twelve spectral clusters were identified, and these did not correspond directly to either single cPFTs or species. However, each cluster had a unique functional metric profile. Clusters represented both inter- and intra-species and cPFT functional differences driven by taxonomy, trait evolution and environmental responses, demonstrating their value as optical leaf functional types and the value of the clustering approach used here for defining optical types from leaf spectra. Our findings support the notion that cPFTs do not adequately capture differences in leaf function. They demonstrate that spectral measurements can be used to improve both the definition of PFTs as well as our knowledge regarding the covariance of functional traits within these classes.
The Prime Number Theorem

In the wake of Euclid’s proof of the infinitude of the primes, the question of how the primes were distributed among the integers became central — a question that has intrigued and challenged mathematicians ever since. The sieve of Eratosthenes provided a simple but very inefficient means of identifying which integers were prime, but attempts to find explicit, closed formulas for the nth prime, or for the number π(x) of primes less than or equal to a given number x, proved fruitless. Eventually extensive tables of integers and their least factors were compiled, detailed examination of which suggested that the apparently unpredictable occurrence of primes in the sequence of integers nonetheless exhibited some statistical regularity. In particular, in 1792 Euler asserted that for large values of x, π(x) was approximately given by \(\dfrac{x} {\ln x}\); six years later, Legendre suggested \(\dfrac{x} {\ln x - 1}\) and (wrongly) \(\dfrac{x} {\ln x - 1.0836}\) as better approximations; and in 1849, in a letter to his student Encke (translated in the appendix to Goldstein (1973)), Gauss mentioned his apparently long-held belief that the logarithmic integral $$\displaystyle{ \text{li}(x) =\int _{ 2}^{x}\dfrac{1} {\ln t}\,\mathit{dt} }$$ gave a still better approximation. Using the notation f(x) ∼ g(x) to denote the equivalence relation defined by \(\lim _{x\rightarrow \infty }\dfrac{f(x)} {g(x)} = 1\), those conjectures may be expressed in asymptotic form by the statements $$\displaystyle{ \pi (x) \sim \dfrac{x} {\ln x},\quad \pi (x) \sim \dfrac{x} {\ln x - 1},\quad \text{and}\quad \pi (x) \sim \text{li}(x). }$$ (PNT)
A comparative study of the photophysics of phenyl, thienyl, and chalcogen substituted rhodamine dyes

Although rhodamine dyes have been extensively studied for a variety of applications, many details of their photophysics are not yet fully understood, including the possible presence of a charge separated electronic state lying near the optically active excited singlet state and the role of twisting substituent groups in excited-state quenching. To address this, a large library of rhodamine dyes was studied in which the chalcogen is varied from O, to S and Se and the aryl group is either absent (in the pyronin series) or is a phenyl or thienyl substituent. Through an analysis of steady-state absorption spectroscopy, electrochemistry, X-ray crystallography, and quantum mechanical calculations, we show that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy decreases in the O → S → Se series and when a phenyl or thienyl substituent is added. The reduction of the LUMO energy is larger for thienyl species in which the aromatic group has increased torsional flexibility. Excited state lifetimes and fluorescence quantum yields of these dyes in a high and low polarity solvent reveal dramatically different photophysics between chromophores with phenyl and thienyl substituents, due to a combination of torsional and inductive effects. In the pyronin and phenyl-substituted species, non-radiative decay can occur through an amine-to-xanthylium core charge separated state that is stabilized in a highly polar environment. In the thienyl derivatives, a lower energy excited state, which we term S′1, is accessed from S1via rotation of the aryl group and the excited state population rapidly equilibrates between S1 and S′1 in 6–30 ps. Preliminary photochemical hydrogen production data display the potential application of the thienyl derivatives for conversion of solar energy.