cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo and in vitro cocaine modulation on production of cytokines in C57BL/6 mice

Abstract In the present study we used both in vivo and in vitro murine models to investigate the effects of cocaine on the release of cytokines (IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α by peritoneal macrophages and splenocytes, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IFN-γ produced by splenocytes. In vitro cocaine (0.1, 1, 10, 100 μg/ml) exposure inhibited all cytokines produced by ConA-stimulated spleen cells and LPS-stimulated macrophages in a concentration dependent manner. Different effects of cocaine administration on cytokine production were observed when female C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally with cocaine (40 mg/kg body weight for six weeks). Secretion of IL-2 by splenocytes was significantly enhanced by cocaine administration, whereas IFN-γ was not affected. Secretion of IL-4 and IL-10 by splenocytes was significantly inhibited by cocaine administration, while secretion of IL-5 by splenocytes was significantly enhanced. Secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α by splenocytes was significantly enhanced by cocaine administration. Secretion of IL-6 by peritoneal macrophages was also significantly enhanced by the cocaine, while production of IL-1α was not affected. However, release of TNF-α by peritoneal macrophages was significantly reduced by the cocaine administration. Therefore use of cocaine may alter the balance of cytokine production, and thereby adversely affects immune response and host defense.
Preliminary report on childhood sexual abuse, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among middle-aged and older depressed women.

Objective Authors examined the relationship between childhood sexual abuse histories and suicidal ideation and behavior among depressed women age 50 years and older. Methods After admission to a psychiatric unit, participants were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R and measures of suicidal ideation and behavior. Results Women who reported abuse histories were more likely to report suicidal ideation at the time of hospitalization and a history of multiple suicide attempts. Conclusions These preliminary findings underscore the need for more study of how childhood abuse amplifies risk for suicidal ideation and behavior among women across the life course.
Direct observation of the mechanical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes and their junctions at the atomic level

Starting from an amorphous C film, single-walled carbon nanotubes were obtained in situ in a high-resolution electron microscope by the combined effect of irradiation and axial strain. Ductile nanotubes developed either a junction or a linear chain of C atoms before failure. These facts have been put in direct evidence for the first time. Tight-binding calculations indicate that the bonding in the linear chain is of a cumulene type.
Dislocation pileups near the interface of a bimaterial couple

Abstract The behavior of dislocation pileups near the interface of a bimaterial couple is investigated by numerical techniques. In addition to the linear-elastic interactions between dislocations, effects are included which arise from nonlinear dislocation core terms, from image stresses associated with elastic mismatch at the interface, and from compatibility stresses also connected with this mismatch. The implication of the results with respect to stress concentrations at interfaces and the attendant tendency for fracture or flow initiation there are discussed.
Robotic surgery simulator support, vision system and test subject

The purpose of this project is to create a robotic surgery simulator to demonstrate the benefits of robotic surgery. Robotic surgery is increasingly being used as a replacement for traditional keyhole laparoscopy. For robotic surgery, extensive training is required. Our robotic surgery simulator demonstrates the advantages of robotic surgery inexpensively. As part of this project, a bearing support system is developed which allows for the simulator to rotate with free lubricated motion while preventing excess jitter. The simulator includes a vision system and a manikin test subject. A vision system allows for knowledgeable maneuverability underneath the surface layer. Integration of the vision system adds a third moving arm to control. The vision system is designed to avoid interference with controlling the robot arm. A test subject is used to represent the patient and provides challenging tasks to demonstrate the benefits of robotic surgery.
Some Biological Effects of Atmospheric Inputs to Lakes: Nutrient Ratios and Competitive Interactions Between Phytoplankton

Atmospheric inputs to the Great Lakes do not supply the nutrients commonly limiting the growth of phytoplanktonic algae in the same proportions as occur in the surface waters of the Great Lakes. This unbalanced supply of nutrients could change the competitive relationships between species and disrupt the usual patterns of dominance and seasonal succession. Atmospheric inputs of deleterious compounds such as polychlorinated hydrocarbons may have similar effects.
Spanish Surname and Anglo Infant Mortality: Differentials Over a Half-Century

Using a half-century of death records from San Antonio/Bexar County, Texas, we examine the timing and cause structure of Spanish surname and Anglo infant mortality. Our findings show that despite the substantial disparities between ethnic-specific infant mortality rates in the early years of the study, there have been consistent declines in overall, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality for both groups, as well as a major convergence of mortality rates between Spanish surname and Anglo infants. Further, we demonstrate that the convergence is of relatively recent origin and is due primarily to shifts in postneonatal mortality. Finally, we examine the transition reflected in the cause structure of ethnic-specific infant mortality and show that the convergence was largely the result of reductions in deaths from exogenous causes. Implications for research into the “epidemiologic paradox” are discussed. * The authors gratefully acknowledge the support provided for this research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grants HD 22490 and 24643). We also wish to thank Starling G. Pullum for invaluable computing assistance, and Benjamin Bradshaw and Arlen Carey for helpful comments on earlier drafts.
Dynamic simulation of gas chromatographic column

Abstract The dynamic behavior of a gas—liquid chromatographic column was investigated to develop methods for estimation of the pulse response and dead time. A mathematical model describing the column behavior was proposed and the resulting response curves compared with the experimental column behavior. This study indicated that the models based on assumptions of perfect mixing and plug flow could be used to predict the dead time which could represent the residence time of the solute gas through the column if enough subdivisions were used for the simulation. Van Deemter's model was verified experimentally and adequately describes the gas—liquid chromatographic column in process control computer simulation of the system. The values of the system parameters characterizing the dynamic behavior were obtained from the simulation. The pulse response curve simulation is unique for the estimation of dead time just as is the transient response curve for the steady-state time.
Genetics of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Carney complex and other familial lentiginoses.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS, #175200) and Carney complex (CNC, OMIM#160980) are the two most common multiple neoplasia syndromes associated with lentiginosis. Both disorders are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner and they have recently been elucidated at the molecular level. PJS and CNC share manifestations with Cowden syndrome (or Cowden disease) (CS, OMIM#158350) and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRR, OMIM#153480). The endocrine tumors of CS and PJS, which could classify these disorders as variant types of multiple endocrine neoplasias (MENs), are not present in most CS and BRR patients, but lentigines are shared by PJS, CNC and BRR. The serine-threonine kinase STK11 (or LKB1), located on 19p13, is mutated in more than half of all PJS kindreds. The R1α subunit of c-AMP-dependent protein kinase A, located on 17q22–24, is mutated in 40% of CNC kindreds. The protein phosphatase PTEN is mutated in most cases of CS and in almost 50% of BRR kindreds, despite significant clinical heterogeneity in these syndromes. The molecular elucidation of the lentiginoses and their related syndromes identifies new pathways of growth control and cellular regulation that are important for endocrine signaling, tumorigenesis, cutaneous function and embryonic development.
From humanitarian relief to humanitarian intervention: victims, interveners and pillars

Abstract Current humanitarian crises are bedeviling the United Nations, relief agencies and governments. Efforts to provide food and other basic supplies to traumatized populations are frequently stymied by uncooperative regimes, violent militias, remote locations, high costs and complicated operations. As a result, humanitarian relief operations that have focused primarily on food distribution must be radically revised to encompass the much broader agenda of humanitarian intervention, which entails an aggressive, multilateral role within states. Five ‘pillars’ are proposed—basic needs, public security, political dialogue, human rights/justice and sustained economic development—on which to base future humanitarian interventions.
Statistical interpretation of joint multiplicity distributions of neutrons and charged particles

Experimental joint multiplicity distributions of neutrons and charged particles provide a striking signal of the characteristic decay processes of nuclear systems following energetic nuclear reactions. They present, therefore, a valuable tool for testing theoretical models for such decay processes. The power of this experimental tool is demonstrated by a comparison of an experimental joint multiplicity distribution to the predictions of different theoretical models of statistical decay of excited nuclear systems. It is shown that, while generally phase-space based models offer a quantitative description of the observed correlation pattern of such an experimental multiplicity distribution, some models of nuclear multifragmentation fail to account for salient features of the observed correlation.
The importance of the family system in family business

Purpose – Most researchers overlook the family system in the pursuit of family business studies and research. They mistakenly have assumed that the study of only the family business is sufficient to understand the influence and effect of the family itself. The importance the family system is documented as well as the evolution of family business as a field of study and various family business definitions. Conceptualizations of the family business are critiqued and the Sustainable Family Business Theory (SFBT) is presented relative to its board and detailed emphasis on the family system. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – This article is a review of previous family business research including specific conceptual models developed in the literature, particularly relevant to the inclusion of the family system.Findings – Few researchers examine the family system in detail but those that do are reviewed and discussed.Research limitations/implications – Research, teaching and p...
Ten ways to improve the care of elderly patients in the hospital.

Hospitalists care for elderly patients daily, but few have specialized training in geriatric medicine. Elderly patients, and in particular the very old and the frail elderly, are at high risk of functional decline and iatrogenic complications during hospitalization. Other challenges in caring for this patient population include dosing medications safely, preventing delirium and accidental falls, and providing adequate pain control. Ways to improve the care of the hospitalized elderly patient include the following: screening for geriatric syndromes such as delirium, assessing functional status and maintaining mobility, and implementation of interventions that have been shown to prevent delirium, accidental falls, and acute functional decline in the hospital. This article addresses these issues with 10 evidence-based pearls developed to help hospitalists provide optimal care for this expanding population. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011;6:351–357. © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine
Inhibition of the mammary carcinoma angiogenic switch in C3(1)/SV40 transgenic mice by a mutated form of human endostatin.

Cancer therapies based on the inhibition of angiogenesis by endostatin have recently been developed. We demonstrate that a mutated form of human endostatin (P125A) can inhibit the angiogenic switch in the C3(1)/Tag mammary cancer model. P125A has a stronger growth-inhibitory effect on endothelial cell proliferation than wild-type endostatin. We characterize the angiogenic switch, which occurs during the transition from preinvasive lesions to invasive carcinoma in this model, and which is accompanied by a significant increase in total protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and an invasion of blood vessels. Expression of the VEGF188 mRNA isoform, however, is suppressed in invasive carcinomas. The VEGF receptors fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1) and Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt-1) become highly expressed in epithelial tumor and endothelial cells in the mammary carcinomas, suggesting a potential autocrine effect for VEGF on tumor cell growth. Angiopoietin-2 mRNA levels are also increased during tumor progression. CD-31 (platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule [PECAM]) staining revealed that blood vessels developed in tumors larger than 1 mm The administration of P125A human endostatin in C3(1)/Tag females resulted in a significant delay in tumor onset, decreased tumor multiplicity and tumor burden and prolonged survival of the animals. Endostatin treatment did not reduce the number of preinvasive lesions, proliferation rates or apoptotic index, compared with controls. However, mRNA levels of a variety of proangiogenic factors (VEGF, VEGF receptors Flk-1 and Flt-1, angiopoietin-2, Tie-1, cadherin-5 and PECAM) were significantly decreased in the endostatin-treated group compared with controls. These results demonstrate that P125A endostatin inhibits the angiogenic switch during mammary gland adenocarcinoma tumor progression in the C3(1)/Tag transgenic model. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Transverse Poisson's Ratio of Composites

An expression is developed that makes possible the prediction of Poisson's ratio for unidirectional composites with reference to any pair of orthogonal axes that are normal to the direction of the reinforcing fibers. This prediction appears to be a reasonable one in that it follows the trends of the finite element analysis and the bounding estimates, and has the correct limiting value for zero fiber content. It can only be expected to apply to composites containing stiff, circular, isotropic fibers bonded to a soft matrix material.
The Area of the Stratospheric Polar Vortex as a Diagnostic for Tracer Transport on an Isentropic Surface

Abstract Data retrieved from the LIMS (Limb lnfrared Monitor of the Stratosphere) experiment are used 10 calculate daily isentropic distributions of Ertel's potential vorticity, ozone, water vapor and nitric acid at the 850 K level in the Northern Hemisphere stratosphere for the period 25 October 1978 through 2 April 1979. Systematic redistributions of the quasi-conservative tracers are investigated by following the evolutions of the horizontal projection of the areas enclosed by isopleths of tracer on the isentropic surface. If the horizontal velocity is nondivergent on an isentropic surface, the areas change in response to nonconservative processes and /or irreversible mixing to unresolvable scales and so provide a diagnostic for quantifying the net cited of these two processes. The effects of the seasonal variation of the solar heating on the areas are identified from the evolutions of the hemispheric means and, for the potential vorticity, from a comparison with an annual Mile integration of a zonally...
Repeated stress, like vasopressin, sensitizes the excitatory effects of corticotropin releasing factor on the acoustic startle reflex

Abstract In the rat, evidence now suggests a neurotransmitter function for the neuropeptides arginine vasopressin (AVP) and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), implicating them in various autonomic, behavioral, and neuroendocrine responses to stress. Repeated AVP/CRF release in the pituitary portal circulation, due to stress, sensitizes and potentiates the release of ACTH from the anterior pituitary. Using a neuroanatomically well-defined behavior, the acoustic startle reflex in the rat, we sought to determine whether an interaction between AVP, CRF and stress might also occur centrally as measured by increased behavioral sensitivity to AVP or CRF given directly into the brain. The first experiment tested whether repeated intraventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of AVP would lead to an increase in the excitatory effect of a subthreshold dose of AVP on the acoustic startle reflex when infused 48 h later. Different groups of rats were infused with various doses of AVP (0.3, 3, or 30 ng) or vehicle on Day 1 and tested for startle over the next 60 min. On Day 2, 48 h later, all animals were infused with a single dose of AVP (300 pg) and tested for startle. Infusion of AVP on Day 1 did not increase startle consistently at any dose, but did lead to a sensitized excitatory effect of AVP on startle on Day 2 which was non-monotonically related to the dose of AVP given on Day 1. Experiment 2 tested whether AVP on Day 1 would sensitize the excitatory effects on startle of CRF given i.c.v. on Day 2. Different groups of rats were infused i.c.v. with various doses of AVP (10, 30, 100, 300 pg) or vehicle on Day 1. On Day 2, 48 h later, all rats were infused with a subthreshold dose of CRF (0.25 μg). Infusion of AVP on Day 1 led to a sensitized excitatory effect of CRF on startle on Day 2 which was non-monotonically related to the dose of AVP given on Day 1. In experiment 3, we tested whether footshocks given on Day 1 would sensitize the excitatory effect of CRF on startle tested 48 h later. Different groups were given footshocks (0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 mA) on Day 1. On Day 2, 48 h later, all rats were infused with a subthreshold dose of CRF (0.25 μg). Footshocks given on Day 1 led to a sensitized excitatory effect of CRF on startle on Day 2 which was non-monotonically related to the intensity of footshock on Day 1. Taken together, these results suggest that an interaction between AVP, CRF and stress may occur centrally, consistent with other studies showing similar interactions peripherally. This may provide a model system for analyzing how prior stress leads to enhanced behavioral reactions to subsequent stressors and a mechanism to explain dysregulation of the stress response.
The working classes of the pre‐industrial American city, 1780–1830

(1968). The working classes of the pre‐industrial American city, 1780–1830. Labor History: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 3-22.
Variation in inbreeding depression among populations of the seed beetle, Stator limbatus

Inbreeding depression has been documented in many insect species, but the degree to which it varies among traits within populations and among populations within species is poorly understood. We used a single-generation factorial breeding design to examine variation in inbreeding depression among three populations of the seed-feeding beetle, Stator limbatus Horn (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), from the southwestern USA. Eggs from sib matings were less likely to develop and hatch, and larval hatch-to-adult mortality was higher for offspring of sib matings. Overall, inbreeding resulted in a reduction in the proportion of eggs that produced an adult from >80% for outbred matings in all three populations to an average of only 54% for inbred matings. Of those larvae that survived to adult, inbred beetles took ∼ 1.5 days (>5%) longer to reach adult. The only measured trait not affected by inbreeding was adult body mass. The degree to which inbreeding increased mortality varied among the populations ‐ inbreeding depression was lowest in the population that is most isolated. Although populations of S. limbatus are generally large in nature our results suggest that increased inbreeding associated with population fragmentation can have substantial effects on fitness of S. limbatus .
Immunomodulatory Role of CXCR2 During Experimental Septic Peritonitis

The loss of CXCR2 expression by neutrophils is a well-described, but poorly understood, consequence of clinical sepsis. To address the potential impact of this CXCR2 deficit during the septic response, we examined the role of CXCR2 in a murine model of septic peritonitis provoked by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). CLP-induced mouse mortality was significantly attenuated with i.v. or i.p. administration of an affinity-purified murine CXCR2-specific polyclonal Ab. Mouse survival required Ab administration before and every 2 days following CLP. Furthermore, mice deficient in CXCR2 (CXCR2 −/− ) were significantly protected against CLP-induced mortality compared with control (CXCR2 +/+ ) mice. The anti-CXCR2 Ab treatment delayed, but did not completely inhibit, the recruitment of leukocytes, specifically neutrophils, into the peritoneal cavity. Peritoneal macrophages from anti-CXCR2 Ab-treated mice exhibited markedly increased RNA and protein levels of several key proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Specifically, isolated preparations of these cells released ∼11-fold more CXCL10 protein compared with peritoneal macrophages from control-treated or naive mice. CXCR2 −/− mice had higher resting and CLP-induced levels of peritoneal CXCL10 compared with CXCR2 +/+ mice. Administration of a neutralizing, affinity-purified, murine CXCL10-specific polyclonal Ab before CLP in wild-type mice and every 2 days after surgery significantly increased mortality compared with control Ab-treated mice. Anti-CXCL10 treatment in CXCR2 −/− mice negated the protective effect associated with the absence of CXCR2. In summary, these data demonstrate that the absence of CXCR2 protects mice from septic injury potentially by delaying inflammatory cell recruitment and enhancing CXCL10 expression in the peritoneum.
Hybrid testing and modeling of a suspended zipper steel frame

An analytical and experimental study has been conducted to evaluate the seismic performance of a three-story suspended zipper steel frame. The frame was concentrically braced and had zipper struts to transfer the unbalanced forces induced on the beams due to the buckling of the lower-story braces. The experimental study was conducted with the hybrid test technique, in which only the bottom-story braces of the three-story frame were physically tested, while the behavior of the rest of the frame was modeled using a general structural analysis software. The paper discusses issues pertinent to the calibration of the computer model for the analytical substructure as well as for the entire frame, including the selection of an appropriate damping matrix, and the modeling of the buckling behavior of the braces and bracing connections. The analytical model of the entire frame was validated with the hybrid tests and was able to accurately capture the material and geometric nonlinearities that developed when the braces yielded and buckled. This study has demonstrated the usefulness of hybrid testing in improving analytical models and modeling assumptions and providing information that cannot be obtained from an analytical study alone. The results have shown that the suspended zipper frame can distribute the brace nonlinearity over the first two stories as intended in the design and will not have catastrophic failure under the design-level earthquakes considered in this study, despite the significant inelastic deformations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cell longevity and sustained primary growth in palm stems

Longevity, or organismal life span, is determined largely by the period over which constituent cells can function metabolically. Plants, with modular organization (the ability continually to develop new organs and tissues) differ from animals, with unitary organization (a fixed body plan), and this difference is reflected in their respective life spans, potentially much longer in plants than animals. We draw attention to the observation that palm trees, as a group of monocotyledons without secondary growth comparable to that of lignophytes (plants with secondary growth from a bifacial cambium), retain by means of sustained primary growth living cells in their trunks throughout their organismal life span. Does this make palms the longest-lived trees because they can grow as individuals for several centuries? No conventional lignophyte retains living metabolically active differentiated cell types in its trunk for this length of time, even though the tree as a whole can exist for millennia. Does this contrast also imply that the long-lived cells in a palm trunk have exceptional properties, which allows this seeming immortality? We document the long-life of many tall palm species and their inherent long-lived stem cell properties, comparing such plants to conventional trees. We provide a summary of aspects of cell age and life span in animals and plants. Cell replacement is a feature of animal function, whereas conventional trees rely on active growth centers (meristems) to sustain organismal development. However, the long persistence of living cells in palm trunks is seen not as evidence for unique metabolic processes that sustain longevity, but is a consequence of unique constructional features. This conclusion suggests that the life span of plant cells is not necessarily genetically determined.
Digital production arts: coming soon to a college near you!

In 1999, Clemson University established a new, graduate degree program that bridges the arts and the sciences. The Master of Fine Arts in Digital Production Arts is a two-year program that is aimed at producing digital artists who carry a solid foundation in computer science and thus can expect to find employment in the rapidly expanding special effects industry for entertainment and advertising. After four years of operation and three graduating classes, a retrospective is offered. A description of the program is provided that includes a discussion of the numerous obstacles encountered in establishing the program, techniques used to circumvent the obstacles, program successes, program failures, and suggestions for preparatory undergraduate curricula.
Reliability and validity of the sexual pressure scale.

The purpose of this study was to develop the Sexual Pressure Scale (SPS) as a valid and reliable measure of gender stereotypical expectations to engage in sexual behavior. Data were collected using audio computer-assisted self-interview in 306 urban women, aged 18 to 29. Exploratory principal components analysis with varimax rotation yielded 19 items consisting of five factors: Condom Fear, Sexual Coercion, Women's Sex Role, Men Expect Sex, and Show Trust, accounting for 62% of the variance. Divergent and convergent validity were supported, respectively, by negative relationships of SPS factors with dyadic trust and positive relationships with sexual victimization and sexual risk behavior. Alpha reliability was .81; factor reliabilities ranged from .63 to .82. A valid assessment of sexual pressure can suggest the extent to which stereotypical gender expectations structure women's freedom to explore partner and condom use choices. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 29: 281–293, 2006.
Pedestrian Environments and Sense of Community

A common claim made by New Urbanists is that a high-quality pedestrian environment will enhance sense of community by increasing opportunities for interaction among neighbors. This link between neighborhood design and community sentiment, however, has not been adequately researched. This study explores how objective and subjective qualities of the pedestrian environment influence residents’ sense of community, both directly and indirectly through their effects on pedestrian travel. Surveys conducted in one pedestrian-oriented neighborhood and one automobile-oriented neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, support the hypotheses that (1) sense of community will be greater in the traditional neighborhood and (2) pedestrian environment factors will significantly influence sense of community, controlling for various demographic influences.
Correlation Energy in a High-Density Limit from Adiabatic Connection Perturbation Theory

Here the derivation of the Gorling-Levy adiabatic perturbation theory is reviewed for the correlation energy, E c [n], in a high-density limit for finite systems, with particular emphasis on the resultant expression in terms of Kohn-Sham orbitals, for the second-order contribution, E c (2)[n]. This contribution occurs through an asymptotic uniform scaling of n(r). The quantity 2E c (2) [n] is especially important because it is the initial slope in the adiabatic connection method (coupling-constant formula) for E c [n], even where n does not belong to a high-density system. The recent bounds and equalities of Ivanov et al, involving E c (2) [n] and its functional derivative, are compared against the numerical results from functional of Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof and Lee-Yang-Parr.
Thermal sensitivity of photonic crystal fibers in opto-electronic oscillators

Abstract Stable opto-electronic oscillators (OEOs) are realized using long fiber delay lines and changes in the index of refraction of high quality factor delay line results in temperature sensitivity of OEOs. Temperature sensitivity of various OEOs is measured to compare index of refraction variation of standard (SMF-28) and photonic crystal fiber (PCF). Both hollow-core (HC) and solid-core (SC) versions of PCF are quantified. SC-PCF exhibited a factor of three reductions in the rate of index of refraction change (about +4.7 ppm/°C) with temperature over SMF-28 (about 12 ppm/°C) based OEO. Although HC-PCF have a greater attenuation per unit length, but those fibers have demonstrated a negative rate of change (about − 0.6 ppm/°C) in the effective index of refraction with temperature and prospect of thermal stability in the OEO using passive techniques is great when a combination of HC-PCF and SMF-28 are employed as fiber delay lines.
All-pairs: An abstraction for data-intensive cloud computing

Although modern parallel and distributed computing systems provide easy access to large amounts of computing power, it is not always easy for non-expert users to harness these large systems effectively. A large workload composed in what seems to be the obvious way by a naive user may accidentally abuse shared resources and achieve very poor performance. To address this problem, we propose that production systems should provide end users with high-level abstractions that allow for the easy expression and efficient execution of data intensive workloads. We present one example of an abstraction - all-pairs - that fits the needs of several data-intensive scientific applications. We demonstrate that an optimized all-pairs abstraction is both easier to use than the underlying system, and achieves performance orders of magnitude better than the obvious but naive approach, and twice as fast as a hand-optimized conventional approach.
Stability Properties of Trigonometric Interpolating Operators

Consider the space C of all 2π-periodic continuous real functions, and the subspace π of all n-th order trigonometric polynomials. The index n is held fixed, and the spaces are endowed with the usual supremum norm. Any operator L: C → π which can be written in the form \( Lx = \sum\limits_1^m {x({s_k}){y_k}} \) with 0 ≤ sk < 2≤ and yk e π is said to be carried by the point set {s1,...,sm}. If Lx = x for all x e π, then L is a projection of C onto π. The uniform grid is defined to be the set of points tk = kπ(2n + 1)-1 for k = 0,...,2n.
Tumors of the peripheral nervous system: analysis of prognostic factors in a series with long-term follow-up and review of the literature

OBJECT Only a few published studies of the surgical treatment of benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors (BPNSTs), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), and peripheral non–neural sheath tumors (PNNSTs) have analyzed the results and possible prognostic factors using multivariate analysis. The authors report on their surgical series of cases of BPNSTs, MPNSTs, and PNNSTs with long-term follow-up and analyze the role of selected factors with respect to the prognosis and risk of recurrence of these tumors using multivariate analysis. They also review the pertinent literature and discuss their results in its context. METHODS The authors retrospectively reviewed data from cases involving patients who underwent resection of a peripheral nerve tumor between January 1983 and December 2013 at their institution. Of a total of 200 patients, 150 patients (with 173 surgically treated tumors) had adequate follow-up data available for analysis. Pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), and motor and...
Should Law Schools Bar Student Organizations from Inviting the Military to Campus for Recruitment Purposes

The military's discrimination against gays combined with the Solomon Amendment that forces schools to allow equal access to military recruiters in violation of their non-discrimination policies, upheld by the Supreme Court under constitutional challenge in FAIR v. Rumsfeld, 126 S.Ct. 1297 (2006), has created many difficulties for law schools. The law schools are torn between protecting their gay students from discrimination and enforcing their non-discrimination policy and violating the Solomon Amendment and thus risking the loss of substantial federal funding. In September 2006, the George Washington Law School was presented with a question of first impression. To what extent should student organizations be bound by the regulations that govern the GW placement office/Career Development Office regarding military recruitment? In other words, should/must the school allow student organizations to invite the military to employment related functions? This article discusses the legal and policy implications of this question after FAIR v. Rumsfeld. This paper was prepared for the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Section's panel entitled: "Accepting the Court's Invitation" at the American Association of Law School's Annual Conference, Washington D.C., January 3, 2007.
Perfluoroalkylation of Square-Planar Transition Metal Complexes: A Strategy To Assemble Them into Solid State Materials with a π–π Stacked Lamellar Structure

Formation of π–π stacked lamellar structure is important for high performance organic semiconductor materials. We previously demonstrated that perfluoroalkylation of aromatics and heteroaromatics was one of the strategies to design organic crystalline materials with π–π stacked lamellar structures while improving air stability as a result of the strong electron withdrawing ability of perfluoroalkyl substituents. Square-planar transition metal complexes with large π-conjugated ligands are also an important category of semiconductor materials. We have perfluoroalkylated square-planar transition metal complexes, leading to the formation of a π–π stacked lamellar crystal packing motif in the solid state. Here we report six crystal structures of Pd and Pt complexes with bis-perfluorobutylated catechol ligand as one of the two ligands that bonds to the metal centers. This structural design possesses similar molecular topology when compared to perfluoroalkylated aromatics and heteroaromatics we have reported pre...
Strain dependence of the acoustic-emission parameters in planar bending of a composite

Integral equations are formulated for the acoustic emission plots on the basis of kinematic determination (planar cross sections) and the assumption that there is a single-valued relationship between the acoustic-emission parameters such as the total count rate and the strain. Finite formulas are obtained for degenerate kernels. Formulas are given for the stresses in bending in terms of the bending moment and the longitudinal force, as well as the strain in the outer fibers in any section. A layered composite is taken to consider characteristic cases where there may be a single acoustic emission source, two simultaneous ones, or two with delay.
Alloimmunization Induces an Autoantibody Reactive with a Common, Cryptic Antigen

AbstractC57BL/6 mice (haplotype H-2b) were alloimmunized by a classical protocol using repeated injections of DBA/2 spleen and liver cells (H-2d). The resulting polyclonal, hyperimmune antisera were highly cytotoxic to untreated and neuraminidase- (VCN)-treated DBA/2 spleen cells. An unexpected result was that the anti-H-2d sera were also cytotoxic to VCN-treated C57BL/6 spleen cells. The cytotoxicity was limited to an IgM antibody and could be evoked by a single alloimmunization. The results demonstrate a new feature of the classical immune response, autoantibodies against a common, though cryptic murine antigen, designated Mol.
Moneyball: directed by Bennett Miller. Written by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Produced by Michael De Luca and Rachael Horovitz. New York, NY: Scott Rudin Productions & Michael De Luca Productions, 2011.

Finally, a baseball themed movie, Moneyball, goes beyond your typical sports film. This inspirational, true story focuses on the struggles of a baseball team with a poor reputation that is being pu...
The C-Terminal Heme Regulatory Motifs of Heme Oxygenase-2 Are Redox-Regulated Heme Binding Sites

Heme oxygenase-2 (HO2), an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of heme to biliverdin, contains three heme regulatory motifs (HRMs) centered at Cys127, Cys265, and Cys282. Previous studies using the soluble form of human HO2 spanning residues 1–288 (HO2sol) have shown that a disulfide bond forms between Cys265 and Cys282 and that, in this oxidized state, heme binds to the catalytic site of HO2sol via His45. However, various mutational and spectroscopic studies have confirmed the involvement of cysteine in Fe3+-heme binding upon reduction of the disulfide bond. In an effort to understand how the HRMs are involved in binding of heme to disulfide-reduced HO2sol, in the work described here, we further investigated the properties of Fe3+-heme bound to HO2. Specifically, we investigated binding of Fe3+-heme to a truncated form of soluble HO2 (residues 213–288; HO2tail) that spans the C-terminal HRMs of HO2 but lacks the catalytic core. We found that HO2tail in the disulfide-reduced state binds Fe3+-heme and acc...
Make Them Giggle: Auto/Ethnography as Stand Up Comedy - A Response to Denzin's Call to Performance

The essay is a response to Norman Denzin's call to performance in qualitative research methods and advocates using humor when performing auto/ethnography. I contend that auto/ethnography is too mired in negative and depressing lived experiences, such as death, disease, cruelty, and health problems. If auto/ethnography is meant to be therapeutic, the best medicine is often laughter. The essay calls for using stand-up comedy methods when performing ethnographic texts. Indeed, many comedians are already engaging in auto/ethnography, they simply do not know it or give it that label. Examples of humors performance texts are interwoven with theory, method, and discussion about the the auto/ethnographer's moral responsibilities and ethics.
Insights into the diverse effects of nitric oxide on tumor biology.

Abstract Among its many roles in cellular biology, nitric oxide ( NO) has long been associated with cancers both as a protumorigenic and as an antitumorigenic agent. The dual nature of this signaling molecule in varied settings is attributable to its temporal and concentration-dependent effects that produce different phenotypes. The steady-state NO concentration within the cell is a balance between its rate of enzymatic synthesis from the three nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms and consumption via numerous metabolic pathways and demonstrates strong dependence on the tissue oxygen concentration. NOS expression and NO production are often deregulated and associated with numerous types of cancers with dissimilar prognostic outcomes. NO influences several facets of tumor initiation and progression including DNA damage, chronic inflammation, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis, to name a few. The role of NO as an epigenetic modulator has also recently emerged and has potentially important mechanistic implications in regulating transcription of oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. NO-derived cellular adducts such as dinitrosyliron complexes and the formation of higher nitrogen oxides further alter its cellular behavior. Among anticancer strategies, the use of NOS as a prognostic biomarker and modulation of NO production for therapeutic benefit have gained importance over the past decade. Numerous NO-releasing drugs and NOS inhibitors have been evaluated in preclinical and clinical settings to arrest tumor growth. Taken together, NO affects various arms of cancer signaling networks. An overview of this complex interplay is provided in this chapter.
Clinical and Psychosocial Significance of Trauma History in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Research has suggested that many individuals with schizophrenia have been exposed to significant trauma, not only after but also prior to the onset of illness. This article reviews the literature suggesting that exposure to certain kinds of trauma, including childhood sexual abuse, may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. It also presents data from across studies that suggest a history of trauma may affect the course and symptom presentation of the disorder, resulting in higher levels of psychosocial dysfunction and higher levels of anxiety and hallucinations. An individual example is presented, and implications for case conceptualization, assessment, and treatment are discussed.
Task Specific Tremors.

VIDEO A patient reported bilateral hand tremors when writing but not with other tasks. These "task specific" tremors are considered subcategories of essential tremor. Primary writing tremor, in which the tremor occurs only with writing, is probably the most common. The important teaching point is that the "standard" tremor assessment, watching the patient holding a sustained posture and touching his finger to the examiner's and then back to the nose is not adequate. Patients should be tested doing the activity that causes them the most difficulty.
Defining Organizational Culture for Entrepreneurs

It appears that innovation, and how an organization can acquire it, is the key to being competitive in the New Product Development (NPD) marketplace. Knowledge that leads to innovation in products, unlike specialized scientific knowledge areas (for which there are designated labor markets to exploit the needed skills), is not home grown, is not the focus of any curriculums in our educational institutions, and is not associated with our typical project management processes. An organization must make a deliberate, on-going effort to develop innovation. If organizations can capture lessons learn from NPD experiences, and develop the characteristics that make the NPD projects successful, then the whole organization will have a better competitive posture. Organizations must have senior management that set clear goals and encourage employees to participate in the decision making to be successful on NPD projects. Since all decisions in traditional organizations are made by managers without the input of their employees, it becomes evident why traditional management approaches are not successful on NPD projects, which must be a collaborative effort. To encourage organizational innovation, NPD project success factors such as maintaining effective supplier relationships, tracking the location and capabilities of innovation clusters, maintaining collaboration between marketing and engineering teams, and implementing a progressive organizational structure, should be implemented.
Neurocardiogenic (Vasovagal) Syncope

A retrospective analysis of 54 consecutive patients with recurrent syncope, examined with or without tilt table testing, is reported from the Children’s Heart Center, Egleston Children’s Hospital, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Abstract LB-040: mTOR inhibitors induce apoptosis in colon cancer cells via CHOP-dependent DR5 induction upon 4E-BP1 dephosphorylation

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is commonly activated in colon cancer. mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) is a major downstream target of the PI3K/ATK pathway and activates protein synthesis by phosphorylating key regulators of mRNA translation and ribosome synthesis. Rapamycin analogs Everolimus and Temsirolimus are non-ATP-competitive mTORC1 inhibitors, and suppress proliferation and tumor angiogenesis and invasion. We now show that apoptosis plays a key role in their anti-tumor activities in colon cancer cells and xenografts through the DR5, FADD and caspase-8 axis, and is strongly enhanced by TRAIL and 5-fluorouracil. The induction of DR5 by rapalogs is mediated by the ER stress regulator and transcription factor CHOP, but not the tumor suppressor p53, upon rapid and sustained inhibition of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation, and attenuated by eIF4E expression. ATP-competitive mTOR/PI3K inhibitors also promote DR5 induction and FADD-dependent apoptosis in colon cancer cells. These results establish activation of ER stress and the death receptor pathway as a novel anticancer mechanism of mTOR inhibitors. Citation Format: Kan He, Xingnan Zheng, Mei Li, Lin Zhang, Jian Yu. mTOR inhibitors induce apoptosis in colon cancer cells via CHOP-dependent DR5 induction upon 4E-BP1 dephosphorylation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-040. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-040
Quantum nanophotonic devices based on rare-earth-doped crystals (Conference Presentation)

Quantum light-matter interfaces that reversibly map the quantum state of photons onto the quantum states of atoms, are essential components in the quantum engineering toolbox with applications in quantum communication, computing, and quantum-enabled sensing. In this talk I present our progress towards developing on-chip quantum light-matter interfaces based on nanophotonic resonators fabricated in rare-earth-doped crystals known to exhibit the longest optical and spin coherence times in the solid state. We recently demonstrated coherent control of neodymium (Nd3+) ions coupled to yttrium orthosilicate Y2SiO5 (YSO) photonic crystal nano-beam resonator. The coupling of the Nd3+ 883 nm 4I9/2-4F3/2 transition to the nano-resonator results in a 40 fold enhancement of the transition rate (Purcell effect), and increased optical absorption (~80%) - adequate for realizing efficient optical quantum memories via cavity impedance matching. Optical coherence times T2 up to 100 μs with low spectral diffusion were measured for ions embedded in photonic crystals, which are comparable to those observed in unprocessed bulk samples. This indicates that the remarkable coherence properties of REIs are preserved during nanofabrication process. Multi-temporal mode photon storage using stimulated photon echo and atomic frequency comb (AFC) protocols were implemented in these nano-resonators. Our current technology can be readily transferred to Erbium (Er) doped YSO devices, therefore opening the possibility of efficient on-chip optical quantum memory at 1.5 μm telecom wavelength. Integration with superconducting qubits can lead to devices for reversible quantum conversion of optical photons to microwave photons.