cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Basis of Protein Kinase Cα Regulation by the C-Terminal Tail

Protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzymes are multi-modular proteins activated at the membrane surface to regulate signal transduction processes. When activated by second messengers, PKC undergoes a drastic conformational and spatial transition from the inactive cytosolic state to the activated membrane-bound state. The complete structure of either state of PKC remains elusive. We demonstrate, using NMR spectroscopy, that the isolated Ca2+-sensing membrane-binding C2 domain of the conventional PKCα interacts with a conserved hydrophobic motif of the kinase C-terminal region, and we report a structural model of the complex. Our data suggest that the C-terminal region plays a dual role in regulating the PKC activity: activating, through sensitization of PKC to intracellular Ca2+ oscillations; and auto-inhibitory, through its interaction with a conserved positively charged region of the C2 domain.
Beyond gatekeeper spatial metaphors of the state in Africa: relational geo-histories of Angola

The state in Africa has sometimes been studied using spatial metaphors that entail certain limitations. The metaphor of a ‘gatekeeper state’ relies on ambiguous notions of the gate, narrow pathways...
Metabolic Compartmentation of the Glutamate - Glutamine System: Glial Contribution

In the two previous symposia on Metabolic Compartmentation in Brain (Balazs and Cremer, 1973; Berl et al., 1975) it had been suggested by several of the participants that the several pools of glutamate and related metabolites revealed by the use of labelled tracers are probably localized in different cell types, namely neurons and glia. The nerve endings were suggested as a possible third compartment although in a two compartment model they were included with the neurons and dendrites. The two compartment model has been relatively successful in fitting most of the experimental data probably because the focus has been on the relationship of glutamate to glutamine metabolism. Since the nerve endings do not appear to be particularly active in glutamine formation their consideration as a separate pool could be neglected in the interpretation of the experimental data. However, when the formation of GABA from a variety of different labelled precursors such as acetate (Berl et al., 1970), glucose (Gaitonde, 1965; Cremer 1973) and glutamine (Berl et al., 1961; Shank and Aprison, 1977) as well as the location of glutamate decarboxylase in nerve endings (Saito et al., 1974) is considered it as evident that a separate pool of glutamate for GABA formation is required.
1.13 NMR Spectroscopy: NMR Relaxation Methods

Functions of biological macromolecules, including folding, assembly of complexes, molecular recognition, signal transduction, and enzyme catalysis, require conformational and chemical changes over time scales ranging from chemical bond vibrations to lifespans of organisms. Numerous phenomena in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy depend on chemical and conformational dynamical properties of molecules and consequently NMR spectroscopy has emerged as a major approach for experimental investigation of such phenomena. Nuclear magnetic spin relaxation uniquely depends on both spatial and temporal fluctuations of nuclear spin interactions and enables structural, thermodynamic, and kinetic descriptions of complex dynamical processes in biological macromolecules. This article presents an overview of the theoretical and experimental approaches most commonly applied to characterize spin relaxation and dynamical processes in proteins and nucleic acids.
Who Deserves Help? Students' Opinions About the Deservingness of Different Groups Living in Germany to Receive Aid

A study was conducted examining German students' attitudes toward different groups of people living in Germany and the influence of those attitudes on the willingness to distribute aid to groups in need. A survey was distributed to over 2000 students at universities across Germany. It was predicted that groups judged more responsible for their need of aid and less likable would be considered less deserving of receiving aid than groups judged less responsible for their need of aid and more likable. An effect of the Belief in a Just World was also expected such that, students with a weak Belief in a Just World would judge targets as more deserving of aid than students with a strong Belief in a Just World. Results indicate effects of likability, responsibility for neediness, and the Belief in a Just World on ratings of deservingness.
Nanoparticle-based assay for detection of S100P mRNA using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

The focus of this work is toward the development of a point-of-care (POC) handheld technology for the noninvasive early detection of salivary biomarkers. The initial of focus was the detection and quantification of S100 calcium-binding protein P (S100P) mRNA found in whole saliva for use as a potential biomarker for oral cancer. Specifically, a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based approach and assay were designed, developed, and tested for sensitive and rapid detection of S100P mRNA. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were conjugated with oligonucleotides and malachite green isothiocyanate was then used as a Raman reporter molecule. The hybridization of S100P target to DNA-conjugated AuNPs in sandwich assay format in both free solution and a vertical flow chip (VFC) was confirmed using a handheld SERS system. The detection limit of the SERS-based assay in free solution was determined to be 1.1 nM, whereas on the VFC the detection limit was observed to be 10 nM. SERS-based VFCs were also used to quantify the S100P mRNA from saliva samples of oral cancer patients and a healthy group. The result indicated that the amount of S100P mRNA detected for the oral cancer patients is three times higher than that of a healthy group.
Provider Experience Recommending HPV Vaccination Before Age 11 Years.

Objectives To describe health care providers' experiences recommending human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination before age 11 years as part of a multisession intervention to improve HPV vaccination coverage. Study design Between 2016 and 2018, we conducted 30-minute qualitative interviews with intervention participants approximately 1 month after intervention completion. Interviews explored participants' experiences with new strategies, including changing the age of routine recommendation. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts involved both deductive and inductive approaches. Results Twenty-six participants at 5 clinical sites were interviewed. Most were female (88%) primary care providers (46%), and worked 1.5-3.0 clinical days weekly. Many providers described initial skepticism about recommending vaccination before age 11 years, fearing that removing the HPV vaccine from the adolescent bundle with tetanus and meningitis vaccines would decrease parental acceptance. However, providers uniformly reported high parental acceptance owing to reduced stigma relating to sexual activity and the opportunity to administer fewer shots at each visit. Providers also noted that initiating vaccination earlier increased opportunities to complete the series and decreased the need for resource-intensive vaccine recall programs. Conclusions Providers had positive experiences recommending HPV vaccination before age 11 years. Routine recommendation before age 11 years may offer advantages related to fewer shots per visit, fewer missed opportunities, and reduction of parental concerns related to sexual activity.
Group Link Prediction

Due to its universal applications in the domain of social network analysis, e-commerce, and recommendation systems, the task of link prediction has received enormous attention from the data mining and machine learning communities over the last decade. In its original setting, the task only predicts whether a pair of entities who are not connected at present time will form a connection in future. However, in real-life an entity sometimes join a group (or a community), thus making a connection with the group (or the community), instead of connecting with an individual. Existing solutions to link prediction are inadequate for solving this prediction task. To overcome this challenge, in this work we propose a novel problem named group link prediction which focuses on evaluating the likelihood for a candidate to become a member of a group at a given time. The problem has potential applications such as friendship or group suggestions on Facebook or other social networks, as well as co-authorship suggestion, or group email recommendations. To solve the problem, we propose a Long Short-term Memory based model that inputs the embedding vectors of the group and outputs the conditional probability distributions for the candidates. We also introduce a composite long short-term memory model that integrates keyword information. Experimental results on real-world data sets validate the superiority of our proposed model in comparison to various baseline methods.
Predominant Qualities Evoked by Quinine, Sucrose, and Capsaicin Associate With PROP Bitterness, but not TAS2R38 Genotype

Genetic variability in the ability to taste thiourea compounds has been studied for 80+ years. Over the last 3 decades, many studies have reported perceived intensity of concentrated propylthiouracil (PROP) associates with greater intensity from a broad range of stimuli, including nonbitter tastants, irritants, and retronasally delivered odorants. Thus, PROP phenotype has become a common measure of individual differences in orosensation. Much, but not all, of the phenotypic variation in PROP bitterness is explained by TAS2R38 polymorphisms. While differences in PROP bitterness are clearly due to genetic variation, mechanistically it is challenging to envision how this receptor (narrowly tuned to the N-C=S moiety) relates to overall orosensory response. Here, we report data for 200+ individuals who had been genotyped for TAS2R38 and phenotyped for PROP in a laboratory setting. Participants also reported the intensity of quinine, capsaicin, and sucrose on a general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Our data recapitulate earlier reports associating PROP bitterness with the intensity of the predominant qualities of sucrose, quinine, and capsaicin; however, we also find correlations between the intensities of sucrose, quinine, and capsaicin were much stronger with each other than with PROP. As expected, TAS2R38 diplotype did not associate with the intensity of sucrose, quinine, or capsaicin. The strength of PROP-capsaicin and PROP-sucrose relationships increased after grouping participants by TAS2R38 diplotype, with the greatest increases in association observed within homozygotes. Collectively, this suggests the suprathreshold intensity of PROP is a confounded phenotype that captures both genetic variation specific to N-C=S compounds and overall orosensation.
Recent advances in stent-assisted coiling of cerebral aneurysms.

Stent-assisted coiling (SAC) of intracranial aneurysms paved the way for endovascular coiling of wide-neck and bifurcation aneurysms, improving rates of aneurysm obliteration and recurrence. In thi...
Poly(4-ketovalerolactone) from Levulinic acid: Synthesis and Hydrolytic Degradation.

We report here the synthesis of poly(4-ketovalerolactone) (PKVL) via ring-opening transesterification polymerization (ROTEP) of the monomer 4-ketovalerolactone (KVL, two steps from levulinic acid). The polymerization of KVL proceeds to high equilibrium monomer conversion (up to 96% in the melt) to give the semicrystalline polyketoester PKVL with low dispersity. PKVL displays glass transition temperatures of 7 °C and two melting temperatures at 132 and 148 °C. This polyester can be chemically recycled through hydrolytic degradation. Under aqueous neutral or acidic conditions, the dominating pathway for polyester hydrolysis is through backbiting from the chain end. Under basic conditions, mid-chain cleavage, accelerated by the ketone carbonyl group in the backbone, promotes the hydrolysis of nearby backbone ester bonds. The final hydrolysis product is 5-hydroxylevulinic acid, the ring opened hydrolysis product of KVL. PKVL was also observed to degrade under the action of a Bronsted acid to a bis-spirocyclic dilactone natural product altaicadispirolactone, which is a dimer of KVL. This constitutes a rare example of a one-step synthesis of a secondary metabolite of non-trivial structure in which a polymer was the starting material and the sole source of matter. Analogous ROTEP of the isomeric 4-membered lactone 4-acetyl-β-propiolactone (APL) was also explored, although this chemistry was not as well-behaved as the KVL to PKVL polymerization.
Diagnostic Considerations in Metabolic Disease Associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Patients with sleep apnea suffer a high rate of concurrent metabolic disease that includes obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and fatty liver disease. These metabolic diseases can increase the risk for complications of obstructive sleep apnea that include cardiovascular events and kidney and liver failure. Metabolic disease adds risk to surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea through increase in incidence of not only cardiovascular events, but also perioperative hemorrhage, infection, and slow wound healing. Therefore, recognition and treatment of concomitant metabolic disease will decrease risk of adverse outcomes associated with treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. In this chapter, we review recent diagnostic criteria of metabolic disease related to obstructive sleep apnea, and provide tips for diagnosis and treatment with special attention to reduction of perioperative risks.
Disseminator, Watchdog and Neighbor?: Positioning Local Journalism in the 2018 #FreePress Editorials Campaign

On August 15, 2018, hundreds of newspapers around the United States published editorials defending journalism against attacks by President Trump. This study examines how these editorials rhetorical...
Negative energy density in superposition and entangled states

We examine the maximum negative energy density which can be attained in various quantum states of a massless scalar field. We consider states in which either one or two modes are excited, and show that the energy density can be given in terms of a small number of parameters. We calculate these parameters for several examples of superposition states for one mode, and entangled states for two modes, and find the maximum magnitude of the negative energy density in these states. We consider several states which have been, or potentially will be, generated in quantum optics experiments.
Jurisdiction and Remedies for Intellectual Property Infringement by National and State Governments

This paper considers the availability of relief for sovereign use of intellectual property (IP), primarily in federal courts.The first, and much shorter, part of the paper considers statutes designed to redress IP infringement by the U.S. government. Despite occasional complexities, their application is usually straight forward.The second part of the paper addresses infringement by state governments and explains how the Eleventh Amendment limits relief in federal courts. It also explains how exclusive federal jurisdiction may limit the capacity to seek relief in state judicial or administrative proceedings.Some may find it ironic that injunctive relief, rarely available against the federal government, is generally available to halt state infringement. Conversely, compensation usually available from the federal government, is difficult to impossible to obtain against state governments is federal courts.Another contrast is that federal contractors are apt to share governmental immunity whereas state contractors do not.The ultimate conclusion is that IP owners seem able to obtain all the relief for governmental uses that they need, if not all that they desire, in federal courts.
Planning to forget: Mobility and violence in urban Jamaica

This article examines the processes underpinning the restructuring of violence in urban Jamaica. Focusing upon the formation of Portmore, a planned community built to provide an alternative to the overcrowded and violent living conditions in west and central Kingston, I analyze planners and residents attempts to disrupt and erase the everyday experience of violence and poverty among working class Jamaicans. Tracing the shift away from politically motivated violence to what residents have termed ‘freelance violence’, I illustrate the socio-spatial dimensions of violence and poverty in urban Jamaica and the changing relationship between state support, political engagement and citizenship.
Patterns of increases in interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein as predictors for white matter injury in preterm infants.

Background The aim of this study was to determine whether patterns of increases in serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at birth were associated with the development of white matter injury (WMI) in preterm infants with a fetal inflammatory response (FIR). Methods One hundred infants who were born at <32 weeks gestation and had funisitis, as determined by histological evidence of FIR, were studied. Infants were divided into four groups according to IL-6 and CRP levels at birth, with cut-off values of 200 pg/mL and 0.4 mg/dL, respectively. We compared the incidence of WMI, determined by MRI at term-equivalent age, among these groups. Results The number of infants in each group was 12, 43, 0, and 45 in the high IL-6 and high CRP (HH) group, high IL-6 and low CRP (HL) group, low IL-6 and high CRP (LH) group, and low IL-6 and low CRP (LL) group, respectively. The incidence of WMI was significantly higher in the HH group than in the HL group and LL group (83%, 40%, and 34%, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that a combined elevation in IL-6 and CRP levels was an independent predictor for the development of WMI (odds ratio, 8.3). Conclusion A combined elevation in serum IL-6 and CRP levels at birth was associated with the development of WMI in preterm infants with FIR.
Evaluation of a model based data fusion algorithm with multi-mode OTHR data

Australia's over-the-horizon-radar system, the Jindalee Operational Radar Network, is due to be commissioned in 1997. When operating it is possible that associated tracks of one aircraft may arise from multiple propagation paths and multiple radars. Errors in estimating the propagation path result in errors in estimating the position of the aircraft. Also, the structure of the ionosphere typically supports several propagation modes and it may not be certain which mode caused each track. Generally, association of data from multiple sensors requires that the data be aligned in all its coordinates. If the propagation modes are uncertain, then alignments are compromised. This paper presents the results of applying a previously presented multi-mode multi-radar fusion algorithm to the experimental Jindalee Facility Alice Springs (JFAS) data. The algorithm, which is briefly summarised, uses a simple model of propagation to convert between radar coordinates and latitude-longitude coordinates. The algorithm has been applied to ten days of JFAS data. The results are shown to be comparable to operator performance, with indications that more improvements can be made. The difficulties of evaluating data fusion algorithms are discussed and it is concluded that development of data fusion algorithms is best done with both simulated and synoptic data. >
Lack of T cells in Act1-deficient mice results in elevated IgM-specific autoantibodies but reduced lupus-like disease

Act1 is a negative regulator of B-cell activation factor of the TNF family (BAFF) and CD40L-induced signaling. BALB/C mice lacking Act1 develop systemic autoimmunity resembling systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjogren's syndrome (SjS). SLE and SjS are characterized by anti-nuclear IgG autoantibody (ANA-IgG) production and inflammation of peripheral tissues. As autoantibody production can occur in a T-cell dependent or T-cell independent manner, we investigated the role of T-cell help during Act1-mediated autoimmunity. Act1-deficiency was bred onto C57Bl/6 (B6.Act1−/−) mice and B6.TCRβ−/−TCRδ−/−Act1−/− (TKO) mice were generated. While TCRβ/δ-sufficient B6.Act1−/− mice developed splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy, hypergammaglobulinemia, elevated levels of ANA-IgG, and kidney pathology, TKO mice failed to develop any such signs of disease. Neither B6.Act1−/− nor TKO mice developed SjS-like disease, suggesting that epigenetic interactions on the BALB/C background are responsible for this phenotype in BALB/C.Act1−/− mice. Interestingly, BAFF-driven transitional B-cell abnormalities, previously reported in BALB/C.Act1−/− mice, were intact in B6.Act1−/− mice and largely independent of T cells. In conclusion, T cells are necessary for the development of SLE-like disease in B6.Act1−/− mice, but not BAFF-driven transitional B-cell differentiation.
Behavior of peripheral rods and their role in the life cycle of Myxococcus xanthus.

Abstract Myxococcus xanthus is a gram-negative bacterium with a complex life cycle including a developmental phase in which cells aggregate and sporulate in response to starvation. In previous papers, we have described a heretofore unsuspected layer of complexity in the development of M. xanthus: vegetatively growing cells differentiate into two cell types during development. In addition to the differentiation of spores within fruiting bodies, a second cell type, peripheral rods, arises outside fruiting bodies. The pattern of expression of proteins in peripheral rods is different from that of either vegetatively growing cells or spores, and peripheral rods express a number of recognized developmental markers. In this report, we examine four aspects of the biology of peripheral rods: (i) the influence of nutrients on the proportion of peripheral rods in a population of developing cells, (ii) the capacity of peripheral rods to recapitulate development, (iii) the development of peripheral rods on conditioned medium, and (iv) the ability of peripheral rods to resume growth on low amounts of exogenously added nutrients. The results of these studies suggest that peripheral rods play a significant role in the life cycle of M. xanthus by allowing the exploitation of low amounts or transient influxes of nutrients without the investment of energy in spore germination. The differentiation of vegetatively growing cells into two cell types that differ significantly in biology, shape, and localization within the population has been incorporated into a model of the life cycle of M. xanthus.
Circadian control of bile acid synthesis by a KLF15-Fgf15 axis

Circadian control of nutrient availability is critical to efficiently meet the energetic demands of an organism. Production of bile acids (BAs), which facilitate digestion and absorption of nutrients, is a major regulator of this process. Here we identify a KLF15-Fgf15 signalling axis that regulates circadian BA production. Systemic Klf15 deficiency disrupted circadian expression of key BA synthetic enzymes, tissue BA levels and triglyceride/cholesterol absorption. Studies in liver-specific Klf15-knockout mice suggested a non-hepatic basis for regulation of BA production. Ileal Fgf15 is a potent inhibitor of BA synthesis. Using a combination of biochemical, molecular and functional assays (including ileectomy and bile duct catheterization), we identify KLF15 as the first endogenous negative regulator of circadian Fgf15 expression. Elucidation of this novel pathway controlling circadian BA production has important implications for physiologic control of nutrient availability and metabolic homeostasis.
A flying hot wire study of the turbulent near wake of a circular cylinder at a Reynolds number of 140,000

The phenomenology was studied of the processes of vortex formation and transport in the near wake, at a Reynolds number sufficiently high to insure a fully turbulent wake, but low enough to insure a laminar separation. The apparatus developed for measuring this flow consisted of X-array hot wire probes mounted on the ends of a pair of whirling arms. A computer controlled data acquisition system was slaved to the position of the rotating arm and managed, monitored, edited, and recorded the vast profusion of data which is continuously poured out by the device. Results are presented which show the instantaneous velocity, intermittency, vorticity, and stress fields as a function of phase for the first six diameters of the near wake. The stresses in the near wake emerge as a concatenation of peaks and valleys, some the result of strong induced motions in the outer flow which cause free stream fluid to move rapidly inward toward the center of the wake, others the result of the random motions of the background turbulence.
RUNX1/AML1 DNA-binding domain and ETO/MTG8 NHR2-dimerization domain are critical to AML1-ETO9a leukemogenesis

The 8;21 translocation, which involves the gene encoding the RUNX family DNA-binding transcription factor AML1 (RUNX1) on chromosome 21 and the ETO (MTG8) gene on chromosome 8, generates AML1-ETO fusion proteins. Previous analyses have demonstrated that full-length AML1-ETO blocks AML1 function and requires additional mutagenic events to promote leukemia. More recently, we have identified an alternatively spliced form of AML1-ETO, AML1-ETO9a, from t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient samples. AML1-ETO9a lacks the C-terminal NHR3 and NHR4 domains of AML1-ETO and is highly leukemogenic in the mouse model. Here, we report that the AML1 DNA-binding domain and the ETO NHR2-dimerization domain, but not the ETO NHR1 domain, are critical for the induction of AML by AML1-ETO9a. A region between NHR1 and NHR2 affects latency of leukemogenesis. These results provide valuable insight into further analysis of the molecular mechanism of t(8;21) in leukemogenesis.
Poisoning with DDT: Effect on Reproductive Performance of Artemia

Brine shrimp die within 5 days after being given doses of above 10-5 parts of DDT per million. At this and lower doses, shrimp deposited broods at a normal frequency, and cysts predominated. The number of cysts that emerged and the survival of larvae to adulthood from broods of treated parents exceeded those from controls. Therefore lethality based on induced dominant or sex-linked recessive gene mutation was not evident. Decreased fecundity is due to maternal debility.
DYNAMIC AND QUASI-STATIC GRADE CROSSING COLLISION TESTS

To support the development of a proposed rule [1], a fullscale dynamic test and two full-scale quasi-static tests have been performed on the posts of a state-of-the-art (SOA) end frame. These tests were designed to evaluate the dynamic and quasi-static methods for demonstrating energy absorption of the collision and corner posts. The tests focused on the collision and corner posts individually because of their critical positions in protecting the operator and passengers in a collision where only the superstructure, not the underframe, is loaded. There are many examples of collisions where only the superstructure is loaded. For the dynamic test, a 14,000-lb cart impacted a standing cab car at a speed of 18.7 mph. The cart had a rigid striking surface in the shape of a coil mounted on the leading end that concentrated the impact load on the collision post. During the dynamic test the collision post deformed approximately 7.5 inches, and absorbed approximately 137,000 ft-lbs of energy. The SOA collision post was successful in preserving space for the operators and the passengers. For the quasi-static test of the collision post, the collision post was loaded in the same location and with the same fixture as the dynamic test. The post absorbed approximately 110,000 ft-lb of energy in 10 inches of permanent, longitudinal deformation. For the quasi-static test of the corner post, the post was loaded at the same height as the collision post, with the same fixture. The corner post absorbed 136,000 ft-lb of energy in 10 inches of permanent, longitudinal deformation. The series of tests was designed to compare the dynamic and quasi-static methods for measuring collision energy absorption during structural deformation as a measure of crashworthiness. When properly implemented, either a dynamic or quasi-static test can demonstrate the crashworthiness of an end frame.
A Low Cost Robotics Machine Tending System

Robotics is often viewed as a complex high-tech area that can be applied to improve productivity but only at a high cost to the organization. Contrary to this frame of mind, robotic applications can be implemented by average-sized organizations at a relatively low cost with low complexity. As part of the senior design project activities at Lake Superior State University, an automotive parts supplier submitted a project involving the redesign of a manual machine tending process. The company, which manufactures tie rods, has a process where an operator tediously loads and unloads tie rods to and from two machines in a dirty and dangerous environment. A flexible system to automate the machine loading process was considered and will be proposed. The flexible automated system will include a parts feeder for orienting the tie rods into a single position and a robot for picking and placing the tie rods into the machines. The end-of-arm tooling for the robot and the parts feeder will be designed to handle different varieties of tie rods. The automated system flexibility will allow the robot, which will be mounted on a track, to be conveniently re-positioned away from the machines when needed. By doing so, the machines can be run in the manual mode for unusual tie rod part varieties using an operator to tend the machines. In addition to presenting an uncomplicated robotics solution to the problem, this paper will show that by incorporating the proposed automation ideas, the hardware costs to implement the flexible robotics system will be under $100,000. This is a relatively low cost for an average-sized company, considering automation.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Thymidine kinase activity in cerebrospinal fluid of rabbits with Herpesvirus hominis encephalitis.

Thymidine Kinase Activity in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Rabbits with Herpesvirus hominis Encephalitis
Magma flow and interaction with waste packages in a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada ☆

Abstract The likelihood that a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain could be intersected by igneous activity is very low, but its potential consequences are nevertheless important to performance assessments. An ongoing critical area of concern is the nature and magnitude of the thermal interaction of magma with tunnel walls, high-level nuclear waste packages, and waste forms. Previous assessments consider a variety of dynamic scenarios, but large uncertainties remain in understanding the rheological nature of the magma likely to be involved and its behavior within a repository drift. Here we specifically address the issue of magma rheology during degassing, cooling, and solidification as basaltic magma approaches Earth's surface and enters a drift. Magma containing significant amounts (> ~ 2 wt.%) of dissolved water (Wet Magma), as is anticipated for this region, at or near its liquidus temperature and saturated with water at 200 MPa is at a temperature near or below the 1-atm solidus temperature. Isentropic ascent from this near liquidus temperature promotes extensive solidification and/or glassification. Exsolving water with approach to the surface promotes rapid vesiculation leading to fragmentation and tephra production. With continued ascent the still water-saturated magma traverses the solidification phase field and undergoes a combination of rapid crystallization and quenching, becoming a glassy highly viscous (~ 108 Pa s) mass of greatly reduced mobility. This immobility is reflected in the high effective viscosity regulating flows from nearby cinder cones associated with wet basalt. This also matches well with the experimentally determined rheology of dry basalt glass. This rheology greatly restricts the mobility of basalt within repository drifts, amounting to
Enhancement of insect pheromone responses by green leaf volatiles

verfahren wird fiir jede Beaufort-St/irkestufe und jedes Jahrzehnt durchgefiihrt, so dab man als Funktion der Zeit far jede Beaufort-St/irke einen Betrag des Luftdruckgradienten erh/ilt. Diesen kann man, etwa mit der heute am besten bestimmten Skala [5], auf Windgeschwindigkeit umrechnen. Damit ist die Umrechnung der Beaufort-St/irkeSch/itzungen friiherer Jahrzehnte auf Windgeschwindigkeiten m6glich. Es sei noch darauf hingewiesen, dab unsere Methode unabh/ingig yon der H~iufigkeitsverteilung des Windes in einem Seegebiet ist, da sie getrennt ftir jede Beaufort-Stufe durchgeftihrt wird. Die sich in einem Gebiet nach der Rekonstruktion ergebenden Wind~inderungen kOnnen daher als lokale Klima/inderungen angesehen werden. Als Beispiel wird hier die rekonstruierte Zeitreihe des Windes aus dem Feld vor der brasilianischen Kiiste wiedergegeben (Fig. 3). W/ihrend man von 1880 bis 1940 eine Zunahme um 0,5 m/s findet, ist nach 1950 praktisch kein von Null verschiedener Trend festzustellen. Diese Aussage gilt speziell fiir das Eingegangen am 17. Oktober 1989
Manufacturing work and organizational stresses in export processing zones

In the light of global industrialization, much attention has been focused on occupational factors and their influence on the health and welfare of workers. This was a cross sectional study using stratified sampling technique based on industry sizes. The study sampled 24 industries, 6 were small scale industries and 9 each for medium and large scale industries. From the 24 industries, a total of 500 respondents for the questionnaire was taken. For occupational health and safety standards that industries have to comply with, there was low compliance among small-scale industries relative to the medium and large scale industries. Only one industry had an air cleaning device for cleaning contaminated air prior to emission into the external community. Among the 500 respondents, majority were female (88.8%), single (69.6%) and worked in the production or assembly-line station (87.4%). Sickness absenteeism was relative high among the workers in this study accounting for almost 54% among females and 48% among males. Many of the workers also reported of poor performance at work, boredom, tardiness and absenteeism. For association between work factors and personal factors, the following were found to be statistically significant at p=0.05. Boredom was associated with lack of skills training, lack of promotion, disincentives for sick leaves, poor relationship with boss and poor relationships with employers. On the other hand, poor performance was also associated with lack of skills training, lack of promotions, job insecurity, and poor relationship with employers. From the data generated, important issues that must be dealt with in work organizations include the quality of work life, and health and safety issues. Based on these findings, we can conclude that there are still issues on occupational health and safety (OHS) in the target site of export processing zones in the Philippines. There must be an active campaign for OHS in industries that are produce for the global market such as the target industries in this study.
Collusive Communication and Pricing Coordination in a Retail Gasoline Market

This paper studies how communication is used by a retail gasoline cartel in Australia to coordinate price increases, a role of communication in collusion not highlighted by Genesove and Mullin (Am Econ Rev 91(3): 379–398, 2001). A unique data set from the trial record allows for quantifying not only the pricing dynamics, but also the communication patterns. Both empirical and narrative evidence suggests the collusive communication and pricing behavior is well captured by the price cycle equilibrium of the Maskin and Tirole (Econometrica 56(3): 571–599, 1988) model.
New insights into mechanisms of therapeutic effects of antimalarial agents in SLE

Antimalarial agents are mainstays in the clinical management of systemic lupus erythematosus, and have been in routine use for more than 50 years. This Review summarizes recent insights into the mechanisms of action of these agents and their clinical implications.
Cohomology of Bieberbach groups

Recently, Szczepariski [11] has constructed examples of aspherical manifolds with the ℚ-homology of a sphere. More precisely, if k is a commutative ring of characteristic zero containing , the following theorem holds.
Efficient Calculation of Exact Mass Isotopic Distributions

This paper presents a new method for efficiently calculating the exact masses in an isotopic distribution using a dynamic programming approach. The resulting program, isoDalton, can generate extremely high isotopic resolutions as demonstrated by a FWHM resolution of 2 × 1011. This resolution allows very fine mass structures in isotopic distributions to be seen, even for large molecules. Since the number of exact masses grows exponentially with molecular size, only the most probable exact masses are kept, the number of which is user specified.
Stacking blocks and counting permutations

In this paper we will explore two seemingly unrelated counting questions, both of which are answered by the same formula. In the first section, we find the surface areas of certain solids formed from unit cubes. In second section, we enumerate permutations with a specified set of restrictions. Next, we give a bijection between the faces of the solids and the set of permutations. We conclude with suggestions for further reading. First, however, it is worth explaining how this paper came about. The author received an email from David Harris while he was helping his 12-year-old daughter complete a project for her math class. Together Harris and his daughter constructed triangular piles of cubes. After creating an increasing sequence of these piles, they computed the surface area of each pile, and hoped to find a formula for the surface area of their nth pile. This project and its solution are described in the next section. At the time of their correspondence, Harris and his daughter had deduced several facts about the construction but were unable to find a formula for the surface area in general. When they searched for the first few terms in their sequence, Google returned only one hit: a Maple data file on the author’s website. The sequence that Harris and his daughter discovered online was originally generated in the context of pattern-avoiding words and permutations. Their web search produced a conjecture that gives a nice geometric interpretation of a permutation patterns question. This serendipitous discovery of the surprising and beautiful connection between a geometry problem and an enumeration problem illustrates how attractive new results may sometimes appear in such a surprising place as an elementary homework exercise.
FIGO stage IIIA carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Between 1955 and 1988, 44 patients with FIGO Stage IIIA carcinoma of the cervix were treated with radiotherapy at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. This represents only 3% of the 1473 Stage III cervical carcinoma patients treated at M. D. Anderson during this time period. The 5- and 10-year actuarial survival rates of patients with Stage IIIA disease were 37% and 34%, respectively. The actuarial pelvic disease control rate was 72% at 5 and 10 years. Of the 23 patients who experienced a recurrence of their disease, 10 had a recurrence in the pelvis only, 11 had distant metastases only, and two had recurrences in the pelvis and distantly. Two factors, parametrial disease extension and discontinuous involvement of the lower third of the vagina were important predictors of prognosis. The 5-year survival rate of 27 patients with parametrial involvement was 25% compared with 56% for the 17 patients without parametrial disease (p = 0.05). The 5-year survival rate of 13 patients with discontinuous ("skip") lesions in the lower third of the vagina was 15% compared with 48% for 31 patients who presented with direct extension of disease to the lower vagina (p = 0.05). This was because of a high rate of distant disease recurrence in patients with skip lesions since pelvic control rates were similar for both groups. No patient who presented with both parametrial extension and discontinuous vaginal involvement survived 5 years. In contrast, patients with lesions that extended directly from the cervix to involve the lower vagina without involving the parametrium had an excellent 5-year survival rate of 73%.
Relations of iron, aluminum, and carbon along transitions from Udults to Aquods

Abstract Spodosols of the S.E. USA occur mainly on poorly-drained “flatwoods” landscapes. Their Bh horizons constitute a globally significant pool of subsurface carbon (C) but mechanisms of the hydrologic linkage are uncertain. Objectives This study was to determine relations between iron (Fe), aluminum (Al) and C along transitions between poorly-drained Aquods and better drained Udults and to evaluate mechanistic implications. Materials and methods Twenty three soil profiles were described and sampled along four 80–120 m transects corresponding to drainage gradients documented by wells over a 2.5-year period. Soils showed a typical transitional trend of upward fading Bh horizon as the drier end of the gradient was approached. Iron and Al concentrations in extracting solutions of pyrophosphate (Fep and Alp), ammonium oxalate (Feaao and Alaao), and citrate–dithionite–bicarbonate (Fecdb and Alcdb) were determined by ICP. Pyrophosphate-extractable (Cp) and total C (Ct) were determined by flash combustion. Results and discussion Declining strength of Bh expression with increasing mean water table depth suggests that regional podzolization is largely affected by the frequency at which near-surface saturation occurs at a sufficient duration to reach certain moisture-driven biogeochemical thresholds. Results confirmed declining Fe from weak Bh horizons of drier soil to well expressed Bh horizons of Aquods. Pyrophosphate-extractable Al, but not Fep, related positively with Cp and Ct. Thus depletion of Fe and retention of C and Al in Bh horizons accompany increasing wetness and degree of podzolic expression, implicating Fe as a possible inhibitor of the process. Alternatively, preemptive redox depletion of Fe could occur prior to onset of podzolic thresholds associated with wetness (e.g., DOC activity). Persistence of Fe and its correlation with Al in weak Bh horizons indicate spatial overlap in its redox and podzolic redistribution. The pH decreased with increasing C for all horizons suggesting that acidity is controlled more by organic acids than by metal hydrolysis. Ratios of Cp/Ct and Alp/Ct as well as slope between Cp and Ct could be used to distinguish Bh- from A-horizon materials. Eluvial–illuvial relations between E and Bh were confirmed for clay as well as metals. Conclusions The morphological transition from Udults to Aquods parallels hydrological, chemical, and compositional changes. Implications of these changes are that Al and C distributions are mainly controlled by podzolization whereas Fe concentrations diminish with progressive wetness and podzolization. These results implicate Fe as a possible inhibitor of the process for southern Spodosols. However, its higher concentration and correlation with Al in weak Bh horizons indicate limited podzolic redistribution of Fe in marginally wet zones. The results are pertinent to the effects of hydrologic change on C and metal distributions in soils of S.E. USA coastal plain landscapes.
Software Integration in Multi-scale Simulations: the PUPIL System

The state of the art for computational tools in both computational chemistry and computational materials physics includes many algorithms and functionalities which are implemented again and again. Several projects aim to reduce, eliminate, or avoid this problem. Most such efforts seem to be focused within a particular specialty, either quantum chemistry or materials physics. Multi-scale simulations, by their very nature however, cannot respect that specialization. In simulation of fracture, for example, the energy gradients that drive the molecular dynamics (MD) come from a quantum mechanical treatment that most often derives from quantum chemistry. That “QM” region is linked to a surrounding “CM” region in which potentials yield the forces. The approach therefore requires the integration or at least inter-operation of quantum chemistry and materials physics algorithms. The same problem occurs in “QM/MM” simulations in computational biology. The challenge grows if pattern recognition or other analysis codes of some kind must be used as well. The most common mode of inter-operation is user intervention: codes are modified as needed and data files are managed “by hand” by the user (interactively and via shell scripts). User intervention is however inefficient by nature, difficult to transfer to the community, and prone to error. Some progress (e.g Sethna’s work at Cornell [C.R. Myers et al., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 538(1999) 509, C.-S. Chen et al., Poster presented at the Material Research Society Meeting (2000)]) has been made on using Python scripts to achieve a more efficient level of interoperation. In this communication we present an alternative approach to merging current working packages without the necessity of major recoding and with only a relatively light wrapper interface. The scheme supports communication among the different components required for a given multi-scale calculation and access to the functionalities of those components for the potential user. A general main program allows the management of every package with a special communication protocol between their interfaces following the directives introduced by the user which are stored in an XML structured file. The initial prototype of the PUPIL (Program for User Packages Interfacing and Linking) system has been done using Java as a fast, easy prototyping object oriented (OO) language. In order to test it, we have applied this prototype to a previously studied problem, the fracture of a silica nanorod. We did so joining two different packages to do a QM/MD calculation. The results show the potential for this software system to do different kind of simulations and its simplicity of maintenance.
Effect of hydrogen peroxide on transplanted rat and mouse tumours.

RECENTLY, Holman1 has reported that daily continued oral administration of commercial hydrogen peroxide (in drinking water) caused complete regression of Walker carcinoma 256 in rats in 50–60 per cent of the cases. This laboratory finding was applied in humans with advanced inoperable cancers. In two of the four cases there was reported a definite subjective and objective improvement1. The obvious importance of these findings in the case of a compound so plentiful made it desirable to attempt to confirm these results in Walker carcinoma 256 and in several of other animal tumours.
Characterization of deformation anisotropies in an α-Ti alloy by nanoindentation and electron microscopy

Abstract The crystallographic dependence of the mechanical responses of an α-Ti–7 wt.% Al alloy was measured by nanoindentation using spherical and Berkovich indenters. Both elastic moduli and hardness responses of indents on the (0 0 0 1), ( 1 ¯ 1 0 0 ) and ( 1 ¯ 2 1 ¯ 0 ) planes were quantified. The dislocation structures resulting from indentation were characterized by electron microscopy. While scanning electron microscopy techniques were used for the observation of surface slip structures, site-specific focused-ion-beam thin foil preparation and scanning transmission electron microscopy techniques were employed for the imaging of sub-surface dislocation structures. Elastic modulus, hardness and load at pop-in were found to vary with crystallographic orientation. Indentation-induced plasticity was found to occur by multiple slip/twin mechanisms and to be dependent on crystal orientation, although 〈a〉 slip on (0 0 0 1) planes was found to be common to all orientations. The observed dislocation structures are rationalized on the basis of theoretical predictions based on the anisotropic elastic contact analysis and resolved shear stress calculations.