cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variations in psychosocial functioning associated with patterns of progression in cocaine-dependent men

This study examined the relationship between patterns of progression of cocaine use and psychosocial functioning in a sample of cocaine-dependent men who were veterans. Four patterns of progression were examined: mild-severe, moderate-severe, mild-moderate-severe, and severe only. Analysis of variance and post hoc analysis with Duncan grouping revealed significant differences among cocaine users with different patterns of progression in terms of negativism, problem index for situations involving unpleasant emotions, problem index for situations involving urges, depression, somatic anxiety, and medical problems in the family. However, there were no significant differences on sensation seeking, confidence to resist taking cocaine in different situations, obsessive compulsiveness, somatization, attention deficit, and social adjustment. Cocaine users with a severe-only pattern of progression were significantly more dysfunctional than those with mild-moderate-severe progression in terms of negativism, problem index for situations involving unpleasant emotions, depression, and somatic anxiety. Cocaine users with mild-moderate-severe progression had significantly less somatic anxiety than those with mild-severe progression and had less negativism and a lower problem index for urges than those with moderate-severe progression. Logistic regression analysis revealed unique behavioral variables associated with different patterns of progression. The implications of these findings for treatment are discussed.
Spatial interdependence in US Outward FDI into Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean

The existing literature on spatial interdependence in FDI flows has primarily focused on developed economies as hosts, with these hosts economically tied together via good infrastructure and historically strong/significant trade flows. In contrast, we explicitly test for the presence of spatial interdependence in developing hosts (Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean) where such ties are not as strong. For US outbound FDI between 1995 and 2007, our empirical results confirm third-country effects do matter even when controlling for spatial and time-period fixed effects. Based on the signs of the market potential and spatial lag coefficients, we find US FDI strategies into these regions as consistent with complex vertical specialisation.
Controlled incorporation of deuterium into bacterial cellulose

Isotopic enrichment has been widely used for investigating the structural and dynamic properties of biomacromolecules to provide information that cannot be carried out with molecules composed of natural abundance isotopes. A media formulation for controlled incorporation of deuterium in bacterial cellulose synthesized by Gluconacetobacter xylinus subsp. sucrofermentans is reported. The purified cellulose was characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectrophotometry and mass spectrometry which revealed that the level of deuterium incorporation in the perdeuterated cellulose was greater than 90 %. Small-angle neutron scattering analysis demonstrated that the overall structure of the cellulose was unaffected by the substitution of deuterium for hydrogen. In addition, by varying the amount of D-glycerol in the media it was possible to vary the scattering length density of the deuterated cellulose. A large disk model was used to fit the curves of bacterial cellulose grown using 0 and 100 % D-Glycerol yielding a lower bound to the disk radii, R min = 1,132 ± 6 and 1,154 ± 3 A and disk thickness, T = 128 ± 1 and 83 ± 1 A for the protiated and deuterated forms of the bacterial cellulose, respectively. This agrees well with the scanning electron microscopy analysis which revealed stacked sheets in the cellulose pellicles. Controlled incorporation of deuterium into cellulose will enable new types of experiments using techniques such as neutron scattering to reveal information about the structure and dynamics of cellulose and its interactions with proteins and other (bio) polymers.
Bronchodilatory effect of subcutaneous epinephrine in acute asthma

Thirty-two adult patients presenting to the emergency department for treatment of acute asthmatic attacks refractory to home medications were studied. Each patient was randomly given a subcutaneous injection of 0.1 mg, 0.3 mg, or 0.5 mg epinephrine in a double-blind fashion. Bronchodilatation, as measured by peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), was measured before and at 10, 20, and 40 minutes after injection. Bronchodilatation occurred with all dosages of epinephrine. No significant difference in PEFR was demonstrated among the three doses of epinephrine. Mean PEFR at each time differed significantly from the means of the other three values, with a steady increase over time (0.01 P
Action patterns of amylolytic enzymes as determined by the [1-14C]malto-oligosaccharide mapping method.

Abstract A valuable technique for oligosaccharide mapping, utilizing radioactive malto-oligosaccharides, multiple-ascent p.c., and radioautography, has been developed for identifying the action patterns of the glucoamylase isozymes, alpha-amylases, beta-amylase glucosyltransferase, and glucanosyltransferase. The glucoamylase isozymes act by multi-chain mechanisms on malto-oligosaccharides and most likely on starch and glucogen. The alpha-amylases act endo-wise and randomly hydrolyze α-(1→4)- but not α-(1→6)-glucosidic bonds. These amylases may act by single-chain and/or multi-chain mechanisms, depending on the number of hydrolytic attacks per single encounter of the enzyme and the substrate. The beta-amylases hydrolyze malto-oligosaccharides by a multi-chain mechanism. A fungal glucosyltransferase from Aspergillus niger transfers glucose units by a single-chain mechanism from maltose to glucosyl acceptors to yield new gluco-oligosaccharides with α-(1→4) and α-(1→6) linkages. A novel type of transferase isolated from Bacillus subtilis acts by a multi-chain mechanism and transfers segments of 2 to 5 glucose residues from malto-oligosaccharides to acceptor co-substrates. An alpha-amylase from the same organism removes maltotriose units from the non-reducing ends of oligosaccharides by a multi-chain mechanism.
The Birth of Organized City Planning in the United States, 1909–1910

Problem: Why, how, and under what circumstances American planning first became an organized movement is mostly unknown to planners, as is the significance of such a development. Purpose: I seek to explain why and how the first national planning organization began in 1909–1910 and to interpret this development in the context of American national and urban history and the history of the planning movement in the United States. Methods: I extensively researched the origins of comprehensive city planning in the United States at the Frances Loeb Library of the Harvard Design School, other libraries of Harvard University, and in the manuscript collections of the Library of Congress. Results and conclusions: I find that organized city planning in the United States was born out of a dramatic, historically significant struggle between two key figures in the early history of the city planning movement: Benjamin C. Marsh and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Each represented different strands of Progressive Era reform. Olms...
Venus: Halide Cloud Condensation and Volatile Element Inventories

Several recently suggested Venus cloud condensates, including aluminum chloride and halides, oxides, and sulfides of arsenic and antimony, are assessed for their thermodynamic and geochemical plausibility. Aluminum chloride can confidently be ruled out, and condensation of arsenic sulfides on the surface will cause arsenic compounds to be too rare to produce the observed clouds. Antimony may be sufficiently volatile, but the expected molecular form is gaseous antimony sulfide, not the chloride. Arsenic and antimony compounds in the atmosphere will be regulated at very low levels by sulfide precipitation, irrespective of the planetary inventory of arsenic and antimony. Thus arguments for a volatile-deficient origin for Venus based on depletion of water and mercury (relative to the earth) cannot be tested by a search for atmospheric arsenic or antimony.
Photon scanning-tunneling microscopy of unstained Mammalian cells and chromosomes.

The photon scanning-tunneling microscope (PSTM) yields optical topographical images of samples that are thin or that are transparent at the wavelength used. A range of sample sizes can be imaged extending to well below the diffraction limit for sufficiently flat samples. But samples of the order of several to many micrometers in size can be analyzed with less-refined resolution if total internal reflection can be made to occur in the sample. We used the PSTM to examine the optical topography of mouse and human cells and of chromosomes that are unstained. Our objectives were to demonstrate the images as an alternative to conventional microscopy and to provide a sample-preparation methodology that will later permit localized, simultaneous fluorescence or absorption spectroscopy with the signals collected by the probe tip. Furthermore, the PSTM’s ability to produce optical profiles in air and in water was tested to establish the basis for future investigation of possible abnormalities in the chromosomes. That is, we considered both physical and biological objectives. To this end we utilized the 442-nm line of a He–Cd laser as well as the 633-nm line from a He–Ne laser, the resulting image quality being tested partly to ascertain the increased effects of scattering at the smaller wavelength. It is shown that adequate resolution and signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained with the shorter wavelength even in the presence of intensity fluctuations from the laser, thus showing that fluorescence and absorption studies can be expected to be practicable.
Sequence organization and control of transcription in the bacteriophage T4 tRNA region.

Abstract Bacteriophage T4 contains genes for eight transfer RNAs and two stable RNAs of unknown function. These are found in two clusters at 70 × 10 3 base-pairs on the T4 genetic map. To understand the control of transcription in this region we have completed the sequencing of 5000 base-pairs in this region. The sequence contains a part of gene 3, gene 1, gene 57, internal protein I, the tRNA genes and five open reading frames which most likely code for heretofore unidentified proteins. We have used subclones of the region to investigate the kinetics of transcription in vivo . The results show that transcription in this region consists of overlapping early, middle and late transcripts. Transcription is directed from two early promoters, one or two middle promoters and perhaps two late promoters. This region contains all of the features that are seen in T4 transcription and as such is a good place to study the phenomenon in more detail.
The chemical changes in rat adrenals after injection of betachloroethyl vesicants.

INJURY to the organism is invariably accompanied by hypertrophy of the adrenals (Tepperman, Engel, and Long, 1943). Since conclusions concerning the chemical changes taking place in hypertrophied adrenals have been based chiefly on histological evidence, the data for the protein, lipid, and water concentrations of normal and hypertrophied adrenals are limited. Decreases in the cholesterol concentration have been demonstrated after burns by Harkins and Long (1945) and after injection of the adrenotrophic hormone by Sayers, Sayers, Fry, White, and Long (1944) and by Sayers, Sayers, Tsang-Ying Liang, and Long (1946). Pop jack (1944) analyzed the hypertrophied adrenals of shocked rats for water, lipids, and protein. He observed that the enlargement of the adrenals was due to an increased water content. The cholesterol ester concentration of the hypertrophied adrenals was markedly decreased.
Ocular and systemic autoimmunity after successful tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte immunotherapy for recurrent, metastatic melanoma.

Objective To describe the ophthalmic and systemic autoimmune findings after successful adoptive cell transfer of ex vivo expanded, autologous tumor-reactive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) for metastatic melanoma. Design Retrospective, interventional case report. Participant A 35-year-old man who underwent immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma with adoptive cell transfer of tumor-reactive TIL. Methods A 35-year-old man with metastatic melanoma was treated with TIL plus interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy after a lymphodepleting regimen of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine for metastatic melanoma, which led to a complete and durable remission. Bilateral panuveitis, hearing loss, vitiligo, poliosis, and alopecia developed in the patient, requiring local ophthalmic immunosuppressive therapy. The clinical course, diagnostic testing, and therapeutic interventions over a 2-year period are reviewed. Main Outcome Measures Visual acuity, anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation, optical coherence tomography findings, serial electro-oculograms (EOGs), microperimetry (MP-1) testing, flow cytometric analysis of cells derived from the aqueous humor, and aqueous humor cytokine profiles were evaluated. Results After melanoma immunotherapy, complete tumor regression was achieved at 5 months after treatment with a durable, ongoing, complete remission at 24 months. Early in the treatment course, a high fever, a diffuse rash, hearing loss, and bilateral anterior uveitis developed acutely in the patient. Late autoimmune sequelae included the development of alopecia, vitiligo, poliosis, and bilateral panuveitis with diffuse retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) hypopigmentation, reminiscent of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome. Bilateral cystoid macular edema also developed that was responsive to acetazolamide. Serial EOGs showed alterations in RPE standing potentials in dark conditions, and MP-1 testing revealed diminished foveal and perifoveal sensitivity. An aqueous humor aspirate revealed a high concentration of melanoma tumor antigen-reactive T cells compared with that of peripheral blood samples, as well as a proinflammatory aqueous cytokine profile. At the time of cataract surgery 22 months after immunotherapy, a repeat aqueous humor sample showed the disappearance of the previously seen melanoma differentiation antigen-reactive lymphocytes, but the proinflammatory cytokine profile persisted. Conclusions Ocular and systemic autoimmune sequelae resembling VKH may develop after successful melanoma immunotherapy. This report provides insight into the pathogenesis of VKH disease. The patient's clinical course illustrates the fine balance between tumor-specific immunity and loss of self-tolerance. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Charge-density-wave structure in NbSe3 determined by scanning tunneling microscopy

Scanning-tunneling-microscope images of NbSe{sub 3} at 4.2 K show that all three pairs of chains in the unit cell carry a strong charge-density-wave (CDW) modulation. The high-temperature CDW is strongly localized on one pair of chains, consistent with previous conclusions. The low-temperature CDW forms on the remaining two pairs of chains in disagreement with previous results and analysis which concluded that only one pair of chains participated in the low-temperature CDW formation.
Novel putative nonprotein-coding RNA gene from 11q14 displays decreased expression in brains of patients with schizophrenia.

A modified method of differential display was employed to identify a novel gene (named PSZA11q14), the expression of which was reduced in brains from patients with schizophrenia. Decreased expression of PSZA11q14 was identified initially in Brodmann's area (BA) 21 from a small group of patients with schizophrenia (n = 4) and normal controls (n = 6) and was confirmed subsequently using independent RT-PCR assay in BA 21, 22, and 9, and in hippocampus from a larger group of patients with schizophrenia (n = 36) and controls (n = 35). PSZA11q14 is located on chromosome 11q14, an area shown previously to co-segregate with schizophrenia and related disorders in several families. Decreased expression of PSZA11q14 in patients with schizophrenia and its location on 11q14 provide converging lines of evidence indicating that PSZA11q14 may be involved in at least some cases of schizophrenia. PSZA11q14 shows no significant homology with any known gene. It has no introns and produces two RNA transcripts of approximately 4.5 and approximately 7.0 kb. The largest open reading frame (ORF) in the PSZA11q14 transcripts may potentially encode for a short polypeptide of 71 amino acids. High frequency of rare codons, the short size of this ORF, and low homology with mouse sequences, however, indicate that PSZA11q14 may instead represent a novel member of a family of nonprotein-coding RNA genes that are not translated and that function at the RNA level. PSZA11q14 is located within the first intron of the DLG-2 gene and transcribed in the opposite direction to DLG-2. These results suggest that PSZA11q14 may be considered a candidate gene for schizophrenia acting as an antisense regulator of DLG-2, which controls assembling functional N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors.
In-process inspection of internal threads of machined automotive parts

This paper presents a methodology for the non-contact inspection of geometric features of internal threads in machined automotive parts. The method enables in-process internal thread quality verification using a high-precision laser sensor. It allows extracting thread pitch, major and minor diameters, thread height and even allows finding the angular location of the starting point of a thread with respect to a reference point on the perimeter. An in-process thread inspection prototype possessing five axes of motion is presented to demonstrate the capabilities of this method. The validation of this method and the self-calibration approach for system alignment were tested on several internal threads showing a high degree of repeatability.
Immunosuppressive role of transforming growth factor beta in breast cancer

Abstract Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine, whose myriad of functions include its ability to potently suppress the immune system. Because of its ability to negatively modulate the inductive and effector phases of the immune response, TGF-β is thought to contribute to tumor progression and metastases formation. Immunosuppression by tumor-derived TGF-β is increasingly becoming recognized as an important factor in tumor progression and may, in part, explain the low response rates achieved in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy for their disease. This review will focus on the immunosuppressive role of tumor-derived TGF-β in breast cancer. Due to the paucity of human studies, it will specifically address the actions of tumor-derived TGF-β on cells of the immune system in preclinical animal models, as well as discuss strategies to negate the deleterious effects of TGF-β in order to improve the anti-tumor immune response.
Optical transmission and reflection properties of a pile of lossy plates

Assuming no interference, recursion relations are derived, tabulated, and plotted, for the case where the number of plates is an integer power of two to form a set of graphs from which the transmission and reflection coefficients of a pile of identical, parallel, lossy plates can be obtained. Approximate closed form expressions, which are valid for any number of plates, are also derived and evaluated, giving an alternate analytical solution to the problem.
Dynamics of late spring and summer phytoplankton communities on Georges Bank, with emphasis on diatoms, Alexandrium spp., and other dinoflagellates

Abstract We analyzed the distribution, abundance, and succession patterns of major phytoplankton taxa on Georges Bank in relation to hydrography, nutrients, and size-fractionated chlorophyll concentrations (>20 μm; Skeletonema spp., Thalassiosira spp., Coscinodiscus spp., and Chaetoceros spp., with highest total diatom cell densities exceeding 200,000 cells l −1 on the Northeast Peak. In May–June, low nitrate and silicate concentrations over the Bank, along with patches of slightly elevated ammonium, were apparently supporting a predominantly dinoflagellate population; the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium spp. reached 13,000 cells l −1 . Diatom cell densities on the second cruise in May–June were less than 60,000 cells l −1 and their spatial distributions did not overlap with the highest cell densities of Alexandrium spp. or other dinoflagellates. On the third and last cruise, in June–July, reduced nitrate and silicate concentrations were accompanied by a shift in the phytoplankton community: Alexandrium spp. cell densities were lower and heterotrophic and mixotrophic dinoflagellates, notably Polykrikos spp., Gyrodinium spp., Gymnodinium spp., and Prorocentrum spp., had become more abundant. Patches of regenerated silicate during the June–July period appeared to support a post-spring-bloom diatom community on the central crest of the Bank (total diatom cell densities >180,000 cellsl −1 ) of Leptocylindrus spp., Dactyliosolen spp., and Guinardia flaccida . Multivariate statistical analyses of phytoplankton taxa and station locations revealed distinct assemblages of diatom and dinoflagellate taxa on the Bank throughout the late spring and summer. Results are interpreted in the ecological context of earlier-reported laboratory culture experiments on the competitive interactions between Alexandrium fundyense and diatoms.
Universal prescriptivitsm and the spirit of morality

A partir d'un effort d'elucidation de la maniere dont l'esprit de moralite guide sans la contraindre l'evolution morale, l'A. espere redonner un fondement a la liberte et a la raison, a la prescriptivite et a l'universalite dans l'experience de la conscience morale.
Infectious disease complications of renal transplantation

Patient 1. A 24-year-old woman with chronic renal failure secondary to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis underwent living-related renal transplantation from her 56-year-old mother. Other than her renal disease, she had no significant medical problems. She received cyclosporine, prednisone, and azathioprine as immunosuppressive therapy post transplant. The allograft functioned immediately, and the serum creatinine concentration fell to I . I mg/dl 3 days after transplantation. Because the donor was seropositive for cytomegalovirus (CMV), the patient received CMV hyperimmune globin, 150 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks, beginning on the first post-transplant day and continuing until she presented with CMV infection on the 38th post-transplant day. On the 10th day post transplant, the patient's temperature rose to 100.6° F and she felt sick. Physical examination revealed no site of infection, a chest radiograph was normal, and all cultures were negative; the serum creatinine, however, had risen to 1.6 mg/dl. Ultrasound examination of the allograft revealed no fluid collection or evidence of hydronephrosis. A clinical diagnosis of allograft rejection was made, and 500 mg of methylprednisolone was administered intravenously on 2 consecutive days. Although the patient became afebrile, she became increasingly oliguric, and her serum creatinine continued to rise (to 3.2 mg/dl). A percutaneous renal biopsy revealed acute allograft rejection without evidence of cyclosporine toxicity; anti-rejection therapy with OKT3 was initiated at a dose of 5 mg/kg for a total of 14 days. By the end of this course of OKT3, the serum creatinine had returned to normal. The therapeutic program then consisted of cyclosporine, 450 mg/day; prednisone, 20 mg/day; azathioprine, 100 mg/day; one single-
Modified Callen Decoupling in the Green's-Function Theory of the Heisenberg Ferromagnet with Application to the Europium Chalcogenides

We present a first-order Green's-function analysis of the Heisenberg ferromagnet based on a decoupling scheme which produces excellent agreement with exact results. We believe this to be the most reliable simple method available for the calculation of Curie temperatures or of other statistical properties. Explicit polynomial expressions for the Curie temperatures of Heisenberg ferromagnets with nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor exchange are given for the three cubic lattices. The theory predicts a $k$-dependent renormalization of the magnon energies for non-nearest-neighbor models. In the case of nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor exchange, it suggests an antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition for a certain narrow range of the ratio of the exchange constants. The method is illustrated by application to the europium chalcogenides. It is shown that the empirical paramagnetic and ferromagnetic Curie temperatures are inconsistent with the assumption of first- and second-neighbor exchange only. The inclusion of magnetic dipole interactions removes the contradiction between theory and experiment and allows the determination of the ratio $\frac{{J}_{2}}{{J}_{1}}$. This ratio is found to be about 0.7 for EuO and -0.1 for EuS.
Manganous oxide as a seed-pellet additive for controlling manganese deficiency in sugar-beet seedlings

Experiments in the laboratory, glasshouse and field during 1975–78 tested manganous oxide as a seed-pellet additive for controlling deficiency in sugar-beet seedlings. There was no experimental evidence that manganous oxide in the seed pellet was ever harmful to seedling establishment. On the contrary, germination tests in the laboratory and experiments in the glasshouse indicated that, in certain conditions, manganous oxide may improve plant establishment even when plants are not likely to be deficient, probably by accelerating germination of seed and emergence of seedlings. In field experiments where sugar beet were severely deficient, the plants were heavier and contained more manganese on plots sown with seed pelleted with material containing 50% manganous oxide than on plots sown with ordinary pelleted seed. Applying a foliar spray of manganese sulphate during the third week of June in addition to pelleting the seed with material containing manganous oxide gave bigger yields than either the seed-pellet treatment or foliar spraying alone.
A novel expression assay system for fiber-specific promoters in developing cotton fibers

Cotton fibers are unicellular trichomes that differentiate from epidermal cells of developing cotton ovules. Cotton fibers are not only an economically important commodity, but they also are a good experimental model for studying plant cell elongation and wall biogenesis because of their fast elongation rate and high cellulose content. During fiber development, many genes are known to be transcriptionally regulated; however, because of the long periods required to regenerate transgenic cottons and the lack of suitable transient assay systems, progress in characterizing cotton fiber-specific promoters has been slow. We report an expression assay system for determining promoter activities in cotton fibers by using cotton ovule culture and biolistic transformation techniques. The conditions for bombardment into cotton ovules were optimized to enhance the transformation efficiency of the β-glucuronidase gene (GUS) into fiber cells.GUS gene expression patterns, which are regulated by a developmentally regulated fiber-specific promoter in cultured ovules, were consistent with the levels of the transcriptsin planta. As a result, we propose that this newly developed expression assay system in cultured cotton fiber can be used to identifycis elements involved with the developmental and hormonal regulation of fiber development and fiber-specific expression.
The Ionization Behavior of Fatty Acids and Bile Acids in Micelles and Membranes

The ionization behavior of carboxylic acids including aliphatic chain fatty acids and bile acids in solutions, micelles, membranes and proteins is of considerable biological interest. The 13C nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift of carboxyl carbon of a variety of acids has been shown to be a linear function of the state of ionization of the carboxyl group. Thus, by measuring the chemical shift as a function of the amount of acid or base added to a solution, the state of ionization and the apparent pKa of the carboxyl group may be determined. The method is illustrated in this paper using butyric acid, and results (given as apparent pKa values) are tabulated for a variety of fatty acids and cholic acid in different environments such as monomeric solutions, micelles, membranes and bound to albumin. The apparent pKa varies greatly depending upon the environment. For instance, the apparent pKa of oleic acid is about 4.2 when bound to albumin whereas it is about 7.5 when incorporated in the bilayer of a phospholipid vesicle. Cholic acid shows similar changes in the apparent pKa, being approximately 5.2 in sodium taurocholate micelles and at least 6.8 in phospholipid vesicles. The use of 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and, in particular, I3C NMR of 13C-enriched carboxyl groups provides a method for direct observation of the state of ionization of the carboxyl group in biologically interesting acids. Such techniques may be adapted for use in biological systems, such as cells or tissues.
Survival in Dynamic Environments

This expository paper is an overview of a relatively new class of failure models, both univariate and multivariate, that are suitable for describing the lifelength of items that operate in dynamic environments. Many of the currently used failure models are developed under the premise that the operating environment is static: these models turn out to be special cases of the new models that are overviewed here. These new models are derived by describing the underlying failure-causing mechanisms, such as degradation and wear, using suitable stochastic processes: this is the underlying mathematical theme that drives their development. Because of their generality, the new models should pro- vide improved descriptions of failure data and assessments of item survivability. Furthermore, they may signal a new philosophy of life- testing experiments wherein one also monitors the environmental fac- tors that govern the tests. This overview categorizes the models by the various strategies used for their development, outlines the salient as- sumptions underlying them and provides a convenient road map to the pertinent references, which are scattered among the applied probability, engineering, reliability and survival analysis literatures. It is our hope that this paper sets a tone for the direction of future work in the development of models for survival wherein the physics of failure and the characteristics of the operating environment play a key role.
Magnetic levitation from negative permeability materials

Abstract As left-handed materials and metamaterials are becoming more prevalent, we examine the effect of negative permeability upon levitation force. We first consider two half spaces of differing permeability and a point magnetic source, so that the method of images may be employed. We determine that the resulting force may be larger than for conventional magnetic materials. We then illustrate the inclusion of a finite sample thickness.
Non-canonical protein-DNA interactions identified by ChIP are not artifacts

ChIP-chip and ChIP-seq are widely used methods to map protein-DNA interactions on a genomic scale in vivo. Waldminghaus and Skarstad recently reported, in this journal, a modified method for ChIP-chip. Based on a comparison of our previously-published ChIP-chip data for Escherichia coli σ32 with their own data, Waldminghaus and Skarstad concluded that many of the σ32 targets identified in our earlier work are false positives. In particular, we identified many non-canonical σ32 targets that are located inside genes or are associated with genes that show no detectable regulation by σ32. Waldminghaus and Skarstad propose that such non-canonical sites are artifacts, identified due to flaws in the standard ChIP methodology. Waldminghaus and Skarstad suggest specific changes to the standard ChIP procedure that reportedly eliminate the claimed artifacts. We reanalyzed our published ChIP-chip datasets for σ32 and the datasets generated by Waldminghaus and Skarstad to assess data quality and reproducibility. We also performed targeted ChIP/qPCR for σ32 and an unrelated transcription factor, AraC, using the standard ChIP method and the modified ChIP method proposed by Waldminghaus and Skarstad. Furthermore, we determined the association of core RNA polymerase with disputed σ32 promoters, with and without overexpression of σ32. We show that (i) our published σ32 ChIP-chip datasets have a consistently higher dynamic range than those of Waldminghaus and Skarstad, (ii) our published σ32 ChIP-chip datasets are highly reproducible, whereas those of Waldminghaus and Skarstad are not, (iii) non-canonical σ32 target regions are enriched in a σ32 ChIP in a heat shock-dependent manner, regardless of the ChIP method used, (iv) association of core RNA polymerase with some disputed σ32 target genes is induced by overexpression of σ32, (v) σ32 targets disputed by Waldminghaus and Skarstad are predominantly those that are most weakly bound, and (vi) the modifications to the ChIP method proposed by Waldminghaus and Skarstad reduce enrichment of all protein-bound genomic regions. The modifications to the ChIP-chip method suggested by Waldminghaus and Skarstad reduce rather than increase the quality of ChIP data. Hence, the non-canonical σ32 targets identified in our previous study are likely to be genuine. We propose that the failure of Waldminghaus and Skarstad to identify many of these σ32 targets is due predominantly to the lower data quality in their study. We conclude that surprising ChIP-chip results are not artifacts to be ignored, but rather indications that our understanding of DNA-binding proteins is incomplete.
Low Rate of Allosensitization Associated with the Syncardia Total Artifical Heart and the Heartmate II LVAD

Purpose Significant rates of allosensitization have been associated with the use of durable mechanical circulatory support devices as a bridge to heart transplantation. Continuous flow devices have been demonstrated to have lower rates of allosensitization compared to older pulsatile devices. However, this is confounded by other factors such as the increased utilization of leuko-reduced blood transfusions. The aim of this study was to examine contemporary allosensitization rates in the Syncardia total artificial heart (TAH) and the Heartmate II LVAD (HMII). Methods and Materials A retrospective analysis of TAH and HMII implants performed at our institution between 10/2009 and 9/2012. During this time period, our blood bank switched to universal use of leuko-reduced blood products. Sensitization was defined by a cPRA > 10%. Sensitization following device implant was compared by Fisher’s exact test. Results Over the 3 year period, 42 TAH and 86 HMII implants were performed. PRA data post implantation was available for 36 TAH and 48 HMII implants. 7 (19%) TAH and 6 HMII (13%) were found to be sensitized following device implant (p=0.54). Of the 7 sensitized TAH patients, 5 were known to be sensitized prior to implantation. Of the 2 patients who developed sensitization following TAH implant, one was in the setting of a failed heart transplant. Of the 6 sensitized HMII patients, 2 were known to be sensitized prior to implantation. Baseline PRA data was unavailable for the other 4 patients. Of the 12 sensitized patients (one patient underwent both HMII and TAH implants), 4 have been transplanted, 2 died prior to transplantation, and 6 remain on device support. Conclusions Contemporary rates of allosensitization are lower than previously reported. Multiple factors affect allosensitization. Significant differences in allosensitization due to device type were not seen.
Visualization and modeling of structural features of a large organizational email network

This paper presents findings from a study of the email network of a large scientific research organization, focusing on methods for visualizing and modeling organizational hierarchies within large, complex network datasets. In the first part of the paper, we find that visualization and interpretation of complex organizational network data is facilitated by integration of network data with information on formal organizational divisions and levels. By aggregating and visualizing email traffic between organizational units at various levels, we derive several insights into how large subdivisions of the organization interact with each other and with outside organizations. In the second part of the paper, we propose a power law model for predicting degree distribution of organizational email traffic based on hierarchical relationships between managers and employees. This model considers the influence of global email announcements sent from managers to all employees under their supervision, and the role support staff play in generating email traffic, acting as agents for managers.
Deciding on route of delivery for obese women with a prior cesarean delivery

Abstract OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to estimate the vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) success rate, compare rates of infections in women attempting VBAC and those undergoing planned repeat cesarean, and compare the cost of these two plans of care for obese women. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a historical cohort analysis of singleton deliveries at ≥36 weeks' gestation in women with a body mass index 40 or greater and one prior cesarean delivery. Outcomes included rates of VBAC success and puerperal infections and mean cost of care. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 122 mother-infant pairs, 61 each in the VBAC and cesarean groups. In the VBAC group, 57% (95% CI 45-70) of women were delivered vaginally. The VBAC group had higher rates of chorioamnionitis (13.1% vs 1.6%, P =.02), endometritis (6.6% vs 0%, P =.06), and composite puerperal infection (24.6% vs 8.2%, P =.01). Mean cost of care was similar for mothers ($4439 vs $4427, P =.95), infants ($1241 vs $1422, P =.49), and mother-infant pairs ($5680 vs $5851, P =.64). CONCLUSION: Compared with planned cesarean delivery, VBAC trials in obese women are three times as likely to be complicated by infection and do not result in reduced costs.
Sequences homologous to Agrobacterium rhizogenes T-DNA in the genomes of uninfected plants

Agrobacterium rhizogenes causes the plant disease known as hairy root. Like crown gall disease, which is caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, hairy root disease is characterized by the proliferation of plant tissue at a wound site on infection by the bacterium. In both diseases, a large plasmid in the bacterium encodes essential virulence traits1–4, and a portion of the plasmid is transferred, maintained and expressed in the plant genome5–15. The transferred DNA, or T-DNA, encodes the synthesis of opines and, in an unknown manner, confers phytohormone-independent growth16–21. Virulence in A. rhizogenes strain A4 is associated with the 240 kilobase (kb) Ri (root-inducing) plasmid pRiA4b (ref. 4). The DNA from callus and root culture derived from infections by this strain contain T-DNA from a 20 kb region of the plasmid14. A surprising feature of pRiA4b is the homology between plasmid sequences and the genome of the untransformed host plant Nicotiana glauca14. Previous evidence suggested that the homologous plasmid–plant sequences were in or near the T-DNA region of the plasmid14. We now present evidence that the homologous sequences are indeed within the T-DNA of the Ri plasmid, and that at least one genetic locus on the corresponding plasmid sequences functions in the induction of the hairy root disease.
Contemporary to the Future: the Classics and Digital Humanism

Welcome to the third issue of Humanist Studies & the Digital Age. It continues the discourse started with publication of the papers presented at the symposium “The Mobile Text: Studying Literature in the Digital Age” held in Rome in 2012. The current issue includes a few essays from another symposium on “Textualities in the Digital Age” held at the University of Oregon in April 2012; Art Farley summarizes the issues and papers presented in this latter symposium in the introduction that follows this editorial.
Manipulation and Real-Time Electrical Detection of Individual Bacterial Cells at Electrode Junctions: A Model for Assembly of Nanoscale Biosystems

Biological cells are complex objects that have the potential to act as templates for the subsequent construction of nanoscale structures. We demonstrate the ability to controllably and reversibly manipulate individual, live bacterial cells across micron-sized electrical gaps, and to detect bridging directly through changes in the electrical response. Our model system, Bacillus mycoides, is a rod-shaped bacterium approximately 800 nm wide and 5 μm long, similar in size and shape to many inorganic nanowires.
The temperature dependence of the rate constant for the gas phase disproportionation reaction of CH3O2 radicals

Abstract Flash photolysis kinetic absorption spectroscopy was used to investigate the gas phase disproportionation reaction of CH 3 O 2 radicals over the temperature range 228–380 K at pressures between 50 and 400 Torr of nitrogen diluent. The measured second order rate constants, defined by the expression - d[CH 3 O 2 ]/d t =2 k 1 [CH 3 O 2 ] 2 , were independent of pressure and were used to derive the Arrhenius expression k 1 =(1.7±0.4) × 10 −13 exp[(220±70)/ T ] cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 . The results are compared with previous literature data and the mechanistic implications are discussed.
β‐ENDORPHIN: SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF SHORTENED PEPTIDE CHAINS

Three analogs of beta-endorphin have been synthesized by the solid-phase method: betac-endorphin-(1--5)-(28--31), betac-endorphin-(6--31) and betah-endorphin-(1--5)-(16--31). The analgesic activities of these synthetic peptides relative to that of the parent molecule are reported. All three peptides at high doses exhibit either no or much weaker analgesic activity than beta-endorphin. These data suggest that the entire beta-endorphin molecule is necessary for full in vivo analgesic activity.
Properties of compact complex manifolds carrying closed positive currents

We show that a compact complex manifold is Moishezon if and only if it carries a strictly positive, integral (1, 1)-current. We then study holomorphic line bundles carrying singular hermitian metrics with semi-positive curvature currents, and we give some cases in which these line bundles are big. We use these cases to provide sufficient conditions for a compact complex manifold to be Moishezon in terms of the existence of certain semi-positive, integral (1,1)-currents. We also show that the intersection number of two closed semi-positive currents of complementary degrees on a compact complex manifold is positive when the intersection of their singular supports is contained in a Stein domain.
FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON INDUCED OVULATION IN MICE. A REFRACTORY PERIOD INEARLY PREGNANCY

IN AN EARLIER REPORT, it was shown that ovulation was induced in mice within 18 hrs. after a single subcutaneous injection of a chorionic gonadotrophin (Burdick, Watson, Ciampa and Ciampa, 1943). During the experiment with mated mice it was soon discovered that although ovulation could be regularly induced in animals having implanted embryos, negative results were usually obtained in those animals during the first few days while the fertilized ova were being transported to the uterus. This present investigation was undertaken to collect more data on the duration of this refractory period. Mated mice were selected each morning after ascertaining the presence of the vaginal plug. Single injections of a chorionic gonadotrophin1 were given on different days and in various amounts as indicated in table 1. Injections of 5 I.U. or more were considered adequate for this investigation, since it had been found earlier that 0.7 I.U. was a minimal ovulating dose for mice in later pregnancy.
Triacylglycerol-rich lipophorins are found in the dipteran infraorder Culicomorpha, not just in mosquitoes

Lipophorin is the major hemolymph protein responsible for lipid transport between tissues of insects. Lipophorins from several insect species in order Diptera (the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster from the suborder Brachycera, the mosquito Aedes aegypti; the phantom midges Chaoborus maximus and minimus; the black fly Simulium vittatum; the crane fly Nephrotoma abbreviata, all from the suborder Nematocera) were isolated and characterized. All lipophorins consisted of two protein subunits of approximately 240 and 75 kDa each. The density of each lipophorin was in the high-density lipoprotein range (1.112 to 1.128 g/ml). The predominant neutral lipid carried by lipophorin from insects belonging to the infraorder Culicomorpha was triacylglycerol. Lipophorin from the crane fly Nephrotoma abbreviata, which belongs to the infraorder Tipulomorpha, carried approximately equivalent amounts of diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol. Lipophorin from D. melanogaster was found to carry diacylglycerol as the predominant neutral lipid.
A further characterization of alpha-2 adrenoceptor involvement in the rough-and-tumble play of juvenile rats.

In order to further understand the extent to which alpha-2 adrenoceptors are involved in play behavior, a more detailed behavioral assessment was made of the effects of the alpha-2 agonist clonidine and the alpha-2 antagonist RX821002 on the rough-and-tumble play of juvenile rats. Clonidine reduced overall levels of playfulness, as indicated by fewer attacks directed to the nape, a lower probability of rotating completely to supine in response to nape attacks and fewer pins. In contrast, RX821002 increased playfulness, as indicated by more attacks directed to the nape, a higher probability of rotating completely to supine in response to nape attacks and more pins. Testing rats in an unfamiliar environment did not affect the ability of RX821002 to increase play. Abruptly turning on a bright light during an ongoing play session also did not affect the ability of RX821002 to increase play or the ability of clonidine to reduce play. These data suggest that alpha-2 noradrenergic compounds do not affect play by altering levels of distractibility. However, the extent to which RX821002 and clonidine influenced overall activity during a play bout was compromised by turning on a bright light. While this pattern of results is consistent with a presynaptic site of action for alpha-2 involvement in modulating overall activity during a play bout, the same cannot be concluded about any putative explanatory mechanism for alpha-2 involvement in play behavior. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 37: 25–34, 2000
Multiple-front solutions for the Burgers equation and the coupled Burgers equations

Abstract In this work, multiple-front solutions for the Burgers equation and the coupled Burgers equations are examined. The tanh–coth method and the Cole–Hopf transformation are used. The work highlights the power of the proposed schemes and the structures of the obtained multiple-front solutions.