cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the resistivity of the two-channel Kondo lattice and UBe13

Abstract The unusually large field and pressure dependent low temperature resistivity of the heavy fermion superconductor UBe 13 is interpreted as possible evidence for two-channel Kondo lattice physics. Analytic results are obtained for the resistivity of the two-channel Kondo lattice in a particular infinite dimensional limit (Lorentzian density of states). Of particular import is a residual resistivity at T = 0 due to “spin-disorder” scattering which is lifted with applied or molecular fields coupling to spin or channel indices. The analysis is tested by examining the one-channel Kondo lattice which is seen to be a soft gap insulator in qualitative accord with other theoretical results.
Determining the diffusivity of sodium hydroxide through tomato and capsicum skins

Abstract An experimental method to measure the effective diffusivity of chemical substances through the skin (exocarp) of fruits and vegetables is described. A circular disk of skin was placed in a specially constructed diffusion cell to separate two flowing solutions. Changes in conxentration with time were monitored and the diffusion properties were estimated from Fick's diffusion equation. The calculations were based on results taken either in the early transient period or in the late period of steady-state flow. The method and the design of the diffusion cell allowed measurements with negligible edge effects and rapid detection of errors due to leaks or contamination. Diffusion characteristics were determined for the penetration and movement of sodium hydroxide through the skins of tomatoes and pimiento peppers. The diffusivity through tomato skin was 2·0 × 10−8cm2s−1 and through pimiento pepper skin 5·5 × 10−8cm2s−1 at 72°C. Results were reproducible and agreed with previous studies.
Analysis of RhoA and Rho GEF activity in whole cells and the cell nucleus

We have recently shown that a fraction of the total cellular pool of the small GTPase RhoA resides in the nucleus, and that the nuclear guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Net1 has a role in the regulation of its activity. In this protocol, we describe a method to measure both the activities of the nuclear pools of RhoA and Rho GEFs. This process required the development of a nuclear isolation protocol that is both fast and virtually free of cytosolic and membrane contaminants, as well as a redesign of existing RhoA and Rho GEF activity assays so that they work in nuclear samples. This protocol can be also used for other Rho GTPases and Rho GEFs, which have also been found in the nucleus. Completion of the procedure, including nuclear isolation and RhoA or Rho GEF activity assay, takes 1 h 40 min. We also include details of how to perform a basic assay of whole-cell extracts.
Reduction in cold-water swim analgesia following hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus lesions.

Abstract The analgesic response following cold-water swims (CWS) has been shown to be mediated through neurohormonal mechanisms and independently of opioid systems. The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) appears to be important in autonomic, hypophysial and medial-basal hypothalamic function. The present study examined whether lesions placed in the PVN in rats would alter CWS analgesia on the tail-flick test. Animals with lesions placed in the PVN displayed significant reductions in analgesic magnitude 30 (66%) and 60 (54%) min following CWS relative to sham-treated rats without alterations in baseline latencies. In contrast, CWS analgesia was not altered in animals with lesions placed dorsal and/or lateral to the PVN. These data are discussed in terms of the roles of PVN projections to the median eminence and brainstem/spinal structures as well as roles for neurpopeptides in the PVN.
Antithrombotics in Acute Coronary Syndromes: Updates from the Past Year

Acute coronary disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Investigation in established and novel therapies aimed at treating acute coronary syndromes continues. The resulting increase in available options will present a significant challenge to practitioners determining the optimal regimen for specific patients. The addition of newer, more potent antiplatelet agents, such as prasugrel and possibly ticagrelor, will require careful patient selection and risk assessment for both recurrent ischemic events and bleeding. The likely addition of newer oral anticoagulants will require knowledge as to their specific characteristics and risk/benefit ratios. Incremental updates to guideline recommendations from established expert groups will be important in providing guidance.
Human action recognition using a Markovian conditional exponential model

We model the sequence of human actions operating an infusion pump using a Markovian conditional exponential model. We divide each video recorded by a camera into video action units. A video action unit corresponds to the start of a unique human action operation of the infusion pump to the end of that human action operating an infusion pump. We calculate the MOSIFT features of video action units which combines the spatial and temporal dimensions from videos. We vector quantize the MOSIFT features of video action units using K means clustering as video codebook elements. We estimate the conditional exponential model parameters from a training set using maximum entropy constraint and use the video codebook elements as maximum entropy constraint features. We estimate the parameters of the Markovian conditional exponential model from a training set. This Markovian conditional exponential model has 6 states which correspond to the 6 classes of infusion pump operation. To find the optimal state sequence of the Markovian conditional exponential model we use the Viterbi algorithm. This optimal state sequence corresponds to the class label sequence. The infusion pump operation is recorded from 4 video cameras. We calculate the results of classification of 6 classes of infusion pump operation using the conditional exponential model for the 4 video cameras and also we calculate the results of of classification of 6 classes of infusion pump operation using the Markovian conditional exponential model for the 4 video cameras. The classification performance of the Markovian conditional exponential model is better than the classification performance of conditional exponential model.
Effect of Constant Transverse Force on Chaotic Oscillations of Sinusoidally Excited Buckled Beam

The chaotic oscillation of a buckled beam under sinusoidally varying and static constant transverse external forces is investigated. A harmonic balance method and a direct numerical integration are applied to a Duffings equation model of the buckled beam. For a small transverse constant force, there exist three static equilibrium points, and the near contact between the two orbits of a stable and an unstable limit cycle in the phase plane can predict the onset of chaos. For a large transverse constant force, there exists only one static equilibrium point, but there may exist three different dynamic response amplitudes due to nonlinear resonance phenomena. The near contact between two vibration regions of a stable and an unstable limit cycle can predict the onset of chaos.
Magnetomotive optical coherence microscopy for cell dynamics and biomechanics

ABSTRACT Magnetomotive microscopy techniques are introduced to inve stigate cell dynamics and biomechanics. These techniques are based on magnetomotive transducers present in cells and optical coherence imaging techniques. In this study, magnetomotive transducers include magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and fluorescently labeled magnetic microspheres, while the optical coherence imaging techniques include integrated optical coherence (OCM)and multiphoton (MPM) microscopy,and diffraction phase microsco py (DPM). Samples used in this study are murine macrophag e cells in culture that were incubated with magnetomotive transducers. MPMi s used to visualize multifunctional microspheres based on their fluorescence, while magnetomotive OCM detects sinusoidal displacements of the sample induced by a magnetic field. DPM is used to image single cells at a lower freque ncy magnetic excitation, and with its Fourier transform light scattering (FTLS) analysis, oscillation amplitude is obtained, indicating the relative biomechanical properties of macrophage cells. These magnetomotive microscopy method shave potential to be used to image and measure cell dynamics and biomechanical properties. The ability to measure and understand biomechanical properties of cells and their microenvironments, especially for tumor cells, is of great importance and may provide insight for diagnostic and subsequently therapeutic interventions. Keywords: Magnetic tweezers, optical coherenc e microscopy, diffraction phase microscopy, cell biomechanics *boppart@illinois.edu; phone 217-244-7479; fax 217-333-5833; http://biophotonics.illinois.edu
Preparation and photoelectronic properties of FeWO4

Single crystals and polycrystalline samples of FeWO4 were prepared and characterized. From high temperature paramagnetic data, the presence of high spin state FeII(3d6) was confirmed. Qualitative Seebeck measurements indicated p-type conductivity. The measured room temperature resistivity of single crystals was ∼100Ω-cm with an activation energy of .16(2) eV. No appreciable photocurrents were found in 0.2M NaAc at pH = 8.3.
A capacity planning process for performance assurance of component-based distributed systems (abstracts only)

For service providers of multi-tiered component-based applications, such as web portals, assuring high performance and availability to their customers without impacting revenue requires effective and careful capacity planning that aims at minimizing the number of resources, and utilizing them efficiently while simultaneously supporting a large customer base and meeting their service level agreements. This paper presents a novel, hybrid capacity planning process that results from a systematic blending of 1) analytical modeling, where traditional modeling techniques are enhanced to overcome their limitations in providing accurate performance estimates; 2) profile-based techniques, which determine performance profiles of individual software components for use in resource allocation and balancing resource usage; and 3) allocation heuristics that determine minimum number of resources to allocate software components. Our results illustrate that using our technique, performance (i.e., bounded response time) can be assured while reducing operating costs by using 25% less resources and increasing revenues by handling 20% more clients compared to traditional approaches.
An in Situ Infrared Study on the Effect of pH on Anion Adsorption at Pt(111) Electrodes from Acid Sulfate Solutions

From the in situ FTIR spectroscopy of the electrode/electrolyte solution interface at pH values of 1.2, 2.0 and 3.4, it can be confirmed that the adsorbate associated with the anomalous peaks in the cyclic voltammetry of Pt(111) in sulfate- and bisulfate-containing solutions is not the sulfate anion. The structure of the bisulfate-like adsorbate is tentatively postulated to be a sulfate ion/hydronium ion ion pair: SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}xH{sub 3}O{sup +}. Over the potentials in question, and only in solutions with appreciable HSO{sub 4}{sup -} concentration, can IR bands be found that are associated with the adsorbed species. 36 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
Application of pseudo-derivative-feedback algorithm in greenhouse air temperature control

Pseudo-Derivative-Feedback (PDF) control is compared to PI control through simulation using an approximated dynamic system thermal model of the greenhouse. The effects of time delays on control system performance for both PDF and PI control are demonstrated. Results showed PDF control to have a better load handling capability than PI control. PDF control was exceptionally better than PI for systems without time delay and significantly better for systems with time delay. The algorithm was then tested to control a greenhouse section and showed satisfactory results.
The Fallibility of Our Judgments

Articles should deal with topics applicable to the broadfield ofprogram evaluation. Implications for practicing evaluators should be clearly identified. Examples of contributions include but are not limited to reviews of new developments in evalu ation and descriptions of a current evaluation effort, research problem, or technique. Manuscripts should include appropriate references and not exceed 10 double-spaced typewritten pages in length.
The genetics and biochemistry of urease in Ustilago violacea.

Two complementing loci in different linkage groups of the basidiomycete Ustilago violacea are involved in urease activity: a structural one (ure-1) and a second inferred to involve a permease (ure-2) locus. Two types of complementing mutations occur in the structural locus: null activity (ure-1a) and obviously reduced activity (ure-1b). The ure-2 mutants lacked urease activity in vivo on the phenol red-urea test medium, but gave extracts with wild-type activity. Extracts from wild-type strains gave one site of urease activity after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A number of ure-1b mutants and active revertants from ure-1a mutants yielded electrophoretically variant urease sites. The results are discussed in terms of enzyme polymorphism in haploid eukaryotes by one (missense) or two (null, then missense) mutations.
Impact of Age-related Hearing Impairment on Cognitive Task Performance: Evidence for Improving Existing Methodologies

Recent empirical evidence underscoring the necessity of considering the role hearing abilities when using auditory tasks to assess age-related changes in cognitive abilities is presented. Young participants, screened for hearing impairment, were required to perform a simulated driving task concurrently with an auditory task in which stimuli were presented at intensity levels simulating age-related hearing impairment. Young participants demonstrated performance decrements mirroring those of older participants in a separate but similar dual task investigation. In conjunction with evidence found by previous researchers, the results presented here provide clear evidence for the need to utilize methodologies that account for age-related hearing deficit when using auditory tasks as indices of cognitive abilities with older adults.
Successful treatment of mesenteric vasculitis caused by Henoch-Schönlein purpura with methylprednisolone pulse therapy.

Although mesenteric vasculitis due to Henoch–Schonlein purpura (HSP) is relatively uncommon, it is the most life-threatening manifestation associated with high mortality. We describe a 15-year-old boy with HSP who had massive gastrointestinal bleeding and ileus but delayed onset of the purpuric rash. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed thickening of both small and large intestinal walls, and CT found prominent mesenteric vessels with comb sign and double wall of the bowel. These findings were consistent with mesenteric vasculitis and bowel ischaemia. The ischaemic intestine recovered after methylprednisolone pulse therapy and surgical intervention was avoided. Our report suggests that corticosteroid pulse therapy may help controlling HSP with massive gastrointestinal haemorrhage and ischaemic bowel due to widespread mesenteric vasculitis.
A planning cornucopia: volumes of essays and readings

Abstract The flood of books on cities and on planning is increasingly being supplemented by volumes of readings, reports of conferences, colloquia and seminars, collections of reprints, and such like. The variation is wide and so, inevitably, is the quality both between books and between the individual papers within each book.
Effects of calcium ions and quinolinic acid on rat kidney mitochondrial kynurenine aminotransferase.

Abstract At pH 6.4, rat kidney mitochondrial kynurenine aminotransferase activity is enhanced several-fold by the addition of CaCl2, apparently because Ca++ facilitates the translocation of α-ketoglutarate, one of the substrates, across the mitochondrial inner membrane. Chloride salts or Mg++, Mn++, Na+, K+, and NH4+ did not have this effect. At pH 6.8, the enzyme activity was near maximal even without added Ca++ but was strongly depressed by either of two calcium chelating agents, quinolinic acid (Q.A.) and ethyleneglycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)N,N′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). These observations support the view that Ca++ is involved in regulating kidney mitochondrial translocation of α-ketoglutarate and that the reported interference of polycarboxylate anion translocation by Q.A. in vivo depends on the ability of that agent to chelate Ca++.
State-led violence in Ukraine's 2004 elections and orange revolution

Abstract The Ukrainian opposition faced one of the greatest degrees of state-backed violence in the second wave of democratization of post-communist states with only Serbia experiencing similar cases of assassinations and repression of the youth Otpor NGO. In the 2004 Ukrainian elections the opposition maintained a strategy of non-violence over the longest protest period of 17 days but was prepared to use force if it had been attacked. The regime attempted to suppress the Orange Revolution using security forces. Covert and overt Russian external support was extensive and in the case of Ukraine and Georgia the European Union (EU) did not intervene with a membership offer that had the effect of emboldening the opposition in Central-Eastern Europe. This article surveys five state-backed violent strategies used in Ukraine’s 2004 elections: inciting regional and inter-ethnic conflict, assassinations, violence against the opposition, counter-revolution and use of the security forces. The article does not cover external Russian-backed violence in the 2004 elections unique to Ukraine that the author has covered elsewhere.
Exploiting sea otter populations: a simulation analysis

Abstract We used a Leslie matrix population model to investigate the impact of a range of harvest rates proposed for Alaskan sea otters ( Enhydra lutris ). The simulation included an analysis of several population mechanisms that might be important in the natural regulation of sea otter populations or in their reactions to harvesting. Significant differences in equilibrium population levels were found between compensatory mechanisms when fixed harvest rates were applied for 25-year periods. Adult harvests set at 2 and 4% of the total population showed that new stable population levels were rapidly attained. Harvest rates of 8 and 10%, however, resulted in marked population declines in simulated harvests. This analysis demonstrates that limited harvesting can be sustained by the population and that otter population compensation responses will be a critical determinant of sustainable harvest rates of sea otter populations.
Attachment theory and child abuse:some cautions.

(2002). Attachment Theory and Child Abuse: Some Cautions. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 125-129.
Depth Perception of Surfaces in Pictures: Looking for Conventions of Depiction in Pandora's Box

The perception of depth in monocularly viewed pictures has been investigated with the use of a binocular rangefinder developed by Gregory. Two experiments are reported which focus upon stimulus conditions that were identified by Haber as conventions for rendering depth in pictures. Several conclusions, which concern assumptions that must be made in interpreting pictures according to such conventions, are supported by the results. There is a default or assumed layout of background space. The interpretation of a point in a depiction depends upon the interpretation of neighboring points, so that interpretations of local features influence the interpretations of nearby 'empty' areas. In photographs, the magnitude of apparent depth depends upon the degree of discrepancy between the position of the illuminating source and the observer's supposed light-source position. Also in photographs, apparent depth increases as the contrast between highlights and attached shadows increases.
Systolic Kalman Filtering Based On QR Decomposition

Systolic Kalman filtering based on QR decompositionM. J. Chen and K. YaoElectrical Engineering Department, University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA 90024 -1600ABSTRACTIn this paper, by using the matrix decomposition method, the Kalman filter can be formu-lated as a modified SRIF data processing problem followed by a QR operation. Compared withthe conventional SRIF method, this approach simplifies the computational structure, and ismore reliable when the system has a singular(or near singular) coefficient matrix. By skew-ing the order of input matrices, fully pipelined systolic Kalman filtering operation can beachieved. With the number of processing units of the O(n2), the system throughput rate isof the O(n). The numerical properties of the systolic Kalman filtering algorithm underfinite word length effect are studied via analysis and computer simulations, and are com-pared with those of conventional approaches.1. INTRODUCTIONIn many practical communication and control problems, we have to deal with time -varyingsignals as well as signals that are modeled by random pfocesses, as in radio transmission,aircraft tracking, radar signal processing, etc. Kalman proposed the well known Kalmanfiltering algorithm based on the linear minimum variance criterion and this technique hasbeen successfully applied to many time -varying signal estimation problems. These problemscan be modeled by a discrete first order recursive dynamic system with additive coloredsystem and observation noises as given byx(k+1) = F(k+1)x(k) + w(k+l),
Gene expression in human cells with mutant insulin receptors

Insulin initiates its action by interacting with specific receptors on the plasma membrane of target cells. Mutations in these receptors cause the inherited insulin-resistant syndrome leprechaunism. Affected patients have severe intrauterine and post-natal growth restriction coupled with severe metabolic abnormalities. Fibroblasts from patients with leprechaunism have impaired in vitro growth, reflecting the growth restriction seen it in vivo. To determine the reason for the defective growth of cells from patients with mutant insulin receptors, gene expression was compared among fibroblasts from controls and patients with leprechaunism using DNA microarrays. Of the 12,626 human genes tested, cells from patients with leprechaunism had consistently increased mRNA for 151 genes and decreased mRNA for 51 genes. The level of expression of selected genes was independently confirmed by real time RT-PCR. Leprechaun cells had increased expression of several genes involved in metabolic functions, several of which were not previously known to be regulated by the insulin receptor. The absence of insulin receptors modified the expression of genes controlling apoptosis and cellular growth. Functional analysis indicated that cells from patients with leprechaunism had a normal response to apoptotic stimuli when mitochondrial potential and caspase activity were assayed. About 20% of the genes whose RNA was decreased in leprechaun cells coded for proteins involved in cell growth and differentiation. These results suggest that the insulin receptor is a physiologic regulator of several genes involved in intermediate metabolism even in human fibroblasts. Decreased expression of growth-promoting genes may explain the growth restriction of patients with severe insulin resistance.
NEW DISTRIBUTION RECORD FOR THE SOCIAL PARASITIC ANT ANERGATES ATRATULUS (SCHENCK, 1852) (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE): AN IUCN RED-LISTED SPECIES

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources red-lists a number of ant species. One species is Anergates atratulus (Schenck, 1852), a rarely collected social parasite introduced from Europe. The known distribution in North America is along the Atlantic seaboard. This note reports a huge range expansion in North America, to include Colorado. This finding is important because it provides useful information about the conser- vation and dispersal patterns of a rare, introduced, socially parasitic ant species.
Ab initio study of the migration of small polarons in olivine Li x FePO 4 and their association with lithium ions and vacancies

Using first-principles pseudopotential calculations, we investigate the formation and transport of small polarons in olivine ${\mathrm{Li}}_{x}{\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$. It is demonstrated that excess charge carriers form small polarons in ${\mathrm{LiFePO}}_{4}$ and ${\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$. Lower limits to the activation barrier for small polaron migration are calculated within the $\mathrm{GGA}+\mathrm{U}$ framework. Additionally, the interaction between lithium ions and polarons is investigated and estimates of binding energies between lithium ions and polarons are provided. Our results show that the binding energy between electron polarons and ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$ ions in ${\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$ is lower than that between hole polarons and lithium vacancies in ${\mathrm{LiFePO}}_{4}$. The electron transfer rate is predicted to be higher in ${\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$ than in ${\mathrm{LiFePO}}_{4}$.
Step towards optimal topology of communication networks

Abstract Genetic algorithms are adaptive algorithms which find solutions to problems by an evolutionary process based on natural selection. They can be used to find approximate solutions to optimization problems in cases where finding the precise optimum is prohibitively expensive, or where no algorithmis known. This paper discusses the use of (non-standard) genetic algorithms for solving an optimization problem for a communication network. In the implementation of the system we have used a graph representation of a solution of the problem, as opposed to the representations based on bit strings (as isdone in most work on genetic algorithms) . This work is also a part of a larger project to create a newprogramming environment to support all kinds of optimization problems. 1 Introduction There is a large class of interesting problems for which no reasonably fast algorithms have been developed.Many of these problems are optimization or approximation problems that arise frequently in applications.For that reason the lack of efficient algorithms is of real importance.Given such hard optimization problem it is often possible to find an efficient algorithm whose solutionis approximately optimal. In fact sometimes there is an entire family of approximation algorithms for agiven problem, in which the better approximations require more time.For some hard optimization problems we can use some probabilistic algorithms as well—these algorithmsdo not guarantee the optimum value, however, by randomly choosing sufficiently many "witnesses" theprobability of error may be made as small as we like.
Dominance of stiffening effects for rotating flexible beams

beam cycle, therefore A varies by 72 deg between data. The initial estimates (f,0) converge toward the actual values. The noise in the data is simulated as having a constant covariance, which may not be the case . If a dependence of noise on range can be estimated or conjectured, the effects of such noise on the estimate can be forecast. Figures 2 and 3 show the time variations of errors in the estimates of range and azimuth angle, with their rms errors (la). Despite large nonlinearities and an indifferent initial estimate, the convergence is rapid arid the errors (dr,d0) are consistent with the estimated standard deviations. In an actual application, of course, the errors are not known and the standard deviations are found, as in this example.
A Class of Globally Controllable Semilinear Heat Equations with Superlinear Terms

Abstract It is well known nowadays that a rather general semilinear parabolic equation, governed in a bounded domain by boundary or locally distributed controls, can be made globally approximately controllable in L p -type spaces, provided the nonlinearity is globally Lipschitz. However, the question whether this property can possibly take place in the superlinear case in several space dimensions seems to be open. The goal of this article is to describe a special class of semilinear heat equations with superlinear terms for which this property indeed holds. Our technique combines the asymptotic method of A. Y. Khapalov (1995, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 194 , 858–882) with certain a priori estimates for the corresponding truncated spectral problem.
Stored Energy in Irradiated Sodium Chloride

Irradiated NaCl crystals are heated from room temperature to 400\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, and the energy released is measured by calorimetry $F$-center densities range from 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{17}$ to 1.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{18}$/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$, which are low enough to be measured directly, rather than inferred, as in some previous work. There are three definite peaks in energy release: centered at 135\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 250\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and 350\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The 250\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} peak is the largest, and is associated with almost all of the coloring changes. The total stored energy is 12.4 eV per $F$ center, of which 8.4 eV is released in the 250\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} peak and 2.2 eV is released in the 135\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} peak. Assignment of thermal energies to specific atomic processes is difficult, because there are so many processes but only three experimental peaks. Evidence is good that the 250\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} peak is mainly a superposition of two unresolved peaks, of which the lower is due to the annealing of the $F$-center electrons, and the upper to the annealing of vacancies. We suggest that the 350\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} peak comes from the annealing of $M$-center divacancies. We do not have good evidence with which to explain the large amount of energy in the 135\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} peak. A calcium-doped crystal also releases energy in three peaks centered at these temperatures, but here most of the energy, and all of the bleaching, occur under the lowest-temperature peak.
Enhanced optical limiting in derivatized fullerenes

We have observed enhanced optical limiting behavior in solutions of a derivatized fullerene (phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid cholesteryl ester) from 532 to 700 nm. Transient absorption measurements determined the spectral and temporal regions of interest for optical limiting in C(60) and in C(60) derivatives that are due to a reverse saturable absorption mechanism and predicted enhanced limiting at longer wavelengths. Intensity-dependent transmission measurements made at several wavelengths confirmed these results. The increased solubility and the broadened ground-state absorption of the functionalized C(60) make it suitable for use as an optical limiter in the red and the near infrared.
Uncertainty and Export Performance: Evidence from 18 Countries

We study a sample of nine developed and nine developing countries to evaluate the questions of how foreign income uncertainty and real exchange rate (RER) uncertainty impact international trade and how those impacts vary according to stage of development. RER uncertainty has a negative and significant impact on export growth for six of the nine less developed countries in our sample, while it has an insignificant effect for a majority of the developed countries. In both groups, foreign income uncertainty has a more pervasively significant (and frequently larger) influence on trade than does RER uncertainty.
Age and BMI Variations in Bone, Muscle, and Fat on AP Mid-Thigh Radiographs

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI) uses height and weight to determine relative fat content. BMI is used in numerous epidemiologic and mechanical studies of hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA). There are more precise, but cumbersome and expensive, measurements of the contribution of body fat to BMI. Our hypotheses were that there would be a large variation in relative mid-thigh bone, muscle, and fat width within specific BMI range and that relative widths change with age and sex. METHODS: The hospital IRB approved a retrospective review of 340 patients who had a recent knee radiograph for knee OA. Using 5.08-cm (2-inch) increments, six groups were created. At height-adjusted reference points on the lower mid-thigh total thigh diameter (TD), muscle diameter (MD), bone diameter (BD), and nonfat diameter (NFD) were measured. Relative widths within BMI groups ( 40) were compared to age and sex. RESULTS: MD, BD, and NFD ratios showed a wide variation in all BMI groups. As would be expected MD, BD, and NFD ratios decreased with increasing BMI. These ratios did not significantly change with age. However, the MD ratio remains similar for each BMI in men, in women it decreases with BMI. CONCLUSION: Adding relative thigh measurements to BMI data could enhance mechanical and epidemiologic studies.
Effect of MDR1 genotype (G2677T) on the disposition of ciprofloxacin in adults

Background Some fluoroquinolone antibiotics are substrates of MDR1. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of MDR1 genotype on the disposition of ciprofloxacin (C). Methods 24 volunteers weighing 66±10 kg (mean±SD) with a mean age of 33±19 yrs completed the study after giving written informed consent. A single oral dose of C (500mg) was given and serial blood samples obtained. Serum C concentrations were determined using HPLC with UV detection. MDR1 exon 21 genotype (G2677T/A) was determined using real time RT-PCR. Results MDR1 homozygous variant (G2677T) subjects (n= 7) had a significantly (p≤ 0.05) reduced oral clearance of C compared to individuals with 1 or 2 wild-type alleles (36± 6 vs. 49.5± 14 L/h). AUC and CMAX of C were significantly greater in homozygous variant individuals (14.0±2.1 mg× hr/L, 3.0±0.8 mg/L) compared to wild-type allele carriers (10.9± 3.3 mg× hr/L, 2.1 ±0.8 mg/L, P< 0.05). Conclusion MDR1 exon 21 homozyogous variant (G2677T) subjects have a reduced C clearance and may have an enhanced efficacy and increased incidence of adverse events. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P31–P31; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.010
Timing of breast cancer treatments with oocyte retrieval and embryo cryopreservation

Background Protecting future childbearing motivates young women with breast cancer to seek oocyte or embryo cryopreservation. Concerns about delays in cancer treatment may influence patients and practitioners considering these procedures. In this study, we compared timing of chemotherapy in women who underwent ovarian stimulation/oocyte retrieval (OR) and embryo cryopreservation with those who did not. Study Design Eighty-two women younger than 40 years of age, who received adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer, were retrospectively identified. Nineteen underwent OR and 63 did not (CON). The timing of OR, surgery, and chemotherapy were compared with the time intervals between diagnosis and treatments in the CON group. Results The mean ages of women were 33.7 years (OR group) and 35.2 years (CON group); 84.2% of OR and 25.4% of CON were nulliparous. The median time from initial diagnosis to reproductive endocrinology consultation was 30.1 days (range 4 to 133 days) and from referral to OR was 32 days (range 13 to 66 days). The median times from initial diagnosis to chemotherapy in OR versus CON groups were 71 days (range 45 to 161 days) and 67 days (range 27 to 144 days), respectively, p Conclusions Fertility preservation is an important component of quality of life for young women with breast cancer. The time investment required for OR and cryopreservation is manageable and does not significantly prolong the time interval from diagnosis to start of adjuvant chemotherapy.
Software-Defined Fragmentation-Aware Elastic Optical Networks Enabled by OpenFlow

We present a software-defined fragmentation-aware elastic optical network, in which an extended OpenFlow-based control plane intelligently routes connection requests to avoid spectrum fragmentation. The overall feasibility and efficiency of the proposed scenario is validated by using both numerical simulation and experimental demonstration.
Dynamic test collections: measuring search effectiveness on the live web

Existing methods for measuring the quality of search algorithms use a static collection of documents. A set of queries and a mapping from the queries to the relevant documents allow the experimenter to see how well different search engines or engine configurations retrieve the correct answers. This methodology assumes that the document set and thus the set of relevant documents are unchanging. In this paper, we abandon the static collection requirement. We begin with a recent TREC collection created from a web crawl and analyze how the documents in that collection have changed over time. We determine how decay of the document collection affects TREC systems, and present the results of an experiment using the decayed collection to measure a live web search system. We employ novel measures of search effectiveness that are robust despite incomplete relevance information. Lastly, we propose a methodology of "collection maintenance" which supports measuring search performance both for a single system and between systems run at different points in time.
Genetic characterization of Yokose virus, a flavivirus isolated from the bat in Japan.

Abstract Yokose virus (strain Oita-36) was isolated from the bat in Japan in 1971. In the present study, we determined complete nucleotide sequences of Yokose virus using RT-PCR and RACE techniques. Yokose virus genome consists of 10,857 nucleotides in length (accession no. AB114858 ), containing a single open reading frame (3425 amino acids) encoding 11 viral proteins. We deduced the boundaries of each protein in the polyprotein sequence according to the protein cleavage sites of other flaviviruses. The nucleotide sequences of the 5′ and 3′ nontranslated region (NTR) and amino acid sequences of individual proteins of the virus were compared with those of six other flaviviruses including Japanese encephalitis virus, dengue-2 virus, yellow fever virus, West Nile virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, and Rio Bravo virus or Modoc virus. Yokose virus demonstrated the highest similarity to yellow fever virus. Yokose virus also has CS1 motif, which are well-conserved specifically in mosquito-born flaviviruses, in its 3′ NTR. When a part of the NS5 amino acid sequence (345 amino acids) was compared with those of other four flaviviruses, Entebbe bat virus, Sokuluk virus, Sepik virus, and yellow fever virus, the three former viruses are more closely related to Yokose virus than yellow fever virus. Human sera from dengue-virus-infected case and yellow fever vaccinee reacted with the viral proteins. Moreover, human serum from a yellow fever vaccinee weakly neutralized Yokose virus. Our results suggest that there are cross-reactive antigenicities among Yokose virus and other flaviviruses.
Pain management knowledge, attitudes and clinical practice: the impact of nurses' characteristics and education

This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice of registered nurses (N = 120) regarding pain management. Data were collected from nine varied clinical units in a large, university-affiliated, teaching hospital in an urban area of the Northeast. Demographic information was also collected to explore the relationship between nurses' characteristics, including previous pain education, clinical experience, area of clinical practice, and other variables, and knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice. Three instruments were used in the study: (a) the Pain Management: Nurses' Knowledge and Attitude Survey; (b) a 12-item demographic questionnaire; and (c) a Pain Audit Tool (PAT) to gather data regarding pain assessment, documentation, and treatment practices from charts. Mean scores from the nursing knowledge and attitudes survey on pain revealed knowledge deficits and inconsistent responses in many areas related to pain management (mean, 62%; range, 41%-90%). The top two nurse-ranked barriers to pain management were related to patient reluctance to report pain and to take opioids for pain relief. Demographic data revealed that education about pain was most inadequate in the following areas: nonpharmacological interventions to relieve pain, the difference between acute and chronic pain, and the anatomy and physiology of pain. Chart audits with the Pain Audit Tool revealed that 76% of the charts (N = 82) lacked documentation of the use of a patient self-rating tool by nurses to assess pain, despite a high reported use (76%) of such a self-rating tool. Adjunct medications were ordered with some consistency, but appeared to be underutilized. This was especially true of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (mean use, 1%). Ninety percent of the charts had no documentation of the use of nonpharmacological interventions to relieve pain. Although this clinical setting has policies and resources in place regarding the management of pain, it would appear that they are not optimal. Practical recommendations are presented for increasing nurses' knowledge about pain management; improving the quality and the consistency of the assessment, documentation and treatment of pain; and disseminating pain management information.
Use of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone Analog and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin to Spawn Early-Egg-Stage Striped Bass

Abstract Female striped bass Morone saxatilis with eggs in early stages of development were successfully spawned after being given a priming injection of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog followed by a resolving injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Over 2 years, 18 of 19 injected fish spawned, producing over 3.5 million viable fry. Egg fertilization rates for all fish that spawned averaged 41%. This procedure, which differs from the traditional spawning method of HCG injection, can increase production by increasing the duration of the production season. In addition, broodfish that once would have been released at capture because they contained early egg developmental stages can now be spawned and used in production.
Characterization of the Na+/H+ exchanger in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 vesicles

A previous report from this laboratory (Rothenberg et al., 1983a) demonstrated the presence of an Na+/H+ exchanger in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. We now characterize surface-derived membrane vesicles from this cell line which contain a functional Na+/H+ exchanger. The Na+/H+ exchanger in A431 vesicles shares a number of characteristics in common with previously described Na+/H+ exchangers including the following: (1) Na+ uptake is stimulated by an outward-directed pH gradient and inhibited by an inward-directed pH gradient. (2) Na+ uptake is inhibited by amiloride and its analogs and their relative effectiveness is similar in vesicles and A431 cells. (3) The Na+/H+ exchanger uses Na+ or Li+ as a substrate but not K+ or Cs+. (4) H+ efflux is stimulated by an inward-directed Na+ gradient and inhibited by the amiloride analog 5-N-dimethylamiloride. The Na+/H+ exchanger in these membrane vesicles is activated allosterically by low intravesicular pH. The apparent pKa of the activating site is 6.4-6.6, characteristic of the NA+/H+ exchanger before activation by mitogens.
MPScope: A versatile software suite for multiphoton microscopy

MPScope is a software suite to control and analyze data from custom-built multiphoton laser scanning fluorescence microscopes. The acquisition program MPScan acquires, displays and stores movies, linescans, image stacks or arbitrary regions from up to four imaging channels and up to two analog inputs, while plotting the intensity of regions of interest in real-time. Bidirectional linescans allow 256 x 256 pixel frames to be acquired at up to 10 fps with typical galvanometric scanners. A fast stack mode combines movie acquisition with continuous z-focus motion and adjustment of laser intensity for constant image brightness. Fast stacks can be automated by custom programs running in an integrated scripting environment, allowing a 1 mm(3) cortical volume to be sampled in 1 billion voxels in approximately 1 h. The analysis program MPView allows viewing of stored frames, projections, automatic detection of cells and plotting of their average intensity across frames, direct frame transfer to Matlab, AVI movie creation and file export to ImageJ. The combination of optimized code, multithreading and COM (Common Object Model) technologies enables MPScope to fully take advantage of custom-built two-photon microscopes and to simplify their realization.
Evidence for a dynamic-dominance hypothesis of handedness

Handedness is a prominent behavioral phenomenon that emerges from asymmetrical neural organization of human motor systems. However, the aspects of motor performance that correspond to handedness remain largely undetermined. A recent study examining interlimb differences in coordination of reaching demonstrated dominant arm advantages in controlling limb segment inertial dynamics (Sainburg and Kalakanis 2000). Based on these findings, I now propose the dynamic-dominance hypothesis, which states that the essential factor that distinguishes dominant from nondominant arm performance is the facility governing the control of limb dynamics. The purpose of this study is to test two predictions of this hypothesis: 1) adaptation to novel intersegmental dynamics, requiring the development of new dynamic transforms, should be more effective for the dominant arm; 2) there should be no difference in adapting to visuomotor rotations performed with the dominant as compared with the nondominant arm. The latter prediction is based on the idea that visual information about target position is translated into an internal reference frame prior to transformation of the movement plan into dynamic properties, which reflect the forces required to produce movement. To test these predictions, dominant arm adaptation is compared to nondominant arm adaptation during exposure to novel inertial loads and to novel visuomotor rotations. The results indicate substantial interlimb differences in adaptation to novel inertial dynamics, but equivalent adaptation to novel visuomotor rotations. Inverse dynamic analysis revealed better coordination of dominant arm muscle torques across both shoulder and elbow joints, as compared with nondominant arm muscle torques. As a result, dominant arm movements were produced with a fraction of the mean squared muscle torque computed for nondominant arm movements made at similar speeds. These results support the dynamic-dominance hypothesis, indicating that interlimb asymmetries in control arise downstream to visuomotor transformations, when dynamic variables that correspond to the forces required for motion are specified.