cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operator evolution from the similarity renormalization group and the Magnus expansion

The Magnus expansion is an efficient alternative to solving similarity renormalization group (SRG) flow equations with high-order, memory-intensive ordinary differential equation solvers. The numerical simplifications it offers for operator evolution are particularly valuable for in-medium SRG calculations, though challenges remain for difficult problems involving intruder states. Here we test the Magnus approach in an analogous but more accessible situation, which is the free-space SRG treatment of the spurious bound states arising from a leading-order chiral effective field theory (EFT) potential with very high cutoffs. We show that the Magnus expansion passes these tests and then use the investigations as a springboard to address various aspects of operator evolution that have renewed relevance in the context of the scale and scheme dependence of nuclear processes. These aspects include SRG operator flow with band- versus block-diagonal generators, universality for chiral EFT Hamiltonians and associated operators with different regularization schemes, and the impact of factorization arising from scale separation. Implications for short-range correlations physics and the possibilities for reconciling high- and low-resolution treatments of nuclear structure and reactions are discussed.
Key factors behind autofluorescence changes caused by ablation of cardiac tissue

Radiofrequency ablation is a commonly used clinical procedure that destroys arrhythmogenic sources in patients suffering from atrial fibrillation and other types of cardiac arrhythmias. To improve the success of this procedure, new approaches for real-time visualization of ablation sites are being developed. One of these promising methods is hyperspectral imaging, an approach that detects lesions based on changes in the endogenous tissue autofluorescence profile. To facilitate the clinical implementation of this approach, we examined the key variables that can influence ablation-induced spectral changes, including the drop in myocardial NADH levels, the release of lipofuscin-like pigments, and the increase in diffuse reflectance of the cardiac muscle beneath the endocardial layer. Insights from these experiments suggested simpler algorithms that can be used to acquire and post-process the spectral information required to reveal the lesion sites. Our study is relevant to a growing number of multilayered clinical targets to which spectral approaches are being applied.
Understanding Security Threats in Emerging Neuromorphic Computing Architecture

Neuromorphic computing marks the beginning of a new era in computing system design, owing to the introduction of complex and unorthodox non-Von Neumann architectures, in conjunction with new post-CMOS nano-ionic devices. These neuromorphic chips are projected to soon become a mainstay platform for a diverse set of applications, ranging from day-to-day rudimentary decision making, to safety critical defense and healthcare management. In this environment, hardware security can no longer take an auxiliary role in system design. In this work, we lay a solid foundation of understanding the broad security implications of emerging memristor-based neuromorphic computing paradigm. We investigate various security loopholes arising from an untrustworthy neuromorphic design environment. We propose, examine and evaluate the security threats arising from—(a) covert hardware Trojans and (b) external attacks exploiting implementation-specific vulnerabilities. Subsequently, we discuss three specific attacks targeting crucial components of the neuromorphic design and demonstrate how the security breaches in the neuromorphic systems can directly impact the end-user experience. Uncovering these security vulnerabilities in the emerging neuromorphic computing paradigm can be instrumental in shaping our design practices.
How Media Literacy and Science Media Literacy Predicted the Adoption of Protective Behaviors Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Individuals must navigate complex media environments filled with frequently changing and varyingly credible information to acquire and apply health information during times of uncertainty and dange...
Abstract TP26: Endovascular Therapy and Outcomes in a Large Biracial Cohort of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: The ethnic disparities in stroke outcomes have been well described. Stroke is twice more common and leads to higher mortality rates among blacks as compared to whites. We compared the o...
Efficient Electrosynthesis of White Phosphorus from Molten Condensed Phosphate Salts

Elemental white phosphorus (P4) is a crucial feedstock for the entire phosphorus-derived chemicals industry, spanning everything from herbicides to food additives. Currently, industrial P4 production is gated by the infrastructurally demanding reduction of phosphate rock by carbon coke in an arc furnace at temperatures of up to 1500 °C. The electrochemical reduction of phosphate salts could enable the sustainable, point-of-use manufacture of white phosphorus; however, such P4 electrosynthesis requires the rapid activation of strong P—O bonds. Herein, we show that the intrinsic oxide-accepting character of phosphoryl anhydride linkages in molten condensed phosphate salts promotes the reduction of phosphate to white phosphorus at high electron and energy efficiencies. These findings could enable an efficient, low-carbon alternative to legacy carbothermal synthesis of P4.
Cascaded metasurfaces for broadband antenna isolation

In this paper, we present a computational and experimental design of a metasurface for broadband microwave antenna isolation. Our current emphasis is on the development of a high-impedance surface (HIS) that enables broadband isolation between transmit and receive antennas. For our specific HIS, we have formed a cascade of HIS unit cells and have thus expanded the isolation to provide 56 dB/meter over one octave (7.5 to 18 GHz) relative to the bare metal ground plane. Computational models are used to design the cascaded structure to assure maximum isolation amplitude and bandwidth.
The private ECU markets

Abstract The private ECU has moved beyond a currency basket to function fully as a currency in the financial markets, with market-determined ECU interest rates and a market-determined exchange rate that the banks peg to the basket. A utility maximizing model is developed that explains the existence of the ECU financial markets, where demands for ECU-denominated financial instruments must depend on risk aversion and acquisition costs. Transactions demand for ECUs is based almost solely on ECU transactions in the financial markets. The ecu's future as an independent currency with a floating exchange rate will require a central bank to control supply and an ECU money demand that is based on ECU transactions in goods and services.
Final Report of the Kentucky Penal Code Revision Project

The Kentucky Criminal Justice Council, a constitutional body in Kentucky, undertook this project to examine the problems with Kentucky criminal law and to rewrite the Kentucky criminal code. This two-volume Final Report of the Kentucky Penal Code Revision Project proposes a new criminal code, in volume 1, together with an official commentary, in volume 2, that explains each provision and how and why it differs from existing law.The introduction to the Report summarizes the reasons for and the importance of criminal code reform, and describes the techniques used in this rewrite project, including both the project’s drafting principles and the methods by which the Council organized its work on the project.
The Signal-Averaged Electrocardiogram.: A Review of Methods and Clinical Applications

Background: The signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) is a useful noninvasive diagnostic tool for assessing delayed ventricular activation. Methods: The advantage of the SAECG over standard ECGs the ability to detect very low amplitude signals indicative of areas of slowed myocardial conduction, a requirement for reentrant arrhythmias. Results: The SAECG has been proven useful in a variety of clinical situations, particularly in risk stratification after myocardial infarction or in the patient with dilated cardiomyopathy, and in screening for the need for electrophysiological studies in the syncope patient or the patient with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. Conclusions: This review focuses on the currently accepted methodology of the time-domain SAECG, and outlines the standard applications of the SAECG based on the results of important clinical research.
The social cost of trading: Measuring the increased damages from sulfur dioxide trading in the United States

The sulfur dioxide (SO2) cap and trade program established in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments is celebrated for reducing abatement costs ($0.7 to $2.1 billion per year) by allowing emissions allowances to be traded. Unfortunately, places with high marginal costs also tend to have high marginal damages. Ton-for-ton trading reduces emissions in low damage areas (rural) while increasing emissions in high damage areas (cities). From 2000 to 2007, conservative estimates of the value of mortality risk suggest that trades increased damages from $0.8 to $1.1 billion annually relative to the initial allowance allocation and from $1.5 to $1.9 billion annually relative to a uniform performance standard. With U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) values, trades increased damages from $2.4 to $3.2 billion annually compared to the initial allowance allocation and from $4.4 to $5.4 billion compared to a uniform performance standard. It is not clear that the ton-for-ton SO2 cap and trade program is actually more efficient than comparable command and control programs. The trading program needs to be modified so that tons are weighted by their marginal damage. © 2011 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Excavation, Narration, and the Wild Man: Montage and Linearity in Representing Archaeology

Summary This article contrasts the way that archaeologists discuss the practice and experience of archaeology with each other to the way archaeology is represented to nonspecialist public audiences. I argue that the former is characterized by “montage,” while the latter is typified by a radically opposed linear narrativity, suggesting that montage may offer a way of ameliorating many of the problems linked to popular (mis)conceptions of archaeology.
Kinetic studies and bioactivity of potential manzamine prodrugs.

The manzamines represent a class of marine natural products that show considerable promise in the control of malaria but generate GI distress in rodents when administered orally in high doses. In an effort to generate manzamine prodrugs with improved antimalarial activity and reduced GI toxicity, we prepared acetylated 8-hydroxymanzamine A analogues including 8-acetoxymanzamine A (3) and 8,12-diacetoxymanzamine A (4), and 8-methoxymanzamine A (5) beginning with 8-hydroxymanzamine A (2). The semisynthetic analogues were assayed for antimalarial and antimicrobial activities, cytotoxicity, and biological and chemical stability. Due to gradual hydrolysis of the ester group, application of monoacetate 3 as an antimalarial prodrug was investigated. The in vitro and in vivo bioassays show that acetylated analogues exhibit significant antimalarial activity (IC50(3) 9.6−30 ng/mL), which are comparable to the parent molecule; however the monoaceate 3 was shown to actually produce higher toxicity at 30 mg/kg when ad...
Infrared Microspectroscopy. III. A Capillary Cell for Liquids

Apparatus and methods are described for the determination of infrared spectral absorption of solutions containing about 1 gamma (10−6 g) of solute. The absorption cell used is a piece of capillary tubing made of silver chloride with a central hole about 0.075 mm in diameter. The cells have lengths of 1 to 1.5 mm and are filled by means of a micropipette. A magnified image of the cell is then projected on the entrance slit of a spectrometer, and the spectral data are recorded. Results with typical organic compounds indicate that satisfactory spectral resolution may be obtained with this capillary cell.
Power semiconductor switching devices&#8212;A comparison based on inductive switching

In this paper, a comparison of the switching efficiency of MOSFET's Darlington transistors, field controlled thyristors (FCT's), and gate turn-off thyristors (GTO's) will be made for devices with breakdown voltages between 100 and 1000 V. The comparison is made as a function of switching frequency with a 50-percent duty cycle and for devices of the same area, carrying the same current. Conclusions are presented as to the most appropriate device for different combinations of breakdown voltage and switching frequency requirements.
Studies on the sequestration of chemically and enzymatically modified erythrocytes.

We have developed an experimental animal model to establish the patterns of sequestration of untreated, as well as chemically and enzymatically modified red blood cells (RBC). The intraperitoneal route of transfusion provides a useful way of transferring large numbers of untreated RBC into small animals and assuring their introduction into the circulation within 24 hr. Moreover, this route “filters” some types of modified erythrocytes, eg, glutaraldehyde treated RBC. From the pattern of sequestration, the RBC in the peritoneal cavity then pass through the liver where other types of modified RBC are sequestered, eg, after trypsin, pronase, protease, or sialidase treatment. Some modified RBC show a preference for the spleen as the site of sequestration, eg, galactose oxidase or N-ethylmaleimide treated RBC. These appear in the spleen despite intraperitoneal transfusion. Relevant to this study is the observation that in the rat old RBC are sequestered both by liver and spleen, while asialo-erythrocytes are sequestered by liver only. A possible reason for this difference is discussed in the text.
Positivity embedding for noncolocated and nonsquare flexible systems

Positivity based control design for flexible structures provides closed-loop stability regardless of parameter variations and unmodeled dynamics. The present framework requires the plant to be square and the actuators colocated with rate sensors. These constraints severely limit achievable performance in control systems using the positivity approach. In this paper, a dynamic embedding is derived to render a nonsquare plant with noncolocated actuators and sensors positive real. The dynamic embedding is parametrized for general flexible structures. A numerical algorithm is developed to compute the embedding parameters. The Draper tetrahedral truss structure is used to demonstrate the design of dynamic embeddings. Relaxing the colocation constraint in a positivity based design significantly improves the closed-loop performance.
A note on two-sided holes in implicit quadric spline surfaces

Some implicit spline surface schemes require filling two-sided holes [Dahmen 1989; Guo 1993] and a blending technique of Warren (1987) can be used to fill two-sided holes in quadric spline surfaces. This note shows that there are important cases where the blending technique does not apply. These cases are identified and an applicatble technique is proposed.
Gasification of spent alkylation sulfuric acid droplets in hot environments

Experimental results on gasification behaviors of freely-falling spent alkylation sulfuric acid droplets in high-temperature environments are presented, as well as baseline data on evaporation of water droplets and sulfuric acid droplets. Low evaporation constants have been measured for sulfuric acid droplets and spent acid droplets (relative to water droplets). Shape distortions and fragmentation (microexplosions) of spent acid droplets were also observed, and it has been found that initial droplet diameters are important in determining onset times and intensities of microexplosive behaviors. Simplified theory is developed, which suggests that the droplet distortion and fragmentation behaviors may be a result of SO 2 bubble formation inside the droplets.
Momentum implications for buoyant diffusion flames

Abstract Using assumed Gaussian forms for the transverse variation of mean quantities and well-established centerline variations, the integrated form of the momentum equation is solved for the vertical variation of the radial extent of buoyant diffusion flames. Closure is obtained by assuming that the convective heat flux at the flame tip is equal to the total heat release rate minus the radiative fraction. Solutions are obtained in terms of λ, which is the ratio of the 1 e transverse widths of the thermal energy profile to that of the velocity profile, and a local, centerline Froude numberlike parameter, U 2gz δT T 0 ,. The parameters differentiate between initial buoyancy-dominated (necking-in) behavior associated with solid or liquid pool flames versus momentum-dominated gas jet flame behavior. Recent data from porous refractory gas burners at flame conditions near the transition are compared to the simple analysis. Calculated transverse components of velocity compare favorably to Thomas's thistledown tracer experiments and provide the basis for an evaluation of the use of the boundary layer equations in pool fire modeling. Estimates of the effects of turbulence in the upper portion of the flame are presented.
Is the sequence-specific binding of aminoacyl-tRNAs by EF-Tu universal among bacteria?

Three base pairs in the T-stem are primarily responsible for the sequence-specific interaction of tRNA with Escherichia coli and Thermus thermophilus EF-Tu. While the amino acids on the surface of EF-Tu that contact aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) are highly conserved among bacteria, the T-stem sequences of individual tRNA are variable, making it unclear whether or not this protein–nucleic acid interaction is also sequence specific in other bacteria. We propose and validate a thermodynamic model that predicts the ΔG° of any tRNA to EF-Tu using the sequence of its three T-stem base pairs. Despite dramatic differences in T-stem sequences, the predicted ΔG° values for the majority of tRNA classes are similar in all bacteria and closely match the ΔG° values determined for E. coli tRNAs. Each individual tRNA class has evolved to have a characteristic ΔG° value to EF-Tu, but different T-stem sequences are used to achieve this ΔG° value in different bacteria. Thus, the compensatory relationship between the affinity of the tRNA body and the affinity of the esterified amino acid is universal among bacteria. Additionally, we predict and validate a small number of aa-tRNAs that bind more weakly to EF-Tu than expected and thus are candidates for acting as activated amino acid donors in processes outside of translation.
Vomiting in infants and children

The infant ‘mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms’ is so familiar as to be regarded as a normal stage of human development and, indeed, in the majority of instances vomiting in infants is of no great significance. It may fall to the doctor, however, to differentiate this benign vomiting from that associated with underlying pathology. Common causes of vomiting in children include: benign infection gastro-oesophageal reflux intestinal obstruction food allergy raised intra-cranial pressure drugs and poisoning
Human cytomegalovirus immediate early proteins and cell growth control

It is widely accepted that small DNA tumor viruses, such as adenovirus, simian virus 40 and papillomavirus, push infected cells into S-phase to facilitate the replication of their genome. Until recently, it was believed that the large DNA viruses (i.e. herpesviruses) functioned very differently in this regard by inducing a G(1) arrest in infected cells as part of their replication process. However, studies over the last 6-8 years have uncovered striking parallels (and differences) between the functions of the major immediate early (IE) proteins of at least one herpesvirus, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and IE equivalents encoded by small DNA tumor viruses, such as adenovirus. Similarities between the HCMV major IE proteins and adenovirus IE proteins include targeting of members of the RB and p53 families and an ability of these viral factors to induce S-phase in quiescent cells. However, unlike the small DNA tumor virus proteins, individual HCMV IE proteins target different RB family members. HCMV also encodes several other IE gene products as well as virion tegument proteins that act early during infection to prevent an infected cell from replicating its host genome and from undergoing apoptosis. Here, we review the specifics of several HCMV IE proteins, two virion components, and their functions in relation to cell growth control.
The economics of health care along the U.S.‐Mexico Border: Recent trends and national policies

Two vastly different health care systems confront one another along the 2000 miles of U.S.-Mexico border. In large measure the economies of those two systems determine the nature of health care provided in the border region. This a rticle examines the health care sector in the U.S. and Mexico as each responds to economic forces, and describe the resulting hybrid health care system that has evolved in the border region in the context of recent economic trends and national policies. Since disease vectors pay no heed to the arbitrary demarcation known as the international border, these two often antagonistic health care systems share a common patient population as it moves primarily northward. The human drama played out each day along the border, is influenced by economic imperatives whose signatures are indelibly etched in the form and substance of each country's health care establishment. The Mexican economy is seriously imperiled. It's commitment to the health of its population manifests ominous signs of disregard brought about by the emaciated state of the national economy. Northward migration is seen as a "safety valve" for the jobless and sometimes the sick and the outlook for the future promises little improvement. The U.S. on the other hand is laboring under a sluggish national economy and a myopic preoccupation with the size of its federal deficit. The current trend is to shift responsibilities for social expenditures from the Federal Government to the state and local ones. This then, is a recipe for disaster in the U.S.-Mexico border health field. One country is involved in an economic struggle on the order of life itself, unable to care for its population, confronting another nation, economically mature, but one which chooses to turn away from its national responsibilities for health care at the border. This article suggests that a continuation of current economic trends and national policies in the U.S. and Mexico has the potential to create a health care crisis in the border region.
Mach Number Influence on Reduced-Order Models of Inviscid Potential Flows in Turbomachinery

An unsteady inviscid flow through a cascade of oscillating airfoils is investigated. An inviscid nonlinear subsonic and transonic model is used to compute the steady flow solution. Then a small amplitude motion of the airfoils about their steady flow configuration is considered. The unsteady flow is linearized about the nonlinear steady response based on the observation that in many practical cases the unsteadiness in the flow has a substantially smaller magnitude than the steady component. Several reduced-order modal models are constructed in the frequency domain using the proper orthogonal decomposition technique. The dependency of the required number of aerodynamic modes in a reduced-order model on the far-field upstream Mach number is investigated
Photocatalytic probing of DNA sequence by using TiO2/dopamine-DNA triads

Abstract A method to control charge transfer reaction in DNA using hybrid nanometer-sized TiO2 nanoparticles was developed. In this system extended charge separation reflects the sequence of DNA and was measured using metallic silver deposition or by photocurrent response. Light-induced extended charge separation in these systems was found to be dependent on the DNA-bridge length and sequence. The yield of photocatalytic deposition of silver was studied in systems having GG accepting sites imbedded in AT runs at varying distances from the TiO2 nanoparticle surface. Weak distance dependence of charge separation indicative of a hole hopping through mediating adenine (A) sites was found. The quantum yield of silver deposition in the system having a GG accepting site placed 8.5 A from the nanoparticle surface was found to be Φ = 0.70 (70%) and Φ = 0.56 (56%) for (A)n and (AT)n/2 bridge, respectively. Hole injection to GG trapping sites as far as 70 A from a nanoparticle surface in the absence of G hopping sites was measured. Introduction of G hopping sites increased the efficiency of hole injection. The efficiency of photocatalytic deposition of metallic silver was found to be sensitive to the presence of a single nucleobase mismatch in the DNA sequence.
The Relations Among Varieties of Adult Attachment and the Components of Empathy

The authors examined the proposition that recollections of childhood attachments, parental bonds, or romantic attachments are related to M. H. Davis's (1983) cognitive and emotional components of empathy. Participants were 178 undergraduates who completed self-report questionnaires. Recollections of parental bonds and romantic attachments made both independent and conjoint contributions to Davis's components. Parental overprotection and romantic anxiety predicted personal distress; parental care and romantic anxiety predicted empathic concern; and romantic avoidance predicted fantasy. The findings suggested that attachment may be more likely to influence empathy negatively than positively, that the relation between attachment and empathy may be more emotional than cognitive, and that romantic attachments may be more related to empathy than recollections of parental bonds.
Differential patterns of Fos induction in the hypothalamus of the rat following central injections of galanin-like peptide and galanin.

Galanin and its newly discovered relative galanin-like peptide (GALP) are neuropeptides that are implicated in the neuroendocrine regulation of body weight and reproduction. GALP has been shown to bind in vitro to galanin receptor subtypes 1 and 2, but whether it has its own specific receptor(s) is unknown. We reasoned that if GALP acts through a receptor that is distinct from galanin receptors, then GALP should activate central pathways that are different from those activated by galanin. The purpose of this study was to determine whether galanin and GALP produce different patterns of neuronal activation within the hypothalamus. Quantitative analysis of Fos immunoreactivity showed that galanin induced a significantly greater number of Fos-positive nuclei in the paraventricular nucleus compared with GALP (P < 0.001); however, compared with galanin, GALP induced significantly more Fos-positive cells in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca, caudal preoptic area, arcuate nucleus, and median emine...
Dielectric screening and the electron scattering length in liquid argon

Using a screening function based upon the Onsager model for a dielectric fluid, the scattering length for an excess electron in liquid argon is calculated. The screening function vanishes near the atomic number density 0.012 atoms/${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{3}$. This in turn causes the scattering cross section to be a minimum at this density, which is in qualitative agreement with experiment.
Approximate theoretical model for the five electronic states (Ω = 5/2, 3/2, 3/2, 1/2, 1/2) arising from the ground 3d9 configuration in nickel halide molecules and for rotational levels of the two Ω = 1/2 states in that manifold

Abstract In the first part of this paper an effective Hamiltonian for a non-rotating diatomic molecule containing only crystal-field and spin–orbit operators is set up to describe the energies of the five spin–orbit components that arise in the ground electronic configuration of the nickel monohalides. The model assumes that bonding in the nickel halides has the approximate form Ni+X−, with an electronic 3d9 configuration plus closed shells on the Ni+ moiety and a closed shell configuration on the X− moiety. From a crystal-field point of view, interactions of the positive d-hole with the cylindrically symmetrical electric charge distribution of the hypothetical NiX− closed-shell core can then be parameterized by three terms in a traditional expansion in spherical harmonics: C0 + C2Y20(θ, ϕ) + C4Y40(θ, ϕ). Interaction of the hole with the magnetic field generated by its own orbital motion can be parameterized by a traditional spin–orbit interaction operator AL · S. The Hamiltonian matrix is set up in a basis set consisting of the 10 Hund’s case (a) basis functions |L, Λ;S ,Σ〉 that arise when L = 2 and S = 1/2. Least-squares fits of the observed five spin–orbit components of the three lowest electronic states in NiF and NiCl are then carried out in terms of the four parameters C0, C2, C4, and A which lead to good agreement, except for the two |Ω| = 1/2 states. The large equal and opposite residuals of the |Ω| = 1/2 states can be reduced to values comparable with those for the |Ω| = 3/2 and |Ω| = 5/2 states by fixing A to its value in Ni+ and then introducing an empirical correction factor for one off-diagonal orbital matrix element. In the second part of this paper the usual effective Hamiltonian B(J–L–S)2 for a rotating diatomic molecule is used to derive expressions for the Ω-type doubling parameter p in the two |Ω| = 1/2 states. These expressions show (for certain sign conventions) that the sum of the two p values should be −2B, but that their difference can vary between −10B and +10B. These theoretical results are in good agreement with the two observed p values for both NiF and NiCl. The present formalism should in principle be applicable to NiBr and NiI, and to the halides of palladium, since Pd+ has a well isolated 4d9 electronic ground configuration. Extension to metal halides having dn configurations with n
Azurocidin, a natural antibiotic from human neutrophils: expression, antimicrobial activity, and secretion

The azurophil granules of human PMN contain four antibiotic proteins, the serprocidins, which have extensive homology to one another and to serine proteases. Azurocidin, a member of this family, is a 29-kDa glycoprotein with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and chemotactic activity toward monocytes. Insect cells transfected with a baculovirus vector carrying azurocidin cDNA produced a recombinant azurocidin protein. We purified the recombinant azurocidin protein from the culture medium of the infected cells and showed that it retained the antimicrobial activity of the native neutrophil-derived molecule. In addition, we present evidence that a 49-amino-acid region of the recombinant azurocidin protein is required for its secretion from insect cells.
Esterases and the identification of lipases from eggs of Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi and D. virgifera

Abstract Soluble esterases from eggs of Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi and D. virgifera were examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Eggs from D.undecimpunctata howardi exhibited from 10 to 16 electrophoreticallyseparable esterases depending on age; prediapause eggs from D. virgifera contained 6 or 7 esterases depending on whether α- or β-naphthol substrates were used. Zymograms of eggs of both species contained a single zone of activity that was inhibited by 5 × 10−5 M eserine. Organophosphorus compounds produced inhibitory effects depending on which compound was used. Two esterase bands from eggs of D. undecimpunctata howardi were identified as lipases by direct comparisons of estrolytic and lipolytic activities in eluates from gel sections. The lipases could not be distinguished from other esterases on polyacrylamide gel zymograms with α-naphthyl caprylate or longer-chain naphthol esters.
Ideological Success, Educational Failure?: On the Politics of No Child Left Behind

Most educators in the United States have had to confront the changed reality brought about by the federal reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child L...
Analysis of spatial and temporal dynamics of xylem refilling in Acer rubrum L. using magnetic resonance imaging

We report results of an analysis of embolism formation and subsequent refilling observed in stems of Acer rubrum L. using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is one of the very few techniques that can provide direct non-destructive observations of the water content within opaque biological materials at a micrometer resolution. Thus, it has been used to determine temporal dynamics and water distributions within xylem tissue. In this study, we found good agreement between MRI measures of pixel brightness to assess xylem liquid water content and the percent loss in hydraulic conductivity (PLC) in response to water stress (P50 values of 2.51 and 2.70 for MRI and PLC, respectively). These data provide strong support that pixel brightness is well correlated to PLC and can be used as a proxy of PLC even when single vessels cannot be resolved on the image. Pressure induced embolism in moderately stressed plants resulted in initial drop of pixel brightness. This drop was followed by brightness gain over 100 min following pressure application suggesting that plants can restore water content in stem after induced embolism. This recovery was limited only to current-year wood ring; older wood did not show signs of recovery within the length of experiment (16 h). In vivo MRI observations of the xylem of moderately stressed (~-0.5 MPa) A. rubrum stems revealed evidence of a spontaneous embolism formation followed by rapid refilling (~30 min). Spontaneous (not induced) embolism formation was observed only once, despite over 60 h of continuous MRI observations made on several plants. Thus this observation provide evidence for the presence of naturally occurring embolism-refilling cycle in A. rubrum, but it is impossible to infer any conclusions in relation to its frequency in nature.
Spatial memory in the real world: long-term representations of everyday environments

When people learn an environment, they appear to establish a principle orientation just as they would determine the “top” of a novel object. Evidence for reference orientations has largely come from observations of orientation dependence in pointing judgments: Participants are most accurate when asked to recall the space from a particular orientation. However, these investigations have used highly constrained encoding in both time-scale and navigational goals, leaving open the possibility that larger spaces experienced during navigational learning depend on a different organizational scheme. To test this possibility, we asked undergraduates to perform judgments of relative direction on familiar landmarks around their well-learned campus. Participants showed clear evidence for a single reference orientation, generally aligned along salient axes defined by the buildings and paths. This result argues that representing space involves the establishment of a reference orientation, a requirement that endures over repeated exposures and extensive experience.
The physiological basis of pulmonary gas exchange: implications for clinical interpretation of arterial blood gases

The field of pulmonary gas exchange is mature, with the basic principles developed more than 60 years ago. Arterial blood gas measurements (tensions and concentrations of O₂ and CO₂) constitute a mainstay of clinical care to assess the degree of pulmonary gas exchange abnormality. However, the factors that dictate arterial blood gas values are often multifactorial and complex, with six different causes of hypoxaemia (inspiratory hypoxia, hypoventilation, ventilation/perfusion inequality, diffusion limitation, shunting and reduced mixed venous oxygenation) contributing variably to the arterial O₂ and CO₂ tension in any given patient. Blood gas values are then usually further affected by the body's abilities to compensate for gas exchange disturbances by three tactics (greater O₂ extraction, increasing ventilation and increasing cardiac output). This article explains the basic principles of gas exchange in health, mechanisms of altered gas exchange in disease, how the body compensates for abnormal gas exchange, and based on these principles, the tools available to interpret blood gas data and, quantitatively, to best understand the physiological state of each patient. This understanding is important because therapeutic intervention to improve abnormal gas exchange in any given patient needs to be based on the particular physiological mechanisms affecting gas exchange in that patient.
SOLAR WIND MODELING WITH TURBULENCE TRANSPORT AND HEATING

We have developed an axisymmetric steady-state solar wind model that describes properties of the large-scale solar wind, interplanetary magnetic field, and turbulence throughout the heliosphere from 0.3 AU to 100 AU. The model is based on numerical solutions of large-scale Reynolds-averaged magnetohydrodynamic equations coupled with a set of small-scale transport equations for the turbulence energy, normalized cross helicity, and correlation scale. The combined set of time-dependent equations is solved in the frame of reference corotating with the Sun using a time-relaxation method. We use the model to study the self-consistent interaction between the large-scale solar wind and smaller-scale turbulence and the role of the turbulence in the large-scale structure and temperature distribution in the solar wind. To illuminate the roles of the turbulent cascade and the pickup protons in heating the solar wind depending on the heliocentric distance, we compare the model results with and without turbulence/pickup protons. The variations of plasma temperature in the outer heliosphere are compared with Ulysses and Voyager 2 observations.
Efficacy of denileukin diftitox in subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma.

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like lymphomas (SPTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by pleomorphic lymphocytes infiltrating the subcutis in a lobular panniculitis-like pattern. Characterization of SPTCL based on T-cell phenotype has prognostic significance in that most patients with the α/β T-cell phenotype of SPTCL demonstrate clinically indolent behavior, whereas those with γ/δ variant typically manifest more aggressive disease. In the past, traditional therapies have included single-agent or systemic multi-agent chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy, immunosuppressive therapies, or, in refractory patients, bone marrow transplantation. We describe complete clinical regression of disease and a median response duration of > 6 months in 2 patients with SPTCL treated with corticosteroids and denileukin diftitox. Furthermore, the addition of bexarotene to denileukin diftitox restored a clinical response in 1 of the patients after disease progression, suggesting the activity of this combination in patients with SPTCL.
The effect of respiratory motion on pulmonary nodule location during electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy.

BACKGROUND Electromagnetic navigation has improved the diagnostic yield of peripheral bronchoscopy for pulmonary nodules. For these procedures, a thin-slice chest CT scan is performed prior to bronchoscopy at full inspiration and is used to create virtual airway reconstructions that are used as a map during bronchoscopy. Movement of the lung occurs with respiratory variation during bronchoscopy, and the location of pulmonary nodules during procedures may differ significantly from their location on the initial planning full-inspiratory chest CT scan. This study was performed to quantify pulmonary nodule movement from full inspiration to end-exhalation during tidal volume breathing in patients undergoing electromagnetic navigation procedures. METHODS A retrospective review of electromagnetic navigation procedures was performed for which two preprocedure CT scans were performed prior to bronchoscopy. One CT scan was performed at full inspiration, and a second CT scan was performed at end-exhalation during tidal volume breathing. Pulmonary lesions were identified on both CT scans, and distances between positions were recorded. RESULTS Eighty-five pulmonary lesions were identified in 46 patients. Average motion of all pulmonary lesions was 17.6 mm. Pulmonary lesions located in the lower lobes moved significantly more than upper lobe nodules. Size and distance from the pleura did not significantly impact movement. CONCLUSIONS Significant movement of pulmonary lesions occurs between full inspiration and end-exhalation during tidal volume breathing. This movement from full inspiration on planning chest CT scan to tidal volume breathing during bronchoscopy may significantly affect the diagnostic yield of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy procedures.
Cancer gets the Chk'ered flag

Certain oncogenes seem to be able to trigger cellular senescence and growth arrest, thereby holding cancer at bay. Two new studies suggest that oncogenes trigger senescence through activation of a pathway initially described as sensing DNA damage.
Effect of phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene pretreatment on guinea pig hepatic microsomal bilirubin glucuronyltransferase activity.

Abstract The effect of multiple doses of phenobarbital or of a single dose of 3-methylcholanthrene on bilirubin glucuronyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) activity was studied with liver microsomal preparations from guinea pigs. A significant increase in enzyme activity of the liver occurred after 10 days of phenobarbital administration, but enzyme activity per milligram of protein was unchanged. In contrast, a single dose of 3-methylcholanthrene produced an increase in specific activity of the enzyme. Untreated mice, rats, rabbits and cats were also studied and significant differences were found for the apparent K m and V max values of the various species.
Urban games: application of augmented reality

A new potent mix of gaming, mobile devices, and urban environments transforms the public realm and the way we operate within it by embedding digital information in the physical world. According to the website for Simon Games, a project of the Pervasive Media Studio, "Games are the new cinema, they are breaking free from the console and hitting the streets. These games are a new way of exploring ideas, meeting people and having fun. Hugely social, they are a new entertainment form."
Factor pattern of test items and tests as a function of the correlation coefficient: Content, difficulty, and constant error factors

A dilemma was created for factor analysts by Ferguson (Psychometrika, 1941,6, 323–329) when he demonstrated that test items or sub-tests of varying difficulty will yield a correlation matrix of rank greater than 1, even though the material from which the items or sub-tests are drawn is homogeneous, although homogeneity of such material had been defined operationally by factor analysts as having a correlation matrix of rank 1. This dilemma has been resolved as a case of ambiguity, which lay in (1) failure to specify whether homogeneity was to apply to content, difficulty, or both, and (2) failure to state explicitly the kind of correlation to be used in obtaining the matrix. It is demonstrated that (1) if the material but (2) if content is homogeneous but difficulty is not, the homogeneity of the content can be demonstrated only by using the tetrachoric correlation coefficient in deriving the matrix; and that the use of the phi-coefficient (Pearsonianr) will disclose only the nonhomogeneity of the difficulty and lead to a series ofconstant error factors as contrasted withcontent factors. Since varying difficulty of items (and possibly of sub-tests) is desirable as well as practically unavoidable, it is recommended that all factor analysis problems be carried out with tetrachoric correlations. While no one would want to obtain the constant error factors by factor analysis (difficulty being more easily obtained by counting passes), their importance for test construction is pointed out.
Closure of a Ventricular Septal Defect through the Aortic Valve: A Note of Caution Regarding Resultant Narrowing of the Aortic Valve Annulus

Closure of ventricular septal defects through the aortic valve annulus has been described for a variety of cardiac anomalies. This technique is most appropriate when simultaneous aortic valve replacement is anticipated. A continuous suture through the patch material may produce a purse-string effect upon the aortic valve annulus. The appropriate size of the aortic valve prosthesis should be determined after the closure of the ventricular septal defect is completed to avoid selecting one which may be too large.
Dynamics and Instabilities of Planar Tensile Cracks in Heterogeneous Media

The dynamics of tensile crack fronts restricted to advance in a plane are studied. In an ideal linear elastic medium, a propagating mode along the crack front with a velocity slightly less than the Rayleigh wave velocity, is found to exist. But the dependence of the effective fracture toughness $\ensuremath{\gamma}(v)$ on the crack velocity is shown to destabilize the crack front if $\frac{d\ensuremath{\gamma}}{\mathrm{dv}}l0$. Short wavelength radiation due to weak random heterogeneities tends to lead to this instability at low velocities. The implications of these results for the crack dynamics are discussed.
Correlates of school-day physical activity in preschool students.

This study examined the relationship among sex, body mass index, motor skill competence (MSC), perceived physical competence (PPC), and school-day physical activity in preschool students (N = 34). Physical activity was assessed by steps accumulated during the school day, while MSC and PPC were assessed with the Test of Gross Motor Development–2nd edition (Ulrich, 2000) and the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance (Harter & Pike, 1984). Regression analyses revealed that preschool students' locomotor ability accounted for 21% (p = .007) of the variance associated with school-day physical activity. The findings support an association between participants' ability to locomote and be physically active. The findings warrant future investigations to examine the relationship between locomotor skills and physical activity behaviors.
Density Stratification Effects in Sand-Bed Rivers

In this paper the effects of density stratification in sand-bed rivers are studied by the application of a model of vertical velocity and concentration profiles, coupled through the use of a turbulence closure that retains the buoyancy terms. By making the governing equations dimensionless, it is revealed that the slope is the additional dimensionless parameter introduced by inclusion of the buoyancy terms. The primary new finding is that in general density stratification effects tend to be greater in large, low-slope rivers than in their smaller, steeper brethren. Under high flow conditions the total suspended load and size distribution of suspended sediment can be significantly affected by density stratification, and should be accounted for in any general theory of suspended transport.
Regularization for designing spectral matched filter target detectors

This paper describes a new adaptive spectral matched filter that incorporates the idea of regularization (shrinkage) to penalize and shrink the filter coefficients to a range of values. The regularization has the effect of restricting the possible matched filters (models) to a subset which are more stable and have better performance than the non-regularized adaptive spectral matched filters. The effect of regularization depends on the form of the regularization term and the amount of regularization is controlled by so called regularization coefficient. In this paper the sum-of-squares of the filter coefficients is used as the regularization term and several different values for the regularization coefficient are tested. A Bayesian-based derivation of the regularized matched filter is also provided. Experimental results for detecting targets in hyperspectral imagery are presented for regularized and non-regularized spectral matched filters.