cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hairy and Downy Woodpecker Attacks on Cocoons of Urban Hyalophora cecropia and Other Saturniids (Lepidoptera)

Observations in the field and experiments with a caged bird show that both the downy and hairy woodpeckers prey upon cecropia pupae, Hyalophora cecropia (L.), leaving an injury which is indistinguishable from that found on cocoons collected in Champaign and Urbana, Illinois. Cocoons of H. promethea (Drury) and Antheraea polyphemus (Cramer) may show similar injuries.
Urquhart's and Garfield's laws: the British controversy over their validity

The British controversy over the validity of Urquhart's and Garfield's Laws during the 1970s constitutes an important episode in the formulation of the probability structure of human knowledge. This controversy took place within the historical context of the convergence of two scientific revolutions-the bibliometric and the biometric-that had been launched in Britain. The preceding decades had witnessed major breakthroughs in understanding the probability distributions underlying the use of human knowledge. Two of the most important of these breakthroughs were the laws posited by Donald J. Urquhart and Eugene Garfield, who played major roles in establishing the institutional bases of the bibliometric revolution. For his part, Urquhart began his realization of S. C. Bradford's concept of a national science library by analyzing the borrowing of journals on interlibrary loan from the Science Museum Library in 1956. He found that 10% of the journals accounted for 80% of the loans and formulated Urquhart's Law, by which the interlibrary use of a journal is a measure of its total use. This law underlay the operations of the National Lending Library for Science and Technology (NLLST), which Urquhart founded. The NLLST became the British Library Lending Division (BLLD) and ultimately the British Library Document Supply Centre (BLDSC). In contrast, Garfield did a study of 1969 journal citations as part of the process of creating the Science Citation Index (SCI), formulating his Law of Concentration, by which the bulk of the information needs in science can be satisfied by a relatively small, multidisciplinary core of journals. This law became the operational principle of the Institute for Scientific Information created by Garfield. A study at the BLLD under Urquhart's successor, Maurice B. Line, found low correlations of NLLST use with SCI citations, and publication of this study started a major controversy, during which both laws were called into question. The study was based on the faulty use of the Spearman rank-correlation coefficient, and the controversy over it was instrumental in causing B. C. Brookes to investigate bibliometric laws as probabilistic phenomena and begin to link the bibliometric with the biometric revolution. This paper concludes with a resolution of the controversy by means of a statistical technique that incorporates Brookes' criticism of the Spearman rank-correlation method and demonstrates the mutual supportiveness of the two laws.
Media Effectiveness in a Malaysian Park System

Abstract The effectiveness of three media formats (guides, booklets, and signs) were compared for use on a nature trail at Kinabalu Park, Malaysia. Based on a multiple-choice, cognitive test taken by 1,194 visitors, the guide treatment scores were significantly higher than the other media treatments. There was no difference between booklet and sign treatments, and all the media treatments scored higher than the control group (F 3,1190 = 173.76, α = .05). A second experiment compared only booklet and sign media. There was still no difference in effectiveness (Paired t test, t = 0.22, df = 566, p □ .05). The first language and educational backgrounds of visitors influenced media effectiveness. However, age, sex, residence, interest level, prior knowledge, and prior park visitation did not influence the relatively great effectiveness of the guide treatment. Other factors, such as cost, time, and numbers served, may justify use of media formats other than guides.
Keynote address: the scientific basis of the present and future practice of clinical radiotherapy

At mid-century radiotherapy was more an art than a science, but is presently based on radiobiological parameters and cell kinetics. This close interaction between basic scientific principles and clinical practice has been made possible because one can correlate quantitatively doses of irradiation with observed responses. First, a short historical review will be made because it gives a perspective for the understanding both of progress made and prevailing misconceptions. The important radiobiological parameters and cell kinetics will then be discussed in some detail to demonstrate that they should be thoroughly understood in their relationship to radiotherapy. The overall treatment planning must be based on the clinical applications of the main radiobiological parameters. The combined treatment with surgery, either pre- or postoperatively, and multiple daily fractionations will be used as examples. The teaching of radiobiology should be considerably expanded, not only for its own scientific merit but also to show how it applies to clinical situations. This should be reflected in the expansion of the board examination.
The role of cerebral amyloid β accumulation in common forms of Alzheimer disease

For approximately 80 years following Alzheimer's description of the disease that bears his name, a gulf divided researchers who believed that extracellular deposits of the amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide were pathogenic from those who believed that the deposits were secondary detritus. Since 1990, the discoveries of missense mutations in the Abeta peptide precursor (APP) and the APP-cleaving enzyme presenilin 1 (PS1) have enabled much progress in understanding the molecular, cellular, and tissue pathology of the aggregates that accumulate in the interstices of the brains of patients with autosomal dominant familial Alzheimer disease (AD). Clarification of the molecular basis of common forms of AD has been more elusive. The central questions in common AD focus on whether cerebral and cerebrovascular Abeta accumulation is (a) a final neurotoxic pathway, common to all forms of AD; (b) a toxic by-product of an independent primary metabolic lesion that, by itself, is also neurotoxic; or (c) an inert by-product of an independent primary neurotoxic reaction. Antiamyloid medications are entering clinical trials so that researchers can evaluate whether abolition of cerebral amyloidosis can mitigate, treat, or prevent the dementia associated with common forms of AD. Successful development of antiamyloid medications is critical for elucidating the role of Abeta in common AD.
SOCIAL SCIENCE PERSPECTIVES ON WIFE ABUSE: Current Debates and Future Directions

Two major social science perspectives on wife abuse have emerged in the last decade. One is a family violence perspective; the other is a feminist perspective. The purpose of this article is to compare the basic premises, methodology, and conclusions of these two perspectives with respect to their views of women and gender. The perspectives differ in the priority that they assign to gender as a factor in the abuse of women by husbands and male intimates, and these differences have implications for research and policy on wife abuse. I argue that the feminist perspective portrays the realities of battering more accurately, and I conclude with directions for future research.
Altered expression of tissue remodeling genes in a mouse model of acute allergic rhinitis

Background: Osteogenesis, fibrosis, and scarring are prominent pathologic changes resulting from chronic sinonasal inflammation, and these tissue changes may increase the degree of disease symptomatology and the level of surgical difficulty. Members of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) families of cytokines and the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of endopeptidases are known to regulate tissue remodeling in other disease processes, but their role in acute and chronic sinonasal inflammation remains undefined. Methods: A previously described mouse model of acute allergic rhinitis secondary to Aspergillus fumigatis exposure in BALB/C mice was used. Intranasal challenge was performed 1 week following intraperitoneal sensitization with A. fumigatis extract and mice were sacrificed 6 hours (n = 8) and 24 hours (n = 8) later. Additional mice were intranasally challenged 3 times per week and sacrificed at the end of 7 days (n = 8) and 21 days (n = 8). The snouts were processed for quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and compared to untreated controls for messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of BMP1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8a, 8b, 9, 10, FGF1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and MMP1a, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 14. Additional 21-day-old mice were prepared for sinonasal histopathology. Control mice were treated with the same protocol, with intraperitoneal phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and intranasal PBS substituted for A. fumigatis extract. Untreated mice were used for additional comparison. Results: Compared to both the PBS-treated and untreated control groups, statistically significant (p < 0.05) upregulation of MMP8 was observed in the 6-hour time point. Significant downregulation of MMP8 was observed at 1 week. Significant upregulation of FGF3 was observed at 1 week (p < 0.05). BMP3 and BMP5 were significantly downregulated in the 1-week group (p < 0.05). The mice exhibited histologic sinonasal changes consistent with allergic inflammation. Conclusion: Intranasal exposure to A. fumigatis results in altered expression of several tissue remodeling cytokines at varying time points in the acute allergic rhinitis mouse model. These changes in cytokine regulation may subsequently contribute to sinonasal osteogenesis, scarring, and fibrosis as seen in chronic rhinosinusitis. © 2011 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
A Quantitative Comparison of Human HT-1080 Fibrosarcoma Cells and Primary Human Dermal Fibroblasts Identifies a 3D Migration Mechanism with Properties Unique to the Transformed Phenotype

Here, we describe an engineering approach to quantitatively compare migration, morphologies, and adhesion for tumorigenic human fibrosarcoma cells (HT-1080s) and primary human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) with the aim of identifying distinguishing properties of the transformed phenotype. Relative adhesiveness was quantified using self-assembled monolayer (SAM) arrays and proteolytic 3-dimensional (3D) migration was investigated using matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels (“synthetic extracellular matrix” or “synthetic ECM”). In synthetic ECM, hDFs were characterized by vinculin-containing features on the tips of protrusions, multipolar morphologies, and organized actomyosin filaments. In contrast, HT-1080s were characterized by diffuse vinculin expression, pronounced β1-integrin on the tips of protrusions, a cortically-organized F-actin cytoskeleton, and quantitatively more rounded morphologies, decreased adhesiveness, and increased directional motility compared to hDFs. Further, HT-1080s were characterized by contractility-dependent motility, pronounced blebbing, and cortical contraction waves or constriction rings, while quantified 3D motility was similar in matrices with a wide range of biochemical and biophysical properties (including collagen) despite substantial morphological changes. While HT-1080s were distinct from hDFs for each of the 2D and 3D properties investigated, several features were similar to WM239a melanoma cells, including rounded, proteolytic migration modes, cortical F-actin organization, and prominent uropod-like structures enriched with β1-integrin, F-actin, and melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM/CD146/MUC18). Importantly, many of the features observed for HT-1080s were analogous to cellular changes induced by transformation, including cell rounding, a disorganized F-actin cytoskeleton, altered organization of focal adhesion proteins, and a weakly adherent phenotype. Based on our results, we propose that HT-1080s migrate in synthetic ECM with functional properties that are a direct consequence of their transformed phenotype.
Scanner tags, comic book piracy and participatory culture

To learn more about the motivations of individuals who scan and distribute comic books, this study reports findings from a content analysis of 389 scanner tags extracted from comic books posted on the torrent network Pirate Bay. Coded according to four categories linked to the literature on comic fandom and participatory culture, tags were analyzed in terms of recognition, aesthetic style, textual signifiers , and visual signifiers . Though comic book pirates seek recognition from their peers, they are primarily concerned with focusing attention on their favorite fandoms. This study challenges the view that digital piracy should necessarily be interpreted as a form of cultural resistance. The phenomenon of comic book scanning makes more sense when understood as a manifestation of fan behavior. Comic book pirates are more fans than revolutionaries.
Effects of some stimulus probes upon negatively accelerated conditioned suppression responding

The stability of negatively accelerated response rates during a preshock stimulus was assessed with neutral tone and shock probes and through manipulations of the temporal parameters of the preshock stimulus. The results suggest that these typical response patterns during a preshock stimulus depend upon an intact preshock stimulus-shock relationship and that an inhibition of delay interpretation of such behavior may be inappropriate.
Consideration in experimental assessment of effectiveness factors for porous heterogeneous catalysts with nonuniformly distributed active sites

Abstract It is shown that the conventional experimental approach for assessing effectiveness factor by measuring catalytic rates over particles of different degrees of subdivision (but with conditions otherwise the same) can be used only with careful circumspection when catalytically active material is nonuniformly distributed within porous carrier materials. In particular, failure of subdivision to affect measured specific rates or rate constants (per unit mass) does not necessarily imply unity effectiveness factor when the distribution of active sites is nonuniform. It is shown how such particle size-activity tests can lead to an erroneous conclusion of negligible diffusional effects in cases where diffusional effects are actually quite large. In order to obtain the needed information as to diffusional effects, the subdivision experiments must be continued to the extent that the smallest particle sizes investigated are smaller than the size of the concentrated domains of active material within the original porous catalytic body. It is also shown how the pattern of specific activity as a function of particle size may actually be employed to suggest to the experimenter when he is dealing with inhomogeneous catalytic particles.
Age of Basalt underlying Bed I, Olduvai

THE age of 1.75 million years obtained by us for early man at Olduvai Gorge has been questioned by von Koenigswald, Gentner and Lippolt on the basis of their determination of an age of 1.3 million years for the basalt underlying the strata containing the hominid remains.
PdSiO2: I. In situ X-ray diffraction studies during treatment and hydrogenolysis

Simple techniques for studies of X-ray diffraction from PdSiO2 catalysts during catalytic reactions are reported here. The catalytic activity of PdSiO2 of low percentage metal exposed for methylcyclopropane hydrogenolysis at 0 °C is less for catalyst cooled from 450 °C in H2 than for that cooled in He. This effect appears to result from differing amounts of hydride formation. Ease of formation of hydride decreases with decreasing Pd particle size. Exposing the catalysts with Dh = 13.8 and 29.3% to hydrogen at ~25 °C results in nearly complete conversion of particles of Pd to hydride. Purging with helium (even at 0 °C) reconverts the hydride to palladium, but this reconversion exhibits an induction period; hydride formation is more rapid. Passing hydrogen plus methylcyclopropane results in the conversion into hydride of a substantial fraction of catalyst particles originally present as palladium. The palladium hydride particles of catalyst produced by cooling from 450 °C in H2 remain as PdH0.7 during the hydrogenolysis reaction. The lattice parameter of palladium particles is indistinguishable from that of bulk palladium, at least for particle diameters ≥45 A.
Liberating the Germans: The US Army and Looting in Germany during the Second World War

As the US Army drove deep into Germany in early 1945, American soldiers looted civilian possessions on a large scale. While GIs did take items in Allied countries, what occurred in Germany was different and more extensive. Servicemen justified their actions by claiming wartime necessity, opportunities for profit or trade, keepsakes, and revenge for Nazi atrocities. Researching Americans looting in Germany provides the full narrative of war’s end, and troops’ interaction with a public that was still considered the enemy. Drawing on memoirs, journals, letters, interviews, and official US Army documents, this work seeks to extrapolate the reasons why GIs looted, while outlining the motivations of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force to stop such actions.
Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma preoperative treatment with Depo- Lupron and Megace

A 46-year-old women presented with an inoperable low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma. Two doses of Depo-Lupron, 7.5 mg, and Megace, 160 mg/day, were given to control uterine bleeding and shrink the tumor mass. In 9 weeks, significant reduction in the tumor occurred allowing for surgical resection. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is the mainstay for primary treatment. The role of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy is poorly defined. This is a case report of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy which may improve outcomes in patients with endometrial stromal sarcomas. Additional research is needed to define the exact role of these agents.
In vitro activity of SK&F 104662, a new glycopeptide antibiotic.

Abstract The in vitro activity of SK&F 104662, a new glycopeptide antibiotic, against gram-positive bacteria was evaluated. Activity was comparable to those of teicoplanin and vancomycin against most organisms. SK&F 104662 inhibited diphtheroids at concentrations of less than or equal to 0.5 microgram/ml. Addition of human serum to the test medium lowered the inhibitory activity of this glycopeptide against some organisms by as much as eightfold.
Deformable mirror device based 4x4 fiber optic crossbar switch

The deformable mirror device (DMD) is a spatial light modulator . that offers both amplitude and phase modulation. The DMD is built on a silicon substrate and consists of small mirror elements (pixels) suspended above addressing electrodes via one or more small hinge. The pixels are deflected by electrostatic attraction created by applying a potential difference between the mirror element and addressing electrode.1 Both area array and linear DMDs have been built and been used in several areas.2-4
Enzymatic methemoglobin reduction - effect of organic phosphate

Abstract The enzymatic reduction of aquomethemoglobin A, A1C, fluoro-methemoglobin A (high spin) and cyanomethemoglobin A (low spin) by NADH-methemoglobin reductase was studied in the presence and absence of IHP and NaCl. It is shown that at alkaline pH, IHP accelerates the rate of reduction of high spin methemoglobins only. This effect is specific for IHP and cannot be produced by NaCl, although NaCl does exert similar effect as IHP at acid pH. Blocking of the NH2- termini of β-chains (Hb A1C) does not alter the effect of IHP on methemoglobin reduction.
Comparative Production of Larrea Divaricata Cav. on Three Geomorphic Surfaces in Southern New Mexico

Net above—ground productivity was measured for 3 years on creosotebush (Larrea Divaricata Cav.) occuring on three different geomorphic surfaces. Rates of stem elongation, fruit production, flower production, and accumulation of secondary wood were ascertained for each of the geomorphic surfaces. Growth rates varied among plants of the different surfaces, but when the net production of stands were compared, rates for the surfaces were remarkably similar. Statistically significant differences were present in both growth and net productivity between years. Creosotebush seems to have a great capacity for adjusting to sites of broad ecological amplitude with no apparent effect upon its ability to fix energy. See full-text article at JSTOR
Cause of vocal fold scar.

Purpose of reviewThe prolonged debilitation, loss of income, and decrement in quality of life caused by vocal fold scar is exacerbated by our inability to successfully treat this difficult problem. As technology focuses on developing innovative treatments, we need to fully appreciate and understand
Physical and Thermal Analysis of the Degradation of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-4-Hydroxybutyrate) Coated Paper in a Constructed Soil Medium

The degradation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-4HB)) coated brown Kraft paper and its components in a constructed soil environment was investigated. Soil burial tests were carried out over 8 weeks. Weight loss measurements, photographic analysis, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were conducted to assess the physical, structural, mechanical and thermal behavior before and after the soil burial test. Paper showed the highest physical degradation and weight loss. With respect to the control samples, the stiffness of the partially degraded samples decreased. The overall crystallinity of the biopolymer and the coated paper was affected significantly by burial. The pure biopolymer’s weight loss was substantially enhanced when coated on paper. This result reveals a possible increased microbial population in the coated paper relative to the pure biopolymer.
THE MORALITY OF THE PERSIAN GULF WAR: POLITICAL REALITIES AND LEGAL INTERPRETATIONS

The January 1991 Persian Gulf War and U.S.-led coalition's resort to overt military conflict against Iraq fueled the debate on the utility and relevance of the just war tradition. Assessing realities surrounding the war's circumstances, we show that a) some criteria of just war theory (jus ad bellum) cannot be easily or fully satisfied, b) new political realities and multinational strategic interests can be incorporated within just war doctrine without depriving the latter of its perennial norms, and c) although U.N. involvement was critical to satisfy the legitimate authority requirement of just war doctrine, sovereign states acted largely independently of U.N. supervision. Our analysis questions some of the moral and practical uncertainties of the just war tradition and encourages ways to reconcile this rich tradition with new political and legal realities.
Nonlinear Trajectory of GFR in Children before RRT

GFR decline in patients with CKD has been widely approximated using linear models, but this linearity assumption is not well validated. We conducted a matched case-control study in children from the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) cohort ages 1-16 years with mild to moderate CKD to assess whether GFR decline follows a nonlinear trajectory as CKD approaches ESRD. Children (n=125) who initiated RRT (cases) during follow-up were individually matched by CKD stage at baseline and glomerular/nonglomerular diagnosis with children (n=125) who remained RRT-free when the corresponding case initiated RRT (controls). GFR trajectories were compared using log-linear and piecewise log-linear mixed effects models adjusted for baseline characteristics. From study entry to 18 months before RRT, GFR declined 7% faster among cases compared with controls. However, GFR declined 26% faster among cases compared with controls (P<0.001) during the 18 months before RRT. Nonlinearity in the rate of kidney function loss, which was shown in this cohort, may preclude accurate clinical prediction of the timing of RRT and adequate patient preparation. This study should prompt the characterization of predictive factors that may contribute to an acceleration of kidney function decline.
An Integrated Approach to Transforming the City Ecosystem

Cities are complex ecosystems, they rely on multiple stakeholders and core systems to provide wide-ranging services for citizens and businesses. As such, ecosystem thinking and modeling is crucial to understanding and transforming cities. Existing literature, such as Systems Dynamics and Urban Ecosystems, offers useful insights into the subject, but it has significant limitations in effectiveness, reliability and scope. To address the knowledge gap, a holistic and integrated approach is proposed, drawing upon IBM's proven and emerging methods, notably Component Business Modeling (CBM) and Actionable Business Architecture (ABA). The new approach intends to represent the whole business of city ecosystem, unveil dependencies among constituent parts and facilitate integration from strategy to operations and technologies. Its first outcomes were made available as a strategy and transformation capability in the Smarter Cities portfolio. Further research is planned and its potential contributions to theory and practice are explained.
Compositional System Security with Interface-Confined Adversaries

This paper presents a formal framework for compositional reasoning about secure systems. A key insight is to view a trusted system in terms of the interfaces that the various components expose: larger trusted components are built by combining interface calls in known ways; the adversary is confined to the interfaces it has access to, but may combine interface calls without restriction. Compositional reasoning for such systems is based on an extension of rely-guarantee reasoning for system correctness [Misra, J. and K.M. Chandy, Proofs of networks of processes, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 7 (1981), pp. 417-426; Jones, C.B., Tentative steps toward a development method for interfering programs, ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems (TOPLAS) 5 (1983), pp. 596-619] to a setting that involves an adversary whose exact program is not known. At a technical level, the paper presents an expressive concurrent programming language with recursive functions for modeling interfaces and a logic of programs in which compositional reasoning principles are formalized and proved sound with respect to trace semantics. The methods are illustrated through a small fragment of an idealized file system.
In vitro methionine oxidation of escherichia coli‐derived human stem cell factor: Effects on the molecular structure, biological activity, and dimerization

The effect of oxidation of the methionine residues of Escherichia coli-derived recombinant human stem cell factor (huSCF) to methionine sulfoxide on the structure and activity of SCF was examined. Oxidation was performed using hydrogen peroxide under acidic conditions (pH 5.0). The kinetics of oxidation of the individual methionine residues was determined by quantitation of oxidized and unoxidized methionine-containing peptides, using RP-HPLC of Asp-N endoproteinase digests. The initial oxidation rates for Met159, Met-1, Met27, Met36, and Met48 were 0.11 min-1, 0.098 min-1, 0.033 min-1, 0.0063 min-1, and 0.00035 min-1, respectively, when SCF was incubated in 0.5% H2O2 at room temperature. Although oxidation of these methionines does not affect the secondary structure of SCF, the oxidation of Met36 and Met48 affects the local structure as indicated by CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. The 295-nm Trp peak in the near-UV CD is decreased upon oxidation of Met36, and lost completely following the oxidation of Met48, indicating that the Trp44 environment is becoming significantly less rigid than it is in native SCF. Consistent with this result, the fluorescence spectra revealed that Trp44 becomes more solvent exposed as the methionines are oxidized, with the hydrophobicity of the Trp44 environment decreasing significantly. The oxidations of Met36 and Met48 decrease biological activity by 40% and 60%, respectively, while increasing the dissociation rate constant of SCF dimer by two- and threefold. These results imply that the oxidation of Met36 and Met48 affects SCF dimerization and tertiary structure, and decreases biological activity.
Interface stability and defect formation during crystal growth

Unidirectional solidification experiments have been carried out in organic crystals with the aim of improving our knowledge on the effects of constraints on the interface morphology and to increase our understanding of the growth of anisotropic materials. The experimental information shows that lateral constraints such as a sharp change in the cross-sectional area in the solid liquid interface path, can produce important changes in the microstructure if the interface morphology is planar, cellular or dendritic. The study of anisotropic materials cover several topics. It is first shown that slight anisotropy does not influence the dendrite tip selection criterion. This conclusion is obtained from the analysis of the relationship between tip radius and velocity for dendrites growing under the steady state condition for two different materials, CBr{sub 4} and C{sub 2}Cl{sub 6}, which have different surface energy anisotropy values. The values of the dendrite operating parameters {sigma}* are compared with the predictions of the solvability theory and the morphological stability theory. The experiments show better agreement with the latter theory. Critical experiments have been designed and carried out to find the response functions which determine the composition and temperature of the interface as a function of velocity in faceted materials. The more » experiments, carried out in Napthalene-Camphor system, indicate a strong temperature dependence of the planar interface growth which can be correlated with the step growth mechanism. Experiments on the interface instability show an important dependence on the crystallographic orientation. Unidirectional solidification experiments in zone refined Napthalene confined in very thin cells (gap size {le} 50 {mu}m) have proven to be a good method to study the defect production at the solid liquid interface. 118 refs., 90 figs., 5 tabs. « less
Oxime cross-linked injectable hydrogels for catheter delivery

Catheter delivery of therapeutic materials is important for developing minimally invasive treatment approaches. However, the majority of injectable materials gel rapidly upon mixing and/or heating to body temperature. The application of an oxime cross-linked hydrogel system is demonstrated. The system has a broad range of tunable gelation rates, is capable of injection through a catheter, and exhibits rapid gelation upon injection into tissue.
Effects of brightness differences on the Panum phenomenon.

Summary.-The Panum phenomenon requires presentation of 2 laterally displaced vertical parallel lines to one eye and a single vectical line to the other eye which gives rise to only 2 lines in the stereoscopic field with one of the lines appearing closer to the observer. The purpose of our experiment was to determine if stereoscopic depth perception would arise from spatially disparate Panum targets when the lines differed in brightness from each other. The present findings indicate that Panum targets which carry both a spatial disparity and a brightness difference give rise to stereoscopic depth perception.
In Vivo IL-10 Production Reactivates Chronic Pulmonary Tuberculosis in C57BL/6 Mice

The production of immunosuppressive cytokines, such as IL-10 and TGF-beta, has been documented in individuals diagnosed with active tuberculosis. In addition, IL-10 production is increased within the lungs of mice that have chronic mycobacterial infection. Therefore, we hypothesized that the down-regulatory properties of IL-10 might contribute to the reactivation of chronic Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice. To determine the influence of IL-10 on the course of infection, transgenic mice producing increased amounts of IL-10 under the control of the IL-2 promotor were infected with M. tuberculosis via the respiratory route. Mice that overexpressed IL-10 showed no increase in susceptibility during the early stages of infection, but during the chronic phase of the infection showed evidence of reactivation tuberculosis with a highly significant increase in bacterial numbers within the lungs. Reactivation was associated with the formation of macrophage-dominated lesions, decreased mRNA production for TNF and IL-12p40, and a decrease in Ag-specific IFN-gamma secretion. These data support the hypothesis that IL-10 plays a pivotal role during the chronic/latent stage of pulmonary tuberculosis, with increased production playing a potentially central role in promoting reactivation tuberculosis.
The Stereochemistry of Allenic Enol Tautomerism – Independent Generation and Reactivity of the Enolates

A priori, allenic enolates as reaction intermediates may be protonated to afford (Z)- or (E)-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl products. The allenic enolates are tautomeric with α-vinylcarbanions. The literature on the behavior of these species on protonation is highly varied both in stereochemical outcome and in mechanistic interpretation. The current study has provided an independent mode of generation of the allenic enolates and has investigated the reaction stereochemistry of protonation to afford the stereoisomeric α,β-unsaturated carbonyl products. Under kinetic conditions, these highly reactive species are protonated in the α,β-π plane with preference (E) to the larger β group. Under thermodynamic conditions, addition/elimination equilibrates the two product stereoisomers. The kinetic protonation stereochemistry is a function of solvent, proton donor, and donor concentration. Computations serve to clarify the reaction mechanism. It was found that the stereochemistry of ketonization of allenic enolates follows the reaction course suggested as possible some decades earlier and common to less unique enolates. Additionally, the linear versus the bent enolate structure proves to depend on the countercation.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Operating Modes and Dynamic Range of Active Space-Fed Arrays With Digital Beamforming

Narrow band space-fed (lens) scanning arrays have played a major role in many military and commercial applications. However, wider bandwidth space-fed arrays with phase shifters in the objective aperture, and subarrayed time delay have not found many ready applications because of network losses, complexity, and more recently because of a perceived incompatibility with active solid state module technology. This paper demonstrates that a feed array with transmit/receive (T/R) modules and digitally reconfigured control, can accommodate both narrow band and radiation with relatively efficient use of the active sources
CONTRACT: Incorporating Coordination into the IP Network Control Plane

This paper presents the CONTRACT framework to address a fundamental deficiency of the IP network control plane, namely the lack of coordination between an IGP and other control functions involved in achieving a high level objective. For example, an IGP’s default automatic reaction to a network failure may result in an SLA violation, even if the IGP link weights have been carefully chosen. This is because an IGP blindly routes traffic along the shortest paths based on link weights, and it is completely oblivious to the interactions between SLA compliance, load balancing and traffic policing objectives in a network. The CONTRACT framework makes it possible to coordinate these objectives. Under this framework, routers continue to operate autonomously, but they also coordinate their actions with a centralized network controller, which evaluates the impact of routing changes, decides whether the changes are SLA compliant, and performs load rebalancing and/or packet filter reconfiguration as necessary. The key contribution of CONTRACT is a set of coordination algorithms. We show that CONTRACT can effectively coordinate the actions of routing, load balancing and traffic policing to improve a network’s SLA compliance.
Protegrin-1 orientation and physicochemical properties in membrane bilayers studied by potential of mean force calculations.

Protegrin-1 (PG-1) belongs to the family of antimicrobial peptides. It interacts specifically with the membrane of a pathogen and kills the pathogen by releasing its cellular contents. To fully understand the energetics governing the orientation of PG-1 in different membrane environments and its effects on the physicochemical properties of the peptide and membrane bilayers, we have performed the potential of mean force (PMF) calculations as a function of its tilt angle at four distinct rotation angles in explicit membranes composed of either DLPC (1,2-dilauroylphosphatidylcholine) or POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine) lipid molecules. The resulting PMFs in explicit lipid bilayers were then used to search for the optimal hydrophobic thickness of the EEF1/IMM1 implicit membrane model in which a two-dimensional PMF in the tilt and rotation space was calculated. The PMFs in explicit membrane systems clearly reveal that the energetically favorable tilt angle is affected by both the membrane hydrophobic thickness and the PG-1 rotation angle. Local thinning of the membrane around PG-1 is observed upon PG-1 tilting. The thinning is caused by both hydrophobic mismatch and arginine-lipid head group interactions. The two-dimensional PMF in the implicit membrane is in good accordance with those from the explicit membrane simulations. The ensemble-averaged Val16 15N and 13CO chemical shifts weighted by the two-dimensional PMF agree fairly well with the experimental values, suggesting the importance of peptide dynamics in calculating such ensemble properties for direct comparison with experimental observables. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010
Role of G Proteins in α1-Adrenergic Inhibition of the β-Adrenergically Activated Chloride Current in Cardiac Myocytes

SUMMARY a1-Adrenergic receptor stimulation can inhibit the Cl 2 current activated by b-adrenergic receptor agonists in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. We investigated the role of G proteins in mediating this type of a-adrenergic response. The combined aand b-adrenergic agonist norepinephrine (NE) activated the Cl 2 current with an EC50 value of 53 nM. Preincubation of myocytes with PTX decreased the EC50 value for NE activation of the Cl 2 current to 5.9 nM, and addition of the a1-adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin did not cause any further change in sensitivity to NE. These results suggest that the a1-adrenergic inhibition of b-adrenergic responses is mediated through a PTXsensitive G protein. However, PTX pretreatment also increased the sensitivity of the Cl 2 current to the selective b-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (Iso), which indicates that the PTX treatment increases the sensitivity to b-adrenergic stimulation alone and that this could account for the PTX-induced change in sensitivity to NE. Consistent with this idea, the selective a1adrenergic receptor agonist methoxamine was still able to inhibit the Cl 2 current activated by Iso in PTX-treated myocytes. However, the sensitivity to methoxamine was significantly decreased. In control cells, the Cl 2 current activated by 30 nM Iso was inhibited by methoxamine with an EC50 value of 8.3 mM, but in PTX-treated cells, the EC50 value was 284 mM. The EC50 for methoxamine inhibition was similarly increased when the Cl 2 current was activated by 300 nM Iso. These data suggest that the effects of PTX on a1-adrenergic responses can actually be explained by changes in the sensitivity to b-adrenergic stimulation. To verify the role for a G protein in mediating the inhibitory a1-adrenergic response, we examined the effect of methoxamine on the Cl 2 current activated in cells dialyzed with the nonhydrolyzable GTP analogue guanosine-59-O-(3-thio)triphosphate. Pre-exposure to methoxamine resulted in an attenuated response upon subsequent exposure to Iso alone. We conclude that a1-adrenergic inhibition of b-adrenergic responses is mediated by a G protein-dependent mechanism that appears to be PTX-insensitive.
CENTRIFUGE RESEARCH OF COUNTERMEASURES TO PROTECT PILE FOUNDATIONS AGAINST LIQUEFACTION-INDUCED LATERAL SPREADING

Repeated experience of foundation and superstructural damage during earthquakes associated with ground failure and liquefaction, have shown the importance of lateral spreading and especially of the presence of a shallow nonliquefiable soil layer as a cause of damage. Typically such strong nonliquefiable layer or crust, riding on the liquefiable soil where the lateral spread actually occurs, pushes laterally against the piles and pile cap, inducing large lateral forces, deformations and bending in the foundation. The effects depend on the free field deformation, characteristics of the nonliquefiable layer and foundation, and characteristics of the superstructure. For an existing pile foundation, the first step is to verify if the pile foundation has enough stiffness and strength to resist the soil lateral forces, and especially the passive thrust applied by the nonliquefiable layer, with acceptable foundation displacement and rotation and no damage to the foundation elements, in which case no countermeasur...
COGNITIVE DYNAMICS OF DISTRIBUTED TEAMS PERFORMING DYNAMIC, COMPLEX TASKS

Traditional team training is conducted by physically co-locating students and accessing a common system. This method of training involves bringing the entire team to where the system is located. This can be made more efficient by allowing students to remotely access these systems from their duty station. However, the effects of conducting training in this distributed manner have not been investigated. This study identifies task and cognitive performance decrements of distributed teams. Teams of three people were trained on a complex, dynamic task and performed several scenarios. The key variable of interest was whether teams were seated next to each other (co-located) or were in separate spaces (distributed). Task performance metrics were collected, along with measures of workload, communications, and team cohesion. Results demonstrate that all teams had similar mission outcomes, but distributed teams reported higher team workload, lower group integration, and increased communications. This suggests that the act of distributing a team will impact training, but these impacts may not all be negative. Improvements to distributed training environments should be developed to increase performance and reduce workload in distributed teams.
SPECIES INTRODUCTIONS AND THEIR ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES: AN EXAMPLE WITH CONGENERIC SUNFISH

Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) and redear sunfish (L. microlophus) are sister species with largely allopatric native ranges. For purposes of sport fishery enhancement, redear have been introduced into lakes of southern Michigan, and as a result, a large zone of artificial sympatry of pumpkinseed and redear has been created. Redear and, to a lesser extent, pumpkinseed are morphologically and behaviorally specialized molluscivores, and we hypothesized that introduced redear would have strong negative effects on pumpkinseed due to competition for snails, which are each species' main adult resource. Specifically, we predicted that redear would reduce snail availability, alter pumpkinseed diet, and reduce pumpkinseed growth and density. To examine these predictions, we surveyed pumpkinseed diets, growth, and densities, as well as snail availability in lakes with and without introduced redear. We also conducted a controlled field experiment (target–neighbor design) in which relative neighbor densities of each s...
Insights into the Activity and Substrate Binding of Xylella fastidiosa Polygalacturonase by Modification of a Unique QMK Amino Acid Motif Using Protein Chimeras

Polygalacturonases (EC 3.2.1.15) catalyze the random hydrolysis of 1, 4-alpha-D-galactosiduronic linkages in pectate and other galacturonans. Xylella fastidiosa possesses a single polygalacturonase gene, pglA (PD1485), and X. fastidiosa mutants deficient in the production of polygalacturonase are non-pathogenic and show a compromised ability to systemically infect grapevines. These results suggested that grapevines expressing sufficient amounts of an inhibitor of X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase might be protected from disease. Previous work in our laboratory and others have tried without success to produce soluble active X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase for use in inhibition assays. In this study, we created two enzymatically active X. fastidiosa / A. vitis polygalacturonase chimeras, AX1A and AX2A to explore the functionality of X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase in vitro. The AX1A chimera was constructed to specifically test if recombinant chimeric protein, produced in Escherichia coli, is soluble and if the X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase catalytic amino acids are able to hydrolyze polygalacturonic acid. The AX2A chimera was constructed to evaluate the ability of a unique QMK motif of X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase, most polygalacturonases have a R(I/L)K motif, to bind to and allow the hydrolysis of polygalacturonic acid. Furthermore, the AX2A chimera was also used to explore what effect modification of the QMK motif of X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase to a conserved RIK motif has on enzymatic activity. These experiments showed that both the AX1A and AX2A polygalacturonase chimeras were soluble and able to hydrolyze the polygalacturonic acid substrate. Additionally, the modification of the QMK motif to the conserved RIK motif eliminated hydrolytic activity, suggesting that the QMK motif is important for the activity of X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase. This result suggests X. fastidiosa polygalacturonase may preferentially hydrolyze a different pectic substrate or, alternatively, it has a different mechanism of substrate binding than other polygalacturonases characterized to date.
Challenging Cases in Robotic Radical Prostatectomy

Robotic surgeons are faced with an increasing array of complex clinical scenarios in the management of localized prostate cancer. With appropriate preparation and resource utilization, many of these “difficult cases” can be handled safely and efficiently. Securing obese patients adequately to the operating table and preventing port slippage is important in minimizing long case times and complications in these patients. In patients with large prostates, a well-developed posterior plane prior to bladder neck transection minimizes risk of injuring nearby structures. Use of a retraction suture or the fourth arm to elevate a median lobe can assist in patients with significant intravesical prostatic lobes. Bladder neck reconstruction may be necessary, and however be easily performed with lateral figure-of-eight stitches, which can also internalize the ureteral orifices. RARP can safely be performed in patients with prior bladder outlet, hernia, or multiple abdominal operations, although patients with prior TURP may have an increased risk of postoperative incontinence. An extended lymphadenectomy can be efficiently performed robotically, and increases prognostic and therapeutic yield of the operation without significantly increasing morbidity.