cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic response surface simulation and kinetic evaluation of n-BuLi initiated polystyrene utilizing population density distributions

Abstract Molecular distributions of macromolecular materials are currently described by lumped parameter models which require integration of complex, nonlinear functions for each degree of polymerization. Inasmuch as average degrees of polymerization for commercial polymers frequently are in the range of five thousand, a simulation of molar or mass distributions as a function of degree of polymerization and time is a difficult, but an achievable task. However, explicit, experimental utilization of molecular distribution data to update kinetic constants and to extensively test mechanisms utilizing current theoretical descriptions is, perhaps, insurmountable, or at least foolhardy. An alternate formulation, based on the Principle of Conservation of Population, is presented. This distributed parameter model is readily solved by the Method of Characteristics, yielding dynamic response surfaces. In fact, for n -butyl lithium initiated polymerizations of styrene, a single integration generates the ground curve which passes through the origin. Additional ground curves, are readily generated algebraically through translations along the degree of polymerization axis. The dependent variable, population density of carbanions, is described by a simple exponential time decay along a characteristic path. An algorithm incorporating the Method of Characteristics is presented for the distributed parameter model. Substantial theoretical simplifications and numerical cost savings are realized in simulating molecular response surfaces as functions of time and degree of polymerization. A second objective is to develop experimental and theoretical techniques that are amenable to the incorporation of molecular distribution data into kinetic analysis. The presented theoretical description yields relationships that are reducible to simple, graphical interpretations. Experimentally measured variables include initiator concentration, monomer concentration, and molecular distribution data. Experimental molar distributions for n -butyl lithium initiated styrene polymerizations are observed to correlate, allowing for the calculation of absolute rate constants. Frequency factors and activation energies for initiation, propagation and dimeric polystyryl anion association are: Activation energy Frequency factor Initiation 10,500 1·1 × 10 5 Propagation 2,000 3·1 × 10 2 Association −31,200 1·0 × 10 2 The unit for time is minutes, concentrations are molar, activation energies are expressed in calories/g mol, temperature is in o K and rates are mol/l/min.
EFFECT OF SPROUT INHIBITION ON THE LIPID COMPOSITION OF POTATOES

Maleic hydrazide (MH), a sprout inhibitor, was applied to potato plants in each of 2 yr. Tubers from these plants were examined for susceptibility to enzymatic discoloration and lipid content. Enzymatic darkening was greater, and both the crude lipid and phospholipid content lower, in tubers from plants treated with MH as compared with the controls. The fatty acid composition of the phospholipid fraction of MH-treated tubers exhibited a significant increase in saturated fatty acids and a decrease in unsaturated fatty acids. The exact mechanism of action of MH is unknown, but its effect on the lipid composition of tubers may be an important factor contributing to sprout inhibition. Since the lipid of the tuber is an important determinant of cellular integrity, the altered lipid composition resulting from treatment with MH may be an important factor contributing to the tuber's increased susceptibility to bruising and discoloration.
Milk utilization and the role of the Milk Marketing Boards

The extent to which the pattern of milk utilization in the United Kingdom differs from that in the rest of the European community is examined. There is, however, a distinct lack of variety in two sectors of the UK industry ― cheese and fresh products. The importance of the liquid milk market in the UK has been accepted as the principal justification for the continuation of the Milk Marketing Boards under EC law
Granulocytopenia and hemolytic anemia as complications of propylthiouracil therapy.

PROPYLTHIOURACIL is commonly used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism in adults and children. Reported toxic effects of PTU have included leukopenia and granulocytopenia , 1 bone marrow hypoplasia with pancytopeniai2, 3 hypoprothrombine mia,4 rheumatic syndromes with or without associated serum antinuclear antibody titers or positive lupus erythematosus cell preparations, 5-9 and splenomegaly. 9 We have seen no report of PTU-induced hemolytic anemia, the complication observed in the child described below.
An efficient approach to representation and simplification of complex networks

This paper describes an efficient approach to representation and analysis of complex networks. Typically, an n node system is represented by an nxn connection matrix. This paper presents a new connection matrix representation scheme that uses three fields; ''begin node'', ''end node'', and ''component id'' to represent each node in the network. The proposed approach to connection matrix representation is more concise than the nxn matrix, which is often sparsely populated. This paper also describes network simplification algorithm based on the revised connection matrix. The algorithm when applied to a large system with 55 tie-sets reduced the network to a single tie-set.
Temperature dependence of polymer field effect transistors

Abstract We present Field Effect Transistor (FET) data over a temperature range from 150 K to 350 K for the semiconducting polymer poly(3-octyl-thiophene) (P3OT). For all applied gate voltages, the channel conductivity follows a non-monotonic function of temperature whose maximum lies between 300 K and 320 K. These results agree with transport data from doped samples, as both cases show a conductivity maximum. We propose that the decrease in conductivity at high temperatures results from thermally induced internal disorder arising from sidechain melting, well known for P3OT in terms of the reversible thermochromic transition.
Spatial processing in the primate auditory cortex.

Spatial localization of auditory stimuli is dependent on the cerebral cortex, yet it remains unclear how cortical activity gives rise to spatial percepts. It has recently been proposed that spatial in
D.s.c., electrical conductivity, and n.m.r. studies of salt precipitation effects in PPO complexes

Differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.) and electrical conductivity measurements of poly(propylene oxide), PPO, complexed with the salts NaI and KSCN are reported. In addition, 23Na n.m.r. measurements on PPO-NaI (x = 8), both at ambient and elevated pressure (2 kbar), have been performed. The d.s.c. data clearly indicate that the salt precipitates out of the complexes at about 85°C for NaI and 60°C for KSCN. These effects are manifested by a dramatic departure of the conductivity from Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) behaviour, and a relatively sharp drop in mobile Na+ concentration, as deduced from n.m.r. measurements, above about 80°C. High pressure n.m.r. linewidth measurements are consistent with a pressure-induced increase in glass transition temperature.
Transplantation as a primary treatment for hypoplastic left heart syndrome: Intermediate-term results

Background. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a lethal malformation. For the last 10 years, orthotopic cardiac transplantation has been our preferred treatment for infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Methods. One hundred seventy-six infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome were entered into a cardiac transplant protocol between November 1985 and November 1995. Interventional procedures to stent the ductus arteriosus or enlarge the interatrial communication were performed in 8 and 35 patients, respectively. Thirty-four patients (19%) died during the waiting period, and 142 infants underwent cardiac transplantation. Age at cardiac transplantation ranged from 1.5 hours to 6 months (median, 29 days). The majority of grafts were oversized, and the median graft ischemic time was 273 minutes (range, 60 to 576 minutes). The implantation procedure used a period of hypothermic circulatory arrest ranging from 23 to 110 minutes (median, 53 minutes). Repair of other significant defects included interrupted aortic arch (5) and total or partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (7). Results. There were 13 early and 22 late deaths. Patient actuarial survival at 1 month and at 1, 5, and 7 years was 91%, 84%, 76%, and 70% respectively. Half of the late deaths were due to rejection. Severe graft vasculopathy was confirmed in 8 patients. Retransplantation was performed in 5 patients for graft vasculopathy (4) and rejection (1). Lymphoblastic leukemia developed in 1 patient 3 years after cardiac transplantation. Conclusions. Cardiac transplantation can be performed in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome with good operative and intermediate-term results. Improved survival can be achieved with increased donor availability, better management of rejection, and control of graft vasculopathy.
Action of Enzymes on Causative Agent of the Chicken Sarcoma

SummaryI. The causative agent of the Kous chicken sarcoma in the tumor fragments or in the cell-free tumor filtrate was inactivated by trypsin and pepsin, but was unaffected by the lipase, urease, or amylase preparations which were used as regards its capacity to produce tumor growth. 2. The causative agent was not destroyed if the proteolytic energy of trypsin and pepsin was abolished by heat inactivation. 3. Specificity of the proteolytic enzymes upon the causative agent of the chicken sarcoma suggests that the active agent is a protein or associated in sowe way with protein material.
Chromatin remodeling: insights and intrigue from single-molecule studies

Chromatin remodelers are ATP-hydrolyzing machines specialized to restructure, mobilize or eject nucleosomes, allowing regulated exposure of DNA in chromatin. Recently, remodelers have been analyzed using single-molecule techniques in real time, revealing them to be complex DNA-pumping machines. The results both support and challenge aspects of current models of remodeling, supporting the idea that the remodeler translocates or pumps DNA loops into and around the nucleosome, while also challenging earlier concepts about loop formation, the character of the loop and how it propagates. Several complex behaviors were observed, such as reverse translocation and long translocation bursts of the remodeler, without appreciable DNA twist. This review presents and discusses revised models for nucleosome sliding and ejection that integrate this new information with the earlier biochemical studies.
New measurement of the scintillation efficiency of low-energy nuclear recoils in liquid xenon

Particle detectors that use liquid xenon (LXe) as detection medium are among the leading technologies in the search for dark matter weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). A key enabling element has been the low-energy detection threshold for recoiling nuclei produced by the interaction of WIMPs in LXe targets. In these detectors, the nuclear recoil energy scale is based on the LXe scintillation signal and thus requires knowledge of the relative scintillation efficiency of nuclear recoils, ${\mathcal{L}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$. The uncertainty in ${\mathcal{L}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ at low energies is the largest systematic uncertainty in the reported results from LXe WIMP searches at low masses. In the context of the XENON Dark Matter project, a new LXe scintillation detector has been designed and built specifically for the measurement of ${\mathcal{L}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ at low energies, with an emphasis on maximizing the scintillation light detection efficiency to obtain the lowest possible energy threshold. We report new measurements of ${\mathcal{L}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ at low energies performed with this detector. Our results suggest a ${\mathcal{L}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ which slowly decreases with decreasing energy, from $0.144\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.009$ at 15 keV down to ${0.088}_{\ensuremath{-}0.015}^{+0.014}$ at 3 keV.
Epidermal cells accelerate the restoration of the blood flow in diabetic ischemic limbs

Epidermal progenitor cells (EpPCs) were long thought to be unipotent, giving rise only to other keratinocytes but recent studies question this assumption. Here, we investigated whether mouse EpPCs can adopt other antigenic and functional phenotypes. To test this, we injected freshly isolated and cultured EpPCs and transient amplifying cells into diabetic and non-diabetic mouse ischemic hindlimb and followed the cells' fate and the recovery of the ischemic limb blood flow over time. Both freshly isolated and cultured EpPCs and transient amplifying cells were incorporated into the vasculature of the ischemic limb 2 and 5 weeks post-injection, and some expressed endothelial cell but not keratinocyte antigens. Additionally, in the non-diabetic animals, first transient amplifying cells and then EpPCs accelerated the restoration of the blood flow. By contrast, in diabetic animals, only injected EpPCs or unsorted epidermal cells accelerated the restoration of the blood flow. These data indicate that epidermal cells can adopt non-skin phenotypes and functions, and that this apparent pluripotency is not lost by differentiation of EpPCs into transient amplifying cells. They also suggest that epidermal cell therapy might be of therapeutic value in the treatment of diabetic ischemia. Finally, because epidermal cells are readily accessible and expandable, they appear to be ideally suited for use as a non-viral gene delivery therapy.
Growth of high purity InGaAs using different indium sources

A correlation between the purity of liquid phase epitaxial InGaAs layers and the In source is made. Special precautions were taken to ensure a clean and leak-tight system for reproducibly achieving high purity InGaAs layers. Transmission electron microscopy results show that the InGaAs/InP interface is detect free and the layer is lattice matched. The highest purity results, which were obtained by selecting the In batch containing the lowest Si content, are μ300 = 11,500±400 cm2V·s, n300 = (3.8±1.9)× 1014 cm-3, μ77 = 55,200±3,800 cm2V·s, n77 = (3.4±1.8)×1014 cm-3.
Five Years of siRNA Delivery: Spotlight on Gold Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles have become widely used in scientific research due to their unique physical and chemical properties. In the last several years their use as siRNA delivery agents has been investigated. Here, progress made using gold nanoparticles for siRNA delivery is described and the different strategies employed are compared.
Hydrogen Atom Transfer Reactions of Iron−Porphyrin−Imidazole Complexes as Models for Histidine-Ligated Heme Reactivity

Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reactions of the bis(histidine) cytochrome active site models (TPP)FeII(ImH)2 (FeIIImH) and (TPP)Fe(Im)(ImH) (FeIIIIm) have been examined in acetonitrile solvent (TPP = tetraphenylporphyrin, ImH = 4-methylimidazole). The ascorbate derivative 5,6-isopropylidine ascorbate, hydroquinone, and the hydroxylamine TEMPOH all rapidly add H• to FeIIIIm to give FeIIImH. Similarly, the phenoxyl radical 2,4,6-tBu3C6H2O• and excess TEMPO• each oxidize FeIIImH to give FeIIIIm. On the basis of redox potential, pKa, and equilibrium measurements, the N−H bond in FeIIImH was found to have a bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) of 70 ± 2 kcal mol-1. A hydrogen atom transfer mechanism (concerted transfer of e- and H+) is indicated based on data for the ascorbate and TEMPO• reactions.
Contributions of reproductive experience to observation maintained crop growth and incubation in male and female ring doves.

Previous work has established that experienced male ring doves (Streptopelia risoria) can maintain prolactin-dependent crop growth and readiness to incubate by observing an incubating partner. We report that this is also true for female ring doves. The role of experience in this phenomenon was examined in separate experiments with males and females. Observation of an incubating mate from 3 days after completion of egg laying is sufficient to maintain crop growth and incubation in both male and female ring doves in their second, but not in their first, reproductive cycle. Male and female doves in their first cycle must incubate for a greater part of the cycle before observation of an incubating mate is an effective stimulus; there are no differences between first and second cycle doves separated by a glass plate from the mate and nest 8 days after laying. Experience obtained within the first cycle apparently ensures that previously neutral stimuli come to elicit prolactin secretion. The effectiveness of these stimuli is reinstated early in a second cycle.
Aggression and conventional rule violation among adolescents: Social-reasoning predictors of social behavior

The god of the current study was to determine whether aggressive and conventional rule-violating behaviors could be predicted by social-cognitive beliefs and values regarding aggression and conventional rule violations. The extent to which adolescents (N = 398; grades 9 through 12) engaged in both aggressive behavior and conventional school rule violations was assessed using self-ratings and peer nominations. Results indicated that aggressive and conventional rule-violating behaviors were predicted by (1) beliefs about the legitimacy of aggressive and convention-violating behavior; (2) values placed on the expected outcomes of these acts, such as negative self-evaluations, peer disapproval, and tangible rewards; and (3) beliefs about the effects of these acts on others. Furthermore, the results indicated that aggressive and conventional transgressions were predicted better by beliefs and values within the same social-cognitive domain than across domains. In contrast to females, male students committed more aggressive acts and conventional rule violations and reported beliefs and values that were more supportive of aggressive behavior and conventional rule-violating behavior. However, gender differences in beliefs and values were greater for aggressive acts than for conventional acts. The results support the need to distinguish between behavioral domains when attempting to predict social behavior.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE OPTIMUM PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR AN EXPONENTIAL-TYPE QUALITY CHARACTERISTIC

This paper investigates the problem of determining the most economical product specification (upper specification limit) for an exponential-type quality characteristic using the concept of a truncated quadratic loss function within the framework of a screening inspection scheme. Implementing a tight limit on products may provide a high outgoing quality, but it creates a high rejection cost on the rejected products. In contrast, implementing a loose limit may reduce the rejection cost, but it can result in a low outgoing quality. An immediate problem is then how to trade off these conflicting cost criteria to determine the most economical upper specification limit. This important issue has neither been satisfactorily addressed or received much attention in the literature. This paper presents the concept of the truncated quadratic loss function, applies the concept to screening inspection problems, derives the truncated statistics of interest, and presents the optimization model of the most economical upper specification limit for an exponential-type quality characteristic. A numerical example is presented.
Vinorelbine and Gemcitabine as Second- or Third-Line Therapy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Objectives Pemetrexed-cisplatin is the only FDA-approved regimen for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), and the impact on survival is modest. No drugs have been shown to improve survival as second-line therapy, yet vinorelbine and gemcitabine are prescribed based on the results of small phase II trials. To augment the existing limited data, we examined our institutional experience with vinorelbine and gemcitabine in patients with previously treated MPM.
Random Digit Dialing and Sample Bias

IN their article, "Bias in Random Digit Dialed Surveys" (POQ 41:389-95), Tull and Albaum attempt to assess bias in sampling frames generated by random digit dialing (cf. Cooper, 1964; Glasser and Metzger, 1972; Sudman, 1976), which exclude nonsubscribers to the telephone service. They present data for several demographic variables, housing unit characteristics, and the ownership of various durable goods for a sample of 6,333 households selected from the Public Use Samples of the 1970 Census of Population and Census of Housing (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1972). This sample is divided into households with a telephone available, which Tull and Albaum consider as representing a "simulated RDD survey," and households with no telephone available. A chi-square analysis is then applied to test for differences on the selected demographic variables, housing unit characteristics, and ownership of durable goods according to telephone availability. All test variables display differences which are significant at the .001 level, indicating that telephone subscribers differ from nonsubscribers. However, given the problem Tull and Albaum identify as the focus of their article, they have tested the wrong null hypothesis: that there is no difference between telephone subscribers and non-
Constructive conflict resolution: Principles, training, and research.

This article starts with a listing of several propositions to which most students of conflict, no matter what their discipline, would assent. Next, there is a discussion of such factors affecting the course of conflict as the orientation to the conflict of the parties involved, their personalities, the issues, and the conflict's social-cultural context. The following part discusses the skills involved in constructive solutions, an area that has been neglected by most scholars. The final part presents some suggestions for research.
Ultrastructure of secondary neurulation in the chick embryo

Formation of the future lumbosacral level of the spinal cord was studied in two-day-old chick embryos by light and electron (transmission and scanning) microscopy. A neurulation overlap zone occupied this level. The dorsal portion of the neural tube formed by bending of the neural plate and approximation and fusion of neural folds (i.e., by primary neurulation), and the ventral part formed during secondary neurulation by cavitation of an initially solid, compact mass of cells, the medullary cord, derived from the tail bud. Secondary neurulation involved four morphogenetic processes: (1) segregation of the cells of the prospective medullary cord from cells of adjacent regions, (2) formation of a precisely delimited medullary cord, (3) cavitation of the central portion of this cord, and (4) coalescence of all lumina into a single, central cavity. Cell segregation was associated with the formation of a layer of primarily extracellular materials between adjacent organ rudiments. The source and composition of these materials are unknown. Formation of the medullary cord entailed considerable elongation of the peripheral cells of this developing structure and the fabrication of small intercellular juctions, first at the basal (outer) ends of the elongating peripheral cells, and then at their apical (inner) ends. These arranged, columnar cells, having characteristics similar to those of the neural plate, and an inner cluster of irregularly shaped and arranged cells. Cavitation always occurred first at the junction between these two cellular populations. The central cells of the medullary cord also eventually elongated, like the peripheral cells, and may have been intercalated into the lateral walls of the developing neural tube as lumina coalesced.
Almost certain diagnosis for intermittently faulty systems

The authors present and analyze a uniformly probabilistic model for the self-diagnosis capabilities of a multiprocessor system. In this model an individual processor fails with probability p and a fault-free processor testing a faulty processor detects a fault with probability q, modeling the situation in which processors can be intermittently faulty or the situation where tests are not capable of detecting all possible faults within a processor. They present an efficient algorithm which utilizes a relatively small number of tests (given by any function dominating n log n where n is the number of processors) and achieves correct diagnosis with high probability. They obtain a nearly matching lower bound which shows that no algorithm can achieve correct diagnosis with high probability in systems which conduct a number of tests dominated by n log n. Examples of systems which perform a modest number of tests are given in which the probability of correct diagnosis for the authors' algorithm is very nearly one. >
The Hawkins Sign

A subchondral radiolucent band may be seen on the radiographs of any bone after 6–8 weeks of disuse or immobilization. The radiolucent band results from an increase in bone reabsorption relative to bone formation, and it manifests with active hyperemia of the bone. Therefore, for this linear subchondral area of hyperlucency to be seen, the bone must have a preserved blood supply. The presence of the Hawkins sign suggests that the blood supply to the talar dome has been preserved and that avascular necrosis likely will not occur.
Probing the effect of transport inhibitors on the conformation of the mitochondrial citrate transport protein via a site-directed spin labeling approach.

The present investigation utilized the site-directed spin labeling method of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to identify the effect of citrate, the natural ligand, and transport inhibitors on the conformation of the yeast mitochondrial citrate transport protein (CTP) reconstituted in liposomal vesicles. Spin label was placed at six different locations within the CTP in order to monitor conformational changes that occurred near each of the transporter’s two substrate binding sites, as well as at more distant domains within the CTP architecture. We observed that citrate caused little change in the EPR spectra. In contrast the transport inhibitors 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylate (BTC), pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP), and compound 792949 resulted in spectral changes that indicated a decrease in the flexibility of the attached spin label at each of the six locations tested. The rank order of the immobilizing effect was compound 792949 > PLP > BTC. The four spin-label locations that report on the CTP substrate binding sites displayed the greatest changes in the EPR spectra upon addition of inhibitor. Furthermore, we found that when compound 792949 was added vectorially (i.e., extra- and/or intra-liposomally), the immobilizing effect was mediated nearly exclusively by external reagent. In contrast, upon addition of PLP vectorially, the effect was mediated to a similar extent from both the external and the internal compartments. In combination our data indicate that: i) citrate binding to the CTP substrate binding sites does not alter side-chain and/or backbone mobility in a global manner and is consistent with our expectation that both in the absence and presence of substrate the CTP displays the flexibility required of a membrane transporter; and ii) binding of each of the transport inhibitors tested locked multiple CTP domains into more rigid conformations, thereby exhibiting long-range inter-domain conformational communication. The differential vectorial effects of compound 792949 and PLP are discussed in the context of the CTP homology-modeled structure and potential mechanistic molecular explanations are given.
Cell-mediated immune responses to sperm antigens: effects on mouse sperm and embryos.

Aptitude des antigenes des spermatoizoides de souris a induire une reponse immunitaire. Et leur role potentiel dans une sterilite involontaire
A Phosphorylation Site Located in the NH2-terminal Domain of c-Myc Increases Transactivation of Gene Expression*

The c-myc gene encodes a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein (c-Myc) that forms leucine zipper complexes and can act as a transcription factor. Growth factor stimulation of cells causes the phosphorylation of the c-Myc transcriptional activation domain at Ser62 within a proline-rich region that is highly conserved among members of the Myc family (Alvarez, E., Northwood, I.C., Gonzalez, F. A., Latour, D. A., Seth, A., Abate, C., Curran, T., and Davis, R. J. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 15277-15285). This phosphorylation site is a substrate for growth factor-regulated MAP kinases and for the cell cycle-dependent protein kinase p34cdc2. We report that serum treatment of cells results in a marked increase in the transactivation of gene expression mediated by the c-Myc transcriptional activation domain. A point mutation at the site of growth factor-stimulated phosphorylation (Ser62) decreases the serum induction of transactivation. These data indicate that the c-Myc transcriptional activation domain may be a direct target of signal transduction pathways.
Comparison of four-point adding algorithms for Delaunay-type three dimensional mesh generators

Four different approaches to generating three-dimensional tetrahedral meshes were tested and compared in regard to the complexity and quality of the elements they produce as points are added into the existing coarse meshes. Points are added according to Delaunay triangulation. It was found that there is a marked difference between the different approaches and that the method suggested by D.F. Watson (1981) is the better one in terms of quality of the meshes generated, although its time complexity is a little higher than that of the other methods. >
A Smac-mimetic sensitizes prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis via modulating both IAPs and NF-kappaB

Background Although tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for human cancer therapy, prostate cancer still remains resistant to TRAIL. Both X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) and nuclear factor-kappaB function as key negative regulators of TRAIL signaling. In this study, we evaluated the effect of SH122, a small molecule mimetic of the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac), on TRAIL-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.
The Metamorphosis of the Stalin Myth

T HE death of Joseph Stalin marked the beginning of a new period in the history of the Soviet regime in Russia. It set in motion a train of events in the internal political life of the country which, for better or for worse, will alter the political personality of the Soviet regime as the world came to know it under the influence of Stalin's dominating figure. No one can yet predict with any confidence how this sequence of events will unfold in the years to come. The most that can be done at this early stage is to visualize the forces at work behind the scenes and strive to reach an informed preliminary guess about the direction or directions in which these forces are moving. That is the task of the present article. It seeks to investigate certain aspects of the post-Stalin train of events which are now themselves a part of history. Its purpose is to cast light upon some of the principal trends and issues in the internal political life of Soviet Russia since Stalin died. These trends and issues are for the most part hidden beneath the surface of Soviet public life; only occasionally, as in the Beria episode, have they erupted into full view of a perplexed and fascinated world. It is necessary, therefore, to study the submerged political realities through their indirect reflection in the public pronouncements of the controlled and official Soviet press. The central importance of the new regime‘s attitude toward Stalin and the Stalin heritage directs attention upon the changing manner in which the official propaganda has presented the image of Stalin to the Soviet people. We shall first tell the factual story of this process, tracing the steps by which Stalin‘s heirs successively dethroned him, partially restored him, and finally refashioned an entirely new Stalin image to fit their present needs. The latter part of the article attempts to interpret the political meaning of the new Stalin myth and of another new phenomenon closely associated with it, the “cult of the Party”
Surgical care in the developing world-strategies and framework for improvement

The purpose of this study was to identify the various problems with surgical care in the developing world and enumerate identified strategies or propose solutions. We also sought to rank these strategies in order of potential impact. The MEDLINE database was sought. Studies published in English, reporting currently employed solutions to identified barriers or problems to surgical care in developing countries or potential solution(s) and published between 2000 and 2012 were eligible for inclusion. 2156 articles were identified for possible inclusion. MeSH terms include surgery, general surgery, developing countries, health services accessibility and quality improvement. Forty-nine full articles with a primary focus on the solutions to the challenges to surgical care in the developing world were included in the final review. Many articles identified problems with infrastructure, workforce shortage, inadequate or inappropriate policies, and poor financing as major problems with healthcare in the developing world. Solutions addressing these problems are multifactorial and would require active participation of local authorities and collaboration with providers from the developed world. The burden of surgical care is increasing. There is poor access to surgical services in the developing world. If and when surgical care is received, the quality could be less than the standard in developed nations. Solutions exist to tackle these problems but require a multidimensional approach to be successful.
High-order map treatment of superimposed cavities, absorbers, and magnetic multipole and solenoid fields

Abstract Various modern systems for the transport and manipulation of large acceptance beams of rare and short-lived particles require the treatment of nonlinear optics of acceleration, absorption, and focusing in a combined approach. We describe a differential algebraic method for the treatment of such nonlinear dynamics via high-order transfer maps. We include the processes of scattering and straggling through absorbing material, which are inherently non-deterministic and hence not representable in the map formalism, in a split operator approach. Some examples of simulations of muon beam ionization cooling channels are provided.
Saving Behavior of U.S. Households in the 1980s: Results from the 1983 and 1986 Survey of Consumer Finance

An analysis of the 1983 and 1986 Survey of Consumer Finance shows that 40% of U.S. households had a decrease in real net non-housing assets between the two survey periods. This study uses t-test, bivariate and multivariate analyses to investigate household saving behavior and identify factors related to it. Multivariate regression results show that the household's initial net non-housing asset level is the most important factor related to increases in net non- housing assets (saving.) The initial net non-housing asset level in 1983 was negatively related to saving between the two periods. Households with higher income levels had higher predicted saving than those with lower income levels. Households with a high level of risk tolerance saved more than their counterparts. Households that received windfalls between 1983 and 1986 saved a large fraction (87%) and only consumed a small fraction of the windfalls received.
MAKING A CIVIL RIGHTS CLAIM FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: BAMN’s Legal Mobilization and the Legacy of Race-Conscious Policies

The politics of affirmative action are currently structured as a litigious conflict among elites taking polarized stances. Opponents call for colorblindness, and defenders champion diversity. How can marginalized activists subvert the dominant terms of legal debate? To what extent can they establish their legitimacy? This paper advances legal mobilization theory by analytically foregrounding the field of contention and the relational production of meaning among social movement organizations. The case for study is two landmark United States Supreme Court cases that contested the University of Michigan’s race-conscious admissions policies. Using ethnographic data, the paper analyzes BAMN, an activist organization, and its reception by other affirmative action supporters. BAMN had a marginalized allied-outsider status in the legal cases, as it made a radical civil rights claim for a moderate, elite-supported policy: that affirmative action corrects systemic racial discrimination. BAMN activists pursued their agenda by passionately defending and, at once, critiquing the university’s policies. However, the organization’s militancy remained a liability among university leaders, who prioritized the consistency of their diversity claims. The analysis forwards a scholarly understanding of the legacy of race-conscious policies.
LiNbO 3 serrodyne frequency shifter for a resonator fiber optic gyroscope at 1.5 µm

Fiber optic gyros have been under development for inertial navigation applications. To achieve high accuracy, the Sagnac phase shift of two counterpropagating waves in a rotating fiber gyro is nulled by generating a frequency shift Δf between the two waves according to Δf = Ω(2R/λn),1 where Ω is the rotation rate, R is the radius of the fiber coil, λ is the wavelength in the free space, and n is the refractive index of the fiber.
Sum frequency generation spectroscopy study of an ionic liquid at a graphene-BaF2 (111) interface.

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy and contact angle measurements of an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide [BMIM][DCA], at solid–liquid interfaces are reported. Bare solid single crystal BaF2 (111) surface, a single and few layer graphene-coated BaF2 (111) surface are used as the solid substrates. The SFG results indicate that both [BMIM]+ and [DCA]− can be detected specifically on the graphene-coated BaF2 (111) surface, without coating only [DCA]− are observed. [DCA]− anions are attracted to the positively charged BaF2 (111) surface and occupy the first layer at the solid–liquid interface. The graphene coating shields the charged crystal surface and allows both cations and anions to exist at the interface. Furthermore, increase in the contact angle of BaF2 surface after graphene layers deposition suggests that the graphene coating lowers the surface energy.
Early evolution of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in Tay-Sachs disease.

SummaryUltrastructural and biochemical studies were performed on the brain and liver of a 21-week-old embryo obtained by a therapeutic abortion from a woman who had previously a child with Tay-Sachs disease. Similar studies were carried out on brain and liver of a 14-week-old infant afflicted with this disease. In both cases there was absence of hexosaminidase A activity in liver and brain, and increased amounts of GM2 ganglioside were found in cerebral tissue. Electron microscopically, it was possible to trace the evolution of the membranous cytoplasmic bodies from prenatal ill-defined finely granular cytoplasmic bodies to the membranous cytoplasmic bodies seen in the early postnatal stage of the disease. The study, furthermore, indicates that the in utero diagnosis of Tay-Sachs disease can be confirmed by morphological and biochemical studies on the fetus.
Recent studies of oxide-semiconductor heterostructures using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy

The integration of dissimilar materials is highly desirable for many different types of device applications but often challenging to achieve in practice. The unrivalled imaging capabilities of the aberration-corrected electron microscope enable enhanced insights to be gained into the atomic arrangements across heterostructured interfaces. This paper provides an overview of our recent observations of oxide-semiconductor heterostructures using aberration-corrected high-angle annular-dark-field and large-angle bright-field imaging modes. The perovskite oxides studied include strontium titanate, barium titanate, and strontium hafnate, which were grown on Si(001) and/or Ge(001) substrates using the techniques of molecular-beam epitaxy or atomic-layer deposition. The oxide layers displayed excellent crystallinity and sharp, abrupt interfaces were observed with no sign of any amorphous interfacial layers. The Ge(001) substrate surfaces invariably showed both 1× and 2× periodicity consistent with preservation of the 2 × 1 surface reconstruction following oxide growth. Overall, the results augur well for the future development of functional oxide-based devices integrated on semiconductor substrates.
From Insoluble Minerals to Liquid Fertilizers: Magnesite as a Source of Magnesium (Mg) Nutrient

The increase in human population necessitates a tremendous growth in crop production while utilizing sustainable sources of plant nutrients. Magnesium is an important plant nutrient with high crustal abundance, but the majority (98%) is incorporated into the crystal lattice of very low solubility minerals, and thus directly unavailable to plants. Here, we present a procedure based on Mg(NO3)2–Ca(NO3)2–NH4NO3–H2O quaternary phase diagram measurements that can be used to determine the solubility and corresponding crystallization temperature (Tcryst) of magnesium containing minerals when dissolved in HNO3. We use a known chemical composition, magnesite, as an example and utilize laboratory experiments with model nitrate solutions. Accordingly, chemical composition and nutrient (N, MgO, CaO) content can be obtained for aqueous solutions with Tcryst of 0 °C for use as liquid fertilizers for any low solubility magnesium-containing minerals (e.g., magnesite, dolomite, talc and serpentinite), abundant in Earth’s ...
Ir@Pt bimetallic overlayer catalysts for aqueous phase glycerol hydrodeoxygenation

Abstract Silica-alumina supported bimetallic overlayer catalysts of platinum on Ir (Ir@Pt) were synthesized using the directed deposition technique to investigate the modification of the Pt catalytic properties. Weakened hydrogen adsorption strength was obtained for Ir@Pt overlayer catalysts compared to pure platinum using hydrogen chemisorption and an ethylene hydrogenation descriptor reaction, consistent with literature computational studies. This reduced adsorption strength is expected to increase the Pt overlayer reactivity compared to pure Pt by releasing Pt active sites from strongly adsorbed H 2 or CO. The effect of multiple Pt overlayer depositions is also studied, and it is postulated that overlayer catalysts with double and triple platinum overlayer deposition would form Pt multilayer structures. Multiple overlayers displayed a smaller degree of modification in H 2 adsorption strength from pure Pt, compared to Ir@Pt single deposition sample. In aqueous phase glycerol hydrodeoxygenation, Ir@Pt single deposition sample showed higher turnover frequencies of glycerol conversion and C 3 hydrocarbon production than pure Pt and the bimetallic alloy sample. The activity enhancement of Ir@Pt compared to pure Pt is ascribed to the weakened hydrogen adsorption of Ir@Pt, as fewer Pt active sites were blocked by strong H 2 or CO adsorption. The improved selectivity toward C 3 hydrocarbons of Ir@Pt compared to pure Pt suggested a feasible approach of using overlayer catalysts to manipulate the selectivity of Pt overlayer without sacrificing the Pt overlayer reactivity.
Effects of Brief Seizures on Learning

The effects of frequent brief seizures on learning, memory, and behavior in the young animal were studied at the Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and Veterans Administration Medical Center and Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA.
Lack of Evidence Linking Calcium With or Without Vitamin D Supplementation to Cardiovascular Disease in Generally Healthy Adults: A Clinical Guideline From the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology

Description Calcium is the dominant mineral present in bone and a shortfall nutrient in the American diet. Supplements have been recommended for persons who do not consume adequate calcium from their diet as a standard strategy for the prevention of osteoporosis and related fractures. Whether calcium with or without vitamin D supplementation is beneficial or detrimental to vascular health is not known. Methods The National Osteoporosis Foundation and American Society for Preventive Cardiology convened an expert panel to evaluate the effects of dietary and supplemental calcium on cardiovascular disease based on the existing peer-reviewed scientific literature. The panel considered the findings of the accompanying updated evidence report provided by an independent evidence review team at Tufts University. Recommendation The National Osteoporosis Foundation and American Society for Preventive Cardiology adopt the position that there is moderate-quality evidence (B level) that calcium with or without vitamin D intake from food or supplements has no relationship (beneficial or harmful) to the risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, mortality, or all-cause mortality in generally healthy adults at this time. In light of the evidence available to date, calcium intake from food and supplements that does not exceed the tolerable upper level of intake (defined by the National Academy of Medicine as 2000 to 2500 mg/d) should be considered safe from a cardiovascular standpoint.
Cognitive-behavioral-interpersonal scenarios: Interformulator reliability and convergent validity

Although a clinical case formulation can help focus treatment, little is known about the reliability and convergent validity of independently generated, cognitive–behavioral or cognitive–interpersonal formulations. Using videotapes of a semi-structured interview, pairs of clinicians independently formulated 2–3 cognitive–behavioral–interpersonal scenarios (CBISs) on each of 4 women with mood or comorbid mood and anxiety disorders. Ten licensed psychologists then rated each CBIS on 15 dimensions involving cognition, affect, symptoms, and interpersonal functioning. Reliability of the mean ratings (aggregated over the 10 raters) was >.83 for all dimensions. The set of CBISs formulated by a clinician for a patient generally demonstrated good convergent (same patient/different formulator) and discriminant (different patient/same or different formulator) validity on three factor-analytically derived general dimensions of depression, anxiety, and interpersonal functioning. Within each of three patients, pairs of formulators generally agreed on the situational components of the CBISs and demonstrated adequate to very good convergent validity of corresponding CBIS content. These results contribute to accumulating evidence for the reliability and validity of clinical scenarios as an idiographic, situation-level case formulation. Such formulations can help identify multiple cognitive, behavioral, or interpersonal intervention points in the causal chain leading to distress or dysfunction.