cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two local hemorrhagic skin responses to bacterial endotoxin in an inbred mouse strain.

SummaryThe observations previously made by Kelly et al. on production of hemorrhagic skin lesions by dermal injection of bacterial endotoxin in Rockefeller mice have been repeated with the genetically related, highly inbred, BSVS strain. BSVS mice displayed all of the reactions reported by the above authors, but with a significantly increased frequency, and at much lower doses of endotoxins. Pretreatment with Terramycin caused a marked decrease in frequency of reactors to a single injection of endotoxin. This effect gradually diminished over a period of 8 months of continued treatment. It is suggested that the single-injection reaction is a special form of the dermal Shwartzman reaction in which some microbial agent(s) plays an as yet unknown part.
An RBV and real options-based soft OR heuristic for solution strategising

This paper develops a heuristic for applying the abstract and complex theories of real options and the resource-based view (RBV) to provide managerial prescription on promising technology solutions to business problems. We draw upon the tradition of soft operational research (OR) with its reliance on graphical techniques to develop a decision-making matrix called the CUReO Grid for identifying preferred solutions under different conditions of decision context uncertainty and the capability of the firm to exploit the technologies under consideration. Our grid is obtained by a two-stage mapping of the real options available in a technology solution, such as options for altering scale and scope or for strategic growth, to a two-dimensional space defined by contextual uncertainty and firm capability. We illustrate our general methodology by applying it to two very different but major contemporary problems: enterprise integration in information technology and lean production in operations management.
Growth and Maintenance of Dictyostelium Cells

INTRODUCTIONDictyostelium discoideum is a unicellular eukaryote often referred to as a "social ameba" because it can form a multicellular structure when nutrient conditions are limiting. General principles for cell-to-cell communication, intracellular signaling, and cytoskeletal organization during cell motility have been derived from cellular and molecular studies of Dictyostelium and have been found to be conserved across all eukaryotes. Dictyostelium also provides an excellent model system for the study of phagocytosis, the molecular basis of various human diseases, and the mechanisms of drug action. The availability of a complete genome database and stocks of wild-type and mutant strains make D. discoideum an accessible and powerful model organism. Most Dictyostelium strains used in the laboratory can be grown either with bacteria or in axenic medium. When grown in the presence of bacteria, cells double approximately every 4 h, whereas axenically grown cells double more slowly, every 8-12 h. The cells can be grown in a standard microbiology incubator or on the laboratory bench, provided the room temperature is consistently ~22°C. This protocol describes a variety of methods for growing and maintaining Dictyostelium.
LMS-based calibration of an RF digitally controlled oscillator for mobile phones

We propose a least-mean square based gain calibration technique of an RF digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) in an all-digital phase-locked loop (ADPLL). The DCO gain of about 12-kHz/least significant bit is subject to process, voltage and temperature variations, but is tracked and compensated in real time. Precise setting of the inverse DCO gain in the ADPLL modulating path allows direct wide-band frequency modulation that is independent from the ADPLL loop bandwidth. The technique is part of a single-chip fully compliant Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/EDGE transceiver in 90-nm digital CMOS.
Laboratory Methods for the Diagnosis and Confirmation of Systemic Mycoses

The concomitant use of culture and nonculture techniques for the diagnosis and confirmation of systemic mycotic infections is recommended and assessed. A diagnosis based upon a single specimen and method, especially when the results are negative, is not always conclusive. In many situations, a single specimen and test method cannot be relied upon for the diagnosis of a fungal infection. The testing of multiple or serial specimens with a battery of procedures increases the chances for establishing a rapid and definitive diagnosis. Positive cultures generally provide unequivocal evidence of infection. In the absence of such data, results obtained by the use of nonculture techniques such as direct examination, conventional and immunohistologic staining, exoantigen identification, DNA hybridization, immunodiffusion, complement fixation, enzyme immunoassay, and radioimmunoassay can allow detection and identification of the etiologic fungus or provide immunologic evidence of a specific fungal infection.
Asymmetrical ground impact of the hands after a trip-induced fall: Experimental kinematics and kinetics

Background. Distal radius fractures are among the most common fall-related fractures. The manner in which the upper extremities are used for protection during a fall may exert a considerable influence on the incidence of injury. Here, we sought to determine the degree to which the assumption of sagittal plane symmetry was valid in unexpected falls after a trip, and to quantify the effects of asymmetrical upper extremity motion on impact kinematics and kinetics. Methods. The motion of eight healthy older women who fell after being unexpectedly tripped was quantified. Impact kinematics and kinetics of 36 adults who intentionally fell onto force plates with their hands positioned either symmetrically or asymmetrically were quantified. Findings. Just prior to safety harness engagement the wrists of the older women were not positioned or moving symmetrically relative to the midpoint between the shoulders. Asymmetry did not affect the peak reaction force magnitude, but increased the degree to which force was directed along the axis of the radius (axial component of the unit vector k = 0.949 versus k = 0.932, P = 0.026). Asymmetry resulted in greater wrist dorsiflexion (47 versus 43, P = 0.019) compared to symmetrical trials and increased temporal offset (33 ms versus 11 ms, P < 0.001) between right and left ground impacts. Interpretation. Kinetics and kinematics arising from asymmetric impact may meaningfully affect the fracture strength of the distal radius. Because trip-induced falls in older women may result in asymmetric upper extremity impact, these differences in landing kinematics and kinetics due to asymmetry merit consideration when developing clinical interventions to prevent fall-related fractures. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Inhibition of Post-Meningitic Cochlear Injury With Cerebrospinal Fluid Irrigation

Objective Labyrinthitis ossificans, the pathologic ossification of the otic capsule associated with profound deafness and loss of vestibular function occurs frequently as a sequella of bacterial meningitis and subsequent purulent labyrinthitis. Experimentally, in Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis, it has been shown that a vigorous inflammatory response to teichoic acids in the bacterial cell wall contributes to cochlear damage and subsequent fibrosis and ossification. The hypothesis of this study is that a dilution of concentration of inflammatory mediators through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) irrigation will lead to a reduction in both inner ear pathology and permanent hearing loss. Study design and setting Auditory brainstem response testing was used to determine baseline hearing thresholds in 20 Mongolian gerbils (12 irrigated, 8 sham irrigated animals) at 32 kHz, 16 kHz, 8 kHz, and 4 kHz frequencies. Their thresholds at 14 days and 120 days post-procedure were also obtained. Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis was induced in both groups of animals by intrathecal (i.t.) injection of bacteria. Both groups received penicillin treatment. Forty-eight hours after inoculation, both groups were implanted with i.t. inflow and outflow catheters. The irrigated group was infused continuously with artificial CSF over 36 hr at a rate of 70 μL/hr and the outflow sampled. The tubing in the sham irrigated group was clamped (without sampling). They were sacrificed at 120 days post-procedure and histomorphometric analysis carried out. The concentration of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) for the CSF samples from the irrigated group were compared to samples collected from an additional control group of 8 non-irrigated meningitic gerbils. IL-1β was chosen to study because it is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokines in bacterial meningitis that is unaffected by the neurosurgical trauma of the experimental protocol. Results Twenty animals survived the meningitis (6 irrigation, 6 sham irrigation, 8 non-irrigation meningitic controls). At Days 14 and 120 post-infection, the irrigated animals manifested significantly less hearing loss with a mean loss of 28.82 dB compared to the sham irrigation group mean loss of 40.76 dB (P Conclusions Irrigation of CSF resulted in a significant reduction in post-meningitic cochlear injury when compared to controls. This model for continuous cerebrospinal fluid irrigation provides a means to evaluate the effects of a dilution of inflammatory mediators on hearing loss and labyrinthitis ossificans after bacterial meningitis. Significance Despite advances in the prevention of meningitis and improved antibiotic treatment, bacterial meningitis continues to have significant associated morbidity. This study provides insight into some of the mechanisms responsible for post-meningitic hearing loss and labyrinthitis ossificans and presents a novel approach to reduce these complications. EBM rating: C-4
Performance and Maximum-Likelihood Bounds for Reed-Solomon Codes on Partial-Response Channels

The authors presents computation of ML bounds for RS decoding performance for realistic channels and codes. The ABP gains a fraction of a dB over HD decoding, and the idealized ABP results suggest that further refinement of the bit-selection algorithm might provide a fraction of a dB gain. However, this is not enough to get within a dB or so of the ML bound. To achieve this, some algorithm other than ABP seems necessary.
Speech to facial animation conversion for deaf customers

A speech to facial animation direct conversion system was developed as a communication aid for deaf people. Utilizing the preliminary test results a specific database was constructed from audio and visual records of professional lip-speakers. The standardized MPEG-4 system was used to animate the speaking face model. The trained neural net is able to calculate the principal component weights of feature points from the speech frames. The control coordinates have been calculated from PC weights. The whole system can be implemented in standard mobile phones. Deaf persons were able correctly recognize about 50% of words from limited sets in the final test based on our facial animation model.
Research Commentary: Desperately Seeking the IT in IT Research--A Call to Theorizing the IT Artifact

The field of information systems is premised on the centrality of information technology in everyday socio-economic life. Yet, drawing on a review of the full set of articles published inInformation Systems Research ( ISR) over the past ten years, we argue that the field has not deeply engaged its core subject matter--the information technology (IT) artifact. Instead, we find that IS researchers tend to give central theoretical significance to the context (within which some usually unspecified technology is seen to operate), the discrete processing capabilities of the artifact (as separable from its context or use), or the dependent variable (that which is posited to be affected or changed as technology is developed, implemented, and used). The IT artifact itself tends to disappear from view, be taken for granted, or is presumed to be unproblematic once it is built and installed. After discussing the implications of our findings, we propose a research direction for the IS field that begins to take technology as seriously as its effects, context, and capabilities. In particular, we propose that IS researchers begin to theorize specifically about IT artifacts, and then incorporate these theories explicitly into their studies. We believe that such a research direction is critical if IS research is to make a significant contribution to the understanding of a world increasingly suffused with ubiquitous, interdependent, and emergent information technologies.
A Genomic Screen for Yeast Vacuolar Membrane ATPase Mutants

V-ATPases acidify multiple organelles, and yeast mutants lacking V-ATPase activity exhibit a distinctive set of growth defects. To better understand the requirements for organelle acidification and the basis of these growth phenotypes, ∼4700 yeast deletion mutants were screened for growth defects at pH 7.5 in 60 mm CaCl2. In addition to 13 of 16 mutants lacking known V-ATPase subunits or assembly factors, 50 additional mutants were identified. Sixteen of these also grew poorly in nonfermentable carbon sources, like the known V-ATPase mutants, and were analyzed further. The cwh36Δ mutant exhibited the strongest phenotype; this mutation proved to disrupt a previously uncharacterized V-ATPase subunit. A small subset of the mutations implicated in vacuolar protein sorting, vps34Δ, vps15Δ, vps45Δ, and vps16Δ, caused both Vma− growth phenotypes and lower V-ATPase activity in isolated vacuoles, as did the shp1Δ mutation, implicated in both protein sorting and regulation of the Glc7p protein phosphatase. These proteins may regulate V-ATPase targeting and/or activity. Eight mutants showed a Vma− growth phenotype but no apparent defect in vacuolar acidification. Like V-ATPase-deficient mutants, most of these mutants rely on calcineurin for growth, particularly at high pH. A requirement for constitutive calcineurin activation may be the predominant physiological basis of the Vma− growth phenotype.
Structural stability of polypeptide nanofilms under extreme conditions.

Self-assembly of designed peptides is a promising area of biomaterials research and development. Here, polypeptide nanofilms have been prepared by electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly (LBL) of cysteine (Cys)-containing 32mers designed to be oppositely charged at neutral pH, and structural stability of the films has been probed by subjecting them to various extreme physical and chemical conditions. The results suggest that although electrostatic attraction plays a key role in strengthening polypeptide films, stability is inversely related to absolute net charge of the supramolecular complex. This behavior is similar to the typical behavior of small globular proteins. Film structure is very stable in organic solvent and, when dehydrated, at extreme temperatures. Such stability is in marked contrast to the behavior of proteins, which tend to denature under comparable conditions. Similar to proteins, peptide nanofilms cross-linked by disulfide (S-S) bonds are considerably stronger than films stabilized by electrostatic, van der Waals, or hydrophobic interactions alone. This effect is particularly evident at extremes of pH and at elevated temperature when the film is hydrated. These results, the great variety of possible peptide structures, the inherent biocompatibility of L-amino acids, and current applications of thin films in commercial products together suggest that polypeptide films are promising for the development of new or enhanced products in food technology, drug delivery and medical device coatings, and biomaterials.
Adjuvant Rituximab Therapy of Pemphigus: A Single-Center Experience With 31 Patients

Background We conducted a retrospective study of patients with pemphigus vulgaris (n = 24) and foliaceus (n = 7) treated with adjuvant rituximab to determine efficacy and adverse events. The end point for efficacy was complete remission of disease taking no or minimal therapy. Observations Eighteen patients (58%) achieved the study end point. Of these, 13 patients achieved complete remission off systemic therapy. Patients achieving the study end point had a median disease duration before rituximab therapy of 19 months vs 86 months in those not achieving the end point (P = .01). For the 18 patients achieving the end point, the median (SD) duration of remission was 19 (2) months. Eight of these 18 patients (44%) relapsed from 6 to 17 months after treatment. Serious adverse events attributed to rituximab treatment (osteomyelitis or phlegmon) occurred in 2 patients (6%). In paired serum samples from 10 patients before and after rituximab treatment, the percent change in serum desmoglein index value (median, −80%) was unrelated to the percent change in pneumococcal antibodies (median, +8%) (Spearman rank correlation coefficient r = −0.2). Conclusions Patients treated with rituximab earlier in the course of disease may have better outcomes. A discussion of rituximab's mechanism of action supports the rationale for early therapy. Prospective clinical studies are necessary to substantiate this observation.
Imaging and tracking of targets in clutter using differential time-reversal techniques

Two time-reversal algorithms for identifying, imaging, and tracking moving targets in clutter are introduced. The first algorithm classifies existing scatterers into stationary versus moving targets. Multistatic data matrices (MDMs) corresponding to successive radar acquisitions (snapshots) of the scene are recorded. Singular value decomposition of the (time-)averaged MDM provides information on stationary targets, whereas singular value decomposition of the differential MDM provides information on moving targets. The second algorithm yields real-time selective tracking of each moving target by means of differential time-reversal. It requires minimal processing and memory resources, and exploits distinctive features of time-reversal such as statistical stability and super-resolution. Numerical simulations are used to illustrate the capabilities of the proposed algorithms in different scenarios involving clutter from discrete secondary scatterers and from inhomogeneous random medium backgrounds.
ACCF/ASE/ACEP/AHA/ASNC/SCAI/SCCT/SCMR 2008 Appropriateness Criteria for Stress Echocardiography*

The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) together with key specialty and subspecialty societies, conducted an appropriateness review for stress echocardiography. The review assessed the risks and benefits of stress echocardiography for several indications or clinical scenarios and scored them on a scale of 1 to 9 (based upon methodology developed by the ACCF to assess imaging appropriateness). The upper range (7 to 9) implies that the test is generally acceptable and is a reasonable approach, and the lower range (1 to 3) implies that the test is generally not acceptable and is not a reasonable approach. The midrange (4 to 6) indicates a clinical scenario for which the indication for a stress echocardiogram is uncertain. The indications for this review were drawn from common applications or anticipated uses, as well as from current clinical practice guidelines. Use of stress echocardiography for risk assessment in patients with coronary artery ...
How social cognition can inform social decision making.

Social decision-making is often complex, requiring the decision-maker to make inferences of others’ mental states in addition to engaging traditional decision-making processes like valuation and reward processing. A growing body of research in neuroeconomics has examined decision- making involving social and nonsocial stimuli to explore activity in brain regions such as the striatum and prefrontal cortex, largely ignoring the power of the social context. Perhaps more complex processes may influence decision-making in social versus nonsocial contexts. Years of social psychology and social neuroscience research have documented a multitude of processes (e.g. mental state inferences, impression formation, spontaneous trait inferences) that occur upon viewing another person. These processes rely on a network of brain regions including medial prefrontal cortex, superior temporal sulcus, temporal parietal junction, and precuneus among others. Undoubtedly, these social cognition processes affect social decision-making since mental state inferences occur spontaneously and automatically. Few studies have looked at how these social inference processes affect decision-making in a social context despite the capability of these inferences to serve as predictions that can guide future decision-making. Here we review and integrate the person perception and decision-making literatures to understand how social cognition can inform the study of social decision-making in a way that is consistent with both literatures. We identify gaps in both literatures—while behavioral economics largely ignores social processes that spontaneously occur upon viewing another person, social psychology has largely failed to talk about the implications of social cognition processes in an economic decision-making context—and examine the benefits of integrating social psychological theory with behavioral economic theory.
Dipolar polarization binding energy of TTFTCNQ

Abstract The dipolar polarization energy that arises from the electric field induced dipoles at the atomic sites been calculated for TTFTCNQ and found to be 0.091 eV per donor-acceptor pair for the fully charge transferred crystal. This is, therefore, a significant contribution to the binding energy, but is not sufficiently large to account for the existence of the charge transferred ionic ground state of this crystal.
Geomagnetic quiet day selection

Based on published literature and the response to a questionnaire sent to geomagnetic field, ionospheric and magnetospheric researchers, several methods of choosing periods of quiet conditions based on geomagnetic records, as well as other observed parameters, have been identified. Caveats with respect to using geomagnetic indices to select quiet periods include the following: 1. Geomagnetic disturbances are strongly local. Even if the data from all available observatories indicate quiet behavior, there is the distinct possibility that some other location, not sampled, may be disturbed. 2. Geomagnetic indices are convenient but imperfect indicators of geomagnetic activity. Indices based on a quiet-day reference level have uncertainties comparable to the threshold value for quiet conditions. Indices representing average conditions during a 24-hr UT day may not be appropriate. 3. Geomagnetic activity does not fully reflect the range of possible factors that influence the ionosphere or magnetosphere.
Are Psychophysical Scales of Intensities the Same or Different When Stimuli Vary on Other Dimensions? Theory With Experiments Varying Loudness and Pitch

Most studies concerning psychological measurement scales of intensive attributes have concluded that these scales are of ratio type and that the psychophysical function is closely approximated by a power function. Experiments show, for such cases, that a commutativity property must hold under either successive increases or successive decreases provided, e.g., all other independent dimensions are fixed. A good deal of data support this conclusion. However, little or no attention has been paid to whether or not such subjective intensity scales differ when an independent dimension such as frequency (pitch in audition, color in vision, etc.) is varied. Using a simple and favorably tested theoretical model for global psychophysics, the authors arrive at a necessary and sufficient cross-dimension, commutativity condition for a common intensity ratio scale to exist. For example, the data show that the loudness of a tone at frequency f and another tone at frequency g can each be viewed as arising from a common property of loudness over intensity/frequency pairs. Comparing one version of cross-dimensional commutativity with the corresponding 1-dimensional commutativity property discriminates between a general representation of the ratio scale property and a special case of it. Future work: Does the theory extend to other intensive continua (prothetic attributes)? If so, which ones? And does it extend to cross-modal matching?
Induction of the stress response by isolation of rabbit type II pneumocytes.

Protein synthesis by isolated rabbit type II pneumocytes was evaluated by incorporation of labeled amino acids, gel electrophoresis, and fluorography. Type II alveolar epithelial cells preferentially synthesize a small number of proteins immediately following isolation and simultaneously exhibit a depression of all other protein synthesis. Examination of the time course of the appearance and decline of these proteins showed them to be actively synthesized during the first 14 h after isolation. Decline in their production was accompanied by a gradual enhancement in the synthesis of other proteins. Actin synthesis was not measurable 1 h after isolation, but increased to 9% of total label incorporated by 14 h. This recovery was independent of attachment to an extracellular matrix. Treatment with actinomycin D immediately following cell isolation abolished the synthesis of these proteins, suggesting a requirement for active mRNA production. A subset of these proteins are induced by heat treatment of cultured ...
Implications of Distracted Driving on Start-Up Lost Time for Dual Left-Turn Lanes

Previous research has found that distracted driving measurably increases driver response times to unanticipated roadway hazards. These instances are of particular consequence as they tend to be highly correlated with vehicle crashes resulting in property damage and/or injury. However, comparatively little attention has been allocated to quantifying the negative impacts of distracted driving on driver reaction to anticipated stimuli. This study empirically determined the impact of distracted driving on queue discharge rates at signalized intersections with protected left turn phases for dual left turn lanes. Observational studies were conducted at 11 intersection approaches at six signalized intersections in three states resulting in the observation of 844 distracted and 3,726 undistracted left turning drivers. A statistical model was developed for the startup lost time resulting from the average headways of the samples in each state. The difference in startup lost times between queues comprised entirely of distracted or undistracted drivers
Editorial Commentary: The Epidemiology of Group A Streptococci: A Need to Understand the Significance of the Fertile Fields

enlightening attempts to understand the propensity of GAS to select “fertile fields” for infection. Yet, much remains to be learned. Where does the organism hide whilewaitingto“attack?”Whyarehumans (and perhaps only certain humans) its onlyrecognizednaturallyoccurringanimal host? How do the answers to these questions impact not only its selection of when to attack the fertile “soil,” but also how do these variables affect strain virulence (ability to thrive in the field)? Our ultimate goal is to protect the host, and to accomplish that, we need this information. Innovative clinicians, epidemiologists, and laboratory scientists have sought a more complete understanding. Some sig
Arteriovenous fistula for treatment of discrepancy in leg length

Surgical creation of a femoral arteriovenous fistula was used for treatment of anisomelia in twenty-eight patients. Seventeen patients required epiphyseodesis of the long extremity in addition to the fistula. Their discrepancies in length averaged 4.6 centimeters at fistula creation, 5.9 centimeters at epiphyseodesis, 3.6 centimeters at fistula closure, and 2.2 centimeters at maturity. Eleven patients were treated solely with surgical creation of an arteriovenous fistula. Their discrepancies averaged 4.1 centimeters at fistula creation, 2.4 centimeters at fistula closure, and 2.5 centimeters at maturity. The effect of the fistula was unpredictable and the complication rate was high.
Predictions of dangerousness: an argument for limited use

Intense debate has focused on the use of statistical predictions of dangerousness in the criminal justice system. Two conflicting positions maintain wide support: that such predictions are never appropriate in criminal justice decision-making, and that they should be used far more often. Recognizing the fact that implicit and intuitive predictions are made every day in police, prosecutorial, sentencing, and other decisions, and explicit but unscientific predictions are common, this article suggests a theoretical framework justifying limited use of statistical predictions. Statistical predictions may present, in some instances, a morally preferable alternative to biased nonscientific and implicit judgements. Development of a sound jurisprudence of predictions faces major hurdles given the trend toward unscientific predictions in the law and the enormous judicial confusion in dealing with predictions. The concept has contributed to a string of notably poor Supreme Court decisions.
Catabolic rates, population sizes and doubling/replacement times of microorganisms in natural settings

Directly assessing the impact of subsurface microbial activity on global element cycles is complicated by the inaccessibility of most deep biospheres and the difficulty of growing representative cultivars in the laboratory. In order to constrain the rates of biogeochemical processes in such settings, a quantitative relationship between rates of microbial catalysis, energy supply and demand and population size has been developed that complements the limited biogeochemical data describing subsurface environments. Within this formulation, rates of biomass change are determined as a function of the proportion of catabolic power that is converted into anabolism—either new microorganisms or the replacement of existing cell components—and the amount of energy that is required to synthesize biomass. Catabolic power is related to biomass through an energy-based yield coefficient that takes into account the constraints that different environments impose on biomolecule synthesis; this method is compared to other approaches for determining yield coefficients. Furthermore, so-called microbial maintenance energies that have been reported in the literature, which span many orders of magnitude, are reviewed. The equations developed in this study are used to demonstrate the interrelatedness of catabolic reaction rates, Gibbs energy of reaction, maintenance energy, biomass yield coefficients, microbial population sizes and doubling/replacement times. The number of microorganisms that can be supported by particular combinations of energy supply and demand is illustrated as a function of the catabolic rates in marine environments. Replacement/doubling times for various population sizes are shown as well. Finally, cell count and geochemical data describing two marine sedimentary environments in the South Pacific Gyre and the Peru Margin are used to constrain in situ metabolic and catabolic rates. The formulations developed in this study can be used to better define the limits and extent of life because they are valid for any metabolism under any set of conditions.
Hydrogen core techniques for the ram accelerator

In the conventional ram accelerator concept, a projectile is flown through a tube filled with a premixed fuel-oxidizer-diluent gas mixture. Combustion is stabilized near the projectile and produces thrust. No propellant is carried aboard the projectile. CFD calculations indicate that operation at velocities as high as 8-10 km/sec may be possible. One difficulty in operation of the conventional ram accelerator at velocities of 7-8 km/sec and higher is the in-tube gasdynamic heating of the projectile. A second difficulty is premature combustion at projectile stagnation points and in the projectile boundary layer. Boundary layer combustion can lead to choking of the flow and unstarting of the projectile. In-tube heating of the projectile can be greatly reduced and premature combustion can be eliminated if the projectile flies in a core of hydrogen surrounded by the chemically reactive gas. Five methods of creating hydrogen cores are examined a vortex method, two methods using balloons to separate hydrogen and fuel-oxidizer-diluent mixtures and two methods using dense media energy sources high explosives or deflagrating propellants. The advantages and disadvantages of the five methods are discussed. Implementation of the best techniques appears to be feasible. *Senior Research Scientist. Mailing Address: NASA Ames Research Center, Mail Stop 230-2, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000. Associate Fellow AIAA. fGraduate Student. University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. Student Member AIAA. Copyright @ 1996 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. No copyright is asserted in the United States inder Title 17, U.S. Code. The U.S. Government has a royalty-free license to exercise all rights under the copyright calimed herein for Government Purposes. All other rights are reserved by the copyright owner.
Systematics and systematists at The New York Botanical Garden

This paper examines systematics at The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), providing an historical backdrop but emphasizing the diversified skills of the modern systematist and some of the developments since the Garden’s centennial. It reviews some of the factors making NYBG a world center for plant and fungal systematics, including some of the giants in its history, its almost matchless resources for conducting systematics research, some of the landmarks and benchmarks the Garden’s systematists have produced, and some indicators that suggest the productivity is continuing apace at the very least. Some aspects of systematics research are unchanged or virtually so, but numerous dimensions and requisite skills have been added to the systematist’s toolbox, such that graduate students in systematics are now expected to be ‘masters of all trades.’ Outreach and service to the scientific community and the public, including direct influence on conservation, comprise a significant portion of the modern systematist’s activities. The staff and research projects of NYBG’s systematists are remarkable for their geographic and phylogenetic “coverage”: the Garden’s geographic research programs are much more global than before, and the Garden has staff researching virtually all major groups of plants and fungi. Another remarkable feature of the Garden’s team of systematists is that it has had staff working on several important taxonomic groups for many decades. Looking ahead to NYBG’s 150th anniversary, the staff will be transformed and the botanist’s toolkit will continue to expand rapidly, but the mission of documenting and conserving the plants and fungi of the world will remain the same.
Analysis on the surveillance results of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Longyou county of Zhejiang province from 2004 to 2010

Objective To determine the epidemiological characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) in Longyou county based on analysis of surveillance results for the deployment of specific control measures.Methods HFRS surveillance data from 2004 to 2010 were analyzed in combination with field investigation and laboratory tests to reveal the virus distribution in human and host animals.Results The average annual incidence rate was 0.78/105 from 2004 to 2010 in Longyou county.Most patients were at the age from 40 to 50 years,accounting for 63.64%.Farmers accounted for 77.27% of all patients.The ratio of male to female was 2.14:1.Summer and winter were two incidence peak periods in a year.The onset cases were observed in most of towns and villages.The highest incidence was found in Longnan mountain area.The diagnosis accuracy was 82.35%.The virus-carrying rate was 2.95% in rodents with Rattus tanezumi being the predominant host animal indoor(80.28%) and Apodemus agrarians being the predominant host outdoor(89.29%).The seroprevalence of HFRS antibodies in rats was 4.81%.Conclusion A declining trend of the HFRS incidence is shown in Longyou county,though the epidemiological characteristics of this disease remain unchanged.The surveillance results have shown that Longyou county is a mixed HFRS epidemic area dominated by the Apodemus type.
Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analysis of HA gene of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 strain during 2010-2014 in Dalian, North China.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the epidemiology of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and its hemagglutinin (HA) molecular and phylogenetic analysis during 2010–2014 in Dalian, North China. A total of 3717 influenza-like illness (ILI) cases were tested by real-time PCR and 493 were found to be positive. Out of these 493 cases, 121 were subtype influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, of which 14 cases were reported in 2010–2011, 29 in 2012–2013, and 78 in 2013–2014. HA coding regions of 45 isolates were compared to that of the vaccine strain A/California/7/09(H1N1), and a number of variations were detected. P83S, S185T, S203T, R223Q, and I321V mutations were observed in all of the Dalian isolates. Furthermore, a high proportion >71 % of the strains possessed the variation D97N and K283E. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the close match of the majority of circulating strains with the vaccine strains. However, it also reveals a trend of strains to accumulate amino acid variations and form new phylogenetic groups.
Isotopic and chemical alteration of zircon by metamorphic fluids: U-Pb age depth-profiling of zircon crystals from Barrow’s garnet zone, northeast Scotland

U-Pb isotopic analyses were done using ion microprobe depth-profiling on zircon crystals from Dalradian rocks in Barrow’s garnet zone, northeast Scotland, to determine the timing of metamorphic fluid infiltration and investigate fluid-zircon interactions. Zircon crystals collected from altered metasedimentary rock adjacent to a cross-cutting quartz vein and from relatively unaltered, continuously equivalent layers distal to the vein indicate that Paleozoic fluid influx caused isotopic and chemical alteration along zircon crystal surfaces and internal fractures. “Ion drilling” into natural zircon crystal faces yielded U-Pb depth profiles with 50–100 nm spatial resolution that permitted U-Pb isotopic age analysis of thin grain rims affected by fluid-mediated growth/recrystallization at 500–550°C. We interpret the measurements to indicate that fluid influx at 462 ± 8.8 Ma caused the growth/recrystallization of new zircon along pitted crystal surfaces and fractures in Archean zircon grains. Our age estimate overlaps the accepted age range (ca. 467–464 Ma) for peak Barrovian garnet growth, confirming that metamorphism and fluid influx were contemporaneous. The new zircon was enriched in U, Th, and common Pb relative to host grains, suggesting that U, Th, and Pb were actively transported by upper greenschist-facies metamorphic fluids. We present the first field-based evidence that common Pb in zircon can serve as an indicator of metamorphic fluid infiltration. Archean ages for some detrital zircons suggest contributions from a Lewisian/Scourian provenance.
Conclusion: Accounting for the Holocaust

In the Conclusion, I sum-up the impact of pre-Nazi discourse (imperial-colonial ideological underpinnings) and pre-Nazi praxis (earlier imperial-colonial projects) on Nazi discourse (the Nazi imperial-colonial imagination) and Nazi praxis (the genocidal violence unleashed by the Nazis between 1939 and 1945). I also reassert my book’s main idea (the Holocaust is best understood as ‘colonial genocide’) and its main argument (Western-style colonialism/racial imperialism was the Holocaust’s single most important enabler/cause).
Insights into the Mechanism of Homeoviscous Adaptation to Low Temperature in Branched-Chain Fatty Acid-Containing Bacteria through Modeling FabH Kinetics from the Foodborne Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes

The psychrotolerant foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes withstands the stress of low temperatures and can proliferate in refrigerated food. Bacteria adapt to growth at low temperatures by increasing the production of fatty acids that increase membrane fluidity. The mechanism of homeoviscous increases in unsaturated fatty acid amounts in bacteria that predominantly contain straight-chain fatty acids is relatively well understood. By contrast the analogous mechanism in branched-chain fatty acid-containing bacteria, such as L. monocytogenes, is poorly understood. L. monocytogenes grows at low temperatures by altering its membrane composition to increase membrane fluidity, primarily by decreasing the length of fatty acid chains and increasing the anteiso to iso fatty acid ratio. FabH, the initiator of fatty acid biosynthesis, has been identified as the primary determinant of membrane fatty acid composition, but the extent of this effect has not been quantified. In this study, previously determined FabH steady-state parameters and substrate concentrations were used to calculate expected fatty acid compositions at 30oC and 10oC. FabH substrates 2-methylbutyryl-CoA, isobutyryl-CoA, and isovaleryl-CoA produce the primary fatty acids in L. monocytogenes, i.e., anteiso-odd, iso-even, and iso-odd fatty acids, respectively. In vivo concentrations of CoA derivatives were measured, but not all were resolved completely. In this case, estimates were calculated from overall fatty acid composition and FabH steady-state parameters. These relative substrate concentrations were used to calculate the expected fatty acid compositions at 10oC. Our model predicted a higher level of anteiso lipids at 10oC than was observed, indicative of an additional step beyond FabH influencing fatty acid composition at low temperatures. The potential for control of low temperature growth by feeding compounds that result in the production of butyryl-CoA, the precursor of SCFAs that rigidify the membrane and are incompatible with growth at low temperatures, is recognized.
Assessment of pharmacokinetic interaction between rilotumumab and epirubicin, cisplatin and capecitabine (ECX) in a Phase 3 study in gastric cancer.

Aims Rilotumumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody investigated for the treatment of MET-positive gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential pharmacokinetic (PK)-based drug–drug interaction (DDI) between rilotumumab and epirubicin (E), cisplatin(C) and capecitabine (X). Methods This was a Phase 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled study, in which rilotumumab, epirubicin and cisplatin were administered intravenously at 15 mg kg−1, 50 mg m−2, and 60 mg m−2 Q3W, respectively, while capecitabine was given orally at 625 mg m−2 twice daily. Rilotumumab PK samples were taken at pre-dose and at the end-of-infusion from all patients in cycles 1, 3, 5 and 7. ECX PK samples were taken in cycle 3 from patients who participated in the intensive PK assessment. ECX PK was assessed by non-compartmental (NCA) analyses and PK parameters were compared between two arms. Rilotumumab PK was assessed by comparing the observed rilotumumab serum concentrations with model-predicted concentrations using a population PK model developed from previous Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies. Results The study enrolled 609 patients. ECX plasma concentrations in the presence and absence of rilotumumab were similar, as demonstrated by the geometric mean ratios for Cmax and AUC, which were close to 1.0, suggesting ECX PK was not affected by co-administration of rilotumumab. The observed rilotumumab serum concentrations were similar to the values predicted by population PK modelling on the basis of a prediction-corrected visual predictive check, indicating rilotumumab exposure was not affected by co-administration of ECX. Conclusions The results suggest lack of PK-based DDI between rilotumumab and ECX.
TLR7/8 Differentially Regulates Fcγ Receptor Expression and Function.

Abstract 3594 Poster Board III-531 Activation of Toll-like Receptors (TLR) 7 and 8 by engineered agonists has been shown to aid in combating viruses and tumors, and such compounds are in clinical use. We examined the effect of one agonist, R848, on monocyte Fcγ receptor (FcγR) expression. Results showed that overnight treatment with R848 increased expression of FcγRI, FcγRIIa and the common γ-subunit. Surprisingly, expression of the inhibitory FcγRIIb was almost completely abolished. We then treated bone marrow-derived macrophages from Wild-type, TLR7 −/− , MyD88 −/− , TRIF −/− and Cryopyrin −/− mice with R848 to test which pathway influenced FcγR expression. FcγR expression remained unchanged in TLR7 −/− and MyD88 −/− mice, suggesting that the TLR7 / MyD88 pathway was required. In order to test the functional effect of R848 treatment on monocyte FcγR, we treated monocytes with R848 and then co-incubated them with Rituximab-coated Raji B-cell lymphoma cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the treated monocytes led to a significantly greater decrease in intact antibody-coated Raji cells. Further, R848 treatment synergistically increased monocyte FcγR-mediated cytokine production. In conclusion, there are both regulatory and functional links between the TLR7/8 and FcγR pathways. This has implications for both antitumor immunotherapy and autoimmune diseases. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
MULTI-CONTROLLER EXERCISE ENVIRONMENTS FOR TRAINING INDUSTRIAL CONTROL SYSTEM FIRST RESPONDERS

When systems are targeted by cyber attacks, cyber first responders must be able to react effectively, especially when dealing with critical infrastructure assets. Training for cyber first responders is lacking and most exercise platforms are expensive, inaccessible and/or ineffective. This chapter describes a mobile training platform that incorporates a variety of programmable logic controllers in a single system that helps impart the unique skills required of industrial control system cyber first responders. The platform is modeled after a jail in the United States and was developed to maximize realism. Training scenarios are presented that cover specific cyber first responder skills and techniques. The results demonstrate that the platform is robust and highly effective for conducting sustained training exercises in curricula developed for cyber first responders.
An American Journalist in the Role of Partisan - Dickey Chapelle's Coverage of the Algerian War

Abstract This article argues that photojournalist Dickey Chapelle's coverage of the Algerian War in 1957 was unique in American coverage of the conflict. The work of Chapelle prefigued the more engaged photography of the 1960s and thus served as a bridge in photographic practice between that later period and the style prevalent during the late 1930s. Unlike other reporters, Chapelle became a partisan of the FLN, viewed her work as a chance to further its cause, identified strongly with the Algerian rebels, and chose to present them sympathetically. Often the sole woman in the field of war correspondent, her automatic role as outsider helps explain her point of view. Based on a content analysis of 160 articles, this study identifies the common themes in American coverage of the Algerian War. Edward Said's concept of how the Occident framed the Orient as “other” provides an interpretive frame for understanding the American coverage of the conflict. Chapelle departed from the common discourse; in Erving Goff...
General Principles of Behavior Management

Few individuals responsible for the care and/or treatment of children with autism would dispute the fact that these children present one of the toughest challenges we have faced. Everyone is challenged: the family, the schools, treatment specialists, and the entire community. Over the years since autism was first described by Leo Kanner (1943), a number of treatment approaches have been proposed and implemented, only to lead to limited and/or disappointing results. However, treatment from a behavioral perspective, that is, treatment based upon the principles of learning, has proven to have particular promise as a means of helping this severely handicapped population.