cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The fate of the epsilon phase (Mo-Ru-Pd-Tc-Rh) in the UO2 of the Oklo natural fission reactors

In spent nuclear fuel (SNF), the micrometer-to nanometer-sized epsilon phase (Mo-Ru-Pd-Tc-Rh) is an important host of 99 Tc which has a long half life (2.13 x 10 5 years) and can be an important contributor to dose in safety assessments of nuclear waste repositories. In order to examine the occurrence and the fate of the epsilon phase during the corrosion of SNF over long time periods, samples of uraninite from the Oklo natural reactors (∼ 2.0 Ga) have been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Because essentially all of the 99 Tc has decayed to 99 Ru, this study focuses on 4d-elements of the epsilon phase. Samples were obtained from the research collection at University of Michigan representing reactor zone (RZ) 10 (836, 819, 687) and from RZ 13 (864, 910). Several phases with 4d-metals have been identified within UO 2 matrix at the scale of 50-700 nm; froodite, PdBi 2 , with trace amounts of As, Fe, and Te, and palladodymite or rho-darsenide, (Pd, Rh) 2 As. The most abundant 4d-metal phase is ruthenarsenite, (Ru, Ni)As, which has a representative composition: As, 59.9; Co, 2.5; Ni, 5.2; Ru, 18.6; Rh, 8.4; Pd, 3.1; Sb, 2.4 in atomic %. Ruthenarsenite nanoparticles are typically surrounded by Pb-rich domains, galena in most cases; whereas, some particles reveal a complexly zoned composition within the grain, such as a Pb-rich domain at the core and enrichment of Ni, Co, and As at the rim. Some ruthenarsenites and Rh-Bi-particles are embedded in surrounding alteration products, e.g., chlorite, adjacent to uraninite (no further than ∼ 5 μm). A few of those particles are still coated by a Pb-rich layer. Based on these results, the history that epsilon phases have experienced can be described as follows: (i) The original epsilon phase was changed to, in most cases, ruthenarsenite, by As-rich fluids with other trace metals. Dissolution and a simultaneous precipitation may be responsible for the phase change. (ii) All Mo and most of the Tc were released from the epsilon phase. Galena precipitated surrounding the 4d-metal phases. (iii) Once the uraninite matrix has dissolved, the epsilon nanoparticles were released and "captured" within alteration phases that are immediately adjacent to the uraninite.
A theory of formal conceptual definitions: developing theory-building measurement instruments

Abstract This study develops the need for formal conceptual definitions (sometimes called nominal definitions) and how to develop better measurement instruments for theory-building. It develops the underlying theory for ‘good’ formal conceptual definitions by defining terms, demonstrating that formal conceptual definitions are needed for all theory-building empirical research, explains how and why ‘good’ formal conceptual definitions are used to develop properties and their measures, and last, it logically explains that good formal conceptual definitions are necessary conditions for construct validity (content validity, criterion validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity) while statistical tests are sufficient conditions for validity. This theory development explains why formal conceptual definitions are necessary before any traditional statistical empirical validity tests are performed. This study suggests that any statistical validity tests are not meaningful if the concept is not formally defined. In short, the theory of formal conceptual definitions provides a structure to develop ‘good’ measures of the formal theory that leads to ‘good’ empirical theory-building.
Twenty-five-year survival of sarcoma botryoides treated by irradiation.

The case of a 26-year-old woman with a history of sarcoma botryoides of the vagina treated by radiation therapy at the age of 13 months is presented. The patient is free from local tumor recurrence or distant metastases. As a result of pelvic irradiation during her infancy, she has hypoplastic external genitalia, hypofunction of the ovaries, and infantile vagina and uterus. She has, however, normal urinary and bowel function. (auth)
Bonded elastic half-planes with an interface crack and a perpendicular intersecting crack that extends into the adjacent material—I

Abstract The solution is given for two bonded isotropic linearly elastic half-planes of different elastic properties having a crack along the interface as welt as a perpendicular crack in one of the half-planes which may intersect the interface crack. The appropriate integral equations are developed using displacement dislocations on the crack surfaces. Numerical results are presented for the stress intensity factors, strain energy release rate, stresses and displacements.
A slippery grip

Characterization of a family of RNA molecules selected in vitro to bind the L-valine side chain should shed light on nucleic acid-hydrophobic amino-acid interactions
Novel precolumn deproteinization method using a hydroxyapatite cartridge for the determination of theophylline and diazepam in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

The deproteinization of human plasma was carried out using a hydroxy apatite cartridge as a precolumn. After human plasma had been passed through the cartridge followed by suitable elution, protein-free eluate was obtained within only 1 min without the need for centrifugation. Deproteinization was evaluated by the determination of albumin, gamma-globulin and transferrin in the eluate by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. Determination of theophylline and diazepam in human plasma was performed by HPLC with UV detection. The proposed method was suitable for the determination of these two drugs in human plasma, because it is simple and rapid (retention time of each drugs approximately 15 min) and microamounts of sample are required (50-100 microliters). The calibration graphs for theophylline and diazepam were linear in the range 0.1-10 micrograms and 0.1-65 ng, respectively. Recoveries of both drugs were over 90% by the standard addition method.
Relativistic configuration interaction calculations of the low-lying states of BiH

Abstract Relativistic configuration interaction calculations of the low-lying states (0 + (I), 1, 2, 0 + (II)) arising from σ 2 π 2 configuration of BiH and the corresponding λ- s states ( 3 Σ − , 1 Δ, 1 Σ + ) are carried out. These states are found to be bound and the calculated spectroscopic properties are compared with the available experimental results for the X(0 + ), A(1) and B(0 + ) states. The dissociation energy of the ground state X(0 + ) is calculated to be 2.17 eV. The ground state 0 + (I) is found to be a mixture of (76%) and (16.3%). The 0 + (II) and 2 states show avoided crossing at long distances.
Plasma Chemokine Levels Are Associated with the Presence and Extent of Angiographic Coronary Collaterals in Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease

Background: In patients with chronic ischemic heart disease (IHD), the presence and extent of spontaneously visible coronary collaterals are powerful determinants of clinical outcome. There is marked heterogeneity in the recruitment of coronary collaterals amongst patients with similar degrees of coronary artery stenoses, but the biological basis of this heterogeneity is not known. Chemokines are potent mediators of vascular remodeling in diverse biological settings. Their role in coronary collateralization has not been investigated. We sought to determine whether plasma levels of angiogenic and angiostatic chemokines are associated with of the presence and extent of coronary collaterals in patients with chronic IHD. Methodology/Principal Findings: We measured plasma concentrations of angiogenic and angiostatic chemokine ligands in 156 consecutive subjects undergoing coronary angiography with at least one $90% coronary stenosis and determined the presence and extent of spontaneously visible coronary collaterals using the Rentrop scoring system. Eighty-eight subjects (56%) had evidence of coronary collaterals. In a multivariable regression model, the concentration of the angiogenic ligands CXCL5, CXCL8 and CXCL12, hyperlipidemia, and an occluded artery were associated with the presence of collaterals; conversely, the concentration of the angiostatic ligand CXCL11, interferon-c, hypertension and diabetes were associated with the absence of collaterals (ROC area 0.91). When analyzed according to extent of collateralization, higher Rentrop scores were significantly associated with increased concentration of the angiogenic ligand CXCL1 (p,0.0001), and decreased concentrations of angiostatic ligands CXCL9 (p,0.0001), CXCL10 (p=0.002), and CXCL11 (p=0.0002), and interferon-c (p=0.0004). Conclusions/Significance: Plasma chemokine concentrations are associated with the presence and extent of spontaneously visible coronary artery collaterals and may be mechanistically involved in their recruitment. Citation: Keeley EC, Moorman JR, Liu L, Gimple LW, Lipson LC, et al. (2011) Plasma Chemokine Levels Are Associated with the Presence and Extent of
Vineberg Operation: A Review of the Birth and Impact of This Surgical Technique

The Vineberg operation was introduced by Arthur Vineberg in the early 1940s as an experimental model for revascularization of ischemic cardiac tissue in animal models with direct implantation of left internal mammary artery into ventricular myocardium. The first attempt in a human was performed in 1950, followed by 10,000 to 15,000 Vineberg operations completed in the 1950s and 1960s until the birth of coronary artery bypass grafting. We report a historical perspective, birth and impact of this surgical technique, and possible implications for the future of cardiology and cardiac surgery.
The life cycle of Micromalthus debilisLeConte (1878) (Coleoptera: Archostemata: Micromalthidae): historical review and evolutionary perspective

Micromalthus debilisLeConte (1878 ), has one of the most bizarre life cycles of any metazoan. Reproduction is typically by thelytokous, viviparous, larviform females, but there is also a rare arrhenotokous phase. The active first-instar (triungulin) larva develops into a legless, feeding (cerambycoid) larva. This form either pupates, leading to a diploid adult female, or develops into any of three subsequent types of reproductive paedogenetic forms: (1) a thelytokous female that produces triungulins via viviparity; (2) an arrhenotokous female that produces a single egg that develops into the short-legged (curculionoid) larva, eventually devouring its mother and becoming a haploid adult male; or (3) an amphitokous female that can follow either of the two above reproductive pathways. We speculate that Micromalthus is dependent on maternally transmitted bacteria for the ability to digest rotting wood, and that these bacteria are senescent in males, causing males to be obligately cannibalistic. Obligate male cannibalism, in turn, would have dramatically increased the cost of males, and have created a strong selective advantage for cyclic thelytoky and the other features of the Micromalthus life cycle that minimize the role of the male.
PTEN maintains haematopoietic stem cells and acts in lineage choice and leukaemia prevention

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) must achieve a balance between quiescence and activation that fulfils immediate demands for haematopoiesis without compromising long-term stem cell maintenance, yet little is known about the molecular events governing this balance. Phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) functions as a negative regulator of the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI(3)K)-Akt pathway, which has crucial roles in cell proliferation, survival, differentiation and migration. Here we show that inactivation of PTEN in bone marrow HSCs causes their short-term expansion, but long-term decline, primarily owing to an enhanced level of HSC activation. PTEN-deficient HSCs engraft normally in recipient mice, but have an impaired ability to sustain haematopoietic reconstitution, reflecting the dysregulation of their cell cycle and decreased retention in the bone marrow niche. Mice with PTEN-mutant bone marrow also have an increased representation of myeloid and T-lymphoid lineages and develop myeloproliferative disorder (MPD). Notably, the cell populations that expand in PTEN mutants match those that become dominant in the acute myeloid/lymphoid leukaemia that develops in the later stages of MPD. Thus, PTEN has essential roles in restricting the activation of HSCs, in lineage fate determination, and in the prevention of leukaemogenesis.
Intercomparison of the offshore wave measurements during ARSLOE

Preliminary results of an intercomparison between several wave measurement systems used during the ARSLOE experiment are presented. The comparison consists of some of the measurements in the offshore region, 12 km to 40 km offshore, taken during a storm that occurred October 23 to 26, 1980. The results indicate that differences in significant wave heights can be larger than the random variability.
The effects of hypothyroidism and 2,4-dinitrophenol on growth hormone synthesis.

After the administration of several agents which alter thyroid function, storage and synthesis of growth hormone (rGH) and storage of prolactin (rPRL) were studied in the rat pituitary gland. Hormone concentrations in pituitaries were measured by gel electrophoresis; synthesis was measured in pituitary glands incubated in vitro. The pituitary concentration of cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase activity were also determined. In addition, serum thyroxin concentrations and binding of DL-thyroxin-2-14C by pituitary and hypothalamic tissues were measured. We obtained the following results. Hypothyroidism produced by propylthiouracil (PTU) reduced the synthesis of rGH 90-97% and that of rPRL 70-78% and resulted in a fall of 80% in pituitary concentrations of rGH and rPRL. These effects of PTU were reversed by the administration of thyroxin. Dinitrophenol (DNP) reduced serum thyroxin 25% and the concentrations of rGH and rPRL in the pituitary as well as their rates ...
The Effects of Father Involvement during Pregnancy on Receipt of Prenatal Care and Maternal Smoking

To examine whether women whose partners are involved in their pregnancy are more likely to receive early prenatal care and reduce cigarette consumption over the course of the pregnancy. This study also examines sociodemographic predictors of father involvement during pregnancy. Data on 5,404 women and their partners from the first wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) were used to examine the association between father involvement during pregnancy and maternal behaviors during pregnancy. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used and data were weighted to account for the complex survey design of the ECLS-B. Women whose partners were involved in their pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to receive prenatal care in the first trimester and, among those who smoked at conception, to reduce their cigarette consumption 36% more than women whose partners were not involved in the pregnancy (p = .09). Fathers with less than a high school education were significantly less likely to be involved in their partner’s pregnancy, while first-time fathers and fathers who reported wanting the pregnancy were significantly more likely to be involved. The positive benefits of father involvement often reported in the literature on child health and development can be extended into the prenatal period. Father involvement is an important, but understudied, predictor of maternal behaviors during the prenatal period, and improving father involvement may have important consequences for the health of his partner, her pregnancy, and their child.
Drosophila glue gene Sgs-3: sequences required for puffing and transcriptional regulation.

The 68C intermolt puff of Drosophila melanogaster contains a cluster of three glue protein genes, Sgs-3, Sgs-7, and Sgs-8. By analysis of chromosomal rearrangements which break near the glue gene cluster, we have established that a region of no more than 20 kb is required for normal expression of the glue genes and for formation of the 68C puff. Using P element-mediated transformation, we have introduced defined segments of the 68C region into the fly genome and assayed the expression of the Sgs-3 gene. Based on the criteria of correct tissue- and stage-specific expression, transcription of an RNA of appropriate size and abundance, and production of an sgs-3 protein, the correctly regulated expression of the Sgs-3 gene requires less than 3.4 kb of total flanking sequences, approximately 2.3 kb 5′ and 1.1 kb 3′. Formation of a new intermolt puff at the site of insertion is not observed for all transformants which produce high levels of Sgs-3 RNA. Only transformants in which the introduced DNA from 68C also contains the Sgs-7 and Sgs-8 genes cause a new intermolt puff at the chromosomal location of the insert.
Oral contraceptives and cervical cancer.

This paper reviews the major epidemiologic studies conducted in the past 15 years on the possible relationship of oral contraceptive (OC) use to the subsequent development of cervical cancer. Such studies have great potential for bias and confusion. For example if OC users have had earlier coital experience and more sexual partners (2 factors associated with cervical neoplasia) than nonusers they will have higher cervical cancer rates independent of any drug-related effects. Other methodologic problems include a reluctance to obtain a detailed sexual history from study participants inappropriate selection of comparison groups and the lack of specificity associated with the Pap test. In addition OCs have only been widely used for the last 20 years and the latency period in cervical cancer may be longer than this. More recent studies which are methodologically superior to earlier studies suggest a consistent association between OC use and cervical cancer. The 1st prospective study (Walnut Creek Study) to gather data on the relationship between OCs sexual behavior and cervical malignancy found a positive association between duration of OC use and the incidence of biopsy-confirmed carcinoma of the cervix. This association was established while controlling for the effects of age education marital status number of Pap smears before entry religion smoking and selected infections. The association of OC use with invasive cervical cancer in several prospective studies is particularly alarming in light of the usual slow progression of carcinoma in situ to invasive carcinoma and the use of Pap screening exams in the follow-up period with the elimination of treated cases of in situ disease. Other studies suggest the risk associated with OC use is greatest in users for 10 or more years. The findings of these studies indicate a need for continued surveillance of OC users to detect cancer induction or promotion. Useful would be studies that examine cervical neoplasia risk in relation to OC composition.
Harmonic motion of nonconservative, forced, damped systems subjected to nonpotential follower forces

Abstract Solution to the harmonically forced motion of a nonconservative, viscously damped, continuous system with nonpotential follower forces is demonstrated. The solution is obtained by direct application of the Law of Varying Action. The resulting motion constitutes a ‘traveling’ wave phenomena for which the ‘phase angle’ is a function of the independent space variable. No complex variables and no differential equation nor the theory thereof enter the problem.
A Comparison of Process and Outcome at Two Hospitals

Background Institutional variation in the quality of medical care may be evaluated by examining process measures, such as use of diagnostic procedures or treatment modalities, or outcome measures, such as mortality. We undertook this study to examine variations in both process and outcome of care for patients with HIV-related Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) at two geographically diverse, HIV-experienced, public municipal hospitals. Design Retrospective review of hospitalized patients diagnosed as having PCP cared for at two municipal hospitals from 1988 to 1990. At hospital A, charts of all patients diagnosed as having PCP were abstracted (n=209); at hospital B, a random sample of 15% were abstracted (n=136). Results Among all hospitalized patients diagnosed as having PCP, the frequency of making a definitive diagnosis of PCP (as opposed to treating empirically) differed markedly at the two hospitals (85% in hospital A vs 26% in hospital B; p Conclusions The process of care for hospitalized patients with PCP in these two institutions differed considerably, but the survival rates were not significantly different, even after adjusting for confounding factors. While sample sizes available at the individual institutions were sufficient for evaluation of the process of care, they did not provide the power necessary to evaluate outcomes. Comparisons of outcomes such as mortality between individual hospitals may not have the statistical power to exclude important differences.
Computer attitudes and the use of computers in psychology courses

Students enrolled in four psychology courses in which computers were used for different purposes completed both pre- and postcourse surveys regarding their prior computer experience, their attitudes toward computers, and their locus of control. A fifth psychology course in which computers were not used served as a control. Results showed that participation in the courses that involved computer activities led to more positive attitudes toward computers than did the control condition. In addition, the positive changes in computer attitudes were found to be independent of initial student characteristics and unrelated to course performance. There was also some suggestion that courses that have higher levels of direct involvement with computer applications may lead to the most positive attitude changes.
Macrophage arachidonate release via both the cytosolic Ca2+-dependent and -independent phospholipases is necessary for cell spreading

Abstract We have observed that phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activation and arachidonate (AA) release are essential for monocyte/macrophage adherence and spreading. In this study, we addressed the relationship between AA release and cell adherence/spreading in murine resident peritoneal macrophages, and the roles of specific PLA 2 s in these processes. The PLA 2 -specific inhibitors, ( E )-6-(bromomethylene)tetrahydro-3-(1-naphthalenyl)-2H-pyran-2-one (BEL, specific for the Ca 2+ -independent PLA 2 (iPLA 2 )) and methyl arachidonoyl fluorophosphonate (MAFP, specific for the Ca 2+ -dependent phospholipase (cPLA 2 )) inhibited AA release and cell spreading in a correlated fashion but only modestly decreased cell adherence. Cell spreading was normalized by the addition of AA to PLA 2 -inhibited cells. AA release during spreading was also inhibited by Ca 2+ depletion or protein kinase C (PKC) inhibition, and was accompanied by increased (but transient) phosphorylation of cPLA 2 . Inhibition of macrophage spreading, however, only partially inhibited AA release. Moreover, constitutive AA release was seen in fully spread macrophages which was inhibited by BEL, but not MAFP or Ca 2+ depletion. BEL also reversed the phenotype of fully spread cells. These data suggest that macrophage spreading requires the release of AA by the iPLA 2 (which appears to be constitutively active) and cPLA 2 (which appears to be stimulated by adherence/spreading). Maintenance of macrophage spreading, in contrast, appears to be principally dependent on the iPLA 2 .
The synthesis of aspersitin

Abstract Aspersitin, a new metabolite produced by A s p e r g i l l u s p a r a s i t i c u s , was synthesized in racemic form by a six step sequence starting with dimethylphloroglucinol.
Cytokine load in prestorage leukoreduced PRBC transfusions in premature infants.

Despite the high frequency of packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions given to premature neonates, there has been no previous investigation in this population to determine whether small-volume PRBC transfusions using prestorage leukoreduction techniques (1) provide a cytokine load in the transfusate and (2) if there is a load, whether that load alters serum cytokine levels after transfusion. In all, 27 PRBC units, which were leukoreduced at the time of donation, were followed for cytokine analysis for the duration of the unit's shelf life (1to 42 days). Infants who received transfusion from these units had cytokines measured pre and post-transfusion. There were no significant levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), or human tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) detected during the storage time period. Nine premature infants who received transfusions from these units had serum cytokines levels measured pre- vs post-PRBC transfusion, with no evidence of alterations (IL-6 p=0.51, IL-10 p=0.10, IL-1β p=0.44, TNF-α p=0.86). The determination of a nondetectable or very low level of a cytokine load contained within the PRBC transfusate, combined with the absence of evidence of an in vivo cytokine effect, is important in establishing the safety profile for PRBC blood-banking methods used with premature neonates.
Measuring Plant Cover in Sagebrush Steppe Rangelands: A Comparison of Methods

Methods that are more cost-effective and objective are needed to detect important vegetation change within acceptable error rates. The objective of this research was to compare visual estimation to three new methods for determining vegetation cover in the sagebrush steppe. Fourteen management units at the US Sheep Experiment Station were identified for study. In each unit, 20 data collection points were selected for measuring plant cover using visual estimation, laser-point frame (LPF), 2 m above-ground-level (AGL) digital imagery, and 100-m AGL digital imagery. In 11 of 14 management units, determinations of vegetation cover differed (P < 0.05). However, when combined, overall determinations of vegetation cover did not differ. Standard deviation, corrected sums of squares, coefficient of variation, and standard error for the 100 m AGL method were half as large as for the LPF and less than the 2-m AGL and visual estimate. For the purpose of measuring plant cover, all three new methods are as good as or better than visual estimation for speed, standard deviation, and cost. The acquisition of a permanent image of a location is an important advantage of the 2 and 100 m AGL methods because vegetation can be reanalyzed using improved software or to answer different questions, and changes in vegetation over time can be more accurately determined. The reduction in cost per sample, the increased speed of sampling, and the smaller standard deviation associated with the 100-m AGL digital imagery are compelling arguments for adopting this vegetation sampling method.
Aromatic amino acid phosphoramidate di- and triesters of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) are non-toxic inhibitors of HIV-1 replication

Abstract A series of aromatic, water soluble and non-toxic amino acid phosphoramidate di- and triesters of zidovudine (AZT) were shown to inhibit the replication of HIV-1 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Cells treated with the active AZT diesters contained four fold more phosphorylated AZT than those treated with AZT, and no free AZT.
A CTRW-based model of time-resolved fluorescence lifetime imaging in a turbid medium.

We develop an analytic model of time-resolved fluorescent imaging of photons migrating through a semi-infinite turbid medium bounded by an infinite plane in the presence of a single stationary point fluorophore embedded in the medium. In contrast to earlier models of fluorescent imaging in which photon motion is assumed to be some form of continuous diffusion process, the present analysis is based on a continuous-time random walk (CTRW) on a simple cubic lattice, the objective being to estimate the position and lifetime of the fluorophore. This can provide information related to local variations in pH and temperature with potential medical significance. Aspects of the theory were tested using time-resolved measurements of the fluorescence from small inclusions inside tissue-like phantoms. The experimental results were found to be in good agreement with theoretical predictions provided that the fluorophore was not located too close to the planar boundary, a common problem in many diffusive systems.
Is dopamine a physiologically relevant mediator of feeding behavior

The hypothalamus integrates various hormonal and neuronal signals to regulate appetite and metabolism and thereby serves a homeostatic purpose in the regulation of body weight. Additional neural circuits that are superimposed on this system have the potential to override the homeostatic signals, resulting in either gluttony or anorexia at the extremes. Midbrain dopamine neurons have long been implicated in mediating reward behavior and the motivational aspects of feeding behavior. Recent results reveal that hormones implicated in regulating the homeostatic system also impinge directly on dopamine neurons; for example, leptin and insulin directly inhibit dopamine neurons, whereas ghrelin activates them. Here, I discuss the predictions and implications of these new findings as they relate to dopamine signaling and the physiology of appetite control.
Use of Underwater Gliders for Acoustic Data Retrieval from Subsurface Oceanographic Instrumentation and Bidirectional Communication in the Deep Ocean

AbstractMany fixed oceanographic instruments and observing systems are deployed in the water column or on the seafloor for extended periods of time without any expression at the sea surface. To routinely communicate with such subsurface instruments in the deep ocean, here a system is presented that uses underwater gliders and commercially available acoustic modems for this task and its use is demonstrated with subsurface moorings and inverted echo sounders plus bottom pressure sensor (PIES). One recent glider mission spent 31 days in data retrieval dives, capturing 2 MB of error-free subsurface data. To acquire this volume, a total of 2.65 MB (including all retransmissions) were sent, with a success rate of 75%. A model for the energy usage of each phase of modem function was derived from laboratory measurements. While the model predicts that the glider would expend 0.21 J to acquire each data byte, the actual consumption of the glider in the field is 0.49 J byte−1. The inefficiency is due to overhead ass...
Optimizing Data Decomposition for Data Parallel Programs

A critical issue in achieving the performance of data parallel programs is how to efficiently decompose data across processors. On distributed-memory machines, a good data decomposition should increase processor workload balance and reduce interprocessor communication. Data decomposition consists of data distribution and data alignment. In this paper, we propose a trapezoid data distribution pattern and new data alignment algorithms using alignment graph (AG). Our AG-based alignment framework is unique from other related work because it takes advantage of the effect of optimal expression evaluation with regard to multiple assignment statements.
Nanostructured Solar Cells for High Efficiency Photovoltaics

The use of nanostructures in photovoltaics offers the potential for high efficiency by either using new physical mechanisms or by allowing solar cells which have efficiencies closer to their theoretical maximum, for example by tailoring material properties. At the same time, nanostructures have potentially low fabrication costs, moving to structures or materials which can be fabricated using chemically or biologically formed materials. Despite this potential, there are multiple and significant challenges in achieving viable nanostructured solar cells, ranging from the demonstration of the fundamental mechanisms, device-level issues such as transport mechanisms and device structures and materials to implement nanostructured solar cells, and low cost fabrication techniques to implement high performance designs. This paper presents the challenges and approaches for using nanostructured solar cells in devices which can approach the thermodynamic limits for solar energy conversion.
Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis

Introduction Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is the most common cause of scleroderma-related deaths. New medications for PAH patients make it necessary to identify patients with high risk factors for PAH. This study looks at the use of an exercise echocardiogram in identifying patients who may have PAH and may be candidates for early therapeutic intervention. Methods This study included 54 scleroderma patients with symptoms suggesting they were at risk for pulmonary hypertension, including dyspnea on exertion, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco) 1.6, or resting right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) > 35 mm Hg. The exercise echocardiogram protocol involved the standard Bruce stress echocardiogram protocol with remeasurement of the RVSP within 1 min of stopping exercise. A positive exercise test result was defined as an increase of at least 20 mm Hg in the RVSP with exercise. Right-heart catheterization with exercise was performed in those with a positive exercise test result. Results Resting mean RVSP was 34.5 mm Hg, which increased to 51.4 mm Hg with exercise; 44% had at a positive exercise test result, which correlated with a low Dlco, high FVC%/Dlco% ratio (p 35 mm Hg (p Conclusions Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension is a common finding in patients at high risk for PAH. This may be a sensitive way to identify patients with early PAH. Long-term follow-up and early treatment should be studied in these patients.
Cultures of War: Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, 9/11, Iraq – By John W. Dower

The author, the world‐renowned authority on the Pacific War and Japanese occupation, has advanced his argument in this book to a higher level by comparing the American experience in the Pacific and...
Design of an Instrument to Measure Optical Reflectance of Scintillating Crystal Surfaces

In order for a Monte Carlo simulation to be accurate in predicting and optimizing the light collection in scintillation detectors, the light reflectance off an internal surface within the scintillating crystal must be understood well. We present design studies for an instrument that will accurately measure the reflectance distribution within a scintillating crystal. A laser is aimed towards the center of a 50.8-mm diameter scintillating crystal hemisphere. The laser can be positioned at any arbitrary angle. The laser beam is reflected off the flat surface of the hemisphere and the light distribution is measured by a movable array of photodiodes that can measure the reflected light over the entire 2pi solid angle. Thirty-six PIN photodiodes, mounted in two rows and offset to each other by half the length of a photodiode, measure the reflected light. The currents from the photodiodes are switched through a multiplexer to a digital multimeter, where the current is recorded. The current measurements give a dynamic range of 105 : 1. A Lab VIEW program controls the motion of the laser and photodiodes, the switch, and the data collection. The mechanical set-up is placed inside of a light-tight glove box. By flowing dry nitrogen gas through the glove box we can control the water content in the atmosphere and so measure hydroscopic scintillators.
Polymicrobial abdominal wall necrotizing fasciitis after cesarean section.

We report a case of a previously healthy woman after an uneventful caesarean section who developed polymicrobial necrotizing fasciitis. She was given a non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drug (NSAID) after her delivery. Her post-delivery course was complicated by septic shock, and required multiple debridements before abdominal reconstruction. This case describes the increased risk of necrotizing fasciitis with NSAID use. Unusual were the organisms causing the polymicrobial necrotizing fasciitis: Staphylococcus aureus , Enterobacter agglomerans , Acinetobacter baumannii , and two strains of Enterobacter cloacae .
Perivascular nerves contribute to cortical spreading depression-associated hyperemia in rats

We investigated the contribution of perivascular nerves and neurotransmitters to cortical spreading depression (CSD)-associated hyperperfusion in the rat. Chronic transection of the nasociliary ner...
The Brucella abortus CcrM DNA methyltransferase is essential for viability, and its overexpression attenuates intracellular replication in murine macrophages.

ABSTRACT The CcrM DNA methyltransferase of the α-proteobacteria catalyzes the methylation of the adenine in the sequence GAnTC. Like Dam in the enterobacteria, CcrM plays a regulatory role in Caulobacter crescentus and Rhizobium meliloti. CcrM is essential for viability in both of these organisms, and we show here that it is also essential in Brucella abortus. Further, increased copy number of the ccrM gene results in striking changes inB. abortus morphology, DNA replication, and growth in murine macrophages. We generated strains that carryccrM either on a low-copy-number plasmid (strain GR131) or on a moderate-copy-number plasmid (strain GR132). Strain GR131 has wild-type morphology and chromosome number, as assessed by flow cytometry. In contrast, strain GR132 has abnormal branched morphology, suggesting aberrant cell division, and increased chromosome number. Although these strains exhibit different morphologies and DNA content, the replication of both strains in macrophages is attenuated. These data imply that the reduction in survival in host cells is not due solely to a cell division defect but is due to additional functions of CcrM. Because CcrM is essential in B. abortus and increased ccrMcopy number attenuates survival in host cells, we propose that CcrM is an appropriate target for new antibiotics.
Family Trees and Timber Rights: Albert E. Jenks, Americanization, and the Rise of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota

Hindsight allows present-day scholars to view the development of academic disciplines in a light that contemporaries would never have seen. Hence, from our perspective, Mary Furner's assertion that anthropology developed as a profession reacting against biology and the physical sciences makes sense, for we tend to celebrate the triumph of cultural anthropology as the coming of age of the discipline. However, this trajectory of professional development was not a necessary or predestined development. Rather, the eventual (if occasionally still embattled) predominance of culture over the categories of race, nation, and biology was only one of many possible outcomes. This paper investigates a different trajectory, one that most current scholars would hope has been relegated to the dustbin of history. It is still a cautionary tale, though, in that while the racial anthropology followed in this narrative did not survive World War II, its practitioners did enjoy a degree of prominence and influence that was much greater and longer than has been generally acknowledged by current accounts.
Echocardiographic Observations of Paradoxic Pulse Without Pericardial Disease

Echocardiograms were obtained in 10 normal patients and in 11 patients with respiratory insufficiency due to chronic obstructive lung disease (8) and to thoracic poliomyelitis (3). Only the eight patients with obstructive lung disease had paradoxic pulse. No patient had pericardial disease. The left ventricular internal dimension, stroke volume, and the mitral valve E-F slope and D-E excursion were measured. The inspiratory to expiratory ratio of each measurement was significantly lower in patients with obstructive lung disease than in normal subjects. The patients with thoracic poliomyelitis demonstrated almost no respiratory change in these measurements. The magnitude of the change in the measured factors probably relates to the degree of negativity of intrathoracic pressure during respiration. The inspiratory reduction of mitral valve motion and left ventricular internal dimension is not specific to tamponade but may be seen in patients who exhibit paradoxic pulse due to other conditions.
Enhanced Fibroblast–Myocyte Interactions in Response to Cardiac Injury

Rationale:A critical event in the development of cardiac fibrosis is the transformation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. The electrophysiological consequences of this phenotypic switch remain la...
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY—No. 3.: CUT-WORMS

Of all the injuries committed year after year upon field and garden crops, none are more annoying than those due to the ravages of the various caterpillars known as Cut-worms. These are the larvaeof dullcoloured, active moths, belonging for the most part of the three genera, Agrotis , Hadena , and Mamestra , and in North America alone constitute an army of no less than 340 different described species, many of which are, at times, very abundant.
Hidden Markov model analysis of manufacturing process information

A method is presented for using hidden Markov models (HMMs) for the analysis of force, torque, and position signals from sensors in manufacturing machines. The HMM can detect the transitions between contact states and compute a measure of the task quality using a model of the task developed by the manufacturing engineer and optimized on training data. The HMM method has been evaluated in extensive experimentation with teleoperation and the results suggest even higher effectiveness in automation and manufacturing applications. >
Commodity Variance Risk Premia and Expected Futures Returns: Evidence from the Crude Oil Market

We develop an extended mean-variance model to investigate the relationship between variance risk premia (VRP) and expected futures returns in the commodity market. In the presence of stochastic variance, commodity producers trade both futures and options to hedge their exposure to commodity price and volatility risk; speculators provide liquidity and ask for risk premia. This model reveals a negative relationship between VRP and expected futures returns. Empirically, we measure VRP using options and high-frequency futures data in the crude oil market. Consistent with our model, we find that VRP negatively predict futures returns even after controlling for other predictor variables.
Combinatorial therapy with tamoxifen and trifluoperazine effectively inhibits malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor growth by targeting complementary signaling cascades.

Chemotherapeutic agents effective against malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are urgently needed. We recently found that tamoxifen potently impedes xenograft growth. In vitro, tamoxifen inhibits MPNST proliferation and survival in an estrogen receptor-independent manner; these effects are phenocopied by the calmodulin inhibitor trifluoperazine. The present study was performed to establish the mechanism of action of tamoxifen in vivo and optimize its therapeutic effectiveness. To determine if tamoxifen has estrogen receptor-dependent effects in vivo, we grafted MPNST cells in castrated and ovariectomized mice; xenograft growth was unaffected by reductions in sex hormones. To establish whether tamoxifen and trifluoperazine additively or synergistically impede MPNST growth, mice xenografted with NF1-associated or sporadic MPNST cells were treated with tamoxifen, trifluoperazine, or both drugs for 30 days. Both monotherapies inhibited graft growth by 50%, whereas combinatorial treatment maximally reduced graft mass by 90% and enhanced decreases in proliferation and survival. Kinomic analyses showed that tamoxifen and trifluoperazine have both shared and distinct targets in MPNSTs. Additionally, trifluoperazine prevented tamoxifen-induced increases in serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1, a protein linked to tamoxifen resistance. These findings suggest that combinatorial therapy with tamoxifen and trifluoperazine is effective against MPNSTs because these agents target complementary pathways that are essential for MPNST pathogenesis.
Accessible and Quantitative Entangled Polymer Rheology Predictions, Suitable for Complex Flow Calculations

Despite strong industrial interest, only recently have quantitative predictions for entangled polymer rheology become possible. Major advances are achieved with an alternative approach to entanglement modeling—slip-links. For example, the discrete slip-link model (DSM) allows for equilibrium and high-flow-rate predictions with a strong connection to a molecular basis. Slip-link models are applicable to arbitrary composition and chain architectures, but usually incur high numerical cost. Recent advances in coarse-graining allowed for a speedup of order one hundred, but further improvements are required for the ultimate goal—simulations of nonhomogeneous flows. On the other hand, it is possible to rely on advanced computational devices to obtain additional speed-up. GPUs are one of the most rapidly developing kind of computational devices, and provide immense computational power, but also have some critical restrictions on numerical operations. Since slip-link models have a unique level of description, our ...
No Country for Old Men: The Changing Role of Senes in Cicero’s Political Philosophy

Although Cicero specifies that these examples come from foreign states, at the time that Cicero composed these words Rome was at the end of one revolution and the beginning of another. Caesar’s assassination had brought to a close nearly five years of civil war, but very act of his murder was the first event in a new round of civil conflict that would ultimately lead to the establishment of the Principate. For Cicero, however, the instability which resulted from the Ides of March offered an opportunity for him to re-engage with Roman politics. To do so, however, Cicero would have to find a way to re-establish his credentials as a statesman after over three years of self-imposed political retirement. Among other factors working against him, such as his former allegiance to Pompey and his refusal to serve in the Senate under Caesar, Cicero was now an old man, having celebrated his 62nd birthday in January 44. Cicero’s advanced age was certainly weighing heavily on his mind in 44.
The hololipoprotein complex of β2-glycoprotein I and dicaproyl phosphatidylserine

The ability of β2-glycoprotein I (formerly referred to as apolipoprotein H) to act as an autoantigen for antibodies from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome is dependent upon its binding in vivo to anionic phospholipid surfaces or to surfaces in vitro which mimic their surface characteristics. The ability of the autoepitoe(s) of β2-glycoprotein I to be exposed by binding a shortchain (6-carbon), anionic phospholipid has not been explored. Here, we describe our studies of the hololipoprotein generated by reacing β2-glycoprotein I with dicaproyl phosphatidylserine. The formation of the complex is accompanied by inhibition of β2-glycoprotein I binding to phospholipid-coated polystyrene surfaces, with 50% reduction in binding occurring at about 10 mM. At concentrations >10 mM, dicaproyl phosphatidylserine also displaces β2-glycoprotein I bound to anionic phospholipid surfaces. Physicochemical studies suggest that at DCPS concentrations >6 mM, the solutions are colloidal and that β2-glycoprotein I forms a supramolecular complex with organized phospholipid structures. Using a standard human autoimmune anti-β2-glycoprotein I plasma, as well as a series of six additional sera from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome, the complex did not generate a detectable epitope. We conclude that lipid binding, per se, is not sufficient for the presentation of the epitope(s) of β2-glycoprotein I or its recognition by autoantibodies from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.