cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strengthening of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings

A method is proposed for rehabilitation and strengthening of multi-wythe unreinforced brick masonry walls in buildings where they are the primary structural element for transferring load to the foundation. Shear tests were performed to determine the strength of newly manufactured small-scale specimens made with cement grout, sand/polyester grouts, and sand/epoxy grouts as the filler materials. Experimental tests were also performed on specimens cut out of existing (about 80-yr old) unreinforced brick masonry walls that has been strengthened using the proposed technique. The tests were performed to determine optimum parameters such as core diameter and flow and strength characteristics of the core filler materials. The flow characteristics of sand/epoxy or sand/polyester grouts were superior to those of sand/cement grouts, but at higher costs. The primary advantages of the proposed technique include uninterrupted use of buildings, no external aesthetic alterations, and a shorter time span for the complete rehabilitation process. An ultimate strength type design technique for out-of-plane loads and a calculation of the equivalent modulii of the composite section is also presented.
Physiology of the renal medullary microcirculation.

Perfusion of the renal medulla plays an important role in salt and water balance. Pericytes are smooth muscle-like cells that impart contractile function to descending vasa recta (DVR), the arterio...
Differences in Social and Public Risk Perceptions and Conflicting Impacts on Point/Nonpoint Trading Ratios

If stochastic nonpoint pollution loads create socially costly risk, then an economically optimal point/nonpoint trading ratio—the rate point source controls trade for nonpoint controls—is adjusted downward (a risk reward for nonpoint controls), encouraging more nonpoint controls. However, in actual trading programs, ratios are adjusted upward in response to nonpoint uncertainties (a risk premium for nonpoint controls). This contradiction is explained using a public choice model in which regulators focus on encouraging abatement instead of reducing damages. The result is a divergence of public and social risk perceptions, and a trading market that encourages economically suboptimal nonpoint controls. Copyright 2001, Oxford University Press.
Presentation for Chairs' Workshop on Assessment, APSA 2006

Assessment is increasingly present on many campuses, and as state legislatures, parents, employers, and accreditation agencies continue to ask for documentation of what students learn at college, it is not likely to go away in the near future. How, then, do we know what our students learn? How can we demonstrate that they do learn, and what they learn?
Long-term functional outcome and quality of life after stapled restorative proctocolectomy.

Objective To evaluate prospectively long-term quality of life and functional outcome after restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, and to evaluate and validate a novel quality-of-life indicator in this group of patients. Background Data Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is now the preferred option when total proctocolectomy is required for ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis, but long-term data on functional outcome and quality of life after the procedure are lacking. Methods Patients (n = 977) who underwent RPC with stapled anastomosis for colitis or polyposis coli and who were followed for ≥12 months were included. Quality of life, fecal incontinence, and satisfaction with surgery were prospectively evaluated by structured interview or questionnaire for 1 to 12 years after surgery (median 5.0). Quality of life was scored using the Cleveland Global Quality of Life (CGQL) instrument (Fazio Score). This is a novel score developed over the past 15 years by the senior author. Quality of life was also evaluated in a subgroup of patients with the Short Form 36 (SF-36). The CGQL was validated by determining its reliability, responsiveness, and validity as well as its correlation with the SF-36 score. Results Postoperative quality of life as measured by SF-36 was excellent and compared well with published norms for the general U.S. population. The CGQL was found to be reliable, responsive, and valid, and there was a high correlation with the SF-36 scores. Using the CGQL, quality of life was shown to increase after the first 2 years after surgery, and there was no deterioration thereafter. The prevalence of perfect continence increased from 75.5% before surgery to 82.4% after surgery, and although this deteriorated somewhat >2 years after surgery, it was no worse than preoperative values. Ninety-eight percent of patients would recommend the surgery to others. Conclusions Long-term quality of life after ileal pouch surgery is excellent and the level of continence is satisfactory. This surgery is an excellent long-term option in patients requiring total proctocolectomy. The CGQL is a simple, valid, and reliable measure of quality of life after pelvic pouch surgery and may well be applicable in many other clinical conditions.
The French Way: How France Embraced and Rejected American Values and Power. By Richard Kuisel. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2012. Pp. xxii, 487. $49.50.)

This is an ambitious book in which the author attempts to tell a complicated story—France's social, political, and cultural development at the end of the twentieth and very beginning of the twenty‐...
Similarity of cruzin, an inhibitor of Trypanosoma cruzi neuraminidase, to high-density lipoprotein

A specific inhibitor of the neuraminidase of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi was isolated recently and named cruzin. It is now shown that cruzin is similar to high-density lipoprotein by amino acid homology, by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, by immunoblot analysis, and by isoelectric focusing. Cruzin purified by ion exchange chromatography and high-density lipoprotein isolated by density gradient ultracentrifugation inhibited Trypanosoma cruzi neuraminidase to the same extent. Cruzin or high-density lipoprotein restores to normal the decreased multiplication rate of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes grown in a medium depleted of lipoproteins, suggesting that it may be important for survival of the parasite in nature.
Written Text as Social Interaction

(1984). Written text as social interaction. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 23, Access to Meaning: Spoken and Written Language, pp. 198-207.
Some experiments on liquid helium heat transfer-characteristics affecting stability of superconducting magnet operation

Heat transfer from 25 μm thick, 6.36 mm wide Nb tape into boiling helium in vertical channels of 1.7 × 21 mm cross section was studied. Normal zones were initiated by heaters attached to the tape surface not in contact with the liquid. Two heat transfer effects of possible importance for superconductor stability were observed: 1. Steady normal zones enabling the measurement of localized heat transfer, and 2. Heat transport to neighboring tapes by means of the coolant. 1. Steady normal zones are those that neither grow nor decay; they occur at current densities of 13 to 17 kA/cm2, corresponding to heat transfers of 0.45 to 0.8 W/cm2for the normal portion of the tape. Fluctuations of the length of the normal zone are < 0.4 mm. Comparison of measured temperature profiles with calculations yields localized heat transfer values. A heat transfer ∼3 times higher than the peak nucleate boiling value of 0.42 W/cm2(measured for brass tapes) exists in a 2 mm wide region near the normal to superconducting boundary. It is inferred that this is the region where the gaseous film covering the normal zone terminates and wetting by the boiling liquid begins. 2. In a current range where the normal zones decay again, it is observed that heater pulses (square,1 s long) larger than a critical level (0.7 W) cause normal zones to appear in tapes directly above the heater-induced normal zone, with a delay of the order of 0.1 s. Suggested explanation: The heat from pulse and induced resistive zone vaporizes the limited amount of liquid helium in contact with the zone and, before convection has time to develop, the helium becomes superheated above the critical 6 - 8 K. As it then rises normal zones are created.
A preliminary investigation of information systems team structures

Abstract Productivity in the information age is widely perceived to be a major organizational problem. One strategy for enhancing organizational productivity has been the use of task teams. Assignment to task teams is usually based on individual technical expertise, individual availability, and/or positional politics rather than on the effectiveness of the team members in the specific organizational situation. This paper investigations characteristics of team members and then examines the effect of these characteristics and the requirements of the organizational task on team effectiveness. The findings indicate that the perceptual types of team members and the task structure impacts team effectiveness. It lends evidence that heterogeneity of perceptual types is best for solving unstructured tasks whereas heterogeneity can be counter-productive when solving structured tasks. It also suggests that one team might not be appropriate for all stages of a project. As the structure of the tasks change, the optimum team composition might also change.
Cognitive performance in older adults with stable heart failure: Longitudinal evidence for stability and improvement

ABSTRACTCognitive impairment is prevalent in heart failure (HF), though substantial variability in the pattern of cognitive impairment is found across studies. To clarify the nature of cognitive impairment in HF, we examined longitudinal trajectories across multiple domains of cognition in HF patients using latent growth class modeling. 115 HF patients completed a neuropsychological battery at baseline, 3-months and 12-months. Participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Latent class growth analyses revealed a three-class model for attention/executive function, four-class model for memory, and a three-class model for language. The slope for attention/executive function and language remained stable, while improvements were noted in memory performance. Education and BDI-II significantly predicted the intercept for attention/executive function and language abilities. The BDI-II also predicted baseline memory. The current findings suggest that multiple performance-based classes of ne...
Attenuation of perfluoropolymer fume pulmonary toxicity: effect of filters, combustion method, and aerosol age.

Abstract Thermal decomposition products of some perfluorinated polymers are toxic to experimental animals in small-scale combustion toxicity tests; the toxicity is dependent upon the heating procedure, combustion temperature, and other experimental conditions. In the current studies we investigated the time course of fume generation and exposure on pulmonary effects in rats following a 30-min exposure to perfluoropolymer decomposition products (i.e., fume concentration = 0.2 mg/m3 of tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP)) pyrolyzed with either static or dynamic airflows. In the first set of experiments, five different groups of rats were exposed to FEP fumes in a static combustion toxicity test system. Three groups were exposed to unfiltered FEP fumes during 0- to 15-, 15- to 30-, and 0- to 30-min intervals, respectively, and one to a filtered (particle-free) atmosphere of combusted FEP for 30 min. Sham-exposed rats constituted the control group. Immediately after exposure, the rats were sacrificed and their lungs weighed and lavaged or perfused to assess indices of cytotoxicity. Our results showed that lung weights, markers of inflammation, and pulmonary hemorrhage and alkaline phosphatase, β-glucuronidase, lactate dehydrogenase, and protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were significantly elevated in all unfiltered FEP-exposed groups compared to those in either the rats exposed through filters or controls (P
Non-radioisotopic detection of human xenogeneic DNA in a mouse transplantation model.

Abstract Xenogeneic mouse models are widely used for the study of human tumor growth and metastasis. To date, few methods have been developed to track and quantitate the colonization of mouse organs with transplanted human cells. In this paper, a family of nonradioisotopic DNA oligonucleotide probes that are complementary to sequences within the human Alu element are characterized. These probes can be used in Southern hybridization reactions to quantitate the colonization of mouse organs with human derived cells. One oligonucleotide probe, the Alu-C probe, was identified as the most sensitive and specific in the family of probes synthesized for the distinction of human genomic DNA in a mouse genomic DNA background. The Alu-C probe can identify 0·05 ng human diploid DNA in a mouse background of 500 ng of genomic DNA. This represents 7·5 human diploid cells admixed with 75 000 mouse diploid cells. The Alu-C probe can therefore be employed to assess human colonization in xenograft models for a variety of human tumors and non-neoplastic tissues.
Crustal thickness beneath the Andes and Sierras Pampeanas at 30°S inferred from Pn apparent phase velocities

[1] We obtained a 2D crustal model beneath central Chile and western Argentina using apparent Pn phase velocities recorded along an EW trending transect at 30°S. This model is characterized by a thick (65 km) crustal root beneath the High Cordillera, a 60 km thick crust beneath the Precordillera, and a gradual shallowing of Moho depths beneath the Sierras Pampeanas from 55 km in the west to 40 km in the east. Beneath the Sierras Pampeanas, where very little crustal shortening is observed, the thick crust must be explained by means other than simple tectonic shortening. Isostatically balanced crustal thickness is consistently shallower than our model shows, suggesting the existence of dynamic forces possibly linked to the flat slab.
The biosynthesis of radioactive estradiol. I. Synthesis by surviving tissue slices and cell free homogenates of dog ovary.

Abstract 1. 1. 2-14C-acetate is incorporated into estradiol, estrone and cholesterol by surviving tissue slices and homogenates of dog ovary. 2. 2. Under comparable conditions more acetate was incorporated into estradiol than into estrone. 3. 3. The activity of estradiol and estrone obtained from tissues of animals in proestrus was greater than that of animals in anestrus.
Platelet aggregation responses in clinically healthy adult llamas.

Background: Limited information exists regarding hemostasis in camelids despite the importance of platelet function testing in the accurate identification of platelet disorders. As further importation of llamas to North America is restricted, variability in breeding stock will continue to decrease, potentially leading to an increase in heritable bleeding disorders. Objective: The objective of this study was to measure platelet aggregation responses in clinically healthy llamas and provide baseline data to which abnormal platelet function may be compared in the future. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 39 healthy adult llamas, citrated, and centrifuged to produce platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Within 4 hours of the blood draw, 20 μL of each agonist reagent were added to 180 μL of PRP. Final concentrations of agonists were 2 × 10−5 M ADP, 0.19 mg collagen/mL PRP, 1 × 10−4 M epinephrine, and 500 μg arachidonic acid/mL PRP. Results: Llama platelets were most responsive to ADP and collagen, with a maximum percent aggregation (mean±SD) of 71.3±18.6% and 55.8±19% and aggregation rates of 9.5±3.9 and 6.7±3.7 cm/min, respectively. Llama platelet aggregation in response to epinephrine and arachidonic acid was minimal to absent. Conclusions: This study is the first of its kind to establish baseline values for platelet aggregation in healthy adult llamas.
Statistical error analysis using the UDUT covariance factorization

A numerically improved covariance error analysis algorithm is derived using the matrix factorization P = UDUT. The algorithm employs computationally sound transformation techniques to ensure increased precision and stability. The advantages of this approach are demonstrated by applying the U-D and conventional evaluation algorithms to a representative orbit determination problem. Throughout the comparison study the conventional covariance method continually experiences serious accuracy degradations and often produces useless or inconsistent results. The UD algorithm, on the other hand, demonstrates its inherent stability by consistently matching the extended precision reference results. Moreover, the U-D method is found to be efficient and easy to implement, requiring no more storage or computation than the conventional covariance algorithm.
S100A6 preferentially labels type C nevus cells and nevic corpuscles: additional support for Schwannian differentiation of intradermal nevi.

Background: Melanocytic nevi typically show a morphologic sequence of maturation from epithelioid “type A” cells to fusiform, Schwann cell-like “type C” cells with dermal descent. Nevi may also produce Wagner-Meissner-like structures (nevic corpuscles). Previous studies have shown that this maturation of intradermal nevi recapitulates intermediate stages in Schwann cell development. In intradermal nevi, we have evaluated the pattern of S100A6 protein, a form of S100 found in Schwann cells. Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using antibodies specific for S100A6 and S100B in 38 intradermal nevi (IDN). Ten neurofibromas (NF), 3 Schwannomas (SCH), 2 palisaded and encapsulated neuromas (PEN), and 2 granular cell tumors (GCT) were included as positive controls since these lesions have large numbers of Schwann cells. Results: Melanocytic nevi demonstrated preferential anti-S100A6 staining of “type C” cells (36/38; 28 strong, 8 weak) and nevic corpuscles (25/38; 19 strong, 6 weak) compared to “type A” cells (17/38; 17 weak) and “type B” cells (17/38; 4 strong, 13 weak). All NF, SCH, and PEN stained strongly with anti-S100A6. Both GCT were negative with anti-S100A6 but positive with anti-S100B. Conclusions: The pattern of S100A6 expression in intradermal nevi further supports the hypothesis that maturation in these lesions recapitulates features of Schwann cell differentiation. The lack of S100A6 expression by both GCT suggests that these lesions have lost this feature of Schwann cells, which may play a role in their peculiar phenotypic appearance.
The 6-Hour Soluble Antigen Production Test for comparing the Infectivity of Influenza Virus Preparations.

1. The 6 hr. soluble antigen production test for comparing the infectivity of influenza virus preparations is described in detail. Dilutions of the preparations are inoculated intra-allantoically into groups of fertile eggs, and after 6 hr. of incubation the amounts of soluble antigen formed in their chorio-allantoic membranes are determined. Reproducible results can be obtained. 2. The similar test, in which haemagglutinins in the chorio-allantoic membranes are measured 6 hr. after inoculation of seed virus, is less accurate and less sensitive. 3. Eggs of different ages of incubation form different amounts of soluble antigen in their chorio-allantoic membranes in 6 hr. when inoculated with the same amounts of virus.
Kinetics of emulsion copolymerization with acrylic acids

A kinetic model is presented that describes the reaction behavior of emulsion copolymerization systems where significant polymerization occurs in both the particle and aqueous phases. Equations for predicting aqueous-phase free-radical concentrations and aqueous-phase and particle-phase reaction rates are developed. A method for estimating the radical entry rate coefficient is also presented. The model is applied to two seeded carboxylated emulsion copolymerization systems, acrylic acid-styrene and methacrylic acid-styrene. Both experimental and predicted results reveal that the reaction behavior is greatly affected by the type of acid monomer, partition of monomer between the various phases, and locus of polymerization. The mechanism for the acrylic acid-styrene system is more complicated than that for the methacrylic acid-styrene system. Evidence suggests that the primary reaction locus in the acrylic acid-styrene system shifts from the particles to the aqueous phase after the hydrophobic monomer, styrene, has been consumed.
Dynamics of planktonic bacteria and heterotrophic microflagellates in the Parker Estuary, northern Massachusetts

Abstract The temporal and spatial abundance and activities of members of the planktonic microbial food web in a salt marsh estuary were analysed over the course of a year. Analysis of the data was focused on the factors that control the density and productivity of the heterotrophic bacteria. Temperature exercises a long-term influence on substrate sources, but short-term control is a function of the interaction of grazing and substrate supply. A model has been developed to give a framework for understanding how the microbial food web may work under steady-state assumptions. The model assumptions and predictions appear to be supported by the field data. Equations were generated for estimating substrate flux through the bacteria and estimating bacterial density as a result of grazing and substrate input. The results give some insights into the question of whether the heterotrophic bacteria function as a link to higher organisms or as an energy sink.
Parameters for detection of mutagenesis of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine using an in vitro Bacillus subtilis system.

Abstract Parameters for detection of mutagenesis of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) using a Bacillus subtilis microbial assay are defined. His + and his ∗ met ∗ mutations were induced in B. subtilis TKJ6321 in the absence of rat liver S-9 Mix. This B. subtilis mutant showed a greater sensitivity to this chemical than did Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 . Protein-binding studies with bovine serum albumin showed the capacity for DMH to bind non-specifically to protein. S-9 Mix from Aroclor ® pretreated animals appeared to decrease the mutagenic response. Kinetics of mutagen stability were also shown, thereby demonstrating the need for more complete investigation of known chemical carcinogens which give negative results in the Ames bioassay alone.
A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders

On August 1, 1966, Charles Joseph Whitman ascended the University of Texas Tower and committed what was then the largest simultaneous mass murder in American history. He gunned down forty-five people inside and around the Tower before he was killed by two Austin police officers. During the previous evening he had killed his wife and mother, bringing the total to sixteen people dead and at least thirty-one wounded. The murders spawned debates over issues which still plague America today: domestic violence, child abuse, drug abuse, military indoctrination, the insanity defense, and the delicate balance between civil liberties and public safety. "An outstanding job of chronicling one of the most significant cases in the annals of American crime. . . . Lavergne skillfully researched, documented, and analyzed a case that in many ways defined the concept of ‘mass murder’ . . . will likely become a classic in anyone’s library of true crime editions."--James Alan Fox, Dean of Criminal Justice, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, and an authority on mass murder
The Measurement of Precipitation with Synthetic Aperture Radar

The radar equation for the measurement of precipitation by SAR is identical to that for a conventional radar. The achievable synthetic beamwidth, beta(s), is proportional to sigma(v)/U, the ratio of the spread of the precipitation Doppler spectrum to the platform velocity. Thus, a small beta(s) can be achieved only with small sigma(v) or from a fast-moving vehicle such as a spacecraft. Also, the along-track resolution is variable with sigma(v) and is not known. Nevertheless, the reflectivity is measured correctly. A possible approach to the measurement of sigma(v) is noted. The C-band SAR proposed for the SIR-C mission is capable of detecting a rain rate as small as 0.5 mm/h at nadir when the beam is filled. Because the cross-track beam dimension is about 20 km wide, the use of a high-resolution microwave radiometer to correct for the unfilled beam and the variation of gain across it is suggested. Alternatively, the cross-track dimension should be decreased to no more than about 5 km by increasing the antenna width and/or decreasing the wavelength.
Attraction of both sexes of Mexican fruit fly,Anastrepha ludens, to a mixture of ammonia, methylamine, and putrescine

Eight chemicals were evaluated in laboratory experiments as attractants for sugar-fed adult Mexican fruit flies. Ammonium bicarbonate, methylamine HCl, ethanolamine, pyrrolidine, putrescine, and monomethyl succinate were slightly attractive when tested singly. A mixture containing all eight chemicals was much more attractive than any of the individual chemicals. Through a series of experiments, a mixture of three of the chemicals was found that was at least as attractive as the original eight-component mixture. The final mixture consisted of ammonium bicarbonate, methylamine HCl, and putrescine in a 10∶10∶1 ratio. Ratios were less important than actual concentrations of individual components over the range of component concentrations tested. The three-component mixture was equally attractive to male and female flies over at least a 1000-fold range of concentrations and was slightly more attractive thanTorula yeast over the upper 10-fold range in competing McPhail traps in a greenhouse flight chamber.
Recurrent Chondrosarcoma of the Right Skull Base in a Patient with Maffucci Syndrome

Maffucci syndrome is a rare, sporadic disease characterized by the development of multiple enchondromas and subcutaneous hemangiomas. Patients with Maffucci syndrome have a 23-37% risk of malignancy, with chondrosarcomas being the most common. Although the development of a chondrosarcoma in a patient with Maffucci syndrome may be expected, intracranial chondrosarcomas are rare. We present a patient with Maffucci syndrome who was diagnosed with an intracranial chondrosarcoma after presenting with hearing loss and vomiting. After three craniotomies and two recurrences of chondrosarcoma of the right skull base, the patient demonstrated a positive outcome to treatment with external radiation therapy.
Penetration depth in lossy materials: a closed-form expression for cylindrical phased array antennas

The purpose of the paper is to present a closed-form expression for the penetration depth associated with cylindrical phased array antennas. The model configuration is illustrated with respect to a cylindrical coordinate system (/spl rho/,/spl phi/,z). The model consists of an infinitely long cylinder with a radius a. The surface of the cylinder (/spl rho/=/spl rho//sub 0/) is divided into N apertures with the center of each aperture located at /spl phi//sub n/ =2/spl pi/n/N, n=0,1,...N-1. The width of an aperture is 2/spl phi//sub a/, so /spl phi//sub a/=/spl pi//N. The inside of the cylinder contains a homogeneous lossy material with conductivity /spl sigma/, permeability /spl mu/, and permittivity /spl epsiv/. The study is of interest in RF heating of the interiors of human bodies. >
Beta gauge for aerosol mass measurement

Within the International Atomic Energy Agency's coordinated research programs involving air quality monitoring, the participants have been provided with equipment for aerosol sampling and measurement. For aerosol mass measurements, a beta gauge was designed and constructed to provide the necessary performance in collected aerosol mass measurement at the minimum cost. A calibration for the beta gauge was performed to determine the precision of this unit. Two experiments with different size particles were conducted to calibrate the system. This calibration shows that the system provides satisfactory precision with a maximum deviation of approximately 8%. The bias between beta gauge and gravimetric method was found to be 6% on average when examining particles of different composition.
Noncircular Principal Component Analysis and Its Application to Model Selection

One of the most commonly used data analysis tools, principal component analysis (PCA), since is based on variance maximization, assumes a circular model, and hence cannot account for the potential noncircularity of complex data. In this paper, we introduce noncircular PCA (ncPCA), which extends the traditional PCA to the case where there can be both circular and noncircular Gaussian signals in the subspace. We study the properties of ncPCA, introduce an efficient algorithm for its computation, and demonstrate its application to model selection, i.e., the detection of both the signal subspace order and the number of circular and noncircular signals. We present numerical results to demonstrate the advantages of ncPCA over regular PCA when there are noncircular signals in the subspace. At the same time, we note that since a noncircular model has more degrees of freedom than a circular one, there are cases where a circular model might be preferred even though the underlying problem is noncircular. In particular, we show that a circular model is preferred when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is low, number of samples is small, or the degree of noncircularity of the signals is low. Hence, ncPCA inherently provides guidance as to when to take noncircularity into account.
Role of chromatin modification in flowering-time control

The regulation of the FLC locus provides a plant model of how chromatin-modifying systems have emerged as important components in the control of a major developmental switch, the transition to flowering. Genetic and molecular studies have revealed that three systems of FLC regulation (vernalization, FRI and the autonomous pathway) all influence the state of FLC chromatin. Histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 4 and histone acetylation are associated with active FLC expression, whereas histone deacetylation and histone H3 dimethylation at lysines 9 and 27 are involved in FLC repression. These chromatin modifications provide an additional level of regulation of gene expression beyond that of the transcription factors that recruit RNA polymerase to target genes.
The relationship between experience with standardized patient examinations and subsequent standardized patient examination performance: a potential problem with standardized patient exam validity

Standardized patient (SP) exams are becoming an important part of testing clinical skills. The dynamics of this test format warrant exploration. This study is designed to measure the relationship between experience with SPs and performance on a SP examination. A general linear model is used to determine if a relationship exists and the pattern of that relationship as experience increases. There is a linear association between increased experience and better performance in technical domains. In interpersonal skill domains, there is a curvilinear association between experience and performance with improved performance with moderate levels of experience but not in the most experienced group. Different levels of experience with SPs are associated with differences in performance. The varied pattern of associations suggests a possible practice effect or test-taking behavior. Additional studies are needed to assess this potential effect on SP exam validity.
The rhetorical nature of academic research funding

To better understand the complex relationship between academic researchers and funding agencies, the author interviewed 15 academic researchers regarding their views, suggestions, and difficulties in coordinating the proposal process. Data suggest that academic research funding is highly rhetorical, and that successful researchers have well-developed managerial, organizational, and communication skills. The author concludes by describing the competitiveness and complexity of contemporary research relationships, and by briefly outlining guidelines for improving collaboration between researchers and funders. >
Antibacterial drug resistance and equine practice

Summary The equine practitioner is in a position to make day-to-day decisions regarding antimicrobial drug (AMD) use for their patients as well as to educate their clients regarding judicious use. General guidelines regarding judicious use of AMDs in equine patients have been developed by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Detailed guidelines for AMD use in specific equine diseases supported by clinical trials and results of surveillance studies focused on resistance among equine bacterial pathogens are lacking. Studies that could lead to detailed and justifiable use recommendations would allow the equine practitioner to make more informed decisions regarding when to use AMDs, which drugs should be used and how they should be used (e.g. dose, route and duration).
Shape-specific, monodisperse nano-molding of protein particles.

Herein we report nano-molding proteins for the fabrication of protein PRINT particles of monodisperse size and shape. Lyophilized protein particles are generally highly dispersed in particle size, aggregated, and often made through costly and complicated processes. Attempts to engineer monodisperse, discrete protein particles using wet-milling, spray−freeze−drying, microemulsion, or super critical fluid methods have realized little success. The PRINT technology enables a gentle, facile route to monodisperse particles of 100% protein as small as 200 nm cylinders. Protein PRINT particles of any shape and size are effortlessly achievable. Our research efforts include making PRINT particles composed of albumin and albumin 0.5 wt % siRNA, and Abraxane, the gold standard therapeutic used in metastatic breast cancer.
Commentary: neuroendocrine basis.

Publisher Summary This chapter comments on the stress mediators and on the dynamics of the glucocorticoid response, apart from presenting some remarks on the genetics and early life priming of stress reactivity in later life. Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) is considered the central coordinator of the behavioral, autonomic, and neuroendocrine stress response. The stress mediators activated by CRH are organized in the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The sympathicus comprises amines and co-localized neuropeptides such as neuropeptide Y. The HPA axis is driven by CRH, vasopressin, and secretagogues of the pro-opiomelanocortin peptides such as ACTH and the endorphins, and the adrenal glucocorticoids cortisol and corticosterone. In recent years, most attention was focused on glucocorticoids (CORT) as end product of the HPA axis. CORT is secreted in hourly pulses from the adrenal cortex and stressors cause secretory bursts at any time. CORT feeds back on precisely those brain circuits that were initially activated by the stressor, which is usually a novel (either real or imagined) experience. This action of CORT on neural information processing is known to be mediated by two types of nuclear receptors that act as ligand-driven transcription factors involved in the regulation of genomic events, such as mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR).
Engineering the Band Gap of Carbon Nanotubes

For traditional semiconducting materials, band gap is a unique characteristic which limits the material's applications and device's performance. The capability of on-chip adjusting semiconducting material's band gap is extremely important in manufacturing electronic devices. As a one-dimensional nano material with excellent electrical properties, carbon nanotube (CNT) has a band gap determined by the circumferential quantum confinement, which depends on the tube diameter. Hence for a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), the band gap can be on-chip adjusted by electrically removing its outer carbon shells. This paper discusses a real-time control method for controlling the MWCNT band gap adjusting process. A state space model was developed based on the quantum model for electron transport inside a nanotube. The rapid change of the system state, which represents the occurrence of electrical breakdown, can be observed using robust fault detection technique for breakdown process control. Experimental results show that the breakdown control system can effectively convert metallic MWCNTs to semiconducting MWCNTs and further adjust the band gap, which is especially important for optical detection to reduce the dark current and enhance the photo current.
Comparison of Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate Solution and University of Wisconsin Solution in Intestinal and Multivisceral Transplantation

Background. Previous studies have failed to demonstrate a clinical difference between histidine-tryptophanketoglutarate (HTK) and University of Wisconsin (UW) preservation solutions in clinical transplant outcomes for liver, pancreas, and kidney transplantation. This study compares HTK and UW in bowel transplantation with primary outcomes being graft and patient survival, early graft function, and episodes of rejection. Methods. Data were extracted using a retrospective chart and medical record review of all bowel transplants between 2003 and 2007, and included both pediatric and adult grafts. Transplanted organs included isolated small bowel, modified multivisceral (bowel, pancreas, and stomach) and multivisceral (bowel, pancreas, stomach, and liver). Immunosuppression included induction with a steroid taper and antithymocyte globulin and anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab), followed by maintenance with prograf monotherapy. Bowel surveillance was performed with twice weekly zoom endoscopy and biopsy. Results. There were 54 patients transplanted with 57 grafts, 22 preserved in UW, and 37 in HTK. No differences were noted between the two solutions in initial graft function, appearance of bowel on initial endoscopy, and number of rejection episodes. There were no episodes of pancreatitis in the 44 multivisceral grafts which included a transplant pancreas (14 UW and 30 HTK). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis did not demonstrate a significant difference in graft or patient survival at 30- or 90-days posttransplant. Conclusions.IntestinalgraftspreservedinUWandHTKdemonstratenodifferenceingraftandpatientsurvivalat30and 90-days posttransplant. There were no differences noted in initial function, endoscopic appearance, rejection episodes, or transplant pancreatitis.
Optical Mass Flux Sensor

A laser diode absorption sensor has been developed to determine air mass flux by measurements of velocity and air density. The density is determined from the spectroscopic absorption of a laser beam tuned at 764.28 nm by oxygen in the air. At the same time, the velocity is obtained from the Doppler shift of two such laser beams crossing in the flow field. Along with the velocity and density, an independent measurement of gas temperature is made. The result of the measured flow variables, density and velocity, is the airflow mass flux. The system was tested and validated in a wind tunnel with a Mach 0.4 flow field. The results of this optical nonintrusive measurement were determined to agree well with the results obtained using the traditional method of measuring mass flux through total and static pressure probes and thermocouples.
Unipolarity, Globalization, and the War on Terror: Why Security Studies Should Refocus on Comparative Defense

Changes in the international environment such as the shift toward unipolarity, the rise of globalization, and the expansion of terrorist networks have redefined the sorts of problems confronted by policymakers and military practitioners in the arena of national security. With most of its fundamental concepts and frameworks rooted in the study of international relations (IR), the field of security studies has failed to keep up. Highly educated soldiers and diplomats sent to help rebuild failed or fragmented states are still poorly equipped to identify major obstacles or formulate solutions for accomplishing their missions. The safety of states and societies today depends less exclusively on blocking the military, economic, and ideological initiatives of a foreign power and more on supporting the integrity of members that can participate in an international system regulated by generally agreed-upon rules and conventions. The need to help various types of states under a variety of cultural and economic conditions build legitimate, durable political institutions and functioning societies should push security studies toward a broader examination of comparative politics. Beyond the balance of power and modalities of interstate competition, the new security studies should embrace fundamentals found outside of IR to make more robust intellectual contributions to the examination of comparative defense.
A New View of Automatic Relevance Determination

Automatic relevance determination (ARD) and the closely-related sparse Bayesian learning (SBL) framework are effective tools for pruning large numbers of irrelevant features leading to a sparse explanatory subset. However, popular update rules used for ARD are either difficult to extend to more general problems of interest or are characterized by non-ideal convergence properties. Moreover, it remains unclear exactly how ARD relates to more traditional MAP estimation-based methods for learning sparse representations (e.g., the Lasso). This paper furnishes an alternative means of expressing the ARD cost function using auxiliary functions that naturally addresses both of these issues. First, the proposed reformulation of ARD can naturally be optimized by solving a series of re-weighted l1 problems. The result is an efficient, extensible algorithm that can be implemented using standard convex programming toolboxes and is guaranteed to converge to a local minimum (or saddle point). Secondly, the analysis reveals that ARD is exactly equivalent to performing standard MAP estimation in weight space using a particular feature- and noise-dependent, non-factorial weight prior. We then demonstrate that this implicit prior maintains several desirable advantages over conventional priors with respect to feature selection. Overall these results suggest alternative cost functions and update procedures for selecting features and promoting sparse solutions in a variety of general situations. In particular, the methodology readily extends to handle problems such as non-negative sparse coding and covariance component estimation.
Modification of BTLA signaling motifs in TIL exhibits positive signals that mediate anti-tumor control

Meeting abstracts Our recent data have shown that a subset of CD8+BTLA+ was the strongest predictive biomarker of response to adoptive T cell therapy using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. BTLA, B-and-T lymphocyte attenuator, is known as an inhibitory molecule in different immune cells. Its
Expanded Evidence for Frozen Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Clostridium difficile Infection: A Fresh Take.

In recent years, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has emerged as an increasingly common and frequently serious clinical entity.1 In 2011, C difficile was responsible for nearly 500 000 infections and was associated with approximately 29 000 deaths in the United States.2 Since the emergence of hypervirulent strains in the early 2000s, CDI has also become less responsive to standard therapy. Recurrent CDI is particularly problematic; about one-fourth of patients will develop recurrent infection.3 The proportion is even higher among older adults and those with certain comorbidities. In a subset of patients, CDI continues to recur and is often refractory to extended courses of antimicrobial agents. Increasingly, clinicians are using fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) (“stool transplant”) in these circumstances.1,4
Block Copolymer Monolayers at Surfaces

Monolayers on surfaces have become a topic of considerable interest over the last few years. This has arisen from the need to functionalize a surface so that its properties are different than the properties of the bulk material. This research has involved functionalizing copper surfaces to enhance adhesion to epoxy. We have accomplished this using block copolymers made by Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP). In this paper we discuss the synthesis and characterization of these block copolymers and their segregated monolayer conformation at copper surfaces, including NMR, GPC, SANS, neutron reflectivity, and TOF-SIMS. We also discuss a comparison of block copolymers to SAMS for surface functionalization.
Evaluation criteria for the pretransplant patient.

The selection of appropriate heart transplant candidates is a serious ethical and societal issue. Virtually all transplant centers have physiologic and psychosocial guidelines that govern the selection process. This article reviews these guidelines with respect to the indications for heart transplantation, severity and prognosis of heart failure, physiologic contraindications and co-morbid conditions, psychosocial criteria, and care of the transplant candidate on the waiting list.
Factors influencing intermuscular fat and other measures of beef chuck composition.

Carcasses from 59 steers produced from the mating of Braford, Simbrah, Senepol, and Simmental bulls to Brahman- and Romana Red-sired cows and Brahman bulls mated to Angus cows were used in this study. Effects of sire breed and feeding calves vs yearlings on fat depots in the chuck, when steers were fed to 1.0 cm external fat, were determined. Breed of sire and feeding calves vs yearlings had no effect (P greater than .05) on percentage of intermuscular fat. However, carcasses from Braford-sired steers had a higher (P less than .05) percentage of dissectable subcutaneous fat on the chuck than did those from other breed groups. Carcasses from Simmental-sired steers were superior (P less than .05) to those from Braford-sired steers in USDA yield grade and had a higher average marbling score (P less than .05) than the Simbrah-sired group. Estimated kidney, pelvic, and heart (KPH) fat was higher (P less than .05) in carcasses from Brahman-, Simbrah-, and Senepol-sired steers than in Braford-sired steers. Steers fed as calves had higher percentages (P less than .05) of KPH fat and major chuck muscles than did those fed as yearlings. The best single predictor of percentage of intermuscular fat within the chuck was adjusted fat over the ribeye (R2 = .46).
Behavioural Response of Honeybees to Colony Disturbance by Smoke. I. Engorging Behaviour

SummaryExperiments showed that engorging behaviour is released among the members of a honeybee colony when they are stimulated by smoke, or by vibration caused by a falling weight. The number of bees engorging is greatest during dearth conditions and unfavourable flying weather. Engorging reaches a maximum about two minutes after a colony is disturbed. An engorging reaction increases the probability of colony survival after destruction of its combs; the implications of this are discussed.
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Thermal Studies of Flat Conductor Cable (FCC)

The Cryogenics Section at the Goddard Space Flight Center is studying Flat Conductor Cable (FCC) to determine whether it is suitable for spaceflight cryogenic systems. FCC could replace conventional cryogenic wiring, such as coaxial cables and single strand stainless steel and manganin.