cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advance in diagnostics for high-temperature plasmas based on the analytical result for the ion dynamical broadening of hydrogen spectral lines.

It is well known that the ion dynamics is very important for Stark broadening of spectral lines in high-$T$ plasmas. However, it is usually assumed that with the increase of the plasma density N and/or of the principal quantum number n of the upper level of the radiator, the ionic contribution to the impact width (ICIW) tends to zero. In distinction to that paradigm, by finding an analytical result for the ion dynamical broadening of hydrogen spectral lines, we show here that with the increase of N and/or n, the ICIW does not decrease. Moreover, for practically important ranges of T, N, and n, this ``residual'' ICIW, being virtually independent of n, can be comparable to the standard electron impact width. This result leads to: (i) a substantial revision of the past of diagnostic conclusions for a variety of high-$T$ plasma experiments; (ii) a much better possibility to deduce from experimental, Stark-broadened line profiles not only the plasma density but also the plasma temperature; (iii) a significant enhancement of the accuracy of N and T obtained from experimental line profiles; and (iv) a substantial revision of simulation models for the ion dynamical contribution that were based on a wrong assumption that the latter vanishes under increasing N and/or n. The consequences are especially important for tokamak plasmas, where the diagnostics based on experimental profiles of high Balmer and Paschen lines is frequently used.
Ultrafast spectroscopy: ejecting electrons from water.

The interactions of electrons and water molecules are not just of great fundamental interest but are also studied to understand the role electrons have in damaging biomolecules. Now using ultrafast photoelectron spectroscopy, key details about the energy and lifetime of the hydrated electron in bulk and at an interface have been determined.
Vibronic effects in the predissociation of the C 1Πu state of C2N2

The partitioning of excess photochemical energy as a function of the vibrational energy of the C 1Πu state of C2N2 has been measured. Surprisal theory has been used to analyze the data and it shows that complete randomization does not occur before dissociation. The results are also inconsistent with the predictions of the quasidiatomic theory for photodissociation.
Structure, spectroscopy and dynamics of halogen molecules interacting with water

Immediately on the discovery of the halogen molecules, their chemistry was closely linked with that of water. For some time, it was thought that water was a constituent of chlorine. The brightly coloured halogens have played an important role in spectroscopy almost from the beginning of its use as a quantitative tool for understanding molecular structure. Already in the 19th century, the remarkable colour change upon dissolving iodine in aqueous solution was noted and studied. However, a complete, microscopic explanation for this phenomenon is yet to be achieved. We review this field and propose that the time is right to achieve this fundamental goal of chemical physics for the halogen–water system. In addition, we review recent work on the UV-vis, Raman and ultrafast dynamics studies of halogen molecules in clathrate hydrate cages, spectroscopy of water–halogen dimer molecules and theory of small water–halogen clusters. Based on recent findings, we propose a variety of ‘next steps’ for the complete under...
Endogenous interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 regulate experimental lung ischemia reperfusion injury.

Abstract Background Regulatory cytokines play functional roles in experimental heart, hindlimb, and liver ischemia reperfusion injury. However, little is known about their involvement in direct lung ischemia reperfusion injury (LIRI). These studies were undertaken to investigate the role of two regulatory cytokines, interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10, in an in vivo model of LIRI. Methods Left lungs of Long-Evans rats underwent normothermic ischemia for 90 minutes and reperfusion for up to 4 hours. Treated animals received either recombinant IL-4 or recombinant IL-10, or antibodies to IL-4 or IL-10 immediately before reperfusion. Lung injury was quantitated by permeability indices, lung parenchymal neutrophil sequestration (myeloperoxidase [MPO] content), and alveolar leukocyte content in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) effluent. Expression of IL-4 and IL-10 was determined by immunoblotting, and mRNA expression for early response cytokines was evaluated by ribonuclease protection assays. Results IL-4 and IL-10 protein expression was significant after 2 hours of reperfusion. Animals receiving anti-IL-4 ( p = 0.05) and anti-IL-10 ( p = 0.01) antibodies demonstrated increased permeabilities compared with positive controls. Lung tissue neutrophil accumulation ( p p Conclusions IL-4 and IL-10 are expressed in response to LIRI and function to decrease injury severity. These effects are partly due to modulated expression of early proinflammatory cytokines.
Associations between age of onset and lifetime history of panic attacks and alcohol use, abuse, and dependence in a representative sample

Abstract Objective The present investigation evaluated associations between lifetime panic attacks and lifetime alcohol use, abuse, and dependence. Specifically, the relations between lifetime panic attacks and alcohol use, abuse, and dependence were examined after controlling for theoretically relevant variables of comorbid psychopathology and polysubstance use. Design and Setting Data for this study were obtained from a large statewide survey, the Colorado Social Health Survey. Participants were contacted using randomly sampled household addresses (response rate was 72%) and interviews took place in participants' homes. Participants The study consisted of a representative sample of the Colorado general adult population (n = 4745; 52% women). Main Outcome Measures The Diagnostic Interview Schedule (American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [3rd ed]. Washington [DC]: Author. 1980) was administered to obtain Axis I diagnoses. Results After controlling for theoretically relevant variables of comorbid psychopathology and polysubstance use, a lifetime history of panic attacks was significantly associated with alcohol dependence but not alcohol use or abuse. In addition, among participants reporting a lifetime history of both panic attacks and alcohol abuse or dependence, the number of participants for whom panic attacks developmentally preceded the onset of alcohol use problems was significantly greater (85.5%) than the number of participants for whom alcohol use problems preceded the onset of panic attacks (13.4%) or the number of participants for whom these problems developed at the same age (2.2%). Conclusions These data suggest panic attacks, particularly of early onset, may serve as a risk marker for alcohol dependence.
Effects of chemisorbed and substitutional 0, I, and II Ge, Sn, and Pb on CO adsorption on Pt(111) : molecular orbital theory

Abstract Methanol oxidation rates on Pt anodes are increased by surface Sn adatoms apparently because of faster oxidation of CO, a surface poison, to CO 2 . In an ASED-MO study using cluster models, Sn as well as Ge and Pb adatoms are found to reduce the chemisorption energy of CO at adjacent sites of Pt(111). Oxidation of these adatoms by OH only slightly reduces their effect on CO adsorption but oxidation by O nearly cancels it. When the atoms in their reduced and oxidized forms are placed substitutionally in the Pt surface they have very small effects on CO adsorption energies. The weakening caused by Sn adatoms stems in part from a CO4σ-Sn 5s closed-shell repulsion through the Pt surface atoms. The through-space repulsion is negligible. The weakening of the CO adsorption bond to Pt by Sn adatoms has been observed in recent high vacuum studies. During electrochemical oxidation of adsorbed CO this weakening may play a role, but other effects, such as the influence of Sn on the presence of active oxygen, need further examination.
Loneliness, health, and mortality in old age: A national longitudinal study

This study examined the relationship between loneliness, health, and mortality using a U.S. nationally representative sample of 2101 adults aged 50 years and over from the 2002 to 2008 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We estimated the effect of loneliness at one point on mortality over the subsequent six years, and investigated social relationships, health behaviors, and health outcomes as potential mechanisms through which loneliness affects mortality risk among older Americans. We operationalized health outcomes as depressive symptoms, self-rated health, and functional limitations, and we conceptualized the relationships between loneliness and each health outcome as reciprocal and dynamic. We found that feelings of loneliness were associated with increased mortality risk over a 6-year period, and that this effect was not explained by social relationships or health behaviors but was modestly explained by health outcomes. In cross-lagged panel models that tested the reciprocal prospective effects of loneliness and health, loneliness both affected and was affected by depressive symptoms and functional limitations over time, and had marginal effects on later self-rated health. These population-based data contribute to a growing literature indicating that loneliness is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality and point to potential mechanisms through which this process works.
Interpretation of Na–Cl–Br Systematics in Sedimentary Basin Brines: Comparison of Concentration, Element Ratio, and Isometric Log-ratio Approaches

Mathematicians and geochemists have long realized that compositional data intrinsically exhibit a structure prone to spurious and induced correlations. This paper demonstrates, using the Na–Cl–Br system, that these mathematical problems are exacerbated in the study of sedimentary basin brines by such processes as the evaporation or dissolution of salts owing to their high salinities. Using two published datasets of Na–Cl–Br data for fluids from the Appalachian Basin, it is shown that log concentration and Na/Br versus Cl/Br methods for displaying solute chemistry may lead to misinterpretation of mixing trends between meteoric waters (for example shallow drinking water aquifers) and basinal brines, partially due to spurious mathematical relationships. An alternative approach, based on the isometric log-ratio transformation of molar concentration data, is developed and presented as an alternative method, free from potential numerical problems of the traditional methods. The utility, intuitiveness, and potential for mathematical problems of the three methods are compared and contrasted. Because the Na–Cl–Br system is a useful tool for sourcing solutes and investigating the evolution of basinal brines, results from this research may impact such critical topics as evaluating sources of brine contamination in the environment (possibly related to oil and gas production), evaluating the behavior of fluids in the reservoir during hydraulic fracturing, and tracking movement of fluids as a result of geologic CO2 sequestration.
Guideline recommended gastric cancer care in the elderly: insights into the applicability of cancer trials to real world.

Given the underrepresentation of older persons in cancer trials, the association between increasing age and receipt of recommended gastric cancer care in the United States was examined. Using the 1998–2006 SEER database, 8637 Medicare-eligible patients, aged ≥65 years who underwent gastrectomy for nonmetastatic gastric adenocarcinoma were identified. Multivariate analyses was used to assess the effect of increasing age on receipt of recommended gastric cancer care (adequate lymph node evaluation [≥15 lymph nodes] and adjuvant radiation therapy for AJCC Ib–IVM0) and cancer-specific mortality controlling for covariates. While 61% of gastric cancer operations were performed in patients ≥65 years, less than 30% received adequate lymphadenectomy or adjuvant radiation therapy. Older patients were less likely to receive adequate nodal evaluation and adjuvant radiotherapy (P < 0.0001). These findings persisted on multivariate analyses. Older age was also associated with worse cancer-specific mortality. Because an age-tumor location interaction for cancer mortality (P = 0.047) was observed, stratified analyses were performed which showed that the adverse effect of older age on cancer-specific mortality was augmented in proximal gastric cancers. This population-based study showed significant age-based variations in gastric cancer care. These results should encourage assessment of generalizability of gastric cancer trials to this expanding population of elderly in the era of comparative effectiveness research.
Low-Frequency Ocean-Atmosphere Variability across the Tropical Western Pacific

Abstract Oceanic and atmospheric data from the tropical western Pacific are analyzed to describe decadal-scale trends during the last 20 years, and these low-frequency trends are compared with shorter-term Southern Oscillation-related variations. Regional indices of western and central equatorial Pacific SST exhibit significant upward trends in recent decades. The decadal variability in the tropical Pacific is large enough relative to interannual variability to significantly affect the interpretation of standardized SST anomaly indices used to monitor Southern Oscillation phenomena. Specific humidity in the tropical western Pacific boundary layer exhibits a statistically significant upward trend consistent with previously published results based on a shorter data record. The convective instability of the tropical troposphere is increasing, but two indices related to precipitation show no evidence of a trend. These trends cannot be explained as an aggregate of the effects of more frequent El Nino warm even...
Structure of the adenylation domain of NAD+-dependent DNA ligase from Staphylococcus aureus

DNA ligase catalyzes phosphodiester-bond formation between immediately adjacent 5′-phosphate and 3′-hydroxyl groups in double-stranded DNA and plays a central role in many cellular and biochemical processes, including DNA replication, repair and recombination. Bacterial NAD+-dependent DNA ligases have been extensively characterized as potential antibacterial targets because of their essentiality and their structural distinction from human ATP-dependent DNA ligases. The high-resolution structure of the adenylation domain of Staphylococcus aureus NAD+-dependent DNA ligase establishes the conserved domain architecture with other bacterial adenylation domains. Two apo crystal structures revealed that the active site possesses the preformed NAD+-binding pocket and the ‘C2 tunnel’ lined with hydrophobic residues: Leu80, Phe224, Leu287, Phe295 and Trp302. The C2 tunnel is unique to bacterial DNA ligases and the Leu80 side chain at the mouth of the tunnel points inside the tunnel and forms a narrow funnel in the S. aureus DNA ligase structure. Taken together with other DNA ligase structures, the S. aureus DNA ligase structure provides a basis for a more integrated understanding of substrate recognition and catalysis and will be also be of help in the development of small-molecule inhibitors.
Temporal persistence of spatial soil-water patterns under trickle irrigation

Trickle irrigation of perennial crops results in local wetting near trees and vines. Methods to measure soil-water content or storage within the root zone generally require intensive instrumentation to characterize spatial patterns of soil water adequately. The goals of this research were to determine if spatial patterns of soil-water storage under trickle irrigation are temporally presistent which may make it feasible to use less intense sampling to characterize total storage. Soil-water storage from the 0 to 1.5 m soil depth was measured at 23 sites on one side of trickle-irrigated almond trees using a neutron probe over three years in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Measurements were made on two trees in each of five different irrigation treatments. The persistence of spatial patterns with time was evaluated using Spearman rank correlation and relative differences from mean values. Spatial patterns were different for each tree and irrigation treatment but remained fairly persistent with time during a season. In many cases, temporal changes in soil-water storage were adequately estimated from a single location. Single sampling locations identified during one year gave estimates of mean storage during the following year with some increase in error. However, use of the same sampling locations for more than two years increased the error in storage estimates. Soil-water content or storage in trickle-irrigated orchards may be monitored by intense sampling during the early part of the irrigation season in order to identify locations giving mean soil-water storage. Only these locations may then be sampled to monitor changes in soil water.
Evaluation of newborns with skeletal dysplasias.

Skeletal dysplasia are a relatively common and distinct group of genetic disorders. Even though abnormalities of bone growth are the major clinical manifestations, the pathological process may involve in any body system. Many of these disorders have dire consequences such as neonatal death and most will have life-long physical and psychosocial morbidity associated with them. Recent advances in genetic research have identified the genes underlying the primary defects in several common skeletal dysplasias such as achondroplasia and diastrophic dysplasia. While these advances are clearly important in developing better therapy and a cure for those conditions, the role of the pediatrician as the diagnostician has remained unchanged. In this article we describe how a systematic approach using the simplest of tools-clinical assessment and radiograph-can arrive at a diagnosis in most instances of newborns with skeletal dysplasias. The key features that are essential for establishing a diagnosis for most of the entities encountered in the newborn are described along with our general approach to the evaluation of the radiographs.
Future applications of a full capability engineering work station

This paper is written to articulate for the user and developer community several important design requirements for a full capability engineering work station (EWS). The viewpoint presented is that of a broad-line merchant semiconductor manufacturer.
Architecture and control of PV modules with submodule integrated converters

This paper describes a PV module architecture with submodule integrated converters (subMICs) that improve efficiency of energy capture in the presence of partial shading or other mismatch conditions. Replacing standard bypass diodes, the subMICs are bidirectional dc-dc converters capable of injecting or subtracting currents to balance the module substring voltages. When no mismatches are present, the subMICs are simply shut down, presenting no insertion losses. A simple distributed control approach is described that allows autonomous subMIC control without the need for a central controller or any communication among the subMICs. It is shown that this control approach is close to optimal. Besides, this distributed control approach allows to isolate the secondary port of subMICs from the module output. The isolated-port architecture has additional advantages in its implementation and integration within arrays of PV modules. Simulation and experimental results demonstrating effectiveness of the proposed architectures and the control approach are shown for a typical PV module with 3 substrings.
Role of Self-Interstitial Atoms on the High Temperature Properties of Metals

Equilibrium concentrations of self-interstitial atoms and divacancies have been determined in Cu by molecular dynamics computer simulations using embedded atom potentials. Near the melting temperature these concentrations are both $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. Owing to the higher mobility of the interstitial atoms, however, they contribute more to diffusion. In perfect, or pulse-heated crystals, spontaneous Frenkel pair production results in even higher interstitial concentrations.
Understanding persons as persons.

American psychiatry has tended to divide into two camps—one seeking to understand persons as bodies, and the other seeking to understand them in terms of a mechanistic mental life. Both these approaches, while rewarding in certain respects, fail in the quest of understanding persons as persons. Since psychiatry is rooted in this type of understanding, it is unfortunate that the division within its ranks should be along lines which confuse the major issue of psychiatry and obstruct the development of a systematic understanding of persons which is the major task of psychiatry.
The independence of photosynthesis and aerobiosis from sterol biosynthesis in bacteria

Abstract Sterols were present in neither of two representative species of photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodopseudomonas spheroides and Chromatium vinosum. These organisms were grown under conditions commonly viewed as anaerobic. However, such conditions did not prevent Saccharomyces cerevisiae from biosynthesizing sterols, although they did induce accumulation of both 4,4-dimethyl and 4-desmethyl intermediates. Since the photosynthetic organisms did not biosynthesize sterols, bacterial photosynthesis must not be mated genetically or functionally to sterol biosynthesis. In contrast to what the literature records, Escherichia coli, grown under fully aerobic conditions, also failed to contain sterols which indicates that bacterial aerobiosis does not necessarily imply either the presence of sterol biosynthesis or a requirement for an exogenous source of sterols. Among the lipids of E. coli was a substance with the formula C16H32O2 which moved in silica gel TLC at a rate similar to that of sterols and may have been a keto-alcohol of the same formula already isolated from coliforms. In the photosynthetic bacteria the major neutral lipid after saponification was phytol, in agreement with expectation based on the presence of bacteriochlorophyll-a.
SPACING OF PARENCHYMA BANDS IN WOOD OF CARYA GLABRA (MILL.) SWEET, PIGNUT HICKORY, AS AN INDICATOR OF GROWTH RATE AND CLIMATIC FACTORS'

Variations in the spacing of concentric, tangential bands of apotracheal axial wood parenchyma cells in the annual growth rings of Carya glabra (Mill.) Sweet constitute a record of changes in radial growth rate and of fluctuations in climatic factors. This relationship was determined from trees that were growing under moisture stress and consequently had highly consistent ring-width patterns from tree to tree. Band spacing decreased across a growth ring and was generally greater in wide than in narrow rings. Thus, the proportion of xylem crosssectional area occupied by axial parenchyma tissue was inversely related to ring width. Average numbers of bands in each of 67 years were analyzed relative to ring widths. Years in which bands were unusually numerous relative to ring width were years of low April-May precipitation, leading to slow spring growth and closely spaced bands early in the growing season. Years in which band numbers were unusually low relative to ring width were years of high April-May precipitation, leading to rapid growth and widely spaced bands early in the season; low July precipitation in these years apparently curtailed growth before much of the typical late-season wood, with its closely spaced bands, could form. Parenchyma bands were aggregated within some rings, suggesting that a slowing of growth had been followed by a growth spurt. Evidence for a late-season spurt was that rings with aggregations were significantly wider than rings formed the same year and not having aggregations of bands. The number of vessels per unit of cross-sectional area was inversely related to ring width.
SU-FF-T-44: Optimized Source Selection for Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy

Purpose: To introduce the method of the optimized source selection for the LDR Brachytherapy, and investigate its effectiveness as compared to the regular trial and error source selection. Method and Materials: An in-house method of optimized source strength ratios was developed to replace the trial and error guess work for the LDR therapy with sealed Sc-137 sources. Inverse treatment planning philosophy was applied to the whole process. The desired dose to the reference points is first specified. The corresponding optimal plan is then defined, and the source selection program is run to produce an actual loading plan with the available sources. These actual sources are then used to calculate the final dose distribution. Treatment plans obtained with this method were compared to the plans obtained with the regular technique. Also optimal plans produced by our method were compared to the actual plans selected by the segmentation algorithm. Results: The difference between the optimal and the actual plans is determined by the available inventory. In our tests we achieved a relative difference a few percent at the expense of the dose rate. We noticed a significant difference between the regular plans and optimized plans. The regular method produced clinically acceptable plans after several iterations. The results depend on the personal experience. With our method the desired 3D dose distribution was achieved at a first try. Conclusion: Utilizing our source selection method treatment plans closest to the clinically optimal can be produced in a short amount of time. The results are independent of the personal experience and the most limiting factor was the discreteness of the available inventory. Keeping the statistics on the frequently requested source strengths for the optimal plans helps in ordering the clinically relevant replacement or additional sources, and minimizing the quantity of idle sources in the inventory.
A simple, sensitive enzymatic method for quantitation of soya proteins in soya-meat blends

A method was developed for the detection and quantitation of soya proteins in soya-meat blends. The procedure involves acid hydrolysis of soya, meat or soya-meat blends and determination of free galactose plus arabinose using galactose dehydrogenase. Acetone powders of the various systems were also examined. Average galactose levels in soya flours, soya concentrates and soya isolates were 674,600 and 66 μM galactose equivalents per gram of product, respectively. Beef and pork contained less than 1 μM per gram of raw product. The galactose plus arabinose values for soya-meat blends were linearly dependent on the amount of soya added. The method is sensitive and capable of detecting less than 0·2% soya flours or concentrates and less than 2% soya isolates in meat products.
A hypothesis of the origin of human breast cancer from the terminal ductal lobular unit.

Summary The data reported and reviewed herein supports the hypothesis that most human mammary carcinomas, including the common scirrhous (infiltrating duct) type, arise in the terminal ductal lobular unit. The evidence is based on a study of the total pathology of 290 whole human breasts utilizing a three-dimensional subgross sampling technique with histological correlation. One hundred and eighty-three of the breasts were from random autopsies, and 107 were from patients who had mammary carcinoma. A total of over 16,000 lesions were observed in the 290 breasts. Almost all lesions observed, including epithelial cysts, apocrine metaplasia, sclerosing adenosis, fibroadenomas, atypical lobules (AL), atypical terminal ductal hyperplasia, papillomas of terminal ducts, ductal carcinoma-in-situ, and lobular carcinoma-in-situ are localized to the terminal ductal lobular unit (TDLU). Exceptions to this include: intraductal papillomas and rare instances of hyperplasia of the epithelium of ducts larger than terminal ducts. Lesions of all kinds are generally much more frequent in cancer-containing breasts, or in breasts contralateral to cancer, than in random-autopsy breasts. One very common lesion of the terminal ductal lobular unit, named “atypical lobule, type A”, or ALA, is of particular importance as the only lesion of the many observed than can be graded and arranged into an arbitrary series of increasing atypia, linking normal lobular structure to carcinoma-in-situ of the ductal type (DCIS). We conclude that most human mammary epithelial lesions, including those of mammary dysplasia (fibrocystic disease), and presumptively precancerous atypical epithelial proliferations, arise in the terminal ductal lobular units.
Multiple-scattering calculations in two dimensions.

The Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR) band theory equations in two dimensions are worked out in detail. They are used to study possible generalizations of the KKR theory for non-muffin-tin potentials.
Scattering of light by deformed disordered spherulites

The change in the light-scattering patterns upon deforming two-dimensional disordered spherulites is shown to arise from four effects occurring upon stretching: (1) the change in shape of the spherulite, (2) the change in average orientation of the optic axes of the scattering volume elements, (3) the change in deviation of the optic axis orientation angle from its average value, and (4) the change in the distance over which this deviation is correlated. The effects of these contributions upon the experimental scattering patterns are analyzed.
Apoptotic Non-β Cells Suppress β Cell Antigen-Reactive T Cells and Induce β Cell Antigen-Specific Regulatory T Cells

Steady-state cell apoptosis plays an important role in maintenance of self-tolerance. Based on this notion, the use of apoptotic cells to restore self-tolerance to β cell antigens is a rational approach to type 1 diabetes (T1D) prevention. Our previous study demonstrated that transfusion of apoptotic β cells induced immune tolerance to β cell antigens in NOD mice. However, concerned about the limited β cell source for future clinical applications, we attempted in the present study to develop a more practical approach for T1D prevention using apoptotic non–β cells. We found that UVB-irradiation-induced apoptotic NOD splenic stromal cells significantly suppressed β cell antigen-specific T cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, TCR-transgenic CD4+ T cells primed by the antigens to which they were specific in the presence of UVB-irradiated stromal cells were rendered unresponsive to the antigen restimulation, a result that was partially attributed to the induced IL-10-producing regulatory T cells. Of more interest, transfusion of UVB-irradiated stromal cells appeared to induce β cell antigen–responding IL-10-producing regulatory T cells in vivo. Most importantly, transfusion of UVB-irradiated stromal cells effectively prevented T1D in NOD mice, which is consistent with these findings. This study suggests that it is possible to use apoptotic non–β cells such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells to induce β cell antigen–specific tolerance, thereby preventing T1D in humans.
Sequencing analysis of OMI/HTRA2 shows previously reported pathogenic mutations in neurologically normal controls

A novel heterozygous non-synonymous mutation and a novel polymorphism in OMI/HTRA2 locus have been associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a German population. In an attempt to replicate these results in an independent population, we analyzed the entire coding region of OMI/HTRA2 in a series of 644 North American PD cases with both young- and late-onset disease and in 828 North American neurologically normal controls. Our results show that neither of the variants previously related to PD were associated with PD in our cohort and that the risk variants were present in neurologically normal controls.
Photobleaching difference absorption spectra of human cone pigments: quantitative analysis and comparison to other methods.

— Four human cone pigment apoproteins were expressed by transfection of human tissue culture cells with the corresponding complementary DNA clones. Following reconstitution of the cone pigments by incubation with 11-cis retinal, photobleaching difference absorption spectra were obtained for the blue pigment, the green pigment, and two polymorphic variants of the red pigment. These spectra were analyzed to determine the wavelengths of maximal absorbance and the bandwidths. The recombinant cone pigment spectra were compared to human cone spectral sensitivities and cone pigment absorption spectra determined by microspectrophotometry, single-cell electrophysiology, reflection densitometry, electroretinography, and psychophysical color and brightness matching.
Blue Gene/L advanced diagnostics environment

This paper describes the Blue Gene®/L advanced diagnostics environment (ADE) used throughout all aspects of the Blue Gene/L project, including design, logic verification, bring-up, diagnostics, and manufacturing test. The Blue Gene/L ADE consists of a lightweight multithreaded coherence-managed kernel, runtime libraries, device drivers, system programming interfaces, compilers, and host-based development tools. It provides complete and flexible access to all features of the Blue Gene/L hardware. Prior to the existence of hardware, ADE was used on Very high-speed integrated circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) models, not only for logic verification, but also for performance measurements, code-path analysis, and evaluation of architectural tradeoffs. During early hardware bring-up, the ability to run in a cycle-reproducible manner on both hardware and VHDL proved invaluable in fault isolation and analysis. However, ADE is also capable of supporting high-performance applications and parallel test cases, thereby permitting us to stress the hardware to the limits of its capabilities. This paper also provides insights into system-level and device-level programming of Blue Gene/L to assist developers of high-performance applications o more fully exploit the performance of the machine.
Hidden-City Ticketing: The Cause and Impact

Hidden-city ticketing is an interesting airline ticket-pricing phenomenon. It occurs when an itinerary connecting at an intermediate city is less expensive than a ticket from the origin to the intermediate city. In such a case, passengers traveling to the intermediate city have an incentive to pretend to be traveling to the final destination, deplane at the connection point, and forgo the unused portion of the ticket. Hidden-city opportunities are not uncommon nowadays. In this paper, we establish a mathematical model to shed some light on the cause of hidden-city opportunities and the impact of the passengers' hidden-city ticketing practice on both the airlines' revenues and consumer welfare. To perform our study, we adapt a network revenue management model. We illustrate that the hidden-city opportunity may arise when there is a large difference in the price elasticity of demand on related itineraries, providing a plausible explanation for this phenomenon. To show the impact of the hidden-city ticketing practice on the airlines' revenues, we first argue that when passengers take advantage of such opportunities, the airlines should react, and the optimal reaction would be to eliminate any hidden-city opportunities. However, even if the airline optimally reacts, the revenue gained is still less than the optimal revenue it could have earned if passengers did not take advantage of hidden-city opportunities. Moreover, under our model, the revenue decrease could be as much as half of the optimal revenue when passengers do not use hidden-city tickets, but it cannot be more if the airline's network has a hub-and-spoke structure. We also show that when passengers take advantage of hidden-city opportunities, the prices of certain itineraries will rise, which is a disadvantage to the passengers in the long run.
The Constitutional Basis of Religious Pluralism in the United States: Causes and Consequences

In this article, the author attempts to show how provisions in the U.S. Constitution enhance religious pluralism in the United States. Furthermore, religious pluralism arguably leads to religious vitality, which has a number of consequences for public life in the United States. Religion in the United States serves as a source of social capital, as a check against the conformist tendencies of U.S. public opinion; religious pluralism ameliorates the tendency to identify the nation with a particular set of religious traditions. The presence of religious ideas in public discourse also may render religious values less particularistic and more publicly accessible.
Images in emergency medicine: pacemaker extrusion causing chest pain.

A 55-year-old Hispanic male had a pacemaker placed in Mexico approximately one year prior to presenting to the Emergency Department. He noticed minor discomfort in his left chest one month earlier but did not see a physician. The discomfort steadily increased and he saw a small piece of metal poking through the skin. He assumed it was a staple or something minor related to the surgery; however, it gradually increased in size over the next few weeks until he realized it was the pacemaker itself eroding though his chest wall. A cardiology consultation was called, and an EKG showed that the pacemaker was still functioning normally. He was admitted with a plan for operative repair. Pacemaker erosion or extrusion has been reported in 0.9% of patients receiving the device.1 The two main causes are infection and pressure necrosis.1,2,3 Infection has been shown to be reduced by antibiotic treatment during the peri-placement period, and pressure necrosis appears to be influenced largely by the size of the device, complexity of the connections and technical skill with which the pocket is created.1,2 After extrusion, the pacemaker should be considered contaminated and removed.
Metamorphic consequences of thrust emplacement, Fall Mountain, New Hampshire

Metamorphic pressure-temperature (P-T) paths from the upper and lower plates of the Fall Mountain nappe, southwest New Hampshire, reveal different thermal histories in the two structural levels. Upper-plate rocks experienced early low-P, high-T (contact?) metamorphism to peak P-T conditions of 700-750 °C, 3-4.5 kbar. These P-T conditions were followed by loading to approximately 5-6 kbar, and then by nearly isobaric cooling to approximately 500 °C, 4.5 kbar. Upper-plate rocks then experienced minor heating with unloading and finally cooling. The lower-plate rocks also experienced early low-P, high-T (contact?) metamorphism but only to P-T conditions of 480-510 °C, 2-3.5 kbar. Nappe emplacement resulted in nearly isothermal loading to 500 °C, 5-6 kbar, which was followed by either heating or cooling, depending on the proximity of the sample to the upper plate. The early pressures recorded in both the upper- and lower-plate rocks suggest a depth of approximately 10 km for origination of the nappe; the post-nappe pressures (5-6 kbar) imply a total tectonic thickness of approximately 20 km or a doubling of the overburden thickness. Diffusion calculations suggest that the emplacement of the nappe took less than approximately 10 m.y., and U/Pb chronology on zircon suggests that it occurred between 400 and 410 Ma. 4O Ar/ 39 Ar cooling ages on micas indicate that the terrane was cooled to approximately 300 °C by 340 Ma.
Low-Income Children's Literacy Interpretations in a Skills-Based and a Whole-Language Classroom:

This descriptive study investigated two groups of low-income, urban children who had whole-language instruction during their kindergarten and first-grade years. These 17 children were studied previously for those 2 years in their separate schools. The current investigation focused on the general academic success of the two groups and on eight, focal learners' interpretations. In one school, a group of children made a transition to a skills-based/traditional second grade (the Transition Group). In a different school, a group of children continued in a whole-language second grade (the Continuing Group). The children were observed in their classrooms throughout the school year. Data collection included field notes, audio- and videotaping, teacher and parent interviews, and pre- and postmeasures. Findings indicated that the Transition Group had the academic skills necessary for success in the skills-based second grade and that the Continuing Group also succeeded in the whole-language second grade. Differences between the two groups showed that the focal children in the Transition Group experienced a change in their interpretations or sense making patterns and a loss of literate behaviors. Differences in writing favored the focal children in the Continuing Group. Generally, there were no between-group differences in reading growth and no statistical differences on pre- and posttests.
Estimating Population Size of Large Laboratory Colonies of the Formosan Subterranean Termite using the Capture Probability Equilibrium

ABSTRACT The reliability of the capture probability equilibrium model developed by Su and Lee (2008) for population estimate was tested in three-directional extended foraging arenas connecting to large Plexiglas cubes (96 by 96 by 96 cm) containing ≈100,000–400,000 workers of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. After the release of marked termites in the arenas, the capture probability was averaged for three directions at equal distance from the release point. The daily data of directionally averaged capture probability were subject to a linear regression with distance as the independent variable to identify the capture probability equilibrium. When the daily data produced significant regressions with regression slope |b| ≤ 0.05 or |b| ≈ 0.05, the directionally averaged capture probability was considered to have reached equilibrium, and the regression intercept was used in the Lincoln index to derive the population estimate. Of the four laboratory colonies tested, three met ...
ebi regulates epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathways in Drosophila

ebi regulates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway at multiple steps in Drosophila development. Mutations in ebi and Egfr lead to similar phenotypes and show genetic interactions. However, ebi does not show genetic interactions with other RTKs (e.g., torso) or with components of the canonical Ras/MAP kinase pathway. ebi encodes an evolutionarily conserved protein with a unique amino terminus, distantly related to F-box sequences, and six tandemly arranged carboxy-terminal WD40 repeats. The existence of closely related proteins in yeast, plants, and humans suggests that ebi functions in a highly conserved biochemical pathway. Proteins with related structures regulate protein degradation. Similarly, in the developing eye, ebi promotes EGFR-dependent down-regulation of Tramtrack88, an antagonist of neuronal development.
Template-free detection of macromolecular complexes in cryo electron tomograms

Motivation: Cryo electron tomography (CryoET) produces 3D density maps of biological specimen in its near native states. Applied to small cells, cryoET produces 3D snapshots of the cellular distributions of large complexes. However, retrieving this information is non-trivial due to the low resolution and low signal-to-noise ratio in tomograms. Current pattern recognition methods identify complexes by matching known structures to the cryo electron tomogram. However, so far only a small fraction of all protein complexes have been structurally resolved. It is, therefore, of great importance to develop template-free methods for the discovery of previously unknown protein complexes in cryo electron tomograms. Results: Here, we have developed an inference method for the template-free discovery of frequently occurring protein complexes in cryo electron tomograms. We provide a first proof-of-principle of the approach and assess its applicability using realistically simulated tomograms, allowing for the inclusion of noise and distortions due to missing wedge and electron optical factors. Our method is a step toward the template-free discovery of the shapes, abundance and spatial distributions of previously unknown macromolecular complexes in whole cell tomograms. Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
From personal to shared annotations

Preliminary results obtained by comparing personal annotations on paper with shared annotations made on-line show that only a small fraction of personal annotations are used in initiating and responding to related on-line discussions. The personal annotations that are shared tended to correspond to explicit marginalia; much effort is still put into rendering both the content and anchors of thse annotations intelligible to others.
Brain pattern analysis of cortical valued distributions

We introduce a new representation of cortical regions via distribution functions of their features. The distribution functions are estimated non-parametrically from the data and are observed to be non Gaussian. Cortical pattern matching is enabled by using the information-based Jensen-Shannon divergence as a measure between features. Our approach explicitly avoids pairwise registrations between brains, but instead focuses on modeling and discriminating between the cortical structural patterns. We demonstrate our approach on 120 subject brains from an Alzheimer's dataset, and present applications to clustering, classification, and dimension reduction.
Boundary feedback control in Fluid-Structure Interactions

We consider a boundary control system for a fluid structure interaction model. This system describes the motion of an elastic structure inside a viscous fluid with interaction taking place at the boundary of the structure, and with the possibility of controlling the dynamics from this boundary. Our aim is to construct a real time feedback control based on a solution to a Riccati equation. The difficulty of the problem under study is due to the unboundedness of the control action, which is typical in boundary control problems. However, this class of unbounded control systems, due to its physical relevance, has attracted a lot of attention in recent literature (cf. [5], [18], [11]). It is known that Riccati feedback (unbounded) controls may develop strong singularities which destroy the well-posedness of Riccati equations. This makes computational implementations problematic, to say the least. However, as shown recently, this pathology does not happen for certain classes of unbounded control systems usually referred to as singular estimate control systems (SECS) (cf. [11], [21]). For such systems, there is a full and optimal Riccati theory in place, which leads to the well-posedness of feedback dynamics. Our objective is to show that the boundary control problem in question falls in the class of singular estimate control systems (SECS). Once this is accomplished, an application of the theory in [21] leads to the main result of this paper which is well-posedness of Riccati equations and of the Riccati feedback synthesis.
Recent applications of the SCF—Xα scattered—wave method to complex molecules and solids

Recent applications of the SCF-Xα scattered–wave method to metal coordination systems, biological molecules, and localized states in complex solids are outlined.