cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of platelet surface antigens: localization of the PlA1 alloantigen.

Summary. An approach is described for localizing antigenic determinants to specific platelet proteins. Platelets are solubilized, electrophoresed and transferred to nitrocellulose paper where they are immobilized. After incubation with radiolabelled specific antibody, the antigenic determinants are localized by radioautography. Purified proteins ranging in size from 50 000 to 540 000 could be studied in this manner and still retain their antigenicity. Solubilized immobilized platelet proteins were reacted with serum IgG from two patients with post-transfusion purpura known to have anti-PlA1 antibodies. The radioactivity was associated with a major protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 100 000 daltons. However, when purified anti-PlA1 antibody eluted from PlA1 (+) platelets was used, at least six additional minor bands were noted with molecular weights ranging from about 86 000 to 175 000. No radioactive bands were noted using PlA1 negative platelets or reduced PlA1 (+) platelet proteins. Reaction of the antibody from one patient with proteins from thrombasthenic platelets resulted in a marked reduction in the intensity of all radioactive bands. In addition, a new high molecular weight band was noted which was not present in reactions containing PlA1 (+) platelets. These data suggest that the PlA1 antigen is primarily but not entirely localized to glycoprotein IIIa. This approach is relatively simple, requires only minimal amounts of antibody and should be generally useful in the study of cellular antigens and other complex mixtures of proteins.
Thermal decomposition of the tris (2,2′-bipyridine) complexes of some first row transition group elements in the solid state

Abstract Kinetics of the isothermal solid state decomposition of the tris (2,2′-bipyridine) complexes of the first row transition group elements [M(bipy) 3 ]Br 2 † (M  Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ and Zn 2+ ) were studied under vacuum using a weight loss method. Decomposition of [Fe(bipy) 3 ]Br 2 , [Ni(bipy) 3 ] Br 2 and [Cu(bipy) 3 ]Br 2 were found to obey the Prout and Tomkins' rate equation, dα / dt = k α (1 − α). For the rest of the compounds the data were not reproducible enough to permit a definite conclusion. The activation energies for the first dissociation step of the complexes of Fe 2+ , Ni 2+ and Cu 2+ are given as is also a study of their decomposition products.
Going beyond with Bayesian updating.

It all started innocently enough. One spring-like winter day, I happened to ask Brendan whether economists ever dealt with escalation. “With what?” he replied. “A phenomenon where people keep investing in the face of continuing losses,” I answered. Then I described how industrial/organizational psychologists had become intrigued with situations in which investors seemed to throw good money after bad, how their explanations for the phenomenon centered on individual characteristics such as commitment, how Sonia Goltz (1992) used a standard bread-and-butter operant procedure—fixed and variable schedules of reinforcement—to explain their persistence, and how Goltz's experiments had shown that during the extinction phase investors even increased their investments for a while when the news was all bad. Without a moment's hesitation, he exclaimed, “I bet I can predict the turning point.” Another arrogant-economist remark, I thought to myself. “How?” “Bayesian updating.” Then we talked at length about Bayesian analysis techniques and how they could be used to predict the shape of extinction curves. I realized that these techniques might be just what psychologists needed as an enticement to study sequences of behavior over time. And that's how this commentary got started.
Raman spectra of phenothiazine and some pharmaceutical derivatives

The laser-Raman spectra of several phenothiazines in the region 600-1600 cm(-1) are reported. The major bands are assigned to ring modes or to vibrations of the alkyl side-chains.
Patient-centered medical homes may reduce emergency department use: what does this tell us?

Policymakers are resolute in their focus on reducing emergency department (ED) use in the face of its persistent increase. Multiple types of interventions to reduce ED use have been tested, but a magic bullet that can safely and effectively divert individuals from EDs (and theoretically, into primary care) has proven elusive. A recent study has cast some new light on this issue. In their article “Emergency Department and Inpatient Hospital Use by Medicare Beneficiaries in PatientCentered Medical Homes,” Pines et al report that the growth rate of outpatient ED rates and outpatient ED payments among Medicare beneficiaries who seek care in practices with patient-centered medical home designation is lower compared with the rate for similar patients in non–patient-centered medical home practices. The beneficiaries assigned to practices with patient-centered medical home designation were healthier and had lower baseline rates of both ED use and payments, and propensity score matching was used to adjust for these differences. The investigators’ findings represent an important contribution to the debate about how EDs can best fit into a delivery system that prioritizes efficiency and coordination of care across multiple settings. The patientcentered medical home model aims to reinvent primary care, making it “accessible, continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated and delivered in the context of family and community.” In other words, the patient-centered medical home model aims to deliver the right care in the right place at the right time. It follows that one measure of success for patient-centered medical homes would be ED visit reductions. A prevailing school of thought among policymakers is that many ED visits represent failures. Patients end up in the ED because they have failed to seek care when or where they
Activation and repression of E. coli promoters

There is no organism in which transcription initiation is better understood than Escherichia coli. Recent studies using genetics, biochemistry and structure analysis have revealed how RNA polymerase interactions at promoters are regulated. Prominent examples include the recruitment of polymerase by activators touching its alpha and sigma subunits; which subunit is touched depends on which activator is used and where it binds the DNA. The less-common cases centering on enhancer-dependent transcription use an entirely different mechanism, involving either DNA looping or tracking.
Natural and engineered nano and colloidal transport: role of zeta potential in prediction of particle deposition.

This study is designed to answer the question of whether the zeta-potential measurement of natural and engineered nano and colloidal particles can be used as a general predictor for their transport and deposition within porous medium. The transport and deposition of engineered zeolite particles and natural colloids (soil and sediment colloids) was studied and evaluated considering their zeta-potential measurement. The zeta-potential of Ca2+ or K+ saturated zeolite particles increased (i.e., became less negative) with increasing bulk ionic strength, independent of the cation species in the bulk solution, while the zeta-potential of Ca2+ or K+ saturated natural colloids was dependent on the cation species in the bulk solution, unexpectedly decreasing with the bulk K+ concentrations while increasing with bulk Ca2+ concentrations (10−5 to 10−2 M). The particle deposition rate coefficient (k) was sensitive to the cation species in the bulk solution and on the cation exchangeable sites of the particle surfaces....
From Failure to Flourishing: The Roles of Acceptance and Goal Reengagement

Two studies were conducted to examine the relationship between a proposed adaptive response to failure and subsequent flourishing. The cognitive/emotional level of the proposed adaptive response to failure, acceptance of negative emotions, is characterized by allowing negative emotions to surface without trying to control them. The behavioral level of response, goal reengagement, is characterized by reengaging with new, intrinsically meaningful goals. Study 1 (N = 50) was based on a community sample (age range 32–90 years) and consisted of semi-structured interviews coded for participants’ response to the biggest job-related failure ever experienced and current psychological flourishing. Study 2 (N = 101), an online study based on a different community sample (age range 18–73 years), further tested the proposed adaptive response to failure by using questionnaires to assess participants’ response to the biggest job-related failure ever experienced and current flourishing. Findings across both studies indicated that responding to failure by accepting negative emotions and reengaging with new, intrinsically meaningful goals was associated with greater subsequent flourishing, including more happiness and fewer depressive symptoms.
Training for Public Service

An increasingly large number of jobs in the public service are coming to be regarded as careers. How shall we insure that incumbents in such positions have the requisite training? The author's answer calls for a coordination of facilities which should challenge educators of traditional bent.
Foreign exchange rates and journal pricing.

Abstract This article discusses differential pricing and the role of the exchange rate in differential pricing. Citing prior work by Hamaker, Astle, and Boissonnas, this article explains the mechanism of the exchange rate and explores ways that the impact of the exchange rate on the journal pricing structure can be minimized. Business techniques for managing the foreign exchange risk are referred to as “exposure management.” Using these techniques, libraries can protect themselves against severe loss due to exchange rate fluctuations.
Studies on the dye-binding fraction of soluble liver proteins from rats fed aminoazo dyes.

Les auteurs ont etudie le profil electrophoretique du surnageant de foies de rats, nourris aux colorants azoiques cancerogenes. La fraction, dite proteine «h», a ete isolec et on a determine son poids moleculaire, sa teneur en colorant lie, en vitamines et en acides nucleiques et sa composition en acides amines.
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Induces Gαi-Coupled, PI3K/ras-Dependent Smooth Muscle Cell Migration☆

Background. Sphingolipids such as sphingosine-1-phosphate (S-1-P) are potent extracellular mediators released in response to vessel injury. S-1-P binds to G-protein-coupled receptors, which can be either G αi or G αq linked. This study examines the signaling pathways involved in vascular smooth muscle cell migration after stimulation by S-1-P. We hypothesized that S-1-P stimulates migration of smooth muscle cells that is dependent upon a G αi -coupled receptor, ras, phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K), and ERK 1/2. Methods. Vascular smooth muscle cells were cultured in vitro. A linear wound assay and Boyden chamber assay of migration were employed in the presence of S-1-P and inhibitors of G αι [pertussis toxin (PTx), 100 ng/ml], G αq (GP-2A, 10 μM), ras [manumycin A (MA), 10 μM], PI3-K [Wortmannin (Wn), 10 μM], and MEK1 [PD98059 (PD), 25 μM]. Western blotting was performed separately to examine p42/p44 MAP kinase (ERK 1/2) activation in response to S-1-P with these inhibitors. Results. S-1-P induced vascular smooth muscle cell migration. This response was decreased by preincubation with PTx, suggesting a receptor linked, G αi -mediated response. Application of a G αq inhibitor did not affect this response. S-1-P induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner. This S-1-P-induced cell migration was PD-sensitive in the Boyden chamber assay, confirming that it is MEK1- and ERK1/ 2-dependent. Inhibition of ras with MA and PI3-K with Wn also reduced ERK phosphorylation and smooth muscle cell migration in response to S-1-P. Conclusion. S-1-P induces smooth muscle cell migration through a G αi -linked, ras- and PI3-K-coupled, ERK 1/2-dependent process. Understanding signal transduction will allow targeted molecular interventions to treat the response of a vessel to injury.
Lev Gumilev: The Ideologist of the Soviet Empire

Summary Russian intellectuals like to appeal to examples of foreign history. Lev Gumilev's views on history are a good example. Gumilev was one of the most well-known representatives of Eurasianism, which was in turn one of the most interesting intellectual constructs in Russian historiography. Gumilev believed that Russia was born not from Kievan Rus—the view of the majority of Russian historians of his time—but from the empire of the Mongols. While Gumilev saw Europe as a hostile entity to Russia/Eurasia, this was not the case with the neo-Eurasianists of the Yeltsin era. This article examines Gumilev's Eurasianism and its influence on modern Russian national identity.
Ultra-thin-body PECVD Ge TFT low-voltage flash memory cell with high-k dielectrics for three-dimensional integration

As the scaling of conventional bulk Si flash memory cells approaches its fundamental limits, innovative 3D stacking and new materials must be considered. Ge is one of the promising candidates due to its attractive properties including higher mobility [1], smaller bandgap for supply voltage scaling, and lower processing temperature for compatibility with high-k dielectric [2] and 3D stack technology. Hence, a study the Ge UTB (ultra thin body) structure is pertinent for understanding its prospect as a viable solution [3]. Unlike silicon, however, the lack of a sufficiently stable native oxide hinders the passivation of Ge surfaces. The native germanium oxide is hygroscopic and water-soluble. Several gate dielectric materials with thick EOT on Ge have been reported [4] in early 1990s. Al 2 O 3 has emerged as one of the most promising high-k gate dielectrics for Ge MOSFET and TFT [5] to cope with the issue of the native Ge oxide [6]. In this study, we demonstrate the material and electrical characteristics of stackable Ge TFT flash memory cell with Al 2 O 3 high-k tunnel dielectric, metal NCs and (Ti,Dy) x O y control dielectric. Our proposed planar thin-film process is a simple batch process, and can therefore be used with relatively small cost increase.
Bimanual force control strategies in chronic stroke: finger extension versus power grip.

Abstract Stroke leads to motor asymmetries in the flexor and extensor muscles of the hand. Typically, the strength deficits in the extensors are greater than the flexors. The impact of differential motor abilities of these muscle groups on the execution of bimanual force control tasks in individuals with stroke is unknown. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of task constraints on visually guided bimanual force control in chronic stroke. Stroke survivors and age-matched individuals performed bimanual isometric contractions for 20 s to match target submaximal force levels. Online visual feedback of the total force (sum of the forces produced by both hands) was provided. The task constraints were manipulated by (a) finger extension, and (b) finger flexion (power grip). Force asymmetry was indexed by the proportion of force contributed by the paretic hand to the total force. The stroke group demonstrated task-specific asymmetry in bimanual force control. Specifically, the paretic hand contributed less force than the non-paretic hand in finger extension whereas this relationship was reversed in power grip. Importantly, regardless of the nature of the task, reduction in motor impairments was associated with increased symmetry and coordination in bimanual tasks. Further, bimanual submaximal grip force control revealed asymmetry and coordination deficits that are not identified by investigating bimanual maximal force production alone. The motor control strategy adopted to optimize performance on bimanual tasks revealed the altered force production of the paretic hand due to the combined effect of extensor weakness and enhanced flexor bias following stroke. Bimanual asymmetries in stroke survivors highlight the need for identifying and treating the task-specific impairments for maximizing motor recovery post stroke.
Comparative biochemistry of fish and amphibian arylsulfatases

Abstract 1. 1. Arylsulfatases (EC 3.1.6.1) were isolated from several fish and frog tissues, and their properties were compared with those of mammalian arylsulfatases A and B. 2. 2. Fish arylsulfatases were resolved into cationic and anionic fractions by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography. The cationic isozyme possessed properties resembling those of mammalian arylsulfatase A, while the anionic isozyme was arylsulfatase B-like. 3. 3. Both fish arylsulfatase isozymes exhibited relative mol. wts approximating 100,000 ± 10,000 (Sephacryl S-300) to 132,000 ± 7000 (gel electrophoresis). 4. 4. Carp arylsulfatases were inhibited by both cyanide and phosphate; however, neither cationic nor anionic arylsulfatase activity from longear sunfish and largemouth bass was inhibited by cyanide. 5. 5. Both total arylsulfatase activity and proportion of cationic arylsulfatase varied among liver tissues from different fish species. Considerable intertissue arylsulfatase activity variation was also observed within species. 6. 6. Frog liver arylsulfatase was predominantly cationic and possessed many properties characteristic of mammalian arylsulfatase B. The relative mol. wt of the frog cationic isozyme was estimated to be 93,000–139,000, depending upon the analytical method employed. 7. 7. Frog liver contained 10-fold higher total arylsulfatase activity and possessed a much higher proportion of arylsulfatase B-like activity than non hepatic tissues.
The surge of great earthquakes from 2004 to 2014

Abstract During the decade from mid-2004 to mid-2014 18 great ( M w ≥ 8.0 ) earthquakes occurred globally (∼1.8 per year), compared to 71 from 1900 to mid-2004 (∼0.68 per year), yielding a short-term rate increase of 265%. Six events had M w ≥ 8.5 , larger than any prior event since the 1965 Rat Islands earthquake. The December 26, 2004 M w 9.2 Sumatra earthquake had the longest recorded rupture length of 1300+ km and a rupture duration exceeding 450 s. The largest recorded strike-slip earthquake ( M w 8.7) occurred in the Indo–Australian plate on April 11, 2012. The largest recorded deep focus earthquake ( M w 8.3) occurred under the Sea of Okhotsk on May 24, 2013. While this overall surge of activity has not been demonstrated to be causally linked, regional spatio-temporal clustering is clearly evident for great events along the Sumatra, Kuril and Tonga subduction zones, and longer-range interactions have been established for global seismicity and seismic tremor at lower magnitudes following some of the events. This recent decade of intense great earthquake activity coincided with vastly expanded global networks of seismometers, GPS stations, tsunami gauges, and new satellite imaging capabilities such as InSAR and LandSAT interferometry and gravity measurements by GRACE and GOCE, enabling unprecedented analyses of precursory, co-seismic and post-seismic processes around the subduction zone environments where most of the events occurred. Individual events such as the March 11, 2011, Tohoku, Japan M w 9.0 earthquake produced more ground motion and tsunami recordings than available for all great earthquakes of the last century collectively. Joint inversion and modeling of the diverse data sets exploit complementary sensitivity of the signals to different aspects of the earthquake processes. Major advances have been achieved in quantifying frictional locking and strain accumulation prior to some great events and in relating it to co-seismic slip heterogeneity. Many surprising aspects of these well-quantified great earthquakes have been manifested, associated with their rupture dimensions, tectonic location, compound faulting, triggering interactions, slow slip and foreshock migration precursors, aftershock complexity, and depth-varying seismic radiation characteristics. Regions with potential for near-future great ruptures include mature seismic gaps along the Mentawai Islands and northern Chile, as well as western North America and the Himalayan front, so more great earthquake activity can certainly be anticipated.
Design and evaluation of 'Linkerless' hydroxamic acids as selective HDAC8 inhibitors

In this report, we describe new HDAC inhibitors designed to exploit a unique sub-pocket in the HDAC8 active site. These compounds were based on inspection of the available HDAC8 crystal structures bound to various inhibitors, which collectively show that the HDAC8 active site is unusually malleable and can accommodate inhibitor structures that are distinct from the canonical 'zinc binding group-linker-cap group' structures of SAHA, TSA, and similar HDAC inhibitors. Some inhibitors based on this new scaffold are >100-fold selective for HDAC8 over other class I and class II HDACs with IC(50) values <1microM against HDAC8. Furthermore, treatment of human cells with the inhibitors described here shows a unique pattern of hyperacetylated proteins compared with the broad-spectrum HDAC inhibitor TSA.
Fractionation of silicon isotopes by marine diatoms during biogenic silica formation

The fractionation of silicon isotopes by three species of marine diatoms, Skeletonema costatum, Thalassiosira weissflogii, and Thalassiosira sp., grown in batch culture, is reported. Fractionation was observed for all species. The δ 30Si value of the diatom silica and that of the initial silicic acid in the culture medium were used to compute a fractionation factor (α). The values of a for the three species were nearly identical, averaging 0.9989 ± 0.0004 (s.d., n = 13), which corresponds to the production of diatom silica with a δ 30Si value that is 1.1‰ more negative than that of the dissolved silicon utilized for growth. The fractionation factor did not vary with temperature and the consequent change in growth rate (ANOVA, p =0.61; tested at 12°, 15°, and 22°C with Thalassiosira sp.). The observation of fractionation of silicon isotopes by diatoms is an essential step in establishing δ 30Si variations in biogenic silica as a potential oceanographic tracer.
Some observations on the binding patterns of α-bungarotoxin in the central nervous system of the rat

Summary Patterns of α-bungarotoxin (αBuTX) binding within the brain of the rat have been studied following one of two procedures: (1) the intraventricular injection of 125 I-labeled toxin followed by a survival period of 1–8 days before aldehyde perfusion, or (2) the incubation of fresh cryostat sections of brain tissue in dilute solutions of radioactive toxin. Appropriate controls with nicotine, curare, atropine and native αBuTX established the specific nature of the binding. The principal observations were that toxin binding sites are predominantly associated with central areas of the brain in direct receipt of sensory inputs (the main and accessory olfactory bulbs, superior colliculus, ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, cochlear nuclei, the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord and spinal trigeminal nucleus, the principal sensory nucleus of the trigeminal, and the dorsal column nuclei) and with limbic areas of the brain (hippocampus, amygdala, olfactory tubercle, medial mammillary nucleus, and the dorsal tegmental nucleus of Gudden). Toxin was not found to bind to cranial motor nuclei with the exception of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and the nucleus ambiguus. The discrete distribution of clusters of silver grains within the granule layer of cerebellar folia I, IX, and X is described as well as the heavy labeling of the inferior and accessory olivary nuclei. In many areas of the brain silver grains were found to overlie cell bodies. It suggested that this may reflect the presence of both membrane-bound toxin and internalized ligand following initial binding to a membrane receptor site.
Articulating Adolescent Girls' Resistance to Patriarchal Discourse in Popular Media

This paper explores and theorizes the experiences in adolescent girls' lives that pertain to their ability to resist damaging media representations of femininity. Traditional theoretical approaches to resistance involve notions of “resistant reading” of media messages. In this paper, I move beyond the individualized concept of resistant readings of media messages to a theory of resistance related to collective feminist activism, in the context of girls' culture. After surveying the theories of resistance currently employed in the mass communication/cultural studies literature, I compare these formulations with recent scholarship on girls' development. I conclude that the widely accepted construction of autonomous and individual “resistant reading” neglects important aspects of girls' lives; the question must be approached, instead, in terms of communities and collectivities that form a central part of girls' culture, with the goal of mobilizing adolescent girls in their dealings with patriarchal popular c...
The dream body in somatic psychology : The kinaesthetics of gesture

Gestures have been investigated primarily as pictorial representations intended to communicate information to their perceivers visually. This paper argues that affiliative gestures, the gestures affiliated with words, are neither visual nor communicative. They are kinaesthetic apprehensions directed by gesturers to themselves. Perceivers do glean information from the gestures but this is not their primary intent. Gestural practices in a somatic therapeutic session provide a unique opportunity to examine the way gestures can be used to influence the gesturer. Specifically, gestures invest the gesturer in the narrative realm she conjures up on the therapeutic occasion, in this instance, a dream world. The somaticist then uses embodiments from the virtual space of the dream narrative to effect change on the therapeutic occasion. This practice illuminates the philosophical problem of free will: how we are able to influence our own embodied processes volitionally.
Efficacy of an outdoor air pollution education program in a community at risk for asthma morbidity.

Background. Asthma management guidelines recommend avoiding exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants. A limitation of such recommendations is that they do not provide information about how the public should obtain and act on air quality information. Although the Air Quality Index (AQI) provides simplified outdoor air quality forecasts, communities with high rates of asthma morbidity tend to have low rates of internet access due to factors such as low socioeconomic status. Assessments of knowledge about air quality among low-income minority communities are lacking, as are community-based programs to educate the public about using the AQI. Methods. An air quality education program and system for disseminating air quality information were developed to promote pollutant avoidance during the reconstruction of a major highway in a low-income minority community on Chicago's South Side. The program, which centered on workshops run by community asthma educators, was evaluated using a pre-test, post-test, and ...
Massive pulmonary embolism: A comparison of radiological and clinical characteristics and outcomes

Study objectives: To describe the clinical features of radiographically massive pulmonary embolism (MPE). Design: Retrospective analysis. Setting: A 1,368-bed teaching hospital. Patients or participants: Patients with pulmonary embolism between June 1997 and December 1999. Interventions: Radiographic reports of patients with a radiographic diagnosis of pulmonary embolism were reviewed to determine whether MPE (>50% vascular occlusion) was present. For patients with MPE, vital signs, respiratory and cardiac symptoms, medical history, arterial blood gases, electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic results, treatment, and hospital mortality were recorded. Measurements and results: Fifty-four patients with MPE were identified. Patient age range was 28–91 years (mean 71 years). Symptoms were: dyspnea in 38 (70%), chest pain in 21 (38%), syncope in 12 (22%), palpitations in 6 (11%), systolic blood pressure 120 beats/min) in 15 (28%) and tachypnea (respiratory rate >30) in 15 (28%). PaO2 (arterial partial pressure of oxygen) was less than 60 mmHg in 28 (71%) and the alveolar–arterial oxygen gradient was always greater than 20. ECG had an S1Q3T3 pattern in 6 (12%). Echocardiography revealed right ventricular dilatation in 12/31 (38%). Forty-nine patients received anticoagulation treatment, 4 (7%) received thrombolytic therapy with anticoagulation, 5 had inferior vena cava filters (IVC) alone, 6 received IVC filters with anticoagulation, and 2 received thrombolytic therapy, anticoagulation, and IVC filters. Eighteen (33%) patients were treated in the intensive care unit, 3 (5.5%) with mechanical ventilation. Fifty (93%) patients were eventually discharged and 4 (7%) died. Two of the deaths were not attributable to MPE. Conclusions: Patients with MPE usually present with dyspnea and hypoxemia, and most survive without thrombolytic therapy.
Bridging Troubled Waters: Family Caregivers, Transitions, And Long-Term Care

Families are the bedrock of long-term care, but policymakers have traditionally considered them “informal” caregivers, as they are not part of the formal paid caregiving workforce. As chronic and l...
Negative cross-resistance between benomyl and MDPC in British isolates of Botrytis cinerea, Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides and Verticillium fungicola var. fungicola

SUMMARY Fifteen isolates of Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides, four isolates of Botrytis cinerea and four isolates of Verticillium fungicola var. fungicola were examined on potato dextrose agar amended with benomyl or methyl N-(3, 5-dichlorophenyl)-carbamate (MDPC). Negatively correlated cross-resistance was clearly demonstrated with the isolates of P. herpotrichoides and B. cinerea. There were indications that the same phenomenon might also operate with the isolates of V. fungicola var. fungicola.
Temperature dependence of the optical band gap of a-Ge: H

We report measurements and analysis of the reversible temperature dependent shift in the optical band gap of reactively sputtered hydrogenated amorphoys Ge in the range 15 K < T < 400 K. We suggest that the shift arises from thermal fluctuations in local atom configurations due to optic-like and short-wavelength acoustic-like phonons.
Sustained attention and intelligence

Abstract The sustained attention of retarded and nonretarded adults was assessed during two 60-min vigilance tests that differed in memory demand. Subjects compared visually presented digit sets that were separated by 3 or 6 s; consecutive matching digit sets served as the target event. A significant interaction between IQ and time period was obtained for target detection and detectability, p( A ) , measures; the performance of retarded subjects declined more rapidly during the latter stages of the vigil than did the performance of nonretarded subjects. Memory load had no effect on target detection, but the 6-s delay resulted in a significant increase in false alarm rate by both IQ groups. Intelligence-related differences in sustained attention appear to be related to the availability of attentional resources during a vigilance task.
Supplemental energy dissipation: state-of-the-art and state-of-the- practice

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to research and development of structural control devices, with particular emphasis on alleviation of wind and seismic response of buildings and bridges. In both areas, serious efforts have been undertaken to develop the structural control concept into a workable technology, and today we have many such devices installed in a wide variety of structures. The focus of this state-of-the-art paper is on passive and active structural control systems. Passive systems encompass a range of materials and devices for enhancing structural damping, stiffness and strength. Active systems, which include active, hybrid and semi-active systems, employ controllable force devices integrated with sensors, controllers and real-time information processing. This paper includes a brief historical outline of their development and an assessment of the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice of this exciting, and still evolving, technology. Also included in the discussion are their advantages and limitations in the context of seismic design and retrofit of civil engineering structures.
CuBTC metal-organic frameworks enmeshed in polyacrylonitrile fibrous membrane remove methyl parathion from solutions

A method is presented to immobilize Cu-BTC metal-organic framework (MOF-199) particles by enmeshing them in nonwoven polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers creating a fibrous membrane with the potential ability to remove chemical warfare agents or pesticides from solution. These membranes were shown to effectively adsorb methyl parathion, an organophosphate pesticide. Based on solubility theory and experimental results, partitioning was determined to be the main mechanism of removal. After 2 hours, the PAN/MOF-199 membranes removed 88 % more methyl parathion than the unmodified PAN membranes and 62 % as much as the MOF-199 crystal powder. Since the MOF particles were enmeshed in the PAN fiber mats, the MOF particles were in a workable and flexible substrate. Potential applications of these functionalized fibrous membranes include protective clothing for agricultural workers or military personnel as well as filtration media.
Canonical duality theory: Unified understanding and generalized solution for global optimization problems

Canonical duality theory is a potentially powerful methodology, which can be used to model complex systems with a unified solution to a wide class of discrete and continuous problems in global optimization and nonconvex analysis. This paper presents a brief review and recent developments of this theory with applications to some well-know problems, including polynomial minimization, mixed integer and fractional programming, nonconvex minimization with nonconvex quadratic constraints, etc. Results shown that under certain conditions, these difficult problems can be solved by deterministic methods within polynomial times, and NP-hard discrete optimization problems can be transformed to certain minimal stationary problems in continuous space. Concluding remarks and open problems are presented in the end.
Association of disease‐free survival and percent of ideal dose in adjuvant breast chemotherapy

The relationship between percent of ideal dose and disease-free survival was examined in 256 Stage II and III patients who participated in a 2-year breast adjuvant chemotherapy trial consisting of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) given postoperatively. When analyzed analogously to previous work, the results confirmed a dose-response relationship: that is, there appeared to be an improved disease-free survival for patients receiving higher doses of adjuvant chemotherapy. The major criticism of such an analysis is its bias. This bias was addressed by considering only patients who were still receiving therapy at 6, 12, and 24 months; then, the dose-response relationship was no longer seen. Although causality cannot be inferred, the apparent differences in disease-free survival among the dose groups can be attributed to recurrences in the first 2 years among patients receiving lower doses of chemotherapy.
Example of a Complementary Use of Model Checking and Human Performance Simulation

Aircraft automation designers are faced with the challenge to develop and improve automation such that it is transparent to the pilots using it. To identify problems that may arise between pilots and automation, methods are needed that can uncover potential problems with automation early in the design process. In this paper, simulation and model checking are combined and their respective advantages leveraged to find problematic human-automation interaction using methods that would be available early in the design process. A particular problem of interest is automation surprises, which describe events when pilots are surprised by the actions of the automation. The Tarom flight 381 incident involving the former Airbus automatic speed protection logic, leading to an automation surprise, is used as a common case study. Results of this case study indicate that both methods identified the automation surprise found in the Tarom flight 381 incident, and that the simulation identified additional automation surprises associated with that flight logic. The work shows that the methods can be symbiotically combined, and the joint method is suitable to identify problematic human-automation interaction such as automation surprise.
The response of anisotropic turbulence to rapid homogeneous one‐dimensional compression

Homogeneous rapid distortion theory is used to study the response of shear flows and axisymmetric turbulence to rapid one‐dimensional compression. In the shear flow problem, both normal and oblique compressions are considered. The response of these anisotropic flows to compression is found to be quite different from that of isotropic turbulence. Upon normal compression, the amplification of the streamwise component of kinetic energy and the total kinetic energy in shear flows is higher than that in isotropic turbulence. Also, normal compression decreases the magnitude of the Reynolds shear stress by amplifying the pressure–strain correlation in the shear stress equation. Obliquity of compression (defined as the angle between the directions of shear and compression) is seen to significantly affect the evolution of the Reynolds stresses. For a range of oblique angles from −60° to 60°, the amplification of streamwise kinetic energy and total kinetic energy decrease with increasing magnitude of the oblique an...
Locomotor kinetics on sloped arboreal and terrestrial substrates in a small quadrupedal mammal

Abstract Small animals must be capable of moving on a wide variety of surfaces; thus, examining the mechanics of locomotion on a wide variety of substrates is necessary to understand how the animal can utilize its habitat. Therefore, locomotor kinetics are examined on arboreal and terrestrial sloped substrates in the marsupial Monodelphis domestica (gray short-tailed opossum). Substrate reaction forces were measured as opossums moved across four trackways: 30° upslope and 30° downslope trackways, which were flat (“terrestrial”) or cylindrical (“arboreal”). Regardless of substrate slope, medial limb forces were measured on arboreal trackways and usually lateral limb forces on terrestrial trackways. Otherwise the general patterns of vertical and craniocaudal forces and impulses were similar between same-sloped terrestrial and arboreal trackways. Some significant modifications to these gross patterns occurred: on the arboreal upslope trackway, hindlimbs supported more body weight than on the terrestrial uphill, possibly because hindlimbs were more stably positioned on the upslope arboreal trackway than forelimbs. Furthermore, the difference between fore- and hindlimbs with respect to craniocaudal impulses was less on the arboreal sloped trackways. In conclusion, kinetic patterns can usually be explained by body weight support roles and by the placement of the limbs on the arboreal trackway.
Scalar Bethe-Salpeter Model of Electric Field Frequency Correlations for Randomly Scattering Slabs in the Non-Diffusive Regime

A scalar Bethe-Salpeter model that could be used in imaging and environmental sensing applications captures the measured co-polarized electric field frequency correlation magnitude and phase for randomly scattering slabs in the weakly scattering, non-diffusive regime.
Role of PET/CT imaging in stereotactic body radiotherapy

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a relatively new technique that enables delivery of high doses of radiation to malignancies throughout the body with a higher degree of precision than conventional radiation modalities. PET and computed tomography are rapidly being adopted for the evaluation of patients with cancer, and its role in conjunction with SBRT is under active investigation. This article reviews the literature regarding the utility of PET and computed tomography in treatment planning, follow-up imaging, relationship with clinical outcomes, and other topics in patients treated with SBRT. These questions are investigated for cancers of the lung, head and neck, pancreas and liver. A brief overview of various commercially available SBRT treatment systems is also included.
Factors associated with delayed care-seeking in hospitalized heart failure patients

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with delayed care-seeking among patients with recurrent symptoms of heart failure (HF). Background: Delay in care-seeking among patients with heart failure leads to longer length of stay and increased cost, morbidity, and mortality. Care seeking may be impacted by a variety of factors including difficulty with symptom recognition and interpretation as well as various social variables. Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted using face-to-face interviews to document factors associated with delayed care-seeking in 75 adult patients admitted to a tertiary care facility with symptoms of recurrent HF. The Heart Failure Somatic Awareness Scale (HFSAS), an 18 item Likert scale, described subject’s symptom burden with a potential score of 0 to 90. Demographic and clinical variables were obtained from the medical record. Several open ended questions were used to elicit additional factors. Subjects’ narrative explanations during the interview were documented and analyzed for common themes. Results: The convenience sample was 52% male and 85.3% Caucasian with a mean age of 74.7 (SD = 10.86). Mean HFSAS score was 37.52 (SD = 17.57). Duration of symptoms, measured from symptom onset until hospital arrival, varied from 5 minutes to 8 years. Care-seeking was emergent in 50.7% of the sample. Subjects with higher numbers of chronic symptoms were more likely to seek care proactively (t (66.9) = 3.6 p = .001, d = .84); subjects with more acute symptoms were likely to seek care emergently (t (73) = 2.1, p = .04, d = .48). Systolic BP was higher in patients who sought care emergently (t (67.9) = 2.1, p = .04, d = .49). HFSAS score correlated with systolic BP (r/ i> = .37, p = .001), co-morbid condition of diabetes mellitus (r/i> = .24, p = .04), total admissions in previous 6 months (r/i> = .42, p = = .36, p = .002), NYHA Classification (r/i> = .35, p = .002), and age (r/i> = .23, p = .05). HFSAS score did not correlate with care-seeking behavior or with most of the severity indicators such as B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP), serum sodium, serum creatinine or ejection fraction. This finding may indicate that somatic
Synthesis and self-assembly of magnetic nanoparticles

We report the synthesis and self-assembly of different shapes and sizes of FePt nanoparticles. Our study shows that surfactants and solvent play an important role in the synthesis of different shapes and sizes of FePt nanoparticles. Higher boiling point solvents lead to the formation of spherical nanoparticles and low boiling point solvents form cubic nanoparticles. Our studies also indicate that self-assembly of FePt nanoparticles on substrates is a complex process that is sensitive to the concentration of excess surfactant in the nanoparticle solution.
TaPEr: tackling power emergencies in the dark silicon era by exploiting resource scalability

A new challenge in multicore design is the management of dark silicon. Among the on-chip components, the cores and caches consume most of the power. We observe that parallel programs exhibit different scalability characteristics with respect to the number of cores and the size of caches. Running programs with fewer cores or smaller caches does not always degrade performance significantly. Based on these observations, we propose a scheme, called TaPEr, that can dynamically (1) predict the scalability of parallel programs with respect to core count and cache capacity; (2) re-allocate available power to cores or caches based on a program's scalability in order to satisfy the power constraints; and (3) achieve high performance (comparing with DVFS or simple shutdown schemes) at the same time.
Conversion of 14C-labeled geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to phytoene by a soluble tomato plastid enzyme system.

Abstract This paper reports the conversion of 14C-labeled geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to phytoene by a soluble enzyme system obtained from tomato plastids. Proof of the identity and purity of the 14C-geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate is presented in the preceding paper and some additional information is presented in this paper. Proof of the incorporation of radioactivity into phytoene was obtained through a demonstration of (1) the coincidence of radioactivity with phytoene on chromatography on alumina, and (2) the coincidence of radioactivity and mass of hydrogenated phytoene (lycopersane) on gasliquid chromatography. The incorporation of radioactive substrate into phytoene was maximal at pH 7.6 to 7.8 and at 25 ° C. The synthesis of phytoene from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate was also dependent upon the presence of Mg++ and a sulfhydryl reagent (dithiothreitol). Presumably the latter compound functions by maintaining sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme in the reduced state.
Long term disease-free survival and T cell and antibody responses in women with high-risk Her2+ breast cancer following vaccination against Her2

The HER2-inhibiting antibody trastuzumab, in combination with chemotherapy, significantly improves survival of women with resected, HER2-overexpressing breast cancers, but is associated with toxicities including a risk of cardiomyopathy. Additionally, the beneficial effect of trastuzumab is expected to decrease once the drug is discontinued. We proposed to address these concerns by using cancer vaccines to stimulate HER2 intracellular domain (ICD)-specific T cell and antibody responses. Subjects with stage II (≥ 6 +LN), III, or stage IV breast cancerwith > 50% HER2 overexpressing tumor cells who were disease-free after surgery and adjuvant therapy were eligible. Vaccines consisted of immature, cultured DC (n = 3), mature cultured DC (n = 3), or mature Flt3-ligand mobilized peripheral blood DC (n = 1) loaded with ICD, or tetanus toxoid, keyhole limpet hemocyanin or CMV peptide as controls, and were administered intradermally/subcutaneously four times at 3 week intervals. ICD-specific T cell and antibody responses were measured. Cardiac function was determined by MUGA or ECHO; long term disease status was obtained from patient contact. All seven patients successfully underwent DC generation and five received all 4 immunizations. There were no toxicities greater than grade 1 or ejection fraction decrements below normal. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions at the injection site occurred in 6/7 patients and HER2 specificity was detected by cytokine flow cytometry or ELISPOT in 5 patients. At more than 5 years of follow-up, 6/7 had detectable anti-ICD antibodies. One patient experienced a pulmonary recurrence at 4 years from their study immunizations. This recurrence was resected and they are without evidence of disease. All patients are alive and disease-free at 4.6–6.7 years of follow-up. Although this was a small pilot study, the well-tolerated nature of the vaccines, the lack of cardiac toxicity, significant immunogenicity, and a 100% 4.5-year survival rate suggest that vaccination with HER2 ICD protein-containing DC is appropriate for further study in this population. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00005956