cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taming the amygdala: new tools for crisis management

Purpose – The article discusses the ramifications for corporate reputation of the current concerns about consumer data privacy in order to identify potential risks and benefits for corporations in their relations with consumers and other stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – The article discusses the ramifications for corporate reputation of the current concerns about consumer data privacy in order to identify potential risks and benefits for corporations in their relations with consumers and other stakeholders. Findings – This review suggests that there are indeed significant concerns for corporations about how consumers feel about corporate use of personal and, in particular, behavioral data. However, there are steps that corporations can take to demonstrate their commitment to data privacy that can mitigate potential reputational damage and even strengthen their image with consumers and other stakeholders. Originality/value – Data privacy as a reputation asset has been little discussed in the lit...
Thermocapillary Convection in a Floating Half Zone

A numerical simulation has been conducted to investigate the effect of the external vibration referred to as g-jitter on the marangoni convection in liquid bridge of high Pr number fluid by taking both the dynamic free surface deformation and ambient air effects into consideration. The Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the energy conservation equation are solved on a staggered grid, and the free surface deformation is captured by introducing the mass conserving level set approach. The pressure distributions within the liquid bridge under external vibrations were investigated, and the results show that the pressure in liquid bridge presents periodic oscillation under external vibration. The closer to the hot disk, the greater the relative pressure value is. Moreover, the surface deformation and the surface amplitude under external vibration were investigated as well.
Influence of chlorine and mode of application on efficacy of aqueous solutions of 1-methylcyclopropene in delaying tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit ripening

Abstract This study was designed to determine the influence of sodium hypochlorite solutions, widely used as a postharvest disinfectant, on the efficacy of aqueous 1-MCP at delaying ripening of early ripening-stage tomato. Tomato fruit at breaker-turning stage were subjected to successive, alternate treatments in solutions of chlorinated water (1.34 mol m −3 sodium hypochlorite) and 1-MCP (3.70 mmol m −3 , 200 μg L −1 ) and then stored at 20 °C. Surface color and firmness were measured as ripening parameters. Concentrations of dissolved 1-MCP were monitored by analysis of headspace atmosphere over aqueous 1-MCP solutions in sealed jars. Surface color development and fruit softening were suppressed in single-use treatment regimens with the following solutions: aqueous 1-MCP only, 1-MCP followed by chlorine, and chlorine followed by 1-MCP, with or without an intervening rinse in water. Chlorine solutions applied within 1 min following a 1 min immersion of fruit in aqueous 1-MCP were without effect on 1-MCP efficacy, indicating that 1-MCP is delivered rapidly to internal tissues and inaccessible to surface-applied chlorine. In multiple-use cycles of successive chlorine and 1-MCP solutions, the efficacy of 1-MCP declined rapidly, indicating oxidative destruction due to sodium hypochlorite carryover. An intervening water rinse between chlorine and 1-MCP treatment did not influence the effect of chlorine at reducing 1-MCP levels or capacity to inhibit ripening. Analysis confirmed that 1-MCP levels in solutions used for fruit immersed first in solutions of sodium hypochlorite declined rapidly. The data confirm that aqueous 1-MCP solutions are adversely influenced by low levels of chlorine carried over from preceding chlorine dips. Attempts to circumvent problems with chlorine carryover using 3.70 mmol m −3 1-MCP solutions applied as a post-chlorine spray demonstrated a significant decline in 1-MCP-mediated ripening inhibition and a decline of 75–90% in dissolved 1-MCP compared with immersion application. Inhibition of ripening comparable to that obtained with 3.70 mmol m −3 1-MCP applied as a dip required spray concentrations of 111.1 mmol m −3 . Differences in effective 1-MCP concentrations in aqueous (dip and spray) and vapor applications are discussed.
Roping phenomena in pulverized coal conveying lines

Abstract Laboratory experiments were performed to measure the characteristics of a particle rope in a vertical pipe following a horizontal to vertical elbow. The experiments were performed with pulverized coal and air in a 0.154 m diameter pipe, with average velocities of 29 m/s and air-to-solids mass flow rate ratios from 1 to 3. A fiber optic probe was used to determine the transverse variations of particle velocity and concentration at different axial locations downstream of the elbow. Measurements were also made with an orifice plate at the elbow exit and these show that the flow patterns created by the orifice lead to accelerated rates of axial dispersion of the rope.
Texture Development in a Special Rolled AA6016 Aluminum Alloy

AA6016 aluminum alloy with a strong β fiber rolling texture was cold rolled to different reductions by means of a special deformation method (side rolling in Chinese). The texture development during side rolling was investigated by X-ray diffraction. The typical B, S and C orientation on the β fiber are transformed into the B'{111}, S'{22 17 9} and C'{011} orientations, respectively. The results show that these orientations are unstable and gradually rotate to the B orientation in the new sample reference frame.
Induction of the RNA Regulator LIN28A is Required for the Growth and Pathogenesis of RESTless Breast Tumors

The transcription factor RE1 silencing transcription factor (REST) is lost in approximately 20% of breast cancers. Although it is known that these RESTless tumors are highly aggressive and include all tumor subtypes, the underlying tumorigenic mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we show that loss of REST results in upregulation of LIN28A, a known promoter of tumor development, in breast cancer cell lines and human breast tumors. We found that LIN28A was a direct transcriptional target of REST in cancer cells and that loss of REST resulted in increased LIN28A expression and enhanced tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo, effects that were dependent on heightened LIN28A expression. Tumors lacking REST expression were locally invasive, consistent with the increased lymph node involvement observed in human RESTless tumors. Clinically, human RESTless breast tumors also displayed significantly enhanced LIN28A expression when compared with non-RESTless tumors. Our findings therefore show a critical role for the REST-LIN28A axis in tumor aggression and suggest a causative relationship between REST loss and tumorigenicity in vivo.
Movement of hot spots in Riemannian manifolds

of "hot spots" is compact for all t > 0. The collection of such Riemannian manifolds is reasonably large. Besides the compact ones, the class contains those noncompact Riemannian manifolds for which for all t > 0, r EL~(M), we have (PtqO(x) ~ 0 as x --oo (see [ 12], [5], [7] for results on the geometric hypotheses guaranteeing this condition). Here we initiate a study of the location of H(t) relative to the support of ~a, S,, and, more precisely, the behavior of H(t) a s t t +oo.
Biochemical markers of contraction in human myometrial smooth muscle cells in culture.

Phosphorylation of a light chain subunit of myosin by Ca2+ and calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase is believed to be essential for smooth muscle contraction. The biochemical properties of the myosin phosphorylation system in human myometrial smooth muscle cells in monolayer culture were compared with those of human myometrial tissue and nonmuscle cells in culture. Native myosin was isolated from other cellular proteins of crude homogenates by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (in the presence of pyrophosphate) and quantified by densitometry. The myosin content of myometrial smooth muscle cells in culture and that of myometrial tissue were similar and four- to five-fold greater than that of human endometrial stromal cells or skin fibroblasts in culture. The specific activities of myosin light chain kinase in homogenates of myometrial smooth muscle cells that were maintained in culture and in myometrial tissue were similar (2.05±0.18 and 1.60±0.37 nmol phosphate incorporated per min per mg protein, respectively). On the other hand, enzyme activity in skin fibroblasts was only 5% of that in myometrial smooth muscle cells. Myosin light chain kinase activity in myometrial smooth muscle cells was dependent upon Ca2+ and was inhibited reversibly by the calmodulin antagonist, calmidazolium. The intracellular Ca2+ concentration measured by quin2 fluorescence was 0.12 μM in resting cells and increased in a concentration-dependent manner with KC1 to a maximal value of 0.47 μM. These results indicate that biochemical processes important for smooth muscle contraction are retained in human myometrial smooth muscle cells in culture.
The Global Fetish

It has become increasingly fashionable to see everything through the lens of "globalization." The demise of the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc made it possible for capitalism to expand throughout the world, uncontrolled and uncontrollable, in a process that for some indicated "the end of history" while for others, especially for those living in the debtor countries, it meant "the revenge of history" as the dismantling of state-sponsored industrialization and the adoption of the neoliberal gospel of privatization and the free market destroyed organized labor, internal markets, and national economies. Deepening economic inequality in the world as a whole and within all nationstates, rich and poor, signals a return to a polarized social stratification system mirroring almost perfectly the two classes that systemically define the capitalist mode of production. Middle-class illusions, especially in the debtor countries, are being swept away, and life outside the capital cities is much like that of the nineteenth century in those countries. All this is understood as the unavoidable and unfortunate price to be paid, in the short term, for the benefits that globalization is, presumably, bound to produce over time. Globalization is taken for granted as a force of nature; all that seems to matter is understanding its effects on every aspect of our lives. Besides the flourishing academic cottage industry on globalization and democracy or the environment or telecommunications or intellectual property rights or identity politics there are the numerous newspaper and magazine articles about globalization and its virtues or evils (depending on where on the political spectrum the writer is located). What is globalization? Rather than citing various definitions or examining its political, cultural, social, economic, legal and other manifestations, I want to argue against its usage as the preferred way of talking about the present and future processes that affect our lives. I suggest that "globalization" is simply the reified, fetishized way of talking about the effects of capitalist development without having to talk about capitalism itself and without having to acknowledge, therefore, the capitalist material basis of the phenomena
On the simulation of shock-driven turbulent mixing in high-Re flows*

In the large eddy simulation (LES) approach, large-scale energy-containing structures are resolved, smaller (presumably) more isotropic structures are filtered out and unresolved subgrid effects are modeled. Extensive recent work has demonstrated that predictive simulations of turbulent velocity fields are possible based on subgrid scale modeling implicitly provided by a class of high-resolution finite-volume algorithms. This strategy is called implicit LES. The extension of the approach to the substantially more difficult problem of material mixing is addressed, and progress in representative shock-driven mixing studies is reported.
A quantitative fluorescence-imaging technique for studying acetylcholine receptor turnover at neuromuscular junctions in living animals

We have developed a technique to measure changes in the amount of fluorescently labeled acetylcholine receptors in living muscles over long time periods. The measurements of fluorescence are made relative to a novel, photolytically stable fluorescence standard (Spectralon) which allows changes in fluorescence to be followed over days, even months. The method compensates for spatial and temporal variations in image brightness due to the light source, microscope, and camera. We use this approach to study the turnover of fluorescently labeled acetylcholine receptors at a single neuromuscular junction in a living mouse by re-imaging the same junction in situ over a period of 3 weeks. In addition we show that the SIT video camera, which is generally considered inadequate for quantitative imaging (in comparison to CCD cameras), is actually a very good quantitative device, especially in situations requiring both fast acquisition and high resolution.
African Swine Fever Virus Infection of Skin-Derived Dendritic Cells in Vitro Causes Interference with Subsequent Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Infection

Highly purified skin-derived dendritic cells (SDDCs) isolated from swine skin by a simple novel method were cultured for 24 hours before independent or sequential inoculation with African swine fever virus (ASFV) and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). By avidin-biotin immunohistochemical staining, ASFV antigen was detected in 50% of SDDCs as early as 1.5 hours postinfection (HPI) and in 80% by 3 HPI when cytopathic effect was noted. Cell lysis was detected with FMDV infection as early as 8 HPI; immunostaining for FMDV antigen was found in 10% of the cells. African swine fever virus replication was detected by transmission electron microscopy in a high percentage of SDDCs by 11 HPI. Sequential infection with FMDV 3 hours after ASFV inoculation blocked FMDV infection. These findings demonstrate that both ASFV and FMDV infect dendritic cells of Langerhans cell type in vitro and ASFV interferes with FMDV infection.
Entoptic perimetry screening for central diabetic scotomas and macular edema

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to compare entoptic perimetry, using conventional television, to Amsler grid and patient-reported visual loss for the detection of functional diabetic maculopathy and macular edema. Design Observational case series. Participants A single eye from each of 104 consecutive patients with diabetes in an academic retina clinic. Intervention Each eye was screened by Amsler grid, entoptic perimetry, and Humphrey 10-2 threshold visual field testing (HVF 10-2; Humphrey Instruments Inc., San Leandro, CA) in random order. Eyes were then examined clinically. Main outcome measures The presence or absence of new visual decline since the patient's last clinical examination, the presence or absence of central visual field abnormalities using an Amsler grid, entoptic perimetry, HVF 10-2, and the presence or absence of clinically significant macular edema (CSME). Results The sensitivities and specificities for the detection of central diabetic scotomas as evidenced by HVF 10-2 abnormalities were: subjective impression, 31 of 90 eyes (34.4%) and 11 of 14 eyes (78.6%); Amsler grid, 29 of 90 eyes (32.2%) and 13 of 14 eyes (92.9%); and entoptic perimetry, 58 of 90 eyes (64.4%) and 11 of 14 eyes (78.6%). Entoptic perimetry was statistically more sensitive than both subjective impression ( P P P = 0.007 and P = 0.011, respectively) and Amsler grid ( P = 0.008 and P Conclusions Entoptic perimetry is 87% more sensitive than the subjective impression of visual decline ( P P P = 0.007) and 89% more sensitive than Amsler grid ( P = 0.008). Hence, entoptic perimetry, performed using conventional television, has the potential to be an effective, inexpensive, and widespread adjunct to surveillance examinations for the early detection of diabetic maculopathy.
The Relative Effectiveness of Two Methods of Presenting Visualized Instruction

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative effectiveness of two methods of presenting visualized instruction to Ss and to determine the effectiveness of different types of visuals in facilitating S achievement of different educational objectives. Five hundred twenty Ss participated in the study; each received a pretest, participated in his respective instructional presentation, and received four criterial tests. Analysis indicated that (a) the method of presenting visualized instruction determines the type of visualization most effective in facilitating S achievement of different educational objectives; (b) for facilitating S achievement of certain objectives, color in visuals is an important instructional variable; and (c) not all visuals are equally effective in facilitating S achievement of different educational objectives.
An infrastructure for development of object-oriented, multi-level configuration management services

In an integrated development environment, the ability to manage the evolution of a software system in terms of logical abstractions, compositions, and their interrelations is crucial to successful software development. This paper presents a novel framework and infrastructure, Molhado, upon which to build object-oriented software configuration management (SCM) services in a SCM-centered integrated development environment. Key contributions of this paper include a product versioning model, an extensible, logical, and object-oriented system model, and a reusable product versioning SCM infrastructure, that allow new types of objects to be implemented as extensions of the system model's basic entities. Versions and configurations of objects are managed at different levels of abstraction and granularity. A new SCM-centered editing environment or development environment for a specific development paradigm can be rapidly realized by re-using Molhado's infrastructure and implementing new object types and their associated tools. This paper also demonstrates our approach in creating prototypes of SCM-centered development environments for different paradigms.
Novel wavelength selective switch based on electro-optic polymer microrings

A novel wavelength selective 2x2 switch based on two microring resonators is proposed. The device consists of two intersecting channel waveguides with each of the two rings coupled to both waveguides. Depending on the control voltage the light of selected wavelength either can propagate through the straight waveguide or can be coupled to one of the rings and from the ring couple to the perpendicular output. Therefore every ring can independently switch one wavelength from any input to the perpendicular output. This wavelength selective switching adds to the traditional switch functionality. Theoretical calculations were carried out to determine optimum parameters of the switch and soft-lithography was used for implementation. Being fabricated from the latest electro-optical polymers this device can provide very high switching speed and low operation voltage.
Tradeoff routing resource, runtime and quality in buffered routing

With the wide use of hard macros and IP blocks in design, buffered routing (simultaneous routing and buffer insertion) becomes unavoidable. Routing resource allocation and distribution are serious concerns in buffered routing of deep submicron design. The capability of capturing the tradeoff between routing resource cost and signal delay is crucial in practice since the resource overuse of min-delay solution may cause congestion problem (congestion also means over-inserting buffers). However, many existing algorithms are mainly designed to minimize signal delay. Here, we first study the problem of minimizing the linear combination of delay and cost, and extend the graph-based algorithm in [X. Tang et al., (2001)] to solve it. We then show that a variant of the algorithm can solve other problems such as maximizing delay reduction to cost ratio, minimizing routing cost subject to a delay constraint, and minimizing delay subject to the cost not exceeding a given budget. We also develop a hierarchical approach to buffered routing construction for problems with large number of sinks to tradeoff solution quality and runtime.
The Immune System, the Skin, and Childhood Rheumatic Disease

As the body’s largest organ and first line of defense against the environment, the skin plays a vital role in host immune defense. In addition to its function as a physical barrier, the skin contains an active immune surveillance network and can mount highly specific responses to eliminate invading organisms. In this review, we discuss the functions of adhesion molecules in regulating the recruitment of distinct cell populations to skin in both healthy and disease states, and the interaction between innate and adaptive immune mechanisms active in the skin. We also review how these systems underlie the pathogenesis of skin manifestations of pediatric rheumatologic diseases.
Analysis of pharmaceuticals and other solutes of biochemical importance by supercritical fluid chromatography

The feasibility of using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) for analysis of polar and/or ionic analytes of interest to the pharmaceutical industry is described. Specifically, the analyses of cyclopsporin (a cyclic undecapeptide), several ionophores, and a group of fat-soluble vitamins are illustrated. The separation of group of fat-soluble vitamins is evaluated on two bonded stationary phases, DB-5 (95% dimethyl-5%-diphenylpolysiloxane) and DB-WAX (Carbowax 20M type, “bonded”). Lastly, a new restrictor technology known as a converging-diverging restrictor is described.
Laryngeal extramedullary plasmacytoma in an adolescent

Abstract Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the larynx is a rare clinical entity, well described in the adult population, but infrequently encountered in the pediatric population. We present a case report of a 17 year old female found to have a solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the supraglottis along with localized laryngeal amyloid. In contrast to traditional treatment, our patient was treated with surgical excision alone and remains clinically free of disease after two years of follow-up.
Locating Value in Artisan Cheese: Reverse Engineering Terroir for New-World Landscapes

ABSTRACT Terroir, the taste of place, is being adapted by artisan cheesemakers in the United States to reveal the range of values—agrarian, environmental, social, and gastronomic—that they believe constitute their cheese and distinguish artisan from commodity production. Some see themselves as reverse engineering terroir cheeses to create place though environmental stewardship and rural economic revitalization. But a tension is produced: while warranting projects of reterritorialization through defetishized food production, terroir marketing may risk turning the concept of “terroir” into a commodity fetish. U.S. terroir talk reveals attempts to reconcile the economic and sociomoral values that producers invest in artisan cheese.
Calcium-dependent degradation of mammalian neurofilaments by soluble tissue factor(s) from rat spinal cord.

Abstract Neurofilaments from rat spinal cord were used to study the disruptive effects of calcium on mammalian neurofilaments. Unwashed neurofilaments were obtained from the supernatant of tissue homogenate. Washed neurofilaments were separated from soluble supernatant components by sedimentation through 0.1 M NaCl. Both unwashed and washed neurofilaments were monitored during incubation in the presence of calcium ions by serial electron microscopic observations using negative staining techniques. The protein compositions of the neurofilament-enriched preparations were also evaluated by sodium dodecylsulfate-gel electrophoresis. A progressive disruption of neurofilaments and loss of neurofilament proteins occurred during incubation with calcium ions and soluble tissue factor(s) from the supernatant of rat spinal cord homogenate. The soluble tissue factor(s) separated from neurofilaments during centrifugation in 0.1 M NaCl. Washed neurofilaments and their protein components remained unaltered during incubation with calcium. Susceptibility of washed neurofilaments to disruption by calcium could be restored by additions of the supernatant fraction. The soluble tissue factor(s) which mediated the calcium-dependent disruption of neurofilaments could be inactivated by heat, precipitated by (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and inhibited by p -chloromercuribenzoate. It is suggested that the tissue factor(s) represent one or more calcium-activated thiol proteases. A possible role of calcium-activated protease(s) in the turnover of neurofilaments and regulation of the neuronal cytoskeleton is discussed.
In vivo measurements of epidermal thickness by reflectance mode confocal microscopy to assess cellular proliferation induced by topical agents

Using a reflectance mode confocal scanning laser microscope (rCSLM), a noninvasive technique to monitor epidermal thickness in vivo is presented. The modality is characterized by the collection of the reflectance profile from cutaneous tissues, resolved in transverse (x, y) directions at each depth (z) increment. Due to the different light scattering properties of the skin layers, each layer can be identified. The depth of each layer can then be inferred from the axial reflectance profile along the z direction. In pilot experiments an agent that induced epidermal proliferation, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), was applied topically to the ear of a mouse. Peak-to-valley analysis of the rCSLM A-scans showed the epidermal thickness increasing from an initial 5.4 [μm] to 12.4 [μm] after 24 [hr]. Peak-to-peak analysis showed an increase from 9.1 [μm] to 21.2 [μm]. These results suggest that rCSLM imaging provides a means to study morphologic changes in the epithelium arising from inflammatory response and cell proliferation in vivo without recourse to biopsy or sacrifice of animals.
REAL WAGES AND DISTRIBUTIONAL CONFLICT IN THE GERMAN HYPERINFLATION

Real wages during the German hyperinflation are analyzed in terms of the conflict between workers' wage demands and the pricing and employment decisions of firms. This framework incorporates the wage pressure effects of expected inflation and the "wage gap" between workers' target real wage and its observed value. Both of these effects are conditioned by unemployment that limits workers' ability to obtain their desired money wage adjustments. Empirical estimation over 1920-23 provides strong support for the hypothesized interaction between unemployment and real wage growth over the hyperinflation period. Copyright 1993 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd/University of Adelaide and Flinders University of South Australia
Site-Specific Determination of Conformational Flexibility from a Side Chain Perspective: Native State Thiol Exchange of E. Coli Ribonuclease H

Tools such as crystallography and hydrogen exchange (HX) have revealed a wealth of knowledge about protein function, folding, and dynamics. Here we explore the use of thiol exchange (SX) to gain further insight into the energy landscape of E. coli ribonuclease H (RNase H). Similar to HX, SX investigates the solvent accessibility and conformational fluctuations of specific positions in a protein, but while HX measures exchange of the backbone amide proton, SX takes advantage of cysteine's unique reactivity to measure solvent accessibility of the side chain. Native state SX results for a hyperstabilized mutant of E. coli RNase H reveal a partially unfolded form (PUF) at equilibrium with the native state, as is seen by HX. The structured regions of the PUFs measured by the two techniques agree overall, with some slight differences due to probing the side chain rather than the backbone. Moreover, while for some positions the SX experiments revealed this equilibrium information, the same experiments yielded direct kinetic information about protein opening events. Thus, in one set of experiments we have measured both kinetic and equilibrium parameters describing the folding of E. coli RNase H.
Detection of the proliferated donor cells in bone grafts in rats, using a PCR for a Y-chromosome-specific gene.

Conventional corticocancellous bone grafts are known to revascularize gradually and to become repopulated with osteocytes and other types of cells. This study was conducted to study the origin of the cells found within conventional bone grafts as a function of time, using a new method which accurately identifies donor cells transplanted with the graft. The technique requires the transplantation of a 25-mm tibial diaphyseal bone graft from a male rat to a female isogenous recipient, placed anatomically in the tibia. The presence and relative proportion of cells containing the Y-chromosome (i.e., originating from the bone graft) was determined 4, 8, and 12 weeks after transplantation. At these times, genomic DNA was extracted from the grafted bones and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific for the sex-determining region of the Y-chromosome (Sry) was performed, with appropriate controls. Sry-specific bands were evident in none out of three grafts at 4 weeks, two out of three at 8 weeks, and all grafts at 12 weeks. These data demonstrate that not all cells within a conventional graft result from "creeping substitution" of necrotic bone. Instead, a small number of intrinsic cells from a nonvascularized corticocancellous structural graft survive and proliferate over time.
Multisession CyberKnife radiosurgery for intramedullary spinal cord arteriovenous malformations.

Objective Intramedullary spinal cord arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have an unfavorable natural history that characteristically involves myelopathy secondary to progressive ischemia and/or recurrent hemorrhage. Although some lesions can be managed successfully with embolization and surgery, AVM size, location, and angioarchitecture precludes treatment in many circumstances. Given the poor outlook for such patients, and building on the successful experience with radiosurgical ablation of cerebral AVMs, our group at Stanford University has used CyberKnife (Accuray, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to treat selected spinal cord AVMs since 1997. In this article, we retrospectively analyze our preliminary experience with this technique. Methods Fifteen patients with intramedullary spinal cord AVMs (nine cervical, three thoracic, and three conus medullaris) were treated by image-guided SRS between 1997 and 2005. SRS was delivered in two to five sessions with an average marginal dose of 20.5 Gy. The biologically effective dose used in individual patients was escalated gradually over the course of this study. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging follow-up were carried out annually, and spinal angiography was repeated at 3 years. Results After a mean follow-up period of 27.9 months (range, 3-59 mo), six of the seven patients who were more than 3 years from SRS had significant reductions in AVM volumes on interim magnetic resonance imaging examinations. In four of the five patients who underwent postoperative spinal angiography, persistent AVM was confirmed, albeit reduced in size. One patient demonstrated complete angiographic obliteration of a conus medullaris AVM 26 months after radiosurgery. There was no evidence of further hemorrhage after CyberKnife treatment or neurological deterioration attributable to SRS. Conclusion This description of CyberKnife radiosurgical ablation demonstrates its feasibility and apparent safety for selected intramedullary spinal cord AVMs. Additional experience is necessary to ascertain the optimal radiosurgical dose and ultimate efficacy of this technique.
Purification of glutathione reductase from gerbil liver in two steps

A new method for the isolation of glutathione reductase which successively utilizes chromatography on 2'-5'-ADP-Sepharose 4B and DEAE-Sepharose CL 6B, is described. With these two steps, it was possible to purify to homogeneity the glutathione reductase from gerbil liver. Some molecular properties of the purified enzyme are reported.
Wiring photosystem I for direct solar hydrogen production

The generation of H(2) by the use of solar energy is a promising way to supply humankind's energy needs while simultaneously mitigating environmental concerns that arise due to climate change. The challenge is to find a way to connect a photochemical module that harnesses the sun's energy to a catalytic module that generates H(2) with high quantum yields and rates. In this review, we describe a technology that employs a "molecular wire" to connect a terminal [4Fe-4S] cluster of Photosystem I directly to a catalyst, which can be either a Pt nanoparticle or the distal [4Fe-4S] cluster of an [FeFe]- or [NiFe]-hydrogenase enzyme. The keys to connecting these two moieties are surface-located cysteine residues, which serve as ligands to Fe-S clusters and which can be changed through site-specific mutagenesis to glycine residues, and the use of a molecular wire terminated in sulfhydryl groups to connect the two modules. The sulfhydryl groups at the end of the molecular wire form a direct chemical linkage to a suitable catalyst or can chemically rescue a [4Fe-4S] cluster, thereby generating a strong coordination bond. Specifically, the molecular wire can connect the F(B) iron-sulfur cluster of Photosystem I either to a Pt nanoparticle or, by using the same type of genetic modification, to the differentiated iron atom of the distal [4Fe-4S].(Cys)(3)(Gly) cluster of hydrogenase. When electrons are supplied by a sacrificial donor, this technology forms the cathode of a photochemical half-cell that evolves H(2) when illuminated. If such a device were connected to the anode of a photochemical half-cell that oxidizes water, an in vitro solar energy converter could be realized that generates only O(2) and H(2) in the light. A similar methodology can be used to connect Photosystem I to other redox proteins that have surface-located [4Fe-4S] clusters. The controlled light-driven production of strong reductants by such systems can be used to produce other biofuels or to provide mechanistic insights into enzymes catalyzing multielectron, proton-coupled reactions.
Challenges in Supporting Community Implementation of Science-based Programs: A Critical Review of Local Partnerships for Success Plans

This paper provides the opportunity to consider local challenges to implementing science-based programs. Wandersman et al. (American Journal of Community Psychology 2008) define three systems necessary to effectively implement science-based programming. These systems include the Prevention Support System, which is responsible for assisting communities in implementing effective practices; the Prevention Research System, which is responsible for developing and packaging prevention programming; and the Prevention Delivery System, which is responsible for delivering services. The authors conduct a content analysis related to six county level efforts to implement science-based programs in Ohio. These counties are part of a larger Ohio initiative referred to as Partnerships for Success. The authors suggest that local officials are quite skilled at accessing the Prevention Research System and providers at the local level represent an effective service delivery system. The authors contend that the Prevention Support System in these counties is capable of enhancing several functions related to local infrastructure but is deficient in other important elements.
An empirical analysis of consumer durable replacement intentions

Abstract Despite the dominant role of replacement purchases in many durable categories, previous research has not emphasized modeling replacement behavior. In this paper, we develop a descriptive model for replacement intentions based on variables associated with product and household characteristics, and empirically estimate this model with cross sectional data for a set of home appliances. Results indicate that the perceived condition of the currently owned unit and its age are significantly related to replacement intentions. Whether or not a spouse is working and expected future household financial situation are also significant explanatory variables. Implications and directions for future research are also discussed.
A review of long drop tubes as a supplement/alternative to space experiments

A description of the 100-m drop tube at the Marshall Space Flight Center is presented, along with some undercooling observations and a discussion of some microstructural properties of deeply undercooled Nb-Ge alloys. The facility comprises two turbopumps which can evacuate the tube to 0.00001 torr, and three IR detectors at 15, 80, and 103-m levels which are sensitive to light in the range of 9660-2635 K (wavelength range of 0.2 to 1.1 microns), though recalescence events were detected at 1700 K. Finally, hypercooling regimes and maximum possible undercooling in vacuum are defined for several materials, including Al, Cu, Ni, Fe, Pt, and Nb.
Light front dynamics of few body systems

Abstract A brief review of light front dynamics is given, with emphasis on the interaction dependence of light front angular momentum operators. The ξ-picture approach for dealing with this interaction dependence is outlined. The ζ-picture employs an arbitrary lightlike four-vector ζ. The state vectors and the operators in the ζ-picture are related to those in the standard picture by a unitary transformation which depends on the unit vector u = − ζ /| ζ | , where ζ is the three-vector part of ζ. The Okubo-Glockle-Muller approach for constructing direct interaction instant form models from quantum field theories is extended to light front dynamics in both the standard picture and the ζ-picture. This extension is applied to a toy model of the nucleon-nucleon and pion-nucleon systems, and it is shown that a natural approximation scheme arises which leads to Poincare-invariant potential models for these systems. The validity of the approximations is justified by means of numerical calculations of S-matrix elements.
Treatment of sepsis in patients with neoplastic diseases with intravenous ciprofloxacin

Hospitalized patients with sepsis caused by ciprofloxacin-susceptible organisms were treated with intravenous ciprofloxacin 300 mg every 12 hours. Patients were followed closely for side effects and adverse reactions as well as for their response to therapy. Culture specimens and laboratory parameters including serum chemistry profile, complete blood cell count, and urinalysis were obtained before, during (every four to five days), and after ciprofloxacin therapy. Antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates was determined by the microtiter technique. Patients were considered to have had a successful outcome if satisfactory improvement in signs and symptoms of infection occurred as well as bacteriologic cure, such as eradication of organisms from the blood during and after treatment. Of 30 septic episodes in 30 patients, 27 episodes were considered evaluable. Two septic episodes occurred in patients who were neutropenic (absolute neutrophil count less than 1,000/mm3). The sources of the 27 septic episodes were intra-abdominal (12 patients), indwelling intravenous access devices (11 patients), urinary tract (three patients), and skin/soft tissue (one patient). Of the 27 evaluable episodes, 24 (88.9 percent) had a completely successful outcome; three (11.1 percent) had a partially successful outcome. Partial successes included the occurrence of a Klebsiella pneumoniae reinfection in one patient, superinfection with Listeria monocytogenes in another patient with the concurrent development of a highly ciprofloxacin-resistant K. pneumoniae, and the recovery of a ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa during therapy in a third patient who also had superinfection due to Candida albicans. There were minimal ciprofloxacin-related adverse reactions and side effects. Although ciprofloxacin was generally well tolerated with minimal side effects and adverse reactions and was efficacious in the treatment of serious septicemic infections caused by gram-negative aerobic bacilli, the development of a resistant K. pneumoniae and the recovery of a resistant P. aeruginosa during therapy in two cases are of concern and deserve further investigation.
Titanium Alkoxide Complexes: Condensed Phase and Gas Phase Comparisons

The complex [Ti(2,4-dimethyl-2,4-pentanediolate)2]2 (1) has been synthesized from [Ti(OiPr)4] by transesterification with a stoichiometric amount of 2,4-dimethyl-2,4-pentanediol. We have characterized complex 1 in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and in the gas phase by desorption chemical ionization mass spectrometry (DCI-MS). The structural and mass spectrometric data show complex 1 to be stable as a dimer in both the solid and gas phases. The retention of dimeric nuclearity in the gas phase sets complex 1 apart from other simple titanium alkoxide complexes [Ti(OiPr)4] and [Ti(OMe)4]4 that give rise to respective families of molecular ions in the DCI-MS experiment. The highest mass molecular ions for Ti alkoxide complexes in the gas phase may reveal the highest nuclearity that these complexes achieve in condensed phases. According to this interpretation the complex [Ti(OiPr)4] is principally dimeric in the gas phase and probably also in the pure liquid phase and should be represented by the formula [Ti(OiPr)4]2.
Mutations of the WD repeats that compromise Tup1 repression function maintain structural integrity of the WD domain trypsin-resistant core

Abstract The yeast global transcriptional repressor Tup1 contains 7 WD repeats in its C-terminus that form a β-propeller-like structure, in which the first and last WD repeats interact to make a closed circle. The WD domains of all proteins tested, including Tup1, form a compact structure resistant to trypsin digestion (Garcia-Higuera et al., Biochemistry 35 (1996) 13985–13994). We found that the in vitro formation of the trypsin-resistant core of Tup1 requires just five WD repeats (WD2–6). Deletion of the ST region between WD1 and WD2 destabilizes the trypsin-resistant core, but maintains Tup1 repression function in vivo. Linker insertion and point mutations in the WD repeats that compromise Tup1 repression function in vivo still maintain the trypsin-resistant core in vitro These results indicate that structural perturbation of the WD domain structure cannot explain the effects of these mutations on Tup1 repression function.
Mars Gravity Biosatellite: Engineering, science, and education

Abstract The Mars Gravity Biosatellite (MGB) is a novel program aimed at providing data on the effects of partial gravity on mammalian physiology. Physiological problems intrinsic to prolonged stays in microgravity have long been concerns of manned spaceflight and will continue to be a significant obstacle in achieving the goals outlined in NASA's Vision for Space Exploration. This student-developed, free-flyer spacecraft is designed to carry a payload of 15 mice into low Earth orbit, rotating to generate an acceleration environment equivalent to Martian gravity. After 35 days, the payload will be de-orbited and recovered for study. Data collected during the mission and post-recovery will be used to characterize the physiological changes incurred under partial gravity conditions and validate the models used in designing the spacecraft. This paper presents the preliminary design of the spacecraft. By providing groundbreaking flight data on the effects of partial gravity on mammalian physiology and engaging over 500 students to date, the MGB program is working to enable successful human exploration of the Moon and Mars while training and inspiring a new generation of scientists and engineers.
The diuretic phase of respiratory distress syndrome and its relationship to oxygenation

To determine the relationship between improvement in pulmonary function and diuresis in respiratory distress syndrome, ten consecutive premature infants requiring mechanical ventilation for severe RDS were studied. Every infant had a diuresis (output/intake >80%), which began at 26 to 34 hours of life and which lasted for an additional 64–72 hours. The diuresis preceded significant improvement in AaD o 2 and ventilator settings (IMV, PIP, PEEP) by 52 hours. There was a significant decrease in body weight among all study infants during the first four days of life despite an increase in fluid intake. This study suggests a relationship in RDS between improvement in oxygenation and removal of interstitial lung edema.
Hybridization and nonprofit organizations: The governance challenge

Increasingly, public service delivery is characterized by hybrid organizational structures with mixed public, nonprofit, and for-profit characteristics. This study examines the governance and policy implications of hybrid organizations in public services with a specific focus on nonprofit organizations. These arrangements can range from very informal relationships among staff in different organizations to formal, binding contractual agreements among different organizations and nonprofit organizations with for-profit subsidiaries. Increasing hybridization among nonprofit organizations represents the restructuring of the state and the adaptive response to these organizations to an increasingly turbulent environment. Hybridization can present complex governance challenges for nonprofits; however, hybrid structures can be an asset for nonprofits in the competition for public and private resources and can promote broader community and political support.
An algebraic Riccati equation approach to H ∞ optimization

Abstract This paper considers the general (so-called four block) H ∞ optimal control problem with the assumption that system states are available for feedback. It is shown that infimization of the H ∞ norm of the closed loop transfer function over all linear constant, i.e., nondynamic, stabilizing state feedback laws can be completely characterized via an algebraic Riccati equation. It is further shown that the optimal norm is not improved by allowing feedback to be dynamic. Thus, the general state-feedback H ∞ optimal control problem can be solved by iteratively solving one ARE and the controller can be chosen to be static gain.
Überlegungen zur Entwicklung von Datenbanksystemen

Bei der Entwicklung zur integrierten Datenverarbeitung sind zwei Schritte besonders bemerkenswert: Die Datenbank als Zentrale, wobei die Anwendungsprogramme im wesentlichen den Verkehr mit der Datenbank regeln (Abfrage oder Aufarbeitung). Das Datenfernverarbeitungsnetzwerk, das den gleichzeitigen Zugriff zu einem Programm oder einer Datenbank von mehreren Benutzerstationen aus gestattet.
A 3-DOF piezoelectric micro vibratory stage based on bulk-PZT/silicon crab-leg suspensions

This paper reports the simulation, fabrication and characterization of a 3-DOF piezoelectric micro vibratory stage design with large X/Y-tilting and Z-translational motion capabilities. The vibratory stage utilizes four piezoelectric crab-leg suspensions formed of bulk-PZT/Si unimorph beams in a L-shaped layout. FEA simulations are utilized to optimize the PZT/Si thickness ratio and characterize the 3-DOF actuation modes and off-axis coupling. A 3×3-mm2 sized stage is fabricated via a process that includes bonding and thinning of bulk-PZT substrates on pre-patterned silicon features and micro-patterning of thick PZT films via wet etching. At ±25 V static excitation, X-tilting and Y-tilting angle ranges are measured as >2.3°, and Z-translational displacement is 42 μm. At resonance, the tilting angle range is 12.2° (~1.77 kHz), and the vertical displacement range is 387 μm (0.93 kHz). The device consumes only 100 μW and <;450 μW during static and resonant operation, respectively.