cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bucky Light Bulbs: White Light Electroluminescence from a Fluorescent C60 Adduct−Single Layer Organic LED

Recently it was reported that a C60 adduct, Th-hexapyrrolidine (THP, Figure 1a), has a substantial yellow-green fluorescence.1 The photophysical properties of THP are atypical of C60 and its derivatives.2 The fluorescence of C60 and its monoadducts is very weak, with reported quantum yields on the order of 10-4.3-6 The origin of the fluorescence properties of THP may be due to a reduction of conjugation within the fullerene core leading to higher excitation energies and larger single-triplet gaps. The result is a displacement of the spectrum to the blue, a small reduction of the excited-state S1 f T1 intersystem crossing, an increase in the rate of singlet state radiative decay (fluorescence rate), and a decrease in the rate of triplet decay to the ground state (T1 f S0) by thermal deactivation.1 Due to the photophysical properties of THP, we have utilized it as a chromophore in the fabrication of a white light organic LED. Though lightly n-doped as well as pristine fullerene C60 was shown to exhibit electroluminescence with apparent decomposition,7 to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time electroluminescence has been obserVed from a C60 deriVatiVe, an unprecedented result in light of the fact that C60 is universally an efficient luminescence quencher.8 Traditionally, organic electroluminescent devices are multilayered, with the electron-transport, hole-transport and emissive materials segregated.9 In contrast, we fabricated the organic LEDs by blending THP (emissive material) with a hole transport material, poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK), and an electron-transport material, 2,5-bis-(4-naphthyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (BND), to form a single-layer device (Figure 1). This molecularly-doped polymer device configuration has been used by others.10-14
Hypertension and Coronary Artery Disease: A Summary of the American Heart Association Scientific Statement

The American Heart Association scientific statement on the treatment of hypertension in the prevention and management of ischemic heart disease was published recently. The main recommendations were as follows: (1) For most adults with hypertension, the blood pressure (BP) goal is /=10%. For those with left ventricular dysfunction, the recommended BP target is <120/80 mm Hg. (2) For primary CAD prevention, any effective antihypertensive drug or combination is indicated, but preference is given to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and thiazide diuretics. (3) For the management of hypertension in patients with established CAD (stable or unstable angina, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction), beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors (or ARBs) are the basis of treatment. If further BP lowering is needed, a thiazide diuretic and/or a dihydropyridine CCB (not verapamil or diltiazem) can be added. If a beta-blocker is contraindicated or not tolerated, diltiazem or verapamil can be substituted. (4) If there is left ventricular dysfunction, recommended therapy consists of an ACE inhibitor or ARB, a beta-blocker, and either a thiazide or loop diuretic. In patients with more severe heart failure, an aldosterone antagonist and hydralazine/isosorbide dinitrate (in black patients) should be considered.
Aqueous phase heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene

Abstract Aqueous phase heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of dissolved organic compounds has been demonstrated as a potential means for the remediation of contaminated ground waters, industrial effluents, and other wastewater streams under comparatively mild conditions of temperature and pressure. Dissolved molecular oxygen is used as oxidant over a platinum-ruthenium catalyst on a high surface area carbon support at temperatures to 130°C and pressures to 6 atm. Studies were conducted using packed catalyst beds in tubular continuous plug flow microreactors. Reaction rate constants for the oxidation of trichloroethylene were determined using a pseudo first-order plug flow kinetic model over the temperature range between 90–120°C. Reactor operating conditions required for deep oxidation of aqueous trichloroethylene at 90°C are reported.
Open source software for medical image processing and visualization

Societies often create smaller subsets or communities that connect with one another for commerce and intellectual exchange over mutual interests. In science and engineering, the need for communication among researchers is often hampered by artificial barriers of university politics, economic market forces, and the sheer momentum of an academic reward structure that values individual discovery over joint development. Recent initiatives have attempted to reduce some of these barriers, encouraging collaborative multidisciplinary research programs. Through this effort, we have studied the processes that lead to the successful foundation of new communities.
Application of multiple levels of fluid shear stress to endothelial cells plated on polyacrylamide gels

Measurements of endothelial cell response to fluid shear stress have previously been performed on unphysiologically rigid substrates. We describe the design and implementation of a microfluidic device that applies discrete levels of shear stress to cells plated on hydrogel-based substrates of physiologically-relevant stiffness. The setup allows for measurements of cell morphology and inflammatory response to the combined stimuli, and identifies mechanisms by which vascular stiffening leads to pathological responses to blood flow. We found that the magnitude of shear stress required to affect endothelial cell morphology and inflammatory response depended on substrate stiffness. Endothelial cells on 100 Pa substrates demonstrate a greater increase in cell area and cortical stiffness and decrease in NF-κB nuclear translocation in response to TNF-α treatment compared to controls than cells plated on 10 kPa substrates. The response of endothelial cells on soft substrates to shear stress depends on the presence of hyaluronan (HA). These results emphasize the importance of substrate stiffness on endothelial function, and elucidate a means by which vascular stiffening in aging and disease can impact the endothelium.
Viruses in groundwater beneath sewage irrigated cropland

Abstract The occurrence of enteric viruses in groundwater and soil was examined beneath three different sites where slow rate sewage irrigation of cropland is practiced. At all sites, the sewage was secondarily treated (aeration) before land application. Enteric viruses were isolated from wells beneath all sites. The lowest frequency of isolation was from wells beneath the one site practicing chlorination before application by spray irrigation. Viruses were detected in wells as deep as 27.5 m.
Theoretical basis for convective invigoration due to increased aerosol concentration

Abstract. The potential effects of increased aerosol loading on the development of deep convective clouds and resulting precipitation amounts are studied by employing the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model as a detailed high-resolution cloud resolving model (CRM) with both detailed bulk and bin microphysics schemes. Both models include a physically-based activation scheme that incorporates a size-resolved aerosol population. We demonstrate that the aerosol-induced effect is controlled by the balance between latent heating and the increase in condensed water aloft, each having opposing effects on buoyancy. It is also shown that under polluted conditions, increases in the CCN number concentration reduce the cumulative precipitation due to the competition between the sedimentation and evaporation/sublimation timescales. The effect of an increase in the IN number concentration on the dynamics of deep convective clouds is small and the resulting decrease in domain-averaged cumulative precipitation is shown not to be statistically significant, but may act to suppress precipitation. It is also shown that even in the presence of a decrease in the domain-averaged cumulative precipitation, an increase in the precipitation variance, or in other words, andincrease in rainfall intensity, may be expected in more polluted environments, especially in moist environments. A significant difference exists between the predictions based on the bin and bulk microphysics schemes of precipitation and the influence of aerosol perturbations on updraft velocity within the convective core. The bulk microphysics scheme shows little change in the latent heating rates due to an increase in the CCN number concentration, while the bin microphysics scheme demonstrates significant increases in the latent heating aloft with increasing CCN number concentration. This suggests that even a detailed two-bulk microphysics scheme, coupled to a detailed activation scheme, may not be sufficient to predict small changes that result from perturbations in aerosol loading.
A comparison of traditional versus contemporary immunosuppressive regimens in pediatric heart recipients.

Objectives To assess the differences in rejection and infection complications between the most common contemporary immunosuppression regimen in pediatric heart transplantation (cytolytic induction, tacrolimus based) and classic triple-therapy (cyclosporine based without induction). Study design We performed a retrospective, historical-control, observational study comparing outcomes in patients who underwent traditional immunosuppression (control group, n = 64) with those for whom the contemporary protocol was used (n = 39). Episodes of rejection, viremia (cytomegalovirus or Epstein-Barr virus), serious bacterial or fungal infections, anemia or neutropenia requiring treatment in the first year after heart transplantation, and 1-year survival were compared between traditional and contemporary immunosuppression groups. Results The 2 groups were similar with respect to baseline demographics. There were no differences in risk of cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, or bacterial or fungal infections in the first year post-transplantation. Patients in the contemporary group were more likely to need therapy for anemia (51% vs 14%, P P = .019). However, more contemporary protocol patients were rejection-free in the first year post-transplantation (63% vs 41%, P = .03). Overall graft survival was similar between groups ( P = .15). Conclusions A contemporary immunosuppression regimen using tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and induction was associated with less rejection in the first year, with no difference in the risk of infection but greater risk of anemia and neutropenia requiring treatment. Long-term follow-up on these patients will evaluate the impact of the immunosuppression regimen on survival.
Contribution of heavy bosons and fermions to the action for a Robertson-Walker metric.

The contributions of heavy, spatially homogeneous, boson and fermion fields to the effective action for a Robertson-Walker space-time are calculated. For scale factors larger than the Compton wavelengths of the particles associated with these matter fields the equations of motion for this scale factor are the same as those for a matter-dominated universe. Some speculations about the forces driving the expansion of the very early Universe are presented.
Parent-squab interaction during the transition from dependent to independent feeding in the ring dove, Streptopelia risoria

Abstract The feeding interactions of ring doves and their squabs were observed during the squabs' transition from dependent to independent feeding, on days 12–28 of life. Pecking and begging by squabs and regurgitative feeding, withdrawal and pecking by the squabs' parents were scored. Squabs began to peck on days 12–17, and all pecked at substantial levels by day 24. Overall, squab pecking and regurgitative feeding by parents showed strong negative correlations, but the initial occurrence of squab pecking was not tightly linked to declines in regurgitative feeding. Regurgitative feeding did not occur immediately after squab pecking but did tend to occur a few minutes of squad pecking. Pecking by parents was frequent on most days and increased during the transition period. A high percentage of early squab pecks occurred in close temporal proximity to parental pecking. These findings are consistent with the possibility that decreases in regurgitative feeding, an association between seed and nutritional consequences, and experience observing their parents peck may influence squabs' transition from dependent to independent feeding.
Heart transplantation for Q fever endocarditis

A 30-year-old man underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement for the treatment of Q fever endocarditis. Postoperatively, paravalvular leak of the mitral prosthesis, progressive deterioration in cardiac function, and intractable heart failure developed. As a result, the patient underwent orthotopic heart transplantation 15 months after his initial valve operation. The patient is clinically well 14 months after transplantation.
High-resolution optical spectroscopy of benzophenone under high pressure

Abstract Phosphorescence spectra of benzophenone have been investigated with a diamond anvil cell. At 2 K the spectra remain sharp under high pressure. The pressure shift of the origin exhibits a plateau around 25 kbar. This and other spectral observations are interpreted.
Thriving in a High-Stakes Testing Environment

These are difficult times for those of us who think literacy is more than basic skills and teaching is more than testing. We see more and more schools put test preparation ahead of “best practices” in reading in an attempt to avoid low test scores. But, interestingly, this is not the case everywhere. Some schools deal with high-stakes testing while also providing rich literacy instruction. So what is the difference? Why are some schools merely surviving while others are thriving?
Prolonged electrocardiographic monitoring in patients with syncope. Importance of frequent or repetitive ventricular ectopy.

Abstract The purposes of this study were to (1) document the findings on prolonged electrocardiographic monitoring in patients with syncope, (2) correlate these findings with symptoms during monitoring, and (3) define the prognostic importance of these findings. A total of 235 patients with syncope in whom a cause was not assigned or suggested by the initial history, physical examination, and electrocardiography were studied. Although a variety of arrhythmias were documented during monitoring, the vast majority of arrhythmias were of short duration and did not produce symptoms. At two years, the patients with frequent or paired premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) when compared with patients with rare PVCs, had a higher incidence of sudden death (18.2 percent versus 4.0 percent; p
Forearm cutaneous vascular and sudomotor responses to whole body passive heat stress in young smokers

The purpose of this study was to compare smokers and nonsmokers' sudomotor and cutaneous vascular responses to whole body passive heat stress. Nine regularly smoking (SMK: 29 ± 9 yr; 10 ± 6 cigaret...
A child's right to human dignity: reforming anti-bullying laws in the United States

This article presents the findings of research into the bullying laws in the United States. Against the backdrop of international law, it addresses children's rights to protection from bullying in US schools. It includes recommendations for improving anti-bullying legislation based on state anti-bullying legislation in the United States, and provides a framework for further efforts to improve laws and school policies to better protect children in schools.
Assessing Stages of Change in DUI Offenders: A Comparison of Two Measures

The current study considered motivation and self-efficacy to change in a sample of 458 convicted DUI offenders who were court mandated to complete a clinical evaluation to determine if further trea...
Interleukin-6 Is an Important Mediator for Mitochondrial DNA Repair After Alcoholic Liver Injury in Mice

We investigated the hypothesis that a prominent effect of chronic ethanol consumption is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) injury and compared this injury in IL-6 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. Ethanol feeding for 4 weeks resulted in steatosis and oxidative mtDNA damage (8-OHdG) in both IL-6KO and WT mice. However, the WT mice were able to repair the injury by increased production of mtDNA repair enzymes (OGG-1, Neil 1) and check point (p21, p53) proteins and avoid the mtDNA mutations. By contrast the IL-6 KO mice were unable to repair mtDNA resulting in deletions and diminished transcription of the mtDNA encoded protein cytochrome c oxidase subunit-I (COI). The mitochondrial injury was reflected by decreased membrane potential, reduced levels of ATP, and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-induced apoptosis. Conclusion: IL-6 plays a critical role in allowing the liver to recover from significant mtDNA oxidation caused by alcohol. The data suggests that IL-6 activates mtDNA repair enzymes and induces cell cycle arrest allowing time for mtDNA repair. (HEPATOLOGY 2010;)
Synthesis and in vivo evaluation of [O-methyl-11C] N-[3,5-dichloro-2-(methoxy)phenyl]-4-(methoxy)-3-(1-piperazinyl)benzenesulfonamide as an imaging probe for 5-HT6 receptors

Abstract The serotonin receptor 6 (5-HT6) is implicated in the pathophysiology of cognitive diseases, schizophrenia, anxiety and obesity and in vivo studies of this receptor would be of value for studying the pathophysiology of these disorders. Therefore, N-[3,5-dichloro-2-(methoxy)phenyl]-4-(methoxy)-3-(1-piperazinyl)benzenesulfonamide (SB399885), a selective and high affinity (pKi = 9.11) 5-HT6 antagonist, has been radiolabeled with carbon-11 by O-methylation of the corresponding desmethyl analogue with [11C]MeOTf in order to determine the suitability of [11C]SB399885 to quantify 5-HT6R in living brain using PET. Desmethyl-SB399885 was prepared, starting from 1-(2-methoxyphenyl) piperazine hydrochloride, in excellent yield. The yield obtained for radiolabeling of [11C]SB399885 was 30 ± 5% (EOS) and the total synthesis time was 30 min at EOB. PET studies with [11C]SB399885 in baboon showed fast uptake followed by rapid clearance in the brain. Highest uptake of radioactivity of [11C]SB399885 in baboon brain were found in temporal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, pareital cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Poor brain entry and inconsistent brain uptake of [11C]SB399885 compared to known 5-HT6R distribution limits its usefulness for the in vivo quantification of 5-HT6R with PET.
Performance comparison of time-reversal beamforming in wireless local area networks

We present a performance comparison of conventional time-reversal and equalized time-reversal beamforming techniques for wireless local area network scenarios with different delay spreads and signal bandwidths. A comparison among various modulation schemes is also provided for each technique.
A Microscopic Method to Quantify Whippability

A microscopic method based on stereologic principles was developed to quantify the amount of air in a gas-in-liquid dispersion. Whipped pastes made from cowpeas dried at 50, 70, 90, or 110°C were used as the test system. The method effectively demonstrated qualitative and quantitative differences in the samples and correlated well with specific gravity and total foam volume measurements; the correlation coefficients were – 0.98 and 0.94, respectively.
Control of voice F0 by an artificial neural network

An artificial neural network model is presented which might correspond to one component of fundamental frequency (F0) control by the brain. Good F0 control could be achieved using only seven neurodes. These included three motor neurodes, a single inhibitory neurode influencing only the thyroarytenoid (TA) motor neurode, and three excitatory neurodes, one of which excited all motor neurodes and two of which excited the inhibitory neurode. The potential utility of this type of model in the study of mechanisms of vocal control is discussed.
Analysis of the heterogeneous rate of dissociation of Cu(II) from humic and fulvic acids by statistical deconvolution

Abstract Pseudo first-order rate constant data of the dissociation of Cu(II) species from humic substances in a variety of chemical environments is considered. This data is observed to be widely heterogeneous under moderate environmental conditions, and a continuous distribution of rate constants is needed to adequately model the data. The rate constant distribution is optimally estimated with regularized least-squares and expectation-maximization (EM), and the different methods of solution yield different degrees of heterogeneity for each experiment. This behavior distinctly illustrates the pitfalls of widely heterogeneous rate constant analysis. Under these circumstances the solution of maximum entropy is dictated by the precepts of information theory. This solution corresponds to the EM solution for all the data considered in this study. The EM spectra of Cu(II) dissociation from humic and fulvic acids under various environmental conditions are reported. Interpretation of the spectra in terms of plausible humic chemistry is offered, and cautions appropriate for this type of kinetic analysis are delineated.
Performance Prediction for a Hockey-Puck Silicon Crystal Monochromator at the Advanced Photon Source

One of the Key Performance Parameters of the upgrade of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) is the increase of the storage ring current from 100 to 150 mA. In order to anticipate the impact of this increased heat load on the X-ray optics of the beamlines, the APS has implemented a systematic review, by means of finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics, of the thermal performance of the different types of monochromators installed at the highest-heat-load insertion device beamlines. We present here simulations of the performance of a directly liquid nitrogen-cooled silicon crystal, the hockey-puck design. Calculations of the temperature and slope error at multiple ring currents under multiple operational conditions, including the influence of power, cooling, and diffraction surface thickness are included.
Identification of Intestinal Commensal Bacteria Protective Against GVHD in Mice and Humans

For patients with hematologic malignancies such as leukemias, lymphomas and other related cancers, allogeneic blood/marrow transplantation (allo BMT) is a critically important therapy that can produce cures when chemotherapy alone cannot. More than 25,000 patients undergo allo BMT world-wide each year. A major risk of allo BMT continues to be graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which results from the donor immune system recognizing the transplant recipient’s organs as foreign, leading to lifethreatening inflammation. Developing strategies that reduce GVHD but leave global immune function intact should produce a major benefit for patients. One promising approach that we have developed is targeting the complex community of microbes that reside within our intestinal tracts, collectively termed the intestinal microbiota.
Tyrosine Hydroxylase Purification from Rat PC 12 Cells

Tyrosine hydroxylase was purified in high yield from rat PC12 cells. This three-day procedure consisted of differential ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography. It yielded an average of 15 mg of purified protein from 100 flasks of PC12 cells, with greater than 40% recovery of tyrosine hydroxylase. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis yielded a single protein band with a molecular weight of approximately 60,000. The protein had a specific activity of 670 nmol/min/mg and had a Km for its reducing cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin of 1.8 mM. The purified protein can be phosphorylated and activated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.
Characterization of the integrase of NBU1, a Bacteroides mobilizable transposon

NBU1 is a Bacteroides mobilizable transposon (MTn) that is integrated within the host chromosome and requires CTnDOT functions for its excision and transfer into a new host. The NBU1 integrase IntN1 has been classified as a tyrosine recombinase based on the presence of conserved residues. We created alanine mutants of the residues R291, K314, H393, R396, H419 and the conserved substitution Y429F and tested them for integration efficiency. The results suggest that these residues in IntN1 are important for integration, and Y429 could be the catalytic nucleophile. We employed suicide substrates and partially purified IntN1 to determine the positions of IntN1 cleavage within the 14 bp common core region that is identical in both NBU1 att sites. We show that IntN1 makes 7 bp staggered cuts on the top and bottom strands. From previous mutational analysis of the att sites, we show that two specific mutations near the site of bottom strand cleavage within this 7 bp region increased integration, and mutations of the two bases near top strand cleavage site had no effect on integration. These results indicate that IntN1 lacks the strict requirement for homology between the recombining sites seen with other tyrosine recombinases. We also show that phosphorothioate substitutions at the cleavage site and 1 bp downstream inhibited cleavage by IntN1. This differs from other studied tyrosine recombinases where inhibition occurs by substitutions at the cleavage site only.
Resistance of Portland Cement Pervious Concrete to Deicing Chemicals

The damaging impact of deicing chemicals on portland cement pervious concrete materials was investigated. Two concrete mixes (with and without latex modification) were subjected to three deicing chemicals (sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and calcium-magnesium acetate) under a freezing-thawing or drying-wetting condition. Two deicing chemical application methods (saturated and drained) were employed. The impact of deicing chemicals on the concrete was evaluated based on concrete mass and strength losses. Of the deicing chemicals studied, the calcium chloride solution caused the most damage, while the calcium magnesium acetate caused the least. The saturated scaling test method, followed according to ASTM C672, provided much higher mass loss of tested concrete samples when compared with a modified, more realistic drained test method.
Mechanical behaviour of polycrystalline BeO, Al2O3 and AlN at high pressure

The mechanical behaviour of various types of BeO, Al2O3, and AlN have been investigated at confining pressures up to 1.25 GPa, at 25° C, and at strain rates of 3 to 7×10−5 sec−1. The stress-strain data taken in uniaxial compressive-stress loading indicate the BeO aggregates undergo a transition from brittle fracture at low pressures to plastic flow at high pressures. Depending on the fabrication process, this transition pressure in BeO occurs at 0.4 to 0.7 GPa. Concurrently, the ultimate compressive strength of BeO increases from 1.0 to 1.9 GPa at 0.1 MPa pressure to over 4.0 GPa at 1.O GPa. Alumina remains brittle at all pressures up to 1.25 GPa; its strength increases from 4.5 GPa at 0.1 MPa pressure to over 6.0 GPa at 1.25 GPa. Aluminium nitride behaves similarly to BeO, having a brittle-ductile transition at 0.55 GPa. Its ultimate strength increases from 3.2 GPa at 0.1 MPa pressure to 4.7 GPa at 0.8 GPa. The distortional strain energy (proportional to the area under the stress-strain curve) absorbed by each material during compression at pressure was calculated and compared to available data from the literature. Alumina shows a degraded energy absorption with pressure, but both BeO and AlN yield a strongly enhanced performance at moderate pressures. Beryllium oxide and AlN thus appear to be promising structural materials for certain applications where high strengths and ductilities are required at moderate pressures.
A Quantitative Review of Research Design Effects on Response Rates to Questionnaires

A comprehensive literature review of techniques used to increase response rates to questionnaires was conducted. Conclusions were based on arithmetic combination of 497 response rates found in 93 j...
Injection locking of oscillators

An oscillator can be locked in frequency by an external signal which is injected into the oscillator. In the oscillator model developed by Adler [1], the mechanism of the locking process depends upon the following. 1) The initial frequency difference between the oscillator and external signals. 2) The relative amplitude between the injected and the oscillator signals. 3) The circuit parameters. There are cases when the time required for locking must be known, particularly when an oscillator is being locked to a pulsed signal. In this paper, the work of Adler is extended to develop an equation which is useful for higher levels of locking signal, a case often encountered when an oscillator is being injection locked by a pulsed signal. Because the solution of this equation is unwieldy and difficult to understand intuitively, except in very special cases, curves describing the locking mechanism were obtained using a digital computer. These curves enable a designer to construct oscillators which will provide a desired performance. The curves were checked experimentally and showed a close agreement between predicted and measured results. The experimental data indicates that the theory describes the locking time remarkably well even at high levels of locking signal.
Antineoplastic Agents 293. The Exceptional Human Cancer Cell Growth Inhibitors Spongistatins 6 and 7

Abstract A twenty year investigation of the South African marine sponge Spirastrella spinispirulifera (Carter, 1879) for antineoplastic constituents has now led to discovery of spongistatin 6 (1e) and 7 (2b) in 3.5 × 10−7% and 2.2 × 10−7% yields. Structural elucidations were based on detailed analyses of high field (400 and 500 MHz) 2D-NMR and high resolution mass spectra. Spongistatins 6 and 7 were exceptionally potent against a subset of human cancer cell lines in the NCI screening panel which are characteristically sensitive to cellular microtubule interactive antimitotics.
Korean Americans in Dementia Caregiving Research: Inclusive Strategies to Barriers in Recruitment

This study addresses the importance of recruiting Korean American family caregivers in dementia caergiving research. We reviewed published studies conducted with Korean American dementia caregivers from 1990 to the present and evaluated the recent progress in the science of recruitment of Korean American participants in research. We identified potential recruitment barriers and possible facilitators from these studies and from our field experiences. A theoretical framework for an inclusive approach to Korean American recruitment and a model for customer-oriented and community participatory strategies provide guidelines to minimize recruitment barriers and maximize participation.
Seismic attenuation due to wave-induced flow

Analytical expressions for three P-wave attenuation mechanisms in sedimentary rocks are given a unified theoretical framework. Two of the models concern wave-induced flow due to heterogeneity in the elastic moduli at mesoscopic scales (scales greater than grain sizes but smaller than wavelengths). In the first model, the heterogeneity is due to lithological variations (e.g., mixtures of sands and clays) with a single fluid saturating all the pores. In the second model, a single uniform lithology is saturated in mesoscopic ''patches'' by two immiscible fluids (e.g., air and water). In the third model, the heterogeneity is at ''microscopic'' grain scales (broken grain contacts and/or micro-cracks in the grains) and the associated fluid response corresponds to ''squirt flow''. The model of squirt flow derived here reduces to proper limits as any of the fluid bulk modulus, crack porosity, and/or frequency is reduced to zero. It is shown that squirt flow is incapable of explaining the measured level of loss (10{sup -2} < Q{sup -1} < 10{sup -1}) within the seismic band of frequencies (1 to 10{sup 4} Hz); however, either of the two mesoscopic scale models easily produce enough attenuation to explain the field data.
Potassium-induced reverse transformation of cells infected with a temperature-sensitive transformation mutant virus.

High potassium concentrations altered the morphology and the ability to grow in soft agar in 6m2 cells, a clone of rat kidney cells infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of Moloney sarcoma virus. Approximately 60% of cells exhibited normal morphology in the presence of 94.8 mM potassium in isotonic medium at the temperature permissive for transformation, whereas 100% were normal at 72 mM potassium in hypertonic media. A significant reduction of growth in soft agar was also induced with these conditions. However, the synthesis ratio of virus-specified transforming protein to marker viral protein was not altered. Na+K+ -ATPase might play a role in this reversetransformation process.
Field investigation of tsunami impact on coral reefs and coastal sandy slopes

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of tsunamis on coral reefs and sediment beds in the near shore region. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to survey the coral reef and collect sediment samples from the coastal regions surrounding American Samoa five weeks after the tsunami generated by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake on September 29th, 2009. The surveys recorded extensive damage to the coral reefs, as evident by the broken corals of almost every type in the region and by debris from onshore, along the coastal regions of Poloa (14° 19′ 11″ S, 170° 50′ 11″ W) and Leone (14° 20′ 30″ S, 170° 47′ 1″ W). The field observations suggest that sand was carried from the beach out to sea by the tsunami drawdown causing net beach erosion, which is consistent with findings from model-scale studies presented in (Young et al., 2010). The field observations also suggest that the high sheer stresses created by the rapidly retreating seaward flow, and the sudden release of the sediments and debris entrained in the water during the drawdown process, are responsible for majority of the damage to the coral reef.
Location of presentation of septic shock has an impact on clinical outcome

Patients with septic shock have a mortality rate of 50–60% and require timely and directed interventions. The aim of this study was to use the Cooper Surviving Sepsis Campaign database [1] to compare characteristics, treatments and outcomes of septic shock (SS) patients diagnosed in the emergency department (ED) with patients developing SS in medical wards (MW) and the ICU.
Advanced rocket propulsion technology assessment for future space transportation

Single-stage and two-stage launch vehicles were evaluated for various levels of propulsion technology and payloads. The evaluation included tradeoffs between ascent flight performance and vehicle sizing that were driven by engine mass, specific impulse, and propellant requirements. Numerous mission, flight, and vehicle-related requirements and constraints were satisfied in the design process. The results showed that advanced technology had a large effect on reducing both single- and two-stage vehicle size. High-pressure hydrocarbon-fueled engines that were burned in parallel with two-position nozzle hydrogen-fueled engines reduced dry mass by 23% for the two-stage vehicle and 28% for the single-stage vehicle as compared to an all-hydrogen-fueled system. The dual-expander engine reduced single-stage vehicle dry mass by 41%. Using advanced technology, the single-stage vehicle became comparable in size and sensitivity to that of the two-stage vehicle for small payloads.
Perception and evidence

Perception is a source of knowledge: by looking at a white cup on a desk, one can come to know that there is a white cup on a desk. Schellenberg�s character Percy is in such an agreeable situation, the �good case�. Her hapless Hallie, on the other hand, is in the �bad case�: she is hallucinating a white cup on a desk. (For maximum contrast we may take Hallie to be a lifelong victim of hallucination, waiving the usual externalist worries about whether this is genuinely possible.) We may suppose that Percy and Hallie share a very specific visual state that completely characterizes the character of Hallie�s hallucinatory experience. We can think of Percy�s total visual state as entailing this specific visual state that he and Hallie share, as well as entailing the state of seeing a white cup, a state that Hallie of course is not in. Because of the shared state, Percy�s total visual state is indiscriminable from Hallie�s.
An effective seven cube theorem

Abstract It is proved that every integer exceeding exp(exp(13.97)) is a sum of seven positive integral cubes. Some conjectures concerning the representation of integers as a sum of nonnegative integral cubes are also discussed.
A procedure for comparing passive, active, and semi-active approaches to vibration isolation

Abstract A procedure is developed which uses bond graph modeling and a digital computer to determine if semi-active control can provide a suitable performance in an application where totally active control is considered. The application areas principally addressed are those in which the disturbance inputs to the system are of zero mean, i.e. shock and vibration control. The procedure is developed through examples and then generalized to systems of high order and large complexity. The procedure consists basically of designing a control strategy suitable for totally active control and then enforcing a passivity constraint on the actuating device. Experience has shown that semi-active control approaches that of totally active control in most vibration isolation applications.
A new hope for noninvasive cancer treatment? [Microwave Surfing]

This paper reported the successful application of a 13.56-MHz external RF field (600-800 W for 1-2 min) to induce efficient heating in aqueous suspensions of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). When the SWNT solution was injected into tumors in live rabbits and the animals exposed to RF fields, the tumor cells were successfully destroyed with relatively little damage to surrounding tissues. The exact RF heating mechanism of such electrically small nanotubes is not yet understood.
On the Pitfalls of High-Throughput Multicast Metrics in Adversarial Wireless Mesh Networks

Recent work in multicast routing for wireless mesh networks has focused on metrics that estimate link quality to maximize throughput. Nodes must collaborate in order to compute the path metric and forward data. The assumption that all nodes are honest and behave correctly during metric computation, propagation, and aggregation, as well as during data forwarding, leads to unexpected consequences in adversarial networks where compromised nodes act maliciously. In this work we identify novel attacks against high-throughput multicast protocols in wireless mesh networks. The attacks exploit the local estimation and global aggregation of the metric to allow attackers to attract a large amount of traffic. We show that these attacks are very effective against multicast protocols based on high-throughput metrics. This leads us to conclude that aggressive path selection is a double-edged sword: it maximizes throughput, but in the absence of protection mechanisms it also increases attack effectiveness. Our approach to mitigate the identified attacks combines measurement-based detection and accusation- based reaction techniques. The solution also accommodates transient network variations and is resilient against attempts to exploit the defense mechanism itself. We demonstrate the attacks and our defense using ODMRP, a representative multicast protocol for wireless mesh networks, and SPP, an adaptation of the well- known ETX unicast metric to the multicast setting.
Instructor Feedback: How Much Do Students Really Want?:

Marketing students expect feedback on papers and assignments; and many professors expend much time and effort providing individualized and substantive comments in response to student work. Doing so...
Structure of retzius lines in partially demineralized human enamel

Human third molars were partially demineralized in an acid-alcohol solution and embedded in Epon 812. Six-micron sections were cut from regions of the cervical enamel exhibiting prominent Retzius lines. The plastic was removed from the specimens by microincineration and were examined with the scanning electron microscope. The most prominent structural feature seen along the Retzius lines was the cervical translocation of some of the prisms. The scanning electron microscopic images also suggested that prisms were translocating in the transverse plane of the tooth. A series of pores, which appeared to be empty, were observed in association with the translocations occurring along the Retzius lines.
Recurrent Pericarditis Recent Advances and Remaining Questions

Recurrence is a serious complication of acute pericarditis, characterized by a return of pericardial pain after recovery from an attack of typical acute pericarditis. Some patients experience only a single recurrence, but in many less fortunate, pericardial pain returns unexpectedly at variable intervals during a period that may extend over many years. The pain and any associated fever and leukocytosis disappear within a day or so of high-dose corticosteroid administration (eg, 1 to 1.5 mg/kg per day prednisone in most cases), only to return during tapering to a low dose. Thereafter, the high dose is reinstituted and then maintained for 1 month or 6 weeks, after which prednisone is again slowly tapered during the next several months. This sequence may need to be repeated frequently before it becomes possible to wean the patient from steroidal therapy. This is one of the reasons recurrent pericarditis is so troublesome to patients and treating physicians alike. See p 2012 Until recently, patients in whom recurrences were frequent and extended for many years often received a massive total dose of a steroid, usually prednisone or prednisolone, with a consequently unacceptable incidence of gastric hemorrhage, aseptic necrosis of the femoral head, and osteoporosis with spinal compression fracture. Seeking a less toxic treatment, physicians began to avoid corticosteroids or limited their use and treated the patients instead with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The change often was not accomplished easily because patients, and sometimes referring physicians, had been so pleased with the prompt response to high-dose steroid administration. Good progress is being made in this regard and will continue with further education of patients about their disease and its treatment. In the last decade of the 20th century, a number of investigators published enthusiastic reports of the efficacy of colchicine as adjuvant treatment of acute pericarditis. Not …
Biodegradability of chlorinated solvents and related chlorinated aliphatic compounds

The biodegradability of chlorinated methanes, chlorinated ethanes, chlorinated ethenes, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chlorinated acetic acids, chlorinated propanoids and chlorinated butadienes was evaluated based on literature data. Evidence for the biodegradation of compounds in all of the compound categories evaluated has been reported. A broad range of chlorinated aliphatic structures are susceptible to biodegradation under a variety of physiological and redox conditions. Microbial biodegradation of a wide variety of chlorinated aliphatic compounds was shown to occur under five physiological conditions. However, any given physiological condition could only act upon a subset of the chlorinated compounds. Firstly, chlorinated compounds are used as an electron donor and carbon source under aerobic conditions. Secondly, chlorinated compounds are cometabolized under aerobic conditions while the microorganisms are growing (or otherwise already have grown) on another primary substrate. Thirdly, chlorinated compounds are also degraded under anaerobic conditions in which they are utilized as an electron donor and carbon source. Fourthly, chlorinated compounds can serve as an electron acceptor to support respiration of anaerobic microorganisms utilizing simple electron donating substrates. Lastly chlorinated compounds are subject to anaerobic cometabolism becoming biotransformed while the microorganisms grow on other primary substrate or electron acceptor. The literature survey demonstrates that, in many cases, chlorinated compounds are completely mineralised to benign end products. Additionally, biodegradation can occur rapidly. Growth rates exceeding 1 d-1 were observed for many compounds. Most compound categories include chlorinated structures that are used to support microbial growth. Growth can be due to the use of the chlorinated compound as an electron donor or alternatively to the use of the chlorinated compound as an electron acceptor (halorespiration). Biodegradation linked to growth is important, since under such conditions, rates of degradation will increase as the microbial population (biocatalyst) increases. Combinations of redox conditions are favorable for the biodegradation of highly chlorinated structures that are recalcitrant to degradation under aerobic conditions. However, under anaerobic conditions, highly chlorinated structures are partially dehalogenated to lower chlorinated counterparts. The lower chlorinated compounds are subsequently more readily mineralized under aerobic conditions.
An Algorithm for Groundwater Long-Term Monitoring Spatial Optimization by Analogy to Ant Colony Optimization for TSP

A methodology for optimizing groundwater long-term monitoring (LTM) is presented. Groundwater LTM is required to assess the performance of groundwater remediation and human being health risk at post-closure sites where groundwater contaminants are still present. Some monitoring wells in the existing LTM network may be redundant, making it possible to remove some of them without compromising data quality. An optimization algorithm based on the ant colony optimization (ACO) paradigm is developed to minimize the overall data loss by identifying a given number redundant sampling locations. The ACO method is inspired by the ability of ant colony to identify the shortest route between their nest and a food source. The algorithm searches for redundant wells from among sampling locations in the monitoring network and follows steps analogous to traveling salesman problem (TSP), which is a cardinal combinatorial problem successfully solved by ACO. Results from the developed ACO-LTM algorithm show global optima or near-optimal solutions were identified. A comparison of the ACOLTM results to those from complete enumeration indicates that the developed ACO-LTM algorithm is efficient and effective.