cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Monomeric Perfluoroalkyl Iridium(III) Amido Complex with an Ir═N Double Bond and Its Reactions To Activate sp3 Carbon−Hydrogen Bonds at Room Temperature

A simple iridium amido complex has been prepared and shown to contain an unambiguous Ir═N double bond, using X-ray crystallography and DFT calculations. The compound exhibits remarkable reactivity by activating the allylic C−H bonds of terminal alkenes at room temperature, liberating tBuNH2 and forming η3-allylic complexes of iridium.
Cross-sensor fusion of imagery for improved information extraction

We combined cross-sensor data that leads to improved extraction of information from disparate sensors. We presented a new method for signal fusion that uses different transforms for the forward transforms of two images and a common transform for the inverse. When using a fusion rule that selects the maximum value between images, we were able to transfer more energy to the result using our method. Our method could form the basis of a new image fusion approach because it offers a way to transfer more energy to the result not possible with a conventional approach.
Quantitative Bottom-Up Proteomics Depends on Digestion Conditions

Accurate quantification is a fundamental requirement in the fields of proteomics and biomarker discovery, and for clinical diagnostic assays. To demonstrate the extent of quantitative variability in measurable peptide concentrations due to differences among “typical” protein digestion protocols, the model protein, human serum albumin (HSA), was subjected to enzymatic digestion using 12 different sample preparation methods, and separately, was examined through a comprehensive timecourse of trypsinolysis. A variety of digestion conditions were explored including differences in digestion time, denaturant, source of enzyme, sample cleanup, and denaturation temperature, among others. Timecourse experiments compared differences in relative peptide concentrations for tryptic digestions ranging from 15 min to 48 h. A predigested stable isotope-labeled (15N) form of the full-length (HSA) protein, expressed in yeast was spiked into all samples prior to LC-MS analysis to compare yields of numerous varieties of trypt...
Mechanistic Impact of Water Addition to SmI2: Consequences in the Ground and Transition State

The mechanistic impact of water addition to SmI2 on the ground state and rate-limiting transition state structures in the reduction of benzyl bromide was determined using UV−vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, vapor pressure osmommetry, and stopped-flow spectrophotometric studies. The results obtained from these studies show that, upon addition of water, SmI2 in THF (or DME) becomes partially water-solvated by displacing metal-coordinated solvent. Further addition of water displaces remaining bound solvent and induces a monomer−dimer equilibrium of the SmI2−water complex. Concomitant with this process, a thermodynamically more powerful reductant is created. Rate studies on the reduction of benzyl bromide by SmI2−water are consistent with reaction occurring through a dimeric transition state with the assembly of the activated complex requiring an equivalent of water at low concentrations but not at higher concentrations. The mechanistic complexity of the SmI2−water system shows that simple empirical mode...
Toward authentic scientific practice: comparing the use of GIS in the classroom and laboratory

A comparative case study juxtaposes activity in a scientific laboratory and a middle school classroom, in which both scientists and students use GIS software. Analyses will uncover how the participants, culture, and tools in each setting determine how the GIS is used and, in turn, how using GIS shapes participants' inquiry practices. There is much to learn about developing scientific thinking through this expert-novice comparison, with implications for the design and implementation of classroom technologies.
Best-practice evaluation-methods for wafer-fab photomask-requalification inspection tools

Requalifying semiconductor photomasks remains critically important and is increasingly challenging for 20nm and 14nm node logic reticles. Patterns are becoming more complex on the photomask, and defect sensitivity requirements are more stringent than ever before. Reticle inspection tools are equally important for effective process development and the successful ramp and sustained yield for high volume manufacturing. The inspection stages considered were: incoming inspection to match with Mask Shop Outgoing result and to detect defects generated during transport; requalification by routine cycle inspection to detect Haze and any other defects; and inspection by in-house or Mask shop at the post cleaning. There are many critical capability and capacity factors for the decision for best inspection tool and strategy for high volume manufacturing, especially objective Lens NA, wavelength, power, pixel size, throughput, full-automation inspection linked with Overhead Transport, algorithm application, engineering application function, and inspection of PSM and OMOG . These tools are expensive but deliver differentiated value in terms of performance and throughput as well as extendibility. Performing a thorough evaluation and making a technically sound choice which explores these many factors is critical for success of a fab. This paper examines the methodology for evaluating two different photomask inspection tools. The focus is on ensuring production worthiness on real and advanced product photomasks requiring accurate evaluation of sensitivity, throughput, data analysis function and engineering work function on those product photomasks. Photomasks used for data collection are production reticles, PDM(Program defect Mask), SiN spray defect Reticle which is described that evaluates how the tools would perform on a contaminated plate.
Characterisation of a Rho homologue of Schistosoma mansoni

Abstract The development and survival of the helminth parasite, Schistosoma mansoni , is dependent on its ability to interpret signals from its environment. Currently, little is known about signal transduction in schistosomes. Rho is a member of a super-family of small GTP-binding proteins. Rho is involved in a number of cell signalling pathways with effects on actin cytoskeleton organisation, gene transcription, cell cycle progression, and membrane trafficking. We have cloned an S . mansoni protein (Rho1) that has 71–75% identity and ∼85% similarity with human Rho A, B, and C proteins. We have optimised expression of recombinant S. mansoni Rho1 protein in Escherichia coli by co-expression with rare tRNAs. Western blot analysis results showed expression of Rho1 protein in adult worm stages especially female worms. In vitro prenylation of recombinant S . mansoni Rho1 determined that, similar to Rho from other organisms, Rho1 is geranynlgeranylated but not farnesylated. A search of the gene database indicates that Rho GTPases exist as a small family in S . mansoni including orthologues of Rho, Cdc42, and Rac. These data suggest that S . mansoni Rho 1 plays a role in signalling in adult worms, especially females.
A High-Fidelity Temperature Distribution Forecasting System for Data Centers

Data centers have become a critical computing infrastructure in the era of cloud computing. Temperature monitoring and forecasting are essential for preventing overheating-induced server shutdowns and improving a data center's energy efficiency. This paper presents a novel cyber-physical approach for temperature forecasting in data centers, which integrates Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling, in situ wireless sensing, and real-time data-driven prediction. To ensure the forecasting fidelity, we leverage the realistic physical thermodynamic models of CFD to generate transient temperature distribution and calibrate it using sensor feedback. Both simulated temperature distribution and sensor measurements are then used to train a real-time prediction algorithm. As a result, our approach significantly reduces the computational complexity of online temperature modeling and prediction, which enables a portable, noninvasive thermal monitoring solution that does not rely on the infrastructure of monitored data center. We extensively evaluated our system on a rack of 15 servers and a test bed of five racks and 229 servers in a production data center. Our results show that our system can predict the temperature evolution of servers with highly dynamic workloads at an average error of 0.52C, within a duration up to 10 minutes.
Multiple blood transfusions reduce the recurrence rate of Crohn's disease

In order to determine whether perioperative blood transfusion affects the recurrence of Crohn's disease, the authors reviewed the records of 79 patients with Crohn's disease who underwent their initial intestinal resection at their institution. Recurrence of Crohn's disease was documented by radiographic studies, endoscopy, or laparotomy. During the hospital admission for resection, 45 patients received multiple red blood cell transfusions. Recurrence developed in 22 percent of these patients by 36 months, and the median time to recurrence was 35 months. In the 34 patients who did not receive multiple transfusions, recurrence was found in 44 percent by 36 months, and the median time to recurrence was 20 months. These differences are significant, using the Kaplan-Meier analysis (P<0.04). Recurrence in patients with disease limited to the small bowel or to the colon was not significantly affected by the transfusion status. However, recurrence developed in only 10 percent of multiply transfused patients with ileocolic disease by 36 months, whereas recurrence developed in 45 percent of the patients who were not multiply transfused. (Significance,P=0.057). The authors believe that the observed decreased rate of recurrence of Crohn's disease in patients receiving multiple perioperative transfusions may represent another example of clinically significant immunosuppression from blood transfusion.
Effect of Calcium Propionate and Sodium Diacetate on Fungi in Stillage

Sodium diacetate was not effective for inhibiting fungal growth at 10 and 20 ppm in stillage produced at a “power-hol” facility and a distillery. Calcium propionate at a concentration of 20 ppm was effective in inhibiting microbial growth for up to 9 days in Jack Daniels stillage. For the Muscle Shoals stillage, calcium propionate at a concentration of 10 ppm was effective in inhibiting fungal growth for up to 14 days Stillage produced at Muscle Shoals had a slightly higher initial pH but a lower yeast content which is thought to have contributed to the longer shelf-life. Stillage produced at Jack Daniel had a lower solids content and a lower pH but supported more fungal growth and spoiled faster.
Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in unresectable cholangiocarcinoma: initial experience in a single institution.

PURPOSE Unresectable cholangiocarcinoma carries a dismal prognosis, with median survival times ranging from 6 to 12 months from the time of diagnosis. Palliative therapies have been disappointing and have not been shown to significantly prolong survival. Conversely, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been effective in prolonging the lives of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma but has not been used against cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy (ie, survival) of TACE in patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventeen patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma were treated with one or more cycles of TACE between 1995 and 2004 at our institution. Follow-up imaging was performed on all patients 4–6 weeks after each TACE procedure to determine tumor response and need for further treatment. Survival was calculated with use of the Kaplan-Meier survival curve. RESULTS The median survival for 17 patients treated with TACE was 23 months. Two patients with previously unresectable disease underwent successful resection after TACE. The procedure was well tolerated by 82% of the patients, who experienced no side effects or mild side effects that quickly resolved with conservative therapy alone. Two patients had minor complications (12%), which were managed successfully, and one had a major complication that resulted in a fatal outcome. This patient had a rapidly declining course from the time of diagnosis and died shortly after TACE. CONCLUSION The results suggest that TACE was effective at prolonging survival of patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore, for these patients, TACE may be an appropriate palliative therapy.
Recent out-of-plane (e,2e) experiments on autoionizing levels of helium

Out-of-plane (e, 2e) measurements and calculations are reported for the helium autoionizing levels (2s2)1S, (2p2)1D, (2s2p)1P, and for direct ionization [1]. While the recoil peak almost vanishes in the angular distribution for direct ionization, it remains significant for the autoionizing levels and exhibits a characteristic shape for each orbital angular momentum L = 0, 1, 2. These findings can qualitatively be explained by an L-dependent addition to the ionization amplitude, but only a second-order model in the projectile-target interaction can quantitatively reproduce the observed magnitudes of the recoil peaks. We present the data as both angular distributions and energy spectra for the resonances. The experimental part of this work is being carried out using an existing (e,2e) apparatus modied to allow the electron gun (see figure 1) to move on the surface of a (mathematical) cone [2]. This permits the measurement of out-of-plane (e,2e) angular distributions, for a full 360, using a special geometry that allows out-of-plane conditions to be combined with the binary peak in a single measurement. Details of the apparatus will be presented.
The two faces of chemistry: can they be reconciled?

Shortly before his death, Richard Bader commented in this Journal on the dichotomy that exists within chemistry and between chemists. We believe that the dichotomy results from different goals and objectives inherent in the chemical disciplines. At one extreme are designers who synthesize new molecules with interesting properties. For these chemists, the rationale underpinning molecular synthesis is far less important than the end product—the molecules themselves. At the other extreme are the chemists who seek a fundamental understanding of molecular properties. We suggest that the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules, by virtue of the rich hierarchical structure inherent in the theory, offers a bridge through which to unite these two groups. However, if there is to be reconciliation, it falls to the theorists to develop “quantum mechanically” correct tools and concepts useful to the synthetic and applied chemist.
Captan fungicide exposures of strawberry harvesters using THPI as a urinary biomarker.

Clothing affords harvesters considerable protection against the elements and can retain substantial amounts of pesticide residue from treated crops. Normal work clothing of female harvesters was supplemented with rubber latex gloves and facial scarves to determine whether those measures reduced exposure. Captan fungicide exposures in female strawberry harvesters were assessed by determining urine clearance rates of tetrahydrophalimide (THPI). Clean rubber gloves were supplied to the 41 harvesters for the 3 days of the study period in October 1995. The workers were divided into two groups consisting of either bare-handed or gloved workers, and 24-h urine specimens were collected each day. Female harvesters who worked bare-handed cleared 5.3 μg captan equivalents as THPI with a range of 0.4 to 13.8 μg/person/day. Harvesters who worked wearing rubber latex gloves cleared only 2.0 μg captan equivalents with a range of 0.9 to 4.3 μg/person/day. In this case clean rubber latex gloves reduced absorbed dose by 38%, compared to the dose absorbed by bare-handed workers. These results additionally indicate that when a pesticide is avidly retained by rubber latex gloves and not readily absorbed dermally as captan, estimates of absorbed dose based on passive dosimetry data may be less reliable than exposure estimates derived from urine biomonitoring.
The reliance on operational weather satellites for the production of a global precipitation climatology

Abstract A program to develop a global precipitation climatology for the period 1986–1995 is discussed, with emphasis on the tropics. This program, the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), will produce areal averaged precipitation for 5-day (pentad) and monthly time periods for each 2.5° latitude/longitude region on the earth. Due to the paucity of convectional precipitation observations (raingauge, radar) in many parts of the world, precipitation estimates as inferred from infrared and microwave satellite data must be used extensively. The calibration of the precipitation estimation algorithms and the validation of the estimates are integral parts of the GPCP.
New Developments in Forensic Applications of LIBS and LA-ICP-MS

The method development for the use of LIBS in the analysis of glass, paint, plant matter, paper and ink will be described along with the observed figures of merit and compared to the more mature Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).
The Concurrent Validity of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test for Mexican-American Children.

The Expressive One-Word, Picutre Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) were administered to 50 bilingual, Mexican-American children in grades 3-5. The students' relative performance on these two vocabulary tests, as well as their error patterns, was examied. The results revealed that the EOWPVT has adequate concurrent validity with the PPVT-R, and that on both tests the students' scores were almost two standard deviations below the normative mean. The outcome indicating that the expressive vocabulary score was higher than the receptive vocabulary score is explained in terms of differences of item content and in the composition of the norm samples for the two tests. Items that generated high error rates are identified to facilitate appropriate interpretation of the EOWPVT when used with Mexican-American children.
Half-collision studies of singlet-to-triplet energy transfer : action spectroscopy and predissociation dynamics of electronically excited Cd.H2 and Cd.D2 complexes

The Cd⋅H2 and Cd⋅D2 van der Waals complexes were synthesized by expanding cadmium vapor and He/H2 mixtures into a supersonic free jet. The ‘‘half‐collision’’ process, Cd(5s5p 1P1)⋅H2→Cd(5s5p 3PJ) +H2, was studied by fixing a probe dye laser pulse (delayed 10 ns) onto one of the Cd(5s6s 3S1←5s5p 3PJ) transitions while exciting the Cd⋅H2(Cd⋅D2) complex with a pump dye laser pulse tuned across frequencies near that of the free Cd(5s5p 1P1←5s5s 1S0) atomic transition. When the probe laser was tuned to detect Cd(5s5p 3P2), an action spectrum to the red of the atomic transition was obtained for Cd⋅H2 consisting of a broad continuum superimposed upon which was an anharmonic series of vibrational transitions with discernible, blue‐shaded rotational structure.A similar spectrum was recorded for Cd⋅D2, except that only very broadened blue‐shaded rotational structure was observed. From the isotopic band‐head splittings, computer simulations of the rotational band structure, and recent ab initio calculations of Cd⋅H2...
Iron, Zinc and Magnesium Nutrition and Athletic Performance

During the last decade there has been considerable interest in the idea that dietary trace element supplementation can result in an improvement in athletic performance. The current paper discusses this idea as it relates to 3 elements: iron, zinc and magnesium. Emphasis has been placed on examining the implicit assumptions underlying the idea that mineral supplements help the athlete. These assumptions include the beliefs that the athlete has a higher than normal requirement for minerals; that the athlete consumes a diet inadequate in these minerals; and that a marginal deficiency of these elements has a direct effect on athletic performance. Evidence is presented that both iron deficiency and magnesium deficiency can result in a significant reduction in exercise performance; however, the biochemical lesions under-lying the reductions in exercise performance have not been identified. There is evidence that dietary magnesium intake may be suboptimal in some individuals, thus dietary supplementation of this element may be useful in some population groups. Excessive magnesium supplementation is not thought to be a serious health problem. Similar to magnesium, dietary iron supplements can improve athletic performance in individuals severely deficient in this element. However, few studies have documented a need for iron supplements in healthy athletes. If iron supplements are used, it is important that the level of supplementation is not excessive, as excess iron in the diet can result in an induced zinc deficiency. In marked contrast to iron and magnesium, there is little evidence for the idea that zinc deficiency influences exercise performance in humans. Despite this fact, zinc supplements have been widely advocated for the athlete, as it is known that intense exercise can result in changes in zinc metabolism. If zinc supplements are used, it is important that they are not excessive, as excess zinc in the diet can result in a secondary copper deficiency.
Near field acoustic measurements in natural and artificially excitedhigh speed subsonic jets

Acoustic measurements have been made in the "near" ( r/D < 60, x/D C 60) field for high Reynolds number ` ;184,000 to 262,000) axisymmetric cold air jets exhausting at atmospheric gressur-e, These measurements were in conjunction with an investigation which characterized the large scale coherent structure in the flow field of Mach ' number 0.6 to 0.8 jets. Natural j,ts as well as artificially excited ^.'^ets were studied. Directivity plots were made for both natural jets and jets excited at various frequencies. Overall noise radiated by the jets was found to reach a maximum value around 30° from the jet. axis. However, individual .frequencies emitted maximum SPL at different angles from the. jet axis. As the angle from the jet axis increased, the spect=a of the noise shif#ed to higher frequencies. Axial wave number-frequency measurements were utilized to produce a relationship
Structural insights into the substrate specificity of the Rhodopseudomonas palustris protein acetyltransferase RpPat: identification of a loop critical for recognition by RpPat

Abstract Lysine acetylation is a posttranslational modification that is important for the regulation of metabolism in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In bacteria, the best-studied protein acetyltransferase is Pat. In the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris at least ten AMP-forming acyl-CoA synthetase enzymes are acetylated by the Pat homologue RpPat. All bona fide RpPat substrates contain the conserved motif P-X4-G-K. Here we show that the presence of such a motif is necessary but not sufficient for recognition by RpPat. RpPat failed to acetylate the methylmalonyl-CoA synthetase of this bacterium (hereafter RpMatB) in vivo and in vitro, despite the homology of RpMatB) to known RpPat substrates. We used RpMatB) to identify structural determinants that are recognized by RpPat. To do this we constructed a series of RpMatB) chimeras that became substrates of RpPat. In such chimeras, a short region (11-25 residues) of RpMatB) located >20 residues N-terminal to the acetylation site was replaced with the corresponding sequences from other AMP-forming acyl-CoA synthetases that were known RpPat substrates. Strikingly, the enzymatic activity of RpMatB) chimeras was regulated by acetylation both in vivo and in vitro. Crystal structures of two of these chimeras showed that the major difference between them and wild-type RpMatB) was within a loop region ~23 A from the acetylation site. On the basis of these results, we suggest that RpPat likely interacts with a relatively large surface of its substrates, in addition to the P-X4-G-K motif, and that RpPat probably has relatively narrow substrate specificity.
Vulnerability and resiliency: How climate disasters activate latent social assets

Tropical storm Nicole and hurricane Tomas exposed the economic, political, and environmental vulnerability of Mesa Sur, a coffee-farming community in southern Costa Rica, yet also revealed latent a...
Food Habits of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in an Inland Wisconsin Lake

Abstract The most frequent food items in 185 coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) stomachs were insects, but fish comprised the most food by volume. The coho ranged from 190 to 444 mm total length and were collected during all seasons of the year. As the coho grew, fish comprised a greater part of their diet. No well defined pattern of insect feeding in relation to coho size was apparent. The percent frequency of fish ingested was highest during the winter (69%) and was 40% or less during other seasons. The percent volume of fish in the diet was over 58% in each season, and the highest percent volume of fish was consumed during the winter (93%).
Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) Program to Decrease Stress and Enhance Resilience Among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract Introduction Patients with breast cancer experience stress and anxiety related to their diagnosis, with resulting lower quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a SMART (Stress Management and Resiliency Training) program for increasing resiliency and for decreasing stress and anxiety among mentors who themselves were previously diagnosed with breast cancer. Materials and Methods The program consisted of two 90-minute group training sessions, a brief individual session, and 3 follow-up telephone calls. Twenty-four mentors at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, were randomized in a single-blind, wait-list controlled clinical trial to either the SMART intervention or a control group for 12 weeks. Primary outcome measures assessed at baseline and at week 12 included the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Smith Anxiety Scale, and Linear Analog Self Assessment Scale. Results Twenty patients completed the study. A statistically significant improvement in resilience, perceived stress, anxiety, and overall quality of life at 12 weeks, compared with baseline was observed in the study arm. No significant difference in any of these measures was noted in the control group. Conclusion This study demonstrates that a brief, predominantly group-based resilience training intervention is feasible in patients with previous breast cancer; also, it may be efficacious.
Hemodynamic effects of heat-killed group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus in newborn lambs: role of leukotriene D4.

Group B β-hemolytic streptococcus (GBS) infection is an important cause of neonatal pneumonia and sepsis. GBS infection is frequently associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. To better understand the early pulmonary hypertension phase of GBS-induced acute lung injury in a conscious animal, we characterized the pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic response of spontaneously breathing, chronically instrumented newborn lambs to injections of heat-killed type Ib GBS, 0.1–9.0 ± 109 colony forming units. Heat-killed GBS caused marked dose-dependent increases in mean pulmonary arterial pressure and calculated pulmonary vascular resistance, 190 and 370% at the maximum dose, respectively. Similarly, GBS caused dose-dependent increases in mean systemic arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance (28.5 and 108% at the maximum dose, respectively) and a decrease in cardiac output (33.5%). Arterial oxygen tension worsened at the higher doses. GBS-induced pulmonary hypertension was decreased by two structurally unrelated, putative leukotriene D4 receptor antagonists. Pretreatment with LY171883 blocked GBS-induced pulmonary hypertension by 95%, and WY48, 252 attenuated this effect by 27%. Both drugs completely blocked the hemodynamic effects of exogenous leukotriene D4. For comparison, several lambs received bolus injections of live GBS, either alone or after pretreatment with LY171883. The hemodynamic response to live GBS and attenuation of that response by LY171883 were similar to those caused by similar doses of heat-killed GBS. Thus, bolus injections of heat-killed GBS provide a reproducible model of pulmonary hypertension in conscious newborn lambs. In addition, the sulfidopeptide leukotrienes appear to be important mediators of GBS-induced pulmonary hypertension in newborn lambs.
Karyotypes of eight species of phytoseiid mites of the genus Amblyseius Berlese (Acarina: Mesostigmata)

Chromosome studies, using the aceto-orcein smear technique, were made on embryonic tissue of eight Amblyseius Berlese species of the family Phytoseiidae. A haploid number of 4 chromosomes and a diploid of 8 were found.
Computer-Assisted Statistical Analysis: A Teaching Innovation?.

Our study assessed college students' skills and attitudes associated with different approaches to teaching statistics, including classes in which students conducted arithmetic computations with and...
Rapid Acquisition of Multidimensional Solid-State NMR Spectra of Proteins Facilitated by Covalently Bound Paramagnetic Tags

We describe a condensed data collection approach that facilitates rapid acquisition of multidimensional magic-angle spinning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectra of proteins by combining rapid sample spinning, optimized low-power radio frequency pulse schemes and covalently attached paramagnetic tags to enhance protein 1H spin−lattice relaxation. Using EDTA-Cu2+-modified K28C and N8C mutants of the B1 immunoglobulin binding domain of protein G as models, we demonstrate that high resolution and sensitivity 2D and 3D SSNMR chemical shift correlation spectra can be recorded in as little as several minutes and several hours, respectively, for samples containing ∼0.1−0.2 μmol of 13C,15N- or 2H,13C,15N-labeled protein. This mode of data acquisition is naturally suited toward the structural SSNMR studies of paramagnetic proteins, for which the typical 1H longitudinal relaxation time constants are inherently a factor of at least ∼3−4 lower relative to their diamagnetic counterparts. To illustrat...
Map displays for information retrieval

The focus of this article is to develop a map display for information retrieval. Through an examination of relationships among visual displays, information retrieval, and browsing, advantages of visual displays for information retrieval are characterized as (1) the ability to convey a large amount of information in a limited space, (2) the potential to reveal semantic relationships of terms and documents, and (3) the facilitation of browsing and perceptual inferences on retrieval interfaces. These advantages are further demonstrated through a map display generated by a neural network's self-organizing algorithm. The map display detects complex relationships among given documents, and reveals the relationships through a spatial arrangement of terms abstracted from the documents. The map display also provides interactive tools to allow the user to interact with the underlying information. Examples of the map displays show that such map displays can be used both as an overview tool and an access or exploration tool, and the map displays will likely increase the amount of information that the user is willing to browse.
Echo Pronominalization and Complementation in Lakota

The functional domain of complementation breeds a vast spectrum of construction types. This structural diversification concerns, among other things, the coding of the notional subject of the complement clause. One coding option which invites further study within the functional-typological framework is echo pronominalization. In Lakota, the distribution of echo pronominalization relative to that of alternative coding strategies follows a clear-cut pattern. The continuum which emerges here correlates with a semantic scale that can be characterized in terms of varying degrees of participant involvement.
Safeguards, China, and the Price of Steel

The economic health of the US steel industry has fluctuated enormously over the last ten years. The implementation of steel safeguard tariffs in 2002 brought intense scrutiny by academics and industry observers, but little empirical work has focused on the factors that led to the industry’s dramatic reversal of fortune in the period that followed. We use a panel data set of product-level monthly price observations between 1997 and March 2005 to test the importance of the safeguards compared to other possible determinants. We find little evidence that the safeguards affected steel prices in the United States. Instead, results indicate that declining production capacity, improved macroeconomic conditions, and a falling dollar helped return prices to healthier levels. Finally, China’s demand for imported steel, which has not been included in previous empirical studies on the US steel industry, also appears to impact prices, but only after a lag of more than six months.
Theory and methods in cultural neuroscience

Cultural neuroscience is an emerging research discipline that investigates cultural variation in psychological, neural and genomic processes as a means of articulating the bidirectional relationship of these processes and their emergent properties. Research in cultural neuroscience integrates theory and methods from anthropology, cultural psychology, neuroscience and neurogenetics. Here, we review a set of core theoretical and methodological challenges facing researchers when planning and conducting cultural neuroscience studies, and provide suggestions for overcoming these challenges. In particular, we focus on the problems of defining culture and culturally appropriate experimental tasks, comparing neuroimaging data acquired from different populations and scanner sites and identifying functional genetic polymorphisms relevant to culture. Implications of cultural neuroscience research for addressing current issues in population health disparities are discussed.
Mechanisms of drug-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in the skin

Cutaneous drug reactions (CDRs) are the most commonly reported adverse drug reactions. These reactions can range from mildly discomforting to life threatening. CDRs can arise either from immunological or nonimmunological mechanisms, though the preponderance of evidence suggests an important role for immunological responses. Some cutaneous eruptions appear shortly after drug intake, while others are not manifested until 7 to 10 days after initiation of therapy and are consistent with delayed-type hypersensitivity. This review discusses critical steps in the initiation of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in the skin, which include protein haptenation, dendritic cell activation/migration and T-cell propagation. Recently, an alternative mechanism of drug presentation has been postulated that does not require bioactivation of the parent drug or antigen processing to elicit a drug-specific T-cell response. This review also discusses the role of various immune-mediators, such as cytokines, nitric oxide, and reactive oxygen species, in the development of delayed-type drug hypersensitivity reactions in skin. As keratinocytes have been shown to play a crucial role in the initiation and propagation of cutaneous immune responses, we also discuss the means by which these cells may initiate or modulate CDRs.
Adding more muscle and nerve to clinical trials.

In this review we illustrate both the fundamentals and challenges of randomized clinical trials in neuromuscular disorders and suggest directions for prospective efforts to improve the design, conduct, rigor, and objectivity of these trials. Current research in clinical trials for neuromuscular disorders and key issues affecting these trials are reviewed. This perspective addresses the planning of clinical research, level of preclinical data needed to justify trials, patient recruitment and retention, and opportunities to access federal funding and infrastructure in support of clinical trials. The need for innovation in trial design and conduct, rigorous standards for the preclinical efficacy and safety data that support trial rationale, novel collaborative paradigms, objective interpretations of outcomes, and sharing of the lessons learned from trials in any one disorder among all neuromuscular trialists are imperative to improving the heretofore limited success in delivering novel, safe, and effective therapies to patients burdened by neuromuscular disorders. Muscle Nerve, 2011
Storm-Damaged Saline-Contaminated Boreholes as a Means of Aquifer Contamination

Saline water from a storm surge can flow down storm-damaged submerged water supply wells and contaminate boreholes and surrounding aquifers. Using data from conventional purging techniques, aquifer test response analysis, chemical analysis, and regression analysis of chloride/silica (Cl/Si) ratio, equations were derived to estimate the volume of saline water intrusion into a well and a porous media aquifer, the volume of water needed to purge a well shortly following an intrusion event, and the volume of water needed after delay of several or more months, when the saline plume has expanded. Purging time required is a function of volume of water and pumping rate. The study site well is located within a shoreline community of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, in southeastern Louisiana, United States, which was impacted by two hurricane storm surges and had neither been rehabilitated nor chlorinated prior to our study. Chemical analysis of water samples in fall 2005 and purging of well and aquifer in June 6, 2006, indicated saline water had intruded the well in 2005 and the well and aquifer in 2006. The volume of water needed to purge the study well was approximately 200 casing volumes, which is significantly greater than conventionally used during collection of water samples for water quality analyses.
Deadlock detection, prevention, and avoidance for automated tool sharing systems

Automated tool sharing systems provide a technological response to the high cost of tools in flexible manufacturing systems. These systems allow different machines to use the same tools by automatically transferring them from machine to machine as tooling needs evolve. With these systems, tool allocation is a real-time issue that requires sophisticated control techniques to make the right allocation decisions. An essential property that tool sharing policies must guarantee is deadlock-free operation. Although manufacturing researchers have investigated the performance aspects of tool sharing through simulation, no work has yet addressed deadlock handling strategies for these real-time systems. In this paper, we characterize the structural and computational properties of the tooling deadlock problem. We develop polynomial algorithms that detect and avoid deadlock, and we investigate the safety implications of special structures appearing in tool sequences.
Reading the New Feminist Mystery

A popular new feminist genre of American mystery fiction has emerged in the last decade, raising questions about its relationship to real crime, especially against women. While the detective genre has certain inherently conservative tendencies, the feminist subgenre selectively draws on traditions, including the womanly British "cozy" and the American male "hard-boiled," to create something new. The women sleuths are neither victims nor villains, but independent agents. They struggle with personal challenges and mostly succeed. The crimes themselves portray disruptions in the social landscape, and the pursuit of whodunit suggests more a quest for truth than a celebration of law enforcement. Violence, often used defensively by the heroine, is portrayed as inescapable, but it is seen through the eyes of a detective/observer rather than those of the criminal or the victim.
Biolistic transformation of elite genotypes of switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.)

With a novel elite genotype, SA37, and an improved transformation protocol, it is now possible to routinely and efficiently engineer switchgrass using biolistic transformation. Transformation of elite switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) genotypes would facilitate the characterization of genes related to cell wall recalcitrance to saccharification. However, transformation of explants from switchgrass plants has remained difficult. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a biolistic transformation protocol for elite genotypes. Three switchgrass genotypes (ST1, ST2, and AL2) were previously selected for tissue culture responsiveness. One genotype, SA37, was selected for further use due to its improved formation of callus amenable to transformation. Various medium sets were compared and a previously published medium set provided cultures with >96 % embryogenic callus, and data on transient and stable gene expression of RFP were used to optimize biolistic parameters, and further validate the switchgrass (PvUbi1) promoter. SA37 proved to be the most transformable, whereas eight transgenic calli on average were recovered per bombardment of 20 calli (40 % efficiency) when using a three-day day preculture step, 0.6 M osmotic adjustment medium, 4,482 kPa rupture disks and 0.4 μm gold particles which traveled 9 cm before hitting the target callus tissue. Regenerability was high, especially for ST2, for which it is possible to recover on average over 400 plants per half-gram callus tissue. It is now possible to routinely and efficiently engineer elite switchgrass genotypes using biolistic transformation.
Does the Entire Uterus Need to be Treated in Cancer of the Cervix? Role of Adaptive Brachytherapy

Purpose To evaluate local control and toxicity by use of a method of adaptive cervical brachytherapy (ACB). Methods and Materials From 1998 to 2008, we identified 65 cervical cancer patients with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) Stage IB1–IVA disease who received definitive external beam radiation therapy and high–dose rate brachytherapy with tandem and ovoid applicators. As tumors regressed, 45 of 65 patients had the tandem source retracted from the uterine fundus at successive brachytherapy insertions, thus decreasing the number of 192 Ir dwell positions. Tests of trend and Fisher's exact test were used to identify the effect of ACB on disease control and toxicity. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to evaluate disease control and late complications. Results The median follow-up was 24.5 months. Of the patients, 92% received chemotherapy. The 3-year overall survival, 3-year disease-free survival, 3-year distant metastasis-free survival, and local control rates were 67%, 76%, 79%, and 97%, respectively. There was only 1 isolated local failure, and there were no local failures beyond 1 year. Distant failure was involved in 93% of recurrences. No significant trend was identified regarding the extent of retraction of the tandem source start position with either failure or toxicity. Acute and actuarial 3-year late Grade 3 toxicity or greater occurred in 24.6% and 17% of patients, respectively. Conclusions ACB determined by clinical response yielded excellent local control rates. These data indicate that ACB may be useful in decreasing late toxicities from high–dose rate brachytherapy. With the advent of three-dimensional image-guided brachytherapy, additional methods to adapt treatment technique to changes in tumor volume warrant investigation.
Parallel implementation and scalability analysis of 3D Fast Fourier Transform using 2D domain decomposition

3D FFT is computationally intensive and at the same time requires global or collective communication patterns. The efficient implementation of FFT on extreme scale computers is one of the grand challenges in scientific computing. On parallel computers with a distributed memory, different domain decompositions are possible to scale 3D FFT computation. In this paper, we argue that 2D domain decomposition is likely the best approach in terms of using a very large number of processors with reasonable data communication overhead. Specifically, we extend the data communication approach of Dmitruk et al. (2001) [21] previously used for 1D domain decomposition, to 2D domain decomposition. A thorough quantitative analysis of the code performance is undertaken for different problem sizes and numbers of processors, including scalability, load balance, dependence on subdomain configuration (i.e., different numbers of subdomain in the two decomposed directions for a fixed total number of subdomains). We show that our proposed approach is faster than the existing attempts on 2D-decomposition of 3D FFTs by Pekurovsky (2007) [23] (p3dfft), Takahashi (2009) [24], and Li and Laizet (2010) [25] (2decomp.org) especially for the case of large problem size and large number of processors (our strategy is 28% faster than Pekurovski's scheme, its closest competitor). We also show theoretically that our scheme performs better than the approach by Nelson et al. (1993) [22] up to a certain number of processors beyond which latency becomes and issue. We demonstrate that the speedup scales with the number of processors almost linearly before it saturates. The execution time on different processors differ by less than 5%, showing an excellent load balance. We further partitioned the execution time into computation, communication, and data copying related to the transpose operation, to understand how the relative percentage of the communication time increases with the number of processors. Finally, a theoretical complexity analysis is carried out to predict the scalability and its saturation. The complexity analysis indicates that the 2D domain decomposition will make it feasible to run a large 3D FFT on scalable computers with several hundred thousands processors.
A human eye like perspective for remote vision

Robots in remote environments (e.g., emergency response) have many potential benefits and affordances, with imagery (or video) being a major, if not primary, affordance. However, remote imagery is usually affected by the keyhole effect, or viewing the world through a “soda straw.” This work focuses on reducing the keyhole effect by improving the viewing angle of the imagery using a novel method that produces results more akin to that provided by the human vision system. The method and early results are subsequently presented for this human eye like perspective for remote vision.
Global Inhibition of DC Priming Capacity in the Spleen of Self-Antigen Vaccinated Mice Requires IL-10

DC in the spleen are highly activated following intravenous vaccination with a foreign antigen, promoting expansion of effector T cells, but remain phenotypically and functionally immature after vaccination with a self-antigen. Up-regulation or suppression of expression of a cohort of pancreatic enzymes 24-72 hours post-vaccination can be used as a biomarker of stimulatory versus toleragenic DC, respectively. Here we show, using MUC1 transgenic mice (MUC1.Tg) and a vaccine based on the MUC1 peptide which these mice perceive as a self-antigen, that the difference in enzyme expression that predicts whether DC will promote immune response or immune tolerance, is seen as early as 4-8 hours following vaccination. We also identify early production of IL-10 as a predominant factor that both correlates with this early time point and controls DC function. Pre-treating mice with an antibody against the IL-10 receptor (IL-10R) prior to vaccination results in DC that up-regulate CD40, CD80, and CD86 and promote stronger IFNγ+ T cell responses. This study suggests that transient inhibition of IL-10 prior to vaccination could improve responses to cancer vaccines that utilize self-tumor antigens.