cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fire hazard in transportation infrastructure: Review, assessment, and mitigation strategies

This paper reviews the fire problem in critical transportation infrastructures such as bridges and tunnels. The magnitude of the fire problem is illustrated, and the recent increase in fire problems in bridges and tunnels is highlighted. Recent research undertaken to address fire problems in transportation structures is reviewed, as well as critical factors governing the performance of those structures. Furthermore, key strategies recommended for mitigating fire hazards in bridges and tunnels are presented, and their applicability to practical situations is demonstrated through a practical case study. Furthermore, research needs and emerging trends for enhancing the “state-of-the-art” in this area are discussed.
Sharp comparison theorems for the Klein–Gordon equation in d dimensions

We establish sharp (or ’refined’) comparison theorems for the Klein–Gordon equation. We show that the condition Va ≤ Vb, which leads to Ea ≤ Eb, can be replaced by the weaker assumption Ua ≤ Ub which still implies the spectral ordering Ea ≤ Eb. In the simplest case, for d = 1, Ui(x) =∫0xV i(t)dt, i = a or b and for d > 1, Ui(r) =∫0rV i(t)td−1dt, i = a or b. We also consider sharp comparison theorems in the presence of a scalar potential S (a ‘variable mass’) in addition to the vector term V (the time component of a four-vector). The theorems are illustrated by a variety of explicit detailed examples.
Zion's Dilemmas: How Israel Makes National Security Policy

For more information please contact thecenter.alexanderhamilton@nyu.edu Chuck Freilich was a deputy national security adviser in Israel. He is now an adjunct professor at NYU and a senior fellow at the Belfer Center at Harvard's Kennedy School. He recently completed a first of its kind book on Israel’s national security decision making processes (“Zion’s Dilemmas: How Israel Makes National Security Policy”, Cornell Press, 2012). He is now working on a new book on Israeli national security strategy.
Intelligent Transportation Systems and Greenhouse Gas Reductions

The field of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) has witnessed significantly increased activity in recent years, with the application of modern control, communications, and information technology to vehicles, roadway infrastructure, and traffic information systems. The primary objectives of ITS have been focused primarily on improving safety and increasing mobility and associated transportation efficiency. In addition, it is now well known that ITS technology can be used to reduce transportation-related environmental impacts. These environmental impacts include pollutant emissions that lead to poor air quality, as well as energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Over the years, we have seen many ITS programs focusing on safety and mobility that end up also having significant environmental benefits. These benefits range widely due to a number of variables. However in recent years, a number of ITS research programs have emerged that are specifically designed to minimize the environmental impacts of transportation. In this manuscript, we briefly outline how the different areas of ITS can impact GHG emissions and then describe a number of recent ITS programs that are specifically aimed at reducing energy and environmental impacts. These environmental ITS programs typically show energy and emission reductions on the order of 5–15 %.
Thompson Receives 2013 Early Career Hydrologic Science Award: Citation

Sally Thompson grew up in Perth, where she was trained as an environmental engineer at the University of Western Australia. She graduated with honors in 2003 and worked for a few years as an environmental engineering consultant. Following the award of the Sir John Monash Fellowship in Australia, Sal accepted the admissions offer from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University in 2006, completing her Ph.D. within 4 years and defending her dissertation in 2010. I was most fortunate to have Sal join me at Duke after an enthusiastic recommendation from Siva. Upon her arrival at Duke University, it was immediately clear to all that Sal is a special person with the remarkable skill of being able to identify the main aspects of a problem and throw at them the best that theory, experiment, and modeling tools offer.
Histone H2A.Z expression in two indirectly developing marine invertebrates correlates with undifferentiated and multipotent cells.

SUMMARY The embryos of indirect developers generate an intermediate larval stage that nourishes the proliferation of undifferentiated multipotent cell precursors in charge of postembryonic adult formation. Multipotency affects the regulation of many genes and seems to be mediated in part by chromatin modification. Chromatin transcriptional properties are regulated by histone modification and by incorporation of peculiar histone variants. The histone variant H2A.Z is associated with transcriptionally competent chromatin and silent genes primed for activation or permanent repression. However, despite the extensive mechanistic characterizations in unicellular eukaryots, the essential role of the highly conserved H2A.Z variant during animal embryogenesis remains obscure. We show that the expression of H2A.Z in the larvae of two distant indirectly developing marine invertebrates, a polychaete and a sea urchin, remains high in all their embryonic and postembryonic developmentally competent cell precursors, and declines during their differentiation. In particular, the expression in undifferentiated multipotent adult precursors during feeding larval stages in both organisms provides unique insight about its general association with developmental potential. Our experiments confirm previous reports indicating that the expression of H2A.Z is proliferation (DNA synthesis) independent, in contrast with the DNA synthesis dependence of “mainstream” histones. We suggest that similar H2A.Z transcriptional functions previously identified in unicellular organisms also help to maintain an open chromatin state competent for transcriptional-regulatory transactions during metazoan development.
Studies of ligand-induced conformational perturbations in myosin subfragment 1. An examination of the environment about the SH2 and SH1 thiols using a photoprobe.

Abstract The effect of ligand binding on the environment near the SH2 and SH1 thiols in myosin subfragment 1 has been investigated by photocross-linking after specific labeling of these thiols individually with 4-(N-maleimido)benzophenone (MBP). On photolysis, cross-linking occurred from SH2-MBP to the middle 50-kDa segment, and subsequent immunopeptide mapping revealed that the cross-link was made to a peptide stretch 31-32 kDa from the N terminus in the absence of MgADP, whereas in its presence the cross-link occurred at about 60-61 kDa from the N terminus. Photolysis of SH1-MBP in the absence of MgADP resulted in a major cross-link to the 27-kDa N-terminal segment and minor cross-links to the 50-kDa middle segment. In the presence of MgADP, no new cross-link occurred but the amount of cross-linking to the 50-kDa segment increased at the expense of the other. Immunopeptide mapping indicated that the regions in the 27- and 50-kDa peptides that were cross-linked to SH1-MBP are at about 14-16 and 55-56 kDa from the N terminus respectively. These results indicate that when nucleotide binds to S1, SH2 is displaced relative to the 50-kDa segment, whereas the local environment around SH1 does not change significantly because photolysis in the presence of MgADP resulted in a change at the site of cross-linking for SH2-MBP but caused only a redistribution of the relative amounts of the cross-links formed from SH1-MBP.
Morphogenesis of f1 filamentous bacteriophage. Increased expression of gene I inhibits bacterial growth.

Abstract We have cloned the gene I sequence of the filamentous bacteriophage f1 downstream from the lambda leftward promoter on a plasmid that also contains the temperature-sensitive lambda represser, c I857. Temperature induction of gene I protein (pI) resulted in rapid cessation of growth. This inhibition appears to involve a rapid decrease in synthesis of host protein and RNA. The ability of pI to cause this inhibition is not dependent on thioredoxin, a host factor that is necessary for phage morphogenesis and has been shown by genetic data to interact with pI. The inhibition does not appear to be mediated by the amino half of the protein, as induction of an identical plasmid construction of an amber mutant positioned two-thirds along gene I, does not affect cell growth. Analysis of the transcription products from the cloned gene I confirmed previous suggestions that a transcription terminator exists in the amino-terminal portion of the gene. In addition, there is no detectable promoter activity in the 152 bases immediately upstream from the gene. These data and the inability to overproduce pI argue for down-regulation of pI production. Radioactive labeling of proteins in maxi-cells and normal Escherichia coli cells identifies pI as a protein of about 39,000 M r that partitions with the cell envelope. Pulse-chase experiments suggest that pI is not processed to any appreciable extent.
Kissing cousins: immunological and neurological synapses

Immunological synapse formation is essential for T cell activation. A recent paper in Science reports that immunological and neurological synapses utilize a common molecule, agrin.
Trends in Information Needs and Communication Channel Use Among Rural Women in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, 2000–2012

A trend analysis of information needs and communication channel use of rural women in Africa, Asia, and Latin America was conducted by examining empirical works published in reports, scholarly publications, and the popular press from 2000 to 2012. Results show that information about farming practices, health, education, gender and general family well-being issues were the most sought across the three continents. Demand for 14 information categories surged in volume and scope after 2009. Interpersonal communication sources trumped the mediated ones as the channels of choice; extension agents were the most preferred source. Radio was the most frequently mentioned preferred medium.
Characteristics of indirect pharmacodynamic models and applications to clinical drug responses.

This review describes four basic physiologic indirect pharmacodynamic response (IDR) models which have been proposed to characterize the pharmacodynamics of drugs that act by indirect mechanisms such as inhibition or stimulation of the production or dissipation of factors controlling the measured effect. The principles underlying IDR models and their response patterns are described. The applicability of these basic IDR models to characterize pharmacodynamic responses of diverse drugs such as inhibition of gastric acid secretion by nizatidine and stimulation of MX protein synthesis by interferon α-2a is demonstrated. A list of other uses of these models is provided. These models can be readily extended to accommodate additional complexities such as nonstationary or circadian baselines, equilibration delay, depletion or accumulation of a precursor pool, sigmoidicity, or other mechanisms. Indirect response models which have a logical mechanistic basis account for time-delays in many responses and are widely applicable in clinical pharmacology.
The Principle of Optimal Behavior and the Theory of Communities

The notion that behavior maximizes fitness can be used as a tool for generating testable hypotheses concerning the expected behavior of animals. In turn, the expected behavior of animals with respect to available resources can be used to predict much of the biotic structure and dynamics of communities. This paper attempts to illustrate the use of simple optimization techniques for predicting optimal behavior and for relating behavior to dynamical models of ecological communities. The specific behavior optimization problems which are considered all relate to the use of food and space. Examples are diet optimization under nutrient constraints, optimal foraging path and microhabitat selection, and optimal sociality in relationship to diet and habitat selection. The criteria for habitat and diet specialization vs. generalization are presented in terms of the behavioral attributes of the animal in relation to the availability of resources. The section on optimal sociality illustrates how social behavior can be predicted from reasonable assumptions regarding the time budget priorities of animals.
On Dual Decomposition and Linear Programming Relaxations for Natural Language Processing

This paper introduces dual decomposition as a framework for deriving inference algorithms for NLP problems. The approach relies on standard dynamic-programming algorithms as oracle solvers for sub-problems, together with a simple method for forcing agreement between the different oracles. The approach provably solves a linear programming (LP) relaxation of the global inference problem. It leads to algorithms that are simple, in that they use existing decoding algorithms; efficient, that they avoid exact algorithms for the full model; and often exact, in that empirically they often recover the correct solution in spite of using an LP relaxation. We give experimental results on two problems: 1) the combination of two lexicalized parsing models; and 2) the combination of a lexicalized parsing model and a trigram part-of-speech tagger.
A compliant tactile display for teletaction

A teletaction system uses a tactile display to present the user with information about texture, local shape, and/or local compliance. Current tactile displays are flat and rigid, and require precise machining and assembly of many parts. This paper describes the fabrication and performance of a one-piece pneumatically-actuated tactile display molded from silicone rubber. Tactor spacing is 2.5 mm with 1 mm diameter tactor elements. Tactile display compliance ensures contact between the finger and tactile display at all times. Unlike previous pneumatic tactile displays, there is no chamber leakage and no seal friction. A psychophysics experiment showed that a synthetic grating on the tactile display was perceived as well as a low-pass-filtered real contact.
A new approach to decentralized control descriptor systems

The author uses polynomial theory to analyze the basic properties of decentralized control descriptor systems. Applying a local derivative and proportional output feedback to the systems, its closed loop characteristic polynomial may be written as a linear combination of a group of polynomials, which are derived from the system matrices. From this some necessary and sufficient conditions for the systems to possess infinite decentralized fixed modes (INDFMs), impulsive decentralized fixed modes (IMDFMs) and generalized and decentralized fixed modes (GDFMs) are obtained. Similarly, the notions of infinite decentralized controllability (INDC), impulsive decentralized controllability (IMDC), and reachable decentralized controllability (RDC) are characterized. The problem of pole placement for the systems is discussed. >
Low-cost and highly manufacturable 10Gb/s mini-flat transmitter for ethernet applications

The key issues of local-area-network (LAN) and storage-area-network (SAN) applications are to improve cost, manufacturability and reliability of optoelectronic devices in high speed transmission. The authors have demonstrated highly manufacturability, reliability and thermal stability mini-transmitter for 10Gb/s Ethernet applications in this paper. Passive alignment technology is a way to improve manufacturability of optoelectronic devices in the future. However, the assembly yield rate of conventional LD chip on silicon optical bench to fiber is quite limited due to restricted optical alignment tolerance (< 1μm). In this study, a novel two lens structure of 10Gb/s LC receptacle type optical mini-flat transmitter is designed and demonstrated to exhibit above 20% coupling efficiency with less than ±6um aligned deviation. Moreover, a high resistivity silicon optical bench (1kΩ/cm) and pressure-free bonding technique using the electroplated AuSn solder are also adopted to guarantee the transmitted performance in high frequency operation. The eye diagram of 10Gb/s mini-flat transmitter developed in this study showing the excellent quality obtained passing 10Gb/s Ethernet mask test with 20% margin. And the extinction ratio of transmitter is also proved to above 6dB at room temperature. The response of monitor PD is also examined up to 80% by mirror coating on silicon V-groove. Thermal stability of 10Gb/s mini-flat transmitter is another critical issue in high speed transmission. The performance of temperature stabilized transmitter over wide case temperature range is also evaluated in this study. The optical eye diagram of 10Gb/s transmitter developed in this paper showing excellent eye quality passing 10Gb/s Ethernet mask test between 0°C to 80°C. Finally, the reliability of transmitter is also performed. The reliability data indicate that the optical alignment of these modules are stable and observed essentially low variations in optical coupling as results of 1000 hours damp heat and 1000 temperature cycling durations.
The presence of beta-amyloid 1-42 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in an in vitro presynaptic model causes dysregulated calcium signaling, mitochondrial dysfunction and altered ERK signaling on sustained exposure to beta-amyloid

Background: Epidemiological studies have linked psychological stress to AD risk and a large body of research has shown connections between stress, stress hormones and Ab accumulation as well as tau pathology in preclinical models. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which stress hormones accelerate Ab production has been lacking. Our work has focused on the link between corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and increased production of Ab. CRH is a critical mediator of stress responses in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; CRH signals through two G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), CRHR1 and 2. Methods: Ab production, presenilin levels, gamma-secretase activity and subcellular distribution were assessed following CRH, corticosterone and CRHR antagonist treatment of human neuroglioma, neuroblastoma cells, and primary neuronal cultures. In addition effects on Ab levels were assessed following CRHR1 receptor overexpression or RNAi mediated knockdown. Co-immunoprecipitation studies and trafficking of g -secretase and CRHR1 were also performed. Results: CRH treatment consistently increased Ab42 production and in some cell lines also increased Ab40, but to a lesser extent. Thus, CRH increased the ratio of Ab42:Ab40. The effect of CRH on Ab 42 was not blocked by CRHR antagonists, suggesting that the mechanism by which CRH increases Ab might be independent of CRHR intracellular signaling. CRHR1 internalization assays revealed that CRH and CRHR1 antagonist treatment induced the endocytosis of CRHR1 and promoted the internalization of g -secretase. In addition, CRHR1 and g -secretase were co-localized in lipid raft fractions and, upon CRH treatment, more g -secretase accumulated in lipid rafts. These results indicate that CRH modulates intracellular trafficking and activity of g -secretase. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that small fractions of g -secretase complex were associated with CRHR1 and CRHR1 knock down decreased both Ab 40 and Ab 42 production, suggesting that CRHR1 may constitutively regulate g -secretase. Conclusions: CRH increases Ab42 production through CRHR1 induced alterations in g -secretase localization and activity. These data provide the first mechanistic link between physiologic stress CRH and augmentation of AD pathology.
A finite-element model for Ekofisk field subsidence

Abstract A nonlinear finite-element (NLFE) method is used to model reservoir compaction and the associated surface subsidence caused by the formation pore collapse occurring in the Ekofisk field. The reservoir rock is modeled using an elastoplastic constitutive equation. Observed data of the subsiding Ekofisk field are used to compare the results obtained from the numerical simulation. A specific scenario of reservoir production is utilized as an input to the NLFE code. The predicted subsidence values are found to be in satisfactory agreement with the observed field data. Predictions are made for the compaction of the reservoir and the resulting subsidence in the Ekofisk field for the given production scenario for the next two decades.
Revisiting Economic Shocks and Coups

This article revisits the oft-cited relationship between economic shocks and coups. According to conventional wisdom, economic recessions trigger coups. However, existing empirical studies have not...
Petroleum Trade in 1970: An Exploratory Analysis

Data on the international movement of petroleum are compiled by the United Nations. Two graphical devices are employed to facilitate an understanding of the patterns in the 1970 data. They both require the estimation of an origin-destination independence model of flows. Residuals from the model are examined, and results interpreted.
The Synthesis of 3,3-Difluoroallyl Derivatives of Silicon by an Organophosphorus Route.

Abstract 3,3-Difluoroallyl derivatives of silicon have been prepared by the reaction of difluorochloromethane with ylides of type Ph3PCHCH2SiR3 (SiR3  SiMe3, SiMe2H, SiMe2OSiMe3, SiMe(OSiMe3)2). Also prepared by this procedure was Me3SiCH2C(CH3)CF2, but Me3SiCH2C(C6H5)CF2 could not be prepared in this way, probably because the ylide, Ph3PC(C6H5)CH2SiMe3, was not sufficiently basic to deprotonate HCF2Cl. The thermal stability of Me3SiCH2CHCF2 was assessed and a few of its reactions examined: addition of CCl2 and CBr2 (generated via the appropriate PhHgCX2Br) and addition-elimination reactions with phenyl- and n-butyllithium to give Me3SiCH2CHC(R)F (R  Ph, n-Bu).
Hybrid simulation based optimization approach for supply chain management

Abstract In this work, we propose a hybrid simulation optimization approach that addresses the problem of supply chain management. We formulated the problem as a mathematical model which minimizes the summation of production cost, transportation cost, inventory holding and shortage costs, subject to capacity and inventory balance constraints and propose a hybrid approach combining mathematical programming and simulation model to solve this problem. The main objective of this approach is to overcome the computational complexity associated with solving the underlying large-scale mixed integer linear problem and to provide a better representation of supply chain reality. The simulation-based optimization strategy uses an agent-based system to model the supply chain network. Each entity in the supply chain is represented as an agent whose activity is described by a collection of behavioral rules. The overall system is coupled with an optimization algorithm that is designed to address planning and scheduling level decisions.
Mechanisms of coronary vasomotor dysfunction in the transplanted heart

Abstract The transplanted heart sustains both cold ischemic and reperfusion injuries. These can produce coronary vascular endothelial or smooth muscle injury or both, which, in turn, can produce coronary vasomotor dysfunction. Using a canine model of autologous heart transplantation, we examined the following coronary vasomotor control mechanisms in isolated coronary artery rings: (1) endothelial-dependent cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-mediated vasorelaxation (response to acetylcholine); (2) endothelial-independent cGMP-mediated vasorelaxation (response to sodium nitroprusside); and (3) β-adrenergic cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-mediated vasorelaxation (response to isoproterenol hydrochloride). Further, these mechanisms were related to 3 hours of cold ischemia alone and to 3 hours of cold ischemia plus 1 hour of reperfusion. Autologous heart transplantation was performed in dogs, and isolated distal left anterior descending coronary artery rings were studied in individual organ chambers. Cold ischemia alone produced significant dysfunction of β-adrenergic cAMP-mediated vasorelaxation, which was exacerbated after reperfusion. Neither endothelial-dependent nor endothelial-independent cGMP-mediated vasorelaxation was dysfunctional after cold ischemia alone, but both were significantly impaired after reperfusion. We conclude that cold ischemia and reperfusion each produce coronary vasomotor dysfunction in the transplanted heart. Cumulatively, such coronary vasomotor dysfunction can acutely impair coronary vasodilatation and potentially jeopardize myocardial blood flow in the transplanted heart.
A canonical correlation technique for analyzing patterns of change

Abstract The measurement and analysis of change remain persistent dilemmas in aging research. The most frequently suggested technique for the analysis of change is residualized change score analysis, which is methodologically superior to the use of raw change scores. The use of residualized change score analysis, however, addresses a very specific substantive question: net of initial level what factors best predict the dependent variable at a later point in time? There are other questions that might be posed to longitudinal data. One such question is: what factors best predict differential patterns of change within a group? The primary purpose of this paper is to present a canonical correlation technique that can be used to predict patterns of change. In order to illustrate the implications of examining patterns of change as compared to aggregate change, the canonical correlation procedure is compared to residualized change score analysis. Discussion focuses upon the importance of matching substantive que...
Use of a hybrid technology in a critical security system

Assigning an acceptable level of power reliability in a security system environment requires a methodical approach to design when considering the alternatives tied to the reliability and life of the system. The downtime for a piece of equipment, be it for failure, routine maintenance, replacement, or refurbishment or connection of new equipment is a major factor in determining the reliability of the overall system. In addition to these factors is the condition where the system is static or dynamic in its growth.
Possible role of female discrimination against 'redundant' males in the evolution of colour pattern polymorphism in guppies

Multiple paternity of offspring can result from active preferences on the part of females or sexual harassment by males. We examined sexual responses of female guppies to a previous mate versus a novel male (experiment 1) or to a male with a colour pattern similar to that of the previous mate versus a novel male (experiment 2). Females showed significantly more sexual responses to courtship by novel males than to previous mates in experiment 1 or to males that resembled previous mates in experiment 2. These results suggest that females discriminate actively against previous mates, and extend this discrimination to males with similar colour patterns to previous mates. This could lead to negative frequency-dependent sexual selection against common colour patterns (a 'redundant male effect'), which could contribute to the maintenance of the extraordinarily high levels of genetic polymorphism in guppy colour patterns.
Global denoising is asymptotically optimal

In this paper an upper bound on the decay rate of the mean-squared error for global image denoising is derived. As image size increases, this upper bound decays to zero; that is, the global denoising is asymptotically optimal. Unlike patch-based methods such as BM3D, this property only holds for global denoising schemes. In practice, and as demonstrated in this work, this performance gap between patch-based and global denoisers can grow rapidly with image size.
Glomerular Spherical Electron Dense Deposits in a Patient Undergoing Long-Term Regional Heparinization

Spherical electron dense deposits in the glomerular capillary basement membranes and the mesangial matrix were observed in a patient undergoing long-term regional heparinization during treatment with continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH). CAVH is a fairly new approach to renal replacement therapy and requires continuous infusion of heparin into the prefilter blood line. In order to limit systemic anticoagulation, protamine may be infused into the postfilter blood line. In the patient described, during 26 days of continuous treatment, 318,620 units of heparin and 5,204 mg of protamine had been infused. Ultrastructural studies of the kidneys obtained at autopsy revealed a striking resemblance between the electron dense deposits seen in this patient and the protamine-heparin complexes described in animal models. Heavy metals, including calcium, phosphorus, and aluminum were excluded by electron probe x-ray microanalyis.
Fluoroalkylated Silicon-Containing Surfaces−Estimation of Solid-Surface Energy

The design of robust omniphobic surfaces, which are not wetted by low-surface-tension liquids such as octane (γlv = 21.6 mN/m) and methanol (γlv = 22.7 mN/m), requires an appropriately chosen surface micro/nanotexture in addition to a low solid-surface energy (γsv). 1H,1H,2H,2H-Heptadecafluorodecyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (fluorodecyl POSS) offers one of the lowest solid-surface energy values ever reported (γsv ≈ 10 mN/m) and has become the molecule of choice for coating textured surfaces. In this work, we synthesize and evaluate a series of related molecules that either retain the POSS cage and differ in fluoroalkyl chain length or that retain the fluorodecyl chains surrounding a linear or cyclic molecular structure. The solid-surface energy (γsv) of these molecules was estimated using contact angle measurements on flat spin-coated silicon wafer surfaces. Zisman analysis was performed using a homologous series of n-alkanes (15.5 ≤ γlv ≤ 27.5 mN/m), whereas Girifalco−Good analysis was perform...
Candida albicans: Molecular interactions with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus

The fields of mycology and bacteriology have traditionally functioned independently of each other despite the fundamental actuality that fungi and bacteria not only co-exist but also interact within several niches. In the clinical context, these interactions commonly occur within biofilms, which can be composed of single-species communities or mixed-species populations and recent studies have shown that the properties of mixed-species populations differ from those of their individual components. The interacting bacteria and fungi can exert effects on microbial behavior, dissemination, survival, the response to antimicrobials and, ultimately, patient prognosis. Microbes within biofilms exhibit increased resistance to antimicrobial agents, and a significant amount of research has thus focused on gaining an understanding of how inter-domain interactions affect biofilm formation and the response to antimicrobial therapies. Candida albicans, a commensal and opportunistic pathogen of humans, is among the fungi most frequently identified in mixed-species biofilms. Here, we review interactions between C. albicans and bacterial species with which it is commonly isolated, namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in order to look into the spectrum of biologically relevant fungal–bacterial interactions that have been described.
Special Issue on Educational Technology

Much of the promise of educational technology lies in what can be done to aid the typical, non-remote student both in and out of the classroom.
Synthesis of Six Epoxyketooctadecenoic Acid (EKODE) Isomers, Their Generation from Nonenzymatic Oxidation of Linoleic Acid, and Their Reactivity with Imidazole Nucleophiles

As a class of linoleic acid oxidation products, epoxyketooctadecenoic acids (EKODEs), are formed in vivo and in vitro by a free radical mechanism initiated by either enzymatic or nonenzymatic pathways. They have so far been made available in small-scale quantities, often as isomeric mixtures, from reductive decomposition of linoleic acid-derived hydroperoxides. There is major interest in these compounds owing to their highly potent biological activities and their ability to covalently modify proteins. The synthesis of six EKODE regio- and stereoisomers, two trans alpha',beta'-epoxy-alpha,beta-enones, and two trans and the two cis gamma,delta,-epoxy-alpha,beta-enones was accomplished, with the key steps being Wittig-type reactions and aldol condensations. All six EKODE isomers were confirmed by HPLC to be generated in the autoxidation of linoleic acid promoted by Fe(II)/ascorbic acid through spiking in of authentic samples. On the basis of evidence for EKODE modification of protein His residues, the reactions of Nalpha-benzoyl-L-histidine with autoxidizing linoleic acid and with the individual EKODE isomers were compared, as were the kinetics of the various EKODE reactions with imidazole nucleophiles. The structures of His-EKODE-(E)-I adducts were confirmed to reflect conjugate addition (epoxide ring remains intact) through an NMR study of the reaction of imidazole with a generic EKODE-(E)-I analog. The synthesis of the EKODE isomers makes these important molecules available for further chemical and biological evaluation.
The ntr genes of Escherichia coli activate the hut and nif operons of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Abstract Regulation of the synthesis of glutamine synthetase and of the arginine and glutamine transport systems (Ntr phenotype) in Salmonella have been shown to require two regulatory genes on the C-terminal side of the glnA gene (McFarland et al., 1981). We have cloned a HindIII-EcoRI DNA fragment from Escherichia coli coding for analogous properties with respect to the Ntr phenotype in E. coli. A plasmid containing this E. coli DNA fragment joined to another fragment carrying a cyanobacterial glnA gene (but no functional regulatory genes) was introduced into a Klebsiella pneumoniae mutant with a Gln− Ntr− phenotype i.e., which could not derepress nitrogenase. The cyanobacterial gene made the Klebsiella strain Gln+ and the E. coli DNA fragment made the strain Ntr+, including the ability to derepress nitrogenase fully. Thus the products of the glnA-linked ntr genes of E. coli can regulate expression of the Ntr-dependent genes of Klebsiella.
Comparison of Three Types of Common Rail Systems Suited for Diesel Engines From 1 to 5 Megawatt

The basic physical law governing the injection in Common Rail Systems is the compressibility of the fuel. The effects of pressure wave dynamics, the layout of the system volume and its geometrical distribution strongly affect the injection events at every injector. In this Paper, three different arrangements of system volumes and their effect upon the performance of the individual injectors are compared using the hydraulics simulation tool AMESim. Two systems are known in the passenger car and the heavy duty diesel engine domains. The third system is new and takes advantage of pressure wave dynamics to tailor the injection event. This system is best suited for Diesel Engines with a power from 1 to 5 MW, as used in locomotives, ships, power generation and heavy earthmoving machinery. It produces a more favorable pattern of the injection pressure and injection rate shape during any injection event by hydraulically interconnecting the individual injector’s accumulators during the injection and taking advantage of pressure wave dynamics. Right after the end of each injection, dynamic pressure pulsations are evened out with a dampening device. A multi-cylinder system provides equal conditions for all injections. Its very simple design and increased performance makes the novel system of very attractive use in the above mentioned fields.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Training and Maintenance of Keypecking in the Pigeon by Negative Reinforcement

Pigeons were trained to peck a key to escape a pulsing shock of linearly increasing intensity. As the rate of increase was varied from 0.0374 milliamperes per minute to 37.4 milliamperes per minute, the intensity at which most pecking occurred varied from 2.2 to 5.0 milliamperes.
Less Na+/H+-exchanger to treat heart failure: a simple solution for a complex problem?

See article by Baartscheer et al. [1] (pages 83–92) in this issue . Heart failure is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in the western world. Enormous investments have been made for researching the treatment of this disease with the aim of reconstructing the chain of events at the organ, cellular, and molecular levels that leads to cardiac hypertrophy and/or heart failure. This challenge is extremely complex because almost every cellular and molecular system is affected in heart failure. These modifications can be a cause or a consequence of heart failure, can be compensatory or detrimental, or can be simply epiphenomena. The ideal target for heart failure research is the identification of key factors that are commonly activated by the underlying diseases and are responsible for inducing the functional changes. Normalisation of these key factors would restore cardiac function or, at the very least, prevent further dysfunction. There is now evidence that one of these key factors is the Na+/H+-exchanger (NHE-1). Several studies have now shown that inhibiting the NHE-1 in heart failure is beneficial. In the present issue of Cardiovascular Research the article by Baartscheer et al. [1] presents further evidence for this effect. Investigations into the role of the NHE-1 in cardiac disease have been examined under two main clinical scenarios: (1) in the setting of ischaemia/reperfusion; (2) during progression from hypertrophy to heart failure. … *Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1895 453 874; fax: +44 1895 828 900. Email address: c.terracciano{at}imperial.ac.uk
Efficacy of a patient‐training videotape on motor fluctuations for on‐off diaries in parkinson's disease

Patient on-off diaries are used in clinical trials, but a method to assure agreement between patient and examiner has never been developed. We tested whether a patient-teaching tape increased the rate of agreement between patient diary ratings and simultaneous neurologic assessment by a trained professional. A total of 32 consecutive patients who had Parkinson's disease with motor fluctuations independently completed a 4-h on-off diary (nine ratings) at the same time as an examiner. Those with < 80% agreement with the examiner (n = 20) were randomized to view either a training tape that showed motor fluctuations (experimental group) or-another videotape of general patient educational material (control group). All patients then underwent the same 4-h assessment of motor fluctuations. To test for long-term retention, they returned 1 month later and, without reviewing the videotape, underwent a final 4-h correlation assessment. After the training tape, the experimental group showed significant improvement, whereas the control group showed no improvement. Furthermore, another month later, the improvement in the experimental group was retained. Based on these findings, we suggest that future clinical trials assessing motor fluctuations incorporate this tape into their basic methodology.
Discharge Detection in Extruded Polyethylene Insulated Power Cables

An analytical study was made of the separator-filter type of discharge detector circuit when connected to long cable lengths during corona measurements of polyethylene insulated power cables. Based on this study, it is indicated how optimum detector and connecting circuit parameters can be chosen to best advantage when this type of detection equipment is used in factories where the electrical noise level is high. Under these conditions, it is indicated that a sensitivity of 4 pC (picocoulombs) is obtained on long lengths of power cables over a large range of commercial conductor sizes and voltage ratings; and that on relatively short lengths, the sensitivity is as low as 0.1 pC. It is explained that it is necessary to calibrate the particular measuring circuit with the cable load included, preferably using an exponential pulse applied to the far end of the cable, in order for the discharge measurements to have any real meaning.
The mechanics of size-dependent indentation

Indentation tests at scales on the order of one micron have shown that measured hardness increases significantly with decreasing indent size, a trend at odds with the size-independence implied by conventional plasticity theory. In this paper, strain gradient plasticity theory is used to model materials undergoing small-scale indentations. Finite element implementation of the theory as it pertains to indentation modeling is briefly reviewed. Results are presented for frictionless conical indentations. A strong effect of including strain gradients in the constitutive description is found with hardness increasing by a factor of two or more over the relevant range of behavior. The results are used to investigate the role of the two primary constitutive length parameters in the strain gradient theory. The study indicates that indentation may be the most effective test for measuring one of the length parameters.
The interaction of extravascular pressure fields and fluid exchange in capillary networks

Abstract A previously developed model [4] is extended to include capillary networks of realistic three-dimensional architecture, and used to examine the interaction of the local tissue pressure field with fluid exchange. Fluid-flux calculations using this model show that interaction, which reduces the predicted amount of fluid exchanged below that predicted by the classical Starling's hypothesis, increases with increasing numbers of capillary segments. Fluid filtration from one capillary is affected by the local pressure fields of other capillaries, resulting in a capillary-capillary interaction. This interaction increases with increasing values of the ratio of endothelial to tissue hydraulic conductivities. For large values of the ratio, the model predicts a fluid flux almost 90% less than that calculated by Starling's hypothesis. It is shown, however, that at even the smallest physiologically reasonable value of this ratio, interaction still has a significant effect in reducing the predicted fluid exchange in large networks.
Glanggang and Selakopi - Two new paired Indonesian chondrites

The Indonesian meteorites Selakopi, and H-5 chondrite, and Glanggang, a breccia with H-6 fragments in an H-5 chondritic matrix, were recovered on the same day from sites only 50 km apart. The textures and compositions of Selakopi and the H-5 portion of Glanggang are very similar, indicating that they are closely related. The bulk chemistry of the H-6 portion of Glanggang is also very similar to that of the samples mentioned. It has therefore been concluded that Selakopi and the Glanggang breccia fragments were derived from the same source area and were probably ejected at the same time. Minor differences in bulk composition and texture among the three samples may be attributed to local variations on the parent body. However, for reasons stipulated in the conclusion, it is recommended that separate names be maintained for these meteorites until further, more definitive investigations have been made.
Optical activation of inefficient sulfur dopants in hydrogenated amorphous silicon: A new metastable effect

Abstract We report inefficient doping of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) by group VI, sulfur double-donors. We also report the appearance of an optically-induced activation of sulfurrelated donors, that are de-activated (or passivated) by hydrogen in annealed films of a-Si:H. In addition, we examine the possibility that this new metastability might be used to counteract the deleterious features of the Staebler-Wronski effect in a-Si:H.
Surface flow visualization using thermal tufts produced by an encapsulated phase change material

Abstract A new thermal tuft method for flow visualization similar to the laser thermal tuft method is described. The earlier laser thermal tuft method involved heating a spot on a surface with a laser, producing a teardrop temperature distribution on a surface coated with thermochromic liquid crystals. In the present study, thermal tufts are produced by embedding small thermal masses in a low thermal conductivity substrate. When a model is exposed to wind tunnel flow, the embedded thermal masses remain (nearly) isothermal while the thermal tufts appear downstream. The advantage of using embedded thermal masses over previous methods is that no laser or heated base is needed. Multiple tufts can easily be achieved. By using an encapsulated phase change material the phase change between solid and liquid (ice) produces isothermal spots. Images of the surface temperature distributions associated with these thermal tufts were obtained using both liquid crystal and infrared thermography. Flow visualization using these thermal tufts is demonstrated for an impinging jet and on a flat surface in a wind tunnel with crossflow.
Supersymmetric E8(+8)/SO(16) sigma-model coupled to N=1 supergravity in three dimensions

Abstract A three-dimensional simple N=1 supergravity theory with a supersymmetric sigma-model on the coset E8(+8)/SO(16) is constructed. Both bosons and fermions in the matter multiplets are in the spinorial 128 -representation of SO(16) with the same chirality. Due to their common chirality, this model cannot be obtained from the maximal N=16 supergravity. By introducing an independent vector multiplet, we can also gauge an arbitrary subgroup of SO(16) together with a Chern–Simons term. Similar N=1 supersymmetric σ-models coupled to supergravity are also constructed for the cosets F4(−20)/SO(9) and SO(8,n)/SO(8)×SO(n).
The Evolving Role of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Colon Cancer Prevention: A Cause for Optimism

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious yet preventable disease. The low acceptance and cost of colonoscopy as a screening method for CRC make chemoprevention an important option. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), not currently recommended for CRC prevention, have the potential to evolve into the agents of choice for this indication. Here, we discuss the promise and challenge of NSAIDs for this chemopreventive application. Multiple epidemiologic studies, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of sporadic colorectal polyp recurrence, RCTs in patients with hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, and pooled analyses of cardiovascular-prevention RCTs linked to cancer outcomes have firmly established the ability of conventional NSAIDs to prevent CRC. NSAIDs, however, are seriously limited by their toxicity, which can become cumulative with their long-term administration for chemoprevention, whereas drug interactions in vulnerable elderly patients compound their safety. Newer, chemically modified NSAIDs offer the hope of enhanced efficacy and safety. Recent work also indicates that targeting earlier stages of colorectal carcinogenesis, such as the lower complexity aberrant crypt foci, is a promising approach that may only require relatively short use of chemopreventive agents. Drug combination approaches exemplified by sulindac plus difluoromethylornithine appear very efficacious. Identification of those at risk or most likely to benefit from a given intervention using predictive biomarkers may usher in personalized chemoprevention. Agents that offer simultaneous chemoprevention of diseases in addition to CRC, e.g., cardiovascular and/or neurodegenerative diseases, may have a much greater potential for a broad clinical application.