cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental verification of technetium 99m-labeled teboroxime kinetic parameters in the myocardium with dynamic single-photon emission computed tomography: reproducibility, correlation to flow, and susceptibility to extravascular contamination.

Background This research was undertaken to investigate the ability of dynamic singlephoton emission computed tomographic (SPECT) imaging to quantify myocardial perfusion in vivo with 99mTc-labeled teboroxime. The objectives of this experiment were (1) to determine the reproducibility of the model parameters fv, K1, and k2 (volume fraction of blood in the tissue and wash-in and wash-out of 99mTc-labeled teboroxime correlate, with an independent measure of myocardial blood perfusion, and (3) to determine the amount of extravascular activity in the arterial blood time-activity curve generated from the dynamic SPECT images
Analyzing power of carbon for incident protons between 440 and 640 MeV

Abstract The effective analyzing power of carbon for polarized protons in the energy range 440 to 640 MeV was measured as a function of proton scattering angle. The measurements were made by observing the azimuthal scattering asymmetry produced by a 650 MeV, 75% polarized beam of protons in a large carbon-plate spark chamber. No attempt was made to separate out the contribution of inelastic channels which resemble proton-carbon scattering. An enhancement of p-C analyzing power in the neighborhood of 650 MeV is observed and a possible explanation of this effect is discussed.
Uncertainty in Ranking the Hottest Years of U.S. Surface Temperatures

AbstractRanking years based on statistical estimates of regional and temporal averages is subject to uncertainty. This uncertainty can in fact be quite substantial and can be described by the rank distribution of an ensemble of such averages. The authors develop a method for estimating it using simulation. The effect of temporal correlation is quite limited in the case studied in this paper: the contiguous United States' annual-mean temperature. The method also allows assessment of derived quantities such as the probability of a given year being one of the 10 warmest in the historical record.
Perturbing the sequestered water-pool in microemulsions: The role of the probe in affecting reverse micelle equilibria

The incorporation of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ within microemulsions formed from anionic (AOT, sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate) and cationic surfactants (CTAB, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) has been investigated by steady-state and time-resolved emission spectroscopy as a function of water content (3 ≤ w0 ≤ 15; w0 = [H2O]/[surfactant]). For anionic surfactants, [Ru(bpy)3]2+ is localized at the surfactant interface, and its emission is characterized by monoexponential kinetics at all w0 values. For cationic surfactants, the emission decay is strictly monoexponential at large w0 values. At small w0 values (<10), the decay is biexponential, and time-resolved emission spectra reveal two discrete emission maxima. These results are interpreted as surfactant−probe interactions driving the formation of at least two different-sized nanodroplets.
Interference and enhancement effects on interaural time discrimination and level discrimination in listeners with normal hearing and those with hearing loss.

It is known that many listeners with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) have difficulty performing binaural tasks. In this study, interference and enhancement effects on interaural time discriminati...
Verapamil in the treatment of ventricular tachycardia

Verapamil, the drug of choice for conversion of most cases of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, has also displayed some efficacy in the treatment of ventricular tachycardia. A case in which the administration of intravenous verapamil resulted in conversion of ventricular tachycardia to sinus rhythm is presented. Experimental and clinical studies of verapamil in the treatment of this arrhythmia have revealed markedly variable results. Verapamil does not appear to be consistently effective in converting ventricular tachycardia. It has, however, demonstrated utility in some instances, especially in cases resistant to more traditional therapeutic agents, as well as relatively unusual forms of ventricular tachycardia. Verapamil may be most effective in suppressing ventricular tachycardia initiated by certain mechanisms.
Functional specialization within the supplementary motor area: A fNIRS study of bimanual coordination

Bimanual movements can be performed by flexing and extending the target effectors (e.g., hand muscles) in unison, or by flexing units on one side in unison with extension of the same units on the opposite side. The former movement patterns are generally referred to as in-phase or parallel, whereas the latter patterns are often termed anti-phase movements. It is well known that anti-phase patterns are unstable and tend to spontaneously transition to in-phase movements at higher repetition rates, but the mechanisms and brain regions involved are not fully understood. In the current study, we utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to evaluate whether anterior/posterior subdivisions of the supplementary motor complex (SMA) have distinct functional roles in maintaining in-phase and anti-phase movement patterns. Twelve healthy adult participants completed a bimanual coordination task comprised of anti-phase and in-phase trials as 24-channel fNIRS data was recorded from dorsal-medial motor areas. We examined the relative concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the channels that were located over the anterior SMA (e.g., pre-SMA) and the SMA proper. Our most interesting results indicated that oxygenated hemoglobin responses were greater in the anterior SMA during performance of anti-phase compared to in-phase movements. In the SMA proper, oxygenated hemoglobin responses did not differ between the two movement patterns. These data suggest that the anterior SMA is critical to programming and maintaining the less stable anti-phase movement patterns, and support the conceptual framework of an anterior-directed gradient of progressively more complex functionality in the SMA.
Improvement of Chip Breaking in Machining Low Carbon Steel by Cryogenically Precooling the Workpiece

Ductile materials such as AISI1008 low carbon steel characteristically exhibit poor chip breaking in conventional machining practices. This paper presents an environmentally clean cryogenic machining process which improves the breakability of AISI1008 chips by lowering the chip temperature to its embrittlement temperature. In this study, the brittle-ductile transition temperature of AISI1008 was experimentally determined to be between -60°C and -120°C. The discussion is focused on whether the chip can reach the embrittlement temperature before it hits an obstacle. A finite element simulation predicted the chip temperatures under various cutting conditions. Liquid nitrogen (LN2) was used to prechill the workpiece cryogenically. The results from the cutting tests indicate a significant improvement in chip breakability for different feeds and speeds by using this cooling technique. However, the effectiveness of cryogenetically prechilling the workpiece was found to be heavily dependent on cutting speed.
Creating Value Through Mergers and Acquisitions: Some Motivations

The pace of international mergers and acquisitions activity has quickened dramatically in the past few years. European companies have continued their spending spree in the United States, while Europe, especially the United Kingdom, has become a corporate battleground. In addition, Japan has become a major buyer in Europe as well as in the United States.
Parkinson's genetics: molecular insights for the new millennium.

Abstract In idiopathic Parkinson’s disease and familial parkinsonism, the limited number of overlapping clinical and pathological outcomes argue that a common underlying molecular pathway is perturbed. Genetic methods are a powerful approach to identify molecular components of disease. We summarize recent attempts to identify the genetic components of familial parkinsonism, without a priori assumptions about disease causation. Much effort has been expended on mapping in families with early-onset disease, in which parkinsonism appears inherited as a Mendelian trait. More recently, association methods have been employed in late-onset disease using affected sib-pairs and population isolates. These findings have been extrapolated to Parkinson’s disease in the community with some success. We review the molecular synthesis now emerging from a genetic perspective.
Irradiation-Mediated Rescue of T Cell–Specific V(D)j Recombination and Thymocyte Differentiation in Severe Combined Immunodeficient Mice by Bone Marrow Cells

In SCID (severe combined immunodeficient) mice, proper assembly of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor (TCR) genes is blocked by defective V(D)J recombination so that B and T lymphocyte differentiation is arrested at an early precursor stage. Treating the mice with gamma irradiation rescues V(D)J rearrangement at multiple TCR loci, promotes limited thymocyte differentiation, and induces thymic lymphomas. These effects are not observed in the B cell lineage. Current models postulate that irradiation affects intrathymic T cell precursors. Surprisingly, we found that transfer of irradiated SCID bone marrow cells to unirradiated host animals rescues both TCR rearrangements and thymocyte differentiation. These data indicate that irradiation affects precursor cells at an earlier stage of differentiation than was previously thought and suggest new models for the mechanism of irradiation rescue.
Geochemistry of the blue gem coal bed, Knox county, Kentucky

Abstract The Blue Gem coal bed (Middle Pennsylvanian Westphalian B, Breathitt Formation), has low-ash (with some sample sites having less than 1% ash) and low-sulfur contents through parts of Knox County, Kentucky. Most collection sites exhibit similar vertical elemental trends in ash geochemistry. The relatively high-ash (>1% ash) lower part of the bed displays enrichment in TiO2, Zr, Cr, V and Ni; Co, Zn, Rb and Mn show enrichment at some sites. A low-ash ( 1% ash and a relative enrichment in SiO2, K2O and Rb and a relative decrease in Cu, Ni, Co, Ba and Mn when compared to the middle part of the bed. Principal components analysis indicates that the samples with an ash content 0.63–1.0% show associations for Ni, Cu, Cr and Co. Samples with between 1.01–2.0% ash display strong element associations that suggest increased clastic sediment contributions (TiO2, Zr, K2O, Rb, SiO2). The low-ash content and the upwards decrease in trace concentrations both suggest that the Blue Gem peat swamp was ombrotrophic through at least a part of its geologic history.
Ionic effects on the behavior of thermoresponsive PEO–PNIPAAm block copolymers

The temperature-dependent aggregation and recovery of the copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)22-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)29 with a C12 end-cap in aqueous solutions of salts and acids are investigated. Salt solutions affected the critical aggregation temperature of the copolymer in a manner predictable according to the Hofmeister series, with the kosmotropic adipic ion lowering the critical aggregation temperature and the chaotropic iodide raising it. Also, both salts and acids increased the size of copolymer aggregates formed with heating, due to the electrostatic shielding of aggregated structures provided by the electrolytes. Additionally, the presence of ionic additives caused a thermohysteretic increase in the size of copolymer aggregates with temperature cycling. The transitions of polymer structure with increasing temperature were surprisingly sharp with the C12 end-cap present, and particularly broad in samples in which the end cap had been cleaved. This observation suggested that the hydrophobic end group was responsible for imparting some degree of order to the polymer at low temperatures, which allowed for rapid reconfiguration with increasing temperature. Finally, in addition to the transitions expected from the least critical solution temperature behavior of the polymer blocks, we have observed an unexpected additional transition which we attribute to the contraction of the poly(ethylene oxide) chains of the copolymer aggregates at higher temperatures. This work illustrates the importance of considering the environment and composition of thermoresponsive block copolymers in certain applications, particularly in solutions with even modest electrolyte concentrations (1–10 mM), as it can have a profound effect on transition temperatures and morphology. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 507–516
The Urease-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Thiourea and Thioacetamide☆

Abstract Jack bean urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of thiourea with a second-order rate constant (kcat/Km) of 1.6 (±0.2) × 10−3M−1s−1at pH7, 25°C. This value is lower than that for urea by a factor of 3 × 108. The corresponding substitution of S for O in acetamide reduces thekcat/Kmvalue by only a factor of 33. This greater reactivity of the oxo compounds than of the corresponding thiono compounds, and the tighter binding of urea (Ks= 2.9 mM) than of either the guanidinium ion (Ki= 30 mM) or thiourea (Ki= 70 mM), suggests that the substrate chalcogen (S or O) is more likely to be stabilized in the transition state by coordination to the enzyme via a neutral hydrogen-bond donor (i.e., Bronsted acid catalysis) than by coordination via one of the active-site nickel ions (i.e., Lewis acid catalysis).
Fear Conditioning Occludes LTP-Induced Presynaptic Enhancement of Synaptic Transmission in the Cortical Pathway to the Lateral Amygdala

Auditory information critical for fear conditioning, a model of emotional learning, is conveyed to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala via two routes: directly from the medial geniculate nucleus and indirectly from the auditory cortex. Here we show in the cortico-amygdala pathway that learned fear occludes electrically induced long-term potentiation (LTP). Quantal analysis of the expression of LTP in this pathway reveals a significant presynaptic component reflected in an increase in probability of transmitter release. Conditioned fear also is accompanied by the enhancement in transmitter release at this cortico-amygdala synapse. These results indicate that the synaptic projections from the auditory cortex to the lateral amygdala are modified during the acquisition and expression of fear to auditory stimulation, thus further strengthening the proposed link between LTP in the auditory pathways to the amygdala and learned fear.
Surfactant ion electrode measurements of sodium alkylsulfate and alkyltrimethylammonium bromide micellar solutions

EMF measurements in water at 25°C have been made using surfactant ion and counterion electrodes on two homologous series of long chain surfactants, the sodium alkylsulfates (R=n-C8H17 to n-C14H29) and the alkyltrimethylammonium bromides (R=C10H21 to C16H33). The data show evidence of association below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) but not of micelle ordering due to coulombic repulsion above this concentration.
Next generation ALE concepts

Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) is the mechanism through which automated HF radio systems automatically establish communication on one of a set of channels where a channel is typically a 3 kHz single sideband frequency assignment. In some cases this may be the "best" channel based on either predicted or measured parameters. In other cases the selected channel may simply be good enough to establish communication at some minimum level of service. This paper provides a basic overview of the basic features of both second and third generation ALE system and then discusses what improvements and enhancements may be possible in a next generation ALE system.
Influence of dissolved organic carbon on photochemically mediated cycling of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater

The influence of sunlight and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on the photochemically mediated cycling of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was investigated in rainwater samples collected in Wilmington, North Carolina USA. Upon exposure to simulated sunlight 14 of 19 authentic rainwater samples exhibited significant decreases in H2O2. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide did not change significantly in organic-free synthetic rainwater spiked with H2O2 in the light or in dark controls suggesting that the loss was not due to direct photolysis or dark mediated reactions. There was a significant correlation between pseudo-first order rate constants of H2O2 decay and initial H2O2 concentrations. There was also a significant correlation between the rate constant and the abundance of DOC suggesting that rainwater organic carbon plays an important role during photolytic decay either via direct reaction or indirectly through production of peroxide reactive species or scavenging of peroxide generating radicals. Several rain samples exhibited an initial increase in H2O2 during the first 2 h of irradiation. These increases were generally small and most likely do not represent a significant input of peroxide in precipitation. The photo-induced destruction of H2O2 is important because it may partly explain the late afternoon decrease of peroxide concentrations observed in earlier field studies and the substantial under saturation (<10%) of this oxidant in rainwater compared with gas phase concentrations.
Stability of tranexamic acid after 12-week storage at temperatures from -20°c to 50°c.

AbstractBackground. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic agent that reduces blood loss during surgery, decreases mortality in civilian and military trauma populations, was adopted for prehospital use by the British military, and is now issued to U.S. Special Operations Forces for use on the battlefield. Objective. This study tested whether storage of TXA ampoules at four temperatures (–20°C, 4°C, 22°C, or 50°C) for 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks would result in chemical degradation and the loss of activity to block streptokinase-induced fibrinolysis in human plasma. Methods. For each temperature and storage duration, normal plasma, plasma plus streptokinase (SK) (50 units/mL), and plasma + SK + TXA (0.2 μg/mL, n = 4) were tested for D-dimer (DD), for fibrin degradation products (FDP), by thromboelastography (to measure the units/mL of SK needed to get 100% fibrinolysis at 60 minutes [LY60]), and by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results were similar for all temperatures and storage dura...
The Role of Functional Analysis in Phylogenetic Inference: Examples from the History of the Xiphosura

SYNOPSIS. Conventional cladistic analyses of phylogeny can be interpreted as operating at the level of phylogenetic trees. They assume that all “evolutionary steps” (transitions from one character state to the next, along a morphocline) are independent and equal, and, on that basis, select the cladogram which is consistent with the most parsimonious trees. Evaluation of the assumptions of independence and equality requires consideration of hypotheses at the levelof scenarios. In some cases, arguments based on functional analysis can suggest revised interpretations of either homology or polarity. If properly formulated, these arguments can alter the evaluation of parsimony for trees to the extent that even the choice of cladogram is affected. The structure of scenario level arguments is identical to that of arguments operating at tree level. Examples of phylogenetic inference in the context of xiphosurans (horseshoe crabs), using both comparative morphological and functional analysis, illustrate this approach. In different cases, orthodox interpretations of relationship are either challenged or corroborated. Although the introduction of functional analysis into the process of phylogenetic inference may appear to compromise the usefulness of the reconstructed phylogeny for testing hypotheses concerning the role of natural selection in evolution, it actually increases the strength of such tests.
Relationship between physiochemical properties, aggregation and u.v. inactivation of isolated indigenous spores in water.

Aims: The objective of the study was to compare ultraviolet (u.v.) inactivation kinetics of indigenous aerobic spores in surface water with their laboratory-cultured spore isolates and to investigate the relationship between physicochemical characteristics and u.v. inactivation kinetics of spore isolates. Methods and Results: Lake water samples were analysed for the presence of indigenous aerobic spores. Different bacterial isolates from the heterogeneous indigenous population were genetically characterized, resporulated and examined for hydrophobicity, surface charge, particle size distribution and survival at different u.v. 254 nm fluence levels. Cultured isolated spores exhibited a three-stage inactivation curve consisting of shoulder, first order and tailing regions whereas indigenous spores exhibited only one stage of linear kinetics. Hydrophobicity of the Bacillus spore isolates was inversely related to the extent of u.v. inactivation before tailing occurred. Conclusions: Tailing in the u.v. inactivation curves results from aggregation of a portion of the spore population because of hydrophobic interactions, supporting the link between aggregation of spores, hydrophobicity and u.v. inactivation. Significance and Impact of the Study: Evidence of the link between spore physicochemical parameters and u.v. disinfection performance furthers the understanding of factors that affect inactivation of microbes in natural waters supplied to drinking water treatment plants.
Identification of Glycosaminoglycans in Human Airway Secretions

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), known to be present in airway mucus, are macromolecules with a variety of structural and biological functions. In the present work, we used fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE) to identify and relatively quantify GAGs in human tracheal aspirates (HTA) obtained from healthy volunteers. Primary cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) and submucosal gland (SMG) cells were used to assess their differential contribution to GAGs in mucus. Distribution was further assessed by immunofluorescence in human trachea tissue sections and in cell cultures. HTA samples contained keratan sulfate (KS), chondroitin/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS), and hyaluronan (HA), whereas heparan sulfate (HS) was not detected. SMG cultures secreted CS/DS and HA, CS/DS being the most abundant GAGs in these cultures. NHBE cells synthesized KS, HA, and CS/DS. Confocal microscopy showed that KS was exclusively found at the apical border of NHBE cells and on the apical surface of ciliated ...
Rana Pipiens: Health and Disease—How Little We Know

In the early 1960's, my laboratory was engaged in the study of the relationship between calcium, high energy intermediates, and nerve and muscle conduction (Gibbs, 1964). I selected the frog as an ideal source of tissue because of its ready availability and the broad temperature range over which it can function normal? ly. It was hoped and much later confirmed that the use of intact muscle bundles main?
Nuclear corrections to molecular properties. IV. Theory for low‐lying vibrational states of polyatomic molecules with application to the water molecule near the Hartree‐Fock limit

Perturbation theory is used in conjunction with ab initio electronic structure calculations to obtain information about the effects of pure vibration on properties of polyatomic molecules. It is shown that any property P can be developed in the form ν=P′0+Σi=1NAi(νi+1/2)+Σi≤ jNBij(νi+1/2)(νj+1/2)+ ⋯, where P′0,{Aj}, and {Bij} are certain constants and (ν1, ν2, ⋯ νN) are the quantum numbers for N modes of vibration. Several isotopic variants of the water molecule with Σiνi ≤ 3 are used to illustrate the utility of the method at the Hartree‐Fock level of approximation. The properties examined include the energy, the dipole moment, and the nuclear quadrupole coupling constants.
A parallel computational method for simulating two-phase gel dynamics on a staggered grid

We develop a parallel computational algorithm for simulating models of gel dynamics where the gel is described by two phases, a networked polymer and a fluid solvent. The models consist of transport equations for the two phases, two coupled momentum equations, and a volume-averaged incompressibility constraint. Multigrid with Vanka-type box-relaxation scheme is used as preconditioner for the Krylov subspace solver (GMRES) to solve the momentum and incompressibility equations. Through numerical experiments of a model problem, the efficiency, robustness and scalability of the algorithm are illustrated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
16.2: Invited Paper: Flexible/Stretchable Electronics for Unusual Display Systems

Organized arrays of single crystalline semiconductor nanoribbons, nanomembranes and nanowires represent an enabling class of thin film type material for flexible/stretchable circuits suitable for display and other applications. This paper describes methods to create and manipulate such materials, and a variety of device demonstrators to illustrate key capabilities.
New Electrostatic Spinning Concept for Cotton

A new compact design was developed for the electrostatic spinning of cotton yarns by use of the best technology derived from previous research conducted at the Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans (USDA) and Battelle Columbus Laboratories. The new design consists of a miniature card-type fiber feed system, a rotating grounded tail electrode, a conical insulating chamber, and a high-voltage twisting electrode located at the apex of the conical chamber.
The importance of becoming double-stranded: Innate immunity and the kinetic model of HIV-1 central plus strand synthesis

Central initiation of plus strand synthesis is a conserved feature of lentiviruses and certain other retroelements. This complication of the standard reverse transcription mechanism produces a transient “central DNA flap” in the viral cDNA, which has been proposed to mediate its subsequent nuclear import. This model has assumed that the important feature is the flapped DNA structure itself rather than the process that produces it. Recently, an alternative kinetic model was proposed. It posits that central plus strand synthesis functions to accelerate conversion to the double-stranded state, thereby helping HIV-1 to evade single-strand DNA-targeting antiviral restrictions such as APOBEC3 proteins, and perhaps to avoid innate immune sensor mechanisms. The model is consistent with evidence that lentiviruses must often synthesize their cDNAs when dNTP concentrations are limiting and with data linking reverse transcription and uncoating. There may be additional kinetic advantages for the artificial genomes of lentiviral gene therapy vectors.
Replication of duck hepatitis B virus in two differentiated human hepatoma cell lines after transfection with cloned viral DNA

Cloned DNA of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) was used to transfect two differentiated human hepatoma cell lines, Huh 7 and Hep G2. Use of the transfected genome as a transcriptional template was demonstrated by the appearance of virus-specific subgenomic and genomic transcripts. Comparison of the steady-state ratio of subgenomic to genomic transcripts in Huh 7 and Hep G2 cells suggests that there are differences in the relative stability and/or rate of production of these transcripts between these cell lines. Viral genomic replication proceeded in both lines, as judged by the presence of DHBV DNA replicative intermediates in cytoplasmic core particles; the levels of these replicative intermediates is roughly equivalent in Huh 7 and Hep G2 cells. Subcutaneous injection of tissue culture medium from transfected Huh 7 cells into Pekin ducks resulted in productive DHBV infection, indicating the production and export of biologically active virus. These cell lines should provide a valuable system for studying the molecular mechanisms of the hepadnaviral life cycle.
Rare gas constraints on the history of Boulder 1, Station 2, Apollo 17

Rare gas isotopic analyses have been performed on both pile-irradiated and unirradiated samples from Boulder 1, Station 2. Two samples from rock 72255, the Civet Cat clast and a sample of adjacent breccia, have concordant40Ar-39 Ar ages of 3.99±0.03 b.y. and 4.01±0.03 b.y., respectively. Several samples from rock 72275 have complex thermal release patterns with no datable features, but an intermediate-temperature plateau from the dark rim material of the Marble Cake clast yields an age of 3.99±0.03 b.y. - indistinguishable from the age of rock 72255. We regard these ages as upper limits on the time of the Serenitatis basin-forming event.
Morphology Gradients in Thermally Point-Bonded Poly(ethylene Terephthalate) Nonwovens

In a previous article, a sharp change in the birefringence and density of polypropylene fibers was reported at the edge of thermal point bonds in nonwovens. In this article, similar results are shown for polyester nonwovens. First, in both isotactic polypropylene (ipp) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), the morphology of the fibers between the bond points is identical to that of the original feed fibers. Second, the morphology of the bond points is substantially different from that of the fibers. Third, there is a rapid change in the morphology going from the fiber into the bond at the bond edge. Fourth, the birefringence of the fibers decreases by approximately 50% going from the fibers into the bonds. The change in birefringence is a function of processing conditions. In PET, the density in the bond point is lower than in the bridging fibers, while in ipp, the density in the bond point is higher than in the bridging fiberts. This difference is readily understood based on the different crystallizati...
Managing and searching personal photo collections

We present a prototype system for managing and searching collections of personal digital images. The system allows the collection to be stored across a mixture of local and remote computers and managed seamlessly. It provides multiple ways of organizing and viewing the same collection. It also provides a search function that uses features based on face detection and low-level color, texture and edge features combined with digital camera capture settings to provide high-quality search that is computed at the server but available from all other networked devices accessing the photo collection. Evaluations of the search facility using human relevancy experiments are provided.
Structural biology: RNA switches function

Proteins are not the only regulators of metabolite synthesis — some RNA molecules do it too. These RNAs lack chemical diversity, so how do we explain the variety of their respective substrates? Genes are commonly turned on or off by protein factors that respond to cellular signals. The recent discovery of riboswitches, regulatory elements within some messenger RNAs, proved that RNA can also detect essential metabolites and control genes. Two structural studies throw new light on the riboswitch system. Serganov et al. use X-ray diffraction to establish the three-dimensional structure of a riboswitch from Escherichia coli bound to its target, a vitamin B1 derivative. These findings reveal how RNA folds to form a precise pocket for its target and how the antibiotic pyrithiamine acts by tricking the riboswitch. This suggests a new drug design strategy for antibacterials and antifungals targeting riboswitches. Montange and Batey have solved the structure of a bacterial riboswitch RNA bound to S-adenosyl methionine. Its complex folded structure reveals how ligand binding leads structural changes that prevent further transcription.
Adaptive online quality control for injection-molding by monitoring and controlling mold separation†

This paper presents a unique method that makes use of a small signal (of the magnitude of microns) measured by a precision linear displacement transducer mounted on the outside of mold plates to monitor the momentary separation of the core and cavity plates. The maximum value of the separation is found to be highly correlated with part weight, one of the important quality indices. The whole profile of the mold separation (MS) is monitored and used in order to control the process adaptively and to keep the part quality consistent. Adaptive algorithms are developed to control the switchover point from filling to packing in terms of hydraulic pressure from shot to shot. Within a shot, the hydraulic pressure during the holding stage is manipulated to control the MS profile. The experimental results with different resins and mold geometries show that the variation of part weight is reduced significantly as compared to the conventional hydraulic pressure control. POLYM. ENG. SCI. 46:569–580, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Identification of c-type heme-containing peptides using nonactivated immobilized metal affinity chromatography resin enrichment and higher-energy collisional dissociation.

The c-type cytochromes play essential roles in many biological activities of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including electron transfer, enzyme catalysis, and induction of apoptosis. We rep...
Luminescence and Photoconductivity in Cadmium Sulfide at the Absorption Edge

Measurements of optical transmission, photoconductive response, luminescent edge emission, and excitation spectrum for edge emission have been made on single crystal specimens of CdS at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. At the lowest temperature there is an energy gap of more than 0.1 electron volt between the absorption edge and the onset of emission. Coupled with information from the emission spectrum and the infrared properties of CdS, this observation suggests that edge emission in this material may occur at a special center and not be characteristic of the pure lattice.
Effects of minimum-interreinforcer interval on ethanol-maintained performance of rats

Abstract Dipper cups filled with an 8% (w/v) ethanol solution were presented to Long-Evans hooded rats according to either a multiple Extinction x sec Fixed-Ratio 1 or a chain Differential-Reinforcement-of-Other-Behavior x sec Fixed-Ratio 1 schedule of reinforcement. The scheduled value of the extinction and differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior components was varied to manipulate minimum-interreinforcer interval. Minimum-interreinforcer intervals from 0 sec (baseline condition of continuous reinforcement) to 480 sec were tested in an ascending series followed by a descending, retest series. Increasing the minimum-interreinforcer interval reduced the number of ethanol presentations obtained under both reinforcement schedules. These reductions were not due to ceiling effects imposed by the maximum number of possible deliveries obtainable within a session. The number of ethanol presentations obtained was always less than the maximum number permitted by the value of the minimum-interreinforcer interval. Thus, imposing minimum-interreinforcer intervals between drinking opportunities reduces the level of ethanol self-administration relative to continuous-access baseline conditions.
THE BILINGUALISM READER. Li Wei (Ed.) . London: Routledge, 2000. Pp. xv + 541. £18.99 paper.

This volume consists of a collection of 18 chapters of previously published articles, mostly classic works on bilingualism (all but five were published before 1990). The majority of the authors are very well known and well respected scholars in the field: Auer, Blom, Ching, Clyne, de Bot, Ferguson, Fishman, Galloway, Genesee, Green, Grosjean, Gumperz, Jake, Mackey, Meisel, Milroy, Myers-Scotten, Obler, Paradis, Poplack, Vaid, Wei, and Zatorre. Wei's motivation for this reader is that it serve the dual purpose of compiling many of the important articles on bilingualism, which in many parts of the world are unavailable because of inadequate library facilities, and encourage researchers to read the original works rather than commentaries on them. As Wei put it, “I am nevertheless concerned that a new generation of ‘scholars' might be emerging out of a ‘hear-say' tradition” (p. ix).
Clostridium difficile Toxins: Mechanism of Action and Role in Disease

As the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea, Clostridium difficile colonizes the large bowel of patients undergoing antibiotic therapy and produces two toxins, which cause notable disease pathologies. These two toxins, TcdA and TcdB, are encoded on a pathogenicity locus along with negative and positive regulators of their expression. Following expression and release from the bacterium, TcdA and TcdB translocate to the cytosol of target cells and inactivate small GTP-binding proteins, which include Rho, Rac, and Cdc42. Inactivation of these substrates occurs through monoglucosylation of a single reactive threonine, which lies within the effector-binding loop and coordinates a divalent cation critical to binding GTP. By glucosylating small GTPases, TcdA and TcdB cause actin condensation and cell rounding, which is followed by death of the cell. TcdA elicits effects primarily within the intestinal epithelium, while TcdB has a broader cell tropism. Important advances in the study of these toxins have been made in the past 15 years, and these are detailed in this review. The domains, subdomains, and residues of these toxins important for receptor binding and enzymatic activity have been elegantly studied and are highlighted herein. Furthermore, there have been major advances in defining the role of these toxins in modulating the inflammatory events involving the disruption of cell junctions, neuronal activation, cytokine production, and infiltration by polymorphonuclear cells. Collectively, the present review provides a comprehensive update on TcdA and TcdB's mechanism of action as well as the role of these toxins in disease.
Incidence of extramedullary disease in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia: a single-institution experience

Using current treatment regimens, over 90% of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia will achieve complete remission (CR). However, approximately 30% of these patients will relapse, including a small proportion who will develop extramedullary disease (EMD). In this study, we investigated the incidence of EMD in 263 patients with APL who were treated at our institution from January 1990 to May 2008. With a median follow-up of 31 months (range 2 days–203 months), 8 (3%) patients developed EMD. The most commonly affected site was the central nervous system (n = 7). Before developing EMD, one patient had achieved CR with a chemotherapy-only regimen, six patients had achieved CR with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA)-based regimens, and one patient had achieved CR with an ATRA plus arsenic trioxide (ATO)-based regimen. The EMD conferred a poor prognosis; five patients died within 4 months of developing EMD. The molecular status did not predict EMD; four patients had a negative PCR for the PML-RARA transcripts prior to relapse with EMD. In conclusion, the incidence of EMD is low. We were unable to identify any specific factors that could predict the development of EMD.
A Critique of the Case for Privatizing Social Security

This article presents and then critiques arguments made by those advocating the privatization of Social Security. It refutes the argument that baby boomers will find themselves without Social Security pensions unless fundamental changes are made. It questions the claims that privatization would increase economic growth, reduce the federal deficit, make the nation more competitive in the global economy, protect workers against payroll tax increases, protect boomers against pension benefit cuts, and increase confidence in Social Security. It argues that for low-wage workers, returns on contributions would probably decrease and future benefits would become politically more vulnerable.
The Escherichia coli AraC-family regulators GadX and GadW activate gadE, the central activator of glutamate-dependent acid resistance

Escherichia coli can survive pH 2 acid stress by using several acid resistance systems. The most efficient of these employs glutamate decarboxylase (GadA/GadB) to consume protons, and an antiporter (GadC) to exchange the intracellular decarboxylation product for external glutamic acid. Expression of the essential transcriptional activator of this system, GadE, is controlled by several regulators in a hierarchical fashion. In this study, two additional activators have been identified. The AraC-family regulators GadX and GadW, previously found to activate gadA/BC in vitro, are now shown in vivo to directly activate gadE expression, which, in turn, activates the gadA/BC genes. In vivo results using E. coli and Salmonella enterica show that these regulators actually have little direct effect on gadA and gadBC promoters. The numerous gadE induction pathways converge on a 798 bp control region situated upstream of the gadE promoter region. Deletions of this control region exposed the region between -798 and -360 nt (relative to the translational start) to be required for maximum gadE-lacZ expression in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium and to be the primary focus of GadX and GadW control. The GadE protein itself, which binds to three GAD box sequences present between -233 and -42 nt, helped activate GadE expression in LB, but only when the -798 to -360 region was absent. These regulatory regions and proteins appear to integrate a variety of physiological signals that forecast a need for GadE-dependent gene expression and acid resistance.
Craig on McTaggart's Paradox and the problem of temporary intrinsics

In his recent paper, William Lane Craig (1998) purports to establish the following four theses: (1) McTaggart's Paradox is a peculiar instance of the Problem of Temporary Intrinsics, i.e., the problem of change.1 (2) If one adopts a hybrid A-B theory which countenances both B-relations and nonrelational A-properties, then McTaggart's Paradox is unavoidable. (3) On the other hand, if one adopts a pure A-theory of time, i.e., the ontology of presentism, then the problem of temporary intrinsics and McTaggart's Paradox are adroitly dissolved. He concludes, therefore, that (4) 'the debate over McTaggart's Paradox needs to be re-focused on the tenability of the metaphysic of presentism' (126). Although I will have something to say about each of Craig's theses, I shall concentrate on the third, and argue that Craig's presentist ontology does not avoid the problems for which it was introduced. First some preliminaries. The problem of ordinary change may be stated succinctly as follows: How can one and the same thing have incompatible intrinsic (that is, nonrelational) non-temporal properties such as being straight and being bent? The problem of temporal change (or temporal becoming) may be stated analogously: How can one and the same event have incompatible intrinsic temporal properties, such as being future, being present and being past? Although both questions are instances of the general problem: How can one and the same entity have incompatible properties? there is an important connection between them that their similarity masks, namely, temporal change is claimed by (some) tensers to explain ordinary change. Thus, for (some) tensers, a persisting thing 0 changing from straight to bent is explained by claiming that the events, O's being straight and O's being bent, each change from being future to being present to being past. According to McTaggart, however, this explanation of ordinary change (or temporary intrinsics) involves a vicious circle since precisely the same incompatible properties problem that arose with regard things changing their non-temporal properties rearises with regard events changing their
Optimization of Multipliers for Nonlinear Input-Output Stability Tests

Classes multipliers that can be used for producing alternative stability tests involving positive-real and singular-value conditions have been neatly parameterized by Zames, Falb, Willems, and Safonov [1-3]. However, the issue of how to select optimal multipliers has remained unresolved until now. The present paper addresses this issue, describing how linear programming can be used to compute optimal multipliers for systems having a single incrementally conic nonlinearity f(x).
Experimental Testing of a Permanent Rechargeable Cardiac Pacemaker

Abstract A one-stage technique for creating complete heart block and implanting a permanent cardiac pacemaker in the dog is described. The animal test model has been used in the development of a rechargeable pacemaker system over a five-year period. In vivo testing led to the identification and solution of several problems in the laboratory prior to clinical use of the system.
Modeling HCV disease in animals: virology, immunology and pathogenesis of HCV and GBV-B infections

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has become a global public health burden costing billions of dollars in health care annually. Even with rapidly advancing scientific technologies this disease still poses a significant threat due to a lack of vaccines and affordable treatment options. The immune correlates of protection and predisposing factors toward chronicity remain major obstacles to development of HCV vaccines and immunotherapeutics due, at least in part, to lack of a tangible infection animal model. This review discusses the currently available animal models for HCV disease with a primary focus on GB virus B (GBV-B) infection of New World primates that recapitulates the dual Hepacivirus phenotypes of acute viral clearance and chronic pathologic disease. HCV and GBV-B are also closely phylogenetically related and advances in characterization of the immune systems of New World primates have already led to the use of this model for drug testing and vaccine trials. Herein, we discuss the benefits and caveats of the GBV-B infection model and discuss potential avenues for future development of novel vaccines and immunotherapies.
The UN Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): A New Way to Measure Women's Interests

Questions about the quality of political representation are central to research on women and gender, and to political science in general. Given a certain set of interests, how well do political institutions and political actors address and advance those interests? Research about the quality of political representation relies a priori on the existence of fixed, stable, and measurable interests; we need to know what women want before we can assess how well politicians represent them. Perfect measures of the interests that all women share have proven elusive. The measures of women's interests that scholars commonly employ lend themselves reasonably well to research, but have unfortunate side effects: They essentialize gender norms, exclude certain groups of women, or define women's interests too narrowly. In this essay, I explore the political implications of the empirical measures of women's interests on which scholars have relied in research on women's political representation. I offer a way to measure women's interests that draws upon the United Nations Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW provides a way to think about women's interests that is broad, inclusive, and sufficiently flexible to reflect changes over time. Furthermore, it enjoys the explicit approval of almost every nation in the world; 186 countries have ratified CEDAW since the UN General Assembly approved it in 1979.
A Fully Implicit Algorithm for Exact State Minimization

State minimization of incompletely specified machines is an important step of FSM synthesis. An exact algorithm consists of generation of prime compatibles and solution of a binate covering problem. This paper presents an implicit algorithm for exact state minimization of FSM's. We describe how to do implicit prime computation and implicit binate covering. We show that we can handle sets of compatibles and prime compatibles of cardinality up to 2/sup 1500/. We present the first published algorithm for fully implicit exact binate covering. We show that we can reduce and solve binate tables with up to 10 /sup 6/ rows and columns. The entire branch-and-bound procedure is carried on implicitly. We indicate also where such examples arise in practice.