cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SPECTRAL EMISSIVITIES OF ELECTRODE MATERIALS

Abstract Many of the high temperature metals and carbides being considered as electrodes in thermionic convertors possess spectral emissivities that are sensitive to both wavelength and temperature. For these materials the gray-body procedure for computing the net radiant heat exchange can yield results considerably different from those obtained by the more exact method of summing the monochromatic heat flux over several hundred increments of wavelength. For tungsten, the flux obtained by summation has been shown to be as much as 25 per cent greater than the gray-body flux when both computational procedures were based on the same emissivity data. The present paper will discuss current progress towards obtaining spectral emissivity data on other materials (such as tantalum); the amount of emissivity data required for any given material in order to calculate summed net heat flows having good accuracy; the extent to which simple equations can be made to fit these heat flow data. The analytical procedure used by the NASA data-reduction center to compute net heat flux for particular geometries will be mentioned. Emphasis will be placed on how the procedure can be applied to a variety of geometries and materials.
Ultrafast endocytosis at Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junctions

Neurons communicate with one another at junctions called synapses. When an electrical signal travels along a neuron and arrives at a synapse, vesicles filled with small neurotransmitter molecules fuse with the cell membrane and release the neurotransmitter. These chemicals rapidly bind to receptors on the downstream neuron that induce an electrical response in that cell. Vesicles can be consumed at prodigious rates, up to 500 a second, so the cell must recover the membrane rapidly and regenerate more vesicles filled with neurotransmitter. Experiments in the 1970s and 1980s suggested that when vesicles empty their contents into the synapse, they fuse completely with the membrane and are lost. To recover the membrane, the cell forms ‘pits’, by means of a coat protein called clathrin, which then bud off into the cell as new vesicles. It takes roughly 15–20 s for vesicles to be recycled in this way. By contrast, synapses with very high firing rates are thought to recycle vesicles through a faster process known as ‘kiss and run’, in which vesicles are not fully integrated into the membrane, but instead fuse transiently with it to form a reversible pore within about a second. However, these studies triggered vesicle release using conditions that are unlikely to occur naturally inside cells. Now, Watanabe et al. have used optogenetics to study vesicle recycling in response to single stimuli at the synapse between neurons and muscles in an intact living animal, the nematode C. elegans. The worms had been genetically modified to express a light-sensitive ion channel called channelrhodopsin in their motor neurons. Watanabe et al. used a single pulse of light to stimulate vesicle release, and then rapidly froze the worms before studying their synapses with electron microscopy. They found that vesicle recycling occurred at the edges of the synapse or at a specialized structure in the middle of the synapse. Vesicle recycling took less than 50 ms—much faster than anything previously observed. This ultrafast recycling is unlikely to occur via ‘kiss and run’ since recycling occurred at sites lateral to the sites of fusion and because the recycled vesicles were larger than the originals, implying that they had not simply re-formed after a brief fusion event. By using physiologically relevant stimuli in an intact animal, Watanabe et al. reveal that vesicles can be recycled at synapses much more rapidly than previously thought, suggesting that our current models of this process may need to be reassessed.
Color and texture fusion: application to aerial image segmentation and GIS updating

Abstract This paper describes a new algorithm for combining color and texture information for the segmentation of color images. The algorithm uses maximum likelihood classification combined with a certainty based fusion criterion. The algorithm was validated using mosaics of real color textures. It was also tested on real outdoor color scenes and aerial images. This algorithm is part of a more complex system, which is currently being designed to assist an operator in updating an old map of an area using aerial images.
Cutaneous abscesses: Natural history and management in an outpatient facility

This study investigated the natural history and treatment of cutaneous abscesses in an outpatient setting. Incision, drainage, aerobic and anaerobic cultures were done on all 78 patients entered in the study. Tenderness and fluctuance were noted in more than 80% of the patients; erythema and induration in more than 60%. Forty-one percent of all abscesses were in the anogenital region. Forty-two percent of cultured abscesses grew aerobes exclusively, 28% grew anaerobes exclusively, and 27% grew a mixture of aerobes and anaerobes. The predominant aerobic organisms were Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, which were mostly isolated from the head/neck, extremities, and axillary regions. The predominant anaerobic organisms were Peptococcus and Bacteroides, which were primarily isolated from the anogenital regions. Nearly 60% of the patients returned for reevaluation. They were equally divided between those patients taking antibiotics and those not on antibiotics. However, all patients were clinically improved.
Red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in hibernating ground squirrels.

Abstract 1. 1. Red cell 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) and hemoglobin were measured in blood from hibernating and normothermic thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Citellus tridecemlineatus) and golden-mantled ground squirrels (Citellus lateralis). 2. 2. Blood from hibernating animals contained significantly less 2, 3-DPG but hemoglobin content was not different. These data provide a basis for the hypothesis that hemoglobin from hibernating animals has an increased affinity for oxygen at 37°C.
No universal remedies: design for contexts

All too often, what seems to be sound advice turns out to be wrongheaded, depending on context. As the above picture, taken during a drought in Southern California, illustrates, some otherwise soun...
Abstract 5476: Small molecule activation of BAX-mediated apoptosis through direct engagement of the BAX trigger site

BCL-2 family proteins are key regulators of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in health and disease. Anti-apoptotic members such as BCL-2 and BCL-X L have been implicated in the initiation, progression, and chemoresistance of human cancer. The anti-apoptotic BCL-2/BCL-X L groove that binds and sequesters pro-apoptotic BH3 death helices has been successfully targeted by small molecules and peptides. Such compounds induce tumor cell apoptosis and are being advanced in clinical trials as promising next-generation cancer therapeutics. We recently localized a distinct BH3 binding groove on pro-apoptotic BAX and demonstrated that engagement of the novel site by a triggering BIM BH3 helix directly activates BAX (Gavathiotis et al. Nature, 2008), unleashing a succession of key conformational changes that culminates in the formation of a toxic mitochondrial pore (Gavathiotis et al. Mol Cell, 2010). Here we applied these new structural insights in a computational screen to identify small molecules capable of directly engaging the BAX trigger site for therapeutic induction of BAX-mediated apoptosis in human cancer. We confirmed by NMR analysis that a series of identified small molecules indeed bound to the BAX trigger site and in fluorescence polarization assays were strikingly selective for the BH3-binding groove of BAX as compared to that of anti-apoptotic targets. We demonstrate that molecular binding triggers dose-responsive BAX activation, as assessed by in vitro oligomerization, membrane permeabilization, and cell death assays. Importantly, the small molecule BAX activators induce apoptosis of cancer cells in a BAX-dependent manner, highlighting both the selectivity and pharmacologic potential of direct BAX activation as a novel strategy for cancer therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5476. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5476
Ab initio molecular dynamics study of crystalline nitric acid trihydrate

Ab initio based Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics calculations (CPMD) have been used to investigate the properties of crystalline nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) at 195 K. The crystal unit cell consists of four formula units of NAT and nominally contains the ions NO3- and H3O+ plus H2O molecules. Reversible proton-transfer events were observed between unique H3O+ and neighboring H2O pairs, which occur throughout the crystal. Full proton transfer to form a new neighboring H3O+ molecule was a rare event. The motion of this mobile proton was associated with hyperextension of the covalent oxygen−hydrogen of H3O+, whose stretch frequency was observed in corresponding power spectra. Calculations showed that a classical free energy of 3.3 kBT was required for the proton to reach the center of the oxygen−oxygen pair. Crystalline NAT was further characterized by calculated equilibrium averages, structural properties, and vibrational spectra.
Photosensitization of Nanocrystalline Semiconductor Films. Modulation of Electron Transfer between Excited Ruthenium Complex and SnO2 Nanocrystallites with an Externally Applied Bias

In situ spectroelectrochemical measurements have been carried out to probe the charge injection from excited Ru(bpy)2(dcbpy)2+, Ru(II), into the SnO2 nanocrystallites. The dependence of luminescence yield and lifetime at various applied potentials suggests that the heterogeneous electron transfer from excited sensitizer into the semiconductor can be controlled by the externally applied electrochemical bias. The maximum quenching is seen at positive potentials while an increase in the luminescence yield and lifetime is seen at negative potentials. Laser flash photolysis of Ru(II)-modified SnO2 nanocrystalline film has been carried out to record the transient absorption spectra at different applied potentials. The yield of electron transfer product, Ru(III), decreases as the applied bias is switched to negative potentials. At an applied bias of −0.7 V the only observable transient is the excited Ru(II) complex (Ru(II)*). The maximum apparent electron transfer rate constant, ket (∼4 × 108 s-1), observed at p...
Iron stores and cardiovascular disease risk factors in women of reproductive age in the United States

Background: The increasing proportion of iron-replete individuals in industrialized countries and the possible increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among men with high iron stores raise concerns regarding improved iron status in women of reproductive age. Objective: This study examined the association between iron stores and a set of established CVD risk factors among nonpregnant women aged 20‐49 y. Design: Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988‐1994) were used to examine the relation between race-ethnicity‐specific quartiles of serum ferritin (SF) and a set of CVD risk factors [body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL cholesterol, plasma glucose, and blood pressure (BP)]. Women with a history of CVD or liver disease were excluded. We controlled for age, session of measurement, prevalent infection, recent blood donation, and treatment with iron for anemia. Results: Mean SF values were 53.22 ± 2.08 � g/L (n = 1178), 58.93 ± 2.39 � g/L (n = 1093), and 43.33 ± 1.39 � g/L (n = 1075) among non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Mexican American women, respectively. Iron stores were positively associated with CVD risk factors only among non-Hispanic black and Mexican American women after adjustment for confounding variables. The strongest associations were seen among Mexican American women: compared with the middle 2 quartiles, the lowest and highest quartiles of SF had lower and higher values, respectively, for BMI, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, glucose, and diastolic BP. Conclusion: These findings suggest that CVD risk factors, especially those related to glucose and lipid metabolism, are positively associated with iron status in women. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:1256‐60.
Type 2 Diabetes Impairs Splanchnic Uptake of Glucose but Does Not Alter Intestinal Glucose Absorption During Enteral Glucose Feeding: Additional Evidence for a Defect in Hepatic Glucokinase Activity

We have previously reported that splanchnic glucose uptake, hepatic glycogen synthesis, and hepatic glucokinase activity are decreased in people with type 2 diabetes during intravenous glucose infusion. To determine whether these defects are also present during more physiological enteral glucose administration, we studied 11 diabetic and 14 nondiabetic volunteers using a combined organ catheterization-tracer infusion technique. Glucose was infused into the duodenum at a rate of 22 micromol. kg(-1). min(-1) while supplemental glucose was given intravenously to clamp glucose at approximately 10 mmol/l in both groups. Endogenous hormone secretion was inhibited with somatostatin, and insulin was infused to maintain plasma concentrations at approximately 300 pmol/l (i.e., twofold higher than our previous experiments). Total body glucose disappearance, splanchnic, and leg glucose extractions were markedly lower (P < 0.01) in the diabetic subjects than in the nondiabetic subjects. UDP-glucose flux, a measure of glycogen synthesis, was approximately 35% lower (P < 0.02) in the diabetic subjects than in the nondiabetic subjects. This was entirely accounted for by a decrease (P < 0.01) in the contribution of extracellular glucose because the contribution of the indirect pathway to hepatic glycogen synthesis was similar between groups. Neither endogenous and splanchnic glucose productions nor rates of appearance of the intraduodenally infused glucose in the portal vein differed between groups. In summary, both muscle and splanchnic glucose uptake are impaired in type 2 diabetes during enteral glucose administration. The defect in splanchnic glucose uptake appears to be due to decreased uptake of extracellular glucose, implying decreased glucokinase activity. Thus, abnormal hepatic and muscle (but not gut) glucose metabolism are likely to contribute to postprandial hyperglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes.
Pathogenesis of adhesion formation/reformation: Application to reproductive pelvic surgery

Pelvic adhesions are a major contributing factor to infertility in women with tubal peritoneal disease. Surgical treatment of such adhesions often does not resolve their presence. Such postoperative adhesion formation occurs despite the use of microsurgical techniques in a wide variety of surgical adjuvants. The process of adhesion formation represents a variation of the normal healing process of the peritoneum. However, rather than normal mesothelial healing, the fibrinous mass resulting from the peritoneal defect is infiltrated by fibroblasts with subsequent adhesion formation. A description of the pathophysiology of this process is described. The current understanding of the pathologic/pathophysiologic interaction of the surgical adjuvants with this process is described.
TIDE-INDUCED MASS TRANSPORT; A FLUSHING MECHANISM FOR SHALLOW LAGOONS

Based on the one-dimensional long wave equations a discussion of the physics underlying the tide-induced mass transport in lagoons is presented. It follows from the dynamic equation that the bottom stress associated with the mass transport serves to balance the gradient of the radiation stress and the net bottom stress associated with the (tidal) waves. The mass transport is at best of 0(a/h) (a = tidal amplitude, h = depth). It is shown that inlets can play an important role in the mass transport and that by properly selecting the inlet dimensions that mass transport can be considerably increased. Numerically computed values show that the tide-induced mass transport can be an important mechanism in renewing the waters of shallow lagoons.
Misdiagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Background Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is an important cause of "new daily persistent headaches" but is not a well-recognized entity. The misdiagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension can have serious consequences. Methods The clinical course in 18 consecutive patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension who were evaluated for definitive surgical treatment of the underlying spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak from January 1, 2001, through June 30, 2002, was investigated by correspondence with the patients and physicians. Results Seventeen patients (94%) initially received an incorrect diagnosis, and the diagnostic delay ranged from 4 days to 13 years (median, 5 weeks; mean, 13 months). Migraine, meningitis, and psychogenic disorder were the most commonly entertained diagnoses. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures for disorders that mimicked spontaneous intracranial hypotension included cerebral arteriography in 2 patients, craniotomies for Chiari malformation in 2 patients, craniotomy for evacuation of subdural hematomas in 1 patient, and brain biopsy in 1 patient. Conclusions Patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension are commonly misdiagnosed, causing a significant delay in the initiation of effective treatments and exposing patients to the risks associated with treatment for disorders that mimic intracranial hypotension. Increasing the awareness of this spontaneous type of intracranial hypotension is required to decrease the high rate of misdiagnosis.
Contract length and salaries compensating wage differentials in Major League Baseball.

This study investigates the relationship between free agent salaries and contract length in Major League Baseball (MLB) to examine whether players trade-off returns to performance for additional jo...
Rainfall-induced changes in food availability modify the spring departure programme of a migratory bird

Climatic warming has intensified selection for earlier reproduction in many organisms, but potential constraints imposed by climate change outside the breeding period have received little attention. Migratory birds provide an ideal model for exploring such constraints because they face warming temperatures on temperate breeding grounds and declining rainfall on many tropical non-breeding areas. Here, we use longitudinal data on spring departure dates of American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) to show that annual variation in tropical rainfall and food resources are associated with marked change in the timing of spring departure of the same individuals among years. This finding challenges the idea that photoperiod alone regulates the onset of migration, providing evidence that intensifying drought in the tropical winter could hinder adaptive responses to climatic warming in the temperate zone.
Relationship of EGFR Mutations, Expression, Amplification, and Polymorphisms to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors in the NCI60 Cell Lines

Purpose: The mechanism of sensitivity and resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors is incompletely understood, particularly in cancers other than non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To understand the variable response to this class of drugs, we used the NCI60 cancer cell lines. We aimed to determine if there are interactions between EGFR expression, mutations, polymorphisms, and gene amplification, and whether these factors are associated with variability in response to EGFR inhibitors. Experimental Design: The EGFRVIII and tyrosine kinase (TK) domain mutations were examined in the NCI60 cancer cell lines. Five polymorphisms, −216G/T, −191C/A, intron 1 (CA)n, R497K, and 2607A/G, were genotyped. EGFR amplification was also assessed with high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism chip and real-time PCR, respectively. The results were correlated with cytotoxicity data for erlotinib and other 11 EGFR inhibitors, as well as other publicly available data for these lines. Results: All 12 inhibitors behaved similarly. No EGFRVIII but putative TK mutations in two cell lines were found. Both mutant cell lines were insensitive to all inhibitors. Meanwhile, response did not correlate with EGFR amplification but with EGFR gene expression, especially in the cell lines with relatively normal gene status. In addition, EGFR expression was associated with the −216G/T polymorphism but not with the intron 1 (CA)n polymorphism. A combination of −216G/T and R497K polymorphisms was weakly associated with drug response. Conclusions: These observations suggest that in addition to TK mutations, germ-line variability may also contribute to the pharmacodynamics of EGFR inhibitors, particularly when EGFR is genetically normal.
Generalized external interaction with tamper-resistant hardware with bounded information leakage

This paper investigates secure ways to interact with tamper-resistant hardware leaking a strictly bounded amount of information. Architectural support for the interaction mechanisms is studied and performance implications are evaluated.The interaction mechanisms are built on top of a recently-proposed secure processor Ascend[ascend-stc12]. Ascend is chosen because unlike other tamper-resistant hardware systems, Ascend completely obfuscates pin traffic through the use of Oblivious RAM (ORAM) and periodic ORAM accesses. However, the original Ascend proposal, with the exception of main memory, can only communicate with the outside world at the beginning or end of program execution; no intermediate information transfer is allowed.Our system, Stream-Ascend, is an extension of Ascend that enables intermediate interaction with the outside world. Stream-Ascend significantly improves the generality and efficiency of Ascend in supporting many applications that fit into a streaming model, while maintaining the same security level.Simulation results show that with smart scheduling algorithms, the performance overhead of Stream-Ascend relative to an insecure and idealized baseline processor is only 24.5%, 0.7%, and 3.9% for a set of streaming benchmarks in a large dataset processing application. Stream-Ascend is able to achieve a very high security level with small overheads for a large class of applications.
Fine pitch PoP introduction

Package-on-package (PoP) has been widely adopted for 3D integration of logic and memory within mobile handsets and other portable multimedia devices. Typical PoP solution is applied to logic processor as bottom package and memory device as top package. TMV® solution is being applied to reduce the warpage and achieve the fine pitch PoP and stable stacking performance. Currently, 0.4mm MIF(Memory Interface Pitch) is the minimum pitch under production and more fine MIF pitch is being requested because more functions are being integrated on chip then chip size becomes larger even wafer node is going narrower. To sustain the similar package size with larger chip size, fine pitch PoP is required. In this paper, 0.3 and 0.27mm MIF pitch PoP will be studied as a solution for fine pitch PoP and as a interface material between Top and Bottom package, solder ball and Cu post will be evaluated.
Tracheal and central bronchial aerodynamics using virtual bronchoscopy and computational fluid dynamics

Virtual bronchoscopy reconstructions of the airway noninvasively provide useful morphologic information of structural abnormalities such as stenoses and masses. In this paper, we show how virtual bronchoscopy can be used to perform aerodynamic calculations in anatomically realistic models. Pressure and flow patterns in a human airway were computed noninvasively. These showed decreased pressure and increased shear stress in the region of a stenosis.
Bacterial Overgrowth in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Null Mouse Small Intestine

We recently reported the inflammation of the cystic fibrosis (CF) mouse small intestine, and we hypothesized bacterial overgrowth as a possible cause. Quantitative PCR of bacterial 16S genomic DNA in the CF mouse small intestine revealed an increase of greater than 40-fold compared to controls. Sequencing of 16S PCR products and Gram staining showed that the majority of bacteria in the CF mouse intestine were gram negative. Bacteria were observed to colonize the mucus that accumulates in the intestinal lumen of mice with CF. Impaired Paneth cell defenses were suggested by observation of partially dispersed Paneth granules in the mucus plugs of CF mouse intestinal crypts, and this mucus was strongly immunoreactive for Paneth cell bactericidal products. The role of bacterial overgrowth in intestinal inflammation in CF was tested by treating mice with oral antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and metronidazole) for 3 weeks, which reduced bacterial load in the CF mouse small intestine over 400-fold. Antibiotic treatment decreased the expression of the inflammation-related genes mast cell protease 2, leucine-rich α2 glycoprotein/leucine-rich high endothelial venule glycoprotein, suppressor of cytokine signaling 3, hematopoietic cell transcript 1, and resistin-like molecule β/found in inflammatory zone 2, all of which were no longer expressed at levels significantly different from control levels. The reduction of intestinal bacteria also significantly improved the growth of CF mice but had no effect on the growth of wild-type mice. These data suggest that bacterial overgrowth in the CF mouse small intestine has a role in inflammation and contributes to the failure to thrive in this mouse model of CF.
Small-bore pigtail catheters for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax in young adolescents

Objective Small-bore pigtail catheters have been found to be effective in the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in adults. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of small-bore pigtail and large-bore catheters in the treatment of PSP in young adolescents. Materials and methods Young adolescents ( Main results There were 41 patients treated: aspiration, n=8; small-bore pigtail catheters, n=10; large-bore catheters, n=23. Demographic and baseline clinical characteristics were similar between groups. The success rates were 50.0% and 65.2% in the small-bore pigtail and large-bore catheter groups, respectively. Corresponding recurrence rates were 20.0% and 56.5%. There was no difference between the small-bore pigtail and large-bore catheter groups in the duration of hospital stay in patients for whom treatment was successful; however, the duration of catheter insertion was significantly shorter in the small-bore pigtail catheter group compared with the large-bore catheter group in patients for whom treatment was successful (p Conclusions The findings suggest that small-bore pigtail catheters may be as effective as large-bore catheters for the initial treatment of PSP in young adolescents.
A physical model for simulating fusion of impaction-grafted morselized cancellous bone

This article describes a method to simulate fusion of morselized cancellous bone. The morselized cancellous bone is mixed with an epoxy adhesive, in empirically determined proportions. The mixture is then impacted into a construct. When the epoxy cures, the morselized material fuses into a cohesive, contiguous structure with a compressive modulus equivalent to that of intact cancellous bone. This model can be used to study biomechanical aspects of fused impaction grafts.
SPECTRAL OBSERVATIONS OF THE ENCELADUS PLUME WITH CASSINI-VIMS

On 2005 November 27 (day 331), the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer instrument onboard the Cassini spacecraft obtained high signal-to-noise, spatially resolved measurements of Enceladus’ particle plume. These data are processed to obtain spectra of the plume at a range of altitudes between 50 and 300 km from the surface. These spectra show that the particulate component of the plume consists primarily of finegrained water ice. The spectral data are used to derive profiles of particle densities versus height, which are in turn converted into measurements of the velocity distribution of particles launched from the surface between 80 and 160 m s −1 (that is, between one-third and two-thirds of the escape speed). These calculations indicate that particles with radii of 1 μm are approximately equally likely to have launch speeds anywhere between 80 and 160 m s −1 , while particles with radii of 2 and 3 μm have progressively steeper velocity distributions. These findings should constrain models of particle production and acceleration within Enceladus.
The mutation rate of mycobacterial repetitive unit loci in strains of M. tuberculosis from cynomolgus macaque infection

Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRUs) are minisatellites within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genome. Copy number variation (CNV) in MIRU loci is used for epidemiological typing, making the rate of variation important for tracking the transmission of Mtb strains. In this study, we developed and assessed a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approach to detect MIRU CNV in Mtb. We applied this methodology to a panel of Mtb strains isolated from the macaque model of tuberculosis (TB), the animal model that best mimics human disease. From these data, we have estimated the rate of MIRU variation in the host environment, providing a benchmark rate for future epidemiologic work. We assessed variation at the 24 MIRU loci used for typing in a set of Mtb strains isolated from infected cynomolgus macaques. We previously performed WGS of these strains and here have applied both read depth (RD) and paired-end mapping (PEM) metrics to identify putative copy number variants. To assess the relative power of these approaches, all MIRU loci were resequenced using Sanger sequencing. We detected two insertion/deletion events both of which could be identified as candidates by PEM criteria. With these data, we estimate a MIRU mutation rate of 2.70 × 10-03 (95% CI: 3.30 × 10-04- 9.80 × 10-03) per locus, per year. Our results represent the first experimental estimate of the MIRU mutation rate in Mtb. This rate is comparable to the highest previous estimates gathered from epidemiologic data and meta-analyses. Our findings allow for a more rigorous interpretation of data gathered from MIRU typing.
Hormonal response to energy restriction

Insulin-like growth factor–1 (IGF-1) is a hormone that is essential to growth and development during childhood and adolescence. When IGF-1 is dysregulated, such as in Laron syndrome and acromegaly, patients experience altered bone and soft tissue growth. IGF-1 levels peak around puberty and then
Protein knot server: detection of knots in protein structures

KNOTS (http://knots.mit.edu) is a web server that detects knots in protein structures. Several protein structures have been reported to contain intricate knots. The physiological role of knots and their effect on folding and evolution is an area of active research. The user submits a PDB id or uploads a 3D protein structure in PDB or mmCIF format. The current implementation of the server uses the Alexander polynomial to detect knots. The results of the analysis that are presented to the user are the location of the knot in the structure, the type of the knot and an interactive visualization of the knot. The results can also be downloaded and viewed offline. The server also maintains a regularly updated list of known knots in protein structures.
Nanotechnology in the Development of Photovoltaic Cells

Over fifty years, numerous studies have been performed on different design aspects and performance characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) cells with a common goal of producing fully integrated PV modules to compete with the traditional energy sources. A relatively new field of nanotechnology has opened up new and promising possibilities to improve environmental quality and economic prosperity. This paper reviews the performance of traditional PV cells and outlines the recent developments in nano-tech related to solar cells. Developments in nano-tech solar cells via nanotubes, quantum dots, and hot carriers could reduce the cost of PV cells and modules for bulk power generation as well as improve the cell conversion efficiency. The current production growth and the cost of PV cells and modules are also discussed.
Write/erase speed modeling of scaled SONOS and TANOS nonvolatile semiconductor memory (NVSM) devices

We have developed a pulse response model of write/erase operations for SONOS NVSMs. In this model, we consider the major charge transport mechanisms are band to band tunneling and trap-assisted tunneling. The storage charges in the nitride are treated as a sheet charge at the center of the nitride films. Using a numerical method, the pulse response of the threshold voltages is simulated in good agreement with experimental data.
Species variation in neutrophil biochemistry and function.

ies of neutrophil physiology and function require close scrutiny of the methods to disclose which species is being examined. The relevance of studies of neutrophils from one species to disease in another species obviously depends upon the degree to which the basic physiologic processes are comparable. However, this comparability can be very difficult to determine. Most studies of neutrophil physiology and function use cells from only a single species, and differences in collection, isolation, and processing complicate any attempt at comparison of different studies. Whenever an animal model is used to study the pathogenesis of human infection or to justify clinical trials of antimicrobial therapy, tacit assumptions are made about the nature of the host response. Among these assumptions is that neutrophil response in the animal model is analogous to that in the human or that responses of other
Beliefs About Mathematical Objects

As a mathematical platonist, I hold that mathematical objects are causally inert and exist independently of us and our mental lives. This obliges me to explain how we can refer to such alien creatures and acquire knowledge and beliefs about them.1 This paper is a piece of that larger project.
Treating HCV After Liver Transplantation

Hepatitis C-related liver disease remains the number one indication for liver transplantation in the United States, and recurrent hepatitis C infection after liver transplantation approaches 100%. The past experiences in the management of recurrent hepatitis C have led to the current recommended anti-viral treatment with ribavirin and pegylated interferon. In this chapter we address the past, present, and future therapies and treatment strategies for recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation. The particular focus addresses current therapy, including monitoring for recurrence, timing of treatment, anti-viral dosing, adjuvant therapy with epogen analogs and granulocyte-stimulating factor, identifying factors influencing response to therapy, patient outcomes, and cost effectiveness of therapy. Also addressed in this chapter are special considerations in patients with viral co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or cytomegalovirus (CMV), as well as the possibility of treating patients who fail anti-viral therapy, and liver retransplantation for recurrent cirrhosis. Future therapies for hepatitis C remain an intense area of research, particularly the use of protease inhibitors (telaprevir and boceprevir) in conjunction with pegylated interferon and ribavirin; however, there are special considerations for liver transplant patients, and their effectiveness among this population remains to be observed.
mHealth Interventions in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this review was to determine whether mHealth interventions were effective in low- and middle-income countries in order to create a baseline for the evidence to support mHealth in developing countries. Studies were identified by searching Medline on 02 October 2014 for articles published in the English language between January 2000 and September 2014. Inclusion criteria were: 1) written in English, 2) completion of an mHealth intervention in a low or middle-income country, 3) measurement of patient outcomes, and 4) participants 18 years of age or older. 7,920 titles were reviewed and 7 were determined eligible based on inclusion criteria. Interventions included a cluster randomized trial, mixed methods study, retrospective comparison of an opt-in text message program, a two-arm proof of concept, single arm trial, a randomized trial, and a single subject design. Five out of seven of the studies showed significant difference between the control and intervention. Currently there is little evidence on mHealth interventions in developing countries, and existing studies are very diverse; however initial studies show changes in clinical outcomes, adherence, and health communication, including improved communication with providers, decrease in travel time, ability to receive expert advice, changes in clinical outcomes, and new forms of cost-effective education. While this initial review is promising, more evidence is needed to support and direct system-level resource investment.
Pulmonary entrapment of platelets during acute respiratory failure.

The relationship between platelet entrapment by the lung and the development of acute respiratory failure (ARF) was investigated in two groups of dogs treated either with intravenous oleic acid (OA) 0.075 ml/kg, or E. Coli, 2.76 X 10” organisms/kg. Lung entrapment of normal platelets was determined by a double tracer indicator dilution method: the tracers injected were normal autologous Cr 51 labeled platelets and indocyanine green dye. The resultant dilution curves allowed the calculation of the percentage of injected platelets recovered (RP) in arterial blood. Two hours after treatment with either agent, the physiological shunt (QJ&) was sign$cantly increased: QS/QT was 28.3 after OA (p < 0.001) and 25.2 after E. coli (p < 0.01). Physiological deadspace increased signiJicantly on@ after treatment with E. coli (p < O.Ol), whereas pulmonary vascular resistance and compliance changed significantly onb after OA (p < 0.001). Pathological examination showed severe hemorrhagic edema af2er infusion of OA but minimal changes after E. coli. The RP fell from baseline values of 92.2% to 83.0% after administration of OA (p < 0.02) and to 75.4% ajIer E. coli (p <I 0.001). Platelet counts in mixed venous and arterial blood showed a similar degree of platelet entrapment. Finally there was a sign$cant correlation between the decrease in RP and the increase in &/QT following E. coli (p < 0.022, but not for OA. The data indicate that platelets may be trapped by lungs showing increased &/c, Entrapment is unrelated to physiological deadspace, pulmonary vascular resistance, or compliance. Results suggest that damaged endothelium, and not damaged platelets, produce the entrapment. Factors in addition to lung damage, as observed at the light microscopic level, are involved in this phenomenon.
Cross-cultural exchange in the Atlantic world: Angola and Brazil during the era of the slave trade

Based on research done in Angola, Portugal and Brazil, Cross-Cultural Exchange in the Atlantic World is a detailed study of the people who crossed the South Atlantic, some of them voluntarily, most...
Health Values and Treatment Goals of Older, Multimorbid Adults Facing Life-Threatening Illness.

Objectives To identify a taxonomy of health-related values that frame goals of care of older, multimorbid adults who recently faced cancer diagnosis and treatment. Design Qualitative analysis of data from a longitudinal cohort study of multimorbid cancer survivors. Setting Cancer registries from regional Department of Veterans Affairs networks in New England and southeast Texas. Participants Multimorbid adults who completed interviews 12 months after diagnosis of head and neck, colorectal, gastric, or esophageal cancer and after cancer treatment (N = 146). Measurements An interdisciplinary team conducted thematic analyses of participants’ intuitive responses to two questions: Now that you have had cancer and may face ongoing decisions about medical care in the future, what would you want your family, friends, and doctors to know about you, in terms of what is most important to you in your life? If your cancer were to recur, is there anything you'd want to be sure your loved ones knew about you and your goals of care? Results Analysis revealed five distinct health-related values that guide how multimorbid cancer survivors conceptualize specific health care goals and medical decisions: self-sufficiency, life enjoyment, connectedness and legacy, balancing quality and length of life, and engagement in care. Participants typically endorsed more than one value as important. Conclusion Older multimorbid adults who recently faced life-threatening cancer endorsed a multidimensional taxonomy of health-related values. These health-related values guide how they frame their goals for care and treatment preferences. Eliciting individuals’ sense of their values during clinical encounters may improve their experiences with health care and more effectively align treatments with goals of care.
Electromigration Characterization for Multilevel Metallizations using Textured AlCu

Electromigration lifetime dependence on crystallographic texture for AlCu interconnects is determined. It is found that enhancement of AlCu texture at orientation improves EM endurance. But this beneficial effect is limited after a certain level of texture enhancement is reached. The effect of lifetime improvement is proved to result from a decrease in atomic diffusivity. Saturation of the lifetime improvement effect for highly textured AlCu indicates a change in the main diffusion mechanism for electromigration, possibly from the regular grain boundary diffusion to diffusion through edge dislocations.
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE OF POINT DEFECTS IN RUTILE TIO2

We present results of a computation of the electronic structure of point defects in reduced rutile using a semiempirical self-consistent method. Calculations on models of both titanium interstitials and oxygen vacancies are reported. We find donor levels in the range 0.7--0.8 eV for isolated defects in each case. The defects have an effective screening radius of less than 5 \AA{}. We also report results on clusters of defects. These suggest that a model in which the screening charges of multiple defects are added would be quite accurate for systems with multiple defects. Comparison of our results with infrared experiments suggests the presence of defect clustering in nearly stoichiometric rutile, as proposed earlier on the basis of other experiments.
Decay of 5.8-min 140 Pm m and 10-sec 140 Pm g to levels of 140 Nd

The nuclear level structure of $^{140}\mathrm{Nd}$ has been investigated by studying the decay of 5.8-min $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{m}$ and 10-sec $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{g}$ with Ge(Li) $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray detectors. Sources were produced via the $^{141}\mathrm{Pr}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, 4n)$) reaction. The study of $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{g}$ decay utilized a helium-jet recoil transport system. Fourteen $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays were assigned $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{m}$ decay and nine were attributed to $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{g}$ decay. Decay schemes of $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{m}$ and $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{g}$ were constructed. Evidence for the low-spin members of the two-phonon triplet in $^{140}\mathrm{Nd}$ is also presented.RADIOACTIVITY $^{140}\mathrm{Pm}^{m+g}$ [from $^{141}\mathrm{Pr}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, 4n)$]; measured ${E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$, ${I}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$, $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ coin; ${t}_{\frac{1}{2}}$; deduced $^{140}\mathrm{Nd}$ levels, $J$, $\ensuremath{\pi}$. Natural target, Ge(Li) detectors, anti-Compton spectrometer, helium jet recoil transport.
Local Governments and Climate Change in the United States: Assessing Administrators’ Perspectives on Hazard Management Challenges and Responses

Local governments in the United States have become central actors in addressing climate change as a hazard management challenge. Using evidence from a purposive sample of 10 U.S. cities, this artic...
Issues for the Learning Community

The Head Start program has a history of using research to guide its efforts. In this way, Head Start practitioners, policy makers, and researchers comprise a “learning community.”The release of the first-year results of the Head Start Impact Study provides an important opportunity for reflection by the learning community, and for identification of strategies to further strengthen the program. This article begins by illustrating how Head Start has responded to previous research. It then underscores some key features of the Head Start Impact Study that set it apart from other important evaluation studies. Within this framework, the article goes on to identify a set of key issues that the first-year results of the Head Start Impact Study pose for the learning community to consider in charting the future course of the program as well as to others focusing on strengthening young children’s school readiness.
Effect of Surface Coverage on Porous Silicon Photoluminescence: Transmission FTIR Studies

Transmission Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy was utilized to monitor the effect of surface coverage on photoluminescent porous silicon. These experiments were performed in situ in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber to correlate simultaneously surface coverage and photoluminescence intensity. The goal of these FTIR and photoluminescence studies was to clarify the mechanism of the photoluminescence from porous silicon.
Analysis of Wakes Shed By Idealized Aircraft Engine Fan Blades for Noise Reduction

The mean velocity, turbulence and space-time correlation structure of a developing wake were measured and studied at different streamwise locations in the Virginia Tech Low Speed Linear Cascade Wind Tunnel. Single-point velocity, Reynolds stress and triple product measurements show the mid-span wake to be closely two dimensional and, at the maximum downstream measurement location (2.4 axial chords downstream the trailing edge), to have almost reached self similarity. Spectral measurements show evidence of organized structure that decays relative to the rest of the wake with downstream distance. Two-point space-time correlation measurements were made at 2 streamwise locations (0.6 and 1.8 axial chord downstream the trailing edge line) at midspan. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition was used to analyze these data and reveal the eddy structure of the developing wake. It was found that the dominant wake motions could be characterized using the first 6 POD modes. As the wake propagates downstream, the modal shapes remain virtually unchanged, while the modal energy distribution evolves through energy transfer from the strongest modes to the less energetic ones. Those results are particularly interesting since the POD structure of an inhomogeneous turbulent flow can be used to define the broadband noise source terms. A closer analysis of the aforementioned results will provide some strong basis for future wake management solutions, as well as a detailed benchmark data set for computational fluid dynamics.
Coloring the News: How Crusading for Diversity has Corrupted American Journalism by William McGowan. San Francisco: Encounter Books, 2001. 278 pp

(2002). Coloring the News: How Crusading for Diversity has Corrupted American Journalism by William McGowan. San Francisco: Encounter Books, 2001. 278 pp. American Journalism: Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 134-137.