cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimum design of laminated fibre composite plates

A method is presented for the minimum weight optimum design of laminated fibre composite plates, subject to multiple inplane loading conditions, which includes stiffness, strength and elastic stability constraints. The buckling analysis is based on an equivalent orthotropic plate approach leading to two uncoupled eigenproblems per load condition. Overall computational efficiency is achieved by using constraint deletion techniques in conjunction with Taylor series approximations for the constraints retained. The optimization algorithm used, namely the method of inscribed hyperspheres, is a sequence of linear programs technique which exhibits rapid convergence in this application. Several example problems are given to demonstrate that the method presented offers an efficient and practical optimum design procedure for the fundamental and recurring problem treated.
Neutron Absorption Cross Section of 236U

Uranium-236 neutron absorption is measured as a function of neutron time of flight from 20 eV to 1 MeV. The neutron flux is monitored with a 6Li glass scintillator. Average cross sections from 3 ke...
Chromosomal Locus for Cadmium Resistance in Pseudomonas putida Consisting of a Cadmium-Transporting ATPase and a MerR Family Response Regulator

Pseudomonads from environmental sources vary widely in their sensitivity to cadmium, but the basis for this resistance is largely uncharactarized. A chromosomal fragment encoding cadmium resistance was cloned from Pseudomonas putida 06909, a rhizosphere bacterium, and sequence analysis revealed two divergently transcribed genes, cadA and cadR. CadA was similar to cadmium-transporting ATPases known mostly from gram-positive bacteria, and to ZntA, a lead-, zinc-, and cadmium-transporting ATPase from Escherichia coli. CadR was related to the MerR family of response regulators that normally control mercury detoxification in other bacterial systems. A related gene, zntR, regulates zntA in E. coli, but it is not contiguous with zntA in the E. coli genome as cadA and cadR were in P. putida. In addition, unlike ZntA and other CadA homologs, but similar to the predicted product of gene PA3690 in the P. aeruginosa genome, the P. putida CadA sequence had a histidine-rich N-terminal extension. CadR and the product of PA3689 of P. aeruginosa also had histidine-rich C-terminal extensions not found in other MerR family response regulators. Mutational analysis indicated that cadA and cadR are fully responsible for cadmium resistance and partially for zinc resistance. However, unlike zntA, they did not confer significant levels of lead resistance. The cadA promoter was responsive to Cd(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II), while the cadR promoter was only induced by Cd(II). CadR apparently represses its own expression at the transcriptional level. However, CadR apparently does not repress cadA. Homologs of the cadmium-transporting ATPase were detected in many other Pseudomonas species.
The interaction of artemisinin with malarial hemozoin

[14C]Artemisinin was taken up by Plasmodium falciparum in culture and concentrated in hemozoin. In vitro, hemin and artemisinin were found to undergo a chemical reaction forming two major products which were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The m/z values of the two products were 856 and 871. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and HPLC of hemozoin isolated from [14C]artemisinin-treated parasites showed that the majority of the hemozoin-associated radioactivity comigrated with the synthetic adducts. When [14C]artemisinin was incubated with isolated hemozoin, [14C]artemisinin disappeared from the solution in a time-dependent manner. Some of the radioactivity present in the treated hemozoin also comigrated with the adducts on TLC. Thus, artemisinin appears to react covalently with heme in malaria hemozoin both in vitro and in situ.
Race Relations and the Nineties: Where Are the Dreams of the Sixties?

The sixties were marked by optimistic dreams of a color-blind society, of black power, of reparations for oppression. Movements pursuing these goals fell short offull success but had a significant impact on society. While the right of every citizen to equality without regard to race was reaffirmed, a new principle of rights based on ethnicity emerged. Assimilation lost its luster as a goal but significant black power was not achieved. The latest report on blacks in American society shows stagnation and even decline in their economic situation. While white Americans accept the principle of racial equality, they resist efforts to implement it. There is no prospectfor the radical economic refonns needed to reduce the inequalities of class and race. One of the most inspiring events of the 1960s occurred on August 28, 1963, when Martin Luther King, Jr., stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and declared, "I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!" (1986:219). This was an era of brave, optimistic dreams. Those dreams began to take shape ten years before King's memorable speech, as the school desegregation decision of 1954 gave rise to brave hopes in the hearts of segregated, downtrodden blacks. The concept "a revolution of rising expectations" well described their situation. Victories over white southern resistance in Montgomery, Tallahassee, Little Rock, and New Orleans provided black Americans and their white allies with a sense of empowerment. The sit-ins of the early sixties, still nonviolent, still interracial, showed-. that the Movement could not be suppressed. As King said in his address, "Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual" (1986:219). Yet as we stand on the brink of the nineties the dreams have dimmed and the nation has indeed returned to business as usual. In his last presidential address *Presidential address to the Southern Sociological Society, Loulisville, Kentuclky, March 1990. I am grateful to Professors Dallas Blanchard and Mary Rogers, Departnent of Sociology, University of West Florida, for their criticisms and suiggestions. Direct correspondence to Professor Lewis M. Killian, 8820 Burning Tree Road, Pensacola, FL 32514. i) The University of North Carolina Press Social Forces, September 1990, 69(1):1-13 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.255 on Mon, 01 Aug 2016 06:06:25 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 2 / Social Forces 69:1, September 1990 to SCLC, in 1972, King urged again, "Let us be dissatisfied until men and women, however black they may be, will be judged on the basis of the content of their character and not on the basis of the color of their skin" (1986:251). How sorely pained he would be were he to witness the state of ethnic relations
Diffusion wavelet packets

Abstract Diffusion wavelets can be constructed on manifolds, graphs and allow an efficient multiscale representation of powers of the diffusion operator that generates them. In many applications it is necessary to have time–frequency bases that are more versatile than wavelets, for example for the analysis, denoising and compression of a signal. In the Euclidean setting, wavelet packets have been very successful in many applications, ranging from image denoising, 2- and 3-dimensional compression of data (e.g., images, seismic data, hyper-spectral data) and in discrimination tasks as well. Till now these tools for signal processing have been available mainly in Euclidean settings and in low dimensions. Building upon the recent construction of diffusion wavelets, we show how to construct diffusion wavelet packets, generalizing the classical construction of wavelet packets, and allowing the same algorithms existing in the Euclidean setting to be lifted to rather general geometric and anisotropic settings, in higher dimension, on manifolds, graphs and even more general spaces. We show that efficient algorithms exists for computations of diffusion wavelet packets and discuss some applications and examples.
Comparing Eccentric Resistance Exercise in Prostate Cancer Survivors On and Off Hormone Therapy: A Pilot Study

Objectives To determine the feasibility of an eccentric resistance exercise training protocol in men with prostate cancer and to assess whether men with prostate cancer who are receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) have a blunted effect from the training as compared with prostate cancer survivors not receiving ADT. Design Prospective pilot study. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Sixteen men with prostate cancer (Gleason scores 3+3 to 4+4) were initially enrolled. Ten men (mean age 66, range 48-86) completed the study, 5 were currently receiving ADT. Analysis was performed on these 10 men. Interventions Subjects were evaluated at baseline. All men underwent a 12-week resistance exercise training protocol using a recumbent, high-force eccentric, leg cycle ergometer 3 times per week at a "somewhat hard" perceived exertion for 12 to 15 minutes. Preexercise and postexercise training changes were examined within and between groups. Main Outcome Measures Quadriceps muscle volume (magnetic resonance imaging), isometric knee extension strength, functional mobility (Timed Up and Go Test [TUG] and 6-minute walk [6MW]), health-related quality of life (FACT-P), and fatigue (FACIT-fatigue scale). Results The ADT group demonstrated significant within-group improvements in the 6MW ( P = .01) and isometric knee extension strength ( P = .03). This group also demonstrated a clinically relevant change in the FACT-P; however, this did not meet statistical significance. The non-ADT group demonstrated significant within-group improvements in the physical subscale of the FACT-P ( P = .03) and an increase in muscle volume ( P = .04). Their improvements in the TUG approached significance ( P = .08). No between-group differences existed. Conclusions Eccentric resistance exercise was well tolerated, and both groups derived some benefits in strength and functional mobility. Men receiving ADT did not appear to have a blunted response to the exercise as compared with prostate cancer survivors not receiving ADT.
Learning structural descriptions of radar backscatter images

The authors outline efforts to develop a software system which can learn to identify objects given their radar backscatter. Variation of the intensity of the radar backscatter with respect to frequency can be plotted as a curve. The system is given a number of examples of backscatter emitted by a single object, each corresponding to one aspect angle. The system derives the maximally specific conjunctive generalization (MSC generalization) of the structural descriptions of the various backscatter. The structural descriptions are derived in the language developed for this purpose. Having learned these descriptions, the system can use this knowledge to identify backscatter not presented to it earlier. >
Adrian Piper: Race, gender, and embodiment

John P. Bowles’ Adrian Piper: Race, Gender and Embodiment both is and isn't about the artist-philosopher Adrian Piper; Bowles opens his enormously important book by making it about you, the reader/...
The moderating role of consumer entitlement on the relationship of value with customer satisfaction

This research provides an extension of Oliver's (1980) expectancy disconfirmation model of satisfaction by examining the moderating role of consumer entitlement in the relationships between service quality and perceived value with customer satisfaction. Using a sample of season ticket holders of the National Hockey League franchise in the southeastern USA (n = 234), we found that consumer entitlement moderates the relationship of value with satisfaction, such that the impact of consumer-perceived service value on satisfaction is mitigated for highly entitled consumers. That is, the positive value–satisfaction relationship is stronger for individuals low in consumer entitlement. This finding suggests that highly entitled consumers' satisfaction judgments are dominated by expectations, while less entitled consumers rely more on disconfirmation assessments. Strengths, limitations, suggestions for future research, and practical implications are offered. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Range Super Resolution For Near-field Coherent Imaging

The design of beamformer is a critical component in the development of coherent imaging. Conventional delay-and-sum beamformer is intuitive and easy to implement, however it does not provide good range resolution for narrow-band waveforms. In this paper, we propose a technique that optimizes the reconstruction kernel to approximate an ideal impulse, and has control over mainlobe/sidelobe tradeoff. Preliminary simulation has demonstrated that the new method achieves significantly better range resolution than simple delay-and-sum beamformers for narrow and medium band near-field imaging
Challenges in Evaluating Models of Geographic Complexity

Geographic complexity—the explicit integration of complexity research with space and place-based research—faces interrelated methodological, conceptual, and policy challenges. The rubric of model evaluation is central both to understanding and to meeting these challenges. They include methodological issues such as sensitivity and complex scaling; the conceptual challenges of conflating pattern and process, and reconciling simplicity and complexity; and policy issues posed by the science–policy gap and postnormal science. The importance of these challenges and the centrality of model evaluation in meeting them are demonstrated through examples drawn from human-environment systems, with particular reference to global environmental change and land-use and land-cover change. Specific model-evaluation strategies are also offered.
Blood screening using diffraction phase cytometry

advent of automatic analyzers such as flow cytometers and impedance counters. Though these current methods have proven to be indispensible tools for physicians and researchers alike, they provide limited information on the detailed morphology of individual cells, and merely alert the operator to manually examine a blood smear by raising flags when abnormalities are detected. We demonstrate an automatic interferometry-based smear analysis technique known as diffraction phase cytometry (DPC), which is capable of providing the same information on red blood cells as is provided by current clinical analyzers, while rendering additional, currently unavailable parameters on the 2-D and 3-D morphology of individual red blood cells. To validate the utility of our technique in a clinical setting, we present a comparison between tests generated from 32 patients by a state of the art clinical impedance counter and DPC.
Decision Under Risk in Multi-Agent Systems

Expected Utility Theory (EUT) is the standard decision-making methodology used under uncertain conditions, but it is incapable of fully capturing actual human decision-making behaviors when under risk. Kahneman and Tversky's prospect theory is an alternative to EUT to deal with uncertainty when under risk. However, incorporating it into multi-agent decision-making requires two significant extensions to the present theory. First, rather than immediately making a choice directly from the set of alternatives, an agent should use the prospect theory's value function to initially form an attitude concerning each possible alternative and likewise solve the corresponding decision problem with a preference order. Correspondingly, this preference order should not be constructed solely on the basis of the individual agent's own attitudes but with the attitudes of all agents which are relevant. This paper presents our work on these two extensions. Finally, we present several experiments that explore risk management behaviors of agents in social settings.
ADENOVIRUS E1A DOWNREGULATES CJUN- AND JUNB-MEDIATED TRANSCRIPTION BY TARGETING THEIR COACTIVATOR P300

Transcription factors and cofactors play critical roles in cell growth and differentiation. Alterations of their activities either through genetic mutations or by viral oncoproteins often result in aberrant cell growth and tumorigenesis. The transcriptional cofactor p300 has recently been shown to be complexed with transcription factors YY1 and CREB. Adenovirus E1A oncoproteins target these transcription complexes via physical interactions with p300, resulting in alterations of transcription mediated by these transcription factors. Here we show that p300 is also critical for repression by E1A of the activities of cJun and JunB, two members of the AP-1 transcriptional complexes. This repressive effect of E1A is dependent on the p300-binding domain of E1A and can be relieved by overexpression of p300. These results suggest that p300 serves as a mediator protein for downregulation of AP-1 activity by E1A. This hypothesis was further supported by the following observations: (i) in the absence of E1A, overexpression of p300 stimulated transcription both through an AP-1 site present in the collagenase promoter and through Jun proteins in GAL4 fusion protein-based assays; and (ii) overexpression of a mutant p300 lacking the E1A-interacting domain reduced the responsiveness of Jun-dependent transcription to E1A repression. As predicted from the functional results, p300 physically interacted with the Jun proteins. These findings thus established that p300 is a cofactor for cJun and JunB. We propose that p300 is a common mediator protein through which E1A gains control over multiple transcriptional regulatory pathways in the host cells.
Field theory of primaries in W N minimal models

For W N minimal model CFT at Large N, we formulate a nonlinear field theory describing interaction of primaries. A classification of single-trace operators is given first based on which a field theory operating in Fock space is built. A hamiltonian is constructed with the property that it reproduces exactly the spectrum of conformal dimensions of the primaries. This field theory is characterized by an extra dimension and interactions with G = 1/N as the coupling constant. It is seen that this nonlinear representation contains structure parallel to the one of Matrix-vector models.
Systematic detection of errors in genetic linkage data

Construction of dense genetic linkage maps is hampered, in practice, by the occurrence of laboratory typing errors. Even relatively low error rates cause substantial map expansion and interfere with the determination of correct genetic order. Here, we describe a systematic method for overcoming these difficulties, based on incorporating the possibility of error into the usual likelihood model for linkage analysis. Using this approach, it is possible to construct genetic maps allowing for error and to identify the typings most likely to be in error. The method has been implemented for F2 intercrosses between two inbred strains, a situation relevant to the construction of genetic maps in experimental organisms. Tests involving both simulated and real data are presented, showing that the method detects the vast majority of errors.
A simple score (ABCD) to identify individuals at high early risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack

Background Effective early management of patients with transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) is undermined by an inability to predict who is at highest early risk of stroke. Methods We derived a score for 7-day risk of stroke in a population-based cohort of patients (n=209) with a probable or definite TIA (Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project; OCSP), and validated the score in a similar populationbased cohort (Oxford Vascular Study; OXVASC, n=190). We assessed likely clinical usefulness to front-line health services by using the score to stratify all patients with suspected TIA referred to OXVASC (n=378, outcome: 7-day risk of stroke) and to a hospital-based weekly TIA clinic (n=210; outcome: risk of stroke before appointment). Results A six-point score derived in the OCSP (age [� 60 years=1], blood pressure [systolic � 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic � 90 mm Hg=1], clinical features [unilateral weakness=2, speech disturbance without weakness=1, other=0], and duration of symptoms in min [� 60=2, 10–59=1, � 10=0]; ABCD) was highly predictive of 7-day risk of stroke in OXVASC patients with probable or definite TIA (p� 0·0001), in the OXVASC population-based cohort of all referrals with suspected TIA (p� 0·0001), and in the hospital-based weekly TIA clinic-referred cohort (p=0·006). In the OXVASC suspected TIA cohort, 19 of 20 (95%) strokes occurred in 101 (27%) patients with a score of 5 or greater: 7-day risk was 0·4% (95% CI 0–1·1) in 274 (73%) patients with a score less than 5, 12·1% (4·2–20·0) in 66 (18%) with a score of 5, and 31·4% (16·0–46·8) in 35 (9%) with a score of 6. In the hospital-referred clinic cohort, 14 (7·5%) patients had a stroke before their scheduled appointment, all with a score of 4 or greater. Conclusions Risk of stroke during the 7 days after TIA seems to be highly predictable. Although further validations and refinements are needed, the ABCD score can be used in routine clinical practice to identify high-risk individuals who need emergency investigation and treatment.
The Elderly's Fear of Crime A Critical Examination of the Research

Research on fear of crime reveals that the pervasiveness and intensity of fear in the United States is substantially higher among the elderly than younger persons. The relationship between age and fear of crime is seemingly paradoxical because the elderly tend to be least often victimized. This article critically assesses much of the research on fear of crime among the elderly. Our analysis shows that (1) several of the standard fear of crime measures are poorly operationalized and (2) estimates of the extent of fear of crime are highly dependent on the type and quality of operationalization. We conclude that the amount of fear experienced in the everyday lives of most older persons has been overstated. Implications for policy and suggestions for further research are offered.
Guest column: complexity dichotomies of counting problems

The complexity of counting problems has been studied intensively over the years. During the past decade, significant progress has taken place and a series of successively more powerful complexity dichotomies have been discovered. Given a class of counting problems, a dichotomy states that every problem in the class is either in polynomial time or #P-hard. In this guest column, we briefly survey two threads of recent developments in counting graph homomorphisms and the counting constraint satisfaction problem.
Temperature dependence of InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor DC and small-signal behavior

This work describes the temperature dependence of the DC and small-signal performance of InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT's) with different collector thicknesses. Detailed analyses of the small-signal performance and the temperature dependence of both DC and high-frequency parameters are presented. An HBT delay-time analysis is also presented and justified empirically. In addition, the factors causing the decrease in f/sub T/ with temperature are described, and the variations in collector resistance and collector drift velocity with temperature are determined.
Massive Intervention and Child Intelligence: The Milwaukee Project in Critical Perspective

The Milwaukee Project, conducted by R. Heber, H. Garber, and others with small numbers of inner-city preschool children, has been described as raising IQs from the dull-normal to the superior ranges. Despite its fame, however, it has rarely been studied technically or critically. An earlier (1972) writing by Page reached the conclusion that the project was characterized by biased selection of treatment groups, contamination of criterion tests, failure to specify the treatments, and inaccessibility of data to professional analysis. This newer article reviews the current status of these problems and presents information that has become available since 1972. The long-promised final report has not been issued, but what evidence there is suggests a decline of the experimental, massive-intervention children to the level of the untreated controls in those measures, such as school reading, which are not under the control of the project.
Influence of Pre-drying treatments on Quality and Safety of Sun-dried Tomatoes. Part II. Effects of Storage on Nutritional and Sensory Quality of Sun-dried Tomatoes Pretreated with Sulfur, Sodium Metbisulfite, or Salt

Pre-drying treatments have been found to improve the quality of stored sun-dried tomatoes. Based on previous investigation (Part I), 5 specific pretreatments were chosen for effects on nutritional value, sensory quality, and safety before and after 3 mo of storage (25 °C and 30% to 34% relative humidity). These pretreatments included (1) direct gas sulfuring with 2.3 kg (5 lb) SO 2 ; (2) with 3.6 kg (8 lb) SO 2 ; (3) dipping in 10% salt for 5 min; (4) 8% sodium metabisulfite for 5 min; and (5) 8% sodium metabisulfite and 10% salt for 5 min. The use of SO 2 improved color, rehydration ratio, and minimized the loss of ascorbic acid and lycopene. Sodium metabisulfite dipped tomatoes had better rehydration ratio and color than gas sulfured sun-dried tomatoes. Untrained consumers ranked gas sulfured tomatoes higher than sun-dried tomatoes produced by dipping in either sodium metabisulfite alone or
Reconstruction of Monthly SST in the Tropical Pacific Ocean during 1868–1993Using Adaptive Climate Basis Functions

Abstract An EOF-based reconstruction of monthly SST anomaly fields is calculated for the years 1868–1993 in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The EOFs are computed from optimally interpolated SST anomaly fields from November 1981 to October 1995 from the same region. These are used as a functional basis set for projecting SST anomalies from the Comprehensive Ocean–Atmosphere Data Set (COADS) to produce a smooth, spatially complete reconstruction. The optimal number of EOF modes for each month’s reconstruction is chosen using large-scale error analysis: a modern subset of the COADS SST is subsampled according to the distribution of observations in the historical month being reconstructed, forming a testbed on which to evaluate the reconstruction based on a variable number of modes. The test bed is least squares fit to the basis EOFs. The difference fields between the reconstruction and a smoothed version of the test bed is found. The total variance of difference fields (residual) is minimized with respect to the...
Motion in the Vicinity of Libration Points of a Generalized Restricted Three-Body Model

Abstract The model for the classical restricted three-body problem is generalized to include accelerations caused by low-thrust forces in such a way that the conservative character of the problem is preserved. This model is used to discuss possible modifications in the position, number, and stability character of the five Lagrangian libration points. The possible regions of libration points as a function of the low-thrust forces are discussed. Analytical expressions for regions of unstable libration points are derived. Liapunov's second method is used to derive analytical conditions for nonconstant, radial, low-thrust forces which assure stability in the large around libration points.
Operational and Work System-Related Success Factors for Customer Relationship Management in "Product Sales" and "Solution Sales" - a Descriptive Case Study.

Despite much IS research on customer relationship management (CRM) and respective (critical) success factors (SFs), CRM initiatives are still subject to high failure rates. One reason may be that many studies rather exclusively deal with a technological and project perspective and thus focus on CRM-related IT systems and their introduction. As a consequence, no holistic perspective on CRM in the sense of an integrated and IT-reliant work system is taken on. In addition, existing SFs are rather abstract and barely useful for practitioners. Thus, there is a research need for SFs that are concrete – which will be referred to as operational – and beyond IT. In order to attain preliminary knowledge, we conducted a descriptive single-case study within the German sales department of a global company from the electronics and electrical engineering industry. In the course of a two-stage data collection and analysis process, 56 sales managers of the two sales types “product sales” and “solution sales” were interviewed as regards organizational setting, sales process, and information requirements. As contribution, we propose rankings of operational and work system-related SFs, additional qualitative information, and differences between “product sales” and “solution sales”.
Visual Attention in Deaf Humans: A Neuroplasticity Perspective

Deaf people have only an attenuated experience, if any, of hearing. The study of individuals born deaf provides a window onto the role of audition in the functional and cognitive specialization of the brain, as well as onto typical multisensory integration. Deaf individuals allow researchers to ask what happens to the remaining senses in the absence of audition. Research suggests that deaf people do not have enhanced sensory abilities. Rather, the changes appear to be attentional in nature and are related to the recruitment of auditory cortex for visual functions as well as changes in parietal and posterior superior temporal cortices. Studies of deaf adults have led to the proposal they can orient visual attention faster than hearing adults, and that they are better able to process information in the visual periphery. These examples of attentional enhancement are at odds with data from deaf children, who appear to have deficits in sustaining attention and ignoring task-irrelevant distraction. However, adult and child studies often recruit from very different deaf populations. Studies reporting enhancements in deaf adults have typically tested native signers, who were raised in deaf families and exposed to a natural signed language from birth. On the other hand, developmental studies have often focused on deaf children born to hearing parents, who typically experience language delays and associated cognitive deficits as exposure to a natural language is absent at birth and reinstantiated in the first years of life only through cochlear implants or hearing aids.
School Choice and Afrocentric Charter Schools: a Review and Critique of Evaluation Outcomes

In the context of twenty-first century educational reform efforts, school choice options have led to an increase in the number of Afrocentric charter schools. As a school choice option, charter schools that incorporate an Afrocentric approach are more prevalent in large urban school systems disproportionately populated by African-American children and youth. This study examined available data on the performance of Afrocentric charter schools based on their standardized statewide adequate yearly progress (AYP) status. Using systematic research methodology, a keyword search of research databases and internet search engines, 27 Afrocentric charter schools in the USA were identified. Twenty three of the schools met the criteria for analysis, and only 34 % of those schools achieved or exceeded statewide standards in testing and met their state’s AYP goals. Implications for future studies are discussed. The research team contends that Afrocentric charter schools must gain greater legitimacy, using standardized accountability measures, in order to become a credible school choice option to failing urban public schools.
SagB Glucosaminidase Is a Determinant of Staphylococcus aureus Glycan Chain Length, Antibiotic Susceptibility, and Protein Secretion

ABSTRACT The envelope of Staphylococcus aureus is comprised of peptidoglycan and its attached secondary polymers, teichoic acid, capsular polysaccharide, and protein. Peptidoglycan synthesis involves polymerization of lipid II precursors into glycan strands that are cross-linked at wall peptides. It is not clear whether peptidoglycan structure is principally determined during polymerization or whether processive enzymes affect cell wall structure and function, for example, by generating conduits for protein secretion. We show here that S. aureus lacking SagB, a membrane-associated N -acetylglucosaminidase, displays growth and cell-morphological defects caused by the exaggerated length of peptidoglycan strands. SagB cleaves polymerized glycan strands to their physiological length and modulates antibiotic resistance in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Deletion of sagB perturbs protein trafficking into and across the envelope, conferring defects in cell wall anchoring and secretion, as well as aberrant excretion of cytoplasmic proteins. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is thought to secrete proteins across the plasma membrane via the Sec pathway; however, protein transport across the cell wall envelope has heretofore not been studied. We report that S. aureus sagB mutants generate elongated peptidoglycan strands and display defects in protein secretion as well as aberrant excretion of cytoplasmic proteins. These results suggest that the thick peptidoglycan layer of staphylococci presents a barrier for protein secretion and that SagB appears to extend the Sec pathway across the cell wall envelope.
Politics and Pollution: Political Solutions to a Deteriorating Environment

The waters of Lake Baikal are as polluted as those of Lake Erie. Smoke chokes people in Budapest and Tokyo, Mexico City and New York. Automobile pollution has destroyed the clean mountain air of small towns in provincial Italy. These are the symptoms of the industrial age; industrialization is destroying humanity regardless of race, religion or sex, ideology or belief. Industrialization, modernization and urbanization have begun to exhibit serious tendencies of failure just when the lofty dream of bringing health and abundance to the people of the world seems within reach.
Simple, Unambiguous Theoretical Approach to Oxidation State Determination via First-Principles Calculations

We introduce a novel theoretical approach for determining oxidation states (OS) from quantum-mechanical calculations. For a transition-metal ion, for example, the metal–ligand orbital mixing contribution to the charge allocated to the ion is separated from that due to the actual occupation of the d-orbitals from which OS can then be inferred. We report the application of this approach to different transition-metal systems: molecular complexes, ruthenium-dye molecules, ruthenium complexes with noninnocent ligands, and bulk semiconductors. The computations were carried out using density-functional theory with a Hubbard U correction. The oxidation states were determined without ambiguity.
Practical issues in melanocytic tumours

Melanocytic tumours are arguably the most important aspect of dermatopathology. This course will cover a range of issues encountered in the practice of surgical pathology related to melanocytic lesions. Laboratory issues such as embedding and fixation artifacts, topics not commonly discussed in textbooks, will be addressed. In addition, other situations that cause diagnostic difficulty will be discussed, including margin assessment in sun damaged skin, naevi that histologically mimic melanoma, naevoid melanoma, and desmoplastic melanoma. A practical approach and strategies to resolve the differential diagnosis will be emphasised.
Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of T91 Steel Pipe Under Low Pressure

T91 steel pipe was joined by transient liquid phase bonding under low pressure at 1 230-1 260 ℃,and the influence of bonding temperature on the microstructure and composition of the joints was investigated by EPMA.The results show that with increasing of the bonding temperature,the diffusion of alloying elements across the joint is accelerated and the homogenization of the joint microstructure is promoted.However,some cavities are produced in the joint when the bonding temperature arrives at 1 260 ℃.The two step heating process,which is that the joint is firstly heated up to 1 260 ℃ and keep for 5s and then cool to 1 230 ℃ and keep for 180 s,can not only reduce the defects,but also dismiss the bonding interface,producing a seamless joint.The joint fails in base metal and no failure occurs when it is tensioned and bended to 180° respectively,indicating that the joint mechanical properties arrive to the base metal.In contrast to braze press welding,the axes of pipes are not shifted to each other and only little deformation can be observed.
Both the apoptotic suicide pathway and phagocytosis are required for a programmed cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans

Programmed cell deaths in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are generally considered suicides. Dying cells are engulfed by neighboring cells in a process of phagocytosis. To better understand the interaction between the engulfment and death processes, we analyzed B.al/rapaav cell death, which has been previously described as engulfment-dependent and hence as a possible murder. We found that B.al/rapaav is resistant to caspase-pathway activation: the caspase-mediated suicide pathway initiates the cell-death process but is insufficient to cause B.al/rapaav death without the subsequent assistance of engulfment. When the engulfing cell P12.pa is absent, other typically non-phagocytic cells can display cryptic engulfment potential and facilitate this death. We term this death an “assisted suicide” and propose that assisted suicides likely occur in other organisms. The study of assisted suicides might provide insight into non-cell autonomous influences on cell death. Understanding the mechanism that causes B.al/rapaav to be resistant to activation of the caspase pathway might reveal the basis of differences in the sensitivity to apoptotic stimuli of tumor and normal cells, a key issue in the field of cancer therapeutics.
Near future upgrades of the CMS pixel detector

The silicon pixel detector is the innermost component of the CMS tracking system, providing high precision space point measurements of charged particle trajectories. The current pixel detector is designed to operate at a maximum luminosity of 1×1034 cm−2 s−1. Before 2018 the instantaneous luminosity of the LHC is expected to reach 2×1034 cm−2 s−1, which will significantly increase the number of interactions per bunch crossing. The performance of the current pixel detector in such high occupancy environment will be degraded due to substantial data-loss and effects of radiation damage of sensors, built up over the operational period. In order to maintain or exceed its current performance, the CMS pixel detector will be replaced by a new lightweight system with additional detection layers, better acceptance and improved readout electronics. The upgraded pixel detector will provide improved track and vertex reconstruction, standalone tracking capabilities, as well as identification of particles with longer lifetimes, which will be crucial elements of many physics analyses.
Studies on camptothecin. I. Effects of nucleic acid and protein synthesis.

The plant alkaloid camptothecin inhibits the synthesis of DNA and RNA in HeLa cells at concentrations that do not initially influence protein synthesis. DNA, isolated from cells inhibited by camptothecin, has a sedimentation constant of approximately 40 S under alkaline conditions, in contrast to the high molecular weight DNA found in untreated cells. Inhibition of RNA synthesis in intact cells is completely reversed by removing the antibiotic from the medium, while DNA synthesis is only partially reversed by this procedure. Camptothecin does not significantly inhibit activity of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase isolated from Escherichia coli or of DNA and RNA polymerases prepared from HeLa cells. The structure-activity relationships of camptothecin and its analogues, as determined by their effects on nucleic acid synthesis in HeLa cells and on the sedimentation of DNA obtained from drug-treated cells, correspond closely to their activity in suppressing the growth of tumors in experimental animals. The inhibitory effects of camptothecin on nucleic acid synthesis may account for its chemotherapeutic properties, and the reversibility of the effects on RNA synthesis suggests that camptothecin may be a useful tool for the study of macromolecular synthesis in animal cells.
Open airway reconstruction in adults: Outcomes and prognostic factors

Abstract Purpose The purpose was to assess the success of open tracheal resection and re-anastomosis for non-malignant tracheal stenosis in adults. Successful operations were defined as T-tube or tracheostomy-free status by 6 months post-operatively. Materials and methods Retrospective chart review was performed and data were recorded in a de-identified manner. The primary outcome was T-tube or tracheostomy-free status by 6 months following tracheal resection. Clinical and demographic characteristics were evaluated as potential prognostic variables. Results Thirty-two patients met inclusion criteria, with a median age of 46. Seven patients underwent tracheal resection with primary closure, without stenting. Successful tracheal resection was defined as tracheostomy or T-tube free by 6 months post-operation, and this was possible in 21 patients (66%). Eighty-two percent of patients with cricoid cartilage-sparing tracheal resection had a successful outcome, versus 30% of patients who underwent cricoid cartilage resection (HR 5.02, 95% CI 1.46–17.3; p = 0.011). Patients with a history of tracheostomy-dependence were four times more likely to remain tube-dependent at 6 months (HR 4.15, 95% CI 1.56–10.86; p = 0.004). Conclusions Tracheal stenosis remains a very difficult problem to treat. In our series, we confirm that patients with cricoid involvement or with a history of tracheostomy were more likely to be tube dependent at 6-months post-operation.
The properties of property alignment on the semantic web

The performance of alignment systems on property matching lags behind that on class and instance matching. This work seeks to understand the reasons for this and consider avenues for improvement. The paper contains an exploration of the performance of current alignment systems on the only commonly accepted alignment benchmark that involves matches between properties. A second benchmark involving properties from DBPedia and YAGO, scaled to be within the capabilities of most existing alignment systems, is also proposed. A basic approach focused on aligning properties is then presented and evaluated using both benchmarks to serve as a baseline against which to compare more complex matchers on the property alignment task. The results show that even a relatively simplistic approach can achieve a significantly higher F-measure than current matchers. Finally, an existing full-featured alignment system is augmented with the basic property matching approach and the difference in performance is assessed.
Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography for Screening in Patients with Diabetes: Can Enhanced Detection of Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis Improve Outcome?

Purpose of Review It is well known that there is a very high risk of cardiovascular complications among diabetic patients. In spite of all efforts at aggressive control of diabetes and its complications, the incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality remains high, including in patients with no prior symptoms, underscoring a possible advantage for appropriate screening of asymptomatic patients for the presence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). In this article, we sought primarily to review the results of studies designed to evaluate a possible role of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in the screening of asymptomatic diabetic patients for possible obstructive CAD.
Glia Maturation Factor-Gamma Negatively Modulates TLR4 Signaling In Macrophages Induced by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Abstract Abstract 1482 Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a critical role in innate immunity that recognize pathogenic molecules and trigger inflammatory response. However, excessive activation of TLR4 activation may contribute to pathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the negative regulation of TLR4-triggered inflammatory response attracts much attention in recent years. Activation of TLR4 signaling pathways by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to the production of a broad array of cytokines and mediators that coordinate the immune response in macrophages. Glia maturation factor gamma (GMFG), a member of the ADF/cofilin family of proteins that regulate actin cytoskeleton reorganization, is preferentially expressed in inflammatory cells, but its function in macrophages immune response remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether GMFG participates in the molecular events underlying the inflammatory reaction to LPS in macrophages by knockdown of GMFG using small-interfering RNA approach. We show here that knockdown of GMFG significantly enhanced LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-8, and MCP-1 in human peripheral blood monocytes-derived macrophage as determined by quantitative real time-PCR and confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Silencing of GMFG expression potentiates LPS-induced activation of p38, ERK1/2 and NF-kappaB signaling pathways by Western blot analysis. Moreover, luciferase assay revealed that gene silencing of GMFG promoted LPS-induced NF-kappaB activity for ∼2.5- to 4-fold. Furthermore, we found that TLR4 protein expression level were higher in GMFG-silenced macrophage compared with that of the control siRNA-transfected macrophages after stimulated with LPS for 1 hour. These results suggest that GMFG negatively regulation of TLR4 signaling-induced inflammatory cytokines by modulation of TLR4 expression levels and its down-stream NF-kappaB and p38 MAPK signaling pathway. In summary, we report that GMFG, in macrophage, function as a novel negative regulator that participates in the regulation of TLR4-signaling pathway, implicating that macrophage-specific modulation of GMFG may be beneficial in the treatment of inflammation as well as autoimmune disease. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.