cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Excited-State Dipole Moment of 7-Aminocoumarins as Determined from Time-Resolved Microwave Dielectric Absorption Measurements

The excited-state dipole moments of several structurally related 7-aminocoumarin derivatives, used as laser dyes and in nonlinear applications, have been measured directly by following time-resolved changes in photoinduced microwave dielectric absorption. The dipole moments of the systems in the fluorescent state lie between 8.1 and 11.9 D, and the changes in the dipole moment on electronic excitation range between 1.7 and 6.1 D. Further, the excited-state dipole moment of any given system is found to be almost the same in benzene and in 1,4-dioxane. The results unambiguously suggest that these aminocoumarins fluoresce from the locally excited state and not from a zwitterionic or twisted intramolecular charge-transfer state, as often indicated in the literature.
Outcomes in Lymphoma Patients with Obstructive Jaundice: A Cancer Center Experience

Little information is available to guide clinicians on the optimal approach to managing obstructive jaundice in lymphoma patients. The aim of this study was to review our experience in treating lymphoma patients with obstructive jaundice in order to develop guidelines as to the best interventional approach. We reviewed the medical records of all lymphoma patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and/or percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) for obstructive jaundice between June 2002 and October 2008. We identified 35 lymphoma patients who underwent ERCP and/or PBD for obstructive jaundice. The mean age was 57.6 years. Most patients (66%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Stents were placed by ERCP in 25 patients and PBD in nine. Serum bilirubin levels normalized following ERCP or PBD in 29 of 33 (85%) patients with stricture. Stricture resolution occurred in 12 cases. Patients who had obstructive jaundice at the time of their lymphoma diagnosis had significantly longer mean overall survival following intervention than patients in whom obstructive jaundice developed later in the course of their disease (21.3 months vs. 4.5 months, P = 0.0001). ERCP and/or PBD effectively normalized serum bilirubin levels. Plastic stents should be used in patients who have obstructive jaundice at the time of lymphoma diagnosis because these strictures tend to resolve before stent exchanges are necessary. For patients in whom obstructive jaundice develops later in the course of their disease, the limited prognosis often makes a single intervention with insertion of a plastic stent sufficient to provide adequate biliary decompression.
The case for the impossibility of proving immortality

(1964). The case for the impossibility of proving immortality. Pacific Philosophy Forum: Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 47-60.
Tentacular and oral-disc regeneration in the sea anemone, Aiptasia diaphana. I. Sequential morphological events in distal-end restitution†

The complete regeneration of a new oral-disc and tentacles has been observed and described for Aiptasia diaphana. These structures are regenerated quite rapidly: seven to ten days at 20°C. At three days post-amputation, the new primary, secondary, and tertiary tentacle buds begin to develop in direct association with the underlying primary, secondary, and tertiary septae (respectively) of the column, suggesting that the latter organize the form of the regenerating oral-disc. Two days after amputation, the zooxanthellae of the presumptive oral disc arrange themselves into a ring which quite precisely delimits the area from which the tentacle buds will form. In spite of its suggestive proximity, this accumulation of algae plays no role in the induction of tentacle buds as was shown by studying regeneration in anemones which essentially lacked large quantities of these symbiotic algae. Cuts perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the column result in an equal rate of tentacular regeneration around the entire circumference of the presumptive oral disc. Oblique amputations foster an asynchronous regeneration: the tentacle buds of the distal-most area of the severed column are larger and regenerate much sooner than those of the proximal region. Similar results were obtained by studying anemones which were cut perpendicular to their longitudinal axes at different levels along the column. The data suggest that an oral-aboral gradient exists concerning the time required for the initiation of tentacle budding and the rate of tentacle regeneration.
Cohomology of twisted holomorphic forms on Grassmann manifolds and quadric hypersurfaces

On etudie la cohomologie de Ω q (k)=Ω q ⊗L k pour des espaces symetriques hermitiens de types A III, B I, et D I
Flow rate-modified streaming effects in heterogeneous microchannels

A general model based on the Onsager reciprocal relations is developed to study the streaming potential and streaming current in heterogeneous microchannels. The surface heterogeneities may be symmetrically or asymmetrically distributed parallel or perpendicular to the flow axis. Both streaming effects are modified by the flow rate through the heterogeneous channel, to eliminate the possible influence of electrokinetic flow on the streaming potential and streaming current measurements. Although they are still dependent on the distribution of surface heterogeneity, the flow rate-modified streaming effects are demonstrated to provide more consistent results with the traditional linear assumption than do the traditional ones, especially apparent in small microchannels.
Demetallation of α, β, γ, δ‐tetra(p‐sulfophenyl)porphineiron(III) in sulfuric acid‐ethanol‐water media

The rate of demetallation of α, β, γ,δ-tetra(p-sulfophenyl)porphineiron (III), Fe(TPPS)3-, was determined in sulfuric acid-ethanol-water media for 8.5-10.65M sulfuric acid at different temperatures. The overall reaction was the conversion of the complex Fe(TPPS)3- into the diacid species H4TPPS2- without other spectrophotometrically important species being formed to an appreciable extent, as shown by three isosbestic points at 418, 462, and 563 nm. The rate was first order in the Fe(TPPS)3- concentration. The pseudo-first-order rate constants k were exponentially dependent on the sulfuric acid concentration, and log k was linearly dependent on the Hammett acidity function –H0. The average ΔH‡ and ΔS‡ values for five reaction media were 18.4 ± 1.4 kcal/mol and 19 ± 3 cal/°K · mol, respectively. The linear relationship between log k and (-H0) and the approximately constant values of ΔH‡ ΔS‡ over the acid range investigated indicated that the same mechanism of demetallation was operative over this acid range. Because of the dependence of the pseudo-first-order rate constants on the acidity of the medium, the mechanism probably involves the addition of protons to pyrrole N atoms to assist in the breaking of iron (III)-nitrogen bonds.
Not so fast

Nearly six months on from the faster-than-light neutrino sensation we are still no nearer to understanding what is going on, says Robert Garisto
Continuous 3D freezing transition in layered superconductors.

We use Ginzburg-Landau theory to study the ${H}_{c2}$ transition in layered superconductors with field parallel to the layers, finding a continuous 3D freezing transition to a triangular vortex supersolid in the three-dimensional XY universality class. If screening effects are neglected, off-diagonal--long-range order survives only for $dg{d}_{\mathrm{lc}}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}5/2$. The partial breaking of the lowest Landau level degeneracy induced by layering leads to a local selection of a triangular lattice structure, in contrast to the global free energy minimization in, e.g., Abrikosov's calculation. Our results are relevant to artificially layered superconductors and to strongly anisotropic high ${T}_{c}$ materials.
Fluorescent detection of lipopolysaccharide interactions with model membranes.

The critical importance of the lipid A moiety of LPS in resistance and pathogenesis in gram negative infections has led to the assumption that LPS interaction with target cells is due to hydrophobic interaction with plasma membranes. However, work from several laboratories, including our own, is consistent with the presence of a cell membrane structure with characterstics of a “receptor”. We have proposed a two-step model for LPS-membrane interaction which resolves the two views, and have developed a model system to control the first step (binding to membrane protein) and study the second step (intercalation into lipid bilayer). We examined the interaction of LPS with small unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles labeled in the hydrophobic portion of the bilayer with the fluorescent probe diphenylhexatrine (DPH) and detected changes in the physical properties of the bilayer by measuring DPH fluorescence anisotropy (Δr). We have found that purified, phenol-extracted S. typhimurium LPS interacts with the bilayer as measured by an increase in Δr and conclude that the LPS aggregate coalesced with the lipid bilayer. The greatest change in Δr was achieved with lipid A, Ra-Re glycolipids and diphosphoryl lipid A. Monophosphoryl lipid A and lipid X were less effective. Preparations of wild-type LPS fractionated according to the length of the O-antigen side chain and unfractionated LPS had least effect on Δr. Thus other factors such as serum components or membrane proteins may be necessary to enhance the interaction of LPS with target cells.
Hormonal regulation of chick kidney inhibitor of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase.

The endogenous inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKI) in chick kidney is regulated by the vitamin D status of the animal. To determine the specific factors that are involved in the regulation of chick kidney PKI, chicks were raised on a low (0.05%), normal (1%), or high (3%) calcium diet and given vitamin D3 or vehicle three times a week orally. The results from this experimental protocol show that vitamin D3 or one or more of its metabolites and serum calcium levels are both involved in the regulation of chick kidney PKI in vivo. Measurement of PKI activity in primary cultures of chick kidney cells revealed treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25- (OH)2D3) led to a 90-95% decrease in PKI activity. This effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 was dose dependent, and neither PTH nor insulin was able to reverse it completely. Treatment with PTH caused 30-60% increase in PKI activity, and cell cultures that were grown in medium containing either 0.5 or 2 mM calcium chloride had similar PKI activities. Taken t...
Immunospecificity to Non-histone Chromosomal Proteins of Anti-chromatin Antibodies

COMPLEMENT fixing antibodies to a DNA–non-histone chromosomal protein complex (have recently been reported to be tissue specific by Chytil and Spelsberg1 and by Spelsberg et al.2. According to Wakabayashi and Hnilica3 complement fixing antibodies to the de-histonized DNA–non-histone protein complex react only with the original antigen and not with the dissociated non-histone chromosomal proteins but Zardie et al.4, using whole chromatin as the antigen, reported the production of species-specific complement fixing or precipitating antibodies reacting not only with the whole chromatin but also with isolated non-histone chromosomal proteins. The anti-chromatin antibodies reported by Zardi et al.4 recognized differences in chromatin and non-histone chromosomal proteins (but not histones) between WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts and 3T6 mouse fibroblasts grown in culture. Here we report that antibodies against whole chromatin of WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts can recognize the difference between the chromatin of WI-38 cells and their SV40 transformed counterparts, 2RA cells. In addition, these complement fixing antibodies react much more strongly with the non-histone chromosomal proteins of WI-38 than with those of 2RA, although the reaction with histones from both sources is quantitatively similar.
NMR relaxation and exchange in metal–organic frameworks for surface area screening

Abstract We describe a robust screening technique that correlates the surface area of metal–organic frameworks to the proton T2 relaxation behavior of imbibed solvent at low field (13 MHz). In frameworks with small pore sizes ( 1 nm) lead to corresponding increases in the rate of solvent exchange, as confirmed by T2 relaxation exchange (REXSY) experiments; increases in the pore size also increases the T2 of the pore-confined solvent. The combination of these two effects results in comparable rates of relaxation and exchange, which precludes the direct analysis of Laplace inversions. Thus, two- and three-site kinetics models were applied to extract porosity from relaxation decays, thereby improving the utility of the porosity screening tool.
Proximate physical cues to fear of crime

Fear of crime is a serious problem on university and college campuses. Although fear has many causes, one potential source of fear may arise from the design of the physical environment. In areas having a climate of fear (from incivilities or other factors), proximate cues in the surroundings may affect feelings of safety. In theory, concealment, blocked prospect into the concealment, and blocked escape contribute to fear. Following one study that tested this theory in a highly atypical building, the present study extended the test to a more typical campus outdoor space. Fear-maps elicited from students were compared with physical indices of concealment, blocked prospect, and escape. As predicted by the model, fear related to the presence of trees, shrubs and walls which provided concealment, limited prospect and blocked escape. The results highlight the importance of the role of uncertainty in environmental response and suggest that reductions in fear and opportunities for crime on campus may be achieved through changes in the character of campus outdoor spaces.
Scholarly religious sites on the World Wide Web

This article presents the process and the findings of an internship project, the goal of which was to locate religious and theological resources on the World Wide Web that would meet the scholarly needs of a theological seminary.
Closed anisotropic cosmological models.

Derivation of a new exact solution to Einstein's equations representing homogeneous nonisotropic cosmological models of a closed universe containing electromagnetic and scalar fields. This solution reduces to a generalization of Brill's electromagnetic universe when the scalar field vanishes, and to the Taub-NUT-M space when both these fields vanish. The solutions also satisfy the scalar tensor equations and represent a universe containing electromagnetic fields and a source-free solution to the scalar-tensor equations representing a closed universe.
Megalin (gp330) Is an Endocytic Receptor for Thyroglobulin on Cultured Fisher Rat Thyroid Cells

Abstract We recently reported that megalin (gp330), an endocytic receptor found on the apical surface of thyroid cells, binds thyroglobulin (Tg) with high affinity in solid phase assays. Megalin-bound Tg was releasable by heparin. Here we show that Fisher rat thyroid (FRTL-5) cells, a differentiated rat thyroid cell line, can bind and endocytose Tg via megalin. We first demonstrated that FRTL-5 cells express megalin in a thyroid-stimulating hormone-dependent manner. Evidence of Tg binding to megalin on FRTL-5 cells and on an immortalized rat renal proximal tubule cell line (IRPT cells), was obtained by incubating the cells with125I-Tg, followed by chemical cross-linking and immunoprecipitation of 125I-Tg with antibodies against megalin. To investigate cell binding further, we developed an assay in which cells were incubated with unlabeled Tg at 4 °C, followed by incubation with heparin, which released almost all of the cell-bound Tg into the medium. In solid phase experiments designed to illuminate the mechanism of heparin release, we demonstrated that Tg is a heparin-binding protein, as are several megalin ligands. The amount of Tg released by heparin from FRTL-5 and IRPT cells, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was markedly reduced by two megalin competitors, receptor-associated protein (RAP) and 1H2 (monoclonal antibody against megalin), indicating that much of the Tg released by heparin had been bound to megalin (∼60–80%). The amount inhibited by RAP was considered to represent specific binding to megalin, which was saturable and of high affinity (K d∼11.2 nm). Tg endocytosis by FRTL-5 and IRPT cells was demonstrated in experiments in which cells were incubated with unlabeled Tg at 37 °C, followed by heparin to remove cell-bound Tg. The amount of Tg internalized (measured by ELISA in the cell lysates) was reduced by RAP and 1H2, indicating that Tg endocytosis is partially mediated by megalin.
Successful HSCT using nonradiotherapy-based conditioning regimens and alternative donors in patients with Fanconi anaemia--experience in a single UK centre.

Successful HSCT using nonradiotherapy-based conditioning regimens and alternative donors in patients with Fanconi anaemia – experience in a single UK centre
Biofabrication of discrete spherical gold nanoparticles using the metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis.

Abstract Nanocrystallites have garnered substantial interest due to their various applications, including catalysis and medical research. Consequently important aspects of synthesis related to control of shape and size through economical and non-hazardous means are desirable. Highly efficient bioreduction-based fabrication approaches that utilize microbes and/or plant extracts are poised to meet these needs. Here we show that the γ -proteobacterium Shewanella oneidensis can reduce tetrachloroaurate (III) ions to produce discrete extracellular spherical gold nanocrystallites. The particles were homogeneously shaped with multiple size distributions and produced under ambient conditions at high yield, 88% theoretical maximum. Further characterization revealed that the particles consist of spheres in the size range of ∼2–50 nm, with an average size of 12 ± 5 nm. The nanoparticles were hydrophilic and resisted aggregation even after several months. Based on our experiments, the particles are likely fabricated by the aid of reducing agents present in the bacterial cell membrane and are capped by a detachable protein/peptide coat. Ultraviolet–visible and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectra and transmission electron microscopy measurements confirmed the formation, surface characteristics and crystalline nature of the nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity of these gold nanoparticles was assessed using Gram-negative ( Escherichia coli and S. oneidensis ) and Gram-positive ( Bacillus subtilis ) bacterial species. Toxicity assessments showed that the particles were neither toxic nor inhibitory to any of these bacteria.
A theory of yielding of amorphous polymers at low temperature — a molecular viewpoint

Nearly homogenous elastic shear on a molecular level rather than localized defect motion was considered to be the primary strain mechanism prior to yielding. The greatest or ideal value of the yield point for an amorphous polymer in the absence of the thermal activation was calculated. The theory involves a picture of the molecular motions under a shear stress involving three interconnected processes: 1. Shearons or intermolecular shear, 2. Rotons or intramolecular shear, 3. Tubons or motion along the covalent bond. The shear resistance was based on the stress to overcome the van der Waal's bond using a (6–12) potential. The model assumes that all atoms move co-operatively by the above motions, up to the point of yielding. Temperature was considered only as it affects the modulus, but the theory has not been extended to include thermal activation. The predicted value of shear yield point divided by shear modulus is <0.064 to 0.092; a review of all the experimental data obtained by extrapolations to 0 K gives an average value of 0.076±0.03.
G488(P) A novel use for eculuzimab: successful treatment of a child with transplant associated microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia

Microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia (MAHA), as part of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) post bone marrow transplant, is well documented yet its management continues to challenge clinicians. Outside the transplant setting, classical thrombotic thrombocytopenia is often successfully treated with plasma exchange therapy, but there is evidence to suggest that is not beneficial for post–transplant patients particularly when acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is present. Post–transplant TMA is characterised by MAHA, thrombocytopenia, elevated LDH and abnormal renal function. Fever and neurological impairment may also feature. In children, management has mainly been supportive, with a focus on withdrawing risk factors. The aetiology is unconfirmed and is likely to be multifactorial. Infection, GVHD, irradiation and immunosuppressive drugs have been implicated as has the use of ATG in conditioning and CMV seronegativity. Outside of the transplant setting it is thought that inappropriate complement pathway is central to the development and treatment of TMAs and it has been hypothesised that complement dysregulation caused by ciclosporin may be responsible for some cases of post-transplant TMA. Eculizumab is a monoclonal antibody that acts on the complement pathway by preventing the cleavage of C5 into C5a and C5b, which forms part of a cytotoxic membrane attack complex. Eculizumab is licensed for use in adults and adolescents to treat atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome and is the standard treatment for paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria in adults with emerging reports of its use to treat children with the same condition. There is also increasing evidence to support its use in children with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndromeand adult patients with TMA following renal transplant. We present the case of an 18-month-old boy with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type 1 who following a bone marrow transplant, developed anaemia, thrombocytopenia, renal impairment with difficult to manage hypertension and raised LDH. A diagnosis of MAHA was reached and eculizumab was given after minimal improvement was seen after discontinuing ciclosporin. This resulted in an improvement in blood pressure and renal function, reduction in LDH and urine protein–creatinine ratio and reduced need for transfusion.
The Effects of Imperfect Spatial and Temporal Sampling on Estimates of the Global Mean Temperature: Experiments with Model Data

Abstract A long time series of data simulated by the NCAR Community Climate Model is used to empirically determine the effects of imperfect spatial and temporal sampling on estimates of the model's global-mean surface air temperature. Results determined from a simple statistical sampling equation and those determined from a simple Monte Carlo experiment are shown to be reasonably similar to the empirically determined ones. The results provide insights into the spatial sampling problem, and it is proposed that variations of the simple models can be used in studies of real data to arrive at reasonable estimates of error that are directly applicable to the actual global-mean surface temperature.
Monochromatic source of Lyman-α radiation

A source has been developed which produces a pure spectrum of Lyman-α radiation (1215.7 A). This source incorporates a wavelength selective filter and an rf-excited helium-filled lamp containing a mixture of uranium and uranium hydride in a sidearm. The uranium serves as a getter to eliminate atmospheric contaminants, and the uranium hydride, when heated, supplies H2 in a reproducible manner. The filter consists of a flowing-oxygen cell and a narrowband interference filter. The distinctive advantage of this device is that radiation in the VUV at a well-defined wavelength is obtained without the use of a monochromator. Characteristics of the source and measurements of the irradiance of the spectral line are given for a typical lamp. The irradiance and spectral purity are seen to be not strongly dependent on oxygen flow.
An Improved Wideband All-Pass I/Q Network for Millimeter-Wave Phase Shifters

This paper presents the design and analysis of an improved wideband in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) network and its implementation in a wideband phased-array front-end. It is found that the addition of two resistors (Rs) in the all-pass I/Q network results in improved amplitude and phase performance versus capacitance loading and frequency, which is essential for wideband millimeter-wave applications. A prototype 60-80-GHz phased-array front-end based on 0.13-μm SiGe BiCMOS is demonstrated using the improved quadrature all-pass filter and with 4-bit phase-shifting performance at 55-80 GHz. Application areas are in wideband millimeter-wave systems.
Space-time structure of jet hadronization

The space-time development of jet hadronization is investigated in two-dimensional quantum electrodynamics. It is found that the characteristic space-time scale of jet hadronization is considerably shorter than the one given by approximately free propagation of quarks.
Brain Evolution and Human Neuropsychology: The Inferential Brain Hypothesis

Collaboration between human neuropsychology and comparative neuroscience has generated invaluable contributions to our understanding of human brain evolution and function. Further cross-talk between these disciplines has the potential to continue to revolutionize these fields. Modern neuroimaging methods could be applied in a comparative context, yielding exciting new data with the potential of providing insight into brain evolution. Conversely, incorporating an evolutionary base into the theoretical perspectives from which we approach human neuropsychology could lead to novel hypotheses and testable predictions. In the spirit of these objectives, we present here a new theoretical proposal, the Inferential Brain Hypothesis, whereby the human brain is thought to be characterized by a shift from perceptual processing to inferential computation, particularly within the social realm. This shift is believed to be a driving force for the evolution of the large human cortex. (JINS, 2012, 18, 394-401).
Pressure rinsing of coronary stents immediately before implantation reduces inflammation and neointimal hyperplasia.

Abstract OBJECTIVES This study evaluates whether rinsing stents with high pressure immediately before implantation minimizes stent-induced inflammation and neointimal formation. BACKGROUND Several reports indicate that manual stent manipulation before implantation results in foreign body contamination and increased neointimal hyperplasia. METHODS A stent-cleaning chamber was developed to rinse stents at a sustained hydrodynamic pressure of 4 atm for 10 s. Commercial pre-mounted stents were examined with different levels of manipulation: 1) untouched stents: no stent manipulation before implantation; 2) handled stents: manual stent re-crimping on the balloon; 3) rinsed stents: pressure-rinsed with the stent-cleaning chamber. In vitro surface analysis was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Neointimal hyperplasia and inflammation around stent struts were also assessed in the pig in-stent restenosis model. RESULTS In vitro analysis revealed fewer contaminants on rinsed stents compared with untouched (p = 0.01) and handled stents (p CONCLUSIONS Rinsing stents under high pressure immediately before coronary implantation results in less inflammation around struts and thinner neointima at 28 days in this pig model.
Shortest paths with arbitrary clearance from navigation meshes

This paper addresses the problem of efficiently computing optimal paths of arbitrary clearance from a polygonal representation of a given virtual environment. Key to the proposed method is a new type of triangulated navigation mesh, called a Local Clearance Triangulation, which enables the efficient and correct determination if a disc of arbitrary size can pass through any narrow passages of the mesh. The proposed approach uniquely balances speed of computation and optimality of paths by first computing high-quality locally shortest paths efficiently in optimal time. Only in case global optimality is needed, an extended search will gradually improve the current path (if not already the global optimal) until the globally shortest one is determined. The presented method represents the first solution correctly extracting shortest paths of arbitrary clearance directly from a triangulated environment.
Non-contact system for measuring tillage depth

A microprocessor-based non-contact ultrasonic sensor for tillage depth was evaluated. The sensor was tested on concrete, grass, wheat stubble, lightly disked wheat stubble (semi-stubble) and disked surfaces. The grass surface gave a higher variation when compared to results from measurements on the concrete surface. Large coefficients of variation were observed while operating in standing stubble. Thus, the sensors did not provide sufficient accuracy when operating in stubble conditions. The sensor performed well in a disked field and a pulled-type implement gave more consistent results compared to that of a mounted field cultivator.
The Potential of the Human Embryo

A higher order potential analysis of moral status clarifies the issues that divide Human Being Theorists who oppose embryo research from Person Theorists who favor embryo research. Higher order potential personhood is transitive if it is active, identity preserving and morally relevant. If the transition from the Second Order Potential of the embryo to the First Order Potential of an infant is transitive, opponents of embryo research make a powerful case for the moral status of the embryo. If it is intransitive, then the Person Theorist can draw lines between levels of moral status that permit embryo research to proceed.
Pedestrian Detection in Infrared Images based on Local Shape Features

Use of IR images is advantageous for many surveillance applications where the systems must operate around the clock and external illumination is not always available. We investigate the methods derived from visible spectrum analysis for the task of human detection. Two feature classes (edgelets and HOG features) and two classification models(AdaBoost and SVM cascade) are extended to IR images. We find out that it is possible to get detection performance in IR images that is comparable to state-of-the-art results for visible spectrum images. It is also shown that the two domains share many features, likely originating from the silhouettes, in spite of the starkly different appearances of the two modalities.
Congestion control and prevention in ATM networks

Some of the congestion control methods commonly considered suitable for an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network are surveyed. Call-level control, which provides preventive control by regulating the admission of new calls into the network, is first discussed. The concept of equivalent bandwidth is defined, and the sharing of network information is discussed. Admission control schemes are described. Methods for cell-level control, which avoids short term congestion, are considered. Included are call admittance, bandwidth policing, and rate control, as well as priority schemes that provide multiple grades of service with ATM. >
Techniques for the design of java operating systems

Language-based extensible systems, such as Java Virtual Machines and SPIN, use type safety to provide memory safety in a single address space. By using software to provide safety, they can support more efficient IPC. Memory safety alone, however, is not sufficient to protect different applications from each other. Such systems need to support a process model that enables the control and management of computational resources. In particular, language-based extensible systems should support resource control mechanisms analogous to those in standard operating systems. They need to support the separation of processes and limit their use of resources, but still support safe and efficient IPC. We demonstrate how this challenge is being addressed in several Java-based systems. First, we lay out the design choices when implementing a process model in Java. Second, we compare the solutions that have been explored in several projects: Alta, K0, and the J-Kernel. Alta closely models the Fluke operating system; K0 is similar to a traditional monolithic kernel; and the J-Kernel resembles a microkernel-based system. We compare how these systems support resource control, and explore the tradeoffs between the various designs.
Molecular evidence of stress-induced acute heart injury in a mouse model simulating posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition induced by life-threatening stress, such as that experienced by soldiers under battlefield conditions. Other than the commonly recognized behavioral and psychological dysfunction, epidemiological studies have also revealed that PTSD patients have a higher risk of other diseases, such as cardiovascular disorders. Using a PTSD mouse model, we investigated the longitudinal transcriptomic changes in heart tissues after the exposure to stress through intimidation. Our results revealed acute heart injury associated with the traumatic experience, reflecting the underlying biological injury processes of the immune response, extracellular matrix remodeling, epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transitions, and cell proliferation. Whether this type of injury has any long-term effects on heart function is yet to be determined. The differing responses to stress leading to acute heart injury in different inbred strains of mice also suggest that this response has a genetic as well as an environmental component. Accordingly, the results from this study suggest a molecular basis for the observed higher risk of cardiovascular disorders in PTSD patients, which raises the likelihood of cardiac dysfunction induced by long-term stress exposures.
Dynamic binary translation for accumulator-oriented architectures

A dynamic binary translation system for a co-designed virtual machine is described and evaluated. The underlying hardware directly executes an accumulator-oriented instruction set that exposes instruction dependence chains (strands) to a distributed microarchitecture containing a simple instruction pipeline. To support conventional program binaries, a source instruction set (Alpha in our study) is dynamically translated to the target accumulator instruction set. The binary translator identifies chains of inter-instruction dependences and assigns them to dependence-carrying accumulators. Because the underlying superscalar microarchitecture is capable of dynamic instruction scheduling, the binary translation system does not perform aggressive optimizations or re-schedule code; this significantly reduces binary translation overhead. Detailed timing simulation of the dynamically translated code running on an accumulator-based distributed microarchitecture shows the overall system is capable of achieving similar performance to an ideal out-of-order superscalar processor, ignoring the significant clock frequency advantages that the accumulator-based hardware is likely to have. As part of the study, we evaluate an instruction set modification that simplifies precise trap implementation. This approach significantly reduces the number of instructions required for register state copying, thereby improving performance. We also observe that translation chaining methods can have substantial impact on the performance, and we evaluate a number of chaining methods.
Syntheses of poly[ N -(1-pyrenyl)acetyl ethylenimine] [pyrene-substituted linear poly(ethylenimine)] and poly[methyl 2-(1-pyrenyl)acetamidopropenoate] [pyrene-substituted poly(dehydroalanine methyl ester)]

The syntheses of two new pyrene-containing monomers—2-(1-pyrenyl)methyl-2-oxazoline (6) and methyl 2-(1-pyrenyl)acetamidopropenoate (12)—and their polymerization are described. Cationic isomerization polymerization of 6 with ethylene glycol ditosylate initiator gave poly[N-(1-pyrenyl)acetyl ethylenimine] (7) and free-radical polymerization of 12 with AIBN initiator gave poly[methyl 2-(1-pyrenyl)acetamidopropenoate] (15). The monomer model compounds of the two polymers, namely, N,N-diethyl(1-pyrenyl)acetamide (9) and methyl 2-methyl-2-(1-pyrenyl)acetamidopropanoate (14), were also synthesized. The polymers were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and a comparison of their 1H-NMR spectra with those of the respective monomer model compounds.
Proteomics and Opportunities for Clinical Translation in Urological Disease

Purpose: Proteomics is a rapidly growing new discipline that has the potential to increase and improve the understanding of protein function and interaction in the context of systems biology. As a translational science it has the potential to identify many new therapeutic targets as well as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of disease. Proteomics approaches consist of a combination of powerful technologies such as protein/peptide separation, identification and bioinformatic detection, and quantitation based on powerful computational data processing tools. We present an overview of current proteomics technologies, a review of proteomics applications in urology and a perspective on the future of proteomics in clinical medicine.Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed on the basic concepts of proteomics and technologies commonly used in this field. Advantages, challenges and limitations of current proteomics approaches are discussed, and proteomics applications in the field of urology are ...
Winter leaf reddening in 'evergreen' species

Leaf reddening during autumn in senescing, deciduous tree species has received widespread attention from the public and in the scientific literature, whereas leaf reddening in evergreen species during winter remains largely ignored. Winter reddening can be observed in evergreen herbs, shrubs, vines and trees in Mediterranean, temperate, alpine, and arctic regions, and can persist for several months before dissipating with springtime warming. Yet, little is known about the functional significance of this colour change, or why it occurs in some species but not others. Here, the biochemistry, physiology and ecology associated with winter leaf reddening are reviewed, with special focus on its possible adaptive function. Photoprotection is currently the favoured hypothesis for winter reddening, but alternative explanations have scarcely been explored. Intraspecific reddening generally increases with sunlight incidence, and may also accompany photosynthetic inferiority in photosynthetically 'weak' (e.g. low-nitrogen) individuals. Red leaves tend to show symptoms of shade acclimation relative to green, consistent with a photoprotective function. However, winter-red and winter-green species often cohabitate the same high-light environments, and exhibit similar photosynthetic capacities. The factors dictating interspecific winter leaf colouration therefore remain unclear. Additional outstanding questions and future directions are also highlighted, and possible alternative functions of winter reddening discussed.
Effects of controlled-release formulations of atypical antipsychotics on functioning and quality of life of schizophrenic individuals

Introduction: Controlled-release formulations of atypical antipsychotics have recently been introduced into clinical practice. Clinical studies have indicated that these new therapies induce meaningful improvements in the functioning and quality of life of schizophrenic individuals. Areas covered: The present analysis makes an attempt to address the clinical relevance of these studies and their contribution to the understanding of the mechanisms of action of these new drugs. A Medline search was done using the keywords ‘antipsychotic', ‘plasma level', ‘quality of life' and ‘functioning'. Expert opinion: After reviewing the literature, it seems that symptom control and side effects may play a role in modulating the functioning and quality of life of schizophrenic individuals treated with controlled-release formulations of atypical antipsychotics. The analysis also highlights that these new drugs may possess peculiarities and similarities in regulating patient functioning. However, the low number of clinica...
Electron Microscopic Identification and Morphologic Preservation of Enriched Populations of Lung Cells Isolated by Laser Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting: A New Technique

There is increasing need to verify the identities of cell subpopulations enriched by laser flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). When cell subpopulations isolated from whole organs or tissues have similar characteristics (e.g., size, granularity, staining), light, phase contrast or fluorescence microscopy may not provide sufficient resolution to identify isolated cells accurately and many flow cytometric parameters (e.g., viability, fluorescence) require the cells to be live at the point of analysis where the cell transects the laser beam. In some studies, cells identified by fluorescence microscopy as a highly enriched subpopulation were found by electron microscopy to contain significant populations of other cell types. A technique, fixation-in-flow (FIF), has been developed to increase ability to correlate morphological and laser analyses of cell subpopulations. Sheath fluid is replaced by fixative, permitting fixation to be initiated immediately after laser beam analysis of live cells. This new procedure yields improved cytoarchitectural preservation of recovered cell subpopulation(s) for evaluation by transmission or scanning electron microscopy. This report presents results from applying the methodology to identify more accurately cell subpopulations of the distal lung, specifically type II pneumocytes, Clara cells and pulmonary macrophages. A modification of this procedure was employed to isolate fibroblast subpopulations from murine lung fibroblasts grown in vitro and the procedure is being used to determine the responses of cultured fibroblasts to other permutations (e.g., X-irradiation, cytokines).
Fatigue prognosis integrating usage monitoring system

In this paper, a novel fatigue prognosis methodology integrating sensor data from usage monitoring system is proposed. The key concept is to reconstruct the dynamic responses for the critical spots where the direct sensor measurement is unavailable. The sensor data at limited locations measured from usage monitoring system are used as the basis of the reconstruction. Fatigue prognosis for the critical spot is performed using the reconstructed dynamic responses. The Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) method with certain intermittency criteria is employed to decompose the sensor measurements into a series of Intrinsic Mode Functions which represent the dynamic responses under mode coordinates. An extrapolation procedure based on the finite element analysis is used to reconstruct the dynamic responses for the critical spot after the decomposition. The extrapolated dynamic responses for the critical spot is then integrated with a physics-based fatigue crack growth model for fatigue damage prognosis. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a multiple degree-of-freedom cantilever beam problem. Nomenclature y  = measured dynamic response fi = ith IMF i x   = ith modal response e = DOFs which can be measured by sensor u = DOFs which are not available for sensor Φie = the mode information for eth DOF under ith mode δie = the dynamic response for eth DOF under ith mode with respect to mode coordinate θ = the crack tip opening angle (CTOA) H = the Heaviside step function σref = the reference stress level where the crack begins to grow
Hormesis and Risk Assessment

The hormetic dose-response model has experienced a strong resurgence of interest in toxicology, risk assessment and pharmacology. This is based on its capacity for validation, reproducibility, generalizability, and its demonstrated ability to predict low-dose responses far more accurately than threshold and linear-at-low-dose models. This paper assesses capacity of hormesis models to impact the current risk assessment process, as well as the implications for risk assessment if regulatory agencies were to accept the hormetic dose-response as the default model. Keywords: hormesis; biphasic; dose-response; adaptive response; risk assessment; U-shaped; J-shaped
Tunable single-frequency Yb:YAG laser with 1-W output power using twisted-mode technique

A diode-pumped, single-frequency Yb:YAG laser with >1-W CW output power has been demonstrated. Single-frequency operation is induced by using the twisted-mode technique, and an etalon has also been inserted into the cavity for timing. Single-frequency tuning from 1.02898-1.03174 /spl mu/m has been achieved with a 116-/spl mu/m-thick etalon; the tuning range was limited by the etalon's free spectral range. >
Reassembly of the Tight Junction after Oxidative Stress Depends on Tyrosine Kinase Activity

Oxidative stress compromises the tight junction, but the mechanisms underlying its recovery remain unclear. We developed a model in which oxidative stress reversibly disrupts the tight junction. Exposure of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells to hydrogen peroxide markedly reduced transepithelial resistance and disrupted the staining patterns of the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin. These changes were reversed by catalase. The short-term reassembly of tight junctions was not dependent on new protein synthesis, suggesting that recovery occurs through re-utilization of existing proteins. Although ATP levels were reduced, the reduction was insufficient to explain the observed changes, since a comparable reduction of ATP levels (with 2-deoxy-D-glucose) did not induce these changes. The intracellular hydrogen peroxide scavenger pyruvate protected Madin-Darby canine kidney cells from loss of transepithelial resistance as did the heavy metal scavenger N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine. Of a wide variety of agents examined, only tyrosine kinase inhibitors and protein kinase C inhibitors markedly inhibited tight junction reassembly. During reassembly, tyrosine phosphorylation in or near the lateral membrane, was detected by immunofluorescence. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and PP-2 inhibited the recovery of transepithelial resistance and perturbed the relocalization of ZO-1 and occludin to the tight junction, indicating that tyrosine kinases, possibly members of the Src family, are critical for reassembly after oxidative stress.
A Survey of Academic Radiology Department Chairs on Hiring Recent Graduates as New Attending Physicians.

Rationale and Objectives To determine hiring preferences among academic radiology department chairs with emphasis on recent residency and fellowship graduates. Materials and Methods With the assistance of the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD), an anonymous survey was distributed to academic radiology department chairs during the time period December 2014–March 2015, with additional reminder emails during the study period. Varied multiple choice questions were designed to gather information regarding program details; qualities most valued in new attending hires; level of difficulty recruiting subspecialty fellowship-trained radiologists; and the effect of the new ABR certification process on hiring practices. Descriptive statistics and analyses are reported. Results Surveys were completed by 79 of 184 eligible academic radiology chairs, a response rate of 43%. The most important hiring criteria cited were expertise in subspecialty, fellowship training, and perceived ability to work well with referring physicians. The most popular recruitment tools cited were hiring candidates from a chair's own program, journal ads, and academic networks. A minority of chairs (16%), primarily those of smaller departments, will not hire new graduates before completing board certification under the new certification structure ( P = .0143). Conclusions Expertise in a candidate's subspecialty was consistently cited as the most important hiring criterion. Changes to the ABR certification process, however, will affect hiring decisions, particularly within smaller academic departments.