cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase stability and atom probe field ion microscopy of type 308 cre stainless steel weld metal

Improvement in high-temperature creep-rupture properties of type 308 stainless steel welds due to the controlled addition of boron is related to microstructural evolution during welding and thermal phase stability at creep service temperatures. The microstructure of boron-containing type 308 austenitic stainless steel welds, in the as-welded state, consisted of 8 to 10 pct ferrite in an austenite matrix. Atom probe field ion microscopy studies revealed segregation of boron and carbon to ferriteaustenite boundaries in the as-welded state; the segregation level was less than one monolayer coverage. On aging at 923 K for 100 hours, M23C6 carbides precipitated at ferrite-austenite boundaries. On further aging at 923 K for 1000 hours, the ferrite transformed into σ phase. Similar microstructural evolution was observed in a type 308 stainless steel weld without boron addition. The volume fractions of M23C6 carbides were identical in boron-containing and boron-free welds. Atom probe results from the welds with boron addition in the aged condition showed that the boron dissolved in the M23C6 carbides. However, lattice parameter analysis showed no apparent difference in the extracted carbides from the welds with and without boron. Creep property improvement due to boron addition could not be related to any change in the volume fraction of carbides. However, the results suggest that the incorporation of boron into M23C6 carbides may reduce the tendency for cavity formation along the M23C6 carbide-austenite boundaries and hence improve the resistance to creep fracture. The observed microstructural evolution in welds is consistent with thermodynamic calculations by THERMOCALC software.
Shipboard fluorometric flow analyzer for high-resolution underway measurement of ammonium in seawater.

A shipboard fluorometric flow analyzer has been developed for near-real-time, high-resolution underway measurement of ammonium in seawater. The fluorometric method is based on the reaction of ammonium with o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) and sulfite. The reagents used in this method have been modified to suit seawater analysis. This method shows no refractive index and salinity effect from seawater samples. The potential interferences in seawater have been studied, and their effects have been reduced. The instrument response is linear over a wide range of ammonium concentration. The limit of detection of 1.1 nM was estimated in laboratory using ammonium standards prepared in distilled water. It should be noted that application of this method to low-level ammonium measurement requires a correction of interference species, such as amino acids. The sample throughput is 3600 h-1. The system can be used for both freshwater and seawater samples and has been used to monitor the distribution of ammonium in Florida coast...
Gene-smoking interactions in multiple Rho-GTPase pathway genes in an early-onset coronary artery disease cohort.

We performed a gene–smoking interaction analysis using families from an early-onset coronary artery disease cohort (GENECARD). This analysis was focused on validating and expanding results from previous studies implicating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 3 in smoking-mediated coronary artery disease. We analyzed 430 SNPs on chromosome 3 and identified 16 SNPs that showed a gene–smoking interaction at P < 0.05 using association in the presence of linkage—ordered subset analysis, a method that uses permutations of the data to empirically estimate the strength of the association signal. Seven of the 16 SNPs were in the Rho-GTPase pathway indicating a 1.87-fold enrichment for this pathway. A meta-analysis of gene–smoking interactions in three independent studies revealed that rs9289231 in KALRN had a Fisher’s combined P value of 0.0017 for the interaction with smoking. In a gene-based meta-analysis KALRN had a P value of 0.026. Finally, a pathway-based analysis of the association results using WebGestalt revealed several enriched pathways including the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton pathway as defined by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.
Ventriculosagittal Sinus Shunt Placement: Technical Case Report

Objective and importance Determining an appropriate site for distal catheter placement for ventricular shunting for some hydrocephalic patients can be difficult. We describe a simplification of the technique for sagittal sinus shunt placement using a guidewire. Clinical presentation A 20-month-old infant with hydrocephalus secondary to Alexander's disease developed erosion of her parieto-occipital ventriculoperitoneal shunt reservoir through an occipital decubitus scalp ulceration. Her hydrocephalus was temporarily treated with a ventriculostomy; however, she developed pneumatosis intestinalis while in the hospital. Technique The patient underwent placement of a ventriculosagittal sinus shunt. The ventricular catheter and shunt valve were placed through a burr hole at Kocher's point, and the distal end of the catheter was placed in the superior sagittal sinus by using the Seldinger technique. Conclusion Ventriculosagittal sinus shunting may be used as an alternative to traditional methods for patients for whom distal shunt placement is problematic. Our technique has the theoretical advantage of reducing the risks of blood loss or air embolism by not requiring a scalpel incision into the sinus.
Twin boundary flux spinning in a high-Tc superconductor

Abstract The pinning potential due to a twin boundary in an anisotropic, continuous superconductor is calculated in a simple model. The model assumes the twin boundary to constitute a thin superconducting slab, different from and embedded in the host superconductor. Flux pinning is found to originate from two sources in several instances. One is an absolute minimum of the free energy. This type of pinning occurs when the twin boundary slab penetration length is larger than that of the host (weak link). The second pinning sources is a surface barrier (local minimum in the free energy) at the interface of two superconductors. This barrier depends, in certain limits, very strongly on the twin boundary thickness and the anisotropy of the host superconductor. The model yields an estimate for the critical current parallel to the twin boundary.
Comparison of nucleus-nucleus interactions at 14.5-200A GeV with a multistring model.

Multiplicity and angular distributions of shower, grey, and black particles produced in the interactions of $^{32}\mathrm{S}$ and $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ at 200A GeV, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ at 60A GeV, and $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$ at 14.5A GeV in emulsion are compared with the predictions of an event generator, which takes into account the intranuclear cascading. The data on shower and grey particles for all the four beams are well described by the event generator. The black prong distributions show significant departure from the model.
Surface characterization of bimorphic PET filaments by inverse gas chromatography

Undrawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) monofilaments were surface-crystal lized through contact with dimethylformamide (DMF) using a continuous method. The specific surface area (SSA) of the resulting bimorphic filaments determined by inverse gas chromatography was found to be several hundred times the SSA of the starting material. The cavitated surface morphology has limited thermal stability, thermal annealing and hot drawing causing a monotonic decrease in SSA with in creasing temperature; however, scanning electron micrographs show that a substantial part of the surface structure is preserved even after annealing at 180°C. In addition, though hot drawing produces filaments with lower surface areas that are found for undrawn filaments, the areas are more thermally stable. The presence of small amounts of water or methanol in the DMF increased the SSA of the filaments, but amounts larger than several volume percent brought about a rapid decrease in SSA.
Symbiosis: Receptive to infection

Rhizobium bacteria infect the roots of legumes, where they induce the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules. This symbiotic relationship is of agricultural importance as it reduces the need for nitrogen fertilizers. But how do legumes recognize these beneficial partners among thousands of incompatible soil bacteria they encounter? It is known that exopolysaccharides on the surface of bacteria are important for interactions of these microorganisms with multicellular organisms and here Jens Stougaard and coworkers identify an exopolysaccharide receptor (EPR3) that mediates recognition of rhizobia in the wild legume Lotus japonicus. EPR3 expression is induced upon perception of bacterial signalling molecules known as Nod factors. The receptor recognizes compatible exopolysaccharides, thus controlling the symbiotic infection.
2,4-diamino-5-substituted-quinazolines as inhibitors of a human dihydrofolate reductase with a site-directed mutation at position 22 and of the dihydrofolate reductases from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii

2,4-Diaminoquinazoline antifolates with a lipophilic side chain at the 5-position, and in one case with a classical (p-aminobenzoyl)-L-glutamate side chain, were synthesized as potentially selective inhibitors of a site-directed mutant of human dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) containing phenylalanine instead of leucine at position 22. This mutant enzyme is approximately 100-fold more resistant than native enzyme to the classical antifolate methotrexate (MTX), yet shows minimal cross resistance to the nonclassical antifolates piritrexim (PTX) and trimetrexate (TMQ). Although they were much less potent than trimetrexate and piritrexim, the lipophilic 5-substituted analogues were all found to bind approximately 10 times better to the mutant DHFR than to the wild-type enzyme. The potency of the analogue with a classical (p-aminobenzoyl)-L-glutamate side chain was similarly diminished in comparison with MTX, but the difference in its binding affinity to the two DHFR species was only 5-fold. Thus, by making subtle structural changes in the antifolate molecule, it may be possible to attack resistance due to mutational alterations in the active site of the target enzyme. Also, to test the hypothesis that DHFR from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii may have a less sterically restrictive active site than the enzyme from mammalian cells, inhibition assays using several of the lipophilic analogues in the series were carried out against the P. carinii and T. gondii reductases in comparison with the enzyme from rat liver. In contrast to their preferential binding to mutant versus wild-type human DHFR, binding of these analogues to the P. carinii and T. gondii enzymes was weaker than binding to rat enzyme. It thus appears that, if the active site of the DHFR from these parasites is less sterically restrictive than the active site of the mammalian enzyme, this difference cannot be successfully exploited by moving the side chain from the 6-position to the 5-position.
A role for excreted quinones in extracellular electron transfer

Respiratory processes in bacteria are remarkable because of their ability to use a variety of compounds, including insoluble minerals, as terminal electron acceptors. Although much is known about microbial electron transport to soluble electron acceptors, little is understood about electron transport to insoluble compounds such as ferric oxides. In anaerobic environments, humic substances can serve as electron acceptors and also as electron shuttles to ferric oxides. To explore this process, we identified mutants in Shewanella putrefaciens that are unable to respire on humic substances. Here we show that these mutants contain disruptions in a gene that is involved in the biosynthesis of menaquinone. During growth, the wild type releases a menaquinone-related redox-active small molecule into the medium that complements the mutants. This finding raises the possibility that electron transfer to a variety of oxidants, including poorly soluble minerals, may be mediated by microbially excreted quinones that have yet to be identified.
Oscillator-phase coupling for difFerent two-dimensional network connectivities

We investigate the dynamics of large arrays of coupled phase oscillators driven by random intrinsic frequencies under a variety of coupling schemes, by computing the time-dependent cross-correlation function numerically for a two-dimensional array consisting of 128×128 oscillators as well as analytically for a simpler model. Our analysis shows that for overall equal interaction strength, a sparse-coupling scheme in which each oscillator is coupled to a small, randomly selected subset of its neighbors leads to a more rapid and robust phase locking than nearest-neighbor coupling or locally dense connection schemes.
A NOTE ON THE IMPACT OF PROGRESSIVE DIVIDEND TAXATION ON INVESTMENT DECISIONS

This paper studies the distortionary impact of progressive dividend taxation on investment decisions under the premises of the â€œnewâ€ view. According to the new view, proportional dividend taxation does not distort firms' investment decisions. We find that progressive dividend taxation distorts investment decisions due to endogenous variations in the marginal tax rate caused by stochastic taxable income over the business cycle. The magnitude of this distortion critically depends upon the marginal tax rate and the progressivity of the tax system.
Generation of problems, answers, grade, and feedback---case study of a fully automated tutor

Researchers and educators have been developing tutors to help students learn by solving problems. The tutors vary in their ability to generate problems, generate answers, grade student answers, and provide feedback. At one end of the spectrum are tutors that depend on hand-coded problems, answers, and feedback. These tutors can be expected to be pedagogically effective, since all the problem-solving content is carefully hand-crafted by a teacher. However, their repertoire is limited. At the other end of the spectrum are tutors that can automatically generate problems, answers, and feedback. They have an unlimited repertoire, but it is not clear that they are effective in helping students learn. Most extant tutors lie somewhere along this spectrum.In this article we examine the feasibility of developing a tutor that can automatically generate problems, generate answers, grade student answers, and provide feedback. We investigate whether such a tutor can help students learn. For our study, we considered a tutor for our Programming Languages course, which covers static and dynamic scope (i.e., static scope of variables and procedures, dynamic scope of variables, and static and dynamic referencing environment of procedures in the context of a language that permits nested procedure definitions). The tutor generates simple and complex problems on each of these five topics, solves the problems, grades the students' answers, and provides feedback about incorrect and missed answers. Our evaluation over two semesters shows that the feedback provided by the tutor helps improve student learning.
The isolation and characterization of fulvic acid and humic acid from river water

Abstract Many rivers in New Hampshire are rich in dark brown organic matter from natural sources. Because the interactions between metal ions like Fe3+ and the organic fulvic and humic acids makes water treatment difficult, we are studying the nature of the organic acids. Fulvic acid was isolated from the B2 horizon of a Podzol soil obtained at Conway, NH, and fulvic and humic acids were isolated from the Oyster River (Lee, NH) and Jewel Pond (Stratham, NH). The method of isolating the organic matter from water involves new techniques. The oxygen-containg functional groups, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen were analyzed for all samples. The fulvic acid and humic acid samples isolated from water are different from each other, but similar to analogous soil samples.
Proteasome Inhibition of Pathologic Shedding of Enterocytes to Defend Barrier Function Requires X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein and Nuclear Factor κB

Background & Aims Although we are beginning to understand where, when, and how intestinal epithelial cells are shed, physiologically, less is understood about alterations in cell fate during minimally invasive epithelial infections. We used a piglet model of Cryptosporidium parvum infection to determine how elimination of infected enterocytes is balanced with the need to maintain barrier function. Methods We studied the effects of enterocyte shedding by C parvum –infected ileum on barrier function ex vivo with Ussing chambers. The locations and activities of caspase-3, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoblot, and tissue immunoreactivity analyses and using specific pharmacologic inhibitors. The location, specificity, and magnitude of enterocyte shedding were quantified using special stains and light microscopy. Results Infection with C parvum activated apoptotic signaling pathways in enterocytes that resulted in cleavage of caspase-3. Despite caspase-3 cleavage, enterocyte shedding was confined to villus tips, coincident with apoptosis, and observed more frequently in infected cells. Epithelial expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), activation of NF-κB, and proteasome activity were required for control of cell shedding and barrier function. The proteasome blocked activity of caspase-3; this process was mediated by expression of XIAP, which bound to cleaved caspase-3. Conclusions We have identified a pathway by which villus epithelial cells are maintained during C parvum infection. Loss of barrier function is reduced by active retention of infected enterocytes until they reach the villus tip. These findings might be used to promote clearance of minimally invasive enteropathogens, such as by increasing the rate of migration of epithelial cells from the crypt to the villus tip.
Comparison of greenhouse and environmentally controlled growthroom root growth potential testing of 2+0 eastern white pine seedlings

Two-year-old estern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) seedlings were measured for Root Growth Potential (RGP) in a hydroponic system over two years in both a greenhouse and an environmentally controlled growthroom. Analyses of variance showed no significant differences (alpha = 0.05) between testing environments for either year. This study demonstrates the validity of using greenhouse RGP testing for 2+0 eastern white pine.
A novel mutation in the deoxyribonucleic acid-binding domain of the vitamin D receptor causes hereditary 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-resistant rickets

Mutations in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) result in hereditary 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-resistant rickets (HVDRR), an autosomal recessive disease caused by target organ resistance to the action of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3]. In this study, we investigated the molecular basis of HVDRR in a child from Saudi Arabia who was previously shown to be resistant to 1,25-(OH)2D3 action, but whose cultured skin fibroblasts exhibited normal [3H]1,25-(OH)2D3 binding. Using the PCR, exons 2 and 3 of the VDR gene that encode the DNA-binding region of the receptor were amplified and sequenced. A novel point mutation at nucleotide 252 in exon 2 of the VDR was identified. This missense mutation (GGC to GAC) resulted in the conversion of glycine to aspartic acid at amino acid position 46 (G46D), located at the base of the first zinc finger. This single base change was introduced into wild-type VDR complementary DNA by site-directed mutagenesis, and the mutant VDR was then expressed in COS-1 cells. The expressed mutant VDR displayed a normal binding affinity (Kd = 1.2 x 10(-10) mol/L) for [3H]1,25-(OH)2D3 as determined by Scatchard analysis. However, the mutant VDR was shown to have reduced binding affinity for DNA by DNA-cellulose chromatography. In COS-7 cells cotransfected with a vitamin D response element-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter construct and the mutant VDR complementary DNA expression vector, the mutant VDR was unable to activate gene transcription in cells treated with up to 100 nmol/L 1,25-(OH)2D3. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using MwoI restriction digests of exon 2 demonstrated that the affected child is homozygous for the mutation, whereas the child's father is heterozygous and a carrier of the defective allele. In conclusion, a new mutation was identified in exon 2 of the VDR gene. This mutation, which occurs in the first zinc finger of the DNA-binding domain of the receptor, blocks 1,25-(OH)2D3 action and leads to the syndrome of HVDRR.
A Modified Infidelity Debriefing Process for Couples Who Have Recently Experienced Infidelity Disclosure

A review of the professional literature reveals numerous articles related to the frequency and prevalence of infidelity, the demographics, values, attitudes, opinions, and religious affiliations of those who have participated in or experienced infidelity, and typical infidelity relationship durations. However, there exists a paucity of treatment-based literature describing how to clinically process or debrief infidelity disclosure. To address this paucity, the Modified Infidelity Debriefing Process used by the authors is described. This strengths-based process combines solution-focused interventions and has been used with couples who have experienced recent infidelity disclosure.
Gene expression profiles during hepatic stellate cell activation in culture and in vivo.

Background & Aims: Following hepatic injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) transdifferentiate to become extracellular matrix-producing myofibroblasts and to promote hepatic fibrogenesis. In this study, we determine gene expression changes in 3 different models of HSC activation and investigate whether HSC culture activation reproduces gene expression changes of HSC in vivo activation. Methods: HSCs were isolated by density centrifugation and magnetic antibody cell sorting from normal mice, CCl4-treated mice, and mice that underwent bile duct ligation (BDL). Gene expression was analyzed by microarray and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Results: Two thousand seventy-three probe sets were differentially expressed in at least 1 of 3 models of HSC activation, including novel genes that encode proinflammatory and antiapoptotic mediators; transcription factors; cell surface receptors; and cytoskeleton components such as CXCL14, survivin, septin 4, osteopontin, PRX1, LMCD1, GPR91, leiomodin, and anillin. BDL- and CCl4-activated HSCs showed highly correlated gene expression patterns, whereas culture activation only partially reproduced the gene expression changes observed during BDL- and CCl4-induced activation. Coculture with Kupffer cells or lipopolysaccharide treatment during culture activation shifted the expression of most examined genes toward the pattern observed during in vivo activation, suggesting a role for these factors in the microenvironment that drives HSC activation. Conclusions: The almost identical HSC gene expression patterns after BDL or CCl4 treatment indicate that HSCs exert similar functions in different types of liver injury. Because culture activation does not properly regulate gene expression in HSCs, in vivo activation should be considered the gold standard for the study of HSC biology.
Spatially resolved, highly multiplexed RNA profiling in single cells

INTRODUCTION: The copy number and in- tracellular localization of RNA are important regulators of gene expression. Measurement of these properties at the transcriptome scale in single cells will give answers to many ques- tions related to gene expression and regulation. Single-molecule RNA imaging approaches, such as single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybrid- ization(smFISH), are powerful toolsforcount- ing and mappingRNA; however, the number of RNA species that can be simultaneously im- aged in individual cells has been limited. This makes it challenging to perform transcriptomic analysis of single cells in a spatially resolved manner. Here, we report multiplexed error- robust FISH (MERFISH), a single-molecule im- aging method that allows thousands of RNA species to be imaged in single cells by using combinatorial FISH labeling with encoding schemes capable of detecting and/or correct- ing errors. RATIONALE: We labeled each cellular RNA with a set of encoding probes, which contain targeting sequences that bind the RNA and readout sequences that bind fluorescently la- beled readout probes. Each RNA species is encodedwithaparticular combinationofread- out sequences. We used successive rounds of hybridization and imaging, each with a differ- ent readout probe, to identify the readout se- quences bound to each RNA and to decode the RNA. In principle, combinatorial labeling al- lows the number of detectable RNA species to
Rural electrification in the Third World

The importance of rural electrification (RE) in the development process is recognised in a number of studies and assessments of RE programmes that have been carried out during the past decade, by the developing countries as well as donors of foreign aid. The author reviews the RE experience of the developing countries, identifies the principal issues, and discusses how these problems might be resolved. >
Effect of Dynamics on the Stability Index of Tractors

SUMMARY Acceleration can decrease the stability of a tractor and result in a tractor rollover on a moderate slope. This report examines an example of an agricultural tractor rollover on a moderate slope and determines a stability index. Based on stability data and the kinematic analysis of a tractor turning on a slop, the paper modifies the index of static stability based on the steady-state operation of a tractor by introducing a dynamic factor. A tractor rollover was recorded on a video and stability parameters (pitch and roll angles and their rate, as well as yaw rate) were measured by stability sensors. The analysis of the video and stability data in real time showed that the index of tractor stability on a slope is significantly affected by its dynamics (e.g., angle rates and vehicle acceleration). The strong cornering of a tractor wheel and high yaw rate increase the possibility of rollover.
Estimating quantiles of the cumulative mean function of the nonhomogeneous Poisson process

Abstract Confidence intervals for the quantiles of the cumulative mean function of the nonhomogeneous Poisson process are presented. Also considered is the problem of selecting quantiles to be used in graphical plotting. Results are obtained for both single and multiple series of event truncated data.
Electromagnetic properties of the pion as a composite nambu-goldstone boson

Motivated by the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model of light mesons, we introduce a covariant separable interaction to model the structure of relativistic quark-antiquark systems.The Schwinger-Dyson equation for the quark self-energy is solved analytically, generating a dynamical quark mass through spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry, and yielding a pion which has zero mass in the chiral limit.The Bethe-Salpeter vertex function for this q{vec}q pion, which has a momentum distribution and composite structure associated with the interaction, is obtained analytically.Using this vertex function, and a similar one for the p meson, we calculate the electromagnetic observables of this composite Nambu-Goldstone boson, including effects from p-meson dominance processes.Our calculatoin takes the composite structure of the mesons into account.The p meson effects are found to be very small in the pion charge form factor, but substantial in the charge radius.Using the model, predictions are m
Electrocardiographic abnormalities predict deaths from cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease in Pima Indians with type 2 diabetes.

Background The association between electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities and deaths from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been reported in the general population, but there is little information regarding persons with type 2 diabetes. Methods Minor and major ECG abnormalities were identified and classified according to the Minnesota Code in a longitudinal study of 1605 Pima Indians aged ≥35 years with type 2 diabetes. Underlying causes of death were determined by review of all available clinical records, autopsy reports, medical examiners' findings, and death certificates. Results During a median follow-up of 14.1 years (range 0.1 to 33.8 years), there were 190 CVD deaths, 135 (71.1%) of which were attributable to IHD. The age-adjusted CVD death rates in men with none, minor, and major ischemic ECG abnormalities were 7.3, 12.2 and 27.8, and in women, 4.3, 4.8 and 12.5 per 1000 person-years, respectively. After adjustment for other co-variables in a multiple proportional hazards model, subjects with minor and major ischemic abnormalities on ECG had 1.22 (95% CI, 0.76-1.97) and 1.83 (95% CI, 1.21-2.76) times the CVD death rate, and 1.32 (95% CI, 0.70-2.50) and 2.12 (95% CI, 1.26-3.57) times the IHD death rate of those with no ischemic ECG abnormalities, respectively. Conclusions The CVD and IHD death rates were higher in men and in subjects with major ischemic ECG abnormalities. Major ischemic abnormalities on ECG predicted death after accounting for other cardiovascular risk factors, including proteinuria.
A Nonpeptidic Cathepsin S Activity-Based Probe for Noninvasive Optical Imaging of Tumor-Associated Macrophages

Summary Macrophage infiltration into tumors has been correlated with poor clinical outcome in multiple cancer types. Therefore, tools to image tumor-associated macrophages could be valuable for diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a cathepsin S-directed, quenched activity-based probe (qABP), BMV083. This probe makes use of an optimized nonpeptidic scaffold leading to enhanced in vivo properties relative to previously reported peptide-based probes. In a syngeneic breast cancer model, BMV083 provides high tumor-specific fluorescence that can be visualized using noninvasive optical imaging methods. Furthermore, analysis of probe-labeled cells demonstrates that the probe primarily targets macrophages with an M2 phenotype. Thus, BMV083 is a potential valuable in vivo reporter for tumor-associated macrophages that could greatly facilitate the future studies of macrophage function in the process of tumorigenesis.
Metal Separations Using Emulsion Liquid Membranes

Abstract Emulsion membrane systems consisting of an aqueous metal salt source phase, a toluene membrane containing the macrocyclic ligand dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DC18C6) (0.02 M) and the surfactant sorbitan monooleate (3% v/v), and an aqueous 0.05 M Li4P2O7 receiving phase were studied with respect to the disappearance of metal from the source phase as a function of time. The salts Pb(NO3)2, Sr(NO3)2, TINO3, and LiNO3 were studied both singly and in mixtures of Pb(NO3)2 with each of the other salts. In all mixtures studied, Pb2+ was transported first, followed by the second cation (except Li+ which was not transported). An excess of a second salt with a common anion enhanced the transport of Pb2+. Modeling of these systems was discussed. Source phases containing basic (pH 11) K[Al(OH)4] solutions were studied using the same membrane and a 0.15 M H3PO4 receiving phase. K+ and Al(III) (as aluminate anion) were both found to transport in this system, but no transport of Al(III) and little transport of K+ w...
Disulfide passivation of the Ge(100)-2 × 1 surface.

Understanding the bonding of sulfur at the germanium surface is important to developing good passivation routes for germanium-based electronic devices. The adsorption behavior of ethyl disulfide (EDS) and 1,8-naphthalene disulfide (NDS) at the Ge(100)-2 × 1 surface has been studied under ultrahigh vacuum conditions to investigate both their fundamental reactivity and their effectiveness as passivants of this surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, multiple internal reflection-infrared spectroscopy, and density functional theory results indicate that both molecules adsorb via S−S dissociation at room temperature. Upon exposure to ambient air, the thiolate adlayer remains intact for both EDS- and NDS-functionalized surfaces, indicating the stability of this surface attachment. Although both systems resist oxidation compared to the bare Ge(100)-2 × 1 surface, the Ge substrate is significantly oxidized in all cases (17−57% relative to the control), with the NDS-passivated surface undergoing up to two times...
Delayed presentation of prolonged hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in a preterm small-for-gestational age neonate.

Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in small-for-gestational age infants usually presents in the first two postnatal days. We present a preterm, small-for-gestational age infant who had hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia on day 13 of life. A female twin infant weighing 1390 g was born at 32+6 weeks of gestation. Her glycaemic profile was normal till day 13 of life, after which she was noted to be lethargic and hypoglycaemic and had hyperinsulinism, hypoketonaemia and hypofattyacidaemia, requiring high glucose infusion rate to maintain normoglycaemia, while negative for septic markers and metabolic screen. Initially, there was no response to diazoxide and the genetic studies for ABCC8 and KCNJ11 gene mutations were negative. Delayed response to diazoxide was followed by complete resolution of hypoglycaemia in 5 months. This case highlights the importance of glucose monitoring in small-for-date infants for hypoglycaemia till they achieve full feeds and gain weight. Early recognition and appropriate management of hypoglycaemia in this group of infants have important implications for neurodevelopmental outcome.
One-step purification of bacterially expressed recombinant transducin α-subunit and isotopically labeled PDE6 γ-subunit for NMR analysis

Abstract Interactions between the transducin α-subunit (Gαt) and the cGMP phosphodiesterase γ-subunit (PDEγ) are critical not only for turn-on but also turn-off of vertebrate visual signal transduction. Elucidation of the signaling mechanisms dominated by these interactions has been restrained by the lack of atomic structures for full-length Gαt/PDEγ complexes, in particular, the signaling-state complex represented by Gαt·GTPγS/PDEγ. As a preliminary step in our effort for NMR structural analysis of Gαt/PDEγ interactions, we have developed efficient protocols for the large-scale production of recombinant Gαt (rGαt) and homogeneous and functional isotopically labeled PDEγ from Escherichia coli cells. One-step purification of rGαt was achieved through cobalt affinity chromatography in the presence of glycerol, which effectively removed the molecular chaperone DnaK that otherwise persistently co-purified with rGαt. The purified rGαt was found to be functional in GTPγS/GDP exchange upon activation of rhodopsin and was used to form a signaling-state complex with labeled PDEγ, rGαt·GTPγS/[U-13C,15N]PDEγ. The labeled PDEγ sample yielded a well-resolved 1H–15N HSQC spectrum. The methods described here for large-scale production of homogeneous and functional rGαt and isotope-labeled PDEγ should support further NMR structural analysis of the rGαt/PDEγ complexes. In addition, our protocol for removing the co-purifying DnaK contaminant may be of general utility in purifying E. coli-expressed recombinant proteins.
Early model-based verification of automotive control system implementation

Controller Software Verification (CSV) is the critical process used to avoid mismatch between a designed and implemented controller. Common CSV practice in the automotive industry is to test a controller after its software is fully implemented. In this paper, an early model-based CSV methodology is proposed to reduce the development time and improve the robustness of automotive controllers. The application of the proposed methodology is demonstrated on a “Cold Start Emission” control problem in passenger cars. A non-linear model-based controller is designed to reduce cold start hydrocarbon emissions from a mid-size modern passenger car. The controller robustness is analyzed by testing the controller against the major steps occurring during the software implementation process of a controller. The main focus is on the imprecision from sampling, quantization and fixed-precision arithmetic. The results from the robustness analysis are used to specify requirements for the controller implementation for passing current North American ULEV emission standard.
Privacy and robustness for data aggregation in wireless sensor networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) consist of small sensing and computing devices that have limited power, storage, computation, and network bandwidth capabilities. Queries to the sensor nodes are injected into the network by a data sink node. The simplest way to respond to a query is for each sensor node to individually report back its reading to the sink, at which point all of the readings are processed. This unicast delivery requires that intermediate sensors route all such packets to the sink, which can lead to excessive energy consumption due to the large number of individual responses that need to be transmitted. In-network data aggregation improves the energy efficiency of this process by allowing each node along the routing path to aggregate all values received from its children into a single response value. This avoids the excessive communication required to route individual sensor readings to the data sink. In-network aggregation paths can typically be classified into one of two categories: tree-based or multipath-based. The tree-based approach provides the minimal communication overhead by constructing a spanning tree across all sensor nodes to facilitate routing. However, a single link failure in this model leads to the loss of all data from the subtree connected by that link. Given that WSNs are characterized by high rates of communication failures, this approach can lead to large errors in the average case. Multipath-based approaches add robustness to the traditional tree structure by taking advantage of the broadcast medium, but must be carried out carefully to avoid overcounting when computing the aggregate value. In addition to considering the robustness of the aggregation process, many applications (e.g., battlefield surveillance
Quantitative solution of omega-regular games380872

We consider two-player games played for an infinite number of rounds, with ω-regular winning conditions. The games may be concurrent, in that the players choose their moves simultaneously and independently, and probabilistic, in that the moves determine a probability distribution for the successor state. We introduce quantitative game μ-calculus, and we show that the maximal probability of winning such games can be expressed as the fixpoint formulas in this calculus. We develop the arguments both for deterministic and for probabilistic concurrent games; as a special case, we solve probabilistic turn-based games with ω-regular winning conditions, which was also open. We also characterize the optimality, and the memory requirements, of the winning strategies. In particular, we show that while memoryless strategies suffice for winning games with safety and reachability conditions, Buchi conditions require the use of strategies with infinite memory. The existence of optimal strategies, as opposed to e-optimal, is only guaranteed in games with safety winning conditions.
Kinematic Modeling Based Decomposition of Transmitral Flow (Doppler E-Wave) Deceleration Time into Stiffness and Relaxation Components

The mechanical suction-pump feature of the left ventricle aspirates atrial blood and generates a rapid rise and fall in transmitral flow (Doppler E-wave). Initially, E-wave deceleration time (DT), a routine index of clinical diastolic function, was thought to be determined only by chamber stiffness. Kinematic modeling of filling, in analogy to damped oscillatory motion [Parametrized Diastolic Filling (PDF) formalism], has been extensively validated and accurately predicts clinically observed E-wave contours while, revealing that DT is actually an algebraic function of both stiffness (PDF parameter k) and relaxation (PDF parameter c). We hypothesize that kinematic modeling based E-wave analysis accurately predicts the stiffness (DTs) and relaxation (DTr) components of DT such that DT = DTs + DTr. For validation, pressure–volume (P–V) and E-wave data from 12 control (DT 220 ms) subjects, 738 beats total, were analyzed. For each E-wave, DTs and DTr was compared to simultaneous, gold-standard, high fidelity (Millar catheter) determined, chamber stiffness (K = ΔP/ΔV) and chamber relaxation (time-constant of isovolumic relaxation—τ), respectively. For the group linear regression yielded DTs = αK + β (R = 0.82) with α = −0.38 and β = 0.20, and DTr = mτ + b (R = 0.94) with m = 2.88 and b = −0.12. We conclude that PDF-based E-wave analysis provides the DTs and DTr components of DT with simultaneous chamber stiffness (K) and relaxation (τ) respectively, as primary determinants. This kinematic modeling based method of E-wave analysis is immediately translatable clinically and can assess the effects of pathology and pharmacotherapy as causal determinants of DT.
Unmarried mothers as a high-risk group for adverse pregnancy outcomes

A total of 36,608 singleton births occurring to Black mothers in the District of Columbia in 1980-84 were examined. Infants of unmarried mothers had a 34 percent higher incidence of low birthweight and a 35 percent higher neonatal mortality rate than infants born to married mothers. To delineate the independent effect of marital status, a logit model was fit to 23,461 births occurring to mothers over 19 years of age. Despite controlling on maternal age, educational attainment and adequacy of prenatal care, the odds ratio for low birthweight was 1.18 for the infants of unmarried mothers. Supplemental analyses showed that if mothers were drug addicted or had their first delivery before age 18, the marital status differentials in the birthweights of their infants were no longer significant. These results indicate the importance of unmarried status as a demographic risk factor, and the need for discerning specific high-risk behaviors associated with life styles of unmarried mothers.
Somatosensory thalamus of a prosimian primate (Galago senegalensis). II. An HRP and Golgi study of the ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL)

The topographic arrangement and cytoarchitecture of cells in the ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) of a prosimian primate (Galago senegalensis) were studied using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and Golgi impregnation techniques. Following cortical implants of HRP, reactive neurons in VPL are organized into medially concave lamellae which extend through the dorsoventral and rostrocaudal dimensions of the nucleus. After implant in forelimb and hindlimb areas of motor-sensory cortex, labeled cells are confined to the medial (VPLm) and lateral (VPLl) portions of VPL, respectively. HRP-positive cells in the ventral part of each lamella are organized into clusters which correspond to the clusters of cells and "parcellated-bursts" of preterminal debris previously described in bushbaby VPL (Pearson and Haines, this volume). HRP-reactive cells in the ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) are evenly distributed as contrasted to the tightly clustered groups of somata in the adjacent VPL. This evidence argues in favor of the presence of Vim in dorsal thalamus of this prosimian. Golgi impregnations reveal two main types of relay cells in Galago VPL. Type I cells have multiangular somata, straight distal dendrites, and primary dendritic branch points which are free of appendages. Tye II cells have rounded somata, sinuous distal dendrites, and clusters of appendages located at primary branch points. Intermediate cells (i.e., cells with morphological features in between types I and II) are also present in VPL. Comparison of tufted Golgi impregnated cells with neurons labeled with HRP shows definite similarities in somata size and shape, and in the orientation of proximal dendrites. This evidence corroborates the relay nature of the tufted neurons in VPL. Relay cells in Galago VPL have morphological features which are similar to those of relay cells in lateral and medial geniculate nuclei of cat and primate. Type III cells have small round somata, radiate dendrites with elaborate appendages, and axons which appear to be intrinsic to VPL. Consequently, these cells are considered to be interneurons in the VPL of Galago. Glial-like neurons (type IV cells) were also observed. These have beaded dendritic processes similar to those which presumably represent presynaptic boutons in other species. Consequently, these cells are also assumed to function intrinsically within VPL.
Diabetes, growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor pathways and association to benign prostatic hyperplasia

Diabetes significantly increases the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The major endocrine aberration in connection with the metabolic syndrome is hyperinsulinemia. Insulin is an independent risk factor and a promoter of BPH. Insulin resistance may change the risk of BPH through several biological pathways. Hyperinsulinemia stimulates the liver to produce more insulin-like growth factor (IGF), another mitogen and an anti-apoptotic agent which binds insulin receptor/IGF receptor and stimulates prostate growth. The levels of IGFs and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) in prostate tissue and in blood are associated with BPH risk, with the regulation of circulating androgen and growth hormone. Stromal-epithelial interactions play a critical role in the development and growth of the prostate gland and BPH. Previously, we have shown that the expression of c-Jun in the fibroblastic stroma can promote secretion of IGF-I, which stimulates prostate epithelial cell proliferation through activating specific target genes. Here, we will review the epidemiologic, clinical, and molecular findings which have evaluated the relation between diabetes and development of BPH.
Colonoscopy: Colorectal cancer screening is a 'package'.

Screening colonoscopy is a powerful tool for prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer, but communication, program adherence, quality of screening and surveillance are essential. Poor communication between physicians and patients could jeopardize attendance at follow-up appointments. Steps should be taken to improve patients' understanding of the need for monitoring.