cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discursive Strategies of Organizational Identity Formation in Benefit Corporations: Coping with a Meanings Void and Assimilating External Feedback

The benefit corporation (BC) is a for-profit corporation that is legally required to generate profit for its shareholders and pursue public benefit. Based on a multi-method approach, this study tra...
Chapter 100 – Cerebral Vasculopathies

Here we review rare cerebral vasculopathies associated with either monogenic or chromosomal disorders. Identification of these disorders has important implications for prevention and treatment as well as allowing identification of other family members at risk. These disorders include inborn errors of metabolism such as Fabry disease, homocystinuria, Menkes disease and the mitochondrial disorders, as well as the genetic disorders leading to early atherosclerosis including the hyperlipidemias and Tangier disease. Collagen vascular disorders such as Ehlers–Danlos syndrome type IV, Marfan syndrome, Loeys–Dietz syndrome, and pseudoxanthoma elasticum can increase the risk of arterial dissection. Moyamoya syndrome, a severe cerebrovascular disorder, has been described in a variety of monogenic and chromosomal disorders including sickle cell anemia, neurofibromatosis type I, and also Down and Williams syndrome. Small vessel vasculopathies include CADASIL, CARASIL, and mutations in the COL4A1 gene.
Clinical evaluation and treatment of stumps in amputees injured in Wenchuan earthquake

Objective To analyze the feature and cause of stumps of amputees after Wenchuan earthquake,and study the effects of rehabilitation treatment for stumps.Methods Fifty-two cases with stump limbs post-amputation were evaluated,including stump skin status,stump shape,stump length,stump swelling,range of motion (ROM)of joint and strength of stump,and were treated with physical therapy,stump moulding and kinesiotherapy.Results The incidences of stump ulcer,stump swelling,conical stump,short stump and limitation of ROM of joint in all 52 cases were 76%,73%,34%,40%and 42%respectively.After rehabilitation treatment stump ulcers healed,stump swelling eliminated;stump shape,ROM of joint and muscle strength improved obviously.All poor stumps could be fit with the prosthetic limb and get good function.Conclusion The incidences of poor stump limb post·amputation after earthquake were high.Rehabilitation treatment can improve the stump condition.Early comprehensive rehabilitative intervention after amputation is important for fitting the prosthetic limb tO the stump. Key words: Earthquake; Amputation; Stump; Evaluation; Rehabilitation treatment
Analyzing Satellite Orbit Error for ARAIM Offline Monitoring

In this paper, we propose a new approach to generate the Integrity Support Message (ISM) for Advanced Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (ARAIM). In our approach, we analyze the satellite ephemeris parameters that directly contribute to the satellite position error and thus, result in the ranging error for an ARAIM user. First, we develop an ephemeris parameter error model for the broadcast GPS legacy navigation message (LNAV) under nominal conditions. Then, we describe the procedure to produce Signal-In-Space Ranging Error (SISRE) using the ephemeris parameter error model. The nominal SISRE bias and standard deviation are generated for the ISM to capture GPS constellation performance.
Christian Mainline Protestant Pastors’ Beliefs About the Practice of Conversion Therapy: Reflections for Family Therapists

Efforts to change the sexual orientation of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals to heterosexual are referred to as conversion therapy. Given the religious groundings that support the practice of conversion therapy, we sought to explore the beliefs of Christian religious leaders about this practice and what they want family therapists to know about the practice of conversion therapy. Twenty-one pastors from diverse Mainline Christian Protestant traditions were interviewed. Queer theory-informed thematic analysis revealed four themes that reflect the participants' perspectives on conversion therapy: (a) Conversion Therapy Is an Abomination, (b) Conversion Therapy Is Similar to Other Abusive Practices, (c) Conversion Therapy Represents A Misuse of Religion, and (d) Ethical Concerns About Therapists Who Practice Conversion Therapy. Implications of this study include a need for self-of-the-therapist work to address religious biases and heteronormative assumptions in order to examine beliefs that support practicing conversion therapy.
IBM Predictive Analytics Reduces Server Downtime

IBM has deployed its Predictive Analytics for Server Incident Reduction (PASIR) solution to more than 360 information technology (IT) environments worldwide since 2013. These environments, covering...
Vision loss following high-dose proton-based radiotherapy for skull-base chordoma and chondrosarcoma.

Abstract Background & purpose Dose escalation for skull-based chordoma and chondrosarcoma can put critical adjacent structures at risk, specifically the anterior optic pathway. We report the incidence of vision loss following high-dose conformal proton-based radiotherapy. Materials and methods We reviewed patients with skull-base chordoma or chondrosarcoma treated with proton-based therapy between 2007 and 2018. We analyzed 148 patients and 283 individual eyes with functional vision at baseline who received a minimum 30GyRBE to 0.1 cm3 of the anterior optic pathway. Eyes were classified as “functionally blind” if visual acuity was 20/200 or worse. Kaplan-Meier and normal tissue complication probability modeling were used to establish the relationship between radiation dose and risk of functional vision loss. Results At last follow-up, 110 of 148 patients were alive with no evidence of disease progression. With a median follow-up of 4.1 years (range, 0.5–12.8), 5 eyes in 3 patients developed functional blindness, with 2 patients developing bilateral blindness. Median time to blindness was 15.2 months. The 5-year incidence of vision loss was 2.1% (95% CI: 0.9–4.9%). On univariate analysis, development of blindness was associated with presence of multiple medical comorbidities (p = 0.0040). While there were no events with a maximum dose Conclusions Despite the high radiotherapy dose delivered to patients with skull-base chordoma and chondrosarcoma, the rate of vision loss is low and no events occurred in those who received a maximum dose under 60GyRBE.
Indoor Dust as a Matrix for Surveillance of COVID-19

Ongoing disease surveillance is a critical tool to mitigate viral outbreaks, especially during a pandemic. Environmental monitoring has significant promise even following widespread vaccination among high-risk populations. The goal of this work is to demonstrate molecular severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) monitoring in bulk floor dust and related samples as a proof of concept of a noninvasive environmental surveillance methodology for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and potentially other viral diseases. Surface swab, passive sampler, and bulk floor dust samples were collected from the rooms of individuals positive for COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 was measured with quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) and two digital PCR (dPCR) methods. Bulk dust samples had a geometric mean concentration of 163 copies/mg of dust and ranged from nondetects to 23,049 copies/mg of dust detected using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). An average of 89% of bulk dust samples were positive for the virus by the detection methods compared to 55% of surface swabs and fewer on the passive sampler (19% carpet, 29% polystyrene). In bulk dust, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 76%, 93%, and 97% of samples measured by qPCR, chip-based dPCR, and droplet dPCR, respectively. Detectable viral RNA in the bulk vacuum bags did not measurably decay over 4 weeks, despite the application of a disinfectant before room cleaning. Future monitoring efforts should further evaluate RNA persistence and heterogeneity in dust. This study did not measure virus infectivity in dust or potential transmission associated with dust. Overall, this work demonstrates that bulk floor dust is a potentially useful matrix for long-term monitoring of viral disease in high-risk populations and buildings.IMPORTANCE Environmental surveillance to assess pathogen presence within a community is proving to be a critical tool to protect public health, and it is especially relevant during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly, environmental surveillance tools also allow for the detection of asymptomatic disease carriers and for routine monitoring of a large number of people as has been shown for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring. However, additional monitoring techniques are needed to screen for outbreaks in high-risk settings such as congregate care facilities. Here, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in bulk floor dust collected from rooms housing infected individuals. This analysis suggests that dust may be a useful and efficient matrix for routine surveillance of viral disease.
Genetically Programmable Microbial Assembly

Engineered microbial communities show promise in a wide range of applications, including environmental remediation, microbiome engineering, and synthesis of fine chemicals. Here we present methods by which bacterial aggregates can be directed into several distinct architectures by inducible surface expression of heteroassociative protein domains (SpyTag/SpyCatcher and SynZip17/18). Programmed aggregation can be used to activate a quorum-sensing circuit, and aggregate size can be tuned via control of the amount of the associative protein displayed on the cell surface. We further demonstrate reversibility of SynZip-mediated assembly by addition of soluble competitor peptide. Genetically programmable bacterial assembly provides a starting point for the development of new applications of engineered microbial communities in environmental technology, agriculture, human health, and bioreactor design.
Hidden in plain sight: the spatial and industrial logics of home fitness technologies

Amid technological convergence and the proliferation of new digital distribution methods, at-home fitness devices and fitness media have entered the cultural mainstream. However, fitness media comp...
Benchmark of the Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling TechnologY (KRUSTY) Component Critical Configurations

Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling TechnologY (KRUSTY) was a prototype for the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Kilopower Program. KRUSTY has a highly enriched uranium–molybdenum a...
Diverse role of decoys on emergence and precision of oscillations in a biomolecular clock.

Abstract Biomolecular clocks are key drivers of oscillatory dynamics in diverse biological processes including cell-cycle regulation, circadian rhythms, and pattern-formation during development. A minimal clock implementation is based on the classical Goodwin oscillator, where a repressor protein inhibits its own synthesis via time-delayed negative feedback. Clock motifs, however, do not exist in isolation, its components are open to interacting with the complex environment inside cells. For example, there are ubiquitous high-affinity binding sites along the genome, known as decoys, where transcription factors, such as repressor proteins, can potentially interact. This binding affects the availability of transcription factors, and which has often been ignored in theoretical studies. How does such genomic decoy binding impact the clock robustness and precision? To address this question, we systematically analyze deterministic and stochastic models of the Goodwin oscillator in the presence of reversible binding of the repressor to a finite number of decoy sites. Our analysis reveals that the relative stability of decoy-bound repressors compared to the free repressor plays distinct roles on the emergence and precision of oscillations. Interestingly, active degradation of the bound repressor can induce sustained oscillations that are otherwise absent without decoys. In contrast, decoy abundances can kill oscillation dynamics if the bound repressor is protected from degradation. Taking into account low copy-number fluctuations in clock components, we show that the degradation of the bound repressors enhances precision by attenuating noise in both the amplitude and period of oscillations. Overall, these results highlight the versatile role of otherwise hidden decoys in shaping the stochastic dynamics of biological clocks and emphasize the importance of synthetic decoys in designing robust clocks. SIGNIFICANCE Biomolecular clocks are regulatory motifs that produce sustained oscillations in mRNA or proteins and keep precise timing for many cellular processes. The existence of an isolated motif, however, is unattainable as clock elements always interact with its complex cellular environment. We investigate the role of ubiquitously present high-affinity nonfunctional binding sites for transcription factors along the genome (decoys). Using the classic Goodwin oscillator based on delayed auto-repression, we study how decoys affect the emergence and stochasticity of sustained oscillations. We find that the stability of decoy-bound repressors against degradation can be crucial to trigger or destroy sustained oscillations and make the dynamics precise. Our findings stress the importance of natural and synthetic decoys in designing robust clocks.
NASA Planetary Surface Exploration

Managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is the lead U.S. center for robotic exploration of the solar system. JPL spacecraft have visited all known planets except Pluto (a Pluto mission is currently under study). In addition to its work for NASA, JPL conducts tasks for a variety of other federal agencies. In addition, JPL manages the worldwide Deep Space Network, which communicates with spacecraft and conducts scientific investigations from its complexes in California's Mojave Desert near Goldstone; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia. JPL employs about 6000 people.
Viral-Vectored Vaccines to Control Pathogenic Filoviruses

For more than 35 years the filoviruses, Marburg virus and Ebola virus, have caused sporadic outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever that result in severe and often fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates. Pathogenic Marburg and Ebola viruses are endemic in resource-poor regions in Central Africa and are also of concern as they have the potential for deliberate misuse. Although no vaccines or antiviral drugs for filoviruses are currently available for human use, remarkable progress has been made in developing candidate preventive vaccines against Marburg and Ebola viruses in nonhuman primate models. Most of these vaccines are based on viral vectors including recombinant adenoviruses, alphaviruses, paramyxoviruses, and rhabdoviruses. Because of the remote geographic locations of most filovirus outbreaks, a single-injection vaccine is an important goal in vaccine development. Among the prospective viral-vectored vaccines that have demonstrated efficacy in nonhuman primate models of filoviral hemorrhagic fever, two candidates, one based on a replication-defective adenovirus serotype 5 and the other on a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV), were shown to confer complete protection to nonhuman primates when administered as a single injection. Notably, the rVSV-based vaccines have also shown utility when used as postexposure treatments for filovirus infections.
Genetically predicted body mass index and Alzheimer's disease-related phenotypes in three large samples: Mendelian randomization analyses

Observational research shows that higher body mass index (BMI) increases Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk, but it is unclear whether this association is causal. We applied genetic variants that predict BMI in Mendelian randomization analyses, an approach that is not biased by reverse causation or confounding, to evaluate whether higher BMI increases AD risk. We evaluated individual-level data from the AD Genetics Consortium (ADGC: 10,079 AD cases and 9613 controls), the Health and Retirement Study (HRS: 8403 participants with algorithm-predicted dementia status), and published associations from the Genetic and Environmental Risk for AD consortium (GERAD1: 3177 AD cases and 7277 controls). No evidence from individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms or polygenic scores indicated BMI increased AD risk. Mendelian randomization effect estimates per BMI point (95% confidence intervals) were as follows: ADGC, odds ratio (OR) = 0.95 (0.90-1.01); HRS, OR = 1.00 (0.75-1.32); GERAD1, OR = 0.96 (0.87-1.07). One subscore (cellular processes not otherwise specified) unexpectedly predicted lower AD risk.
Dynamic Surface Tension of Aqueous Surfactant Solutions

Abstract The effect of surfactant molecular structure and environment on the parameters, γm, t∗ , and n in the equation, γt = γm + (γ0 − γm/[1 + ( t t∗ )n], describing the surface tension, γt at time t, of an aqueous solution at constant surfactant concentration, C, is explored. From the equation, t∗ is the time at which the rate of change of γt with log t reaches a maximum, equal to 0.576ν(γ0 − γm), where γ0 and γm are the surface tension of the solvent and the solution at mesoequilibrium, respectively. A variety of anionic surfactants in swamping amounts of electrolyte and nonionic surfactants were studied. At a given value of C, t∗ decreases with a decrease in the equilibrium surface excess concentration, Γeq, of the surfactant; at a given Δeq/C value, it generally increases with an increase in the hydrophobic character of the surfactant. The value of n also increases with an increase in the hydrophobic character of the surfactant. The value of γm is affected by the same factors that determine the value of γeq, the equilibrium surface tension. The maximum rate of surface tension reduction with log time, which depends upon the values of n and γm, consequently increases with an increase in the hydrophobic character of the surfactant. For low γt values, γm must be low and t∗ less than t.
miR-124 Regulates the Epithelial-Restricted with Serine Box/Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling Axis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Epithelial-restricted with serine box (ESX), a member of the ETS transcription factor family, is elevated and regulates EGFR in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the molecular mechanisms that contribute to ESX dysregulation remain to be elucidated. In this study, in silico analysis of the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of ESX predicted two miR-124–binding sites. Delivery of miR-124 inhibited the 3′UTR ESX-driven reporter activity by 50% ( P < 0.05) confirming ESX as a direct target of miR-124. Loss of miR-124 was found to be a frequent event in HNSCC. miR-124 expression was significantly depleted in the primary tumor compared with matched normal tissue in 100% (12/12) of HNSCC patients; relative mean miR-124 expression of 0.01197 and 0.00118 ( P < 0.001, n = 12) in matched normal adjacent tissue and primary HNSCC tumor, respectively. Overexpression of miR-124 decreased ESX and EGFR levels in miR-124low/ESXhigh/EGFRhigh SCC15 HNSCC cells and reduced cell invasion, migration, proliferation, and colony formation. SCC15 cells with miR-124 restoration were less tumorigenic in vivo than miR-control SCC15 cells (70% inhibition, P < 0.01). Restoration of miR-124 in SCC15 cells enhanced the antiproliferative efficacy of the EGFR/Her2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Furthermore, recapitulation of EGFR in miR-124–overexpressing SCC15 cells was sufficient to completely block the antiproliferative effects of lapatinib and afatinib. Taken together, our work provides intriguing evidence that miR-124 is a novel therapeutic approach to reduce ESX/EGFR, and may be a tractable strategy to enhance the response rate of HNSCC patients to current anti-EGFR/Her2 therapies. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(10); 2313–20. ©2015 AACR .
Contrasting case instruction can improve self-assessment of writing

Self-assessment is a process during which students evaluate the quality of their work in a given domain based on explicitly stated criteria. Accurate self-assessments improve students’ academic achievement. Yet, students often have difficulties assessing their own work. It is possible that appropriate instructional supports will help students overcome these difficulties. To test this premise, we compared the effects of presenting and discussing examples of well and poorly written stories (contrasting cases) with the effects of only presenting and discussing examples of well written stories (good cases only) on students’ writing. Fifty-three 6th-grade students in two history classrooms were randomly assigned to either the contrasting cases or good-cases-only instructional conditions. Results showed that students in the contrasting cases instructional condition created stories of better quality, developed a deeper understanding of the assessment criteria, and became better able to identify areas in need of improvement. This study is one of few efforts applying perceptual learning theories to improve academic skills in everyday classroom settings. The use of contrasting cases provides a promising yet a simple instructional approach that both teachers and students can use to improve writing and self-assessment.
Effects of periodic DC and AC electric fields on spoke formation in a crossedfield diode

Summary form only given. The time-dependent behavior of electron sheaths in a magnetically insulated (B>BHull) anode-cathode gap with crossed electric and magnetic fields is studied. The crossed field, space-charge limited diode is modeled for various magnetic fields by means of multidimensional (1d and 2d), self consistent, electromagnetic, particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations in both cylindrical and planar geometries. It is shown in 1d planar geometry that the cycloidal flows collapse into a steady, near-Brillouin flow. Our 2d electromagnetic PIC simulations (both planar and cylindrical) show that cycloidal flow also collapses into a perturbed flow that is dominated by the E cross B drift, but is neither steady nor stable. A slow wave structure (SWS) is added to the anode that matches the wavelength and frequency of the fastest growing fluid instability in the smooth-bore case. The SWS is added by three different methods to separate the RF effects from the DC electric field effects created by the SWS. The first method to add the SWS is to add a thin material with a large permeability to the anode that does not affect the DC electric fields; the second is to add a thin dielectric (with and unphysical large dielectric constant) which does affect the DC electric fields, and last is to add the geometric SWS. The SWS is then perturbed so that wavelength and/or frequency does not match the smooth bore diode growth rate and the region of `lock-in' to the SWS is found. The same set of simulations are performed again, this time changing the cathode to limit the emission area (representing a PAL cathode), adding perturbations to the cathode (representing a `shaped' cathode), and adding an emitting rod above the surface (representing a transparent cathode). These simulations focus on explaining the qualitative change in flow for these different cathodes under current development
MATERNAL CONSUMPTION OF A LOW VITAMIN D DIET RETARDS METABOLIC AND CONTRACTILE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEONATAL RAT HEART

During the fetal and suckling periods of mammalian development, the mother serves as the sole nutritional source for the offspring. As such, the quality of the maternal diet effects growth and development of the offspring during these periods. This study sought to determine if a maternal vitamin D deficiency altered the well characterized development of the neonatal heart. Weaned rat pups (21-day-old) were obtained from mothers who had consumed either a vitamin D-supplemented diet (3000 IU of vitamin D/kg) or a low vitamin D diet ( 85% V1), were unaffected by this dietary deficiency, however myofibrillar protein content was approximately 15% lower in the experimental hearts. These data demonstrate that maternal consumption of a low vitamin D diet results in a general but significant slowing of neonatal cardiac development.
Abstract 3113: Loss of TLE1 tumor suppressor accelerates myeloid leukemia development in cooperation with N-Myc

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Transducin-like enhancer of split-1 (TLE1) is a novel tumor suppressor gene that is deleted or methylated in subgroups of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other hematological malignancies. TLE1 belongs to a family of Gro/TLE proteins that function as corepressors that can bind and potentially inhibit numerous transcription factors known to be involved in development and carcinogenesis including myc, beta-catenin, NF-kB, and TGF-B. In Drosophila Groucho is recognized as a master regulatory gene in development. Our studies and those from other groups have shown that over-expression of TLE1 in leukemia cells slows cell cycle progression, colony formation and tumor growth in xenografts, while silencing results in increased cell proliferation. To further evaluate the role of TLE1 in development and oncogenesis we have knocked out TLE1 in mice. These mice are viable and do not spontaneously develop malignancies in the absence of additional cooperating oncogenes. In Drosophila the TLE homologue Groucho binds and represses Drosophila Myc expression of target genes. N-Myc is important for hematopoietic stem cell proliferation, survival and differentiation and is over-expressed in most AML samples. We postulated that TLE 1 might be an important regulator of N-Myc activity in leukemia and the loss of TLE may accelerate the leukemia development in cooperation with N-Myc. We demonstrate here that the loss of Tle1 cooperates with N-Myc to dramatically increase the serial replating and proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells from fetal livers. Mice transplanted with N-Myc transduced hematopoietic cells from the fetal liver of Tle1 knockout mice developed leukemia with a much shorter latency as compared with fetal liver cells from wild type mice. We are currently investigating the mechanisms of this cooperation. This is the first demonstration that Tle1 is a potent modulator of Myc induced tumorigenesis and may have implications in a broader spectrum of malignancies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3113.
CORONARY ARTERY ENLARGEMENT IN THE HYPOXIC WHITE RAT.

SummaryUsing the vinyl acetate corrosion technique, enlargement of the coronary arteries in white rats subjected to hypoxia was demonstrated before changes in hematocrit or heart size.
DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF FREIGHT CAR AND LADING DURING IMPACT

A dynamic analysis is presented to explain damage to railroad cars and ladings resulting from impacts. In the analysis, a mathematical model consisting of the car body and freight in the car is presented. Each freight element assumes three degrees of freedom for the computer simulation. A parametric study is made to establish sensitivity of car parameters and impact conditions. The study should be useful to aid in finding means for controlling impact damage and in designing packaging materials.
A theory for Hooge's equation based on temperature fluctuations

Hooge'e empirical equation has been widely used to describe l/f or flicker noise in electron devices, where the characteristics of different devices are represented by Hooge's parameter. There have been various explanations for l/f noise and theories used to calculate Hooge's parameter. We present here an alternative interpretation of Hooge's empirical equation based on temperature fluctuations in electron devices. The concept of temperature fluctuations about a steady state equilibrium value is not only expected but in itself not new, temperature is only an average value. We employ a detailed balance description of heat flux to and from a heat sink and frequency dependent solutions to the diffusion equation where the high frequency variations are strongly attenuated to describe these temperature fluctuations. This method follows our previous treatment of temperature fluctuations and noise in electron devices with high power dissipation by transmission line techniques. Temperature variations even with very low power dissipation and at thermal equilibrium can modulate the conductivity of semiconductor layers and channel's of JFET's and HEMT's. A description of Hooge's empirical equation is given by these temperature fluctuations and Hooge's parameter is shown to be simply related to the ratio of the total number of conduction electrons and total number of atoms in the sample. This new, simple and practical understand of l/f noise suggests that appropriate heat sinks are required to minimize l/f noise and consequently phase noise and timing jitter in high frequency and high speed electronic systems.
The facility layout problem: Recent and emerging trends and perspectives

Abstract Recent and emerging trends in the facility layout problem, covering the last 10 years of research, are presented, including new methodologies, objectives, algorithms, and extensions to this well-studied combinatorial optimization problem. The state of the art in facility layout software is compared to the state of the art in facility layout research. New developments in emerging layout research provide a perspective on what the future of the field will be like. A trend toward concurrent engineering approaches to layout and production system design is observed.
Validity of approximate methods in linear response theory for an interacting spin-phonon system

In order to gain insight into their degree of validity, certain commonly used approximate methods for finding dynamic susceptibilities are compared with the exact Kubo susceptibility for a linearly interacting spin-phonon system. Approximate methods investigated include: truncation or decoupling of equations of motion for the commutator and anticommutator Green's functions, and a memory-function method suggested by G\"otze and W\"olfle. It is shown that approximate methods, while adequate for weak dipole-phonon coupling, can lead to conspicuous deviations from the exact susceptibility in certain frequency ranges. Results are also sensitive to the shape of the phonon spectrum. Ergodic and nonergodic cases are discussed.
Thermal chemistry of tetrakis(ethylmethylamido)titanium on Si(100) surfaces.

The thermal chemistry of tetrakis(ethylmethylamido)titanium (TEMAT) on (100)-oriented surfaces of silicon wafers was studied by using infrared absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Dissociative adsorption was identified starting at temperatures around 450 K, likely limited by the rate of an initial elimination of some of the amido groups. That adsorption is rapidly followed by a selective β-hydride elimination reaction from the ethyl moiety of the remaining ligands to produce N-methylethylidenimine adsorbed species. Long exposures of the Si(100) surface to TEMAT above the temperature of decomposition lead to the growth of a metal nitride film. Those films appear to grow in 3-D fashion, and contain high levels of C and O contaminants.
A vector energy function approach for security analysis of AC/DC systems

The authors examine dynamic behavior in system models that reflect reasonably detailed third-order high-voltage DC (HVDC) dynamics along with AC system models that include reactive flows, and frequency and voltage-dependent load models. A vector Lyapunov function approach is used to define a system-wide energy function that can be used for general security analysis. They describe the derivation of individual component Lyapunov functions for simplified models of HVDC links connected to infinitely strong AC systems, along with a standard AC only system Lyapunov function. A novel method of obtaining weighting coefficients to sum these components for the overall system energy function is proposed. Use of the new energy function for transient stability and security analysis was illustrated in a test system. >
Clinical Pharmacology of Cefamandole as Compared with Cephalothin

We compared the pharmacology of cefamandole and cephalothin in six healthy adult male volunteers. After a 1-g, 20-min intravenous (i.v.) infusion, the average peak blood level of cefamandole was 87.6 versus 64.1 μg/ml for cephalothin. An i.v. infusion of 500 mg/h for 2 h (after a loading dose of 750 mg) gave an average steady-state blood level of 28.5 μg/ml for cefamandole and 18.2 μg/ml for cephalothin. Mean peak serum levels after 1 g intramuscularly were similar for the two antibiotics (about 21 μg/ml), but with cefamandole they persisted longer, and the area under the blood level curve was about 25% greater. The average t ½ as determined from both i.v. studies was 34 min for cefamandole versus 30 min for cephalothin. The mean serum clearance for cephalothin, due to its partial conversion to a metabolite, was much greater than for cefamandole (425 versus 272 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ), but the renal clearances were similar for the two antibiotics (268 versus 257 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ). Other values for cefamandole and cephalothin were: 24-h urinary excretion, 80 and 66%; serum protein binding, 74 and 70%; and apparent volume of distribution, 12.8 and 18.5 liters/1.73 m 2 , respectively. Thus, the pharmacology of the two antibiotics was similar. Blood levels were somewhat higher with cefamandole i.v., but the results suggest that dosage regimens should be the same for the two antibiotics.
Magnesium Cardioplegia Enhances mRNA Levels and the Maximal Velocity of Cytochrome Oxidase I in the Senescent Myocardium During Global Ischemia

Background The aged myocardium accumulates significantly more cytosolic calcium [Ca2+]i during ischemia, and functional recovery is more severely compromised as compared with the mature heart. Cardioplegia ameliorates these phenomena. The mechanism by which increased calcium accumulation reduces functional recovery in the senescent myocardium is unknown, but it has been suggested that futile calcium cycling in the mitochondria leading to depletion of ATP stores during normothermic global ischemia may be involved. Methods and Results To investigate the effect of cardioplegia on mitochondrial calcium ([Ca2+]mt) accumulation and the expression of cytochrome oxidase I (COX I) during global ischemia, mitochondria were isolated from mature (age, 15 to 20 weeks) and aged (age >130 weeks) rabbit hearts after Langendorff perfusion. Five perfused heart groups were investigated: 30 minutes of global ischemia without treatment (control), with potassium (K, 20 mmol/L), magnesium (Mg, 20 mmol/L), or potassium and magne...
Line-Start Induction Motors

This paper considers the common types of polyphase induction motors suitable for starting at full voltage. The running and starting characteristics of these types are considered as well as the influence of the permissible starting current values upon these characteristics. No attempt is made to describe or consider special types designed to obtain low starting currents by the use of wound rotors, centrifugal switches, or other moving parts.
Design and structural analysis of alternative hydrophobic core packing arrangements in bacteriophage T4 lysozyme.

An attempt has been made to design modified core-packing arrangements in bacteriophage T4 lysozyme. Alternative replacements of the buried residues Leu99, Met102, Val111 and Phe153 were selected using packing calculations and energy minimization. To test the design procedure, a series of multiple mutants was constructed culminating in the replacement L99F/M102L/V111I/F153L. These variants decrease the stability of T4 lysozyme by approximately 0 to 2 kcal/mol. The crystal structures of a number of the variants were determined. In the variant in which Val111 was replaced by Ile, α-helix 107–114 moved by approximately 1·5 A, breaking the hydrogen bond between the backbone carbonyl group of Thr109 and the backbone amide group of Gly113. This conformational change was not anticipated by the design procedure. Compensating interactions of magnitude up to 1.1 kcal/mol occur for some sets of mutations, while other sets display nearly additive stability changes. Within experimental error, the stability of the double mutant V111F/F153L is additive, with ΔΔG different by only 0.1 kcal/mol from the sum of the two single mutants. The quadruple mutant L99F/M102L/V111I/F153L is destabilized by 0·5 kcal/mol, compared to ΔΔG = −1·6 kcal/ mol for the sum of the four single mutants. Multiple mutants show smaller overall structural changes from wild-type than M102L or V111I alone. Co-operative changes in structure and stability can be rationalized in terms of specific structural differences between single and multiple mutants. Genuine repacking of the hydrophobic core of T4 lysozyme with minimal effects on structure, stability and activity thus appears to have been achieved.
Synchronous gestures for multiple persons and computers

This research explores distributed sensing techniques for mobile devices using synchronous gestures. These are patterns of activity, contributed by multiple users (or one user with multiple devices), which take on a new meaning when they occur together in time, or in a specific sequence in time. To explore this new area of inquiry, this work uses tablet computers augmented with touch sensors and two-axis linear accelerometers (tilt sensors). The devices are connected via an 802.11 wireless network and synchronize their time-stamped sensor data. This paper describes a few practical examples of interaction techniques using synchronous gestures such as dynamically tiling together displays by physically bumping them together, discusses implementation issues, and speculates on further possibilities for synchronous gestures.
Early life stress and PTSD symptoms in patients with comorbid schizophrenia and substance abuse

Objective: The comorbidity of schizophrenia and substance abuse is well documented and is remarkable for its prevalence and poor prognosis. While the etiology for this association is unknown, one possible mechanism relates to traumatic early life experiences, which have been shown to predispose individuals to both psychosis and substance abuse. Methods: Participants (N=122) who were outpatients in an inner city public mental health clinic and who were diagnosed with schizophrenia, were administered a battery of structured clinical assessments including the Childhood Traumatic Events Scale (CTES), Davidson PTSD rating scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), and assessments of medication satisfaction and side effects. Patients with schizophrenia and a history of substance abuse (N=70) were compared to patients with schizophrenia who did not have a history of substance abuse (N=52). Results: Patients with schizophrenia and a history of substance abuse had significantly higher frequency and severity of childhood traumatic events, greater PTSD symptomatology, significantly higher depression scores, and higher scores on the general subscale of the PANSS. Discussion: Our findings lend support to the notion that sensitization to stress from early life experiences may be a factor contributing to the high rate of substance abuse comorbidity in patients with schizophrenia.
Acetylene in the atmosphere: Sources, representative ambient concentrations and ratios to other hydrocarbons

Abstract Acetylene is a hydrocarbon of interest from a variety of viewpoints in atmospheric and pollution studies. This paper reviews representative data on absolute acetylene concentration in ambient air and on certain ratios of other hydrocarbons to acetylene. The possibility of non-automotive acetylene emissions to the atmosphere and the interference which this poses to the use of acetylene as an unbiased urban emission tracer is considered.
Prenatal diagnosis of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency by assay of the enzyme in chorionic villus material followed by prenatal treatment

Deficiency of holocarboxylase synthetase leads to multiple carboxylase deficiency, which is fatal in the absence of prompt diagnosis and treatment with biotin. In a pregnancy at risk for deficiency of holocarboxylase synthetase, prenatal diagnosis was performed by assay of the enzyme in chorionic villus material. The Km for biotin was 220.8 nmol/l, which was 33 times the control value of 6.6 nmol/l. Biotinyl AMP synthesis was undetectable in cultured chorionic villus material. Prenatal treatment of the mother was begun with 10 mg a day of biotin and continued through pregnancy. There was no accumulation of the characteristic metabolites in the urine at birth and prior to oral treatment of the newborn. Holocarboxylase synthetase activity was undetectable in lymphocytes and in fibroblasts of the newborn. Furthermore, the activities of all three carboxylases in fibroblasts of the infant were deficient. The newborn was clinically well and maintained on biotin treatment after birth at 20 mg per day. Carboxylase activities in lymphocytes were normal or slightly lower than the normal range.
Perturbing dynamin reveals potent effects on the Drosophila circadian clock.

BACKGROUND Transcriptional feedback loops are central to circadian clock function. However, the role of neural activity and membrane events in molecular rhythms in the fruit fly Drosophila is unclear. To address this question, we expressed a temperature-sensitive, dominant negative allele of the fly homolog of dynamin called shibire(ts1) (shi(ts1)), an active component in membrane vesicle scission. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Broad expression in clock cells resulted in unexpectedly long, robust periods (>28 hours) comparable to perturbation of core clock components, suggesting an unappreciated role of membrane dynamics in setting period. Expression in the pacemaker lateral ventral neurons (LNv) was necessary and sufficient for this effect. Manipulation of other endocytic components exacerbated shi(ts1)'s behavioral effects, suggesting its mechanism is specific to endocytic regulation. PKA overexpression rescued period effects suggesting shi(ts1) may downregulate PKA pathways. Levels of the clock component PERIOD were reduced in the shi(ts1)-expressing pacemaker small LNv of flies held at a fully restrictive temperature (29 degrees C). Less restrictive conditions (25 degrees C) delayed cycling proportional to observed behavioral changes. Levels of the neuropeptide PIGMENT-DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF), the only known LNv neurotransmitter, were also reduced, but PERIOD cycling was still delayed in flies lacking PDF, implicating a PDF-independent process. Further, shi(ts1) expression in the eye also results in reduced PER protein and per and vri transcript levels, suggesting that shibire-dependent signaling extends to peripheral clocks. The level of nuclear CLK, transcriptional activator of many core clock genes, is also reduced in shi(ts1) flies, and Clk overexpression suppresses the period-altering effects of shi(ts1). CONCLUSIONS We propose that membrane protein turnover through endocytic regulation of PKA pathways modulates the core clock by altering CLK levels and/or activity. These results suggest an important role for membrane scission in setting circadian period.
Effect of GnRH superactive analogs (alone and combined with androgen) on testicular function in man and experimental animals

GnRH long acting agonists, when given chronically, are potent inhibitors of testicular function in both man and experimental animals. Administration of these agents to male rats and to men results in suppression of testosterone secretion and diminished sperm counts. Despite the similarity of these observations the mechanisms by which these agents effect the testes appear to be different in the two species. In man GnRH analogs have an early stimulatory effect on LH and FSH secretion with down regulation evident by the 10th day of daily treatment. Longer treatment results in suppressed LH, FSH and testosterone levels. In the rat the stimulatory phase of GnRH analogs on LH and FSH secretion persisted for a much longer period of time (20–60 days). In the rat, direct testicular effects of analogue were the most likely cause of early suppression of testosterone and impaired sperm production. In both species combined testosterone and GnRH analog had additive effects on gonadotropin hormone suppression; combined therapy is being tested as a male contraceptive regimen.
Polysalt complexes of poly(vinylbenzo‐18‐crown‐6) and of poly(crown acrylate)s with polyanions

Macrocyclic polyether or crown ether ester derivatives of acrylic and methacrylic acid were synthesized and polymerized. The cation binding properties of the polymers determined by extraction of picrate salts were similar to those obtained for poly(crown ether)s derived from styrene. In the presence of a crown-complexable cation both polymers form insoluble polysalt complexes with sodium carboxymethylcellulose, potassium poly(styrene sulfonate), and potassium polyacrylate. The extent of precipitation depends on the type and concentration of cation as well as on the ratio polyanion to poly(crown ether). The precipitate appears to have an equal number of positive and negative charges. An insoluble hydrogen-bonded complex is formed in the absence of salt when poly(vinylbenzo-18-crown-6) and poly(acrylic acid) are mixed in 0.01M HCl. Organic solutes bound to the poly(crown ether)s, which occur in an aqueous mixture of poly(vinylbenzo-18-crown-6) and picrate anions, are precipitated with the poly(crown ether) when the polysalt complex is formed.
Diet and conservation implications of an invasive chameleon, Chamaeleo jacksonii (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) in Hawaii.

We summarize information on current distribution of the invasive lizard Chamaeleo jacksonii and predict its potential distribution in the Hawaiian Islands. Potential distribution maps are based on climate models developed from known localities in its native range and its Hawaiian range. We also present results of analysis of stomach contents of a sample of 34 chameleons collected from native, predominantly dryland, forest on Maui. These data are the first summarizing prey range of this non-native species in an invaded native-forest setting. Potential distribution models predict that the species can occur throughout most of Hawaii from sea level to >2,100 m elevation. Important features of this data set are that approximately one-third of the diet of these lizards is native insects, and the lizards are consuming large numbers of arthropods each day. Prey sizes span virtually the entire gamut of native Hawaiian arthropod diversity, thereby placing a large number of native species at risk of predation. Our dietary results contrast with expectations for most iguanian lizards and support suggestions that chameleons comprise a third distinct foraging-mode category among saurians. The combination of expanding distribution, large potential range size, broad diet, high predation rates, and high densities of these chameleons imply that they may well become a serious threat to some of the Hawaiian fauna.