cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infective endocarditis and mitral valve prolapse--the unsuspected risk. A case report.

Abstract Infective endocarditis is the most serious complication of routine dental care. Mitral valve prolapse has recently been recognized as a heart condition that is predisposed to the development of vegetations. A case of endocarditis in a patient with an unsuspected risk is presented. This case emphasizes the need for antibiotic coverage of patients with a known predisposition to endocarditis in conjunction with all dental procedures that result in gingival bleeding.
Support for irregular computation in high performance Fortran

High Performance Fortran is an extension of the Fortran 95 language designed for data-parallel computing. It was designed to address the need for a vendor-independent, high-level programming language for parallel machines with distributed memory. The array language of Fortran 95 naturally allows parallel programs where the principal parallel idiom is evaluation of a scalar function for every element of a Fortran array.
Toward Machine Learning Through Genetic Code-like Transformations

The gene expression process in nature involves several representation transformations of the genome. Translation is one among them; it constructs the amino acid sequence in proteins from the nucleic acid-based mRNA sequence. Translation is defined by a code book, known as the universal genetic code. This paper explores the role of genetic code and similar representation transformations for enhancing the performance of inductive machine learning algorithms. It considers an abstract model of genetic code-like transformations (GCTs) introduced elsewhere [21] and develops the notion of randomized GCTs. It shows that randomized GCTs can construct a representation of the learning problem where the mean-square-error surface is almost convex quadratic and therefore easier to minimize. It considers the functionally complete Fourier representation of Boolean functions to analyze this effect of such representation transformations. It offers experimental results to substantiate this claim. It shows that a linear classifier like the Perceptron [38] can learn non-linear XOR and DNF functions using a gradient-descent algorithm in a representation constructed by randomized GCTs. The paper also discusses the immediate challenges that must be solved before the proposed technique can be used as a viable approach for representation construction in machine learning.
How fish power suction feeding

If you go fishing and cast your lure out across a pond, settling it skillfully by the lily pads, you may see the water drop out from under your bait with a sucking whirlpool as you engage with the most popular sport fish in the world, the largemouth bass. Almost all popular recreational sport fish species (bass, salmon, trout, pike, grouper, snapper) feed by attacking their living prey with powerful suction, expanding their mouth and pharynx rapidly to suck the prey in before biting down and swallowing. This behavior is of great interest to scientists and recreational fishers alike because it is a dramatic, predatory event (Fig. 1) that is at the crux of survival for both predator and prey. It involves a complex system of bones and muscles to expand the head, is a widespread and ecologically successful strategy among aquatic animals, and is a major source of the excitement and allure of recreational fishing, one of the largest and most effective economic engines for environmental conservation of freshwater and marine habitats. In addition, suction feeding has been challenging to understand from the perspective of biomechanics (the study of how organisms work) because it is such a fast and complex behavior. In PNAS, Camp et al. (1) report a major advance in our understanding of how suction feeding works, using cutting-edge imaging technology and analyses of muscle mechanics to identify the source of the power that drives suction feeding in our feisty friend from the pond, the largemouth bass.
An all-optical bufferless multiwavelength sorter for 40 Gb/s asynchronous variable-length optical packets

We present a new all-optical multiwavelength sorter designed for asynchronous, variable-length packets. We demonstrate experimentally that the scheme efficiently implements sorting function without contention for 40 Gb/s variable packets at a BER of less than 10/sup -9/ without an error floor.
Synthesis of 2-Demethyl Vitamin K2 and the Cytochrome System in Haemophilus

White, David C. (University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington). Synthesis of 2-demethyl vitamin K2 and the cytochrome system in Haemophilus. J. Bacteriol. 89:299–305. 1965.—The synthesis of the respiratory quinone, 2-demethyl vitamin K2, is stimulated in Haemophilus parainfluenzae under conditions which provoke the synthesis of the cytochrome system. However, the various components of the electron-transport system can be formed in different proportions. The primary flavoprotein dehydrogenases are readily dissociated from the membrane without affecting the content of membrane-bound quinone, cytochrome b1, or the cytochrome oxidases. These dehydrogenases must be membrane-bound to function, and each can be formed at a different rate. Molar ratios of various constituents of the electron-transport chain were calculated by use of reasonable extinction coefficients for the cytochromes. The molar ratio of quinone to cytochrome c1 goes from 40 to 3 as the quinone content increases eightfold during the growth cycle. Similarly, the molar ratio of quinone to cytochrome oxidase a2 varies from 27 to 17, and then increases to 31 as cytochrome oxidase a1 assumes the oxidase function. The molar ratio of quinone to cytochrome b1 remains 14 to 1 over a sixfold increase in both components measured in a mutant where cytochrome c1 does not obscure cytochrome b1. A similar consistency was noted between the quinone and cytochrome b1 formation in the hemin-requiring H. influenzae.
Behavioral Contrast on Mixed Schedules

Summary.-Keypecking by 4 pigeons was studied on mixed schedules of reinforcement. Positive behavioral contrast was found when the schedule was shifted horn Mixed VI VI to Mixed VI Extinction only when the VI schedule value was small relarive to the component duration. When a Multiple VI VI schedule is changed to Multiple VI Extinction, the rate of behavior during the unchanged VI component sometimes increases to a rate higher than it was prior to the change. Such an increase is called positive behavioral contrast. On multiple schedules there are Iscriminative stimuli which signal which component of the schedule is in effect. Amsel (1971) argued that there is no compelling evidence that the occurrence of behavioral contrast depends in any way on the discriminative stimuli that are present on multiple schedules. Amsel suggested that behavior on mixed schedules, which do not use external discriminative stimuli, would provide a test of his assertion that behavioral contrast does not depend on discrimination training. Four homing pigeons, obtained from a local pet store, were maintained at 80% of their free-feeding weights throughout this experiment. The pigeons were shaped to key-peck in a commercially manufactured Skinner Box, and then given 25 days of VI 30-sec. sessions of 30-min. length. Next the subjects were put on mixed schedule training as shown in Table 1. Each experimental session was 30 minutes long, and there were 25 days of training in each phase of the experiment. In all conditions there was a 5-sec. changeover delay between schedule components. During the changeover delay the househght in the Shner Box was turned off. Throughout this experiment reinforcement consisted of five seconds access to mixed grain. Graphs of keypecks per minute as a function of sessions were examined for changes in response rate after the shift to the Variable Interval, Extinction phases (2, 4, and 6) of the experiment. In all three conditions with 5rnin. component durations, and the shift from Mixed VI 15-sec. VI 15-sec. to Mixed VI 15-sec. Extinction, there was an increase in response rate in the unchanged component (positive behavioral contrast). Subject 1 also showed positive contrast in Phase 4. Ln all other instances the response rate during
ENERGETICS OF TOUCANS, A BARBET, AND A HORNBILL: IMPLICATIONS FOR AVIAN FRUGIVORY

Abstract Rate of oxygen consumption was measured in eight species of toucans, one barbet, and one hornbill to examine factors that influence their energy expenditures. Basal rate of metabolism in those species, supplemented with measurements from three woodpeckers and three mousebirds, is correlated with body mass and either food habits or climate: temperate acorn- and insect-eating species have basal rates that are ∼70% greater than tropical fruit-eating species. The temperate, insect- or acorn-eating species are woodpeckers, so level of basal rate is also correlated with familial affiliation. The toucans, barbet, and hornbill have basal rates similar to those of frugivorous pigeons and bats, which collectively are low by avian standards. The effects of climate, food habits, and family affiliation on basal rates in endotherms are difficult to separate, given the restricted data set available. Earlier conclusions that the basal rates of birds greatly exceed those of mammals are confounded by character int...
Response of young asthmatic patients to inhaled sulfuric acid

The intent of this study was to explore the effects of inhalation of [H+] defined here as acid airborne particles at near ambient concentrations on the pulmonary function of adolescent asthmatic subjects. During rest and exercise, 22 adolescent asthmatic subjects inhaled atmospheres containing either clean air or sulfuric acid particles (H2SO4) through a mouthpiece. The concentration of hydrogen ion at the mouthpiece ([H+]) ranged from 1.18 to 3.59 µmol/m3 (51 to 176 µg/m3 of H2SO4). The lower range of [H+] is near the peak values measured during the summer months in the eastern United States and Canada. Pulmonary function and oral ammonia levels were measured before and after exposure in all subjects. Significant group responses to [H+] were seen in FEV1 (p = 0.016) and FVC (p = 0.039) measured 2 to 3 min post-exposure. Also, the slopes of the change in pulmonary function versus [H+] were computed for each subject. The slopes of changes in FEV1 and max50 and max75 versus [H+] were related to the subject'...
Spatiotemporal continuity alters long-term memory representation of objects

Kahneman, Triesman, and Gibbs’ (1992) influential object-file theory was motivated to explain how we could recognize an object as a persisting token over a sequence of encounters, captured famously...
Interaction of Actin and Myosin during Clearing

SUPERPRECIPITATION of actomyosin has long been thought to involve both binding of the actin to the myosin and activation of the myosin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) by actin in the presence of magnesium1. The clearing response, on the other hand, has been reported to result from dissociation of the actomyosin with a concomitant loss of this ATPase activation2. In both situations, the physically observable binding and the activation of the myosin ATPase by actin were thought to change in parallel3, but some recent observations have been difficult to reconcile with this conclusion. In investigating the effect of tropomyosin B on actomyosin, A. M. Katz4 noted that actin can activate the myosin ATPase without superprecipitation occurring. In other investigations, Leadbeater and Perry5, and Perry and Cotterill6, found that actin activates the ATPase of heavy meromyosin under conditions where viscosity measurements indicated that the two proteins might be dissociated. Extrapolating these data to the actomyosin system, Perry et al. argued that the interaction of actin and myosin which results in activation of the myosin ATPase is not accompanied by physical interaction as strong as that which occurs between the two proteins in the absence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Maruyama and Gergely2, however, noted that actomyosin undergoes a brief viscosity increase simultaneously with the rise in ATPase just before superprecipitation, which suggests that strong physical interaction does accompany the activation of the myosin ATPase by actin.
Microstructural characterization of A γ-TiAl-Ni alloy produced by rapid solidification techniques

Abstract An ingot of two-phase γ-TiAl containing a small amount of nickel [composition (Ti52Al48)99.5Ni0.5] was fabricated by the following series of processes: (1) high-purity buttons were arc melted; (2) the buttons were arc-melt spun into ribbons; (3) the ribbons were crushed into alloy powder using a hammer mill; (4) the powder was consolidated into an ingot by hot pressing, followed by hot isostatic pressing; and (5) the ingot was hot forged into a 1.5 cm thick plate. Microstructures of the material from different stages of the processing were examined. Although this series of fabrication steps was successful in producing ingots, the consolidated ingots showed numerous defects including unclosed pores and contamination by molybdenum and iron. These defects undoubtedly contributed to the brittleness of the ingots and the difficulty in machining tensile specimens for mechanical testing. It is believed that these defects can be eliminated by modification of the processing parameters, including increasing the HIP pressure and temperature to close pores, increasing forging temperature and reduction, and using processing hardware that will not contaminate the alloy. The lower level of oxygen contamination found by this fabrication route compared to other powder routes is encouraging and is probably a result of the larger powder particles (and hence lower amount of surface area exposed to the environment) produced by pulverization of the melt-spun ribbons.
Totally Geodesic Foliations

In this article we consider foliations with certain properties common to several geometrically defined ones. We show that their codimension is either large or zero. As an application we obtain characterisations of the totally geodesic, complete submanifolds of S N and C pN which for most dimensions are sharper than those given by Nomizu [6], Abe [1], and the author [3]. Using this characterisation and a slightly generalized formula from [2], we prove that the standard imbedding of S" into S ~÷p is rigid for certain codimensions p, see also [7]. 2. Statement of Results Let 0(t) denote the largest integer such that the fibration
Upper Extremity Amputations and Prosthetics

Upper extremity amputations are most frequently indicated by severe traumatic injuries. The location of the injury will determine the level of amputation. Preservation of extremity length is often a goal. The amputation site will have important implications on the functional status of the patient and options for prosthetic reconstruction. Advances in amputation techniques and prosthetic reconstructions promote improved quality of life. In this article, the authors review the principles of upper extremity amputation, including techniques, amputation sites, and prosthetic reconstructions.
Current controversies in the management of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants

Objective Patent ductus arteriosus is very commonly seen in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, affecting about one-third. The present review tries to identify the group of VLBW infants who need active intervention in day-to-day practice and to determine the mode of intervention, based on current published literatures.
Lipide Distribution in Egg Yolk Lipoprotein Complexes

Abstract OSBORNE and Campbell (1900) gave the name lecithovitellin to the lipoprotein that they isolated from egg yolks. Alderton and Fevold (1945) and Fevold and Lausten (1946) separated lecithovitellin into two lipoproteins, lipovitellin and lipovitellenin. Recent investigations by Vandegaer et al., (1956), Martin et al. (1957), Martin and Cook (1958), Joubert and Cook (1958a, b), Turner and Cook (1958), Smith and Turner (1958), Martin et al. (1959), and Sugano (1957, 1958a, b, 1959) have shown the classical lipovitellin and lipovitellenin to be mixtures of proteins. Evans and Bandemer (1957) isolated the lipovitellenin and lipovitellin complexes from eggs without ether treatment and observed that each migrated on paper electrophoresis strips as distinct bands. Extraction of lipovitellenin with ether changed its electrophoretic behavior. Lipids removed from egg lipoprotein by ether extraction have not been considered to be part of the lipoprotein. However, Vandegaer et al. (1956) observed that the stability and solubility of…
Evidence for the selective preservation of spatial selective attention in old age

Younger and older adults were tested in 2 versions of the Stroop color-word task: a color-block version in which the color word was adjacent to a color block and a color-word version in which the word was printed in color. An advance cue preceded the stimulus by 100 to 300 ms, indicating where it would appear. Age differences were small on the color-block version and large on the color-word version. These results are consistent with the speculation that posterior brain attention systems responsible for selecting a spatial location are relatively well preserved with advancing age but that anterior brain attention systems responsible for selecting a line of processing are compromised.
The predicament of justice: Fifty years of armed forces special powers act in India

Militarisation and structural violence under the Armed Forces Specials Powers Act (AFSPA) is tied to a strong moral framework to proselytise recalcitrant citizens. Deploying Jacque Derrida's point that law is not justice, this paper highlights how the pursuit of justice within the framework of law is a challenging task. Interrogating the contentions around what constitutes ‘justice’ under the AFSPA, this paper exposes how states legitimise lawlessness through draconian laws like the AFSPA. In this manner, lawlessness is established as a precedent for states to reproduce forms of lawless regimes and undemocratic mechanisms. This paper proposes that along with the campaigns to repeal the AFSPA, we need to reflect upon what kind of justice we seek. Repressive and discriminatory regimes of law, government or practice survive even after they have been formally dismantled. Here, both the state and its citizens negotiate reality regarding the limits of justice in their own way. For the Indian state, it has had t...
Effect of surface treatment and Z-axis reinforcement on the interlaminar fracture of jute/epoxy laminated composites

Abstract This study examines the effects of preform architecture, surface treatment, and z-directional micro-fiber reinforcement on the interlaminar fracture performance of jute/epoxy laminated composites. Laminated composites were fabricated using an optimized vacuum infusion process. Fracture characterization studies showed surface treatments increased fracture toughness as a result of improved interfacial adhesion. Unidirectional preforms were found to decrease fracture toughness as compared to plain weave preforms due to reduced inter-ply interaction. The addition of z-direction reinforcement increased the composites’ Mode-I fracture toughness by 80% and increased interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) at the cost of decreased tensile strength and modulus.
Abstract 1270: Identification and functional analysis of Pim-1 kinase substrates in prostate cancer

Protein kinases constitute one of the largest and most pleiotropic families of proteins. Mutations leading to activation of protein kinases and loss of function of phosphatases can have deleterious consequences that lead to disease. Pim-1, a serine/threonine kinase, is one of many kinases that may play a role in the etiology of malignant diseases including lymphoma and prostate cancer. Recent studies indicate Pim-1 is overexpressed in prostate cancer and is a highly plausible therapeutic target. Paradoxically, a decrease in Pim-1 expression in later stages of prostate cancer correlates with poor prognosis. Pim-1 has been known to be an oncogene for more than two decades, however, our understanding of how it functions is incomplete. A key underlying factor in this lack of knowledge is that, to date, fewer than fifteen Pim-1 substrates have been identified. The identification and validation of novel Pim-1 substrates could elucidate biomarkers of Pim-1 activity and provide insight into the molecular basis of Pim-1 function. A recent, innovative kinase-substrate profiling method termed the Reverse In-gel Kinase Assay (RIKA) reverses the role of kinase and substrate in a traditional in-gel kinase assay. The assay involves the partial immobilization of an active kinase in a denaturing polyacrylamide gel to determine which substrates from cell lysates can be phosphorylated by the kinase within the gel. The potential substrates are excised from the gel and identified using mass spectrometry. Using a Pim-1 RIKA approach, 40S Ribosomal Protein 7 (RPS7) was identified as a potential novel Pim-1 substrate. RPS7 was expressed in E.coli to conduct preliminary in vitro studies. These in vitro studies demonstrated that Pim-1 robustly phosphorylates RPS7. Further studies were performed to identify sites of phosphorylation on RPS7, and alanine-substitution mutants were generated that completely abolished phosphorylation of RPS7 by Pim-1. These data indicated that RPS7 may be a novel Pim-1 substrate. Studies to validate RPS7 as a direct target of Pim-1 in vivo, and to determine the functional consequences of Pim-1 phosphorylation of RPS7 are in progress. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1270. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1270
Evolution of topological defects during inflation.

Topological defects can be formed during inflation by phase transitions as well as by quantum nucleation. We study the effect of the expansion of the Universe on the internal structure of the defects. We look for stationary solutions to the field equations, i.e., solutions that depend only on the proper distance from the defect core. In the case of very thin defects, whose core dimensions are much smaller than the de Sitter horizon, we find that the solutions are well approximated by the flat space solutions. However, as the flat space thickness parameter ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}_{0}$ increases we notice a deviation from this, an effect that becomes dramatic as ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}_{0}$ approaches ${\mathit{H}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$/ \ensuremath{\surd}2 . Beyond this critical value we find no stationary solutions to the field equations. We conclude that only defects that have flat space thicknesses less than the critical value survive, while thicker defects are smeared out by the expansion.
Structural studies of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Abstract A review is given of the current state of the field of structural studies of hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Particular emphasis is placed on the suitability of the various structural probes described for routine characterization of material for photovoltaic applications.
Abstract B10: Inactivation of androgen-induced coactivator ARD1 inhibits androgen receptor acetylation and prostate tumorigenesis

Androgen signaling through androgen receptor (AR) is critical for prostate tumorigenesis. Given that AR-mediated gene regulation is enhanced by AR coactivators, inactivation of those coactivators is emerging as a promising therapy for prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we show that the N-acetyltransferase Arrest-defect-1 protein (ARD1) functions as a novel AR coactivator in PCa cells. ARD1 is upregulated in human PCa cell lines, tumor biopsies, and in prostate tumor tissues of Pten null mouse. The expression of ARD1 was augmented by treatment with synthetic androgen (R1881) unless AR is deficient or is inhibited by AR-specific siRNA or androgen inhibitor bicalutamide (Casodex [CDX]). Depletion of ARD1 by shRNA suppressed PCa cell proliferation, anchorage-independent growth, and xenograft tumor formation in SCID mice, suggesting that AR-dependent ARD1 expression is biologically germane. Notably, ARD1 was necessary and sufficient to transcriptionally coactivate a number of AR-target genes that are involved in prostate tumorigenesis shown by qRT-PCR, reporter assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis. Furthermore, ARD1 but not ARD1-dead (acetylase activity null mutant) interacted physically with and acetylated the AR protein in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, the ARD1-mediated AR acetylating is p300 independent. Since ARD1-specific AR acetylation facilitated the AR binding to its targeted promoters for gene transcription, we propose that ARD1 functions as a unique AR coactivator and forms a positive feedback loop for AR-dependent prostate tumorigenesis. Disruption of AR-ARD1 interactions may be a potent intervention for androgen-dependent PCa therapy. Citation Format: Zehua Wang, Zemin Wang, Jianhui Guo, Wanguo Liu. Inactivation of androgen-induced coactivator ARD1 inhibits androgen receptor acetylation and prostate tumorigenesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2012 Feb 6-9; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(4 Suppl):Abstract nr B10.
Are Economic Liberalization and Equality Compatible? Evidence from South Asia

Summary Global studies of liberalization and inequality have produced divergent findings arguably because of highly heterogeneous contexts across countries and regions. This paper focusing on the South Asian experience with more homogeneous contexts finds that liberalization efforts and inequality grew in the region during 1980–03. Data support a mutually reinforcing positive relationship in the region suggesting that liberalization helps increase inequality, which in turn serves as a precondition to liberalize. Because economically unequal countries tend to liberalize more intensely, possibly hurting the poor, a lesson for concerned policymakers is to introduce policies to incrementally advance economic openness.
Document-Based Decision Making and Design: An Analysis of Medicare Part D

This article analyzes the impact of the design of the Medicare handbook and website on individuals' ability to make effective decisions about prescription drug coverage. The article summarizes Medi...
Evaluation of Electrostatic Charging Properties of Insulating Materials Used for Spacecrafts by Means of Electron Beam Irradiation

Many kinds of insulating materials are used not only outside but also inside the body of a spacecraft. It is well-known that these materials charge up as the result of the interaction with space plasma and/or high-energy charged particles. The charge-up phenomenon is possible to induce electrostatic discharge (ESD) on the surface or in the bulk of the material and to cause malfunctions or damages of the spacecraft systems. Therefore it is necessary to evaluate the charging properties of the materials used for spacecrafts as ground testing. From this viewpoint, the properties of several materials by means of electron beam irradiation simulating the hot plasma in space were investigated. The surface potential and the bulk current through the material were measured during the beam irradiation. The decay of the surface potential after stopping the beam irradiation was also measured to evaluate the volume resistivity.
The Origin, Pathway, and Destination of Niño-3 Water Estimated by a Simulated Passive Tracer and Its Adjoint

The nature of subtropical-tropical water mass exchange in the Pacific Ocean is investigated, focusing on the origin, pathway, and destination of water occupying the surface layer of the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean (Nino-3 region; 5 8S-58N, 1508-908W). Simulated passive tracers and their adjoint are employed to explicitly follow the circulation of specific water masses accounting for advective and diffusive effects and their time variabilities. The evolution of the forward passive tracer and adjoint passive tracer can be identified as describing where the tracer-tagged water mass goes and from where it comes, respectively. Over 10 years on average, water mass of the Nino-3 region can be traced back to eastern subtropical thermocline waters of the Northern (27%) and Southern Hemispheres (39%). The Nino-3 water subsequently returns to these subtropical latitudes in the upper ocean. In contrast to the hypothesized ''subtropical cell,'' however, this circulation is an open circuit with water returning to the western regions of the two hemispheres (subtropical gyres) and to the Indian Ocean, instead of returning to its origins. The representative transit time scale from the subtropics to the Tropics is 10- 15 yr. Temporal variability causes the tropical circulation inferred from a time-mean state to differ significantly from the average circulation. In particular, stirring due to nonseasonal, intra-annual variability significantly enhances the transport magnitude of the so-called interior pathways relative to that of the circuitous low-latitude western boundary pathways. Such short-circuit in the subtropical-tropical exchange may help better to explain tracer distributions, such as the observed midbasin tritium maximum in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Significant differences in circulation pathways are also identified that are associated with El Nino and La Nina events. The strength of the subtropical-tropical water mass exchange is estimated to have weakened during the 1990s.
Infectivity and Suppression of the Banded Cucumber Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) by the Mermithid Nematode Filipjevimermis leipsandra (Mermithida: Mermithidae)

In micro field plot cages, an application of Filipjevimermis leipsandra to the soil in the egg stage resulted in parasitization of 50 to 100% (x¯ = 78%) of Diabrotica balteata LeConte larvae. More multiple infections of insect larvae occurred in caged soil containing the highest level of nematode eggs. In a greenhouse pot test and in caged and uncaged small field plots, F. leipsandra applied to the soil in the egg and preparasitic stages appeared highly promising in protecting sprouted corn seedlings from D. balteata . In a laboratory infectivity test, the rate of larval parasitism declined significantly over a 10-day period when D. balteata were introduced into soil initially inoculated with F. leipsandra .
New approach to computer generated holography

A new fast approach to computer-generated holography for 3-D objects points in arbitrary positions in 3-D space is presented. The approach is based on fast computation of weighted zero-crossings their accumulation and thresholding to achieve a coded hologram to be physically generated. 1.
Energy efficiency analysis of wireless sensors used in infrastructure monitoring

This paper discusses the implementation of a wireless sensor network for infrastructure monitoring. A prototype system using IEEE 802.15.4 standard compliant transceiver has been tested in a laboratory. Since battery powered wireless sensors smaller in size are usually preferred for easy deployment, the energy efficiency and lifetime has to be carefully evaluated before field deployment. The power consumption for different operation scenarios has been tested, and battery lifetime is analyzed based on the test results. The feasibility of the proposed system in infrastructure monitoring is discussed.
Assessing Vaccination Sentiments with Online Social Media: Implications for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Control

There is great interest in the dynamics of health behaviors in social networks and how they affect collective public health outcomes, but measuring population health behaviors over time and space requires substantial resources. Here, we use publicly available data from 101,853 users of online social media collected over a time period of almost six months to measure the spatio-temporal sentiment towards a new vaccine. We validated our approach by identifying a strong correlation between sentiments expressed online and CDC-estimated vaccination rates by region. Analysis of the network of opinionated users showed that information flows more often between users who share the same sentiments - and less often between users who do not share the same sentiments - than expected by chance alone. We also found that most communities are dominated by either positive or negative sentiments towards the novel vaccine. Simulations of infectious disease transmission show that if clusters of negative vaccine sentiments lead to clusters of unprotected individuals, the likelihood of disease outbreaks is greatly increased. Online social media provide unprecedented access to data allowing for inexpensive and efficient tools to identify target areas for intervention efforts and to evaluate their effectiveness.
Malaria: an emerging and re-emerging global plague

On a global scale malaria is the most prevalent infectious disease affecting humans: malaria parasites now infect over 500 million people every year, killing up to 2 million and causing at least 100 million cases of acute illness. Its importance as a public health problem is reflected by the staggering toll malaria extracts in illness and suffering. In general, malaria epidemiology has the characteristics of a stable, endemic infectious disease. Consequently, at a macro-epidemiologic level, malaria is not as much an emerging disease as it is an established, intractable public health plague for fully one-third of the earth's population [1,2]. From a micro-epidemiologic perspective malaria is a very dynamic infection and disease. Many forces are at play: malaria transmission is extending to affect new populations and geographic regions, the malaria parasite's biology is evolving, particularly with respect to susceptibility to drugs, and recent research has identified previously poorly understood facets of the health impact of malaria illness, especially as it interfaces with emerging public health threats such as AIDS. Despite considerable effort for eradication or control during this century, malaria is still the most prevalent and, from the public health standpoint, the most devastating disease in the tropics. While some countries have successfully managed the threat of malaria, there has been a dramatic, worldwide increase in malaria-related illness and death over the past two decades. In many parts of the globe, malaria is not only a major threat to public health, but is a major impediment to development through excessive public health costs, lost productivity and impaired individual growth. Plasmodium falciparum infections present one of the most pressing public health challenges in the developing world. This malaria species can produce overwhelming disease, characterized by a severe central nervous system syndrome (cerebral malaria) and lethal pathology in the …
Blocking the Benefit of Group-Based HIV-Prevention Efforts during Adolescence: The Problem of HIV-Related Stigma

HIV-related stigma has been shown to impede HIV-antibody testing and safer sexual practices in adults. Less is known about its effects on prevention programs among at-risk youth. This study examined the longitudinal relationships between HIV-stigma and HIV-knowledge following completion of a validated group-based intervention. Data were provided by 1,654 African-American adolescents who participated in a large multi-city prevention trial (Project iMPACCS). Participants were randomly assigned to an empirically-validated skill-based intervention or a general health promotion control group. Both stigma and knowledge were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Results suggested that adolescents participating in the intervention showed improvements in knowledge and decreases in stigma when compared to controls. Improvements in stigma appeared to be partly driven by improvements in knowledge. Higher baseline stigma was shown to reduce gains in knowledge in both the treatment and control groups. Results suggest that HIV-stigma can interfere with how youth identify with and internalize messages from group-based prevention trials.
Inhibition of invitro sickling by liposome-mediated transport of amino acids into intact human red blood cells☆

Abstract To investigate the role of phenylalanine and tryptophane as potential antisickling agents in intact human SS-red blood cells a liposomal transport system was employed to transfer phenyl-alanine or tryptophane into intact SS-red blood cells. Aromatic amino acids and short peptides containing phenylalanine have been demonstrated to increase the minimum gelling concentration and solubility of deoxy-hemoglobin S in aqueous solution. However, these compounds do not cross the red blood cell membrane under usual incubation conditions. Incorporation of phenylalanine or tryptophane into intact SS-red blood cells via liposomal transport system markedly inhibited the in vitro sickling of deoxy-hemoglobin S. These findings raise the possibility that a nontoxic liposomal transport system which facilitates incorporation of antisickling agents into intact SS-RBC may have significant therapeutic implications in the treatment of sickle cell disease.
Electronic structure at rubrene metal interfaces

The electronic structure of the interfaces between rubrene and various metals, including Au, Ag, Al, and Ca, have been investigated with photoemission and inverse photoemission spectroscopy. The formation of the interface dipole is observed at all interfaces. The Fermi level shifts linearly within the band gap as a function of metal workfunction, until it is almost aligned with the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) by Ca. Strong interactions take place at the interface between rubrene and Ca, evidenced by the evolution of the valence features.
The effect of flow pulsation on drag and heat transfer in an array of heated square cylinders

Abstract Laminar 2-D pulsating flow through homogeneous linear arrays of heated square tubes is simulated for pulsation frequencies of 0–80 Hz for tube diameter-based Reynolds numbers from 50 to 200. The objective is to examine the effects of flow pulsation on drag and heat transfer in heat exchanger tube bundles. Cycle-averaged and maximum drag coefficients, as well as the instantaneous and cycle-averaged Nusselt numbers are reported for each of the ten rows of tubes in the simulated array. The results show that flow pulsations can enhance heat transfer in tube bundles, and the level of enhancement increases with pulsation frequency and mean flow Reynolds number. A wake interference effect has been observed which significantly amplifies the drag on the leading rows and reduces and instantaneously reverses the sign of the drag force on the tubes located in the wake region. Cycle-average drag coefficients decreased with increasing Reynolds number and porosity, and were only a weak function of pulsation frequency. Peak drag coefficients were found to decrease with increasing Reynolds number and porosity, but increase with frequency approximately linearly. Empirical correlations are presented for a tube bundle with 64% porosity that relate maximum and cycle-average drag coefficients as well as Nusselt numbers to the Reynolds number and frequency.
Ruth Benedict’s Japan: the Benedictions of Imperialism

Critics and defenders continue to debate the meanings and uses of Ruth Benedict’s Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture (1946). Recently reporters have used Benedict’s ideas to justify the U.S. invasion of Iraq, citing, for example, Pauline Kent’s defense of Benedict published in Dialectical Anthropology (1999; 24(2): 181–192). This essay examines the flaws of Chrysanthemum and Kent’s views, including Kent’s attacks on the best critique of Chrysanthemum to date by Lummis (1981). Drawing from Lummis, it highlights Benedict’s radical political transformation during the 1940s, her embracement of U.S. nationalism, and subsequent reversals of her anthropological positions. It shows how in Chrysanthemum Benedict compared nationalist cultures and ideologies rather than ethnic cultures, but demonstrates that Benedict’s methodology remained consistent. Finally, it scrutinizes the logic of Benedict’s vision and portrayal of Japanese ethnicity as a “shame culture” and her argument for saving the emperor system and culturally rehabilitating the Japanese. Inequality has been for centuries the rule of their organized life … They have denied themselves simple freedoms which Americans count upon as unquestioningly as the air they breathe.–Ruth Benedict Perhaps it was the best American liberalism could have produced under those circumstances.–Douglas Lummis
Tibetan Carpets From Folk Art to Global Commodity

This article analyzes the Tibetan refugee carpet industry, demonstrating that the commoditization of handicrafts has had multiple and contradictory impacts on the culture, economy, and class struct...
Abstract PR-1: Acquired resistance to RAF inhibitors is mediated by splicing isoforms of BRAF(V600E) that dimerize in a RAS-independent manner.

Tumors with mutant BRAF(V600E) are dependent on BRAF/MEK/ERK (ERK signaling) for their growth. ATP-competitive RAF inhibitors suppress ERK signaling in cells with mutant BRAF, but paradoxically enhance ERK signaling in cells with wild-type BRAF. We have shown previously the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon: active RAS promotes homo- and heterodimerization of RAF. When RAF exists in dimers, drug binding to one protomer transactivates the other unbound protomer. In BRAF(V600E) tumors, RAS is not activated, RAF is predominantly monomeric and ERK signaling is inhibited by the drug. These results predict that RAF inhibitors will be effective in tumors in which BRAF is mutated. Furthermore, because RAF inhibitors do not inhibit ERK signaling in other cells, the model predicts that they would have a higher therapeutic index and greater antitumor activity than MEK inhibitors. Confirming these predictions, RAF inhibitors have shown remarkable clinical activity in patients with melanomas that harbor mutant BRAF(V600E), however, resistance invariably develops. The mechanism of action of these drugs indicates that promotion of RAF dimerization (by lesions that activate RAS, or other means) could lead to drug resistance in mutant BRAF tumors. Indeed, RAS mutation has been reported as a mechanism of resistance in a subset of patients that progressed on the RAF inhibitor PLX4032 (vemurafenib). In order to identify novel mechanisms of resistance, we generated cell lines resistant to PLX4032. We found that a subset of cells resistant to PLX4032 express a 61kd splicing variant form of BRAF(V600E) that lacks exons 4–8, a region that encompasses the RAS-binding domain (p61BRAF(V600E)). p61BRAF(V600E) exhibits enhanced dimerization as compared to full length BRAF(V600E) in cells with low levels of RAS activation. In cells in which p61BRAF(V600E) is expressed endogenously or ectopically, ERK signaling is resistant to the RAF inhibitor. Moreover, a mutation that abolishes the dimerization of p61BRAF(V600E) restores its sensitivity to PLX4032, indicating that dimerization status of BRAF(V600E) determines the effects of the drug. We detected BRAF splicing variants in tumors collected at the time of progression on PLX4032, but not in matched pre-treatment tumors, supporting the clinical relevance of this mechanism and its potential utility as a therapeutic target. These data support the model that inhibition of ERK signaling by RAF inhibitors is dependent on levels of RAS-GTP too low to support RAF dimerization and identify a novel mechanism of acquired resistance in patients: expression of splicing isoforms of BRAF(V600E) that dimerize in a RAS-independent manner. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PR-1.
Todd J.E., Mancino L., Lin B-H. The Impact of Food Away from Home on Adult Diet Quality. ERR-90, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Econ. Res. Serv., February 2010

This brief report provides contemporary evidence that, for the average adult, eating away from home is associated with increased caloric intake and reduced diet quality. The effects vary depending on which meals are consumed away from home. For instance, eating breakfast out was associated with decreased whole grains and dairy products and increased calories from saturated fat and added sugars. Although the effects seem to be similar between men and women and do not depend on weight status, eating out appears to be somewhat more detrimental for dieters than for nondieters. On a positive note, some unhealthy trends related to eating outside the home seem to be decreasing, perhaps in response to healthier food options and more careful food choices.
Transoral Approach to the Ventral Craniocervical Border

The transoral approach to the ventral craniocervical border is the most direct route for decompression of irreducible extradural pathology. These procedures encompass the transpalatal, transoropharyngeal, and median mandibulotomy with glossotomy. We share the senior author’s (AHM) experience with 693 patients treated via the transoropharyngeal-transpalatal route. Since 1977 the procedure has evolved into a safe and direct approach, associated with minimum morbidity and mortality rates. With this technique, 97% of patients require craniocervical stabilization, which is now performed at the same surgical setting as the transoral procedure.
Feminism and Mexican American Adolescent Women Examining the Psychometric Properties of Two Measures

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Feminist Identity Development Scale (FIDS) and the Attitudes Toward Feminism and the Women’s Movement Scale (FWM) with 389 Mexican American 11...
Natural convection boundary layers adjacent to pyrolyzing surfaces

The temperature, velocity, and concentration distributions were measured in boundary layers adjacent to heated vertical polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and wood (Southern Pine) surfaces, and next to a heated, vertical, sintered bronze plate through which propane was injected. The temperature, velocity, and concentration were measured as functions of position and time using thermocouple probes, flow visualization techniques, and heterodyne holographic interferometry, respectively. The measured distributions were compared to the results of a simple model. The agreement between the measured values and the results of the model was generally good and was within the experimental uncertainty.
Multiple Families of Magic-Sized CdSe Nanocrystals with Strong Bandgap Photoluminescence via Noninjection One-Pot Syntheses

Three families of colloidal CdSe magic-sized nanocrystals (MSNs) exhibiting bright bandgap photoluminescence (PL) with narrow full width at half-maximum (fwhm) on the order of ca. 10 nm were synthesized in pure form. This noninjection one-pot synthetic approach uses cadmium acetate dihydrate (Cd(OAc)2·2H2O) and elemental selenium as Cd and Se source compounds, respectively, while a fatty acid as surface ligands and 1-octadecene (ODE) as the reaction medium. All of these chemicals were loaded at room temperature in a reaction flask, with low acid-to-Cd and high Cd-to-Se feed molar ratios; the growth of the CdSe MSNs was carried out at 120 −240 °C. This synthetic approach allows long growth/annealing periods at high temperature and thus results in high-quality CdSe MSNs exhibiting strong bandgap PL; furthermore, this ready approach features high synthetic reproducibility and large-scale production. The reason for the low acid-to-Cd feed molar ratio is argued to be related to the low activity of the Cd precu...