cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative calibration of vapor levels of TNT, RDX, and PETN using a diffusion generator with gravimetry and ion mobility spectrometry.

Abstract A prototype generator for creating a continuous stream of explosive vapor was referenced quantitatively both to a standard weight from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and to the response of an ion mobility spectrometer. Vapors from solid explosive, in a precision bore glass tube at constant temperature, diffuse into an inert gas flow. Mass output rates were determined by (1) sample temperature, and (2) sample tube dimensions (length and cross-sectional area). A reference to NIST was achieved gravimetrically though a microbalance calibrated with a reference weight; mass output rates were obtained for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) at three or more oven temperatures between 79°C and 150°C. The mass output rate was stable over hundreds of hours of continuous operation and the output was adjustable from a few picograms per second to several nanograms per second through variation of the oven temperature. An independent calibration of the vapor generator for TNT at 79°C using an ion mobility spectrometer matched exactly the gravimetric-based findings. In most instances, measured mass output rates compared favorably with theoretically calculated mass output rates, with discrepancies in a few cases resulting primarily from uncertainties in terms (vapor pressures and diffusion coefficients) used to perform the calculations. Agreement is generally not good for PETN, where molecular decomposition contributed to higher than expected measured mass outputs.
Protein Secondary Structure Prediction Using Nearest-neighbor Methods

We have studied the use of nearest-neighbor classifiers to predict the secondary structure of proteins. The nearest-neighbor rule states that a test instance is classified according to the classifications of "nearby" training examples from a database of known structures. In the context of secondary structure prediction, the test instances are windows of n consecutive residues, and the label is the secondary structure type (alpha-helix, beta-strand, or coil) of the center position of the window. To define the neighborhood of a test instance, we employed a novel similarity metric based on the local structural environment scoring scheme of Bowie et al. In this manner, we have attempted to exploit the underlying structural similarity between segments of different proteins to aid in the prediction of secondary structure. Furthermore, in addition to using neighborhoods of fixed radius, we explored a modification of the standard nearest-neighbor algorithm that involved defining an "effective radius" for each exemplar by measuring its performance on a training set. Using these ideas, we achieved a peak prediction accuracy of 68%. Finally, we sought to improve the biological utility of secondary structure prediction by identifying the subset of the predictions that are most likely to be correct. Toward this end, we developed a nearest-neighbor estimator that produced not the traditional "one-state" prediction (alpha-helix, beta-strand, or coil) but rather a probability distribution over the three states. It should be emphasized that this scheme estimates true probability values and that the resulting numbers are not pseudo-probability scores generated by simple normalization of the raw output of the predictor. Applying the mutual information statistic, we found that these probability triplets possess 58% more information than the one-state predictions. Furthermore, the probability estimates allow one to assign an a priori confidence level to the prediction at each residue. Using this approach, we found that the top 28% of the predictions were 86% accurate and the top 43% of the predictions were 81% accurate. These results indicate that, notwithstanding the limitations on overall accuracy of secondary structure prediction, a substantial proportion of a protein can be predicted with considerable accuracy.
Role of Saliva in the Highly Destructive Fourlined Plant Bug (Hemiptera: Miridae: Mirinae)

The fourlined plant bug, Poecilocapsus lineatus (F.), is among the more damaging hemipterans, causing immediate and conspicuous lesions at feeding sites on leaves. The damage appears histologically to involve complete loss of cellular integrity and removal of the palisade cell layer. The ability of P. lineatus to cause such remarkable damage appears to reside in the chemical nature of its salivary products; however, among tests of the salivary enzymes that included assays for pectinase, cellulase, proteinase, polyphenol oxidase, lipase, and amylase, only an exopectinase was found. The size of the salivary gland complex in later instars and adults (≈14–21% of total body mass) was proportionately far greater than that found in other Heteroptera, such as in another mirid, Lygus hesperus Knight (where salivary gland complexes were only 4–7% of total body mass). Ultrastructure analysis of the salivary glands revealed that the vast majority of the cellular make-up of the glands is rough endoplasmic reticulum. A complex of proteins was present in salivary gland extracts with molecular weights of 87, 79, 42, 33, 30, and 21 kDa. Gel filtration chromatography revealed a major peak of exopectinase activity corresponding to a molecular weight of ≈30–35 kDa; and ion exchange chromatography revealed 2 peaks of exopectinase activity eluting with an ion strength of ≈0.4 and 0.5 M NaCl.
MiR-133b promotes neural plasticity and functional recovery after treatment of stroke with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells in rats via transfer of exosome-enriched extracellular particles

To test, in vivo, the hypothesis that exosomes from multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) mediate microRNA 133b (miR-133b) transfer which promotes neurological recovery from stroke, we used knockin and knockdown technologies to upregulate or downregulate the miR-133b level in MSCs (miR-133b(+) MSCs or miR-133b(-) MSCs) and their corresponding exosomes, respectively. Rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and were treated with naive MSCs, miR-133b(+) MSCs, or miR-133b(-) MSC at 1 day after MCAo. Compared with controls, rats receiving naive MSC treatment significantly improved functional recovery and exhibited increased axonal plasticity and neurite remodeling in the ischemic boundary zone (IBZ) at day 14 after MCAo. The outcomes were significantly enhanced with miR-133b(+) MSC treatment, and were significantly decreased with miR-133b(-) MSC treatment, compared to naive MSC treatment. The miR-133b level in exosomes collected from the cerebral spinal fluid was significantly increased after miR-133b(+) MSC treatment, and was significantly decreased after miR-133b(-) MSC treatment at day 14 after MCAo, compared to naive MSC treatment. Tagging exosomes with green fluorescent protein demonstrated that exosomes-enriched extracellular particles were released from MSCs and transferred to adjacent astrocytes and neurons. The expression of selective targets for miR-133b, connective tissue growth factor and ras homolog gene family member A, was significantly decreased in the IBZ after miR-133b(+) MSC treatment, while their expression remained at similar elevated levels after miR-133b(-) MSC treatment, compared to naive MSC treatment. Collectively, our data suggest that exosomes from MSCs mediate the miR-133b transfer to astrocytes and neurons, which regulate gene expression, subsequently benefit neurite remodeling and functional recovery after stroke.
Authoritarianism and Destructiveness in the Tea Party Movement

The contemporary lower middle class, as constituted in the Tea Party movement, holds increasingly unfavorable views of government, especially among exurban whites, based on imagined and preferred v...
Activation of Zoosporogenesis-Specific Genes in Phytophthora infestans Involves a 7-Nucleotide Promoter Motif and Cold-Induced Membrane Rigidity

Infections of plants by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans typically result from zoospores, which develop from sporangia at cold temperatures. To help understand the relevant cold-induced signaling pathway, factors regulating the transcription of the zoosporogenesis-specific NIF (nuclear LIM-interactor-interacting factor) gene family were examined. Sequences required for inducing PinifC3 were identified by analyzing truncated and mutated promoters using the beta-glucuronidase reporter in stable transformants. A 7-nucleotide (nt) sequence located 139 bases upstream of the major transcription start point (GGACGAG) proved essential for the induction of PinifC3 when sporangia were shifted from ambient to cold temperatures. The motif, named the cold box, also conferred cold inducibility to a promoter normally activated only during sexual development. An identical motif was detected in the two other zoosporogenesis-specific NIF genes from P. infestans and three Phytophthora sojae orthologues, and a closely related sequence was found in Phytophthora ramorum orthologues. The 7-nt motif was also found in the promoters of other zoosporogenesis-induced genes. The presence of a cold box-interacting protein in nuclear extracts of P. infestans sporangia was demonstrated using electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Furthermore, zoospore release and cold box-regulated transcription were stimulated by the membrane rigidizer dimethyl sulfoxide and inhibited by the membrane fluidizer benzyl alcohol. The data therefore delineate a pathway in which sporangia perceive cold temperatures through membrane rigidity, which activates signals that drive both zoosporogenesis and cold-box-mediated transcription.
Protocol modularity in systems for managing replicated data

The authors describe their experience in attempting to modularize Consul, a fault-tolerant system for managing replicated data. Their experience is that, while modularity is needed to simplify the design and implementation of such systems, protocol dependencies, both direct and indirect, impact the way in which protocols are designed and implemented. They also identify certain operating system features that simplify such a design. Based on this experience, work is in progress to develop a new model for fault-tolerant protocols that will facilitate modularization. >
Spatiotemporal dynamics of housing growth hotspots in the North Central U.S. from 1940 to 2000

Housing growth is a primary form of landscape change that is occurring throughout the world. Because of the ecological impacts of housing growth, understanding the patterns of growth over time is imperative in order to better inform land use planning, natural resource management, and conservation. Our primary goal was to quantify hotspots of housing growth in the North Central United States over a 60-year time frame (1940–2000) using a spatial statistical approach. Specifically, our objectives were to: (1) determine where housing growth hotspots exist; (2) determine if hotspots are changing in space and over time; and, (3) investigate if hotspots differ based upon the type of measurement and scale of analysis. Our approach was based on a spatial statistical framework (Getis-Ord G* statistic) that compared local housing growth patterns with regional growth rates. Over the 60-year period the number and mean area of hotspots, measured both as absolute and percent growth, remained largely constant. However, total area of all hotspots increased significantly over time as measured by absolute growth. Spatially, the hotspots shifted over time and exhibited different patterns based upon the measurement. Absolute growth hotspots exhibited patterns of expanding sets of rings around urban centers, whereas percent growth hotspots exhibited both expanding rings and shifting locations throughout rural locations. When increasing the neighborhood size used to discern hotspots from 5 to 50 km, the number of hotspots decreased while their size increased. Regardless of neighborhood size, ∼95 and ∼88% of the landscape, as measured by absolute and percent growth, respectively, never contained a hotspot. Overall our results indicate that housing growth is occurring at distinct locations on the landscape, which change in space and time, and are influenced by the scale of analysis and type of measure. In general these results provide useful information for the natural resource, planning, and policy communities.
Introduction to Plasma Theory

Plasma physics is the study of collective phenomena involving vast numbers of charged particles, usually in the presence of a magnetic field and usually distributed so that the net charge density is very small compared to the density of charges of either sign. Dwight Nicholson' s book Introduction to Plasma Theory is an educational treasury of the conceptual foundations and mathematical methodology of modern theoretical plasma physics. The book is primarily intended for classroom use at the first-year and second-year graduate level and is well written for this purpose in that individual topics are introduced at the lowest possible level of sophistication but subsequently developed in an increasingly mathematical way. The book is well supplied with literature citations, exercises, problems, and hints for solution. It is also well indexed for use as a reference book, a lthough it is not primarily intended forth is purpose.
A Review of: “Organic Phosphorus Compounds, Volume 6, G. M. Kosolapoff and L. Maier, Eds., John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Publishers, New York, N. Y., 1973; 940 pp, $29.95”

(1974). A Review of: “Organic Phosphorus Compounds, Volume 6, G. M. Kosolapoff and L. Maier, Eds., John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Publishers, New York, N. Y., 1973; 940 pp, $29.95”. Synthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry: Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 383-385.
Human Fusobacterium necrophorum strains have a leukotoxin gene and exhibit leukotoxic activity

Fusobacterium necrophorum, a Gram-negative anaerobe, causes a variety of necrotic infections in humans and animals. There are two subspecies: subsp. necrophorum and subsp. funduliforme. In cattle, subsp. necrophorum is more prevalent and production of leukotoxin is a major virulence factor. The leukotoxin operon (lktBAC) consists of three genes, lktB, lktA and lktC, of which lktA is the structural toxin gene. The subspecies identity of human F. necrophorum is less certain and it is not known whether human strains possess the leukotoxin gene or leukotoxin activity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the subspecies status of four human clinical strains of F. necrophorum and determine whether they have the leukotoxin gene or leukotoxin activity. Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics suggested that the four strains belonged to subsp. funduliforme, which was confirmed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. Analysis of the four strains by PCR revealed the presence of the leukotoxin operon. Partial DNA sequencing identified one human strain with full-length lktA, whereas the others exhibited considerable heterogeneity in size. All strains had a leukotoxin operon promoter-containing intergenic region similar to that of bovine subsp. funduliforme strains, which was confirmed by DNA sequencing and Southern blotting. Despite variations in the lktA gene, all strains secreted leukotoxin as demonstrated by Western blotting. Flow cytometry assays revealed that the leukotoxin was toxic to human white blood cells. In conclusion, the human strains examined contained a leukotoxin gene whose gene product was biologically active. The importance of leukotoxin as a virulence factor in human fusobacterial infections needs further evaluation.
Perturbation theory applied to critical phenomena

Abstract It is well known that the Helmholtz free energy obtained from the usual cell theory diverges near the critical point and the first correction term to the Van der Waals specific heat diverges as | T − T 0 c | - 1 2 , where T0c is the Van der Waals critical temperature. In this paper we show that these singular behaviors can be removed by placing a “cell radial distribution function” into the mean-field approximation in the cell theory. The convergence condition for the Helmholtz free energy near the critical point yields many interesting inequalities among the critical exponents, some of which were obtained rigorously by previous workers. In addition, we find that if the reference system exhibits critical phenomena the critical point of the system under consideration coincides with that of the high-temperature approximation which is exactly the first term of the expansion in the Helmholtz free energy. We also find that the heat capacity at constant volume diverges as α ≥ 2 − dv, where d is the dimensionality of the system and α and v are Fisher's critical exponents.
Dichloroacetate- and trichloroacetate-induced oxidative stress in the hepatic tissues of mice after long-term exposure

Dichoroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) were found to be hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic in rodents. To investigate the role of oxidative stress in the long-term hepatotoxicity of the compounds, groups of mice were administered 7.7, 77, 154 and 410 mg kg(-1) per day, of either DCA or TCA, by gavage, for 4 weeks (4-W) and 13 weeks (13-W), and superoxide anion (SA), lipid peroxidation (LP) and DNA-single strand breaks (SSBs) were determined in the hepatic tissues. Significant increases in all of the biomarkers were observed in response to the tested doses of both compounds in the two test periods, with significantly greater increases observed in the 13-W, as compared with the 4-W, period. Hepatomegaly was only observed with a DCA dose of 410 mg kg(-1) per day in the 13-W treatment period, and that was associated with significant declines in the biomarkers, when compared with the immediately lower dose. With the exception of LP production in the 13-W treatment period that was similarly induced by the two compounds, the DCA-induced increases in all of the biomarkers were significantly greater than those of TCA. Since those biomarkers were significantly induced by the compounds' doses that were shown to be carcinogenic but at earlier periods than those demonstrating hepatotoxicity/haptocarcinogencity, they can be considered as initial events that may lead to later production of those long-term effects. The results also suggest LP to be a more significant contributing mechanism than SA and DNA damage to the long-term hepatotoxicity of TCA.
Secreted Protein, Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) and Thrombospondin in the Developing Follicle and Corpus Luteum of the Rat

SUMMARY In adult mammals, growth of new vasculature from extant blood vessels (angiogenesis) is rare in the absence of pathology. However, nonpathogenic angiogenesis occurs in the cycling ovary when the avascular postovulatory follicle transforms into a highly vascularized corpus luteum (CL). To improve our understanding of molecular mechanisms that regulate nonpathogenic vascular growth, we characterized the expression of two secreted matricellular proteins associated with angiogenesis, SPARC and thrombospondin (TSP), in postovulatory preluteal follicles and CL of hormone-primed immature rats. By indirect immunofluorescence with specific antibodies, we found SPARC in the cytoplasm of granulosa cells and thecal cells of preluteal follicles, in connective tissue cells of the ovarian interstitium, and in the oocyte nucleus. Administration of a luteinizing stimulus (chorionic gonadotropin) increased the expression of SPARC in granulosa cells. TSP was prominent in the basement membranes of growing follicles. Many cells in the early vascularizing CL expressed both SPARC and TSP. Neovascularization of CL was accompanied by expression of SPARC in nascent vessels and concentration of TSP in central avascular areas. In mature CL, steroidogenic luteal cells expressed both SPARC and TSP. Luteal cells of regressing CL retained SPARC to a variable degree but did not express TSP. The observed changes in expression of SPARC and TSP during development of the CL support distinct roles for these matricellular proteins in nonpathological morphogenesis and angiogenesis.
Lateral Coupling of Self-Assembled Quantum Dots Studied by Near-Field Spectroscopy

Lateral coupling between separate quantum dots has been observed in a system of In0.55A10.45As self-assembled quantum dots. The experiment was performed by taking photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra in the optical near-field at 4.2 K. The high spatial resolution afforded by the near-field technique allows us to resolve individual dots in a density regime where interactions between neighboring dots become apparent. In the PLE spectra, narrow resonances are observed in the emission lines of individual dots. A large fraction of these resonances occur simultaneously in several emission lines, originating from different quantum dots. This is evidence of interdot scattering of carriers, which additional data show to be mediated by localized states at energies below the wetting layer exciton energy. A very rich phonon spectrum generated by the complicated interfaces between barrier and dot material is also evident in the data.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of the Escherichia coli 30 S ribosomal subunit in ice.

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of both the heat-activated and non-activated 30 S subunit of theEscherichia coli70 S ribosome were obtained from a frozen hydrated specimen preparation at 1/37 A−1resolution. Well-characterized features that can be identified in both reconstructions are the head, the base, the platform and the cleft formed between the head and the platform. Comparisons between the 3D maps of 30 S subunits at 0°C, heat-activated at 37°C, and the 30 S subunit portion identified in the cryo-3D map of 70 S ribosome reveal conformational changes the subunit probably undergoes during inactive-active transition and upon association with the 50 S subunit. These comparisons also allow us to localize the sites of association of 30 S and 50 S subunits.
Fatty acid flux suppresses fatty acid synthesis in hamster intestine independently of SREBP-1 expression

Hamsters were fed a control diet or diets containing palm, olive, safflower, or fish oil for 2 weeks. In villus cell populations from duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, rates of intestinal fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis were estimated, as were sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1a, SREBP-1c, SREBP-2, HMG-CoA synthase, fatty acid synthase, ATP citrate lyase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase mRNA levels, and SREBP-1 and SREBP-2 mass. Plasma cholesterol and triacylglcerol levels were increased in animals ingesting palm oil and decreased in animals ingesting fish oil. Fatty acid synthesis and fatty acid synthase activity were decreased in the proximal intestine of animals ingesting all the fat-containing diets. Intestinal cholesterol synthesis was unaltered. In animals fed fat, SREBP-1c gene expression was modestly increased in the duodenum of hamsters fed palm oil or olive oil, and decreased in animals ingesting safflower oil or fish oil. Fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, ATP citrate lyase, SREBP-2, and HMG-CoA synthase mRNA levels were not altered, nor were SREBP-1 or SREBP-2 mass. In the intestine, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids suppress SREBP-1c mRNA without altering expression of its target genes, fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, or ATP citrate lyase. Fatty acid influx decreases intestinal fatty acid synthesis by a posttranscriptional mechanism independent of the SREBP pathway.
Promoting Trade: The Importance of Market Protecting Institutions

What set of domestic institutions most affect bilateral trade flows? Extant research emphasizes security institutions or democratic political institutions. We agree that domestic institutions matter, but not the ones previously identified. Rather, the key set of institutions influencing trade flows are those that protect property rights. These market-protecting institutions, such as the establishment of banking and insurance laws and common standards of measurement, promote trade by lowering the transaction costs of commercial exchange. An empirical analysis of bilateral trade flows employing a number of estimation methods and operationalizations of the key concept support our market-protecting institutions argument.
Empirical Evidence for Acceleration-Dependent Amplification Factors

Incorrect versions of Figures 5 and 6 containing normalization errors were accidentally published by Borcherdt (2002). They should be replaced with the figures shown here. The text and tabulated regression values published in Borcherdt (2002) …
Assessment of imaging studies used with radiosurgery: a volumetric algorithm and an estimation of its error. Technical note.

✓ The Gamma Knife has played an increasingly important role in the neurosurgical treatment of patients. Intracranial lesions are not removed by radiosurgery. Rather, the goal of treatment is to induce tumor control. During planning, the creation of dose–volume histograms requires an accurate volumetric analysis of intracranial lesions selected for radiosurgery. In addition, an accurate follow-up imaging analysis of tumor volume is essential for assessing the results of radiosurgery. Nevertheless, sources of volumetric error and their expected magnitudes must be properly understood so that the operator may correctly interpret apparent changes in tumor volume. In this paper, the authors examine the often-neglected contributions of imaging geometry (principally image slice thickness and separation) to overall volumetric error. One of the fundamental sources of volumetric error is that resulting from the geometry of the acquisition protocol. The authors consider the image sampling geometry of tomographic moda...
Blueshift: Designing processors for timing speculation from the ground up.

Several recent processor designs have proposed to enhance performance by increasing the clock frequency to the point where timing faults occur, and by adding error-correcting support to guarantee correctness. However, such Timing Speculation (TS) proposals are limited in that they assume traditional design methodologies that are suboptimal under TS. In this paper, we present a new approach where the processor itself is designed from the ground up for TS. The idea is to identify and optimize the most frequently-exercised critical paths in the design, at the expense of the majority of the static critical paths, which are allowed to suffer timing errors. Our approach and design optimization algorithm are called BlueShift. We also introduce two techniques that, when applied under BlueShift, improve processor performance: On-demand Selective Biasing (OSB) and Path Constraint Tuning (PCT). Our evaluation with modules from the OpenSPARC T1 processor shows that, compared to conventional TS, BlueShift with OSB speeds up applications by an average of 8% while increasing the processor power by an average of 12%. Moreover, compared to a high-performance TS design, BlueShift with PCT speeds up applications by an average of 6% with an average processor power overhead of 23% . providing a way to speed up logic modules that is orthogonal to voltage scaling.
Acquisition Returns, Increase in Firm Size, and Chief Executive Officer Compensation: The Moderating Role of Monitoring

Our theoretical argument is that the effect of acquisition-related factors on CEO compensation is contingent upon the intensity of monitoring activities. In firms with vigilant monitors, returns wi...
Ischemic mitral regurgitation: is mitral valve physiology moving from global to local?

Mitral regurgitation (MR) affects nearly 2 million Americans with coronary artery disease, conferring an increased risk of heart failure, arrhythmia, and death. Commonly referred to as ischemic mitral regurgitation (iMR), this condition has generally been attributed to papillary muscle displacement
P-Type Transparent Cu-Alloyed ZnS Deposited at Room Temperature

All transparent conducting materials (TCMs) of technological practicality are n-type; the inferior conductivity of p-type TCMs has limited their adoption. In addition, many relatively high-performing p-type TCMs require synthesis temperatures >400 °C. Here, room-temperature pulsed laser deposition of copper-alloyed zinc sulfide (CuxZn1-xS) thin films (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75) is reported. For 0.09 ≤ x ≤ 0.35, CuxZn1-xS has high p-type conductivity, up to 42 S cm−1 at x = 0.30, with an optical band gap tunable from ≈3.0–3.3 eV and transparency, averaged over the visible, of 50%–71% for 200–250 nm thick films. In this range, synchrotron X-ray and electron diffraction reveal a nanocrystalline ZnS structure. Secondary crystalline CuyS phases are not observed, and at higher Cu concentrations, x > 0.45, films are amorphous and poorly conducting. Within the TCM regime, the conductivity is temperature independent, indicating degenerate hole conduction. A decrease in lattice parameter with Cu content suggests that the hole conduction is due to substitutional incorporation of Cu onto Zn sites. This hole-conducting phase is embedded in a less conducting amorphous CuyS, which dominates at higher Cu concentrations. The combination of high hole conductivity and optical transparency for the peak conductivity CuxZn1-xS films is among the best reported to date for a room temperature deposited p-type TCM.
A Retasking Framework for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks have been widely used in scientific research, industrial manufacturing, and environmental monitoring over the past decade. Using pre-existing networks to assist in responding to disaster events can be cost-effective. In this paper, we present Alert, a software framework for re tasking wireless sensor networks, enabling these networks to respond rapidly to unexpected events without neglecting their originally assigned tasks. Alert, built upon Deluge [1], is a wireless network code distribution protocol enabling node group management, selective node and group reprogramming, and network state monitoring. We used a test bed of 25 Tmote Sky nodes to evaluate the reprogramming performance and space overhead of Alert under different network sizes and densities.
Rejoinder to Murdoch and Sandler

In their reply to Oneal and Elrod (1989), Murdoch and Sandler defend the joint product model of alliance behavior and respond to several of our criticisms of their work on NATO. The most important point of this rejoinder is that Elrod and I never questioned the theoretical value of the joint product model, only Forbes, Murdoch, and Sandler's application of it to the North Atlantic alliance. We remain unconvinced that NATO made a significant shift from deterrence to defense in 1967 or 1974. The alliance seems throughout its history to be a uniquely privileged group providing a relatively pure public good. Yet, we agree that burden sharing in NATO has changed in important respects over the years, especially after the late 1960s and early 1970s. Elrod and I argued that two influences were important: the decline of U.S. hegemony and, especially, the pursuit of private benefits by the European allies. At first glance, Forbes, Murdoch, and Sandler's emphasis on impure public goods seems unobjectionable. The growth of the Soviet nuclear arsenal undermined the doctrine of massive retaliation; the U.S. formally urged a shift to a defensive strategy as early as 1962; and the alliance announced flexible response in 1967. But did NATO in fact move from deterrence toward defense? If so, it must be detectable not only indirectly in changing allied defense burdens but also by more direct military measures. The defense of territory requires the ability to stalemate or defeat the enemy, not merely to punish it, but Elrod and I found no evidence that the military balance in Europe tilted in NATO's favor in the decade after 1967. The Europeans, whose security was at stake, did not provide new forces. Their defense burdens declined as the Soviet Union's increased. Consequently, the military expenditures of NATO Europe as a percentage of those of the USSR fell from a peak of 67 percent in 1960
Twenty Years of Patient Surveys Confirm a FASD 4-Digit-Code Interdisciplinary Diagnosis Afforded Substantial Access to Interventions That Met Patients' Needs

Background 2013 marks the 40 th year since the term fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) was coined at the University of Washington. In 1993, the University of Washington opened the firs t interdisciplinary FASD diagnostic clinic; expanded to a statewide network of clinics in 1995 (Washington State FAS Diagnostic & Prevention Network (WA FASDPN)), and introduced a new, rigorous diagnostic system, the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) 4 - Digit Diagnostic Code in 1997. The WA FASDPN mission is FASD primary and secondary prevention. Evidence of successful primary prevention (fewer alcohol - exposed pregnancies and FAS births) was documented in WA in the 1990s. Secondary prevention (reduction of disability among individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure) starts with accurate diagnoses and access to interventions that meet patients’ needs. Objective Do patients report an FASD diagnostic evaluation affords them access to interventions that mee t their needs? Methods Twenty years of follow - up surveys from 622 patients (birth through adult) who received an interdisciplinary FASD diagnostic evaluation at the University of Washington FASDPN using the 4 - Digit Code were reviewed. Results Patients (99%) expressed high satisfaction in the FASD diagnostic process and outcome. Patients reported success accessing ( 89 %) recommended interventions that met their needs (>96%) . Patients with Neurobehavioral - Disorder/Alcohol - Exposed and Static - Encephalopathy /Alcohol - Exposed were as successful accessing interventions that met their needs as patients with FAS/ Partial - FAS. Families of patients 0 - 5 years old reported the greatest access and needs met . Conclusions Patient surveys confirm an interdisciplinary diag nosis using the 4 - Digit Code affords them substantial access to interventions that meet their needs across the spectrum of FASD diagnoses.
Investigation on Epidemic Status of Clonorchiasis in Futian District of Shenzhen

Objective To survey the infection condition and epidemiological features of Clonorchis sinensis infection in Futian District of Shenzhen.Method Clonorchis sinensis specific antibodies in blood samples were detected by ELISA.People were interviewed with structured questionnaire.Result Among 2176 examined people,2.30% were found infected with Clonorchis sinensis,with the positive rates for male and female were 3.02% and 1.73%,respectively.The infection rate of male was higher than that of female.Analysis for the age distribution showed that the highest score was found in 30～49 year old age group.73% of the interviewees ate raw fish,and 55% of them share the same chopping board for cooked and raw food.Conclusion Infection rate of Clonorchis sinensis is quite high in Futian.Eating raw fish,sanitary behaviors were important factors of Clonorchis sinensis infection.Health education should be provided for the population and dietary habits should be changed.
Analysis on gene characteristics of VP1 regions of Coxsachie virus A16 in enterovirus A group and the epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease,Liaocheng area,2010-2013

Objective To analyze the biological features of Coxsachie virus A16(CVA16)which caused Hand-foot-mouth Disease(HFMD)epidemics in Liaocheng area,master its gene characteristics,so as to provide the etiological data for prevention and control of HFMD. Methods Specimens from HFMD cases were collected in Liaocheng area during 2010-2013 and detected for CVA16 virus by Real-time PCR.Positive specimens were separated by using human rhabdomyosarcoma(RD)cells for virus isolation.The virus isolates were amplified and identified using RT-PCR for VP1 gene amplification.The amplified products were sent to be sequenced and the homology analysis and the construction of phylogenetic trees of CVA16 isolates were carried on by DNAStar and MEGA 4.0. Results A total of 862 specimens were collected and tested for enterovirus RNA during 2010-2013 in Liaocheng area,and 639 specimens were positive for universal primers for enterovirus.181 specimens were CVA16 positive,and of which 109 virus isolates were separated.According to the gene analysis,genotype B1 of CVA16was prevalent during 2010-2013.The gene types of B1 aand B1bwere both circulated and prevalent in 2010 and 2011,B1 bwas prevalent during 2012-2013.The homology analysis on nucleotide and amino acid for VP1 region of CVA16 virus isolates from Liaocheng area illustrated that the gene homologies were respectively 91.0%-97.0% and 98.3%-100%.Compared with the proximal subtype of representative strains,the variation on amino acid for VP1 region of CVA16 virus isolates from Liaocheng area usually occurred in the VP1 23rd(L→M). Conclusion B1 genotype is dominant among CVA16 isolates during 2010- 2013 in Liaocheng area including B1 aand B1btwo sub- types.Homology analysis indicates that partial B1 asubtypes have a close relationship with isolates from Taiwan province in China and neighboring countries.B1 bsubtypes have a close relationship with isolates from northern China and constitute a same group in the phylogenetic tree.There are different transmissions of HFMD in Liaocheng area.CVA16 isolates are relatively conservative,but there has been a certain degree of variation.
Acute Respiratory Failure in Infants and Children

Lack of published data on morbidity in relation to the treatment of respiratory failure in the pediatric age group, points up the need for agreement upon certain criteria for the diagnosis of acute respiratory failure in this age group and for a multi-institutional assessment of the effectiveness of intensive respiratory care in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with respiratory failure.
Cyclooxygenase inhibitors blunt thromboxane action in human placental arteries by blocking thromboxane receptors

The effects of cyclooxygenase inhibitors on thromboxane-mediated vasoconstriction in human placental arteries were studied in the isolated perfused fetoplacental cotyledon. The stable thromboxane agonist U-46619 caused a dose-related increase in perfusion pressure in the fetal side of the cotyledon. Meclofenamate (3.3 x 10(-5) M) significantly blunted the pressor response to U-46619, but not to angiotensin II, and inhibited thromboxane B2 formation in placental slices (IC50, 4.80 x 10(-8) M). The mechanism by which meclofenamate prevented thromboxane-induced vasoconstriction was studied using ligand-binding techniques in a membrane fraction prepared from placental cotyledons. Meclofenamate caused a dose-related inhibition of binding of the thromboxane receptor antagonist [3H]SQ 29548 with an IC50 of 2.61 x 10(-5) M. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding demonstrated that meclofenamate reduced the number of binding sites without altering the affinity of the receptor, suggesting a noncompetitive mechanism. Indomethacin also caused a dose-related inhibition of thromboxane binding (IC50, 3.27 x 10(-4) M). However, aspirin at a dose of 2.0 x 10(-3) M did not inhibit [3H]SQ 29548 binding. The data indicate that some cyclooxygenase inhibitors blunt thromboxane actions by interfering with binding at thromboxane receptor sites. These studies identify a new mechanism by which cyclooxygenase inhibition by some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can prevent thromboxane action in fetoplacental blood vessels in vitro independent of reductions in thromboxane formation.
Abnormalities of Vascular Ion Channels During Hypertension

Homeostasis of vascular tone in small arteries and arterioles relies on the balance between Ca2+-dependent activation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the vasodilator influences that counteract it. During the development of hypertension, the homeostasis of vascular tone is disrupted as pathophysiological events impinging on VSMCs promote vasoconstriction, rises in peripheral vascular resistance, and elevation of blood pressure. One critical process that contributes to hypertension is the “remodeling” of ion channels in the plasma membrane of VSMCs, which increases cell excitability. Most studies suggest that elevation of blood pressure is associated with a profound loss of voltage-gated K+ channels encoded by several gene families. The loss of K+ channels causes depolarization of VSMCs, opening of voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels, Ca2+ influx and accentuated vasoconstriction. In tandem, even short-term elevations of blood pressure promote the expression of voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels in VSMCs, effectively increasing the number of pathways for Ca2+ influx and Ca2+-dependent activation of contractile proteins. Drawing on findings from many laboratories, this chapter will review evidence for the induction of abnormalities of vascular K+ and Ca2+ channels during hypertension and discuss mechanisms that may mediate this process. New areas of investigation that may spur us to reconsider current dogma or provide important clues to the process of ion channel remodeling during hypertension also will be discussed.
Fatal Bleeding Caused by Congenital Factor XIII Deficiency and Development of An Inhibitor in a Hispanic Male

We report a case of fatal bleeding in a patient with mild congenital Factor XIII deficiency who also developed an inhibitor that interfered with fibrin stabilization. Plasma Factor XIII circulates as a tetramer composed of two A-chain and two B-chains and is bound to fibrinogen. After thrombin cleaves the A-chain at Arg 37, the B-chain dissociate producing Factor XIIIa. Factor XIIIa catalyzes covalent linkages between the fibrin molecules aligned in the fibrin clot. Factor XIIIa makes the fibrin resistant to disruption by urea and plasmin. Factor XIIIa levels greater than 1 % are needed to covalently stabilize a clot. We studied a 39 year old Hispanic male that presented with altered mental status, headache and a large left frontal parietal hemorrhage. Ultimately, he became non-responsive and was intubated. He had no major bleeding history but did have frequent nosebleeds. Routine blood counts and coagulation laboratory tests were normal. However, a qualitative Factor XIII assay was abnormal and the clot dissolved in 5M Urea. Furthermore, a 1:1 mixing study did not correct the defect suggesting the presence of an inhibitor. A small dose of cryoprecipitate was administered to the patient and this corrected the clot stability defect. Four days later, the defect recurred and 150 ml of cryoprecipitate was administered and despite correction of the fibrin stabilizing abnormality the patient died. Two of his sisters had a history of repeated hemorrhagic miscarriages in Mexico a finding consistent with congenital Factor XIII deficiency. DNA sequencing of the factor XIII a-chain gene was performed from the propositus’ mononuclear cells. A reverse transcription was done using an oligo(dT) 12–18 primer followed by nested PCR amplification and a heterozygous missense mutation was observed at codon 35 (G226T; Val35Leu). This mutation was than confirmed in propositus’ platelet cDNA. The Val35Leu substitution is close to the thrombin cleavage site, the G226T substitution is in the catalytic core domain. This case demonstrates that in some cases of Factor XIII deficiency there is residual Factor XIIIa activity in the mutant molecule that can prevent serious bleeding. However, patients may develop autoantibodies that further interfere with Factor XIII function and may suffer serious bleeding complications. Additional cases of Factor XIII deficiency may exist in patients that have mild bleeding problems.
Case 6: Rash and Fever in a 9-month-old Girl.

1. Diana Montoya-Williams, MD* 2. Punitha Jayaramaraju, MD* 3. Paul Hiers, MD* 4. Alexandra Butler, MD* 1. *Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL A 9-month-old girl who was born at term presents with rash for 11 days and low-grade fevers (100.4°F–101.3°F [38.0°C–38.5°C]) for 5 days. When febrile, she is fussy and her rash seems more prominent, but otherwise she has been at her baseline and playful. She has had no cough, rhinorrhea, congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, mucosal changes, change in appetite, evidence of pain or swelling of her extremities, or weight loss. Her parents deny new exposures or recent travel. She has received no medications and is up to date with her immunizations. Physical examination reveals a well-developed, well-appearing infant. She is febrile (100.6°F [38.1°C]) and tachycardic (heart rate, 170 beats/min), but the rest of her vital signs are normal. Her rash is noted to be raised, erythematous, and blanching, in some areas coalescing to cover large areas of skin (Fig). It is present throughout her trunk and extremities, while sparing her mucosa, palms, and soles. She is not noted to have swelling or pain with manipulation of her joints. There is no lymphadenopathy or hepatosplenomegaly. Figure. Rash on hospital admission. Initial laboratory results include a white blood cell count of 25,800/μL (25.8×109/L) with a normal differential count, mild normocytic anemia (hemoglobin level of 10.3 g/dL [103 g/L]), and a platelet count of 495×103 …
The implications of gia truyền: Family transmission texts, medical authors, and social class within the healing community in Vietnam

In Vietnamese medicine, gia truyền (“family recipes”) refers to a set of texts, primarily in chữ nom (demotic Vietnamese characters), that preserves local knowledge about how practitioners in a spe...
The affective tie that binds: Examining the contribution of positive emotions and anxiety to relationship formation in social anxiety disorder

Individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have difficulty forming social relationships. The prevailing clinical perspective is that negative emotions such as anxiety inhibit one's capacity to develop satisfying social connections. However, empirical findings from social psychology and affective neuroscience suggest that positive emotional experiences are fundamental to establishing new social bonds. To reconcile these perspectives, we collected repeated measurements of anxiety, positive emotions (pleasantness), and connectedness over the course of a controlled relationship formation encounter in 56 participants diagnosed with SAD (64% female; Mage=23.3, SD=4.7). Participants experienced both increases in positive emotions and decreases in anxiety throughout the interaction. Change in positive emotions was the most robust predictor of subsequent increases in connectedness, as well as a greater desire to engage one's partner in future social activities, above and beyond reductions in anxiety (medium to large sized effects). Those findings suggest that anxiety-based models alone may not fully explain difficulties in relationship formation in SAD, and underscore the potential value of considering positive emotional experiences in conceptual and treatment models of SAD.