cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allylic and Allenic Halide Synthesis via NbCl5- and NbBr5-Mediated Alkoxide Rearrangements

Addition of NbCl5 or NbBr5 to a series of magnesium, lithium, or potassium allylic or propargylic alkoxides directly provides allylic or allenic halides. Halogenation formally occurs through a metalla-halo-[3,3] rearrangement, although concerted, ionic, and direct displacement mechanisms appear to operate competitively. Transposition of the olefin is equally effective for allylic alkoxides prepared by nucleophilic addition, deprotonation, or reduction. Experimentally, the niobium pentahalide halogenations are rapid, afford essentially pure (E)-allylic or -allenic halides after extraction, and are applicable to a range of aliphatic and aromatic alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones.
Latitudinal variation in resistance and tolerance to herbivory of a salt marsh shrub

Interactions between plants and herbivores often vary on a geographic scale. Although theory about plant defenses and tolerance is predicated on temporal or spatial variation in herbivore damage, no single study has compared the pattern of herbivory, plant defenses and tolerance to herbivory of a single species across a latitudinal gradient. In 2002–2005 we surveyed replicate salt marshes along the Atlantic coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. At each field site we scored leaves of Iva frutescens for herbivore damage. In laboratory experiments we measured constitutive resistance and induced resistance in I. frutescens from high and low latitude sites along the Atlantic Coast. In another common garden experiment we studied tolerance to herbivory of I. frutescens from various sites. Theory predicts that constitutive resistance should matter more when damage is high, and induced resistance when herbivory is high but variable. In the field, average levels of herbivore damage, and spatial and temporal variation in herbivore damage were all greater at low versus high latitudes, indicating that constitutive as well as induced resistance should be stronger at low latitudes. Consistent with this prediction, constitutive resistance to herbivory was stronger at low latitudes. Induced resistance to herbivores was also stronger at low latitudes: it was deployed faster and lasted longer. Theory also predicts that tolerance to herbivory should be greater where average herbivory damage is greater; however, tolerance to herbivory in Iva did not depend on geographic origin. Our results emphasize the value of considering multiple ways in which plants respond to herbivores when examining geographic variation in plant–herbivore interactions.
Ancestral Rice Blocks Define Multiple Related Regions in the Maize Genome

A simulated ancestral reference genome identifies the remnants of the complex evolution of the maize (Zea mays L.) genome. Syntenic regions were defined in Oxford grid comparisons by the analysis of diagonals from colinear arrangements of homologous sequences between chromosomes. A program called Crush and Compare was developed to manage the identification of syntenic regions, create ancestral gene arrangements, and create Oxford grids for graphical displays. Seventeen ancestral gene arrangements were created by computationally condensing the synteny within rice (Oryza sativa L.) into ancestral rice blocks (ARBs), simulating the nonduplicated state of all grass genomes. Permutation analyses found 14 of the rice syntenic regions to be significant with P < 0.05 and were used to identify the genomic duplications present in grass genomes. Synteny analysis of the ancestral gene arrangements within the ARBs revealed a new ancient duplication in the rice genome. An analysis with the maize genetic map identified 54% of its genome syntenic with the ARBs. Multiple evolutionarily related copies of the ARBs were identified in maize with an average of 3.0 related copies with a range of 1 to 6. Use of the ARBs as a reference for maize supports the theory of the maize genome once being an ancient tetraploid composed of genomes that also contained genomic duplications. Defining the genomic relationships within maize and between rice and maize can improve candidate gene discoveries.
On the inadequacy of gasdynamic processes for triggering the transition to detonation

Gas dynamic processes insufficiency for triggering transition to detonation obtained from laser schlieren records of nonsteady flow field ahead of accelerating turbulent flame
Effects of aromatics on desulfurization of liquid fuel by π-complexation and carbon adsorbents

Abstract Equilibrium adsorption of thiophenic sulfur compounds, thiophene (T), benzothiophene (BT), and dibenzothiophene (DBT), from their binary solutions in n -octane and ternary solutions in n -octane and benzene, on three sorbents (activated carbon (AC), AgNO 3 /MCM-41 and Cu(I)–Y) were studied systematically. Fixed-bed adsorption/breakthrough experiments on these sorbents were also carried out. For all thiophenic sulfur compounds in both binary and ternary solutions, the sorbent adsorption capacities followed the order: Cu(I)–Y>AgNO 3 /MCM-41>AC. For each sorbent, the selectivity of adsorption of thiophenic sulfur compounds from liquid solutions followed the order: DBT>BT>T>benzene. The experimental results were well interpreted by molecular orbital calculation results. For ternary solutions, benzene competed against thiophenic sulfur compounds for adsorption sites, resulting in reduced thiophenic sulfur adsorption on the studied sorbents. Based on the single-solute Langmuir–Freundlich isotherms, the extended Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm (for multi-component equilibrium adsorption) was used to predict adsorption in ternary solutions, which was in fair agreement with the experimental results. The Cu(I)–Y sorbent was fully regenerable.
A Roadmap for Branding Industrial Markets

Branding theory has been largely developed in the context of consumer products; yet, most economies are characterized by a preponderance of firms selling business-to-business or industrial products. Understanding how branding works in industrial markets is thus an important priority. In this article, we outline some of the distinguishing characteristics of industrial branding and offer some guidelines as to success with industrial brands.
Immune recognition of a human renal cancer antigen through post-translational protein splicing.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) detect and destroy cells displaying class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) that present oligopeptides derived from aberrant self or foreign proteins. Most class I peptide ligands are created from proteins that are degraded by proteasomes and transported, by the transporter associated with antigen processing, from the cytosol into the endoplasmic reticulum, where peptides bind MHC class I molecules and are conveyed to the cell surface1. C2 CTLs, cloned from human CTLs infiltrating a renal cell carcinoma, kill cancer cells overexpressing fibroblast growth factor-5 (FGF-5)2. Here we show that C2 cells recognize human leukocyte antigen-A3 MHC class I molecules presenting a nine-residue FGF-5 peptide generated by protein splicing. This process, previously described strictly in plants3 and unicellular organisms4, entails post-translational excision of a polypeptide segment followed by ligation of the newly liberated carboxy-terminal and amino-terminal residues. The occurrence of protein splicing in vertebrates has important implications for the complexity of the vertebrate proteome and for the immune recognition of self and foreign peptides.
Chlorine-induced damage documented by neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and pulmonary testing.

Chlorine causes acute pulmonary edema and damages airways, thus producing obliterative bronchiolitis. In the case series in this study, its adverse effects were extended to visual and central nervous system impairment. Twenty-two patients exposed briefly to undiluted chlorine at home or work were evaluated with a battery of neurobehavioral and visual tests. Their test scores, expressed as percentage predicted, were compared with those of unexposed subjects. Chlorine-exposed subjects had impaired balance (with eyes open and eyes closed), delayed simple and choice reaction times, impaired color discrimination, impaired visual field performance, decreased hearing, and decreased grip strength. Blink reflex latency was delayed on the right. Cognitive performance (i.e., digit symbol and vocabulary), peg placement, trail making A and B, and verbal recall were significantly below predicted levels. Well-learned memory functions were not impaired. Adverse mood states scores were elevated as were the frequencies of 28 of 35 common symptoms. Forced vital capacities were reduced. The duration of chlorine exposures was from a breath or two to several hours, and exposures were associated with impaired neurophysiologic and neuropsychologic functions. Impairments appeared insidiously, were noted 1 to 48 mo after exposure, and persisted. Such functional losses must be prevented. Additional chlorine-exposed patients should be evaluated for neurological and pulmonary damage.
Indications and results of liver resection and hepatic chemoembolization for metastatic gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors.

Background. We reviewed 36 patients with liver metastases from islet cell tumors of the pancreas (n = 18) and carcinoid tumors (n = 18) who were treated with surgical resection (n = 16) or hepatic chemoembolization (n = 20). Methods. All resections were complete and included 4 lobectomies, 6 segmental resections, and 6 wedge resections. There were no operative deaths. Results. Median survival has not yet been reached, and the actuarial 5-year survival rate is 70%. Prognostic variables associated with improved disease-free survival included prior resection of the primary tumor and 4 or fewer metastases resected (P <.05). With an average of 3 chemoembolization procedures per patient, 17 of 20 patients (90%) demonstrated either a significant radiographic response (n = 5), stabilization of tumor mass (n = 2), or improvement of clinical symptoms (n = 10). Factors related to a sustained response (more then 1 year) included surgical resection of the primary tumor, 4 or more chemoembolization procedures, and liver metastases of 5 cm or smaller. Median survival after treatment was 32 months (range, 7-63 months), and the actuarial 5-year survival rate was 40%. Conclusions. Surgical resection of metastatic neuroendocrine tumors provides the best chance for extended survival. Chemoembolization effectively improves clinical symptoms and, in selected patients, may provide sustained tumor control. (Surgery 2001;130:677-85.)
Comparison of larval and adult muscle aldolases of the blowfly Phormia regina

Abstract Fructose diphosphate aldolases have been isolated from larval intersegmental muscle and adult flight muscle of the blowfly Phormia regina . The enzymes have been shown to be pure by a number of criteria. The two enzymes are judged to be indistinguishable by comparison of their pH stabilities, pH optima, kinetic parameters, the effects of inhibitors and the influence of temperature. The blowfly muscle aldolases reacted identically in immunological tests, and were clearly different from rat or rabbit aldolases.
Using Loan Rates to Measure and Regulate Bank Risk: Findings and an Immodest Proposal

There is strong evidence that the interest rates charged by banks on the flow of newly extended Commercial & Industrial (C&I) loans predict future loan performance and CAMEL rating downgrades by bank supervisors. While internal risk ratings have little explanatory power for future loan performance, they do help predict future CAMEL downgrades. These findings suggest that supervisors might consider using interest rates in the off-site surveillance of banks. At the same time, we propose that reformers consider basing capital requirements and deposit insurance premia on loan interest rates instead of (or in addition to) internal risk ratings and models.
Implementation of a transfusion algorithm to reduce blood product utilization in pediatric cardiac surgery.

SummaryAim The goal of this project is to measure the impact of standardization of transfusion practice on blood product utilization and postoperative bleeding in pediatric cardiac surgery patients. Background Transfusion is common following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in children and is associated with increased mortality, infection, and duration of mechanical ventilation. Transfusion in pediatric cardiac surgery is often based on clinical judgment rather than objective data. Although objective transfusion algorithms have demonstrated efficacy for reducing transfusion in adult cardiac surgery, such algorithms have not been applied in the pediatric setting. Methods This quality improvement effort was designed to reduce blood product utilization in pediatric cardiac surgery using a blood product transfusion algorithm. We implemented an evidence-based transfusion protocol in January 2011 and monitored the impact of this algorithm on blood product utilization, chest tube output during the first 12 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and predischarge mortality. Results When compared with the 12 months preceding implementation, blood utilization per case in the operating room odds ratio (OR) for the 11 months following implementation decreased by 66% for red cells (P = 0.001) and 86% for cryoprecipitate (P < 0.001). Blood utilization during the first 12 h of ICU did not increase during this time and actually decreased 56% for plasma (P = 0.006) and 41% for red cells (P = 0.031), indicating that the decrease in OR transfusion did not shift the transfusion burden to the ICU. Postoperative bleeding, as measured by chest tube output in the first 12 ICU hours, did not increase following implementation of the algorithm. Monthly surgical volume did not change significantly following implementation of the algorithm (P = 0.477). In a logistic regression model for predischarge mortality among the nontransplant patients, after accounting for surgical severity and duration of CPB, use of the transfusion algorithm was associated with a 0.247 relative risk of mortality (P = 0.013). Conclusions These results indicate that introduction of an objective transfusion algorithm in pediatric cardiac surgery significantly reduces perioperative blood product utilization and mortality, without increasing postoperative chest tube losses.
Judging pain and disability: effects of pain severity and physician specialty

While considerable evidence indicates that the assessment of pain is an exercise in social cognition, provider contributions to pain assessment have received little attention. This study compared internist versus neurosurgeon ratings of pain and pain-related disability for hypothetical patients reporting either low or high levels of low back pain. Using practice characteristics as covariates, a multivariate analysis of covariance showed that both physician groups rated pain severity, but not measures of disability, as significantly lower for the low pain severity condition. Relative to internists, neurosurgeons rated both pain severity and pain-related disability as significantly lower, regardless of patient-reported pain severity. There were no interactions between physician specialty and patient-reported pain severity. Practice characteristics accounted for relatively little variance in ratings. Results are discussed in terms of differences in comparison levels for the physician groups, as well as implications for clinical practice and disability determination systems.
Minimalism and French / /: Phonological representations in phonetically based phonology

This paper examines the phonological structure of French rhotics and their treatment in a production grammar. Assuming emergent featural specification, it is argued that the underlying representation of /ʀ/ contains only values for sonorance, continuance and place of articulation. Grammatical analysis is undertaken in an Optimality Theoretic framework, where evaluation highlights the effect of effort reduction and perceptual augmentation on /ʀ/, also demonstrating that more richly specified segments are unaffected by these constraints. The proposal is shown to be compatible with antecedent analyses and data from regional forms and registers.
Computing the Shortest Essential Cycle

An essential cycle on a surface is a simple cycle that cannot be continuously deformed to a point or a single boundary. We describe algorithms to compute the shortest essential cycle in an orientable combinatorial surface in O(n 2log n) time, or in O(nlog n) time when both the genus and number of boundaries are fixed. Our results correct an error in a paper of Erickson and Har-Peled (Discrete Comput. Geom. 31(1):37–59, 2004).
Influence of chronic otitis media on phonological acquisition

L'A. cherche a determiner la nature du developpement phonologique au stade precoce chez des enfants atteints d'otites moyennes chroniques. A partir d'une etude longitudinale, l'A. examine l'influence de l'otite moyenne sur le rang et le type de consonnes produits par six enfants entre 12 et 18 mois
Mechanism design for general screening problems with moral hazard

We study the problem faced by an incomplete information monopolist seeking to design a line of contracts so as to simultaneously screen consumers by type and resolve the moral hazard problems associated with contract performance. We formulate the monopolist's problem as a mechanism design problem in which the set of consumer types is taken to be a Polish space, and the contract space an arbitrary compact metric space. Allowing for risk aversion on the part of the monopolist and consumers, and taking as the feasible set of mechanisms the collection of all measurable functions defined on the space of consumer types with values in the space of contracts, we present a new characterization of incentive compatibility in an infinite dimensional setting which allows us to reformulate the monopolist's design problem as an unconstrained optimization problem (i.e., as a problem without the incentive compatibility contraints). Using simple techniques, we then demonstrate the existence of an optimal screening mechanism for the monopolist. We thus extend the existing analysis of the incomplete information monopoly problem to an infinite dimensional setting with moral hazard, and we provide an existence result not available in the existing literature.
VACCINIA RECOMBINANT EXPRESSING LASSA-VIRUS INTERNAL NUCLEOCAPSID PROTEIN PROTECTS GUINEAPIGS AGAINST LASSA FEVER

The Lister strain of vaccinia virus was used to construct a recombinant that expressed the nucleocapsid gene of Lassa virus. Guineapigs immunised with the recombinant virus were protected against challenge with Lassa virus, whereas control animals showed the usual disease course, including pyrexia, anorexia, viraemia, and death. These data indicate not only that protective immunity to Lassa fever can be evoked by an experimental vaccine, but also that this response can be mediated by an internal protein component of the virus.
Hope and Fear for Interferon: The Receptor-Centric Outlook on the Future of Interferon Therapy

After several decades of intense clinical research, the great promise of Type I interferons (IFN1) as the anticancer wonder drugs that could cure or, at the very least, curb the progression of various oncological diseases has regrettably failed to deliver. Severe side effects and low efficacy of IFN1-based pharmaceutics greatly limited use of these drugs and further reduced the enthusiasm of clinical oncologists for future optimization of IFN1-based therapeutic modalities. Incredibly, extensive clinical studies to assess the efficacy of IFN1 alone or in combination with other anticancer drugs have not been paralleled by an equal scope in defining the determinants that confer cell sensitivity or refractoriness to IFN1. Given that all effects of IFN1 on malignant and benign cells alike are mediated by its receptor, the mechanisms regulating these receptor cell surface levels should play a paramount role in shaping the magnitude and duration of IFN1-elicited effects. These mechanisms and their role in controlling IFN1 responses, as well as an ability of a growing tumor to commandeer these events, are the focus of our review. We postulate that activation of numerous signaling pathways leading to elimination of IFN1 receptor occurs in cancer cells and benign cells that contribute to tumor tissue. We further hypothesize that activation of these eliminative pathways enables the escape from IFN1-driven suppression of tumorigenesis and elicits the primary refractoriness of tumor to the pharmaceutical IFN1.
Computer simulation of crystallization kinetics and morphology in fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. III. Thermal nucleation

A computer simulation has been used to predict crystallization kinetics and crystalline morphology in composite materials based on thermally nucleated crystallizable matrices. As demonstrated for athermally nucleated composites, the presence of reinforcing fibers increases the complexity of the system. Fibers are shown to have a dual effect on the spherulitic crystallization process. The influence that fibers have depends on the interplay between the enhancing effects that fibers have on nucleation and the depressing effects that fibers have on spherulitic growth. Fibers that do not provide additional nuclei to the system depress the rate of crystallization relative to an unreinforced polymer, while fibers that add nuclei to the system increase the rate of crystallization. The transcrystalline morphologies that develop in thermally nucleated fiber-reinforced polymers are controlled primarily by the relative numbers of bulk and fiber nuclei. The extent of transcrystalline regions can be suppressed either by increasing the rate of bulk nucleation, or by decreasing the rate of fiber nucleation. Finally, the qualitative appearance of the morphology in the transcrystalline region was found to be indicative of the mode of fiber nucleation. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On the optimal design of an automotive lateral controller

An optimization approach is used to design a velocity-adaptive, lateral controller to meet requirements pertaining to lateral-position, tracking accuracy, robustness, and ride comfort. The resulting controller, which is nonlinear with velocity, requires full-state feedback and thus an observer is included. The observer/controller compensator was implemented using a 16-bit microcomputer and evaluated in a laboratory study wherein vehicle lateral dynamics were simulated on an analog computer. Excellent lateral control, i.e. close tracking (with absolute value of lateral-position error below 0.024 m in curve tracking), good sensitivity to disturbance forces, and probable ride comfort resulted. The selected control algorithm was realized using some 5% of the available computation time, thus allowing the microcomputer to be used for other control functions and vital-function monitoring. >
Payment and Delivery of Case Management for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

In the United States, Medicaid is the primary source of funding for many services on which individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities depend. Case management, one such service, links individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to community-based speech and language therapy, adaptive technology, medical care, and other support services. Case management can facilitate navigation in a complex system of care. State and federal concerns about the rising cost of Medicaid and case management have led to changes in payment methodologies. This analysis of one state's case management expenditure during 2007 and 2008 found payment changes were associated with a decrease in the average annual cost per person. Comparing these two years, the largest decrease in cost was found among children and youth, those individuals with less severe disabilities, and persons from ethnic/racial minorities. As such changes could delay early intervention, over time, they could have a negative effect on both cost and outcomes. While this is a case study of a single service in a large urban area of one state, the results may apply to other health and human services and to other locales where fee-for-service arrangements are used.
African American Collective Action and Crime, 1955–91

Connections between collective action and common crime are often politically sensitive : regimes may benefit to the extent that they can dismiss collective action as the work of criminals; criminals may benefit to the extent that they can justify their actions as politically motivated. Although there is widespread disagreement about the exact relationship between collective action and crime, the dominant sociological view in recent years has been that the incidences of the two are unrelated. The authors' analysis of annual changes in African American civil rights-related collective action and African American and white arrest rates (robbery, homicide, burglary), 1955-91, reveals a more complex relationship : collective action and crime rates are positively related until the mid-1970s for both African American and white but unrelated, or negatively related, afterward
Temporoparietal resection in a patient with Landau-Kleffner syndrome.

Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) was originally described by Landau, a neurologist, and Kleffner, a speech pathologist, in 1957 as an epileptic disorder with an acquired aphasia. LKS is a childhood epileptic encephalopathy on the electroclinical spectrum of electrical status epilepticus in sleep (ESES). ESES is an electrographic pattern in which there is significant activation of spike wave discharges throughout slow wave sleep. LKS is an electroclinical syndrome presenting with language regression, seizures, and behavior abnormalities with the electroencephalography (EEG) findings of ESES. Other related syndromes include continuous spike and wave in slow wave sleep (CSWS) and benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS). In contrast to these other disorders, the primary clinical manifestation of LKS is language regression. Additional clinical findings seen in LKS include attention-deficit disorder, irritability, and autistic-like behaviors. Seizures are present in 70%-80% of children with LKS and typically occur infrequently. The findings on neuroimaging are typically normal in LKS. Although this epileptic encephalopathy resolves spontaneously in adolescence, there is often permanent neurologic sequela, especially if the epilepsy is pharmacoresistant. Numerous therapies have been used in LKS, including antiepileptics such as ethosuximide, valproic acid, and benzodiazepines; corticosteroids; adrenocorticotropic hormone; and immunotherapy. In cases of pharmacoresistance, surgical therapy such as multiple subpial transections has been performed. In children with pharmacoresistant ESES with lateralization, cortical resection has been previously reported but is not commonly used, even in those with lateralized seizure onset.
Reconciling manual and automatic refactoring

Although useful and widely available, refactoring tools are underused. One cause of this underuse is that a developer sometimes fails to recognize that she is going to refactor before she begins manually refactoring. To address this issue, we conducted a formative study of developers' manual refactoring process, suggesting that developers' reliance on “chasing error messages” when manually refactoring is an error-prone manual refactoring strategy. Additionally, our study distilled a set of manual refactoring workflow patterns. Using these patterns, we designed a novel refactoring tool called BeneFactor. BeneFactor detects a developer's manual refactoring, reminds her that automatic refactoring is available, and can complete her refactoring automatically. By alleviating the burden of recognizing manual refactoring, BeneFactor is designed to help solve the refactoring tool underuse problem.
Higher order semi-definite relaxations for quadratic programming

We present improved versions of the standard semi-definite relaxation for quadratic programming, that underlies many important results in robustness analysis and combinatorial optimization. It is shown that the proposed polynomial time convex conditions are at least as strong as the standard ones, and usually better, but at a higher computational cost. Several applications of the new relaxations are provided, including less conservative upper bounds for the structured singular value CL and enhanced solutions for the MAX CUT graph partitioning problem.
NONLINEAR RESPONSE OF PARAMETRICALLY-EXCITED MEMS

Due to the position-dependent nature of electrostatic forces, many microelectromechanical (MEM) oscillators inherently feature parametric excitation. This work considers the nonlinear response of one such oscillator, which is electrostatically actuated via non-interdigitated comb drives. Unlike other parametricallyexcited systems, which feature only linear parametric excitation in their equation of motion, the oscillator in question here exhibits parametric excitation in both its linear and nonlinear terms. This complication proves to significantly enrich the system’s dynamics. Amongst the interesting consequences is the fact that the system’s nonlinear response proves to be qualitatively dependent on the system’s excitation amplitude. This paper includes an introduction to the equation of motion of interest, a brief, yet systematic, analysis of the equation’s nonlinear response, and experimental evidence of the predicted behavior as measured from an actual MEM oscillator.
Dissociated regulation of macrophage LDL receptor and apolipoprotein E gene expression by sterol

The control of apoE gene expression by sterols and the relationship between regulation of the apoE and low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor genes were investigated in a human macrophage line. Incubation of THP1 cells in either LDL or acetylated LDL increased apoE mRNA levels 4- to 15-fold. In addition, the cellular abundance of these two mRNA species (apoE and LDL receptor) was inversely regulated by cellular cholesterol content over an identical dose-response relationship. Regulation of the LDL receptor and apoE genes could, however, be temporally dissociated in response to the accumulation or removal of lipoprotein-derived (exogenous) cholesterol and in response to perturbation of endogenous cellular cholesterol biosynthesis. In addition, we observed that the apoE gene responded more promptly to 25-hydroxycholesterol than to exogenous cholesterol. These data support the concept that the apoE gene be considered among the family of genes sensitively regulated by cellular sterol balance but suggest that the molecular mechanism accounting for the modulation of the LDL receptor and apoE genes are distinct, with the relationship between cell sterol balance and apoE gene regulation being more complex.
Phosphoglucose-containing glycoproteins in intracellular trafficking and neuronal recognition.

During development of the brain, a neuron’s axonal tip may come Into contact with millions of cells with which it could form synapses. Yet, one of the most striking features of the brain is the exquisite selectivity and reproducibility of the synaptic connections that are actually formed.
Optical Monitoring of Polypropylene Injection Molding

We have developed a mode to describe the behavior of a optical fiber sensor for monitoring injection molding. The sensor was used to detect light reflected from the mold cavity during the packing and cooling phases of injection molding of polypropylene. Light which reflected off the opposite wall of the mold and back to the optical fiber was analyzed for information regarding crystallization kinetics and the amount of crystallinity in the final product. The model illustrates how temperature, pressure and crystallinity affect the detected light intensity.
A New Method for Frequency Adjustment of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters

A common piezoelectric power harvester consists of a piezoelectric patch on a cantilever beam with a tip mass at the end of the beam. The tip proof mass is essential to tune the harvester resonances towards an optimal operational frequency for energy harvesting. In this paper, a new experimental method is proposed; instead of using the tip mass, we use one or more jointed thin beams attached to the end of the cantilever beam. By adjusting the rotation angle of the joined beams, the resonance frequency of the energy harvester can be effectively tuned. This method allowed us to achieve more accurate and efficient frequency adjustments than the traditional tip mass method. The comparison between the two methods has been made. The effect of the one and two jointed beams is studied here by rotating angles of the joined beams.
Studies of resting isolated frog gastric mucosa.

SummaryFreshly isolated frog gastric mucosa secretes hydrochloric acid, under appropriate conditions, in the absence of added his-tamine. However, if the mucosa is incubated with histamine-free media, the acid secretory rate decreases to a very low rate after approximately 16 hours, the p.d. increases, and the short-circuit current declines. Addition of 10-4 M histamine to the nutrient medium bathing the serosal side restores acid secretion to about 80% of the initial rate; there is little change in p.d. and an increase in short-circuit current is observed. No difference exists in the ATPase activity of the resting and hista-mine-stimulated mucosa; the ATP level of the stimulated mucosa, on the other hand, is slightly greater than that of the resting mucosa. The procedure of preincubation of the mucosa in histamine-free media has made it possible for the first time reproducibly to obtain resting mucosae which can be stimulated by added histamine.
Debt and Muslim self-making in late-colonial Bengal

ABSTRACTThis article examines the ways in which indebtedness, which plagued the peasantry in the early twentieth century colonial Bengal intensified debates that raged in the Bengali-Muslim public sphere about the status of the prohibition on riba (a Quranic prohibition on usurious transactions). In investigating these debates and its actors, I explore the manner in which discussions about circumventing debt-induced hardships, as they came to be anchored in the thorny issue of the prohibition on riba, got entangled in the problem of defining moral visions of the Muslim self and community and revealed conflicting notions of Muslim improvement and reform between more elite social and religious reformers and their rural co-religionists. Within a rural discourse of Muslim ‘self-improvement’, the process of interpreting the riba prohibition would successfully establish the immorality of interest on loans as a form of earning made without the expenditure of labour. This linking of the prohibition on riba (vario...
Crystal-Size-Dependent Structural Transitions in Nanoporous Crystals: Adsorption-Induced Transitions in ZIF-8

Understanding the crystal-size dependence of both guest adsorption and structural transitions of nanoporous solids is crucial to the development of these materials. We find that nano-sized metal–organic framework (MOF) crystals have significantly different guest adsorption properties compared to the bulk material. A new methodology is developed to simulate the adsorption and transition behavior of entire MOF nanoparticles. Our simulations predict that the transition pressure significantly increases with decreasing particle size, in agreement with crystal-size-dependent experimental measurements of the N2-ZIF-8 system. We also propose a simple core–shell model to examine this effect on length scales that are inaccessible to simulations and again find good agreement with experiments. This study is the first to examine particle size effects on structural transitions in ZIFs and provides a thermodynamic framework for understanding the underlying mechanism.
Microstructural Characterization of High-Pressure Oxidized Si1-x Gex /Si Heterolayers

SiGe alloys have recently been of interest for fabrication of heterojunction bipolar transistors using pre-existing or modified silicon-processing technology. These devices are faster than devices using pure silicon. Because of the interest in developing SiGe device structures, various elements of processing relevant to fabrication of the devices are being investigated. One such element has been the use of thermal oxidation for isolation of SiGe devices. Utilization of the technique requires an understanding of oxidation behavior of SiGe layers under a variety of oxidation conditions. Past studies in the literature have investigated the oxidation of SiGe at atmospheric pressure or at very high pressures (∼650–1300 atmospheres). The present study investigates the wet-oxidation of SiGe structures at intermediate pressures (∼25 atmospheres) and temperatures (∼750°C). Unlike atmospheric oxidation, most of the Ge (from SiGe) remains in the oxidized silicon (SiO 2 ) in the form of GeO 2 . Occasional segregation of Ge to the oxidizing interface is noted. The microstructural behavior of partially and entirely oxidized structures is presented.
Health care utilization from chemotherapy-related adverse events among low-income breast cancer patients: effect of enrollment in a medical home program.

Background Chemotherapy-related health care utilization by breast cancer patients can be expensive for payers and patients. This study evaluated the patient-centered medical home program Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) in terms of its potential to reduce health care utilization associated with chemotherapy-related adverse events (AEs). Methods Early-stage breast cancer cases diagnosed during the 5-year period 2003-2007 were identified in the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry; these cases were then linked to North Carolina Medicaid claims data. We measured health care utilization associated with chemotherapy-related AEs by setting (inpatient, outpatient, or emergency department) during a 15-month postdiagnosis follow-up period. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed to examine associations between CCNC enrollment and health care utilization associated with chemotherapy-related AEs. Results A large proportion of breast cancer patients had at least 1 health care visit associated with a chemotherapy-related AE (n = 412 [72.3%]). The mean numbers of AE-related visits occurring in inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department settings were 0.30 (standard deviation [SD] = 0.83), 6.92 (SD = 10.94), and 0.46 (SD = 1.26), respectively. CCNC enrollment was associated with significantly fewer inpatient admissions (marginal effect, -0.1421; 95% confidence interval, -0.280 to -0.004). Limitations In this observational study, we were unable to draw conclusions about the causality of these associations. Conclusions Patients enrolled in CCNC had fewer inpatient health care visits associated with chemotherapy-related AEs. Future research should continue to explore the extent to which patient-centered medical homes can monitor and help manage the effects of cancer treatments.
RU486-induced menses in cynomolgus monkeys: uniformity of endometrial sloughing

A progesterone (P) antagonist (RU486) was administered to cynomolgus monkeys in the midluteal phase (cycle day 21 to 24), alone or in combination with P. Vehicle only was administered to other monkeys that served as controls. On cycle day 25, hysterectomy was performed on all of the monkeys. The endometrium was studied histologically in fundal, medial, and isthmic regions. RU486 induced menses in all treated monkeys; but the amount of residual endometrium was slightly higher in primates that received RU486 plus P. The effect of RU 486 on the endometrium was surprisingly homogeneous throughout the uterus. The findings demonstrate that administration of RU486 in the luteal phase induced a nearly uniform and homogeneous sloughing of the endometrium. Whereas concurrent P treatment did not prevent induction of menstruation, the depth of endometrial shedding was less than with RU486 alone.
Paving the Way to a Safety Culture: Introducing a Hierarchical Feedback-Based Framework

After six consecutive years of declining motor vehicle crash-related fatalities, their number increased by 3.3 % in 2012, from 32,479 fatalities in 2011 to 33,561 in 2012 (USDOT NHTSA 2013). The number of traffic-related injuries saw a similar increase from 2.22 million in 2011 to 2.36 million in 2012; additionally, there was a 3.1 % increase in the total number of police-reported traffic crashes between 2011 and 2012. High-risk behavior and high-speed mobility combine to create this externality of the automobile industry (Williams and Haworth 2007). To make matters worse, when individuals are faced with highly familiar activities such as driving, research shows that they tend to underestimate the possibility of a negative outcome (Douglas 1985).
Subtotal cor triatriatum with left partial anomalous pulmonary venous return: Successful surgical repair in an infant

A 10-week-old infant underwent successful repair of subtotal cor triatriatum associated with left-sided partial anomalous pulmonary venous return to the innominate vein. This unusual type of cor triatriatum represents an intermediate embryologic form between pure cor triatriatum and total anomalous pulmonary venous return. Important hemodynamic differences exist between this defect and pure cor triatriatum. Exact anatomic diagnosis prior to operation is highly desirable. To our knowledge, this case represents the first successful repair of this very rare congenital cardiac defect.
The peri-operative management of a cesarean section in a patient with Goldenhar syndrome (GS): A case report.

Abstract Goldenhar syndrome [GS] is a rare congenital disorder characterized by multiple craniofacial abnormalities like micrognathia and mandibular hypoplasia, in addition to involvement of multiple other systems. Anesthetic management of a patient with Goldenhar syndrome involves a multi-disciplinary approach. We present a case of a 42-year-old pregnant woman suffering from GS and we discuss the perioperative management and the multidisciplinary approach. The patient underwent a planned cesarean section due to her small stature, large fetus, and GS.
Foreign Trade Strategies in Eastern Europe: Determinants, Outcomes, Prospects

This chapter has several purposes: to discuss the fundamental political, ideological, and systemic determinants of East Europe’s foreign economic policies and outcomes; to provide an overview of East Europe’s post-war economic relations with the West; to analyze developments in the CMEA and how they are linked with East-West economic relations; to call attention to major changes in East Europe’s external economic environments, East as well as West; and to speculate about the future of the East European economies and of East-West relations to the year 2000.
After the bell and into the night: The link between delinquency and traditional, cyber-, and dual-bullying victimization.

Objectives:This study examines the effects of traditional bullying, cyberbullying, and dual-bullying victimization on subsequent delinquent outcomes.Method:Data come from a longitudinal sample of m...
Botulinum Toxin Use in Complex Abdominal Wall Hernias

Complex abdominal wall hernias are challenging clinical situations characterized by large fascial defects, lateral abdominal wall muscle retraction, and loss of abdominal domain. The use of botulinum toxin A to produce a flaccid paralysis or chemodenervation of the lateral abdominal wall has emerged as a promising tool in the hernia repair armamentarium to tackle these challenging situations in complex abdominal wall reconstruction. The effects of such temporary paralysis of the abdominal wall musculature have the potential benefits of decreasing intraabdominal pressure while increasing abdominal wall compliance and abdominal domain. The available published evidence remains sparse but several interesting preclinical and clinical observations have been made which provide insights into the potential role of botulinum toxin A in hernia surgery. Herein, we synthetize the available evidence, provide recommendations for its use, and stimulate further research in the area.
Reviving integer programming approaches for AI planning: a branch-and-cut framework

The conventional wisdom in the planning community is that planners based on integer programming (IP) techniques cannot compete with satisfiability and constraint satisfaction based planners. In this paper we challenge this perception of IP techniques by presenting novel formulations that outperform the most efficient SAT-based planner that currently exists. We will present a series of IP formulations that (1) use multivalued state variables that are represented by networks, and that (2) control the encoding length by progressively generalizing the notion of parallelism. The resulting IP encodings are solved within a branch-and-cut framework and yield impressive results.
Full-Scale Emergency Paving Demonstration of Hot-Mixed and Warm-Compacted Asphalt

AbstractAsphalt can be more effectively used in emergency paving operations than it has been in previous years. This paper is the culmination of a multiyear emergency paving effort which demonstrat...
Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the Homosexual Community

It is imperative to obtain an accurate sexual history from the homosexual patient. The male homosexual, in particular, appears to be at increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Apart from the topics discussed elsewhere in the symposium, this article describes enteric diseases in homosexual men. These include those caused by bacterial pathogens (Shigella and Campylobacter), protozoa! pathogens (Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia), and viral pathogens (hepatitis B).
An Integer Linear Programming Approach to General Fault Covering Problems

The probability of having defective elements in a chip increases as chip density increases. One way to increase the yield in chip production is to use reconfigurable chips in which there are redundant elements that can be used to replace the defective elements. The fault covering problem is to assign redundant elements to replace the defective elements such that the chip will function properly. A general formulation to represent the relationship between redundant elements and defective elements in a uniform way was presented in [HaCL88]. Such a formulation subsumes many of the formulations discussed in previous studies. In this paper, we give a general algorithm for the solution of fault covering problems in the general formulation. We transform these problems into integer linear programming problems. The general integer linear programming problem is a well studied combinatorial optimization problem for which there are known methods of solution. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the integer linear programming approach, we studied three different fault covering problems, namely, the fault covering problems for redundant RAMs, the fault covering problems for arrays of RAMs with shared spares, and the fault covering problems for arrays of processors. Our method achieves very good results. It produces optimal solutions using the minimum number of redundant elements. Also, the computation times of our method for all test examples are very short.
MACROPHAGE-T LYMPHOCYTE INTERACTION: THE CELLULAR BASIS FOR GENETIC CONTROL OF ANTIGEN RECOGNITION

Abstract Macrophage function in antigen recognition by T lymphocytes is reviewed both with respect to antigen handling, interactions with lymphocytes, and their role in the regulation and genetic control of immune responsiveness. These studies support the concept that at least one functional expression of the immune response genes ( Ir ) is at the level of the macrophage. The cellular and molecular basis by which such an Ir gene product might function is discussed.
The Cohomology of the Symmetric Groups

There are intimate connections between the homology and cohomology of the symmetric groups and algebraic topology. The first of these is their connection with the structure of cohomology operations. This arises through Steenrod’s definition of the P th power operations in terms of properties of certain elements in the groups H* (S p ; \({\Bbb F}\) P ). Indeed, the original calculation of H * (S n ; \({\Bbb F}\) P ) by Nakaoka was motivated by this connection.