cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional analysis of water stress-responsive soybean GmNAC003 and GmNAC004 transcription factors in lateral root development in arabidopsis.

In Arabidopsis, NAC (NAM, ATAF and CUC) transcription factors have been found to promote lateral root number through the auxin signaling pathway. In the present study, the role of water stress–inducible soybean GmNAC003 and GmNAC004 genes in the enhancement of lateral root development under water deficit conditions was investigated. Both genes were highly expressed in roots, leaves and flowers of soybean and were strongly induced by water stress and moderately induced by a treatment with abscisic acid (ABA). They showed a slight response to treatment with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing GmNAC004 showed an increase in lateral root number and length under non-stress conditions and maintained higher lateral root number and length under mild water stress conditions compared to the wild-type (WT), while the transgenic plants overexpressing GmNAC003 did not show any response. However, LR development of GmNAC004 transgenic Arabidopsis plants was not enhanced in the water-stressed compared to the well-watered treatment. In the treatment with ABA, LR density of the GmNAC004 transgenic Arabidopsis was less suppressed than that of the WT, suggesting that GmNAC004 counteracts ABA-induced inhibition of lateral root development. In the treatment with 2,4-D, lateral root density was enhanced in both GmNAC004 transgenic Arabidopsis and WT plants but the promotion was higher in the transgenic plants. Conversely, in the treatment with naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA), lateral root density was inhibited and there was no difference in the phenotype of the GmNAC004 transgenic Arabidopsis and WT plants, indicating that auxin is required for the action of GmNAC004. Transcript analysis for a number of known auxin and ABA related genes showed that GmNAC004's role may suppress ABA signaling but promote auxin signaling to increase lateral root development in the Arabidopsis heterologous system.
Moyamoya, dystonia during hyperventilation, and antiphospholipid antibodies

A 5-year-old Asian male presented with episodes of dystonia involving the right upper extremity during vigorous crying. He was diagnosed with moyamoya disease. Initial laboratory evaluation revealed positive anticardiolipin and antinuclear antibodies.
Fast voxel maps with counting bloom filters

In order to achieve good and timely volumetric mapping for mobile robots, we improve the speed and accuracy of multi-resolution voxel map building from 3D data. Mobile robot capabilities, such as SLAM and path planning, often involve algorithms that query a map many times and this lookup is often the bottleneck limiting the execution speed. As such, fast spatial proximity queries has been the topic of much active research. Various data structures have been researched including octrees, k-d trees, approximate nearest neighbours and even dense 3D arrays. We tackle this problem by extending previous work that stores the map as a hash table containing occupied voxels at multiple resolutions. We apply Bloom filters to the problem of spatial querying and voxel maps for the example application of SLAM. Their efficacy is demonstrated building 3D maps with both simulated and real 3D point cloud data. Looking up whether a voxel is occupied is three times faster than the hash table and within 10% of the speed of querying a dense 3D array, potentially the upper limit to query speed. Map generation was done with scan to map alignment on simulated depth images, for which the true pose is available. The calculated poses exhibited sub-voxel error of 0.02m and 0.3 degrees for a typical indoor scene with a map resolution of 0.04m.
Accurate accommodation of scan-mirror distortion in the registration of hyperspectral image cubes

To improve the spatial sampling of scanning hyperspectral cameras, it is often necessary to capture numerous overlapping image cubes and later mosaic them to form the overall image cube. For hyperspectral camera systems having broad-area coverage, whisk-broom scanning using an external mirror is often employed. Creating the final image cube mosaic requires sub-pixel correction of the scan-mirror distortion, as well as alignment of the individual image cubes. For systems lacking geo-positional information that relates sensor to scene, alignment of the image scans is nontrivial. Here we present a novel algorithm that removes scan distortion and aligns hyperspectral image cubes based on correlation of the cubes’ image content with a reference image. The algorithm is able to provide robust results by recognizing that the cubes’ image content will not always match identically with that of the reference image. For example, in cultural heritage applications, the reference color image of the finished painting need not match the under-painting seen in the SWIR. Our approach is to identify a corresponding set of points between the cubes and the reference image, using a subset of wavelet scales, and then filtering out matches that are inconsistent with a map of the distortion. The filtering is performed by removing points iteratively according to their proximity to a function fit to their disparity (distance between the matched points). Our method will be demonstrated and our results validated using hyperspectral image cubes (976-1680 nm) and visible reference images from the fields of remote sensing and cultural heritage preservation.
Positive contrast as a function of component duration using a within-session procedure

Pigeons pecked keys for food reinforcers delivered by multiple schedules. Three experiments examined changes in the size of positive contrast with changes in component duration. They used a within-session procedure which measured rates of responding during the baseline and contrast phases within the same session. Contrast was largest for shorter components, a result similar to that found using traditional procedures. Therefore, the present results provide preliminary support for the use of the within-session procedure to study contrast. They also showed that the inverse relation between key-peck contrast and component duration is a robust finding which survives major changes in procedure. Finally, they suggest that different functions relate the size of contrast to component duration for key pecking and treadle pressing.
Effects of cyanogen bromide modification of the distal histidine on the spectroscopic and ligand binding properties of myoglobin: magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy as a probe of distal water ligation in ferric high-spin histidine-bound heme proteins.

Abstract Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy has been utilized to characterize the change in coordination structure in native ferric sperm whale myoglobin upon cyanogen bromide-modification. Comparison of the MCD properties of the ferric high-spin state of cyanogen bromide-modified myoglobin (BrCN-Mb) with those of native ferric horseradish peroxidase and Aplysia myoglobin suggests that ferric BrCN-Mb is a potential MCD model for the pentacoordinate state of ferric high-spin histidine-ligated heme proteins. These five-coordinate heme proteins afford a relatively weak and unsymmetric signal in the Soret region of the MCD spectrum. In contrast, native ferric myoglobin and the benzohydroxamic acid adduct of ferric horseradish peroxidase show a strong and symmetric derivative-shaped Soret MCD signal which is indicative of hexacoordination with water and histidine axial ligands. Therefore it seems that MCD spectroscopy could be used to probe the presence of water ligated to the distal side of ferric high-spin heme proteins. The MCD spectra of the ferric-azide, ferrous-deoxy and ferrous-CO forms of BrCN-Mb have also been measured and compared to those of analogous native myoglobin complexes. The present MCD study has been extended to include new ligands, NO, thiocyanate and cyanate, which bind to ferric BrCN-Mb. With exogenous ligands such as CO, NO and thiocyanate, the coordination structures of the BrCN-Mb complexes are similar to those of the respective native myoglobin adducts. In the case of ferrous-deoxy and ferric-cyanate BrCN-Mb, however, the altered MCD spectra (and EPR for the latter) reveal changes in electronic structure which likely correlate with alterations of the coordination environment of these BrCN-Mb derivatives. Data are also presented which support the proposed tetrazole-bound structure for azide-treated BrCN-Mb (Hori, H., Fujii, M., Shiro, Y., Iizuka, T., Adachi, S. and Morishima, I. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 5715–5719) and the inability of the distal histidine of BrCN-Mb to stabilize the ferric ligand-bound state.
A Review of: “The Past in the Present”: by Faith Gibson Baltimore, MD: Health Professions Press ISBN: 1-878812-87-4 Copyright: 2004

Edited by Debrynda B. Davey, RN, CDVC, Dip., EdD“May you each accept the past, enjoy the present, and look forward to the future,” Faith Gibson tells us in her introduction to The Past in the Prese...
Interaction and regulation of the Caenorhabditis elegans death protease CED-3 by CED-4 and CED-9

In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, three genes, ced-3, ced-4, andced-9, play critical roles in the induction and execution of the death pathway. Genetic studies have suggested thatced-9 controls programmed cell death by regulatingced-4 and ced-3. However, the mechanism by which CED-9 controls the activities of CED-4 and the cysteine protease CED-3, the effector arm of the cell-death pathway, remains poorly understood. Immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrates that CED-9 forms a multimeric protein complex with CED-4 and CED-3 in vivo. Expression of wild-type CED-4 promotes the ability of CED-3 to induce apoptosis in mammalian cells, which is inhibited by CED-9. The pro-apoptotic activity of CED-4 requires the expression of a functional CED-3 protease. Significantly, loss-of-function CED-4 mutants are impaired in their ability to promote CED-3-mediated apoptosis. Expression of CED-4 enhances the proteolytic activation of CED-3. We also show that CED-9 inhibits the formation of p13 and p15, two cleavage products of CED-3 associated with its proteolytic activationin vivo. Moreover, CED-9 inhibits the enzymatic activity of CED-3 promoted by CED-4. Thus, these results provide evidence that CED-4 and CED-9 regulate the activity of CED-3 through physical interactions, which may provide a molecular basis for the control of programmed cell death in C. elegans.
Comparison of outcomes following endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms based on size threshold

Introduction Size threshold for operative repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has been determined based on risks and outcomes of open repair vs surveillance. The influence of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) on this threshold is less established. The purpose of this study is to determine whether long-term outcomes following EVAR are affected by maximum diameter at the time of treatment. Methods Patients undergoing EVAR with modular stent grafts from 2000 to 2011 were identified from a prospectively maintained database and stratified by maximum aortic diameter at the time of repair: small (4.0-4.9 cm), medium (5.0-5.9 cm), and large (≥6.0 cm). Comparisons of demographics, indications for repair, perioperative complications, and long-term outcomes were made using analysis of variance, χ 2 , and Kaplan-Meier plots. Results Seven hundred forty patients were identified: 157 (21.2%) small, 374 (50.5%) medium, and 209 (28.2%) large. Patients differed by mean age (69.3 ± 8.09, 71.7 ± 8.55, and 73.6 ± 8.77 years for small, medium, and large, respectively; P P = .01), prior coronary angioplasty (14.6% small, 18.2% medium, 9.6% large; P = .02), congestive heart failure (5.7% small, 15.2% medium, 19.6% large; P = .01), prior vascular surgery (7% small, 15.8% medium, 10% large; P = .016), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (21% small, 27% medium, 33% large; P = .038). Small AAAs were more frequently symptomatic (19.7% small, 7.5% medium, 8.1% large; P P = .399), expansion ≥5 mm (2.6% small, 5.6% medium, 7.2% large; P = .148), or all-type endoleak (40.8% small, 41.7% medium, 44.5% large; P = .73). Small AAAs developed fewer type I endoleaks (5.1% vs 6.95% medium and 14.8% large; P = .001). Compared with small AAAs, both medium ( P = .39) and large ( P P P = .017). Conclusions EVAR for small AAAs shows improved long-term outcomes than for age-matched patients with larger aneurysms.
Significant Enhancement of Docking Sensitivity using Implicit Ligand Sampling

The efficient and accurate quantification of protein−ligand interactions using computational methods is still a challenging task. Two factors strongly contribute to the failure of docking methods to predict free energies of binding accurately: the insufficient incorporation of protein flexibility coupled to ligand binding and the neglected dynamics of the protein−ligand complex in current scoring schemes. We have developed a new methodology, named the ‘ligand-model’ concept, to sample protein conformations that are relevant for binding structurally diverse sets of ligands. In the ligand-model concept, molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations are performed with a virtual ligand, represented by a collection of functional groups that binds to the protein and dynamically changes its shape and properties during the simulation. The ligand model essentially represents a large ensemble of different chemical species binding to the same target protein. Representative protein structures were obtained from the MD simulati...
Disaggregating and Defeating Terrorist Safe Havens

Terrorist organizations’ physical safe havens continue to shape the terrorist threat to the United States by extending the groups’ longevity and increasing the threat they pose. As a result, eliminating terrorist safe havens has been a key component of U.S. counterterrorism policy since at least 2001. However, some scholars challenged the post-9/11 policy consensus that terrorists find sanctuary in weak states and so-called ungoverned spaces. This article seeks to bridge this gap between scholarship and policy by offering a typology for disaggregating different kinds of terrorist safe havens. Our typology operates on two axes based on host government will (i.e., the host government's posture toward each group with haven inside its borders), as well as government capability, (specifically whether the host government possesses the specific capabilities needed to oust each group). This intersection of will and capability produces three types of havens. We briefly illustrate each type of haven using the exemp...
RELEASE OF IMMUNOREACTIVE THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE FROM THE RAT HYPOTHALAMUS IN VITRO.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) has been identified in the hypothalamus and other brain areas of the rat. However, the alteration of the release of brain TSH has not been demonstrated. Therefore, we examined the release of immunoreactive TSH (IR-TSH) in vitro from hypothalamic tissue obtained from hypophysectomized, thyroidectomized and intact control rats. Whereas TRH (10-5M) and PGE2 (10-4M) did not alter hypothalamic IR-TSH release, depolarizing concentrations of potassium (60mM) or veratridine (5mM) stimulated the release of IR-TSH from hypothalamic tissue from all groups. These data suggest that IR-TSH synthesized in the hypothalaraus is stored in a releasable form.
Charnley wear model for validation of hip simulators' ball diameter versus polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene wear

AbstractWear rates of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyethylene cups were compared in 9-channel and 12-channel simulators, using serum lubrication and gravimetric techniques for wear assessment. Cobalt-chromium (CoCr) and alumina ceramic femoral heads in 22-42 mm diameter range were used to validate simulator wear rates against clinical data. This was also the first study of three femoral head sizes evaluated concurrently in a simulator (with three replicate specimens) and also the first report in which any wear experiments were repeated. Fluid absorption artefacts were within ± 1 per cent of wear magnitude for PTFE and ± 8 per cent for polyethylene and were corrected for. Wear rates were linear as a function of test duration. Precision within each set of three cups was within ±6 per cent. The wear rates from experiments repeated over 15 months were reproducible to within ± 24 per cent. However, the magnitudes of the simulator wear rates were not clinically accurate, the PTFE wear rates (2843 mm3/10...
Ecology drives a global network of gene exchange connecting the human microbiome

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), the acquisition of genetic material from non-parental lineages, is known to be important in bacterial evolution. In particular, HGT provides rapid access to genetic innovations, allowing traits such as virulence, antibiotic resistance and xenobiotic metabolism to spread through the human microbiome. Recent anecdotal studies providing snapshots of active gene flow on the human body have highlighted the need to determine the frequency of such recent transfers and the forces that govern these events. Here we report the discovery and characterization of a vast, human-associated network of gene exchange, large enough to directly compare the principal forces shaping HGT. We show that this network of 10,770 unique, recently transferred (more than 99% nucleotide identity) genes found in 2,235 full bacterial genomes, is shaped principally by ecology rather than geography or phylogeny, with most gene exchange occurring between isolates from ecologically similar, but geographically separated, environments. For example, we observe 25-fold more HGT between human-associated bacteria than among ecologically diverse non-human isolates (P = 3.0 × 10(-270)). We show that within the human microbiome this ecological architecture continues across multiple spatial scales, functional classes and ecological niches with transfer further enriched among bacteria that inhabit the same body site, have the same oxygen tolerance or have the same ability to cause disease. This structure offers a window into the molecular traits that define ecological niches, insight that we use to uncover sources of antibiotic resistance and identify genes associated with the pathology of meningitis and other diseases.
Tissues reborn: fetal membrane-derived matrices and stem cells in orthopedic regenerative medicine.

Abstract The amniotic and chorionic membranes, as well as the stem cell populations contained within them, represent a widely available, versatile, and promising resource for use in numerous regenerative medicine applications. The primary focus of this review is to examine the use of the fetal membranes and/or their resident stem cell populations for regenerating orthopedic tissues. This discussion is prefaced by a brief synopsis of the structure, function, and biological properties of the extracellular matrix; embryological development; and a brief description of the distinct stem cell populations residing within the amniotic and chorionic membranes. Commercially available perinatal tissue allograft products available in the United States are reviewed, and a concise summary regarding the US Food and Drug Administration's current viewpoint on these technologies is provided. Concluding remarks regarding suggested future research directives for evaluating these tissues and stem cell sources in relation to orthopedic regenerative medicine applications also are presented.
Dual transcriptional activities of SIX proteins define their roles in normal and ectopic eye development

The SIX family of homeodomain-containing DNA-binding proteins play crucial roles in both Drosophila and vertebrate retinal specification. In flies, three such family members exist, but only two, Sine oculis (So) and Optix, are expressed and function within the eye. In vertebrates, the homologs of Optix (Six3 and Six6) and probably So (Six1 and Six2) are also required for proper eye formation. Depending upon the individual SIX protein and the specific developmental context, transcription of target genes can either be activated or repressed. These activities are thought to occur through physical interactions with the Eyes absent (Eya) co-activator and the Groucho (Gro) co-repressor, but the relative contribution that each complex makes to overall eye development is not well understood. Here, we attempt to address this issue by investigating the role that each complex plays in the induction of ectopic eyes in Drosophila. We fused the VP16 activation and Engrailed repressor domains to both So and Optix, and attempted to generate ectopic eyes with these chimeric proteins. Surprisingly, we find that So and Optix must initially function as transcriptional repressors to trigger the formation of ectopic eyes. Both factors appear to be required to repress the expression of non-retinal selector genes. We propose that during early phases of eye development, SIX proteins function, in part, to repress the transcription of non-retinal selector genes, thereby allowing induction of the retina to proceed. This model of repression-mediated induction of developmental programs could have implications beyond the eye and might be applicable to other systems.
Finite element analysis of projectile size and shape effects on the probabilistic penetration response of high strength fabrics

Abstract The effects of projectile characteristics on the probabilistic impact response of single-layer fully-clamped flexible woven fabrics is numerically studied using a yarn-level fabric model with a statistical implementation of yarn strengths. Six small and large sized spherical, cylindrical, and conical projectiles of the same mass are considered. Probabilistic velocity response curves which describe the probability of fabric penetration as a function of projectile impact velocity are generated for each projectile type through a series of forty impact simulations at varying impact velocities. The probabilistic fabric impact response is observed to be strongly dependent on the shape of the projectile’s impact face and the manner of projectile–yarn interactions at the impact site.
An elliptic hypergeometric integral with W( F4) symmetry

In this article we give a new transformation between elliptic hypergeometric beta integrals, which gives rise to a Weyl group symmetry of type F4. The transformation is a generalization of a series transformation discovered by Langer, Schlosser, and Warnaar (SIGMA 5:055, 2009). Moreover we consider various limits of this transformation to basic hypergeometric functions obtained by letting p tend to 0.
Effect of moisture on the self-healing of vitreous silica under irradiation

Abstract Although it is widely understood that water interacts extensively with vitreous silicates, atomistic simulations of the response of these materials to ballistic radiation, such as neutron or ion radiation, have excluded moisture. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were used to simulate the collision cascades and defect formation that would result from such irradiation of silica in the presence of moisture. Using an interatomic potential that allows for the dissociation of water, it was found that the reaction between molecular water or pre-dissociated water (as OH − and H + ) and the ruptured Si–O–Si bonds that result from the collision cascade inhibits a significant amount of the structural recovery that was previously observed in atomistic simulations of irradiation in perfectly dry silica. The presence of moisture not only resulted in a greater accumulation of non-bridging oxygen defects, but reduced the local density of the silica and altered the distribution of ring sizes. The results imply that an initial presence of moisture in the silica during irradiation could increase the propensity for further ingress of moisture via the low density pathways and increased defect concentration.
Quantifying the Distribution of Inhalation Exposure in Human Populations: 2. Distributions of Time Spent by Adults, Adolescents, and Children at Home, at Work, and at School

Using distributions of time spent at various ventilation levels, ranges of inhalation exposure in the population can be established. Distributions of exposure time were determined using results of a study by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which focused on time spent by humans participating in various activities and the locations where the activities occurred. The daily at-home activities from the CARB study were assigned to one of three ventilation levels, generating aggregate time periods. Distinct age and gender populations were identified, and distributions for aggregate time were established for these populations at each of the ventilation levels. In addition to aggregate time spent at home, distributions for various ages and genders were established for aggregate time spent at school and work. By combining distributions of aggregate time with corresponding ventilation rates, the distribution of inhalation rates can be established for at home, at work, and at school exposures.
Carotenoids found in Littorina littorea and their relationship to parasitic infection by larva trematodes

Abstract Littorina littorea from Long Island Sound feed primarily on algae: Chlorophyceae (three species) and Rhodophyceae (two species). Carotenoids from the algae accumulate in tissues of the snail in either an unchanged or a metabolized state. β-Carotene, the major pigment of green and red algae, was isolated from the foot, hepatopancreas, and nephridium of these snails. Six oxygenated carotenoids, not completely identified, were isolated from the same tissues. The snails show a variation in foot color from white to brown to red. L. littorea is parasitized by trematode larvae of Cryptocotyle lingua and Cercaria parvicaudata from which β-carotene and one oxygenated carotenoid were isolated. Contrary to previous work, there is no relation between foot color of the snail and parasitic infection. Neither age nor sex appears to have any relation to foot color. Although carotenoid pigments are known to cause the variation in foot color, the reasons or factors for their accumulation in the snail tissue have not been established. Some hypothetical explanations are discussed.
Chromosome aberrations reduced in whole-body irradiated mice by pretreatment with cyanide

Male mice exposed to single, whole-body 60Co irradiation, were injected intraperitoneally with a non-toxic dose of KCN, 2 min or 20 min prior to irradiation. Bone-marrow cells were examined for chromatid breaks and chromosome aberrations (CA) at different times post-irradiation. The 2 min but not the 20 min treated mice had a marked reduction in chromatid breaks and chromosome aberrations. A study was made of mice exposed to 3.0 Gy (1.8 Gy/min), treated with KCN 2 min prior to irradiation and examined 5 min to 30 d post-irradiation. After 5 min there were no significant changes in frequency of CA. Subsequently, the incidence of CA in the KCN-treated group was reduced compared to the irradiated controls. By the 30th day, however, CA frequencies had returned to control levels in all groups. No effect of KCN treatment was observed in the white or red blood cells. The cytogenetic results were posited to be a function of the relative inhibition and recovery times of cyanide affected cytochrome oxidase, DNA synthesis, and ATP.
La psicología fenomenológica de Husserl y la psicopatología

Antecedentes. La Psicologia fenomenologica de Husserl es una disciplina destinada a jugar un papel importante en la psicopatologia fenomenologica empirica. Objetivo. Centrarse en los supuestos filosoficos y psicologicos de la Psicologia fenomenologica Metodo. Investigar las interpretaciones de Husserl acerca de la naturaleza de la Psicologia fenomenologica para comprender los presupuestos de la psicopatologia fenomenologica en psiquiatria. Resultados La Psicologia fenomenologica es una ciencia apriorica, eidetica, intuitiva, puramente descriptiva e intencional de lo psiquico, que permanece dentro de la actitud natural. Conclusiones. La Psicologia fenomenologica esta destinada a proporcionar los conceptos esenciales necesarios para dar un sentido a la investigacion que se presenta con el titulo de Fenomenologia psicopatologica.
Smart Grid Technologies for Autonomous Operation and Control

This paper presents a new smart grid infrastructure for active distribution systems that will allow continuous and accurate monitoring of distribution system operations and customer utilization of electric power. The infrastructure allows a complete array of applications. The paper discusses four specific applications: a) protection against downed conductors; b) load levelization; c) loss minimization; and d) reliability enhancement.
Adherence reporting in randomized controlled trials.

BackgroundTreatment adherence may influence the therapeutic effect that is observed in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Adherence may also be an indicator of research quality and treatment acce...
Developmental differences in the effects of phonological, lexical and semantic variables on word learning by infants

The influence of phonological (i.e., individual sounds), lexical (i.e., whole-word forms), and semantic (i.e., meaning) characteristics on the words known by infants age 1;4 to 2;6 was examined, using an existing database (Dale & Fenson, 1996). For each noun, word frequency, two phonological (i.e., positional segment average, biphone average), two lexical (i.e., neighborhood density, word length), and four semantic variables (i.e., semantic set size, connectivity, probability resonance, resonance strength) were computed. Regression analyses showed that more infants knew (1) words composed of low probability sounds and sound pairs, (2) shorter words with high neighborhood density, (3) words that were semantically related to other words, both in terms of the number and strength of semantic connections. Moreover, the effect of phonological variables was constant across age; whereas the effect of lexical and semantic variables changed across age.
Queueing network models in the design and analysis of semiconductor wafer fabs

We provide an introduction to the application of queueing network models to the design and analysis of semiconductor wafer fabs. We introduce the basic issues that confront the system manager and discuss a variety of queueing network based tools for addressing these issues. A representative collection of existing results in this area is also briefly surveyed.
Warm dense matter: Another application for pulsed power hydrodynamics

Pulsed Power Hydrodynamics (PPH) is an application of low-impedance pulsed power, and high magnetic field technology to the study of advanced hydrodynamic problems, instabilities, turbulence, and material properties. PPH can potentially be applied to the study of the properties of warm dense matter (WDM) as well. Exploration of the properties of warm dense matter such as equation of state, viscosity, conductivity is an emerging area of study focused on the behavior of matter at density near solid density (from 10% of solid density to slightly above solid density) and modest temperatures (∼1–10 eV). Conditions characteristic of WDM are difficult to obtain, and even more difficult to diagnose. One approach to producing WDM uses laser or particle beam heating of very small quantities of matter on timescales short compared to the subsequent hydrodynamic expansion timescales (isochoric heating) and a vigorous community of researchers are applying these techniques.
Wavelength conversion in modulated coupled-resonator systems and their design via an equivalent linear filter representation

We propose wavelength converters based on modulated coupled resonators that achieve conversion by matching the modulation frequency to the frequency splitting of the supermodes of the unmodulated system. Using temporal coupled-mode theory, we show that these time-variant systems have an equivalent linear, time-invariant filter representation that simplifies the optimal engineering of design parameters for realistic systems. Applying our model to carrier plasma-dispersion modulators as an example implementation, we calculate conversion efficiencies between −5.4 and −1.7 dB for intrinsic quality factors of 104–106. We show that the ratio of the resonance shift to the total linewidth is the most important parameter when determining conversion efficiency. Finally, we discuss how this model can be used to design devices such as frequency shifters, widely tunable radio frequency oscillators, and frequency combs.
Progesterone-specific stimulation of triglyceride biosynthesis in a breast cancer cell line (T-47D)

The purpose of this study was to examine the lactogenic response of human mammary cancer cell lines to hormones in vitro. Progesterone was found to stimulate the incorporation of 14C from [14C]acetate into triglycerides (TG) and to promote accumulation of TG with a fatty acid composition similar to that of human milk fat in T-47D cells. Lipid droplets were observed in larger numbers without concomitant accumulation of casein granules in cells incubated with progesterone, but secretion of lipid into the medium did not occur. An effect of progesterone on TG accumulation was detectable after 12 hr and was maximal at 72 hr. Increasing doses of progesterone (10(-9) to 10(-5) M) caused a progressive increase in TG accumulation. The presence of cortisol and/or prolactin did not alter TG formation nor the dose response of the cells to progesterone. The growth rate of T-47D cells was not altered by the presence of progesterone in the medium. Neither of the human mammary cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and HBL-100, nor the human fibroblast cell lines, 28 and 857, responded to progesterone. The data indicate that, while the normally lactogenic hormones do not stimulate milk product biosynthesis in the cell lines tested, progesterone specifically stimulated synthesis and accumulation of TG in the T-47D cells.
Fractalkine and CX3CR1 mediate a novel mechanism of leukocyte capture, firm adhesion, and activation under physiologic flow

Leukocyte migration into sites of inflammation involves multiple molecular interactions between leukocytes and vascular endothelial cells, mediating sequential leukocyte capture, rolling, and firm adhesion. In this study, we tested the role of molecular interactions between fractalkine (FKN), a transmembrane mucin-chemokine hybrid molecule expressed on activated endothelium, and its receptor (CX3CR1) in leukocyte capture, firm adhesion, and activation under physiologic flow conditions. Immobilized FKN fusion proteins captured resting peripheral blood mononuclear cells at physiologic wall shear stresses and induced firm adhesion of resting monocytes, resting and interleukin (IL)-2–activated CD8+ T lymphocytes and IL-2–activated NK cells. FKN also induced cell shape change in firmly adherent monocytes and IL-2–activated lymphocytes. CX3CR1-transfected K562 cells, but not control K562 cells, firmly adhered to FKN-expressing ECV-304 cells (ECV-FKN) and tumor necrosis factor α–activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells. This firm adhesion was not inhibited by pertussis toxin, EDTA/EGTA, or antiintegrin antibodies, indicating that the firm adhesion was integrin independent. In summary, FKN mediated the rapid capture, integrin-independent firm adhesion, and activation of circulating leukocytes under flow. Thus, FKN and CX3CR1 mediate a novel pathway for leukocyte trafficking.
Temporal Analysis of Exploding Film Burst Phenomenon

A technique to determine the time of burst for exploding aluminum metallized films has been studied. An experimental approach has been taken to determine the burst time relative to the discharge current, voltage, resistance, and power waveforms. A microphone transducer was employed to detect the time of burst from the sound produced by the bursting of the film and was compared to the calculated burst times. A theoretical discussion on the energy needed to melt and vaporize the film is also presented and compared to the experimental results.
Meta‐analysis: the efficacy of over‐the‐counter gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease therapies

Summary Background Over-the-counter histamine-2 receptor antagonists, antacids and alginate/antacids are commonly used for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Aim To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of related treatment trials. Methods We performed a systematic search and abstraction of randomized, placebo-controlled trials conducted during 1972–2005. Study quality was measured by the Jadad score (0–5). Results were pooled using random effects model. Results Ten trials (n = 3442, placebo = 2940; Jadad score 3.5) showed a higher response with histamine-2 receptor antagonists in regard to complete relief of heartburn, symptomatic improvement, and episodes requiring rescue antacids. The absolute benefit increase was 10–12% and relative benefit increase was 19–41%. Four trials (n = 578, placebo = 577; Jadad score 3.5) showed a trend in favour of antacids in symptomatic improvement (absolute benefit increase 8%, 95% CI: 0–16%; relative benefit increase 0.11) and requirement of rescue antacids (OR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.59–0.84). Four trials (n = 146, placebo = 138; Jadad score 3.8) found alginate/antacid combination superior to placebo in symptomatic improvement (absolute benefit increase 26%, 95% CI: 12%–41%, relative benefit increase 0.60). Conclusions Over-the-counter medications are effective in treating symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Compared with the placebo response, which ranged between 37% and 64%, the relative benefit increase was up to 41% with histamine-2 receptor antagonists, 60% with alginate/antacid combinations, and 11% with antacids.
UXT Is a Novel Centrosomal Protein Essential for Cell Viability

Ubiquitously expressed transcript (UXT) is a prefoldinlike protein that has been suggested to be involved in human tumorigenesis. Here, we have found that UXT is overexpressed in a number of human tumor tissues but not in the matching normal tissues. We demonstrate that UXT is located in human centrosomes and is associated with γ-tubulin. In addition, overexpression of UXT disrupts centrosome structure. Furthermore, abrogation of UXT protein expression by small interfering RNA knockdown leads to cell death. Together, our findings suggest that UXT is a component of centrosome and is essential for cell viability. We propose that UXT may facilitate transformation by corrupting regulated centrosome functions.
Imatinib: Novel Treatment of Immune-Mediated Kidney Injury

The treatments for many autoimmune diseases are limited in efficacy, and long-term use is associated with severe adverse events. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors have proven to be well tolerated for long treatment periods, with minimal adverse events, in the oncology population. These agents have recently been used to treat autoimmune diseases. We review the potential mechanisms whereby tyrosine kinase inhibitors may modulate the immune response and inhibit fibrogenesis and discuss the current evidence for their use in the treatment of autoimmune diseases of the kidney.
Intercountry Adoption Flows from Africa to the U.S.: A Fifth Wave of Intercountry Adoptions?

This article addresses whether there is the beginning of a fifth wave of intercountry adoptions (ICAs) from Africa to the United States (U.S.). ICAs function as a 'quiet migration' of children [ International Migration Review 18(2):276-293; International Migration Review 34 (3):907-949; Population Research and Policy Review 21:205-225]. U.S. Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) data from 1971 to 2009 indicate that there were 421,085 ICAs to the U.S. , ) reported that in 2000, U.S. parents completed one ICA for every 200 births. In the past, top sending countries have followed flows from Europe, South America, and Asia. INS data are used to analyze the increase in the intercountry adoptees from Africa from 1996 to 2009. Similar Hague Convention data are used for the comparison of the number of ICAs from Africa to other top recipient nations. Demographic and economic data are used to support the suggestion that ICAs, similar to other migratory flows, are from developing to developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Induction and Suppression of RNA Silencing by an Animal Virus

RNA silencing is a sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism that is operational in plants and animals. Here, we show that flock house virus (FHV) is both an initiator and a target of RNA silencing in Drosophila host cells and that FHV infection requires suppression of RNA silencing by an FHV-encoded protein, B2. These findings establish RNA silencing as an adaptive antiviral defense in animal cells. B2 also inhibits RNA silencing in transgenic plants, providing evidence for a conserved RNA silencing pathway in the plant and animal kingdoms.
Pulmonary Mucormycosis: An Emerging Infection

Mucormycosis is a rare, but emerging, life-threatening, rapidly progressive, angioinvasive fungal infection that usually occurs in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of pulmonary mucormycosis in a diabetic patient who was on chronic steroid therapy for ulcerative colitis. Early recognition of this diagnosis, along with aggressive management, is critical to effective therapy and patient survival. The delay in diagnosis of this rapidly progressive infection can result in mortality.
Rapid thermal processing for front and rear contact passivation

Rapid firing processes are well known to allow improvements in solar cell contacts, particularly for the rear contact. Previous results characterizing the quality of a rear aluminum-alloyed back surface field have measured the effective surface recombination velocity, which depends not only on the material parameters of the back surface field, but also on the base doping. This paper shows that the determination of the recombination current density in the back surface field via photoconductance measurements is an accurate technique to measure the back surface field, independent of the base resistivity. Results show that fast firing conditions give the lowest recombination, but that the firing conditions can be altered substantially while still allowing high open circuit voltages.
Prognostic impact of persistent cytogenetic abnormalities at complete remission in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In acute myelogenous leukemia, the persistent detection of abnormal cytogenetics at complete remission (ACCR) is associated with inferior outcomes. However, the prognostic significance of ACCR in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is unknown. We evaluated 272 adult patients with ALL and abnormal cytogenetics at baseline who were treated with frontline induction chemotherapy, achieved complete remission (CR) and had cytogenetic analysis performed at the time of CR. ACCR was observed in 26 patients (9.6%). Median relapse-free survival was 22 months (95% CI, 12 months to not reached) for patients with ACCR vs. 48 months (range, 30-125 months) in patients with normal cytogenetics at CR (NCCR; P = 0.31). Median overall survival also did not differ significantly between the ACCR (99 months [range, 17 months to not reached]) and NCCR groups (67 months [range, 47 months to not reached], P = 0.86). The specificity of ACCR for minimal residual disease (MRD) positivity by multi-parameter flow cytometry (MFC) was 43%, and there was overall poor correlation between these two methods for the detection of residual disease. When patients were stratified by MRD status, the presence or absence of persistent cytogenetic abnormalities at CR did not add additional prognostic information. This study suggests that there is poor association between MRD assessment by MFC and the presence or absence of cytogenetic abnormalities at CR in adult patients with ALL. ACCR was not associated with adverse outcomes in ALL and did not add additional prognostic information when MRD status by MFC was known.
Media images of the urban landscape: the south Bronx in Film

Resumen en: This essay will argue the importance of film media´s influence on contemporary American attitudes towards race in an urban context. The essay will focus ...
Characterization of Microstructure and Texture in Grain-Oriented High Silicon Steel by Strip Casting

Grain-oriented 4.5 wt% Si and 6.5 wt% Si steels were produced by strip casting, warm rolling, cold rolling, primary annealing, and secondary annealing. Goss grains were sufficiently developed and covered the entire surface of the secondary recrystallized sheets. The microstructure and texture was characterized by OM, EBSD, TEM, and XRD. It was observed that after rolling at 700 °C, the 6.5 wt% Si steel exhibited a considerable degree of shear bands, whereas the 4.5 wt% Si steel indicated their rare presence. After primary annealing, completely equiaxed grains showing strong γ-fiber texture were presented in both alloys. By comparison, the 6.5 wt% Si steel showed smaller grain size and few favorable Goss grains. Additionally, a higher density of fine precipitates were exhibited in the 6.5 wt% Si steel, leading to a ~30-s delay in primary recrystallization. During secondary annealing, abnormal grain growth of the 6.5 wt% Si steel occurred at higher temperature compared to the 4.5 wt% Si steel, and the final grain size of the 6.5 wt% Si steel was greater. The magnetic induction B 8 of the 4.5 wt% Si and the 6.5 wt% Si steels was 1.75 and 1.76 T, respectively, and the high-frequency core losses were significantly improved in comparison with the non-oriented high silicon steel.
Effect of Magnetic CoZrNb Seed Layers on Pd/Co Multilayers

Pd/Co multilayers are candidates as perpendicular magnetic recording media. A softmagnetic underlayer can both improve crystallographic orientation and reduce the magnetostatic energy of recorded domains. Pd/Co multilayers have been deposited onto silicon nitride by DC magnetron sputtering with and without CoZrNb (CZN) seed layers. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy shows that the CZN layer imposes a columnar grain structure on the multilayer film through epitaxy. Seeded multilayers have columnar 200A grains that begin at the CZN interface and extend through the film thickness. In contrast, the grains in unseeded multilayers are not columnar. X-ray rocking curves on the (111) Pd/Co peak show that the CZN seed layer improves the (111) crystallographic texture of the multilayer film. We observe a correspondence between FWHM rocking curve widths in the CZN and the subsequently deposited multilayer. The CZN seeding produces changes in perpendicular hysteresis loops, which are attributed to an exchange interaction and a change in the multilayer amicrostructure due to seeding.
Five New Species of Eurytoma from Mexico (Eurytomidae: Hymen.)

Many chalcid parasites of several families were bred from a collection of Cynipidae, collected by Dr. A. C. Kinsey, of Indiana University, during two expeditions into Mexico in the falls of 1931 and 1935. The family Eurytomidae was well represented by large numbers of two genera ( Decatoma and Eurytoma ). About 1300 specimens of Eurytoma have been studied and in the following pages five new species are described.
Determination of Pentachlorophenol in Fish Gall Bladder by Solid Phase Microextraction Gas Chromatography

[Objective]To establish determination methodology of pentachlorophenol in fish gall bladder by automatic solid-phase microextraction(SPME )with ancillary extraction of supersonic wave and gas chromatography. [Methods]Pentachlorophenol in fish gall bladder was extracted using optimized SPME technology,separated by HP-5 and DB-17 chromatographic columns and the content of pentachlorophenol in fish gall bladder was determined by electron capture detector(ECD ) under optimized conditions.[Results]The linear range of the calibration curve was 0.08-100.00μg/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.9997 and the detection limit for pentachlorophenol was 0.053μg/L.The recovery rates were between 81.5%-92.6%and the relative standard deviations were between 3.6%-6.3%.[Conclusion]The method is simple,rapid and sensitive without solvent pollution,which is a ideal method for determination of pentachlorophenol in fish gall bladder.