cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unactivated leukocyte expression of C-reactive protein is minimal and not dependent on rs1205 genotype.

C-reactive protein (CRP), a prominent component of the innate immune system, is implicated in the pathophysiology of many conditions. CRP production primarily occurs in the liver; but contributions from other tissues is unclear. The Genotype-Tissue Expression Portal shows essentially no expression in whole blood and reports in the literature are conflicting. Multiple genomic variants influence serum levels of CRP. We measured CRP mRNA expression in leukocytes and sought to determine if rs1205 genotype influences leukocyte expression. Leukocytes were obtained from 20 women differing by genotype. Quantitative, real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) detected CRP and reference gene (GAPDH) mRNA. Leukocyte expression was calculated by the 2ΔCT method, and against a standard curve. Digital drop PCR was also used to calculate expression ratios. Student's t test and linear regression methods examined possible differences between genotypes. During 32 runs (10 replicates each), the RT-qPCR mean (SD) CRP/GAPDH ratio was 3.39 × 10–4 (SD 1.73 × 10–4) and 3.15 × 10–4 (SD 1.64 × 10–4) for TT and CC genotypes respectively, p = 0.76; and digital drop PCR results were similar. Serum CRP was not significantly different between genotypes, nor correlated with leukocyte expression. CRP is minimally expressed in unactivated leukocytes and this expression is not likely influenced by rs1205 genotype.
FG nucleoporins feature unique patterns that distinguish them from other IDPs.

Abstract FG nucleoporins (FG Nups) are intrinsically disordered proteins and are the putative regulators of nucleocytoplasmic transport. They allow fast, yet selective, transport of molecules through the nuclear pore complex, but the underlying mechanism of nucleocytoplasmic transport is not yet fully discovered. As a result, FG Nups have been the subject of extensive research in the past two decades. Although most studies have been focused on analyzing the conformation and function of FG Nups from a biophysical standpoint, some recent studies have investigated the sequence-function relationship of FG Nups, with a few investigating amino acid sequences of a large number of FG Nups to understand common characteristics that might enable their function. Previously, we identified an evolutionarily conserved feature in FG Nup sequences, which are extended subsequences with low charge density, containing only positive charges, and located toward the N-terminus of FG Nups. We named these patterns longest positive like charge regions (lpLCRs). These patterns are specific to positively charged residues, and negatively charged residues do not demonstrate such a pattern. In this study, we compare FG Nups with other disordered proteins obtained from the DisProt and UniProt database in terms of presence of lpLCRs. Our results show that the lpLCRs are virtually exclusive to FG Nups and are not observed in other disordered proteins. Also, lpLCRs are what differentiate FG Nups from DisProt proteins in terms of charge distribution, meaning that excluding lpLCRs from the sequences of FG Nups make them similar to DisProt proteins in terms of charge distribution. We also previously showed the biophysical effect of lpLCRs in conformation of FG Nups. The results of this study are in line with our previous findings and imply that lpLCRs are virtually exclusive and functionally significant characteristics of FG Nups and nucleocytoplasmic transport.
A new species of Pterodrilus (Branchiobdellida: Clitellata) from the upper Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin of North Carolina

A new species of branchiobdellidan, Pterodrilus leiteri n. sp., is described from the anterior cephalothorax of the crayfish Cambarus longulus from north-western North Carolina, USA. Like its 10 co...
Mortality and Form in Late Modernist Literature

1. 'Old timber to new fires': T. S. Eliot's Christian poetry 2. 'Once out of nature': Gertrude Stein and the fashioning of war 3. 'Almost real': Wyndham Lewis and the Second World War 4. Conclusion: aftermaths and aesthetic form.
Vaccines in RCC: Clinical and Biological Relevance

In 2014, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounted for nearly 4 % of all newly diagnosed cancers and 13,860 deaths in the United States (American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@research/documents/webcontent/acspc-042151.pdf 2014). While the majority of RCC patients are diagnosed with localized disease with an expected 5-year survival rate of 92 %, 20–30 % of cases present as metastatic disease for which the 5-year survival rate is only 12 % (American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@research/documents/webcontent/acspc-042151.pdf 2014). Following nephrectomy, RCC has proven to be resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy, necessitating the further development of targeted therapeutics including immunotherapies that may be applied in both the adjuvant and advanced-stage disease settings. In this chapter, we will discuss the state-of-the-art vaccination approaches for treating patients with RCC and the burgeoning development of combination vaccine protocols that may optimally promote anti-RCC immunity in association with sustained clinical benefit(s).
Racial disparities in pediatric access to kidney transplantation: does socioeconomic status play a role?

Racial disparities persist in access to renal transplantation in the United States, but the degree to which patient and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) impacts racial disparities in deceased donor renal transplantation access has not been examined in the pediatric and adolescent end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population. We examined the interplay of race and SES in a population-based cohort of all incident pediatric ESRD patients <21 years from the United States Renal Data System from 2000 to 2008, followed through September 2009. Of 8 452 patients included, 30.8% were black, 27.6% white-Hispanic, 44.3% female and 28.0% lived in poor neighborhoods. A total of 63.4% of the study population was placed on the waiting list and 32.5% received a deceased donor transplant. Racial disparities persisted in transplant even after adjustment for SES, where minorities were less likely to receive a transplant compared to whites, and this disparity was more pronounced among patients 18–20 years. Disparities in access to the waiting list were mitigated in Hispanic patients with private health insurance. Our study suggests that racial disparities in transplant access worsen as pediatric patients transition into young adulthood, and that SES does not explain all of the racial differences in access to kidney transplantation.
The marching-jury backward plate equation for contaminant plume spatial distribution recovery in two-dimensional heterogeneous media: computational issues

In this paper the Marching-Jury Backward Plate Equation (MJBPE) method to reconstruct conservative contaminant plume spatial distributions in two-dimensional (2D) heterogeneous media is presented. The MJBPE, based on its one-dimensional (1D) counterpart developed by Atmadja and Bagtzoglou (2001a), was used to recover contaminant spatial distributions in heterogeneous porous media for a variety of test cases with uniform and/or non-uniform transport velocity and dispersion coefficients. The computational complexity and associated cost of the 2D problem requires efficient solution of linear equations that involve very sparse, block-tridiagonal matrices. Various iterative approaches, of the conjugate gradient genre, are explored and tested. A comparison of the two most efficient approaches for various domain sizes concludes the paper.
Mortality among Substance-using Mothers in California: A 10-year Prospective Study

Aims To examine mortality rates and causes of death among a cohort of substance-using mothers and to identify risk factors that predict mortality.
Counterterrorism after Al Qaeda

The counterterrorism challenges that will follow Al Qaeda—collecting and analyzing intelligence, enlisting foreign support, and sustaining the U.S. commitment while avoiding further damage to relations with the Muslim world—may be even more complex.
Behavioral inhibition and anxiety sensitivity: A reanalysis

Abstract Gray's theory proposes that chronic over-sensitivity of the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) is associated with anxiety proneness characterized by increased state anxiety and a tendency toward behavioral inhibition. The construct of anxiety sensitivity has been conceptualized as an individual difference in the degree to which an individual believes the symptoms of anxiety will be harmful. Both constructs suggest an increased anxiety proneness, and both suggest similar sequelae—increased state anxiety and behavioral inhibition. Despite the similarity between these constructs, research to date has not examined the relationship between the BIS and anxiety sensitivity. In the current study, we reanalyzed data presented in an earlier study in which behavioral inhibition on a discrimination task was examined among high and low test-anxious subjects (Hagopian & Ollendick, 1994). Regression analyses indicated that, relative to other measures of anxiety, anxiety sensitivity was the best predictor of behavioral inhibition and state anxiety during the discrimination task. Subsequent analyses provided additional support for a relationship between anxiety sensitivity and behavioral inhibition, suggesting the need for further investigations using clinical populations.
The THEMIS Digital Fields Board

The Digital Fields Board (DFB) performs the data acquisition and signal processing for the Electric Fields Instrument and Search Coil Magnetometer on each of the THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) satellites. The processing is highly flexible and low-power (∼1.1 watt orbit-averaged). The primary data products are time series waveforms and wave power spectra of the electric and magnetic fields. The power spectra can be computed either on the raw signals (i.e. in a system co-rotating with the spacecraft) or in a coordinate system aligned with the local DC magnetic field. Other data products include spectral power from multiple passbands (filter banks) and electric power in the 30–500 kHz band. The DFBs on all five spacecraft have been turned on and checked out in-flight, and are functioning as designed.
Activation of hepatic microsomal glucuronyl transferase by bilirubin.

Abstract In rat liver microsomal preparations, bilirubin markedly stimulated the glucuronidation of morphine and p-nitrophenol catalyzed by UDPglucuronyltransferase (UDPGT, EC 2.4.1.17). The activation was not due to contamination of bilirubin with bile acids. At equimolar concentrations, the activating effect of bilirubin was greater than that produced by deoxycholate, a detergent well known as an activator of UDPGT. Other results suggest that bilirubin activation of UDPGT is similar to that produced by detergents. In in vivo experiments, the rate of urinary excretion of morphine glucuronide in rats treated with bilirubin was twice that of control animals. These results suggest that bilirubin may be a physiologic activator of UDPGT activity.
Bounding posterior means by model criticism

Abstract To handle the sensitivity of posterior inferences to prior choices, Leamer (1983) suggests that one specify a class of priors that is large enough to include all possible priors and then derive the set of posterior distributions associated with it. In many practical situations, however, this set of posteriors turns out to be too large to be useful even with informative data. Frequently, the culprit is those dogmatic priors that are not compatible with the data information and removal of such priors often significantly narrows down the set of posteriors. When a complete elicitation process requires excessive time and resources, a feasible alternative is to use the sample information to help the researcher identify unreasonable priors. The approach proposed in this paper is to bound the posterior means of the regression parameters by ‘Model Criticism’ in the sense of Box (1980). More specifically, it restricts priors to those for which the predictive density of the observation is not too small. A set of posteriors is then obtained for this restricted class of priors. The proposed procedure will be applied to U.S. money stock data to examine the behavior of the proposed bounds.
Life course determinants of racial and ethnic disparities in functional health trajectories

Previous research has documented racial/ethnic disparities in functional health trajectories in old age, though little work has investigated the relative contribution of early and later life insults in their genesis. This paper uses two-part latent curve models to investigate the life course determinants of racial/ethnic disparities in functional health trajectories in the USA. We find that blacks and Hispanics have both a greater probability of having any limitation at baseline and more limitations on average among those who have any. Over time, there is convergence in trajectories between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites, though the black-white gap remains constant. In addition, we find that disparities result from differential exposure to poor childhood health, early life socioeconomic deprivation, as well as adult health and socioeconomic attainment. However, the impact of childhood insults is largely mediated by more contemporaneous factors. We also find little evidence that the impact of life course factors varies across groups.
Laboratory and field evaluation of insecticides against the gypsy moth.

Laboratory screening tests showed the following pesticides to have activities equal to or better than carbaryl against young Porthetria dispar (L.) larvae: Dursban® ( O,O -diethyl O -3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothioate), diazinon, dimethrin, Shell SD-8530 (3,4,5-trimethylphenyl methylcarbamate), SD-9098 ( O -[2-chloro-1- (2,5-dichloro- phenyl) vinyl] O,O -diethyl phosphorothioate) , Mobil MC -A-600 (benzo [b) thien-4-yl methylcarbamate) , and tetramethrin. Large-acreage aerial spray comparisons of triehlorfon ULV at 1 pound per quart per acre with carbaryl at 1 pound per gallon were very effective. Dead and live larval counts and postspray egg mass counts all indicated good control in the 569-acre trichlorfon spray block. Three similar size blocks sprayed with carbaryl showed generally good control, but in all cases areas with living larvae could still be found. Dursban demonstrated poor control in six 40-acreplots, both when sprayed alone at 2 oz per acre, and in combination with malathion at the rate of 1oz Dursban and 7 oz malathion per acre. Poor control also was shown in a 20-acre plot treated with 4 oz of Zectran® (4-dimethylamino-3,5-xylyl methylcarbamate) per acre.
The Oral/Written Socratic Method

(1970). The Oral/Written Socratic Method. Improving College and University Teaching: Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 126-128.
Anatomic considerations of the principal nutrient foramen and artery on internal surface of the ilium

Direct measurements of the nutrient foramen of thirty dried ilia using digital calipers and observations of the nutrient a. from ten cadaveric specimens were made in the present study. The nutrient foramen was situated 12.5 ± 2.7 mm lateral to the anterosuperior sacroiliac joint line but perpendicular to this line and 23.5 ± 5.8 mm above the pelvic brim parallel to the sacroiliac joint line. The nutrient a. originated from the iliolumbar a. as it coursed across the anterosuperior aspect of the sacroiliac joint. The present anatomic study indicates that the nutrient a. on the internal surface of the ilium is prone to injury as a result of traumatic disruption of the sacroiliac joint, sacral alar fractures and during the anterior approach to the sacroiliac joint.
Neuraxial Anesthesia for Outpatients

Neuraxial anesthesia for outpatient surgery can provide excellent anesthesia for certain patients. The short-acting local anesthetic 2-chloroprocaine has an appropriate length of action for short outpatient procedures with a very low risk of transient neurologic symptoms. Epidural anesthesia with short-acting agents can provide good outpatient anesthesia for procedures lasting 90 minutes or longer.
Treatment of Bowen's disease with topical 5% imiquimod cream: retrospective study.

BACKGROUND Topical 5% imiquimod cream is an FDA-approved treatment for superficial basal cell carcinomas. It has also been utilized in the treatment of Bowen's disease (squamous cell in situ). The current literature on this subject, however, is scant, and this treatment is only validated by case reports and two small open label studies. OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the efficacy of topical 5% imiquimod cream in the treatment of squamous cell in situ in a larger open-label case series. METHODS A retrospective study of 49 patients was performed. RESULTS Forty-two of the 49 (86%) patients in the study had a complete response with topical imiquimod. The remaining 7 (14%) failed therapy and required additional treatments. The mean follow-up duration was 19 months, with a range of 1 to 44 months. CONCLUSION Topical 5% imiquimod cream appears to be clinically beneficial in the treatment of Bowen's disease and should be considered as a treatment option.
INTERACTION OF POSITIVE PIONS WITH HYDROGEN AT 600 Mev

A hydrogen bubble chamber was used to investigtae pi /sup +/-p interactions at 600 Mev. There were 1738 good events. of which 71.9 plus or minus 0.8% were elastic. Partial waves up to at least D/sub 3/2/ are required to fit the elastic angular distribution. The inelastic events were almost entirely single-pion production. The ratio (p + 0)/(n++) was found to be 5.5 plus or minus 0.8, which agrees well with 4.9 predicted by the (3/2, 3/2) pionnucleon isobar model of Olsson and Yodh. It is also consistent with 6.5 predicted by Sternheimer and Lindenbaum. The pion momentum spectra and the pi -- pi Q-value distributions also support the Olsson and Yodh model. Thus the mechanism for single-pion production at 600 Mev. Angular distributions for the single-pion-production data are presented. (auth)
Analysis of aerosol ammonium nitrate: Departures from equilibrium during SCAQS

Abstract The size distribution of the inorganic components of atmospheric aerosols measured during the 1987 Southern California Air Quality Study (SCAQS) are used to investigate the hypothesis that transport limits equilibration of gas- and aerosol-phase ammonium nitrate and influences their size distribution. Estimates of the equilibration time constants at four sites in southern California show a wide range of values; at small values equilibrium is expected whereas at large values departures from equilibrium are expected. An equilibrium indicator is proposed based on the size distributions of aerosol ammonium and nitrate that shows when particles of different size are in mutual equilibrium with respect to ammonium nitrate. Values of the indicator range from unity, demonstrating equilibrium, to less than 0.5, demonstrating that different size particles are not in mutual equilibrium. Comparison of the time constant values to the equilibrium indicator values show a significant correlation, so it is concluded that different size aerosol particles are often not in mutual equilibrium due to transport limitations, supporting the hypothesis. It is concluded that both thermodynamics and mass transport must be considered to predict accurately the size distribution of the volatile inorganics in atmospheric aerosol.
Caustics, critical curves and cross-sections for gravitational lensing by disc galaxies

We study strong gravitational lensing by spiral galaxies, modeling them as infinitely thin uniform disks embedded in singular isothermal spheres. We derive general properties of the critical curves and caustics analytically. The multiple-image cross section is a sensitive function of the inclination angle of the disk relative to the observer. We compute the inclination averaged cross section for several sets of lensing parameters. For realistic disk mass and size parameters, we find that the cross section for multiple imaging is increased by only a modest factor and no dramatic increase in the optical depth for strong lensing of QSOs would be expected. However, the cross section for high magnifications is significantly increased due to the inclusion of a disk, especially for nearly edge-on configurations; due to the strong observational selection effects favoring high magnifications, there might be significant consequences for lensing statistics.
Nonpropagating incipient cracks from sharp notches under fatigue

Abstract Growing incipient cracks from sharp notches can stop completely even when the remote applied stress amplitude remains constant. As the crack lengthens, the crack-tip driving force, the stress intensity factor, should increase for a constant remote applied stress, yet, arrest occurs. For this reason, the fatigue stress concentration factor Kf differs from the conventional stress concentration factor Kt for sharp notches. The arrest has been attributed to increased crack growth resistance as an incipient crack lengthens. The increased resistance has been related to plasticity-induced crack closure, which builds up with crack-wake plasticity during crack growth. In this paper we present a different concept based on our unified approach that considers the existence of two fatigue thresholds rather than one. It is shown that nonpropagation of incipient crack occurs when the total stress intensity factor falls below the long crack growth threshold value in terms of Kmax. Total stress intensity results from both the remote applied stress and the local internal stress. Even when the remote applied load is constant, the local internal stress can decrease sharply as the incipient crack grows away from the notch tip. Notch-tip plasticity contributes to the changes in the internal stresses. Using extensive data from the literature, it is shown that it is the decreasing crack-tip driving force with length that causes the crack arrest phenomenon. Crack growth under tension–tension, tension–compression, and compression–compression fatigue are all accounted for on the basis of gradient in the internal stresses.
Plant regeneration from cultured immature embryos of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.

Immature embryos of 20 sorghum genotypes were cultured on MS 5 medium containing MS mineral salts supplemented with 2,4-D, zeatin, glycine, niacinamide, Ca-pantothenate, L-asparagine, and vitamins. For regeneration, calli were transferred onto the same medium with the exception that IAA was substituted for 2,4-D. In general, immature embryos obtained 9–12 days after pollination resulted in the best redifferentiation. Ability of calli to regenerate varied among genotypes; cultivars C401-1 and C625 had the highest redifferentiation frequencies. Ability to redifferentiate was heritable and acted as a dominant trait. At least two gene pairs were involved. Regenerated R0 plants were planted in a greenhouse and their selfed (R1 and R2) progenies were planted in the field and examined for morphological and cytological variations. The majority of the phenotypic variations noted in R0 were not transmitted to later generations. However, variants for plant height, degree of fertility, and midrib color persisted in R1 and R2 generations. A variation in tallness was attributable to one dominant mutant gene. Short stature and male sterility variants appeared to be consequences of recessive mutant genes controlling those traits. Minor variations in peroxidase banding patterns were found among R0 plants.
SU‐GG‐J‐55: Comparison of Megavoltage Imaging Modalities and Spatial Effects for Dose Calculations.

Purpose: To investigate spatial effects of differing physical densities in megavoltage imaging with cone‐beam computed tomography (MVCB) versus helical tomotherapy (MVCT) for dose calculation. Method and Materials:Image value‐to‐density tables (IVDT) were created for MVCB and MVCT against standard kilovoltge computed tomography (KVCT) using a solid‐water phantom and varying tissue equivalent inserts. The spatial independence of the different physical densities of the image was tested by generating two sets of IVDT for each modality: one with the inserts in the peripheral locations in the phantom and another with the inserts in the inner locations. Scans of an anthropomorphic head phantom for each modality were imported into a treatment planning system; contours of anatomy were created and a seven field IMRT plan was developed to simulate treatment to a target in the brain. The dose was then calculated for each imaging modality scan corrected with its given IVDT. Results: The IVDT sets for KVCT were nearly identical to each other; the IVDT sets for MVCT were practically equal also. Such similarity was confirmed by comparing the dose volume histograms of treatment plans; average coverage of the target was 95.5±0.2%. However, the IVDT sets for MVCB exhibited an appreciable difference as the central region of the images had a lower value inaccurately reducing the density. This was reflected in the MVCB treatment plans as the prescription covered 17.75% of the target using IVDT with tissue equivalent inserts in the inner locations. This coverage was increased to 98.65% using the outer locations. Conclusion: KVCT and MVCT modalities provide images suitable for dose calculation of differing physical densities that is independent of their spatial location. However, the artifacts introduced by MVCB imaging can lead to notable differences in image values and its corresponding densities that render current MVCB unsuitable for dose calculation.
Comparison of in-line consistency measurement of tomato concentrates using ultrasonics and capillary methods

This study focuses on the development of a noninvasive, in-line rheometer using ultrasonics and its comparison with data from a traditional capillary viscometer. The ultrasonic based pointwise viscosity measurement technique combines a measurement of the velocity profile and the pressure drop to determine the shear rate and the shear stress distributions, respectively in a pipe. The experiments were carried out using tomato concentrates at 8.75%, 12.75%, and 17.10% total solids content. The flow system consisted of a 53.2 mm diameter acrylic tube, a positive displacement pump and two pressure transducers. Multiple shear viscosity-shear rate data were recorded under actual pipeline conditions from a single combined measurement of the velocity profiles using ultrasonics and the pressure gradient, using the pressure transducers. The samples showed shear thinning behavior and a yield stress. Power law and Casson models were used to fit the data and both obtained R2 values higher than 0.99. The yield stress was also directly determined from the velocity profiles. Shear viscosity versus shear rate data of the 12.75% total solids sample were obtained by capillary rheometry at four different flow rates. These showed very good agreement with those obtained using the velocity profile technique.
A benchmark comparison of numerical methods for infinite Prandtl number thermal convection in two-dimensional Cartesian geometry

Abstract A comparison is made between seven different numerical methods for calculating two-dimensional thermal convection in an infinite Prandtl number fluid. Among the seven methods are finite difference and finite element techniques that have been used to model thermal convection in the Earth's mantle. We evaluate the performance of each method using a suite of four benchmark problems, ranging from steady-state convection to intrinsically time-dependent convection with recurring thermal boundary layer instabilities. These results can be used to determine the accuracy of other computational methods, and to assist in the development of new ones.
P01.05. Increase in blood flow associated with traditional chinese medicine therapies

Results First we found that needle insertion at various acupuncture points on the back produced an immediate and sharp peak of increased blood flow measured at the treated point which lasted only a few seconds, followed by a second broader peak of 3-4 fold increase that lasted about 5-15 minutes. Cupping on acupoint GB21 produced a similar increase that lasted 15-20 minutes, as did Gua Sha administered on points along the bladder meridian on the back. Similarly, 5 minutes of acupressure massage on the shoulder increased blood flow at GB21 by around 5 fold, diminishing to baseline level within half an hour. In contrast, 5 minute moxibustion treatment on GB21 produced about a 10 fold increase that lasted an hour or two. The longer duration of the effect was also seen in the 4-5 fold increase produced by a 5-minute treatment on PC6 with an over-the-counter herbal remedy commonly used for bruises and sprains ("Tree Head Essence” from Ren Ji Biopharmacological Technology Co., Taiwan).
Studies on acetylcholinesterase of rat brain synaptosomal plasma membranes.

— A fluorimetric assay has been used to examine some kinetic properties of AChE from synaptosomal plasma membranes prepared from rat brain. The AChE bound to the plasma membranes was compared to that solubilized with Triton X-100 and found to be essentially the same with respect to Michaelis constant and inhibitor constants for several AChE inhibitors. The two forms of the enzyme had slightly different pH optima. The kinetic studies revealed no evidence that synaptosomal plasma membrane AChE has allosteric properties. The solubilized enzyme was further purified by affinity chromatography.
The Development and Management of Chemotherapy-Related Anticipatory Nausea and Vomiting

(1988). The Development and Management of Chemotherapy-Related Anticipatory Nausea and Vomiting. Cancer Investigation: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 329-336.
“I’m an artist and a scholar who is trying to find a middle point”: A textographic analysis of a Colombian art historian's thesis writing

Abstract As the number of periphery scholars who pursue graduate studies in the U.S. increases, there is an urgent need to understand how these multilingual writers build knowledge on academic writing in their second language (L2) and join the academic dialogs of their disciplinary communities. Drawing on theories of translingualism (e.g., Horner, Lu, Royster, & Trimbur, 2011 ) and cultural-historical activity (e.g., Prior, 1998 ), this textographic study reports on a multilingual graduate student's knowledge construction during the process of thesis writing. The central research questions of this study include: (i) What are some of the rhetorical enactments and literacy practices this multilingual writer developed around his thesis writing? (ii) What writerly identities are constructed in art oriented, new humanities thesis/dissertation writing? As results illustrate, navigation of academic writing with multiple modalities and languages during thesis writing help multilingual writers carve a creative space for theory construction which eventually contributes to the writer's scholarly identity growth. Examining some of the key translingual academic practices in their engagement with multiple texts around thesis writing, this paper reveals how an experienced multilingual writer utilized his cultural and symbolic capital as he constructed his identity both as an art historian and an emerging scholar.
T-tubes in cultured mammalian myocardial cells

T-tubes are among the last structural elements of the mammalian myocyte to develop in vivo. We were able to identify T-tubes in early cultures of neonatal rat myocytes. Ventricles were excised from 3- to 4-day-old neonatal rats, incubated overnight in cold trypsin, and treated with sequential changes of collagenase-hyaluronidase. Fractions of cells isolated in this manner were pooled and cultured in plastic petri dishes. In cells prepared for transmission electron microscopy, T-tubes were observed at the cell periphery of cultured myocytes, but were more difficult to identify as the cultures aged and became overgrown by fibroblasts. T-tubes were identified by virtue of their continuity with the sarcolemma, their relatively large diameter, and their regular entry at the level of the Z line. Even at optimal culture ages, T-tubes were not present in every myocyte. At the times T-tubes could be located, myocytes were beating and had begun to establish intercalated discs and gap junctions. The de novo formation of T-tubes in cultured myocytes of neonatal rat heart reflects a duplication of in vivo differentiation by the cultured myocyte. The appropriateness of cultured myocytes in the study of the development and physiology of the heart is emphasized by the in vitro formation of T-tubes.
Fast neutrons in the Earth's atmosphere: 2. Time variations at high altitudes

A series of balloon flights launched during 1963 at λ = 41° N are analyzed. The balloons carried omnidirectional detectors sensitive to fast neutrons and (separately) γ rays to altitudes of about 125,000 feet for periods of up to 24 hours. The observed latitude dependence is in accordance with the theory of Lingenfelter. The observed day-to-night ratios of the fluxes were 1.01±0.02 and 1.00±0.01. An upper limit of 0.02 neutron/cm2 sec for the solar flux at the earth can be determined if we assume that the solar spectrum is similar to the terrestrial spectrum. The explanation for the small fluctuations that were observed probably lies in a slight time variation of the intensity of the charged radiation incident on the top of the earth's atmosphere. No evidence has been found for γ rays (energies between 0.47 and 3.50 Mev) emanating from the sun or from the Crab Nebula.
5-Lipoxygenase and human pulmonary artery endothelial cell proliferation.

Increased 5-lipoxygenase (5LO) expression in pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) has been observed in primary pulmonary hypertension, a disorder associated with pulmonary vascular remodeling...
Synthesis, reactions and x-ray crystal structure of Mo(CO)5(Ph2PCH2), a complex prepared via the unusual reaction of a coordinated chlorophosphine ligand with a carbanion

Abstract The reaction of Mo(CO)5(Ph2PCl) with the anion of 2,2,5-trimethyl-4H-1,3-dioxin-4-one gives [Mo(CO)5(Ph2PCH2 CCHC(O)OC(CH 3 ) 2 O )] (1), in 73% yield. This is only the second report of a reaction of a coordinated chlorophosphine with a carbanion that gives a good yield of the corresponding phosphine. An X-ray crystal structure of 1 shows that the coordination environment of the molybdenum is an octahedron with the MoC distance to the carbonyl trans to the phosphine shorter than those to the carbonyls trans to carbonyls. The conformation of the 1,3-diox-4-enyl group in 1 is a half chair with the isopropylidene C(CH3)2 group above the plane of the other atoms. Complex 1 reacts with alcohols and mercaptans to yield the expected [Mo(CO)5(Ph2PCH2C(O)CH2C(O)ER)] (2: ER = OCy; 3: ER = OMe; 4: ER = SPrn) complexes. These complexes have significant amounts of the enol tautomers present in chloroform-d1 at 23°C with 4 having the highest enol content. Complex 1 reacts with piperidine to give the unexpected product, [Mo(CO)5(Ph2PCH2C(O)CH3)], (5).
Indium and bismuth interdiffusion and its influence on the mobility in In2Se3/Bi2Se3

Abstract In 2 Se 3 /Bi 2 Se 3 is a promising topological insulator (TI) device structure. However, the (Bi 1 − x In x ) 2 Se 3 thin film system undergoes a transition from TI to band insulator as a function of In concentration, so an investigation of interdiffusion and its influence on transport properties of this system is important. We have grown Bi 2 Se 3 thin films on sapphire (Al 2 O 3 ) using molecular beam epitaxy followed by In 2 Se 3 thin film growth at three different temperatures. Medium energy ion scattering measurements of those films showed that the 50 °C growth temperature resulted in less In diffusion and an amorphous In 2 Se 3 structure. At higher growth temperatures In diffusion was more significant and better In 2 Se 3 crystallinity was observed. Our transport measurements showed that the mobility decreases with increasing In diffusion into Bi 2 Se 3 .
Analysis of extreme ultraviolet microscopy images of patterned nanostructures based on a correlation method

A method to analyze extreme ultraviolet microscopy images of nanostructures that allows for the simultaneous determination of an object’s feature size and image resolution is presented. It is based on the correlation between the image and a set of templates of known resolution generated from the original image using Gaussian filters. The analysis was applied to images obtained with a Fresnel zone plate microscope that uses a 13.2 nm wavelength laser light for illumination. The object’s feature size and the resolution obtained with this method are shown to be in very good agreement with independent measurements of both magnitudes. © 2008 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 100.2000, 100.2960, 110.0180.
Are Simulations of Cold Dark Matter Consistent with Galactic-Scale Observations at High Redshift?

We compare new observations on the kinematic characteristics of the damped Lyα systems against results from numerical smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations to test the predictions of hierarchical galaxy formation. This exercise is particularly motivated by recent numerical results on the cross section of damped Lyα systems. Our analysis focuses on the velocity widths Δv of ≈50 low-ion absorption profiles from our sample of z > 1.5 damped Lyα systems. The results indicate that current numerical simulations fail to match the damped Lyα observations at high confidence levels (>99.9%). Although we do not believe that our results present an insurmountable challenge to the paradigm of hierarchical cosmology, the damped Lyα observations suggest that current numerical SPH simulations overlook an integral aspect of galaxy formation.
Column chromatography and verification of phytosiderophores by phenylisothiocyanate derivatization and UV detection

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the separation of phytosiderophores and for verification of the Fe 3+ -complexing ability of chromatographic separates. The chromatographic procedure involves separation on a C 18 reversed-phase column by linear gradient elution with sodium acetate (pH 6.4) and methanol with UV detection, following pre-column derivatization of the phytosiderophores with phenylisothiocyanate (PITC). A modification of the procedure involving pretreatment of the sample with Fe 3+ , which blocks the derivatization by PITC, was used to confirm whether a given chromatographic peak was attributable to an Fe 3+ -complexing compound. The practical detection limit was approximately 100 pmol of phytosiderophore.
The dynamics of length change in canine vocal folds

Summary The time courses of vocal fold elongation and contraction have beenmeasured as a function of intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity. The superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves of anesthetized canines were stimulated supramaximally (on-off in all combinations) while the vocal folds were surgically exposed and illuminated for conventional and higher speed (300 frames per second) video recording. Microsutures were placed on various points on the vocal folds to measure elongation and contraction. Vocal fold strain, defined as elongation divided by rest length, ranged from −17% to +45%. The typical time constant for exponential increase or decrease in strain was about 30 ms. This reflects primarily the intrinsic muscle activation times rather than a passive (inertial or viscoelastic) response of cricothyroid joint rotation or translation.
Slow litter decomposition in a Cecropia-dominated secondary forest of central Amazonia

Different proportions of tree canopy cover in a second-growth forest were removed to determine the effect of canopy opening on the carbon cycle of a 10-y-old tropical rain forest dominated by Cecropia species. Understorey vegetation was left intact. Mean maximum monthly temperature increased in the 50 and 100% cut areas relative to 0% canopy removal plots. Plots with a 100% canopy removal had slightly higher soil moisture than 50 and 0% removal plots. Annual fine litter input was 6.9±0.3 t ha−1 in the 0% cut plots with two separate peaks during the year. There was less litter input and a tendency toward slower decomposition of leaf litter in more open plots than in the plots with greater canopy cover. Percent lignin, carbon and nitrogen did not differ between the kinds of plant material used in the decomposition experiment. Quantity of tannins, however, related directly to decomposition rates. The annual decay rate (k) determined at 560 d from three kinds of litter in bags ranged from −0.39 to −0.61. There was no significant difference in decay rates associated with percent canopy removal. Decay rate estimates, using annual input of litter divided by standing mass of fine litter (the average of dry and wet season estimates, 10.3 t ha−1), resulted in a k value of −0.7 in the 0% plots, and was higher than any estimate obtained using litterbags. Decomposition rates determined in these second-growth plots are lower than any reported for primary forests in Amazonia.
Critical strain to dead bend

On essaie de montrer qu'il y a une relation entre morphologie fibrillaire, resistance a la compression, bandes de cisaillement, deformation non elastique et faible recourance a faibles contraintes. Technique d'estimation de longueurs des fibrilles
Projected changes in atmospheric heating due to changes in fire disturbance and the snow season in the western Arctic, 2003-2100

[1] In high latitudes, changes in climate impact fire regimes and snow cover duration, altering the surface albedo and the heating of the regional atmosphere. In the western Arctic, under four scenarios of future climate change and future fire regimes (2003–2100), we examined changes in surface albedo and the related changes in regional atmospheric heating due to: (1) vegetation changes following a changing fire regime, and (2) changes in snow cover duration. We used a spatially explicit dynamic vegetation model (Alaskan Frame-based Ecosystem Code) to simulate changes in successional dynamics associated with fire under the future climate scenarios, and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model to simulate changes in snow cover. Changes in summer heating due to the changes in the forest stand age distributions under future fire regimes showed a slight cooling effect due to increases in summer albedo (mean across climates of −0.9 W m−2 decade−1). Over this same time period, decreases in snow cover (mean reduction in the snow season of 4.5 d decade−1) caused a reduction in albedo, and a heating effect (mean across climates of 4.3 W m−2 decade−1). Adding both the summer negative change in atmospheric heating due to changes in fire regimes to the positive changes in atmospheric heating due to changes in the length of the snow season resulted in a 3.4 W m−2 decade−1 increase in atmospheric heating. These findings highlight the importance of gaining a better understanding of the influences of changes in surface albedo on atmospheric heating due to both changes in the fire regime and changes in snow cover duration.
Emergency Admissions for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases and the Chemical Composition of Fine Particle Air Pollution

BackgroundPopulation-based studies have estimated health risks of short-term exposure to fine particles using mass of PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter) as the indicator. E...
On symmetrical clusters of carbon atoms: C60

Preliminary results of theoretical calculations on C60 (“Buckminsterfullerene” or “footballene”) and other symmetrical clusters of carbon atoms are reported.
A finite element method for capillary surfaces with volume constraints

Abstract Capillary surfaces with prescribed volume are determined numerically. The obstacles that confine the given amount of liquid may be planes in space arbitrarily chosen. Parameters of the problem are the Bond number, the contact angle, and the volume. Results for several examples are presented, such as a drop in a corner and on an edge.
Preparation dependent properties of pressed pellets of montmorillonite in the far infrared

Reflectance speculaire de pastilles de montmorillonite preparees sous differentes pressions et pour differentes rugosites de surface
Implementation of a Block Lanczos Algorithm for Eigenproblem Solution of Gyroscopic Systems

This paper describes the details of implementation of a general numerical procedure developed for the accurate and economical computation of natural frequencies and associated modes of any elastic structure rotating along an arbitrary axis. A block version of the Lanczos algorithm is derived for the solution that fully exploits associated matrix sparsity and employs only real numbers in all relevant computations. It is also capable of determining multiple roots and proves to be most efficient when compared to other, similar, existing techniques.
Combined use of high-definition and volumetric optical coherence tomography for the segmentation of neural canal opening in cases of optic nerve edema

ABSTRACT In cases of optic-nerve-head edema, the presence of the swelling reduces the visibility of the underlying neuralcanal opening (NCO) within spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volumes. Consequently,traditional SD-OCT-based NCO segmentation methods often overestimate the size of the NCO. The visibility ofthe NCO can be improved using high-de nition 2D raster scans, but such scans do not provide 3D contextualimage information. In this work, we present a semi-automated approach for the segmentation of the NCO incases of optic disc edema by combining image information from volumetric and high-de nition raster SD-OCTimage sequences. In particular, for each subject, ve high-de nition OCT B-scans and the OCT volume are rstseparately segmented, and then the ve high-de nition B-scans are automatically registered to the OCT volume.Next, six NCO points are placed (manually, in this work) in the central three high-de nition OCT B-scans (twopoints for each central B-scans) and are automatically transferred into the OCT volume. Utilizing a combinationof these mapped points and the 3D image information from the volumetric scans, a graph-based approach is usedto identify the complete NCO on the OCT en-face image. The segmented NCO points using the new approachwere signi cantly closer to expert-marked points than the segmented NCO points using a traditional approach(root mean square di erences in pixels: 5.34 vs. 21.71, p < 0:001).Keywords: optical coherence tomography, neural canal opening, optic disc edema