cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surfactant-induced assembly of enzymatically-stable peptide hydrogels

The secondary structure of peptides in the presence of interacting additives is an important topic of study, having implications in the application of peptide science to a broad range of modern technologies. Surfactants constitute a class of biologically relevant compounds that are known to influence both peptide conformation and aggregation or assembly. We have characterized the secondary structure of a linear nonapeptide composed of a hydrophobic alanine/phenylalanine core flanked by hydrophilic acid/amine units. We show that the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) induces the formation of β-sheets and macroscopic gelation in this otherwise unstructured peptide. Through comparison to related additives, we propose that SDS-induced secondary structure formation is the result of amphiphilicity created by electrostatic binding of SDS to the peptide. In addition, we demonstrate a novel utility of surfactants in manipulating and stabilizing peptide nanostructures. SDS is used to simultaneously induce secondary structure in a peptide and to inhibit the activity of a model enzyme, resulting in a peptide hydrogel that is impervious to enzymatic degradation. These results complement our understanding of the behavior of peptides in the presence of interacting secondary molecules and provide new potential pathways for programmable organization of peptides by the addition of such components.
Evaluation of rapid dual-tracer 62Cu-PTSM + 62Cu-ATSM PET in dogs with spontaneously occurring tumors

We are developing methods for imaging multiple PET tracers in a single scan with staggered injections, where imaging measures for each tracer are separated and recovered using differences in tracer kinetics and radioactive decay. In this work, signal separation performance for rapid dual-tracer (62)Cu-PTSM (blood flow) + (62)Cu-ATSM (hypoxia) tumor imaging was evaluated in a large animal model. Four dogs with pre-existing tumors received a series of dynamic PET scans with (62)Cu-PTSM and (62)Cu-ATSM, permitting evaluation of a rapid dual-tracer protocol designed by previous simulation work. Several imaging measures were computed from the dual-tracer data and compared with those from separate, single-tracer imaging. Static imaging measures (e.g. SUV) for each tracer were accurately recovered from dual-tracer data. The wash-in (k(1)) and wash-out (k(2)) rate parameters for both tracers were likewise well recovered (r = 0.87-0.99), but k(3) was not accurately recovered for PTSM (r = 0.19) and moderately well recovered for ATSM (r = 0.70). Some degree of bias was noted, however, which may potentially be overcome through further refinement of the signal separation algorithms. This work demonstrates that complementary information regarding tumor blood flow and hypoxia can be acquired by a single dual-tracer PET scan, and also that the signal separation procedure works effectively for real physiologic data with realistic levels of kinetic model mismatch. Rapid multi-tracer PET has the potential to improve tumor assessment for image-guide therapy and monitoring, and further investigation with these and other tracers is warranted.
Febrile Seizures and Mesial Temporal Sclerosis.

One of the most controversial issues in epilepsy research is whether prolonged febrile seizures cause mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Retrospective studies from tertiary epilepsy centers report that many adults with intractable TLE have a history of prolonged or atypical febrile seizures in childhood. However, population-based studies have failed to confirm this association, as have prospective studies of febrile seizures (1). This review summarizes the current knowledge from epidemiologic, imaging, and animal studies regarding this controversial subject, and it attempts to define the issues that should be addressed in future research.
A simple and efficient skew detection algorithm via text row accumulation

An important part of any document recognition system is detection of skew in the image of a page. This paper presents a new, accurate and robust skew detection algorithm based on a method for finding rows of text in page images. Results of a comparison of the new algorithm against Baird's well-known algorithm on 400 pages show the new algorithm to be more accurate, robust and somewhat faster. In particular, the new algorithm only breaks down at skew angles in excess of 15 degrees, compared to the almost uniform distribution of breakdowns of Baird's algorithm.
The initiation and adoption of client-server technology in organizations

Abstract A large number of companies are adopting client–server systems. We investigated the relationship between several contextual factors and the initiation and adoption process of this important technology. The contextual factors included: (a) environmental, such as market position; (b) internal factors, namely organizational structure/culture, size, and migration strategy; and (c) technological, such as scope, scale, and cost of a system. An analysis of data from 350 companies revealed that a company's market position, its migration strategy, and the system's scope and scale have a significant effect on the initiation and adoption process.
Az artefaktumok (eszközök) esszenciája

Tobben amellett ervelnek, hogy mivel az eszkozok (artefaktumok) nem termeszetes fajtak, ezert nem reszei a fogalmak azon korenek, amelyek az elmelet-elmelet teruletehez tartoznak. Szemben ezzel az allasponttal, nezetunk szerint az eszkozok valojaban nagyon is ugy funkcionalnak, mint a termeszetes fajtak fogalmai. A felnőttek eszkozfogalmainak alapjat a „tervezeti hozzaallas”-nak nevezett kauzalis-magyarazati struktura kepezi. A tervezeti hozzaallas ertelmeben minden eszkoz letezese, fajtaja es tulajdonsagai a tervező eredeti szandekanak megfelelő funkcio alapjan magyarazhatok. A szandekolt funkcio fogalma ugyanugy hatarozza meg es iranyitja az eszkozokre vonatkozo erveleseinket, mint ahogyan az oksagi esszenciak reprezentacioi determinaljak a termeszetes fajtakra vonatkozo inferen­cia­kat. Tovabba: ugyanugy, ahogyan egyes keretelmeleteket - mint peldaul a vitalista biologiat -, amelyek meghatarozzak a termeszetes fajtakrol valo gondolkodasunkat, a gyermekkor folyaman konstrualunk meg, a tervezeti hozzaall...
Effects of input modality on speech-gesture integration

Do the gestures that accompany narrations produced after watching videos differ from those that accompany narrations produced after reading texts? Building on previous work by Hostetter and Hopkins, we ask whether participants gesture less after reading texts, whether participants produce different types of gestures after reading texts, whether the same motion event features (path and manner) are present in gesture in both cases, and whether gestural viewpoint (character or observer viewpoint) is impacted by input modality. We find that while participants produce longer narrations (and thus more gestures overall) after watching videos, gesture rate (number of gestures per word), gesture type, motion event feature encoding, and viewpoint are not affected by input modality. We comment on the implications of our findings for embodied theories of language.
Respiratory Tract Infection Clinical Trials from 2007 to 2012. A Systematic Review of ClinicalTrials.gov.

Rationale: Respiratory tract infections are highly prevalent and variable, and confer considerable morbidity and mortality. There is a growing need for new treatments for such infections, particularly in the setting of worsening antibacterial resistance.Objectives: We analyzed data from ClinicalTrials.gov to summarize activity in respiratory infection trials, identify gaps in research activity, and inform efforts to address disparities between antimicrobial resistance and development of new antibacterial drugs.Methods: We examined 69,779 interventional trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov from 2007 to 2012, focusing on study conditions and interventions to identify respiratory infection–related trials. Programmatic identification with manual confirmation yielded 6,253 infectious disease trials, 1,377 respiratory infection trials, and 270 lower respiratory tract infection trials for analysis.Measurements and Main Results: The 1,377 respiratory infection trials accounted for 2% of all trials and 22% of...
Recent anthropogenic increases in SO2 from Asia have minimal impact on stratospheric aerosol

[1] Observations suggest that the optical depth of the stratospheric aerosol layer between 20 and 30 km has increased 4–10% per year since 2000, which is significant for Earth's climate. Contributions to this increase both from moderate volcanic eruptions and from enhanced coal burning in Asia have been suggested. Current observations are insufficient to attribute the contribution of the different sources. Here we use a global climate model coupled to an aerosol microphysical model to partition the contribution of each. We employ model runs that include the increases in anthropogenic sulfur dioxide (SO2) over Asia and the moderate volcanic explosive injections of SO2 observed from 2000 to 2010. Comparison of the model results to observations reveals that moderate volcanic eruptions, rather than anthropogenic influences, are the primary source of the observed increases in stratospheric aerosol.
Flow-level upstream traffic behavior in broadband access networks: DSL versus broadband fixed wireless

We present flow-level upstream traffic behavior based on data collected from broadband fixed wireless (BFW) and digital subscriber line (DSL) access services. The study involves data collected using Cisco's NetFlow tools on both access networks. The observations indicate that a number of applications based on peer-to-peer (P2P) concepts create most of the upstream traffic. The flows observed are mostly short-lived for both BFW and DSL access, with DSL being the lesser of the two. The inter-arrival time displays near-range correlation for the DSL flows. There is a significant periodicity observed in the interarrival time distribution for flows on BFW access, which is indicative of the influence of the underlying medium access control (MAC) protocol on traffic behavior. These analysis of upstream traffic characteristics form the first step towards constructing a generalized parametric model for broadband access networks.
The molecular intersection of brassinosteroid-regulated growth and flowering in Arabidopsis

The transition from vegetative to reproductive growth in plants is a major developmental switch regulated by a set of complex, integrated signal transduction pathways that respond to both environmental cues and endogenous signals to alter the expression of genes associated with the initiation and development of floral organs (1). Understanding the molecular mechanisms of flowering has both intrinsic scientific interest and immense practical agricultural applications. In many plants, the timing of flowering is regulated by light quality and quantity, temperature, and the action of gibberellins (GAs), a class of plant hormones with pleiotropic effects on both vegetative and reproductive development (2). Another class of plant hormones, the brassinosteroids (BRs), also regulates multiple aspects of plant development (3), and recent evidence suggests that BRs stimulate flowering by reducing transcript levels of a potent floral repressor (4). As with many other developmental processes in plants, our understanding of molecular events underlying floral initiation has been greatly advanced by studying mutants in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The molecular genetic analysis of Arabidopsis mutants exhibiting early or delayed flowering has uncovered numerous critical components of signal transduction pathways regulating response to photoperiod, hormones, and cold treatment. Similarly, analysis of mutants with defective BR perception or response has provided extensive details on the molecular components required for BR signaling (5, 6). In this issue of PNAS, Yu et al. (7) provide a connection between BR signal transduction and pathways controlling floral initiation by demonstrating that a critical …
Irreverent recollections from Cooke and Coca, 1928-1978.

The story commences with two strong personalities, Arthur F. Coca (1875-1959) and Robert A. Cooke ( 18801959). Both had had childhood allergies and as physicians they proceeded to specialize in this area whit h concerned them intimately. And both were active with the teaching affiliation between Cornell University Medical College located at 26th St. and First Avenue in Manhattan (across from Bellevue Hospitalj and the New York Hospital on West 16th Street just west of Fifth Avenue. Coca was more the solitary laboratory type, interested in immunology and allergenic extracts and in teaching; Cooke was the physician and organizer of allergy clinics. These two individuals, at first working hand in hand, later apart, largely shaped the new discipline in America and afforded training in clinical allergy to many selected individuals who later established their own practices. Several physicians in private practice also helped to establish the discipline, such as Joseph Harkavy and Bret Ratner in New California.
Hyperinsulinism in syndromal disorders.

Analysis of a German database comprising a total of 54 patients with neonatal manifestations of persistent hyperinsulinism revealed 5 patients in whom hyperinsulinism was associated with additional clinical symptoms, suggesting an underlying syndromal disorder. Three of the patients presented with a similar yet unknown clinical entity characterized by severe psychomotor retardation, chronic pulmonary disease, hypothyroidism and congenital heart defects. A fourth patient was affected by severe congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. The fifth patient presented with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, with unusually severe and persistent hyperinsulinism requiring subtotal pancreatectomy. Conclusion: Our results indicate that, in addition to the well-known biochemical pathways, more complex pathophysiological mechanisms can result in persistent hyperinsulinism that presents clinically with a disease involving multiple organs.
Banking in the early stages of industrialization a preliminary survey

Abstract The functions performed by financial institutions, and the specific manner in which they perform them, vary according to the circumstances of time and place. Many factors—political, economic, perhaps even geographic—affect their character. It is easy, for example, to recognize what we might call ‘national styles’ in the financial structures of different nations, due largely to political and other historical circumstances more or less unique to each nation. On the other hand, the character of the economic demand for their services will go far toward determining the character of the institutions. Specifically, the demands placed on the financial sector by an economy undergoing rapid industrialization will differ from those in both highly industrialized economies and agrarian, pre-industrial economies, with consequent implications for differences in financial structure and function. It should also be recognized, of course, that the manner in which financial institutions perform their functions const...
The KQ Element, a Complex Genetic Region Conferring Transferable Resistance to Carbapenems, Aminoglycosides, and Fluoroquinolones in Klebsiella pneumoniae

The bla(KPC-3) and qnrB19 determinants of transferable Klebsiella pneumoniae plasmid pLRM24 reside within a complex region consisting of a Tn1331 backbone into which a Tn4401-like element and qnrB19 mobilized by an adjacent ISEcp1 insertion sequence have been inserted. This novel element represents a coalescence of genes conferring multidrug resistance in K. pneumoniae.
INDUCTION OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT SINGLE‐STRAND BREAKS IN HUMAN CELL DNA BY FAR‐ AND NEAR‐ULTRAVIOLET RADIATIONS: ACTION SPECTRUM AND MECHANISMS

— An action spectrum for the immediate induction in DNA of single-strand breaks (SSBs, frank breaks plus alkali-labile sites) in human P3 teratoma cells in culture by monochromatic 254-, 270-, 290-, 313-, 334-, 365-, and 405-nm radiation is described. The cells were held at +0.5dC during irradiation and were Iysed immediately for alkaline sedimentation analysis following the irradiation treatments. Linear fluence responses were observed over the fluence ranges studied for all energies. Irradiation of the cells in a D2O environment (compared with the normal H2O environment) did not alter the rate of induction of SSBs by 290-nm radiation, whereas the D2O environment enhanced the induction of SSBs by 365- and 405-nm irradiation. Analysis of the relative efficiencies for the induction of SSBs, corrected for quantum efficiency and cellular shielding, revealed a spectrum that coincided closely with nucleic acid absorption below 313 nm. At longer wavelengths, the plot of relative efficiency vs. wavelength contained a minor shoulder in the same wavelength region as that observed in a previously obtained action spectrum for stationary phase Bacillus subtilis cells. Far-UV radiation induced few breaks relative to pyrimidine dimers, whereas in the near-UV region of radiation, SSBs account for a significant proportion of the lesions relative to dimers, with a maximum number of SSBs per lethal event occurring at 365-nm radiation.
Experiments on annealed binary phase only filters fabricated with electron beam lithography

A binary phase only filter is encoded using a simulated annealing algorithm to distinguish two similar characters. Characters that cannot be distinguished with conventional filter encoding methods are clearly distinguished with the annealed binary phase only filter in a computer simulation. Two binary phase only filters have been fabricated by use of electron beam lithography and chemical etching. One is an annealed binary phase only filter, and the other is a binary phase only filter encoded with a conventional method. Optical pattern recognition experiments using the filters agree well with computer simulation results.
Real-time two-dimensional temperature imaging using ultrasound

We present a system for real-time 2D imaging of temperature change in tissue media using pulse-echo ultrasound. The frontend of the system is a SonixRP ultrasound scanner with a research interface giving us the capability of controlling the beam sequence and accessing radio frequency (RF) data in real-time. The beamformed RF data is streamlined to the backend of the system, where the data is processed using a two-dimensional temperature estimation algorithm running in the graphics processing unit (GPU). The estimated temperature is displayed in real-time providing feedback that can be used for real-time control of the heating source. Currently we have verified our system with elastography tissue mimicking phantom and in vitro porcine heart tissue, excellent repeatability and sensitivity were demonstrated.
A comparison of X-ray fluorescence and wet chemical analysis for lead on air filters from different personal samplers used in a secondary lead smelter/solder manufacturer.

Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology may provide faster turn-around without compromising accuracy when assessing personal exposures to metals such as lead, but it has only been tested in limited field environments. This study is part of a series, where various types of sampler are used to collect airborne lead in different environments for presentation to a portable XRF analyzer. In this case personal samples were taken at a manufacturer of solder alloys consisting mainly of lead and tin, using the closed-face 37 mm cassette (CFC), the 37 mm GSP or “cone” sampler, the 25 mm Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) inhalable sampler, the 25 mm button sampler, and the open-face 25 mm cassette. Mixed cellulose–ester filters were used in all samplers. Following XRF analysis the samples were extracted with acid and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP). The internal surfaces of CFC’s and 25 mm open-face cassettes were also wiped, and the wipes analyzed for lead to assess wall-losses in these two samplers. Analysis of all elements present is useful to ascertain contributions to matrix interference effects. In addition to lead, other metals such as tin, copper, iron, silver, cadmium and antimony were also detected in some or all of the samples by ICP analysis, but only copper and iron could be determined using the XRF analyzer under test. After the removal of a few outliers, all five samplers gave good correlations (r2 > 0.9) between the two analytical methods over the entire range of found lead mass, which encompassed both the action level and the permissible exposure limit enforced in the USA by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Linear regression on the results from most samplers gave almost 1 ∶ 1 correlations without additional correction, indicating an absence of matrix effects, particularly from tin, which was the most common element after lead. The average of three XRF readings across filters from the GSP samplers gave the best results with 96.7% of results within ±25% and 100% within ±30% of the associated ICP values. Using the center reading only was almost as good with 90.0% of results within ±25% and 96.7% within ±30% of the associated ICP values, and results can be obtained faster with a single reading. The use of an algorithm developed by OSHA for three readings from the CFC filter samples gave the next best results with 93.3% of XRF results within ±25% of the corresponding ICP values. However, analysis of wipes from the interior of the cassettes indicated a substantial loss of sample to the walls, and even larger wall-losses were encountered in the 25 mm open-face cassette. Neither this latter sampler nor the IOM or button sampler met the 95% criterion, even for ±30% accuracy.
MASCOT: Manycast Architecture for Service-Oriented Tactical Operations

In this paper we present our work on the Manycast Architecture for Service-Oriented Tactical Operations, or MASCOT, a project between the University of Masschusetts, Dartmouth and the United States Marine Corps (USMC). MASCOT is a service that can be used by the Combat Operation Centers (COCs) to efficiently allocate tactical field resources given a task request, or mission, and set of constraints. We have implemented a prototype as a standalone Java application that is able to allocate resources for tactical missions. COCs deal with a large amount of dynamic input from other systems and must manage a number of tactical field resources. Finding good resources given a specific request involves examining a large solution space which is difficult for human operators. MASCOT can make this task faster and more accurate.
Proinflammatory-activated glioma cells induce a switch in microglial polarization and activation status, from a predominant M2b phenotype to a mixture of M1 and M2a/B polarized cells.

Malignant gliomas are primary brain tumors characterized by morphological and genetic complexities, as well as diffuse infiltration into normal brain parenchyma. Within gliomas, microglia/macrophages represent the largest tumor-infiltrating cell population, contributing by at least one-third to the total tumor mass. Bi-directional interactions between glioma cells and microglia may therefore play an important role on tumor growth and biology. In the present study, we have characterized the influence of glioma-soluble factors on microglial function, comparing the effects of media harvested under basal conditions with those of media obtained after inducing a pro-inflammatory activation state in glioma cells. We found that microglial cells undergo a different pattern of activation depending on the stimulus; in the presence of activated glioma-derived factors, i.e. a condition mimicking the late stage of pathology, microglia presents as a mixture of polarization phenotypes (M1 and M2a/b), with up-regulation of iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase), ARG (arginase) and IL (interleukine)-10. At variance, microglia exposed to basal glioma-derived factors, i.e. a condition resembling the early stage of pathology, shows a more specific pattern of activation, with increased M2b polarization status and up-regulation of IL-10 only. As far as viability and cell proliferation are concerned, both LI-CM [LPS (lipopolysaccharide)–IFNγ (interferon γ) conditioned media] and C-CM (control-conditioned media) induce similar effects on microglial morphology. Finally, in human glioma tissue obtained from surgical resection of patients with IV grade glioblastoma, we detected a significant amount of CD68 positive cells, which is a marker of macrophage/microglial phagocytic activity, suggesting that in vitro findings presented here might have a relevance in the human pathology as well.
Assessing individual risk for breast cancer: role of oestrogens and androgens.

With a focus on early diagnosis and improved treatment strategies, investigative studies and clinical trials over the past two decades have improved the recurrence-free and overall survival rates in breast cancer patients. However, women and their physicians have increasingly recognized the substantial cost and emotional burden resulting from breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Prevention of the disease avoids these problems but requires an ability to predict risk. Selection of women at higher risk enhances the benefit/risk ratio of preventative agents [1]. Several valid methods are currently available for risk assessment, but their ability to identify women at moderate risk is limited [2]. Several factors, not included in the currently available models, could potentially enhance the predictive power of risk prediction methods. These factors include measurement of plasma androgens and oestrogens, as well as mammographic density, bone density and body mass index (BMI). A history of weight gain, age of menopause, fracture, alcohol use, magnitude of exercise and duration of breast feeding could also contribute.
The Effects of Teacher Questioning Levels on Student Achievement: A Quantitative Synthesis

AbstractA recent meta-analysis showed large effects of teacher use of higher order questions on student achievement (Redfield & Rousseau, 1981) and contradicted Winners (1979) previous review which showed the research to be inconclusive. For this reason, a quantitative synthesis was conducted to estimate the quasi-experimental and experimental effects of teachers’ questioning strategies on academic achievement. Fourteen studies, which contrasted effects of predominantly higher cognitive questions and predominantly factual questions, were examined and were compared with the results of the earlier reviews. Higher cognitive questioning strategies have a small positive median effect on learning measures but not as large as has been suggested by the previous meta-analysis (Redfield & Rousseau 1981). Moderate and even large effects may exist but remain to be demonstrated.
Crystallographic Identification of Lipid as an Integral Component of the Epitope of HIV Broadly Neutralizing Antibody 4E10

Numerous studies of the anti-HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 41 (gp41) broadly neutralizing antibody 4E10 suggest that 4E10 also interacts with membrane lipids, but the antibody regions contacting lipids and its orientation with respect to the viral membrane are unknown. Vaccine immunogens capable of re-eliciting these membrane proximal external region (MPER)-like antibodies may require a lipid component to be successful. We performed a systematic crystallographic study of lipid binding to 4E10 to identify lipids bound by the antibody and the lipid-interacting regions. We identified phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglycerol, and glycerol phosphate as specific ligands for 4E10 in the crystal structures. 4E10 used its CDRH1 loop to bind the lipid head groups, while its CDRH3 interacted with the hydrophobic lipid tails. Identification of the lipid binding sites on 4E10 may aid design of immunogens for vaccines that include a lipid component in addition to the MPER on gp41 for generation of broadly neutralizing antibodies.
Calcium chelators induce bronchoconstriction in the canine lung periphery

We studied the mechanism by which Na2EDTA, a divalent cation chelator, induces bronchoconstriction in the lung periphery of mongrel dogs as a model of nonspecific small airway hyperresponsiveness. Using a wedged bronchoscope technique, we measured collateral system resistance (Rcs) before and after challenges with aerosolized Na2EDTA. An isotonic solution (4% Na2EDTA, 0.28 osmol/kg) increased Rcs 91 +/- 21%. Na2EDTA increased Rcs in a dose-dependent fashion after challenges of increasing concentration (0, 1, 3, and 6%) or duration (15, 30, 60, and 90 s) with 6% Na2EDTA. Atropine (1 mg/kg iv) significantly (P = 0.01) attenuated the response to an aerosol challenge with distilled H2O. Atropine did not significantly (P = 0.35) alter the response to a challenge with 4% Na2EDTA. Challenge with 6% Na2EDTA (0.42 osmol/kg) increased Rcs to a significantly greater (P less than 0.01) extent than did challenge with 6% CaNa2EDTA (0.37 osmol/kg, 250 +/- 55 vs. 29 +/- 11%, respectively). We conclude that Na2EDTA induces bronchoconstriction in the canine lung periphery in a dose-dependent fashion. As suggested by the Na2EDTA-CaNa2EDTA comparison, hyperosmolality of the solution alone cannot explain this phenomenon. The mechanism does not depend on muscarinic activity and appears to involve chelation of calcium.
Thermal Performance of Sierpinski Carpet Fractal Fins in a Natural Convection Environment

When certain fractal geometries are used in the design of fins or heat sinks the surface area available for heat transfer can be increased while system mass can be simultaneously decreased. In order to assess the thermal performance of fractal fins for application in the thermal management of electronic devices an experimental investigation was performed. The experimental investigation assessed the efficiency, effectiveness, and effectiveness per unit mass of straight rectangular fins inspired by the first four iterations of the Sierpinski carpet fractal pattern. The thermal performance of the fractal fins was investigated in a natural convection environment. While fin efficiency was found to decrease with fractal iteration fin effectiveness per unit mass increased with fractal iteration. In addition, a fractal fin inspired by the fourth iteration of the Sierpinski carpet fractal pattern was found to be more effective than a traditional straight rectangular fin of equal width, height, and thickness. When compared to a traditional straight rectangular fin, or the zeroth fractal iteration, a fin inspired by the fourth fractal iteration of the Sierpinski carpet fractal pattern was found to be 4.87% more effective, 15.19% less efficient, and 67.98% more effective per unit mass. The amount of the total heat transfer attributed to thermal radiation was also dependent on fractal iteration. Thermal radiation accounted for 45.52% of the total heat transfer for the baseline case, or zeroth fractal iteration. Thermal radiation accounted for 51.94%, 50.17%, 52.77%, and 66.62% of the total heat transfer for the first, second, third, and fourth fractal iteration respectively.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Survival of First-Instar Common Cattle Grubs under Anaerobic Conditions in vitro

In the field of physiology, no study is more important than that of respiration. Most animals require oxygen to complete the respiratory cycle. Surprisingly, however, a considerable number of multicelled animals live either in the complete absence of oxygen or at levels so low as to be not measurable; for example, those insects that live in deep lakes and in the intestines of larger animals. Therefore, in order to advance knowledge of the biology of insects that live in tissues of large animals, it was desirable to determine whether such an insect, taken from its natural habitat, could survive in vitro under conditions of low levels or complete absence of oxygen. The common cattle grub, Hypoderma lineatum (de Villers), was selected as a test insect, since in previous experiments the uptake of oxygen by first instars of this species was so low that it could not be measured with the Warburg^ apparatus, even when 5 or 6 larvae were placed in a single vessel and the apparatus operated for 24 hr. Further, in this insect's natural habitat in the subcutaneous tissues of bovines, oxygen is available in only very minute quantities.
Comorbid trajectories of postpartum depression and PTSD among mothers with childhood trauma history: Course, predictors, processes and child adjustment.

Abstract Background Both postpartum depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been identified as unique risk factors for poor maternal psychopathology. Little is known, however, regarding the longitudinal processes of co-occurring depression and PTSD among mothers with childhood adversity. The present study addressed this research gap by examining co-occurring postpartum depression and PTSD trajectories among mothers with childhood trauma history. Methods 177 mothers with childhood trauma history reported depression and PTSD symptoms at 4, 6, 12, 15 and 18 months postpartum, as well as individual (shame, posttraumatic cognitions, dissociation) and contextual (social support, childhood and postpartum trauma experiences) factors. Results Growth mixture modeling (GMM) identified three comorbid change patterns: The Resilient group (64%) showed the lowest levels of depression and PTSD that remained stable over time; the Vulnerable group (23%) displayed moderately high levels of comorbid depression and PTSD; and the Chronic High-Risk group (14%) showed the highest level of comorbid depression and PTSD. Further, a path model revealed that postpartum dissociation, negative posttraumatic cognitions, shame, as well as social support, and childhood and postpartum trauma experiences differentiated membership in the Chronic High-Risk and Vulnerable . Finally, we found that children of mothers in the Vulnerable group were reported as having more externalizing and total problem behaviors. Limitations Generalizability is limited, given this is a sample of mothers with childhood trauma history and demographic risk. Conclusions The results highlight the strong comorbidity of postpartum depression and PTSD among mothers with childhood trauma history, and also emphasize its aversive impact on the offspring.
Summary of Cutting-Edge Technologies for Smart Grid

Smart grid is an development trend of the electric power industry in China and it will improve the development of relevant technologies.This paper introduces the advanced technologies of smart grid from the aspect of power generation,transmission,transformation,distribution,consumption and dispatching,and reviews the current application and development trend,and discusses the relationship between smart gird and the new cutting-edge technologies.
Necroptotic cell death – An unexpected driver of pancreatic oncogenesis

Cell growth and death are tightly regulated mechanisms that, in concert, facilitate tissue formation and integrity. Disruption in either pathway is a well-described hallmark that cancer cells explo...
Urodynamic patterns in children with dysfunctional voiding problems.

AbstractSimultaneous measurements of the intravesical pressure, electromyographic activity of the anal sphincter and the urinary flow rate in 17 children with dysfunctional voiding problems have shown a variety of unusual patterns, each distinct for the particular child but all with the common denominator of failure to coordinate detrusor and sphincter activity. We postulate that these patterns represent persistence of the transitional phase in the development of micturitional control whereby the child learns to prevent involuntary wetting by forceful contraction of the external urethral sphincter.
Common Postoperative and Inpatient Issues

This chapter reviews the diagnosis and management of common issues in the care of postoperative and admitted patients, including oliguria, tachycardia, sinus bradycardia, asymptomatic hypertension, nausea, and emesis.
A comparative analysis of the spin state distribution of in vitro and in vivo mutants of PsaC. A biochemical argument for the sequence of electron transfer in Photosystem I as FX → FA → FB → ferredoxin/flavodoxin

The EPR properties of in vivo and in vitro C14X–PS I and C51X–PS I (X = D, S, A or G) mutants of PsaC are compared in an attempt to extract information about electron transfer not contained in any one of these studies in isolation. This analysis indicates that 1) sulfur from an external 'rescue thiolate' is preferred over oxygen from an aspartate or serine replacement amino acid as a ligand to the FA and FB iron-sulfur clusters; 2) the inherent spectroscopic symmetry in the FA and FB clusters of unbound PsaC is lost when PsaC is docked to its site on the PsaA/PsaB heterodimer; 3) the bound 'rescue thiolate' ligand in the modified site of the FA cluster, but not the FB, cluster is displaced when PsaC is docked to its site on the PsaA/PsaB heterodimer; 4) the free energy of binding PsaC to the PsaA/PsaB heterodimer drives the otherwise-unfavorable ligand replacement in the FA site. These and other findings argue that the substitute ligands support a [4Fe–4S] cluster at the modified site, but the cluster is in either a ground spin state of S ≥ 3/2 or S = 1/2 depending on the chemical identity of the ligand, on whether PsaC is unbound or bound, and on the reduction state of the cluster in the unmodified site. By a comparative analysis of the spin state distribution of the in vivo and in vitro C14X–PS I and C51X–PS I (X = D, S, A or G) mutants, and with knowledge from the X-ray crystal structure that PsaC is bound asymmetrically to the PS I reaction center, an independent case is made that PsaC is oriented so that the FA cluster is proximal to FX and the FB cluster is distal to FX. These results are compared and contrasted with the results of in vivo mutagenesis studies of PsaC in Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413 and in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In all cases, the primary data can be interpreted to support the sequence of electron transfer as FX → FA → FB → ferredoxin.
RF Front-End Technologies--30 Years of Applied Research and Development [Book\/Software Reviews]

The author, Mike Harris was a principal research engineer, division chief, and associate director in the Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory at Georgia Technical Research Institute. He has 40 years experience in semiconductor materials and device technology. He developed semiconductor processes for gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) pseudomorphic HEMTs (pHEMTs). The second author, Rick Sturdivant, has industry experience designing products for microwave and millimeter-wave systems. He developed the world’s first array module for phased-array radar. He is currently president of Microwave Packaging Technology, Inc. This book focuses on RF application-specific integrated circuit chip set design for active electronically scanned arrays (AESAs) for radar and communication applications in both transmit and receive modules. It condenses 30 years of applied research and development of RF front-end technologies. T/R modules technology topics covered in the text include an introduction to phased arrays in radar and communication systems, T/R modules, and module components; monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs); T/R module packaging; RF interconnect materials; thermal management for T/R modules, and MMICs; T/R module manufacturing and testing; module costs; and next-generation T/R modules.
Abstract 202: Transitional Care of Cardiac Patients with Psychiatric Disorders: How Bridging the Discharge Gap Effectively Measures-up

Background: BRIdging the Discharge Gap Effectively (BRIDGE), a nurse practitioner delivered cardiac transitional care program, reduces 30-day readmissions and ED visits. Since psychiatric (psych) conditions are known to complicate care, we sought to determine if BRIDGE attendance reduces events in this at-risk population. Methods: Retrospective data was abstracted for all patients referred to BRIDGE (June ’08- Dec ’10) including: demographics, comorbidities and events within 6 months of discharge. Of 770 patients referred, 189 (24.5%) had a referral diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Results: Of these ACS patients, 73 (38.6%) were female, 162 (87%) were white, 16 (8.6%) were black. Mean age was 63.0±13.6 years, Charlson Comorbidity Index Score was 1.7± 1.0 and median length of initial hospitalization was 3[2-4] days. Fifty-five patients(29.7%) had psych disorders including 39 (20.6%) with depression, 21 (11.1%) with anxiety, 5(2.7%) with dementia and 17 (9%) with substance abuse. There was a high degree of correlation between the presence of anxiety and depression (r^2= 0.44376, p Conclusion: Data from this small sample suggests that BRIDGE does not improve outcomes for some patients with psych conditions. More research is needed to better understand the special needs of patients with anxiety or depression and the degree to which attending BRIDGE impacts outcomes in this population.
Structure and Dynamics of DNA and RNA Double Helices of CAG and GAC Trinucleotide Repeats.

Abstract CAG trinucleotide repeats are known to cause 10 late-onset progressive neurodegenerative disorders as the repeats expand beyond a threshold, whereas GAC repeats are associated with skeletal dysplasias and expand from the normal five to a maximum of seven repeats. The TR secondary structure is believed to play a role in CAG expansions. We have carried out free energy and molecular dynamics studies to determine the preferred conformations of the A-A noncanonical pairs in (CAG) n and (GAC) n trinucleotide repeats ( n = 1, 4) and the consequent changes in the overall structure of the RNA and DNA duplexes. We find that the global free energy minimum corresponds to A-A pairs stacked inside the core of the helix with anti-anti conformations in RNA and (high-anti)-(high-anti) conformations in DNA. The next minimum corresponds to anti-syn conformations, whereas syn-syn conformations are higher in energy. Transition rates of the A-A conformations are higher for RNA than DNA. Mechanisms for these various transitions are identified. Additional structural and dynamical aspects of the helical conformations are explored, with a focus on contrasting CAG and GAC duplexes. The neutralizing ion distribution around the noncanonical pairs is described.
Compassion in a heartbeat: Physiology during couples’ loss discussions:

The physiology of compassion, typically studied in individuals, has not yet been studied dyadically and in the context of close relationships. The current study used dating partners’ discussions of...
Cortical actin structures and their relationship to mammalian cell movements.

Cytoplasmic filaments effect cell movement, organize the cytoplasm, and support the cell membrane. Three filament systems are currently recognized: actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. In this chapter we describe the role of actin filaments in the structure and movement of metazoan cytoplasm.
An Evaluation of Multicriteria Decision-Making Methods in Integrated Assessment of Climate Policy

Those who conduct integrated assessments (IAs) are increasingly aware of the need to explicitly consider uncertainty and a range of criteria when evaluating alternative policies for preventing global warming. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods provide a useful set of tools for understanding tradeoffs and gaining insight into policy alternatives. A difficulty facing potential MCDM users is the · multitude of different techniques, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Methods differ widely in terms of their ease of use and appropriateness to the issue under consideration. Most importantly, different methods can yield strikingly different rankings of alternatives. A workshop was held to expose climate change experts, IA researchers, and policy makers to a range of MCDM methods and to evaluate and compare their potential usefulness to IA. Participants applied several methods in the context of a hypothetical greenhouse gas policy decision and evaluated each method. Analysis of method results and participant feedback through questionnaires and discussion provide the basis for conclusions regarding the use of MCDM methods for climate change policy and IA analysis.
Teaching About the Other in Primary Level Social Studies: The Sami in Norwegian Textbooks

Purpose: The aim of this article is to discuss to what extent and in what ways the Sami people are included in national imaginary in textbooks. The article sheds critical light on important aspects of democracy, inclusion and multi-culturalism in education through the example of indigenous peoples in Norway. The article also explores what opportunities textbooks provide for promoting anti-oppressive education and pedagogical subjectification. Method: Social studies textbooks for primary school are analyzed based on critical discourse analysis (CDA) and elements from multi-modal analysis. The analysis focuses on the use of vocabulary and pronouns signaling inclusion and exclusion. Specific attention is paid to the hidden curriculum. Findings: The Sami are essentialized and actively constructed as the Other through the structure and content of narratives. This corresponds to the strategy described in anti-oppressive education as education for the Other. Externalization of the Sami from the story of the Norwegian national day and in particular, treatment of the discriminatory Norwegianization politics, reinforce the image of Norwegian exceptionalism. Practical implications: Potential for education that promotes social change and subjectification through disrupting hegemonic discourses are located. Extended knowledge on this implicates further research on the workings of discourse in educational practice.
A young woman with upper lobe predominant bronchiectasis.

A 26 year old woman presented with a 10 year history of recurrent lower respiratory tract infections, productive cough, progressive dyspnoea on exertion, and difficulty gaining weight. She had no history of loose or frequent bowel movements, or abdominal pain, and did not smoke. She had not been in contact with any sources of tuberculosis and had no family members with chronic pulmonary conditions. Her body mass index was 18.9 kg/m2, lung sounds were clear, and there was no evidence of nail clubbing. Chest radiography and computed tomography revealed upper lobe predominant bronchiectasis (fig 1, arrow) and airways with mucoid impaction (fig 1, arrowhead). …