cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective phosphorylation of diols with a Lewis acid catalyst

We report a method for the Lewis acid catalyzed phosphorylation of diols with pyrophosphates. Titanium alkoxides were found to be effective catalysts in the selective mono-phosphorylation for a range of diols. Diols of varying chain lengths and substituents were screened, to study the factors that influence mono- versus di-phosphorylation. It was discovered that 2-alkyl-2-amino-1,3-propanediols can be selectively mono-phosphorylated in up to 97% isolated yield. This structural core is mono-phosphorylated in numerous immunomodulating compounds including the FDA-approved drug, FTY720. Figure options Download full-size image Download high-quality image (67 K) Download as PowerPoint slide
Greener approach to nanomaterials and their sustainable applications

The integration of ‘Green Chemistry’ principles into the rapidly evolving field of nanoscience is a necessity for the risk reduction. Several ‘greener’ pathways have been developed to generate nanoparticles in the matrix in which they are to be used thus reducing the exposure risk during handling. The use of naturally occurring biodegradable materials, such as vitamins, sugars, tea or polyphenol-rich agricultural residues, which serve as reducing and capping agents, is demonstrated and may help assist in designing nanomaterials with reduced toxicity. The sustainable use of such green-synthesized nanoparticles in environmental remediation applications and the utility of recyclable magnetic nanoparticles to accomplish nano-catalysis in benign media are highlighted.
Children's cultural values and parental child rearing strategies☆

Abstract Researchers during the past 40 years have infrequently disentangled the relationship between young black children's personal identity and group identity, generally treating them in an undifferentiated manner. Investigators suggest that impersonal agents determine young black children's white-biased cultural values, usually ignoring the influence of parental child-rearing strategies. Findings from three studies in the Midwest, North, and South document that preschool children show consistently Eurocentric (white-biased) choice behavior; the trend for most attitudes and preferences changes to an Afrocentric orientation during middle childhood. Parental interviews obtained from a subsample of Southern parents offer alternative interpretations of these choice patterns; values transmitted (e.g., teaching children about civil rights and racial discrimination) predict children's Afrocentric racial attitudes and preferences.
Verticillium lecanii, isolated from larvae of pear thrips, Taeniothrips inconsequens, in Vermont

Abstract The pear thrips, Taeniothrips inconsequens, has recently become a major pest of sugar maple in the northeastern United States. Verticillium lecanii, an entomopathogenic fungus, was isolated from symptomatic pink, mummified larvae of pear thrips in soil from sugar maple forest stands in Vermont. In 1989, ca. 12% of the pear thrips from soil in southern Vermont showed these symptoms of fungal infection, compared to ca. 4% and 2% in central and northern Vermont, respectively. In one southern county, ca. 22% of the pear thrips were symtomatic. The relatively high incidence and wide distribution of V. lecanii infection in Vermont suggests that this natural enemy may prove to be an effective part of an integrated pear thrips management program in forest habitats.
A Simulation Study of Plow Zone Excavation Sample Designs: How Much is Enough

A sample simulation study was undertaken using a data base from an eighteenth-nineteenth century farmstead site in Delaware where the plow zone over the site core was completely excavated. Systematically stratified aligned samples based on quadrats provided more accurate, more precise, and more efficient estimates than did transect-based designs. Sampling fractions greater than 25 percent did not return significant increases in accuracy, precision, and efficiency relative to the costs of the larger samples.
Evolution of a nitrogen atmosphere on titan.

Photochemical calculations indicate that if NH3 outgassed from Titan it should have been converted to a dense N2 atmosphere during the lifetime of the satellite. A crucial step in the process involves a gas phase reaction of N2H4 with H. The most favorable conditions for this step would be the intermediate production of a CH4-H2 greenhouse capable of raising the gas temperature to 150 K. Subsequently about 20 bars of N2 could have evolved. The pressure-induced opacity of 20 bars of N2 should suffice to explain the recently measured 200 K surface temperature. Unlike the situation on Jupiter, NH3 is not recycled on Titan by reactions involving N2 or N2H4. This may explain the failure of recent attempts to detect NH3 in the upper atmosphere of Titan.
Prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors delay neuronal cell death caused by trophic factor deprivation

Nerve growth factor (NGF) serves a critical survival-promoting function for developing sympathetic neurons. Following removal of NGF, sympathetic neurons undergo apoptosis characterized by the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), up-regulation of BH3-only proteins including BcL-2-interacting mediator of cell death (BIM)(EL), release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and activation of caspases. Here we show that two small-molecule prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors frequently used to activate hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) - ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) and dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) - can inhibit apoptosis caused by trophic factor deprivation. Both DHB and DMOG blocked the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria after NGF withdrawal, whereas only DHB blocked c-Jun up-regulation and phosphorylation. DHB, but not DMOG, also attenuated the induction of BIM(EL) in NGF-deprived neurons, suggesting a possible mechanism whereby DHB could inhibit cytochrome c release. DMOG, on the other hand, was substantially more effective at stabilizing HIF-2alpha and inducing expression of the HIF target gene hexokinase 2 than was DHB. Thus, while HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors can delay cell death in NGF-deprived neurons, they do so through distinct mechanisms that, at least in the case of DHB, are partly independent of HIF stabilization.
Purification of chick oviduct progesterone receptor apoprotein

Abstract The 8S progesterone receptor from chick oviduct has been partially purified (500-fold) as the apoprotein lacking hormone. The procedure employs polyethylene glycol precipitation, phosphocellulose, DNA cellulose, DEAE cellulose, hydroxylapatite and ethyl agarose column chromatography. As shown for the native cytosolic receptor, the purified apoprotein can be dissociated into A and B subunits. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of subunit structure shows no difference between purified and cytosolic native progesterone receptor. The A subunit dissociated from the purified receptor maintains its DNA binding activity as shown by the “Western” protein blotting technique and sedimentation velocity analysis. Moreover, purified progesterone receptor has steroid binding specificity very close to the native material. The purified progesterone receptor is free of DNase and RNase contaminating activities and represents a useful tool for in vitro studies of hormone action.
A new synthesis of perfluoroaromatic grignard reagents

Abstract Perfluoroarylmagnesium compounds have been synthesized directly from completely fluorinated aryl compounds ( e.g., hexafluorobenzene, decafluorobiphenyl, octafluorotoluene and octafluoronaphthalene) through their reaction with ethylmagnesium bromide and certain transition metal halides (CoCl 2 , FeCl 2 , NiCl 2 , CuI, TiCl 4 , PdCl 2 , RhCl 3 and AgCl). The yields of the perfluoroarylmagnesium compound vary with the type of perfluoroaryl substrate and metal halide. The perfluoroarylmagnesium compounds thus formed undergo typical Grignard reactions.
An investigation of the relationship between graphitization and frictional behavior of DLC coatings

In our recent studies, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were found to possess low coefficient of friction (f < 0.1) and excellent wear resistance. The reduction in f was found to be consistent with wear-induced graphitization of the DLC structure. The purpose of the present work was to study the effect of load and sliding velocity on the frictional behavior and graphitization process occurring in DLC during wear. Pin-on-disc experiments were conducted on DLC-coated SiC substrates at sliding velocities between 0.06 and 1.6 m s−1 under 1 and 10 N loading levels using ZrO2 balls as the pin material. Analytical transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the structure and microstructure of the wear debris after testing. The results showed that both sliding velocity and contact load influence the graphitization process. Higher sliding velocities increase the contact frequency and the rate of temperature rise that may facilitate the release of hydrogen atoms from the sp3 structure. Higher loading enhances shear deformation and transformation of the weakened hydrogen-depleted DLC structure into graphite [10]. The present findings are consistent with our earlier proposed wear-induced graphitization mechanism for these films. An equation was developed to describe the transformation kinetics of DLC into graphite as a function of sliding velocity and applied stress.
Nucleo-cytoplasmic exchange of non-histone proteins in amphibian embryos

Abstract As a basis for understanding the role of non-histone proteins in nuclear differentiation, we have identified one period during embryogenesis when intense accumulation of non-histones occurs in nuclei of Rana pipiens. We then demonstrated, experimentally, the loss of non-histones from nuclei after transplantation into enucleated eggs. 3H-tryptophan or 3H-lysine was injected into blastocoeles of mid-blastulae and into archenterons of late gastrulae; embryos were subsequently studied autoradiographically. Nuclei of animal hemisphere cells from blastulae accumulated only small amounts of 3H-tryptophan within 3 h, whereas a large accumulation occurred in endodermal nuclei of gastrulae as early as 1 h, and after 3 h 95.9% ( x ) of the nuclei were densely labelled. Significant accumulation of 3H-lysine occurred in the majority of nuclei of both types within 3 h (blastulae x = 77.5% ; gastrulae x = 54.8% ). Controls, involving RNase or boiling TCA, demonstrated that the 3H-amino acids have been incorporated mainly into proteins. Endodermal nuclei labelled either with 3H-tryptophan or 3H-lysine after a 3 h incubation were transplanted singly into enucleated eggs. Autoradiograms demonstrated that most non-histones leave the nucleus during its reprogramming in the egg cytoplasm prior to first cleavage; whereas other types of proteins labelled with 3H-lysine remain for the most part in the nucleus. Cytochemical studies indicated that some of the non-histones which leave transplanted nuclei are acidic proteins; whereas some of those proteins which remain in the nucleus are histones. In addition to the above findings, the results of these studies demonstrate the feasibility in the future of studying the nucleocytoplasmic migration of different kinds of macromolecules in a developmental metazoan system and determining their roles in the establishment of nuclear differentiation.
Expanding the genetic alphabet: non-epimerizing nucleoside with the pyDDA hydrogen-bonding pattern.

6-Amino-3-(2‘-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-5-nitro-1H-pyridin-2-one (4), a C-glycoside exhibiting the nonstandard pyDDA hydrogen-bonding pattern, was synthesized via Heck coupling. The nitro group greatly enhances the stability of the nucleoside toward acid-catalyzed epimerization without leading to significant deprotonation of the heterocycle at physiological pH. These results make nucleoside 4 a promising candidate for an expanded genetic alphabet.
On some numerical schemes for the solution of wave propagation problems

This paper deals with the numerical solution of wave propagation problems in general although the primary area of interest is elastodynamics. The work is applicable to a variety of wave propagation phenomena of classical physics. Explicit schemes of Strang type are used, which allow many simplifications over existing methods. The Strang schemes allow in a very real but perhaps unexpected way the splitting of the elasticity operator.
Systems Genetics of the Lateral Septal Nucleus in Mouse: Heritability, Genetic Control, and Covariation with Behavioral and Morphological Traits

The lateral septum has strong efferent projections to hypothalamic and midbrain regions, and has been associated with modulation of social behavior, anxiety, fear conditioning, memory-related behaviors, and the mesolimbic reward pathways. Understanding natural variation of lateral septal anatomy and function, as well as its genetic modulation, may provide important insights into individual differences in these evolutionarily important functions. Here we address these issues by using efficient and unbiased stereological probes to estimate the volume of the lateral septum in the BXD line of recombinant inbred mice. Lateral septum volume is a highly variable trait, with a 2.5-fold difference among animals. We find that this trait covaries with a number of behavioral and physiological phenotypes, many of which have already been associated with behaviors modulated by the lateral septum, such as spatial learning, anxiety, and reward-seeking. Heritability of lateral septal volume is moderate (h(2) = 0.52), and much of the heritable variation is caused by a locus on the distal portion of chromosome (Chr) 1. Composite interval analysis identified a secondary interval on Chr 2 that works additively with the Chr 1 locus to increase lateral septum volume. Using bioinformatic resources, we identified plausible candidate genes in both intervals that may influence the volume of this key nucleus, as well as associated behaviors.
Defining risk: Normative considerations

Abstract The public thinks about (i.e., defines) environmental human health risks in different terms than the “experts.”; And because the manner in which we conceive of risk goes a long way in determining how risk management is conceived and carried out, any definition of risk has important normative elements. I argue that environmental policy based on the public's conception of risk fails to adequately protect fundamental human rights to health and liberty, by taking undue account of certain psychological factors that enter into the public's perception of risk. A survey of some of these factors is offered in an attempt to determine their policy relevance. The traditional scientific conception of risk, although not adequate to entirely define risk policy, serves as an important anchor for the protection of these rights by focusing on the probability or number of adverse health effects.
A novel and highly efficient synthesis of the aza analogs of tacrine

We describe a new and efficient synthesis of the aza analogs of tacrine based upon the chemistry of the anionically activated trifluoromethyl group. We identify four sites (A–D) which can be successfully altered to afford the desired fused tricyclic heterocycles in high yield (63–82%). The reaction is believed to proceed through the formation of a quinone methide intermediate.
Enabling effective design of multimodal interfaces for speech-to-speech translation system: An empirical study of longitudinal user behaviors over time and user strategies for coping with errors

The study provides an empirical analysis of long-term user behavioral changes and varying user strategies during cross-lingual interaction using the multimodal speech-to-speech (S2S) translation system of USC/SAIL. The goal is to inform user adaptive designs of such systems. A 4-week medical-scenario-based study provides the basis for our analysis. The data analyzed includes user interviews, post-session surveys, and the extensive system logs that were post-processed and annotated. The annotations measured the meaning transfer rates using human evaluations and a scale defined here called the concept matching score. First, qualitative data analysis investigates user strategies in dealing with errors, such as repeat, rephrase, change topic, start over, and the participants' self-reported longitudinal adaptation to errors. Post-session surveys explore participant experience with the system and point to a trend of user-perceived increased performance over time. The log data analysis provides further insightful results. Users chose to allow some degradation (84% of original concepts) of their intended meaning to proceed through the system, even after they observed potential errors in the visual output from the speech recognizer. The rejected utterances, on average, had only 25% of the original concepts. This user-filtered outcome, after the complete channel transfer through the S2S system, is that 91% of the successful turns result in transfer of at least half the intended concepts while 90% of the user rejected turns would have conveyed less than half the intended meaning. The multimodal interface results in 24% relative improvement in the confirmation mode and in 31% relative improvement in the choice mode compared to the speech-only modality. Analysis also showed that users of the multimodal interface temporally change their strategies by accepting more system-produced choices. This user behavior can expedite communication seeking an operating balance between user strategies and system performance factors. Lastly, user utterance length is analyzed. Longer utterances in general imply more information delivered per utterance but potentially at the cost of increased processing degradation. The analysis demonstrates that users reduce their utterance length after unsuccessful turns and increase it after successful turns and that there is a learning effect that increases this behavior over the duration of the study.
The influence of human growth hormone on preadipocyte development in serum-supplemented and serum-free cultures of stromal-vascular cells from pig adipose tissue.

The influence of human growth hormone (hGH) on the differentiation of preadipocytes was examined in primary cultures of stromal-vascular (s-v) cells from porcine adipose tissue. In these experiments, cells were exposed to test media for 7-8 days after seeding and plating for two days in fetal bovine serum. In serum-free (insulin, transferrin and selenium) cultures hGH (1 and 10 nM) reduced the number and size of fat cell clusters (P less than .05) by 50% relative to controls (no hGH). Differentiation of preadipocytes was assayed by labelling dividing cells with tritiated thymidine under identical conditions and then exposing cultures to test media for seven days. Fat cells were then separated from the other cells and radioactivity was determined in each fraction. In serum containing (2% pig serum) cultures hGH (10 nM) inhibited (P less than .05) the differentiation of labelled preadipocytes. In cultures with serum and with 1 microM insulin and in serum-free cultures, 1 and 10 nM hGH reduced (P less than .05) the levels of glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) specific activity by approximately 50%. However, hGH (1 and 10 nM) had no affect on GPDH activity in cultures with serum but without insulin. These studies indicate that hGH significantly impedes porcine preadipocyte development in vitro. Therefore, the decreased rate of adipose tissue growth observed in pigs chronically treated with GH could be due in part to impaired preadipocyte growth.
Criteria for diagnosis, staging, risk stratification and response assessment of multiple myeloma

New systems have emerged for diagnosis, staging and response assessment in multiple myeloma (MM). The diagnostic and response criteria recommended are primarily derived from the International Myeloma Working Group, with certain updates and clarifications. The International Staging System is the current standard for staging of myeloma. A new risk stratification model is provided to specifically define high-risk patients who may benefit from novel therapeutic strategies. This paper provides the current criteria for diagnosis, staging, risk stratification and response assessment of MM.
ALFVEN PROFILE IN THE LOWER CORONA: IMPLICATIONS FOR SHOCK FORMATION

Observations of type II radio bursts and energetic electron events indicate that shocks can form at 1Y3 solar radii and are responsible for the GeV nucleon � 1 energies observed in ground level solar energetic particle (SEP) events. Hereweprovidethefirststudyof thelowercoronaproducedfrom10state-of-the-artmodels.Inparticular,welookto the Alfven speed profiles as the criterion for shock formation, independent of exciting agent (e.g., flares and CMEs). GlobalmagnetohydrodynamicmodelsproduceAlfvenspeedprofilesthatareinconflictwithobservations:(1)multiple SEP events are observed with a single exciting agent, but most profiles are missing the ''hump'' required to form multiple shocks; and (2) few slow CMEs cause large SEP events, but most profiles drop very quickly, allowing all slow CMEs to drive strong shocks to form between 1 and 3 R� . Simplified Alfven wave-driven wind models have steeper profiles, but are still in disagreement with multiple shock formation. Only studies that include Alfven waves with physically based damping are in agreement with observations. This implies the results of these one-dimensional local studies must be included in global models before we can study shock formation in the lower corona.
Crystal structure of MraY, an essential membrane enzyme in bacterial cell wall synthesis (775.1)

The Phospho-MurNAc-pentapeptide translocase (MraY) is a membrane-spanning enzyme involved in an essential process of bacterial cell wall synthesis: transfer of the peptidoglycan precursor phosphor-MurNAc-pentapeptide to the carrier lipid undecaprenyl phosphate. MraY belongs to a subfamily of the polyprenyl-phosphate N-acetyl hexosamine 1-phosphate transferase (PNPT) superfamily whose members are involved in various biological processes including prokaryotic cell envelope polymer synthesis and eukaryotic N-linked glycosylation. MraY has been a promising target for the development of antibiotics because it is the target of many different classes of natural product antibiotics. Despite the importance, the lack of a structure has hampered our understanding of the mechanism of the enzyme function and inhibition by natural product inhibitors. We report the crystal structure of MraY from Aquifex aeolicus (MraYAA) at 3.3 A resolution, the first structure of a member of the PNPT superfamily. The crystal structure,...
Particle temperature and velocity effects on the porosity and oxidation of an HVOF corrosion-control coating

Independent control of particle velocity and temperature in the HVOF process has been achieved in this research, allowing these variables to change by 170 m/s and 200 °C, respectively. The independence was achieved using a specially designed nozzle with multiple powder injection ports and by an inert diluent added to the oxygen stream feeding the combustion. Within the available range, notable changes in splat morphology, porosity, and coating oxidation of sprayed 316L stainless steel are readily apparent. Increased particle velocity generally correlates with improved splat deformation but has a weak effect on porosity and no effect on oxidation. Particle temperature, on the other hand, correlates strongly with highly deformed splats, porosity, and oxidation. In fact, highly dense coatings having little oxidation can be formed with relatively low velocity particles if the average particle temperature is kept in the vicinity of the material melting point. This result suggests that particle temperature control is the key to creating dense, low-oxide HVOF-sprayed corrosion-control coatings. Because commercial HVOF equipment currently lacks this capability, the research indicates a useful direction for future development.
CHARACTERIZATION OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS FACTOR AND ITS INTERACTION WITH HUMAN IMMUNOGLOBULIN

Cystic fibrosis factor activity (CFFA), assayed as the ability to stop oyster ciliary movement, was present in serum-free medium from actively growing cystic fibrosis skin fibroblast cultures. CFFA was associated with a low molecular weight, negatively charged molecule that contained no uronic acid and was heat and pH labile. When CFFA-positive media were mixed with human IgG1, the CFFA was chromatographically displaced and emerged with the IgG1 fraction on column chromatography. Experiments in which various immunoglobulins were added to CFFA-positive culture media and then incubated with specific anti-immunoglobulins suggested that CFFA binding was class specific for human IgG, subclass specific for IgG1 and IgG2, and occurred with intact unaggregated heavy chains but not with κ- and λ-light chains, or Fab, Fc, and F(ab')2 fragments. The serum protein β2-microglobulin, which has structural homology to IgG, also bound CFFA.
Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Multiple Sclerosis

In this chapter, we review the empirical literature on the epidemiology, etiology, consequences, and treatment of neuropsychiatric disturbance associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). We focus primarily on depression and neuropsychological impairment, as most of the empirical literature examined these two areas. However, we briefly describe other areas including pathological laughing and crying (PLC), anxiety, anger, and bipolar disorder.
Cardiopulmonary fitness and respirator clearance: an update.

This review addresses five key questions regarding respirator clearance: What is the efficacy of different methods of respirator clearance? Which diagnostic test is most predictive of cardiac event during respirator use? Is spirometry accurate in predicting respiratory distress/insufficiency during respirator use? Is exercise tolerance testing accurate in predicting cardiac injury during respirator use? Which periodicity of clearance evaluations is most protective against cardiac event during respirator use? The medical literature was searched using PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Relevant articles were reviewed to assess current recommendations and practices in respirator clearance. Between the years 1970 and 2011, 144 articles were identified, and 21 were included in this review. Current recommendations for respirator clearance are based on consensus rather than outcome studies, and opinions differed between expert sources. Many authors observed the need for cost-effective respirator c...
Inner workings and regulatory inputs that control Polycomb repressive complex 2.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved multisubunit enzyme that methylates histone H3 on lysine-27. This chromatin modification is a hallmark of target genes transcriptionally silenced by the Polycomb system. At its core, PRC2 activity depends upon the SET domain active site of its catalytic subunit, EZH2, as well as critical stimulatory inputs from noncatalytic subunits, especially EED and SU(Z)12. We review recent progress on this core PRC2 machinery, including key features of the active site, control mechanisms that operate via EZH2 phosphorylation, and subunit elements and architectures that influence PRC2 function. Among these, we highlight work identifying an EED regulatory site that enables PRC2 to bind pre-existing methylated H3-K27 and stimulate enzyme output. These advances illuminate basic inner workings of PRC2 and also provide insights that could aid design of PRC2 inhibitors. The chromatin landscape that PRC2 encounters in vivo is decorated with many histone modifications that accompany active transcription, such as H3-K4 methylation. It has long been assumed that these “active” modifications oppose PRC2 at some level but, until recently, mechanisms of this antagonistic cross-talk have been elusive. We discuss new findings that illuminate how H3-K4 and H3-K36 methylation, H3-K27 acetylation, and H3-S28 phosphorylation each exert a negative impact on PRC2 function. The emerging picture presents PRC2 as a cooperative multipart machine, intricately outfitted to sense and respond to the local chromatin environment and other cues. This PRC2 design ensures flexibility and fine tuning of its fundamental gene silencing roles in diverse biological contexts.
Clozapine Use and Relapses of Substance Use Disorder Among Patients With Co-occurring Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorders

Background: Previous correlational research with schizophrenic patients has suggested that the second-generation antipsychotic medication clozapine helps to induce remissions of substance use disorder in patients with co-occurring psychosis and substance abuse. This research, however, could be biased by selection factors. Studying patients who are currently in substance abuse remission could control for level of motivation to stop using substances and other methodological confounds. Methods: To test whether clozapine was associated with prevention of substance abuse relapses, we examined patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who were in their first 6-month remission of substance use disorder during a prospective 10-year follow-up study. All patients received yearly multimodal assessments of substance use. Antipsychotic medications were prescribed by community doctors as part of usual clinical care. Results: Patients using clozapine at the first 6-month period of substance abuse remission (n = 25) were much less likely to relapse over the next year compared with those on other antipsychotic medications (n = 70): 8.0% vs 40.0%, χ2 = 8.73 (df = 1), P = .003. Although medication assignment was not randomized, several potential confounders were similar between the groups. Conclusion: Clozapine should be considered for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring substance use disorder to prevent relapses to substance abuse.
A model for an under floor air distribution system

We present a simplified model of an underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system consisting of a single source of heat and a single cooling diffuser in a ventilated space. Laboratory experiments were carried out to simulate the flow and a model for the flow in this space is proposed. The model is based on plume theory for the heat source and a fountain model for the diffuser flow, and predicts a steady-state two-layer stratification in the room. The governing parameters are shown to be the buoyancy flux of the heat source, and the volume and momentum fluxes of the cooling diffuser. The results suggest ways to optimize UFAD design and operation.
Structure and Evolution of the r/b Chromosomal Regions in Rice, Maize and Sorghum

The r1 and b1 genes of maize, each derived from the chromosomes of two progenitors that hybridized >4.8 million years ago (MYA), have been a rich source for studying transposition, recombination, genomic imprinting, and paramutation. To provide a phylogenetic context to the genetic studies, we sequenced orthologous regions from maize and sorghum (>600 kb) surrounding these genes and compared them with the rice genome. This comparison showed that the homeologous regions underwent complete or partial gene deletions, selective retention of orthologous genes, and insertion of nonorthologous genes. Phylogenetic analyses of the r/b genes revealed that the ancestral gene was amplified independently in different grass lineages, that rice experienced an intragenomic gene movement and parallel duplication, that the maize r1 and b1 genes are descendants of two divergent progenitors, and that the two paralogous r genes of sorghum are almost as old as the sorghum lineage. Such sequence mobility also extends to linked genes. The cisZOG genes are characterized by gene amplification in an ancestral grass, parallel duplications and deletions in different grass lineages, and movement to a nonorthologous position in maize. In addition to gene mobility, both maize and rice regions experienced recent transposition (<3 MYA).
Medical pleurodesis – Safety, effectiveness and adherence to the guidelines: East of England DGH experience

The aim of the study was to review the safety and effectiveness of medical pleurodesis performed in our trust. This study was done in The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, United Kingdom.We looked at the medical pleurodesis performed from April 2008 to May 2010.The results were assessed against the British Thoracic Society guidelines for medical pleurodesis. We also looked at the side effects and success rate of the procedure. Forty three events were analysed in 41 patients.Fourteen patients were admitted in 2008, 18 patients in 2009 and 7 patients in 2010. Twenty seven (64%) were female. The indications for the procedure were malignant pleural effusion 83%, pneumothorax 9%, and effusion of unknown origin 7%. The procedure was done on the right side in 73% and 27% on the left side. Talc slurry was used as a sclerosing agent in 41 events and bleomycin in 2 patients. The amount of talc and dilutent varied among the procedures. Four gram talc was used in 25 events (70%) and eight gram in two events. The amount of dilutent used varied between 10 and 50 ml. Lignocaine was used only in 65% of patients whilst 32% received Oromorph for prevention of pain. The average post procedure survival was 2.24 months and 14 patients died within a month of the procedure. Therefore the accurate success rate is difficult to estimate. However, the measured success rate of the procedure was 39.5%. Three patients experienced complications pain, fever, or oxygen desturation. Medical pleurodesis is a simple,safe and effective procedure.We suggest that adherence with the guidelines is necessary to maintain the efficacy and consistency of the procedure.
Structural Role of Zinc Oxide in Glasses in the System Na2O‐ZnO‐SiO2

Glasses containing 50 to 75 mol% SiO2 and up to 35 mol% ZnO were studied using thermal expansion, density, molar volume, refractive index, molar refractivity, internal friction, and infrared absorption data. Increasing the zinc oxide content in the glasses decreased the thermal expansion and increased the density, refractive index, and the activation energy for the alkali-ion diffusion internal friction peak. Infrared absorption from 1500 to 70 cm-1 indicated the presence of both six and four oxygen coordination for the zinc cation.
Elizabethan Interior and Aloft Scenes: A Speculative Essay

Professor George F. Reynolds' The Staging of Elizabethan Plays at the Red Bull Theatre, 1606–1625 was the first major book, to cast doubt on the theory that there was a recessed room, an ‘inner stage,’ cut into the tiring house wall on the Shakespearian stage. Reynolds further restored the reputation of the much-maligned De Witt-van Buchell sketch of the Swan Theatre. Although a number of scholars recognized at once that Reynolds' book was something of a landmark, it was not until this decade that his methods and materials were made use of. C. Walter Hodges' The Globe Restored was the first book to take up where Reynolds had left off. Dependent on Hodges, but at the same time highly original, was A. M. Nagler's Shakespeare's Stage.
Diagnostic Testing in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Does Patient Age Influence Utilization Patterns?The Worcester Heart Attack Study

To assess the impact of patient age on the use of diagnostic testing in the management of acute myocardial infarction, the authors reviewed the hospital charts of 4,109 patients hospitalized for validated acute myocardial infarction in the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area during selected years between 1975 and 1986. Older patients were more likely to be female and to have a prior history of angina, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (p less than 0.001). Acute myocardial infarctions among older patients were more likely to be recurrent, anterior in location, non-Q wave, smaller as reflected by peak creatine kinase levels, and complicated by congestive heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and atrial fibrillation (p less than 0.001). In-hospital mortality was directly related to increasing patient age (p less than 0.001). Patterns of utilization of the following diagnostic tests were examined: Holter monitoring, radionuclide ventriculography, echocardiography, exercise testing, pulmonary artery catheterization, and coronary arteriography. After adjustment for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics and in-hospital mortality, patients aged 65 years and older were significantly less likely to undergo exercise testing than were patients less than age 55. Patients older than age 75 were significantly less likely to undergo radionuclide ventriculography, pulmonary artery catheterization, and coronary arteriography than were younger patients. Sex-specific analyses did not produce results substantially different from those for the overall study population. The results of this community-wide study suggest that among patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction, chronologic age may be an independent determinant of utilization patterns of diagnostic testing. These findings suggest the need for a prospective evaluation of this issue, with an additional emphasis placed on the contributions of functional status and noncardiovascular illness to decision-making in the clinical management of acute myocardial infarction patients.
A randomized roadmap method for path and manipulation planning

This paper presents a new randomized roadmap method for motion planning for many DOF robots that can be used to obtain high quality roadmaps even when C-space is crowded. The main novelty in the authors' approach is that roadmap candidate points are chosen on C-obstacle surfaces. As a consequence, the roadmap is likely to contain difficult paths, such as those traversing long, narrow passages in C-space. The approach can be used for both collision-free path planning and for manipulation planning of contact tasks. Experimental results with a planar articulated 6 DOF robot show that, after preprocessing, difficult path planning operations can often be carried out in less than a second.
Analysis of Penalized Likelihood Image Reconstruction for Dynamic PET Quantification

Quantification of tracer kinetics using dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) provides important information for understanding the physiological and biochemical processes in humans and animals. A common procedure is to reconstruct a sequence of dynamic images first, and then apply kinetic analysis to the time activity curve of a region of interest derived from the reconstructed images. Obviously, the choice of image reconstruction method and its parameters affect the accuracy of the time activity curve and hence the estimated kinetic parameters. This paper analyzes the effects of penalized likelihood image reconstruction on tracer kinetic parameter estimation. Approximate theoretical expressions are derived to study the bias, variance, and ensemble mean squared error of the estimated kinetic parameters. Computer simulations show that these formulae predict correctly the changes of these statistics as functions of the regularization parameter. It is found that the choice of the regularization parameter has a significant impact on kinetic parameter estimation, indicating proper selection of image reconstruction parameters is important for dynamic PET. A practical method has been developed to use the theoretical formulae to guide the selection of the regularization parameter in dynamic PET image reconstruction.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Compaction of Asphalt Pavements and a Practical Approach for Density Predictions

The compaction of asphalt mixtures has a significant influence on their performance. Insufficient compaction leads to several distresses, such as premature permanent deformation, excessive aging, and moisture damage, even if all desirable mixture design characteristics are met. Currently, no acceptable method relates asphalt pavement density to the compaction pattern. The compaction pattern required to achieve the desired density is established on the basis of experience and trial and error, a process that is time-consuming and expensive. This study involved comprehensive experimental evaluation of several test sections that were constructed with different asphalt mixtures by various compaction methods. Results of these experiments were used to determine the effects of compaction temperature, compaction method, mixture design, and base type on the compactability of asphalt mixtures. In addition, the paper presents a systematic method to determine the compaction pattern required to achieve the desired dens...
Stool DNA testing for the detection of colorectal neoplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

SummaryBackground Current approaches to the detection of colorectal neoplasia associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-CRN) are suboptimal. Aim To test the feasibility of using stool assay of exfoliated DNA markers to detect IBD-CRN. Methods This investigation comprised tissue and stool studies. In the tissue study, gene sequencing and methylation assays were performed on candidate genes using tissue DNA from 25 IBD-CRNs and from 25 IBD mucosae without CRN. Mutations on p53, APC, KRAS, BRAF or PIK3CA genes were insufficiently informative, but several aberrantly methylated genes were highly discriminant. In the stool study, we evaluated candidate methylated genes (vimentin, EYA4, BMP3, NDRG4) in a prospective blinded study on buffered stools from 19 cases with known IBD-CRN and 35 age- and sex-matched IBD controls without CRN. From stool-extracted DNA, target genes were assayed using quantitative allele-specific real-time target and signal amplification method. Results IBD-CRN cases included 17 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and two with Crohn's disease (CD); nine had cancer and 10 had dysplasia. Controls included 25 with UC and 10 with CD. Individually, BMP3, vimentin, EYA4 and NDRG4 markers showed high discrimination in stools with respective areas under the ROC curve of 0.91, 0.91, 0.85 and 0.84 for total IBD-CRN and of 0.97, 0.97, 0.95 and 0.85 for cancer. At 89% specificity, the combination of BMP3 and mNDRG4 detected 9/9 (100%) of CRC and 80% of dysplasia, 4/4 (100%) of high grade and 4/6 (67%) of low grade. Conclusion These findings demonstrate the feasibility of stool DNA testing for non-invasive detection of colorectal neoplasia associated with inflammatory bowel disease.
Parametric model derivation of transfer function for noninvasive estimation of aortic pressure by radial tonometry

Aortic pressure can be estimated noninvasively by applying a transfer function (TF) to radial tonometry signals. This study compares the performance of prior approaches, based on Fourier transform and inverted aortic-to-radial model, with direct radial-to-aortic autoregressive exogenous (ARX) model. Simultaneous invasive aortic pressure and radial tonometry pressure were recorded during rest in 39 patients in the supine position. Individual radial-aortic TF's were estimated from 20 patients, and the average TF was used to predict aortic pressures in the remaining 19 patients. The direct average TF yielded accurate aortic systolic pressure estimation (error 0.4/spl plusmn/2.9 mmHg) and good reproduction of the aortic pressure waveform (root mean squared error 2.2/spl plusmn/0.9 mmHg). The inverted reverse TF (aortic radial) yielded comparable results, while the Fourier-based TF had worse performance. Individual direct TF provided improved predictive accuracy only for indexes which are based on higher frequency components of the waveform (augmentation index, systolic time period). An ARX average TF can be used to accurately estimate central aortic pressure waveform parameters from noninvasive radial pulse tracings, and its performance is superior to previous techniques.
Improved algorithms for replacement paths problems in restricted graphs

We present near-optimal algorithms for two problems related to finding the replacement paths for edges with respect to shortest paths in sparse graphs. The problems essentially study how the shortest paths change as edges on the path fail, one at a time. Our technique improves the existing bounds for these problems on directed acyclic graphs, planar graphs, and non-planar integer-edge-weighted graphs.
Substituent effects on the structure and supramolecular assembly of bis(dioxaborole)s

Solid-state and solution analysis shows that dialkyl substituents on the central phenyl ring of bis(dioxaborole)s, such as 2–4, do not have an appreciable effect on the planarity but do significantly alter the supramolecular assembly of these compounds.
Examination of and Intervention for a Patient With Chronic Lateral Elbow Pain With Signs of Nerve Entrapment

Background and Purpose. Lateral elbow pain has several causes, which can make diagnosis difficult. The purpose of this case report is to describe the examination of and the intervention for a patient with chronic lateral elbow pain who had signs of nerve entrapment. Case Description. The patient was a 43-year-old woman who had right lateral elbow pain for about 4 months, which she attributed to extensive keyboard work on a computer. She had a reduction in joint passive range of motion during “neural tension testing,” an examination procedure to detect nerve entrapment. This sign, in combination with other findings, suggested that the patient had a mild entrapment of the deep radial nerve (radial tunnel syndrome). The patient was treated 14 times over a 10-week period with “neural mobilization techniques,” which are designed to free nerves for movement; ultrasound; strengthening exercises; and stretching. Outcomes. The patient had minimal symptoms at discharge, was pain-free, and had resumed all activities at a 4-month follow-up visit. Discussion. Neural tension testing may be a useful examination procedure and mobilization may be useful for intervention for patients who have lateral elbow pain.
Walk Don't Walk

I dial Berlin Tourist Information. My fingers dance across the phone and when I put the receiver to my ear, I hear the faint buzz of electricity honing in on my destination. Then the signal. Then a woman's voice, friendly and caring. "All our lines are busy right now. Please do not hang up. We w?l take your call as soon as one of our representatives is avaflable. Thank you." Then the music sets in, the voice of a man and a woman cUmbing and falling alongside violins and trumpets. I'm not surprised to find myself on hold. Berlin is a busy place these days. I remember the year I had to find an apart ment in the city, not too long after the Wall had vanished. Friends told me it might take six months, if I were lucky, or maybe a year, if I weren't. I placed a want ad in "Der Tagesspiegel," and when I told the woman that I hadn't thought of offering a finder's fee, she laughed at me, her high-pitched giggle a mix of cosmopolitan disbeUef and pity. "Well, you might as well forget it then," she said, and I felt found out, a man from the provinces learning the ropes of the capital. "All our lines are busy right now. Please do not hang up. We w?l take your call as soon as one of our representatives is ava?able. Thank you." This time I just want to visit, walk around, look for the city that boasts to be the workshop of German Unity. I haven't been back for three years. The man and the woman still sing with unflagging enthusiasm. They sing about Berlin, and the tune is easy and smooth, half Sinatra, half Olympic theme song. The words are English, which surprises me at first but then makes sense. Some tourists may feel stranded in a language they don't understand. They might get bored and hang up, which wouldn't do. From a statistical point of view, EngUsh has to be the safest bet. And it is safe in another way. After all, this is Berlin, the old and new German capital, where history settles in thick layers, and too much celebration, too much pride, might seem unnerving to some. EngUsh, weU-Ut and democratic, provides assurance. "This is the city of friends,"