cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Facilitated transport of oxygen through solutions of hemoglobin.

Abstract A theoretical development is made to describe the facilitated diffusion of oxygen under steady state conditions through membranes containing concentrated solutions of hemoglobin. In contrast to the developments of other authors this development takes into consideration the kinetics of the chemical reactions of oxygen with hemoglobin. Equilibrium at the gas-liquid interfaces is assumed. The data of Scholander (1960), Hemmingsen & Scholander (1960), and Hemmingsen (1962) are quantitatively described by the resulting equations. For some of the data a reasonable semi-emperical chemical kinetic correction term, necessitated by the lack of experimental information, is utilized. The results indicate that for those data pertaining to the experiments in which a constant difference in oxygen partial pressure was maintained across the membrane at varying absolute partial pressures, the assumption of equilibrium among the chemical reactions is not justified and the kinetics of these reactions must be taken into consideration to obtain a quantitative description.
ASYMMETRICAL VISUAL DEPRIVATION: A TECHNIQUE TO DIFFERENTIALLY INFLUENCE LATERAL HEMISPHERIC FUNCTION

This article describes a contact-lens method to sustain asymmetry in visual deprivation and the use of this method to test the general hypothesis that asymmetry in input deprivation can shift activation balance in the integrated brain, differentially influencing lateral hemispheric function. Effects of asymmetrical visual deprivation were as predicted on lateral asymmetry of EEG theta, producing more theta over the deprived hemisphere. Cross-modal influence of such visual deprivation was found in the perception of pleasantness of odors. An interaction was found between side of visual deprivation and performance on verbal reasoning and spatial orientation tasks. A line-bisection test of visual attention was not sensitive to the effects. Fatigue as rated on the Profile of Mood States was greatest when the left hemisphere was deprived.
Ballistic behavior in a 1D weakly self-avoiding walk with decaying energy penalty

We consider a weakly self-avoiding walk in one dimension in which the penalty for visiting a site twice decays as exp[−β|t−s| −p ] wheret ands are the times at which the common site is visited andp is a parameter. We prove that ifp 3/2, then the walk should have diffusive behavior. The proof and the heuristic argument make use of a real-space renormalization group transformation.
Regulation of the interaction between smooth muscle myosin and actin.

Summary Phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain of smooth muscle myosin efficiently regulates the actin-activated ATPase activity of myosin filaments in solution and actin movement in an in vitro motility assay, independently of thin-filament regulatory proteins. Filaments containing both phosphorylated and dephosphorylated heads move actin at intermediate rates, depending on the relative proportions of the two myosin species. The decrease in velocity can be accounted for by mechanical interaction; between phosphorylated heads and ‘weak-binding’ dephosphorylated crossbridges. These results imply that shortening velocity could be modulated in any muscle by varying the relative proportions of two populations of crossbridges with different cycling rates.
SYNTHESIS OF SOME TRIMETHYLTINNORBORNANOLS

Abstract The stereospecific syntheses of four trimethyltinnorbornanols are reported. These include syn-7-trimethyltin-exo-2-norbornanol, anti-7-trimethyltin-exo- 2-norbornanol, syn-7-trimethyltin-endo-2-norbornanol, and anti-7-trimethyltin- endo-2-norbornanol. The syn-trimethyltin group is found to have little steric interference towards exo attack at the C-2 and C-3 positions of the norbornyl skeleton in both hydroboration and metal hydride reduction.
Sequencing batch biofilter operation for treatment of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) contaminated air.

Abstract Biofiltration is increasingly used as a method for decontaminating gas streams containing low concentrations of biodegradable volatile organic compounds. In typical biofilter installations, control is quite passive and is often restricted to adjustment of the medium's moisture content or nutrient supply. Although inexpensive, such operation limits implementation of engineering decisions that could improve performance during normal operation or allow effective handling of the short‐term variations in the waste stream typical of industrial operations. This paper describes how sequencing batch operation can be applied to biofilters designed and operated as controlled, unsteady‐state, periodic processes for the destruction of gas‐phase contaminants. In the studies described herein, the impact of sequencing batch operation was assessed in a methyl ethyl ketone degrading biofilter over a 130‐day period. The biofilter was packed with a polyurethane foam medium that contained activated carbon. Methyl eth...
Cultivar differences in proteins of oriental mustard (Brassica juncea [L.] coss.)

The variability in the amino acid composition of the lipid-free meals from the seeds of five cultivars ofBrassica juncea, Burgonde, Ekla, Lethbridge 22A, Primus and Stoke has been studied. Arginine, tyrosine and histidine were the more variable amino acids. The meals were extracted with 0.5 M NaCl and 64–68% of the meal nitrogen was released. The extracts were fractionated by molecular exclusion chromatography to produce (a) purified preparations of the major storage protein, a globulin having a sedimentation coefficient of 12S; and (b) a fraction containing low molecular weight proteins. No difference in the relative proportions of these two components was observed. The amino acid composition of the low molecular weight protein fraction varied more than that of the 12S protein.
Model Programs for Increasing Parent Involvement Through Telephone Technology

This article describes several model programs that use telephone technology to link parents with professionals, such as teachers and speech-language pathologists. Strategies for developing and impl...
A whole-cell patch clamp technique which minimizes cell dialysis

A variant of the whole-cell patch clamp technique is described which allows measurement of whole-cell ionic currents in small cells while minimizing cell dialysis with the pipette solution. The technique involves the application of negative pressure to the inside of small (< 1 µm) tip diameter pipettes placed on the cell surface to achieve high resistance seals and membrane rupture. The technique has been used successfully in a variety of different types of cells to study membrane currents carried by Ca and K, currents generated by exchange carriers as well as electrical coupling between cells. Overall, the technique seems well suited for the study of ionic currents in small cells, and provides an alternative to conventional patch clamping techniques which necessitate intracellular dialysis.
Pupillary Constriction During Forceful Eyelid Closure

Pupillary constriction during forceful eyelid closure was investigated in 30 normal subjects. The right eye of each subject was filmed with an infrared-sensitive television camera in darkness before, during, and after eyelid closure. Clinically detectable constrictions were found in nine of the 30 subjects (30%). No significant correlation was found between amplitude of constriction and age of subject or baseline pupillary diameter. Forceful eyelid closure should be considered as a technique to elicit pupillary constriction in patients with a poor near response, but many subjects will have no detectable constriction using this maneuver.
Methodology for Characterizing Loss Factors of Piezoelectric Ceramics

The methodology to obtain the loss factors in piezoelectric ceramics is proposed in this paper. There are three hysteresis loss components for piezoelectric vibrators, i.e., dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric losses. The equations were derived about the relations between mechanical quality factors and all contributing loss factors by the complex analysis of the admittance/impedance expressions for specific piezoelectric vibrators. By characterizing mechanical quality factors and coupling coefficients in k31, kt, k33, kp, and k15 modes, 20 loss factors can be obtained for the piezoelectric ceramic with ∞mm or 6 mm crystal symmetry.
Holding-time-aware routing, modulation, and spectrum assignment for elastic optical networks

In this paper, we consider the problem of routing, modulation and spectrum assignment (RMSA) with holding time awareness in elastic optical networks. We consider a two dimensional schedule that maintains link resource usage in both spectrum and time domains, and we develop an RMSA algorithm that attempts to reduce resource fragmentation by scheduling requests in a manner that takes into account the holding time of each request. We examine the performance of the proposed algorithm through simulation experiments, and our results indicates that the proposed RMSA algorithm obtains high spectrum utilization and lower blocking probabilities compared to existing RMSA algorithms that do not make use of holding time information.
Biophysical Studies Reveals the Specific Activities of Fidgetin, a Microtubule Severing AAA Enzyme

Cell morphology, development, and differentiation rely on the spatio-temporal dynamics of microtubules. Microtubule dynamics and network remodeling are finely tuned in cells by the orchestrated activity of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). Reorganization of the microtubule network is performed by a novel class of MAPs called microtubule severing enzymes that are AAA+ (ATPases Associated with various cellular Activities) family of ATPases. The former member of this novel class of AAA+ enzymes is katanin p60, the catalytic subunit of katanin complex that regulates microtubule length and dynamics in cells during interphase and mitosis and targets to microtubule defects. The newest member of the severing enzyme family is fidgetin, which is involved in mammalian development. We have performed the first biophysical characterization of fidgetin in vitro. Interestingly, at a low concentration this enzyme removes tubulin dimers preferentially from the minus end of the microtubules, making microtubules appear to depolymerizing. At a higher concentration fidgetin severs microtubules. We find that fidgetin targets and severs GMPCPP microtubules better than taxol-stabilized microtubules. Further, fidgetin removes extended regions of protofilaments, in an activity we call “protofilament stripping”. Our results indicate that fidgetin is a microtubule severing enzyme with new and specific biophysical abilities and targeting on microtubules.
Adipose tissue biology in 2014: Advances in our understanding of adipose tissue homeostasis.

In 2014, numerous noteworthy papers focusing on adipose tissue physiology were published. Many of these articles showed the promise of adipose-tissue-targeted approaches for therapeutic intervention in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Here, we highlight advances in the development and maintenance of brown and/or beige adipocytes and the metabolic implications of inflammation in adipose tissues.
Massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding after rejection of pancreatic transplants.

This article highlights two cases of massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding in patients on dialysis after rejection of kidney–pancreas transplants. One patient did not have the transplanted organ removed and eventually exsanguinated, while the second patient, whose rejected pancreas was removed, survived complications and did well. The cases illustrate that arterio-enteric bleeding should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with rejected pancreatic transplants. Background This article highlights two cases of massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding in patients on dialysis after rejection of kidney–pancreas transplants. Patient 1 was a 34-year-old female with 27 years of type I diabetes, who had a kidney–pancreas transplant in 1996, which was complicated by rejection of the kidney and pancreas in 2000 and 2002, respectively. Later in 2002, she presented in shock after experiencing cramping abdominal pain and passage of large bloody stools. Patient 2 was a 38-year-old male with 26 years of type I diabetes, who had a pancreas–kidney transplant in 1998, which was complicated by rejection of the kidney and pancreas in early 2003. He presented in late 2003 with a single episode of coffee-ground emesis and two episodes of brisk hematochezia. Investigation Arterial angiography. Diagnosis Pseudoaneurysm and small-bowel fistula from the arterial supply to the transplanted pancreas. Management Angiographic embolization of the aneurysmal vessel and fistula achieved hemostasis. Patient 1 did not have her transplanted organ surgically removed and suffered a recurrent massive lower gastrointestinal bleed that proved fatal. In Patient 2, subsequent surgery and removal of the rejected pancreas was performed and the patient continues to do well.
Altered regulation of hepatic heme metabolism by indium chloride

Abstract These studies were conducted to investigate the effects of indium, a hepatotoxic group III A metal, on cellular heme metabolism in rat liver. Treatment of rats with aqueous solutions of InCl 3 produced rapid and pronounced changes in hepatic heme biosynthetic and degradative functions, characterized by depression of synthesis of ALA synthetase and induction of heme oxygenase, the rate-limiting enzymes in these processes, respectively. These changes were accompanied by a marked reduction in microsomal heme concentrations and a decrease in microsomal, but not mitochondrial, heme-dependent oxidative functions in the liver. The relationship of these effects to the regulation of heme metabolism by metals of known physiological importance remains to be determined. However, these observations suggest the presence of a regulatory process for heme metabolism which is susceptible to alteration by a variety of metallic substances including those of no known physiological significance. The rapidity and magnitude of the changes in heme metabolic parameters observed in these studies suggests that these effects may represent an initial response to indium-induced toxicity in liver cells.
Photosynthetic characteristics in leaves of ‘Valencia’ orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) grown under high and low temperature regimes

Abstract The photosynthetic activities of leaves of 1-year-old ‘Valencia’ orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) were determined after trees were maintained for 30 consecutive days in controlled growth chambers under high temperature (HT, 32.2°C day/21.1°C night) and low temperature (LT, 15.6°C day/4.4°C night). Leaf CO2 exchange rates (CER), stomatal conductance (Cs), transpiration (E), chlorophyll (Chl), soluble protein, and proline of the LT treatment were 48, 55, 26, 78, 113 and 265%, respectively, of the HT treatment. The water potentials (ψ) of leaves from HT treatment were about 0.5 MPa more negative than those from LT leaves. Activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase) of the HT treatment, expressed on a leaf fresh weight basis, were 91 and 49%, respectively, of the LT treatment. PEPCase of both temperature treatments, however, showed no differences in affinities for HCO3− and PEP, having a Km (HCO3−) of 0.61 mM and a Km (PEP) of 0.15 mM. The ratio of RuBPCase/PEPCase was 6.6 for the HT treatment, compared to 3.5 for the LT treatment. When the 30-day HT-treated trees were transferred to the LT chamber, CER, Cs and ψ, determined 24 hr after transfer, were comparable to values of 30-day LT-treated trees; the RuBPCase activity decreased about 18% and PEPCase activity increased about 31% after 96 hr in the LT chamber. These relative changes decreased the RuBPCase/PEPCase ratio from 6.6 to 3.7. Switching trees from the 30-day LT treatment to the HT chamber resulted in increases in CER, Cs and E and decreases in ψ; the RuBPCase activity decreased about 10%, but PEPCase activity was relatively unaffected after 96 hr following the transfer to the HT chamber. The LT-induced changes in the ratio of carboxylase activities would indicate that some alteration in the photosynthetic carbon metabolism might occur in ‘Valencia’ orange leaf tissues subjected to cold acclimation conditions.
A proof-carrying based framework for trusted microprocessor IP

We introduce a proof-carrying based framework for assessing the trustworthiness of third-party hardware Intellectual Property (IP), particularly geared toward microprocessor cores. This framework enables definition of and formal reasoning on security properties, which, in turn, are used to certify the genuineness and trustworthiness of the instruction set and, by extension, are used to prevent insertion of malicious functionality in the Hardware Description Language (HDL) code of an acquired microprocessor core. Security properties and trustworthiness proofs are derived based on a new formal hardware description language (formal-HDL), which is developed as part of the framework along with conversion rules to/from other HDLs to enable general applicability to IP cores independent of coding language. The proposed framework, along with the ability of a sample set of pertinent security properties to detect malicious IP modifications, is demonstrated on an 8051 microprocessor core.
A temporal window for the central inhibition of stuttering via exogenous speech signals in adults.

Abstract We explored a possible temporal window for central stuttering inhibition via exogenously presented speech signals. Thirteen adults who stutter were asked to read while listening to a continuous vowel /a/, or a repeating 1 s vowel /a/ followed by 1, 3 and 5 s silences. In all conditions, stuttering was significantly reduced. However, the continuous and 1 s repeating conditions showed the greatest reduction in stuttering relative to all other conditions. Furthermore, these conditions did not differ significantly from each other, suggesting a temporal window of at least 1 s for stuttering inhibition induced by a 1 s stimulus. We propose that exogenous speech signals provide an additional speech source that engages mirror neurons for ‘on-line’ stuttering inhibition during continous speech. Employing dual speech sources results in ‘on-line’ stuttering inhibition and continuous speech flow. In contrast, endogenous (single source) inhibitory techniques require speech flow to be interrupted and go ‘off-line’ to derive the mirror neuronal.
Atrial natriuretic peptide gene expression within invertebrate hearts.

Abstract The present investigation was designed to (1) determine if atrial natriuretic factor gene expression occurs within invertebrates as well as within vertebrates; (2) determine whether the product of this gene expression is the 126-amino-acid atrial natriuretic factor prohormone or some other molecular species; and (3) evaluate within the same invertebrates if the products of atrial natriuretic factor gene expression are released into their circulation. Utilizing a very sensitive RNase protection assay it was found that atrial natriuretic peptide gene expression occurs within the heart of the oyster, Crassostrea virginica , and within the heart of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus , but was expressed sevenfold less than in a vertebrate heart (i.e. rat, Rattus norvegiucs ). High-performance gel-permeation chromatography followed by N-terminal and C-terminal atrial natriuretic factor prohormone radioimmunoassays indicated that the molecular species synthesized within the oyster and blue crab hearts was the atrial natriuretic factor prohormone. The product(s) of this atrial natriuretic factor gene expression (i.e., atrial natriuretic peptides) was found to be released into the circulation, i.e., hemolymph, of both the oyster and the blue crab.
Perinatal administration of dihydrotestosterone to female rats and the development of reproductive function.

The sexual function of female rats administered dihydrotestesterene both prenatally and postnatally was examined. Female rats were administered either oil or 800 mcg/day dihydrotestesterene on Days 16-20 of gestation. Female offspring were given oil or 200 mcg/day dihydrotestesterene on the day of birth and for the following 3 days. Females in both groups displayed mating responses spontaneously in a cyclic fashion when mature; they displayed lordosis following ovariectomy and estrogen and progesterene replacement. There was no significant difference in ovary weight between groups; all ovaries contained corpora lutea. When given testesterone propionate females in both groups displayed malelike mounting responses. Dihydrotestesterone facilitated phallic growth. These data support the hypothesis that different androgen sensitive tissues are selectively to different androgenic metabolites.(AUTHORS MODIFIED)
Arterial impedance in patients furing intraaortic balloon counterpulsation

Background. Symptomatic improvement of a patient's hemodynamic condition during intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) is considered to result largely from a reduction in afterload. Afterload can be accurately quantified by arterial input impedance measurements. Here we report the effect of IABC on arterial impedance in humans Methods. To characterize the effects of IABC on arterial input impedance, impedance measurements were obtained using aortic annulus Doppler flow and pressure from the aortic balloon catheter. Impedance spectra were compared between the cardiac cycles preceding and following the cycle with IABC in 25 patients. Results. Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation increased stroke volume (23%; p = 0.001), reduced myocardial oxygen demand (11%; p = 0.02), and decreased the aortic pressure at the onset of systole (16%; p = 0.001). There was also a decrease in systemic vascular resistance (24%; p = 0.001), characteristic arterial impedance (21%; p = 0.002), and pulse wave reflection (20%; p = 0.006). Linear regression analysis showed that an increase in stroke volume was predicted only by the decrease in systemic vascular resistance ( r = −0.81; p = 0.001). Conclusions. The reduction in systemic vascular resistance appeared to be the major mechanism by which IABC improved cardiac pumping efficiency. This effect may result from the passive distention of the peripheral vascular bed due to the propagation of the balloon-augmented diastolic pressure through the arterial system.
Gas phase electron ionization fragmentation of dextromethorphan and related quaternary ammonium salts

The in-beam electron ionization (EI) spectra of quaternary ammonium salts of dextromethorphan and piperidine consist of peaks arising both from thermal degradation products and from the fragmentation of the molecular cation [R4N]+. Mass-analysed ion kinetic energy and ion kinetic energy spectra indicate that several major ions believed to be thermally induced before EI are also produced directly from [R4N]+ fragmentation. However, the contribution of the direct fragmentation of [R4N]+ upon EI is small in comparison to that of the thermal degradation products. This behavior was observed in the conformationally flexible and rigid piperidinium rings studied.
Wideband Speech Recovery Using Psychoacoustic Criteria

Many modern speech bandwidth extension techniques predict the high-frequency band based on features extracted from the lower band. While this method works for certain types of speech, problems arise when the correlation between the low and the high bands is not sufficient for adequate prediction. These situations require that additional high-band information is sent to the decoder. This overhead information, however, can be cleverly quantized using human auditory system models. In this paper, we propose a novel speech compression method that relies on bandwidth extension. The novelty of the technique lies in an elaborate perceptual model that determines a quantization scheme for wideband recovery and synthesis. Furthermore, a source/filter bandwidth extension algorithm based on spectral spline fitting is proposed. Results reveal that the proposed system improves the quality of narrowband speech while performing at a lower bitrate. When compared to other wideband speech coding schemes, the proposed algorithms provide comparable speech quality at a lower bitrate.
Quality assurance as a policy instrument: what’s ahead?

This article considers the overall success of the quality movement in the context of questions about the political status and role of quality assurance agencies. These agencies have gained a significant degree of legitimacy and respect among major stakeholders but the political reality is that their long-term sustainability depends on whether policy makers remain committed to quality assurance as an oversight mechanism for higher education. Agencies can address this vulnerability and continue to serve the public interest by drawing on their current strengths, including effective operations and networks for international collaboration.
Upgrading rural health standards: A Turkish case

Abstract A potential for improving standards of health care in rural Turkey is examined. On the basis of the evidence it is suggested that: (1) villagers are more aware of modern medical practices than some planners think; (2) that the failure to use modern techniques does not even imply that villagers are unable to understand more about these techniques than their European or American counterparts; (3) that attempts to lay stress on differential eduction in order to explain low standards of rural health care has to be seen as either misunderstanding or rationalization and; (4) finally, that programs designed for upgrading rural health standards will have to accept responsibility for trying to alter a wide range of environmental host factors.
Genetics as a tool to improve cancer outcomes: ethics and policy

Genetic research is rapidly increasing the opportunities for the detection of inherited cancer risk. Clinicians and policy makers must ensure the adequate evaluation of the benefits and harms of this new area of practice, address the challenges of family-based detection of individuals at risk and develop practice guidelines and educational strategies that are responsive to rapidly changing knowledge. When the benefits of testing are well established, efforts must also be made to ensure access to genetic services for all who can benefit.
The Micro Potential for Social Change: Emotion, Consciousness, and Social Movement Formation*

Can one explain both the resilience of the status quo and the possibility for resistance from a subordinate position? This paper aims to resolve these seemingly incompatible perspectives. By extending Randall Collins's interaction ritual theory, and synthesizing it with Norbert Wiley's model of the self, this paper suggests how the emotional dynamics between people and within the self can explain social inertia as well as the possibility for resistance and change. Diverging from literature on the sociology of emotions that has been concerned with individual emotional processes, this paper considers the collective level in order to explore how movement action is motivated. The emotional dynamics of subordinate positioning that limit women's options in face-to-face interactions are examined, as are the social processes of developing feminist consciousness and a willingness to participate in resistance work. Pointing toward empirical applications, I conclude by suggesting conditions where resistance is likely.
C-Terminal Peptide Appendix in a Class I tRNA Synthetase Needed for Acceptor-Helix Contacts and Microhelix Aminoacylation

The 10 class I tRNA synthetases have an N-terminal nucleotide-binding fold which contains the catalytic center. Insertions into the nucleotide-binding fold provide contacts for acceptor-helix interactions, which stabilize the amino acid acceptor end of the tRNA substrate in the active site. A separate and largely nonconserved C-terminal domain provides contacts with distal parts of the tRNA, including the anticodon. For Escherichia coli methionyl tRNA synthetase, whose structure is known, the C-terminal domain is predominantly alpha-helical and forms a loop which interacts with the anticodon trinucleotide located about 76 A from the amino acid attachment site. Fused to the end of this helical domain is a peptide which curls back into the N-terminal nucleotide-binding fold and region of the active site. We show here that mutations in this peptide appendix disrupt aminoacylation and binding of a 7 base pair microhelix substrate based on the acceptor stem of tRNA(fMet), without affecting interactions with ATP or methionine or with the tRNA(fMet) anticodon. The impairment of acceptor-helix interactions by mutation of the C-terminal peptide can offset favorable anticodon interactions and severely reduce aminoacylation of tRNA(fMet). Thus, in addition to, or as an alternative to, acceptor-helix-binding insertions into the N-terminal nucleotide-binding fold, C-terminal peptide epitopes in some class I enzymes may provide a mechanism for facilitating RNA microhelix interactions with the catalytic site.
Geomagnetic storms, the Dst ring-current myth and lognormal distributions

Abstract The definition of geomagnetic storms dates back to the turn of the century when researchers recognized the unique shape of the H-component field change upon averaging storms recorded at low latitude observatories. A generally accepted modeling of the storm field sources as a magnetospheric ring current was settled about 30 years ago at the start of space exploration and the discovery of the Van Allen belt of particles encircling the Earth. The Dst global ‘ring-current’ index of geomagnetic disturbances, formulated in that period, is still taken to be the definitive representation for geomagnetic storms. Dst indices, or data from many world observatories processed in a fashion paralleling the index, are used widely by researchers relying on the assumption of such a magnetospheric current-ring depiction. Recent in situ measurements by satellites passing through the ring-current region and computations with disturbed magnetosphere models show that the Dst storm is not solely a main-phase, growth to disintegration, of a massive current encircling the Earth. Although a ring current certainly exists during a storm, there are many other field contributions at the middle-and low-latitude observatories that are summed to show the ‘storm’ characteristic behavior in Dst at these observatories. One characteristic of the storm field form at middle and low latitudes is that Dst exhibits a lognormal distribution shape when plotted as the hourly value amplitude in each time range. Such distributions, common in nature, arise when there are many contributors to a measurement or when the measurement is a result of a connected series of statistical processes. The amplitude-time displays of Dst are thought to occur because the many time-series processes that are added to form Dst all have their own characteristic distribution in time. By transforming the Dst time display into the equivalent normal distribution, it is shown that a storm recovery can be predicted with remarkable accuracy from measurements made during the Dst growth phase. In the lognormal formulation, the mean, standard deviation and field count within standard deviation limits become definitive Dst storm parameters.
Colored and colorless tin(II) amines

Abstract : Intensely colored tin(II) amines are monomeric species with larger tin-119m Moessbauer isomer shifts and quadrupole splittings than their more air stable colorless analogues whose less sterically demanding amine substituents allow intermolecular coordination through bridging nitrogen atoms; the crossover point between these two limiting situations is defined by the synthesis of several series of tin(II) amine compounds. (Author)
Therapy for paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes in six patients with protein A column immunoadsorption.

Background. Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes, although rare, cause significant morbidity and mortality. They are thought to be immunologically mediated, but to date those involving the central nervous system (CNS) have not been particularly responsive to immunologic therapy. The use of the novel immunomodulator, protein A immunoadsorption, was explored to address this question. Methods. Six patients with neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes were treated with this technique, using the “off line” method. Two hundred fifty ml of plasma was perfused through a column containing protein A covalently attached to a silica matrix. The plasma was then returned to the patient. Results. Five of the patients responded to the therapy, with complete and durable responses in three patients with opsoclonus-myoclonus, objective, though transient, improvement in one patient with paraneoplastic brainstem encephalitis associated with a Merkel cell tumor, and stabilization and partial improvement in one patient with paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis. The patient without response developed a cutaneous vasculitis after the second treatment, and therapy, was discontinued. Conclusions. This therapy appears beneficial for a number of paraneoplastic syndromes, most dramatically in the opsoclonus/myoclonus syndrome. Cancer 1995;1678-83.
Measurements of extensive HF industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) interference far removed from the ITU allocated bands

The authors provide evidence number of industrial, scientific, devices operating outside the International Telecommunications Union frequency bands. The authors made measurements of out-of-band ISM signals at HF receiver facilities in Europe, the United States, Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The ISM signals presented cause interference to services operating in authorized allocations. The paper presents examples of the ISM interference in a unique time, frequency, and power domain presentation.
SNS Cyberinfrastructure and Incubating Global Virtual Teams

This paper explores the potential usefulness of social networking site technology (SNS) to fostering the formation of global virtual teams. This paper introduces the idea of how Virtual Organization Breeding Environments (VBEs) with rich SNS infrastructure could potentially facilitate the development of Virtual Organizations (VOs). Through this conceptual framework, I hypothesize that SNS may positively affect the development of global virtual teams through SNS-enabled VBEs. I conducted a pilot study of Google Wave and found it unsuitable to meaningfully answer the research questions I posed. The key purpose of this paper is not to present any substantive empirical findings from this work on Google Wave, but rather to advance the study of SNS and global virtual teams by reviewing relevant literature and sharing our thoughts on how to pick suitable case studies to evaluate if and how SNS may be valuable to the success of global virtual teams.
Mutations in Envelope gp120 Can Impact Proteolytic Processing of the gp160 Precursor and Thereby Affect Neutralization Sensitivity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Pseudoviruses

The design of an efficient human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) immunogen able to generate broad neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) remains an elusive goal. As more data emerge, it is becoming apparent that one important aspect of such an immunogen will be the proper representation of the envelope protein (Env) as it exists on native virions. Important questions that are yet to be fully addressed include what factors dictate Env processing, how different Env forms are represented on the virion, and ultimately how these issues influence the development and efficacy of NAbs. Recent data have begun to illuminate the extent to which changes in gp41 can impact the overall structure and neutralizing sensitivity of Env. Here, we present evidence to suggest that minor mutations in gp120 can significantly impact Env processing. We analyzed the gp120 sequences of 20 env variants that evolved in multiple macaques over 8 months of infection with simian/human immunodeficiency virus 89.6P. Variant gp120 sequences were subcloned into gp160 expression plasmids with identical cleavage motifs and gp41 sequences. Cells cotransfected with these plasmids and Δenv genomes were able to produce competent virus. The resulting pseudoviruses incorporated high levels of Env onto virions that exhibited a range of degrees of virion-associated Env cleavage (15 to 40%). Higher levels of cleavage correlated with increased infectivity and increased resistance to macaque plasma, HIV immunoglobulin, soluble CD4, and human monoclonal antibodies 4E10, 2F5, and b12. Based on these data, we discuss a model whereby changes in gp120 of 89.6P impact Env processing and thereby mediate escape from a range of neutralizing agents.
Role of Aging on Innate Responses to Viral Infections

Older people exhibit increased morbidity and mortality after viral infections than younger people. Additionally, vaccines are less protective in older people than in younger people. As the immune system is critical for host defense to viral infections and for vaccine efficacy, the implications are that aging negatively affects immunity. The immune system is broadly categorized into adaptive and innate systems. The innate immune system acts as a first line of defense to pathogen invasion. In this review, I focus on how aging affects the innate immune response to viral infection.
Collective transport of robots: Coherent, minimalist multi-robot leader-following

We study the collective transport of robots (CTR) problem. A large number of commodity mobile robots are to be moved from one location to another by a single operator. Joysticking each one or carrying them physically is impractical. None of the robots are particularly sophisticated in their ability to plan or reason. Prior work on flocking and formation control has addressed the transport of a robot group that maintains its integrity by explicitly controlling coherence. We show how flocking emerges as a consequence of each robot contending for space near the human operator. A coherent flock can be made to follow a leader in this manner thereby solving the CTR problem. We also present the design of a hand-worn IMU-based gesture interface which allows the human operator to issue simple commands to the group. A preliminary experimental evaluation of the system shows robust CTR with different leader behaviors.
Guidelines for a Comprehensive Security System

Planning and managing the overall security of a distributed Internet-related network is a complex process. There are many different stakeholders involved, different types of assets, and new kinds of threats each day. Assessing the “strength” of the comprehensive security system without an overall model may result in significant security vulnerabilities. This article presents a step-by-step process for organizational security teams to utilize for building and maintaining comprehensive security systems. These steps include establishing a quality security team, identifying the assets at risk, determining the threats to those assets, developing security controls, implementing the system, and continuously reviewing the assets, risks, and system for continued assurance. Keywords: remote access; risk assessment; security controls; security team; security vulnerabilities; wired network; wireless network
The role of CRF receptor subtypes in stress-induced behavioural responses.

The actions of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and CRF-related peptides in the brain and periphery are mediated through multiple receptors. Two CRF receptor subtypes that differ markedly in their pharmacological profiles and anatomical distribution have been identified and characterized. Important advances have been made in understanding CRF and its actions through the development of specific CRF receptor antagonists, application of antisense oligonucleotides, and the production of transgenic mice lacking functional CRF1 receptors. This chapter describes recent findings with respect to CRF-related peptides and CRF receptors and their role in stress-induced behaviours.
Singular Foci of Planar Linkages

The focal points of a curve traced by a planar linkage capture essential information about the curve. Knowledge of the singular foci can be helpful in the design of path-generating linkages and is essential to the determination of path cognates. This paper shows how to determine the singular foci of planar linkages built with rotational links. The method makes use of a general formulation of the tracing curve based on the Dixon determinant of loop equations written in isotropic coordinates. In simple cases, the singular foci can be read off directly from the diagonal of the Dixon matrix, while the worst case requires only the solution of an eigenvalue problem. The method is demonstrated for one inversion each of the Stephenson-3 six-bar and the Watt-1 six-bar.
Intimate Partner Violence at the Scene: Incident Characteristics and Implications for Public Health Surveillance:

Using data that, to our knowledge, have not been used before for this purpose, we examined 9,231 opposite-sex intimate partner violence (IPV) calls for law enforcement assistance recorded in the Compstat system of a large U.S. city. Although women were the predominant victims, injuries were documented more often for men. Only about 1% of incidents were considered a restraining order violation, although many orders were active in the city at the time. The data appeared to be of good quality and just a few changes in recording procedures would increase Compstat’s usefulness for public health in U.S. cities.
A modeling language for hybrid systems

The general hybrid systems modeling language (HSML) described here will serve two purposes: to define formally what is meant by the term "hybrid system", and to provide the basis for language-based "front ends" for hybrid system simulation environments. Features of HSML include: hierarchical, modular construction of models; consistent yet distinctive definition of continuous-time, discrete-time and logic-based components; prioritized scheduling of discrete-time components; mechanisms for state-event handling; approaches for dealing with vector-field conflicts and changing order and structure; rigorous type and range checking; and a strict semantic basis that permits extensive checking and validation of the model. >
Planar micro-optic solar concentration using multiple imaging lenses into a common slab waveguide

Conventional CPV systems focus sunlight directly onto a PV cell, usually through a non-imaging optic to avoid hot spots. In practice, many systems use a shared tracking platform to mount multiple smaller aperture lenses, each concentrating light into an associated PV cell. Scaling this approach to the limit would result in a thin sheet-like geometry. This would be ideal in terms of minimizing the tracking system payload, especially since such thin sheets can be arranged into louvered strips to minimize wind-force loading. However, simply miniaturizing results in a large number of individual PV cells, each needed to be packaged, aligned, and electrically connected. Here we describe for the first time a different optical system approach to solar concentrators, where a thin lens array is combined with a shared multimode waveguide. The benefits of a thin optical design can therefore be achieved with an optimum spacing of the PV cells. The guiding structure is geometrically similar to luminescent solar concentrators, however, in micro-optic waveguide concentrators sunlight is coupled directly into the waveguide without absorption or wavelength conversion. This opens a new design space for high-efficiency CPV systems with the potential for cost reduction in both optics and tracking mechanics. In this paper, we provide optical design and preliminary experimental results of one implementation specifically intended to be compatible with large-scale roll processing. Here the waveguide is a uniform glass sheet, held between the lens array and a corresponding array of micro-mirrors self-aligned to each lens focus during fabrication.
Generalized lattice agreement

Lattice agreement is a key decision problem in distributed systems. In this problem, processes start with input values from a lattice, and must learn (non-trivial) values that form a chain. Unlike consensus, which is impossible in the presence of even a single process failure, lattice agreement has been shown to be decidable in the presence of failures. In this paper, we consider lattice agreement problems in asynchronous, message passing systems. We present an algorithm for the lattice agreement problem that guarantees liveness as long as a majority of the processes are non-faulty. The algorithm has a time complexity of O(N) message delays, where N is the number of processes. We then introduce the generalized lattice agreement problem, where each process receives a (potentially unbounded) sequence of values from an infinite lattice and must learn a sequence of increasing values such that the union of all learnt sequences is a chain and every proposed value is eventually learnt. We present a wait-free algorithm for solving generalized lattice agreement. The algorithm guarantees that every value received by a correct process is learnt in O(N) message delays. We show that this algorithm can be used to implement a class of replicated state machines where (a) commands can be classified as reads and updates, and (b) all update commands commute. This algorithm can be used to realize serializable and linearizable replicated versions of commonly used data types.
Successful pregnancy outcome in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) following escalated eculizumab dosing to control breakthrough hemolysis

Pregnancy in women with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is associated with increased maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. There is limited published experience regarding therapy of PNH during pregnancy. We describe a case of a 30 year old female with hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome and PNH. After two years of treatment with eculizumab, she became pregnant. She developed breakthrough hemolysis at 20 weeks gestation. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies demonstrated a subtherapeutic eculizumab level with absence of complement blockade. Escalation of her eculizumab dose successfully controlled hemolysis and restored therapeutic eculizumab level and activity. She delivered a healthy baby at 36 weeks.
A new approach to measure the contribution of restitution to repolarization alternans

Several studies suggest link between repolarization alternans and arrhythmia. A potential target for minimization of alternans amplitude is pharmacological flattening of restitution function, which links a diastolic interval (DI) and subsequent action potential duration (APD). While our recent studies have shown that DI dependent restitution is not a necessary mechanism for alternans, in circumstances of nearly invariant activation intervals, restitution contributes to alternans. Determination of the degree to which restitution contributes to alternans during stable alternans, which requires determination of the gain between DI and APD, is not possible because it always is unity. We propose that the rate of change of alternans along the length of the tissue may provide an estimate of the degree to which restitution contributes to alternans amplitude. We conducted experiments with swine to demonstrate the above approach. In a linear strand of tissue, we paced such that DIs for successive activations were invariant at one end, which eliminates the restitution dependent mechanism of alternans at this end. Due to conduction delays, at the distal end, both restitution dependent and independent mechanisms manifest. Action potentials recorded from right ventricular endocardial tissue from swine (n = 3D3) showed an average difference in amplitudes of alternans between the two ends to be 11.99, 25.49, and 39.37 msec. Rates of change of alternans amplitude as a function of distance, computed using linear interpolation, were 0.36, 1.69 and 0.97. We propose that this rate of change may provide an indirect measure of degree of contribution of restitution to alternans and thus may be useful in evaluating therapeutic approaches to minimize its amplitude.