cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving communication by optimizing on-node data movement with data layout

We present optimizations to improve communication performance by reducing on-node data movement for a class of distributed memory applications. The primary concept is to eliminate the data movement associated with packing and unpacking subsets of the data during communication. With the rapid rise in network injection bandwidth reducing off-node data movement cost, on-node data movement can be significantly more expensive than computation and network communication. This data movement is especially costly for small domains - as in memory-intensive multi-physics codes or when strong scaling to reduce time-to-solution. The optimizations presented include (1) optimizing data layout through indirection to enable pack-free communication; (2) creating contiguous views of memory using memory mapping thus minimizing the number of messages; and (3) applying these techniques to intra-node data movement including CPU-GPU data movement. The benefits of these optimizations are demonstrated in stencil benchmarks against a highly-optimized baseline, reducing communication time by up to 14.4×.
The International Legal Obligation to Rescue During Mass Migration at Sea: Navigating the Sovereign and Commercial Dimensions of a Mediterranean Crisis

An onslaught of irregular maritime migration across the Mediterranean Sea is creating a much-publicized humanitarian emergency as hundreds of thousands of refugees and economic migrants from Africa and the Middle East embark on the treacherous journey to continental Europe aboard overloaded and unseaworthy vessels. The mass arrival of these migrants and the turmoil that they flee raises layers of political and ethical dilemmas requiring focused engagement by the international community. During the hours and days the migrants are at sea, however, they are exposed to unrivaled vulnerability often demanding urgent assistance from coastal states and commercial vessels operating in the nearest vicinity. In responding to the well-established moral and legal duty to render assistance at sea, the resources of these rescuing actors have been substantially strained due to the extraordinary scale of the current crisis. This staggering impact on both sovereign and commercial maritime interests implicates complex legal questions with answers found at the intersection of bodies of law with varying policy underpinnings. This Article seeks to synthesize these legal regimes, highlight their impact, and offer possible solutions.
Interaction of Campylobacter jejuni with Host Cells

This chapter discuss three critical aspects of the interaction of Campylobacter jejuni with host cells: (i) its ability to mediate its own uptake into nonphagocytic cells, (ii) its ability to modulate vesicular trafficking pathways to avoid delivery into lysosomes, and (iii) its ability to reprogram host cell gene expression to stimulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines. The strong phenotype associated with capsular mutants in different animal models is likely to be due to reasons other than their rather minor effect in bacterial internalization. Therefore, it is likely that the capsular polysaccharide may contribute to internalization indirectly, perhaps by promoting bacterial attachment to host cells. Bacterial internalization does not require dynamin, an essential component of the endocytic machinery associated with cavaealoe. Like other intracellular pathogens, C. jejuni must have evolved specific adaptations to survive within host cells. Intestinal epithelial cells are equipped to mount innate immune responses upon detection of microbial pathogens. The last few years have seen advances in the understanding of the cell biology of infection, although more studies will be required to gain an understanding of these issues on par with that of other pathogenic bacteria. Although many C. jejuni mutants apparently defective in some of these process have been identified (e.g., bacterial entry), the direct involvement of these determinants in C. jejuni– host cell interactions has not been demonstrated. The availability of powerful genetic tools, coupled with a better understanding of the cell biology of infection, can help to identify those bacterial determinants.
Visualizing⋅matching⋅generalizing: Case identification hypotheses and case-level data analysis

The traditional and still dominant logic among nearly all empirical positivist researchers in schools of management is to write symmetric (two-directional) variable hypotheses (SVH) even though the...
Capacity of power constrained memoryless AWGN channels with fixed input constellations

We propose a numerical method to compute the capacity of a power constrained memoryless additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel with finite and fixed input alphabets. The method is based on a two-part algorithm. The first part is a modified version of the Blahut-Arimoto algorithm and the second part is a simple maximization algorithm over a single parameter. The optimal input distribution we obtain can be utilized to construct probabilistic codes for this channel. These codes promise to bridge the shaping gap between the uniform-input information rate and the capacity of the channel.
Privatizing Water: Governance Failure and the World's Urban Water Crisis - By Karen Bakker.

A review of the book "Privatizing Water: Governance Failure and the World's Urban Water Crisis," by Karen Bakker is presented.
Resonant Landau Level-Optical Phonon Interaction in Two-Dimensionally Confined Charge Carrier Systems

The study of the phenomenon of resonant coupling of Landau level with the longitudinal optical phonon in a bulk semiconductor received considerable impetus with the observation1 of the anomalous magneto-optical interband absorption behavior of InSb, reported a little over a decade ago. Subsequent studies clarified various aspects of this phenomenon as it affects impurity absorption,2 cyclotron resonance3 and combined resonance.4 A systematic theoretical study5 of the phenomenon in free carrier systems has led to a classification of the relative importance of self-energy and electron-light vertex corrections. In this lecture I shall discuss certain aspects of this phenomenon in the context of the new and novel two-dimensionally confined charge carrier systems that can be made to occur in semiconductor quantum wells,6 superlattices7, 8 heterojunctions9, 10 and the metal-oxide-semiconductor systems.11 The fabrication and study12 of these systems within the recent past have opened a rather unique opportunity for the exploration of new phenomena arising from the reduced dimensionality, as well as from the special conditions that can be realized in these systems. In addition, new ramifications of established phenomena can be fruitfully employed to gain information regarding fundamental interactions unique to the system.
εPKC Is Required for the Induction of Tolerance by Ischemic and NMDA-Mediated Preconditioning in the Organotypic Hippocampal Slice

Glutamate receptors and calcium have been implicated as triggering factors in the induction of tolerance by ischemic preconditioning (IPC) in the brain. However, little is known about the signal transduction pathway that ensues after the IPC induction pathway. The main goals of the present study were to determine whether NMDA induces preconditioning via a calcium pathway and promotes translocation of the protein kinase C e (ePKC) isozyme and whether this PKC isozyme is key in the IPC signal transduction pathway. We corroborate here that IPC and a sublethal dose of NMDA were neuroprotective, whereas blockade of NMDA receptors during IPC diminished IPC-induced neuroprotection. Calcium chelation blocked the protection afforded by both NMDA and ischemic preconditioning significantly, suggesting a significant role of calcium. Pharmacological preconditioning with the nonselective PKC isozyme activator phorbol myristate acetate could not emulate IPC, but blockade of PKC activation with chelerythrine during IPC blocked its neuroprotection. These results suggested that there might be a dual involvement of PKC isozymes during IPC. This was corroborated when neuroprotection was blocked when we inhibited ePKC during IPC and NMDA preconditioning, and IPC neuroprotection was emulated with the activator of ePKC. The possible correlation between NMDA, Ca2+, and ePKC was found when we emulated IPC with the diacylglycerol analog oleoylacetyl glycerol, suggesting an indirect pathway by which Ca2+ could activate the calcium-insensitive ePKC isozyme. These results demonstrated that the ePKC isozyme played a key role in both IPC- and NMDA-induced tolerance.
BETWEEN SUBALTERNITY AND INDIGENEITY

This introductory essay addresses the conditions for possible exchange between subaltern studies and indigenous and American Indian studies. It highlights the special significance of Spivak's ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?’ as an inaugurating moment of postcolonial studies in the US with important implications for those working in indigenous studies. Scholars in postcolonial and indigenous/American Indian studies share an interest in challenging the logics of colonialism and deploying incommensurability as a critical tool. However, the essay also points to tensions between postcolonial and indigenous studies that derive from indigenous people's sense of living under ongoing colonial projects – and not just colonial legacies – and from postcolonial studies’ over-reliance on models of colonialism in South Asia and Africa that do not necessarily speak to the settler colonies of the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. Besides tracing the convergences and tensions that mark the relation between indigenous and post...
The gas phase structures of the isomers of benzene: IV. Hexafluoro-dewar-benzene

Abstract Gas phase electron diffraction data for HFDB were analyzed, following conventional procedures, and a structure was deduced for the perfluoro-bicyclo-[2.2.0]hexa-2,5-diene consistent with its C 2 v symmetry. A least squares analysis of the molecular scattering function gave the following r g values: [-C-C-] = 1.597 ± 0.006 A, [C-C-] = 1.503 ± 0.002 A, [-C-C-] = 1.356 ± 0.007 A, [-C-F](bridge) = 1.331 ± 0.008 A, [-C-F] (terminal) = 1.323 ± 0.004 A. The flap angle between the rings is 115.3( ± .7)°. The terminal fluorines are in the planes of the corresponding rings. The most notable feature of the structure is the long C-C bridge bond, which was also observed in hexamethyl-Dewar-benzene. The geometrical features of HFDB are compared with corresponding ones in HMDB, and with perfluoro- cyclobutene as well as with theoretical estimates.
The thermal characteristics of potassium oxalato lanthanates: K3LnOx3 · n H2O (Ln=La−Tb) and K8Ln2Ox7 · 14 H2O (Ln=Tb−Yb, Y)

The title compounds were studied by TG, DTA, DSC, IR and absorption spectroscopy. The complexes go through dehydration (70–200°C), an irreversible exothermic process (in air or N2 atmosphere, 250–300°C) and decomposition to a mixture of oxides and carbonates (385–700°C). The exothermic process occurs without weight loss and corresponding heats of reaction fall in the range 0–26 kJ/mol. The absorption spectrum of the Nd complex in the range 5000–6000 A was employed to monitor perturbations in the coordination sphere of Nd3+ arising from the exothermic process. Involvement of the Nd3+ cation is implied and the heats of reaction show a close relationship to the radii of Ln3+. The interpretation of these data was made with the aid of valuable structural information obtained previously.
Tetraethylammonium, a K+ channel blocker, inhibits interferon-γ-induced major histocompatibility class II antigen (Ia) expression and DNA synthesis in rat astrocytes

Abstract Astrocytes play an important role in antigen presentation to T lymphocytes by their ability to express major histocompatibility class II (Ia) antigen upon exposure to a number of agents, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Astrocytes have been shown to express a variety of voltage-sensitive ion channels including voltage-sensitive K + channels. The function(s) of these channels in astrocyte functions is not clearly understood. In this investigation, we examined: (1) the comparative effects of mouse, rat, and human recombinant IFN-γ (rIFN-γ) on the induction of Ia antigen and DNA synthesis in rat astrocytes; (2) the effect of tetraethylammonium (TEA), a K + channel blocker, on rat IFN-γ-induced Ia expression and DNA synthesis in rat astrocytes. Our data show that all INF-γ induce DNA synthesis in rat astrocytes but only rat and mouse and not the human IFN-γ will induce Ia expression. TEA in a dose-dependent manner inhibited both Ia expression and DNA synthesis in rat astrocytes. The concentration kinetics of TEA with regard to maximum inhibition of Ia and DNA synthesis were different. Furthermore, these inhibitory effects were not a result of toxic or nonspecific effect of TEA on astrocytes as demonstrated by viability data and lack of any effect of tetramethylammonium, an analogue of TEA, that does not block K + ion channels. These data suggest a role of K + channels in Ia expression and DNA synthesis, therefore in immunological functions of astrocytes.
A MINIMUM OF 50% OF PREDICTED LUNG WEIGHT, DNA OR TOTAL LUNG VOLUME IS NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL IN INFANTS WITH CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA (CDH). 2095

A MINIMUM OF 50% OF PREDICTED LUNG WEIGHT, DNA OR TOTAL LUNG VOLUME IS NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL IN INFANTS WITH CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA (CDH). 2095
T-shell rendering

Previously shell rendering was shown to be an ultra fast method of rendering digital surfaces represented as sets of voxels. The purpose of this work is to describe a new extension to the shell rendering method that creates isosurfaces called t-shells using triangulated shell elements. The great speed of the shell rendering technique is made available through the use of data structures that describe the shell and through algorithms that traverse this information to produce the 2D projection of the 3D data. In traditional shell rendering, each shell element is a triple comprised of the offset from the start of the row, the neighborhood code, and the surface normal. We modify this data structure by replacing the neighborhood code with a code that indicates the configuration of triangles within that area. The t-shell algorithm modifies the original shell rendering algorithm to project 1 of the 256 possible triangulated configurations (rather than the rasterization of a single, uniform shell element). We present the general t-shell algorithm as well as the results of two preliminary implementations as applied to input data which consist of different object from various parts of the body and various modalities with a variety of surface sizes and shapes. We present the results of some initial timing experiments as well as some preliminary, sample renditions.
Synergistic transcriptional activation by Sox10 and Sp1 family members.

Abstract Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are expressed at specific times during development and in discrete neuronal populations. Transcriptional regulation of the receptor genes clearly plays a key role in the molecular pathway underlying the expression of these critical synaptic components. In an effort to understand this regulation, we focus upon the genes encoding three receptor subunits: α3, α5 and β4. These subunits are genomically clustered and constitute the predominant nAChR subtype expressed in the peripheral nervous system. We and others demonstrated that the general transcription factors, Sp1 and Sp3, can transactivate the promoter of each subunit gene. Further, we showed that the regulatory factor Sox10 transactivates the α3 and β4 promoters and does so in a cell-type-specific manner. Interestingly, the Sp- and Sox10-binding sites on the β4 promoter are located immediately adjacent to each other, raising the possibility that the two sets of factors functionally interact to regulate receptor gene expression. Consistent with this hypothesis, we demonstrated that the proteins can directly interact. Here, we extend these observations and show that Sox10 and the Sp factors functionally interact, leading to synergistic transcriptional activation in a cholinergic cell line. Finally, evidence for the existence of cell-type-specific co-regulators for Sp1 and Sox10 is presented.
Relative deamination rates of amino acids by rumen microorganisms.

Summary Studies were made of the relative deamination rates of amino acids in vitro by rumen microorganisms. Two media were investigated—cheesecloth-strained rumen liquor and washed suspensions of rumen bacteria. Individual amino acids may be divided into three groups with regard to their relative rate of deamination. Serine, cysteine, aspartic acid, threonine and arginine were attacked most completely, followed by glutamic acid, phenylalanine, lysine, and cystine forming an intermediate group and a third group in which deamination was much less pronounced was tryptophane, δ-amino valeric acid, methionine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, ornithine, histidine, glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. Dissimilation rates are more rapid and complete in rumen liquor than in washed cell suspensions. A mixture of three or four amino acids were not dissimilated to a greater degree than the catabolic summation of each individual amino acid in the mixture. The D and L forms of serine and tryptophan were catabolized at the same relative rate whereas the D enantiomorphs of aspartic acid, lysine, threonine, and phenylalanine were not catabolized. Modifications of the washed cell medium failed to demonstrate the factors responsible for the marked decrease in deaminating power.
WRIST ARTHROGRAPHY TODAY

The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. MARK TWAIN Wrist arthrography emerged in 1961 13 as a technique to evaluate the intercarpal ligaments and flourished over the next two decades. In the last several years, however, various investigators have criticized wrist arthrography for being insensitive to many ligamentous defects seen during arthroscopy, 5,45 and for being poorly predictive of symptomatology. 12,14,18,48 At least one leading musculoskeletal radiologist has predicted that wrist arthrography will soon be an obsolete procedure. 6 What factors account for such a precipitous rise and fall in popularity? Are there problems with studies that have criticized the technique or with those that have advocated its use? Is the technique itself inherently limited in its ability to provide relevant clinical information versus other imaging techniques? Are we limited in our knowledge of the characteristics of carpal ligament injuries? Review of the literature shows considerable variation in examination technique, ranging from the injection of a single compartment 3,14,26 to bilateral triple compartment injections. 5,16,17,48 One group used varying dilutions of iodinated contrast material in order to inject all three compartments successively. 11 In some investigations, the source of the communication between joints was frequently not identified. 30,37 Yet, the presence of a communication was used as presumptive evidence of a ligament tear. Aside from the technical shortcomings of many of these studies, it is evident that there has been an evolving understanding of the characteristics of ligament trauma and attritional alterations that is still incomplete. Until the body of scientific knowledge in this area is more comprehensive, all imaging methods, including arthroscopy, will have some limitations in their ability to accurately predict pathology. We believe that if the radiologist uses meticulous technique and diligent observation, understands the anatomy of the carpal ligaments, and is familiar with what is known in the literature regarding ligament trauma and age-related alterations, the use of arthrographically enhanced imaging has the potential to provide an equivalent diagnostic evaluation as arthroscopy. Indeed, the ability to perform bilateral wrist arthrography to look for symmetric asymptomatic defects is an advantage wrist arthrography has over wrist arthroscopy.
The Clinical Microbiology Laboratory in the Diagnosis of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) produce between 5 and 10% of all deaths reported to the CDC via the 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System ([5][1]). The clinical laboratory plays a vital role in the diagnosis of these infections but faces numerous challenges due to the complexity of LRTIs
Stiripentol in refractory status epilepticus.

Summary Benzodiazepines (BZDs), which enhance γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor–mediated inhibition, are the first-line therapy for treatment of status epilepticus (SE). However, pharmacoresistance to BZDs develops rapidly after SE initiation. This is due to an activity-dependent internalization of BZD-sensitive GABAA receptors during SE. Stiripentol (STP) is a positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors with a unique subunit selectivity profile. We report that in a rodent model of SE, STP terminates behavioral seizures and remains effective in established SE when seizures have become BZD resistant. The anticonvulsant effects of STP are age dependent, with greater potency in juvenile animals. Whole cell recordings from dentate granule cells in hippocampal slices reveal that STP potentiates GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and tonic GABAergic currents by acting at a site on the GABAA receptor that is separate from the benzodiazepine binding site. This potentiation persists in established SE, whereas potentiation of GABAergic inhibition by BZDs is lost. STP potentiates IPSCs in juvenile animals with greater potency than in adult animals. We suggest that STP, either alone or as add-on therapy, may prove useful in treating established and BZD-resistant status epilepticus. Furthermore, STP may be particularly effective in terminating SE in children when SE is most prevalent.
Site-directed Mutagenesis of Either the Highly Conserved Trp-22 or the Moderately Conserved Trp-95 to a Large, Hydrophobic Residue Reduces the Thermodynamic Stability of a Spectrin Repeating Unit

As reported previously (MacDonald, R. I., Musacchio, A., Holmgren, R. A., and Saraste, M. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 91, 1299-1303), an unfolded peptide was obtained by site-directed mutagenesis of Trp-22 to Ala in the cloned, wild type 17th repeating unit (alpha17) of chicken brain alpha-spectrin. Trp occurs in position 22 of nearly all repeating units of spectrin. In the present study, Trp-22 was mutated to Phe or to Tyr to compare thermodynamic stabilities of urea-induced unfolding of alpha16 and mutants thereof. alpha16 was chosen for this study instead of alpha17, because alpha16 has two tryptophans, allowing urea-induced unfolding to be tracked by the fluorescence of the Trp remaining in each mutant peptide and by circular dichroism in the far UV. The free energies of unfolding of W22Y and W22F were 50% that of alpha16, showing that Trp-22 is crucial in stabilizing the triple helical bundle motif of the spectrin repeating unit. Mutation of the moderately conserved Trp-95 of alpha16 to Val, which occupies position 95 in alpha17, also yielded a peptide with 50% of the free energy of unfolding of alpha16. Thus, the thermodynamic stability of a given spectrin repeating unit may depend on both moderately and highly conserved tryptophans. Different structural roles of Trp-22 and Trp-95 in alpha16 are suggested by the slightly higher wavelength of maximum emission of Trp-22, the greater acrylamide quenching of Trp-95 than Trp-22, and the longer lifetime of Trp-95. For comparison with alpha16, urea-induced unfolding of spectrin dimer isolated from human red cells was monitored by far UV-CD and by tryptophan fluorescence. Thermodynamic parameters could not be rigorously derived for the stability of spectrin dimer because unfolding of spectrin dimer involved more than two states, unlike unfolding of cloned repeating units. However, the similar midpoints of CD-monitored denaturation curves of alpha16 and spectrin dimer, i. e. 2.7 and 3.2 M urea, respectively, indicate that investigation of cloned repeating units of spectrin can provide physiologically relevant information on these structures.
Two cases of acute dexmedetomidine withdrawal syndrome following prolonged infusion in the intensive care unit: Report of cases and review of the literature.

Prolonged infusion of dexmedetomidine, an α2-adrenoreceptor agonist anesthetic used in the intensive care unit, produces a withdrawal syndrome of sympathetic over-activity, characterized by tachycardia, hypertension and agitation, but there is no recommended standard treatment for this syndrome. We describe two patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute dexmedetomidine withdrawal and its management with oral clonidine. We utilized the principle of managing acute drug withdrawal with longer acting medications. These two cases demonstrated the benefit of using oral, longer acting clonidine to manage acute withdrawal from shorter-acting, intravenous dexmedetomidine.
A direct algorithm for optimal quadratic splines

We develop an algorithm to findk, the minimal value of ?f (2)??, wheref?C 1 is a quadratic spline with free knots, which interpolates the givenp points {x i ,y i } 1 p with increasingx i 's, has absolutely continuousf (1) and essentially boundedf (2) in [x 1,x p ]. The algorithm emerges from the study of the underlying structure of the solutions of the problem. We determine the initial upper and lower bounds $$\left( {\bar K,\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{K} } \right)$$ on ?f (2)?? and then decrease the difference $$\left( {\bar K - \underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{K} } \right)$$ successively by bisection. For any given error level ?>0,k is found within ±? inn iterations, wheren is the smallest integer such that $$\left( {0.5} \right)^n \leqq \varepsilon /\left( {\bar K - \underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{K} } \right)$$ . Given the solutionk, it is also shown how to construct an optimal spline and upper/lower envelopes of the function values. A detailed numerical example of the procedure and construction of the envelopes is given. Computations from an initial computer implementation are provided. The algorithm seems to be fast and the approach applicable to other related problems.
The analysis of air voids in concrete specimen using X-ray computed tomography

Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) and concrete containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) as aggregate were evaluated by the Superpave Indirect Tensile (IDT) strength test in conjunction of X-ray Computed Tomography (CT). Each concrete specimen for Superpave IDT strength test was subject to several procedures of preparation: concrete slicing, air drying, surface cleaning, gage points mounting, and LVDTs aligning. The concrete specimen was administrated a specified load level for ten seconds and then unloaded. A pre-sitting load of ten to fifteen pounds was constantly applied in order to hold still the concrete specimen. The load level was repeated with approximately 10% increment of peak stress (eg., 10%, 20%, 30%...etc.), until when the fracture of concrete occurred. The X-ray CT scans were performed: before the load was initially applied and after the load was released. It was to identify subtle changes in concrete before and after the repeated load levels were administrated. An image-processing technique was developed to assess the air voids distribution for each load level. The maximum variation of air voids measured near the central area of the specimen was within ±0.3%. The volume of air voids in the concrete was observed to increase significantly when the concrete specimen was loaded to fracture. The significance of this study is a better understanding of microstructural property in terms of air voids by using X-ray CT to assess the microdamage in concrete before fracture.
Thermodynamics and kinetic properties of C in Ni-Fe-C solid solutions

Abstract Solid solutions of C in the f.c.c. Ni-Fe matrix exhibit an anomaly which manifests itself in a peak in the variation of the activation energy for diffusion and the partial enthalpy of the dissolved C-atoms with the composition of the Ni-Fe matrix. This peak, which occurs at about 0.25–0.3 at.% Fe, has been shown to be primarily related to volume changes in the Ni-Fe matrix rather than to effects related to the electronic states of Fe atoms.
Thermodynamic properties for P4

Abstract Values of the thermodynamic properties—heat content, free energy, entropy, and heat capacity—have been calculated for the ideal gaseous state at one atmosphere pressure, and for the rigid-rotor harmonic-oscillator approximation, at 12 temperatures between 100 and 1000°K.
Evidence for a genetic factor related to leukemogenesis and congenital anomalies: Chromosomal aberrations in pedigree of an infant with partial D trisomy and leukemia **

Chromosomal studies of relatives of an infant with myeloblastic leukemia and clinical and cytogenetic findings consistent with partial D1 trisomy showed excessive breakage, chromatid exchange and endoreduplication, and fragment formation in 3 generations of the pedigree, which suggests a genetic factor acting in the manner of a “breakage gene” and constituting a possible link between leukemogenesis, congenital anomalies, and chromosomal aberrations.
Gender-specific effects of oral hypoglycaemic agents on cancer risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims To analyse the association between cancer incidence and oral diabetes therapy (biguanide, sulphonylurea, thiazolidinedione and meglitinide) in men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods A retrospective analysis of the electronic health record-based Cleveland Clinic Diabetes Registry (25 613 patients) was cross-indexed with the histology-based tumour registry (48 051 cancer occurrences) over an 8-year period (1998–2006). Multiple imputations were used to account for missing data. Cox regression with propensity scores was used to model time for the development of incident cancer in each of the imputed datasets and the results were pooled. Results During 51 994 person follow-up years, 892 incident cancer cases were identified; prostate (14.5%) and breast (11.7%) malignancies were most frequent. In women, thiazolidinedione use was associated with a 32% decreased cancer risk compared with sulphonylurea use [hazard ratio (HR) 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48–0.97, in the adjusted analysis]. Comparison of insulin secretagogues (sulphonylurea and meglitinide) versus insulin sensitizers (biguanide and thiazolidinedione) demonstrated a 21% decreased cancer risk in insulin sensitizers [HR 0.79 (95% CI 0.64–0.98) in the adjusted analysis]. Oral diabetes therapy showed no significant difference in men. Adjustments were made for age, body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes oral monotherapy, race, gender, haemoglobin A1c, statin use, income, insulin use, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), new diabetes status, prior cancer, prior cerebrovascular accident (stroke or transient ischaemic event), systolic/diastolic blood pressure, tobacco use (ever/never) and the propensity score for receiving a biguanide. Conclusions Oral insulin sensitizers, particularly thiazolidinedione, are associated with decreased malignancy risk in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of K-590 in the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle.

The fluorescence spectrum of a distinct isometric and conformational intermediate formed on the 10(-11) s time scale during the bacteriorhodopsin (BR) photocycle is observed at room temperature using a two laser, pump-probe technique with picosecond time resolution. The BR photocycle is initiated by pulsed (8 ps) excitation at 565 nm, whereas the fluorescence is generated by 4-ps laser pulses at 590 nm. The unstructured fluorescence extends from 650 to 880 nm and appears in the same general spectral region as the fluorescence spectrum assigned to BR-570. The transient fluorescence spectrum can be distinguished from that assigned to BR-570 by a larger emission quantum yield (approximately twice that of BR-570) and by a maximum intensity near 731 nm (shifted 17 nm to higher energy from the maximum of the BR-570 fluorescence spectrum). The fluorescence spectrum of BR-570 only is measured with low energy, picosecond pulsed excitation at 590 nm and is in good agreement with recent data in the literature. The assignment of the transient fluorescence spectrum to the K-590 intermediate is based on its appearance at time delays longer than 40 ps. The K-590 fluorescence spectrum remains unchanged over the entire 40–100-ps interval. The relevance of these fluorescence data with respect to the molecular mechanism used to model the primary processes in the BR photocycle also is discussed.
An experimental study of the effect of uniform strain on thermal fluctuations in grid-generated turbulence

The effect of homogeneous strain on passive scalar fluctuations, and the resultant evolution of the scalar field when the strain is removed, is experimentally studied by passing thermal fluctuations in decaying grid turbulence through a four-to-one axisymmetric contraction. Using a mandoline (Warhaft & Lumley 1978a) to vary the scale size of the initial thermal fluctuations and hence the pre-contraction mechanical/thermal time-scale ratio, r, it is shown, for values of r greater than unity, that as r is increased so is the post-contraction thermal decay rate, i.e. the contraction does not cause the thermal-fluctuation decay rate to equilibrate to a constant value. In these experiments the post-contraction thermal decay rate is always greater than the pre-contraction decay rate, i.e. the contraction accelerates the thermal-fluctuation decay. Moreover, the mechanical/thermal time-scale ratio in the post-contraction region is driven further from unity. In terms of scale size the uniform strain has the effect of increasing the thermal length scale by an amount equal in value to the contraction ratio if the pre-contraction thermal length scale is comparable to that of the pre-contraction velocity scale. However, if the pre-contraction thermal length scale is smaller than the pre-contraction velocity scale then the effect of the contraction on the thermal scale is less marked. The contraction induces significant negative cross-correlation ρuθ between the longitudinal velocity u and thermal fluctuations θ even if the pre-contraction cross-correlation is close to zero. The magnitude of ρuθ and hence the post-contraction heat flux is varied and the coherence structure is studied. It is shown that the thermal-fluctuation decay rate is insensitive to the magnitude of the heat flux, the latter of which decays rapidly compared to the relatively slow decay of turbulence energy in the post-contraction region. It is also shown that ρuθ tends towards zero in this axisymmetric homogeneous flow at a faster rate than in isotropic turbulence. In accord with previous investigations, the return toward isotropy of the velocity field is very slow.
A Method for Simulating Fusion Reactor Radiation Damage Using Triple Ion Beams

An ion beam technique has been developed to simulate the microstructural damage expected in materials in future fusion reactors. The simulation technique utilizes two beam lines simultaneously, one with Ni ions to create a high atomic displacement density,+ and the other with a mixture of molecular deuterium 4D+2 and atomic 4He+. The profiles of the implanted deuterium and helium have been measured by the method of nuclear microanalysis.
Induction of ventricular tachycardia during electrophysiologic study after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

An association among premature ventricular complexes on routine electrocardiogram, elevated right ventricular systolic pressure and sudden death after repair of tetralogy of Fallot was previously reported. To examine this relation further, noninvasive, hemodynamic and in-vasive electrophysiologic data were studied in 27 patients who had undergone repair of tetralogy of Fallot 7 months to 21 years (mean 1.75 years) previously. Syncope, which had occurred in four patients, was not significantly related to ventricular arrhythmia on rest electrocardiogram, 24 hour electrocardiogram or treadmill test. AH four patients with syncope had either nonsustained (two patients) or sustained (two patients) ventricular tachycardia induced at electrophysiologic study. His bundle to ventricle conduction interval was prolonged in two patients and Q to right ventricular apex interval was prolonged in three of the four patients. AH four had abnormal anatomic or hemodynamic findings: two had a right ventricular systolic pressure of 70 mm Hg or more, one had right ventricular dysfunction with tricuspid insufficiency and one a septal aneurysm. The 9 patients with induced nonsustained or sustained ventricular tachycardia were then compared with the 15 patients without induced ventricular arrhythmias. Those with ventricular tachycardia had a greater prevalence of: more complex ventricular arrhythmia on 24 hour electrocardiogram (63 versus 0%, p It is concluded that: 1) induction of nonsustained or sustained ventricular tachycardia was associated with a history of syncope; 2) all patients at risk for syncope could not be identified by routine electrocardiogram 24 hour electrocardiogram or treadmill test; 3) hemodynamic alterations may interact with intraventricular conduction abnormalities and predispose to ventricular tachycardia.
Error consistency analysis scheme for infrared ultraspectral sounding retrieval error budget estimation

Great effort has been devoted towards validating geophysical parameters retrieved from ultraspectral infrared radiances obtained from satellite remote sensors. An error consistency analysis scheme (ECAS), utilizing fast radiative transfer model (RTM) forward and inverse calculations, has been developed to estimate the error budget in terms of mean difference and standard deviation of error in both spectral radiance and retrieval domains. The retrieval error is assessed through ECAS without relying on other independent measurements such as radiosonde data. ECAS establishes a link between the accuracies of radiances and retrieved geophysical parameters. ECAS can be applied to measurements from any ultraspectral instrument and any retrieval scheme with its associated RTM. In this manuscript, ECAS is described and demonstrated with measurements from the MetOp-A satellite Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI). This scheme can be used together with other validation methodologies to give a more definitive characterization of the error and/or uncertainty of geophysical parameters retrieved from ultraspectral radiances observed from current and future satellite remote sensors such as IASI, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), and the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS).
Voting and campaigning under incomplete information

Abstract Voters who are ill-informed about the positions or activities of candidates will pay close attention to the little information they do have. Unfavorable news about a candidate may therefore cause that candidate a greater loss of support when voters are poorly informed than when they are well informed. This effect may paradoxically induce candidates to represent their constituents especially well when the constituents have little information about the candidates.
Chemical and microbiological problems associated with research on the biodesulfurization of coal. A review

Abstract The study of microbial processes for the removal of organic and inorganic sulfur from coals is complicated by the lack of direct methods of measurement for organic sulfur content and the related incomplete understanding of the specific forms of organic sulfur in coal. In addition, the accessibility of specific chemical groups in the coal matrix to microorganisms and their enzymes is uncertain, raising questions about the nature and validity of model compound studies. Thus, interpretation of data from numerous efforts focussed on the microbial removal of inorganic and organic sulfur from coals remains controversial. The discussion here reviews recent developments in the chemical characterization of coal sulfur related to bioprocessing research and describes some recent efforts in involving sulfur transformation by hyperthermophilic archaebacteria.
Primary Small Bowel Volvulus in a Child

A case of primary small bowel volvulus presenting with diffuse peritonitis is reported. A 10-year-old female was admitted to our hospital complaining of abdominal pain. On admission muscular guarding and the Blumberg sign were noted in the abdomen. An abdominal X-ray film showed a small bowel gas shadow without a level. Abdominal CT was performed and showed multiple distended small bowel loops with their edematous mesenteric folds converging toward the point of torsion and thickening of the bowel wall. These findings suggested volvulus of the small intestine, and emergency surgery was performed. On laparotomy, massive small bowel necrosis was observed and the root of the mesentery of the small intestine was twisted clockwise approximately 360°. Resection of the necrotic small intestine was performed and the length of the surviving intestine was 2.5m. We made a diagnosis of primary small bowel volvulus because no bands or adhesions were observed in the abdominal cavity. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on the 22nd day. Primary small bowel volvulus is rare, and diagnosis is very difficult. This case report suggests that CT findings are useful in the diagnosis of primary small bowel volvulus.
A cnidarian homologue of translationally controlled tumor protein (P23/TCTP)

A protein homologous to P23, or translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP), was cloned in Hydra vulgaris, the most ancient type of metazoan from which P23/TCTP has been characterized to date. Hydra P23/TCTP is composed of 184 amino acids and is encoded by a single mRNA of 700 bp. This invertebrate P23/TCTP is well conserved compared to those of other invertebrate and vertebrate species. Expression of Hydra P23/TCTP was confirmed by western blot of Hydra cell lysates using a polyclonal antibody against murine recombinant P23/TCTP. Spatial distribution of P23/TCTP mRNA and protein in Hydra was studied using in situ hybridization and immunostaining, respectively. Hydra P23/TCTP expression along the longitudinal body axis is regulated at both the transcriptional and the translational level. High levels of P23/TCTP mRNA were detected in a subpopulation of cells in the body column. In contrast, no mRNA was evident in the differentiated cells of the head and the foot regions. Coincidentally, P23/TCTP protein also concentrates to the body column, with no detectable protein in the head and foot region. However, despite the existence of P23/TCTP mRNA in both the ectoderm and endoderm in the body column, its protein is localized to the endodermal cells, suggesting a regulatory mechanism at the translational level. Taken together, the expression pattern of P23/TCTP in Hydra correlates with regions in which cell proliferation is actively occurring and its expression is excluded from regions where terminal differentiation has occurred.
Hot Electron Generation by the Two-Plasmon Decay Instability in the Laser-Plasma Interaction at 10.6 μm

Hot electron generation in a long-density-scale-length (\ensuremath{\sim}300 \ensuremath{\mu}m) underdense plasma has been studied. For a plasma of maximum electron density of $\frac{1}{4}{n}_{c}$ the hot electron emission is localized in the plane of polarization of the incident C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ laser and peaked about 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with respect to the $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}$ vector of the laser beam, in both forward and backward directions. These observations suggest that the hot electrons are generated by the two-plasmon decay instability at quarter-critical density.
Dielectric Spectroscopy Investigation of Relaxation in C60−Polyisoprene Nanocomposites

We investigate the influence of adding C60 nanoparticles on the dielectric relaxation spectra of both unentangled and entangled polyisoprene (PIP). Relaxation modes corresponding to both the segmental and chain relaxation were analyzed over a broad temperature and frequency range. Regardless of whether the chains were entangled or not, both relaxation processes slowed down with the addition of C60, reflecting an increase of the nanocomposite glass transition temperature. However, C60 affects the segmental relaxation more strongly than the large-scale chain relaxation, both in terms of the relaxation time and strength, suggesting that the effect of the nanoparticles on the polymer dynamics is scale dependent. This effect is attributed to a difference in packing frustration at different length scales, a phenomenon also relevant to understanding the difference between the temperature dependence of the segmental and chain relaxation processes in neat polymer materials. Further evidence of this scale dependenc...
Excess Gibbs energies of mixing of solutions of lithium chloride and cesium chloride in water and in deuterium oxide

From first middle Atlantic regional meeting, American Chemical Society; Newark, DE (2 Apr 1970). Isopiestic vapor pressure measurements of LiCl solutions and of CsCl solutions in D/sub 2/O have been made and the osmotic coefficients derived therefrom are compared with those in H/sub 2/O as solvent. Similar measurements on mixtures of LiCl and CsCl in H/sub 2/0 and in D/sub 2/O have also been made and used to calculate excess Gibbs energies of mixing in these two solvents. (auth)
Dispersion of Nodes Added to a Network

For location problems in which optimal locations can be at nodes or along arcs but no finite dominating set has been identified, researchers may desire a method for dispersing p additional discrete candidate sites along the m arcs of a network. This article develops and tests minimax and maximin models for solving this continuous network location problem, which we call the added-node dispersion problem (ANDP). Adding nodes to an arc subdivides it into subarcs. The minimax model minimizes the maximum subarc length, while the maximin model maximizes the minimum subarc length. Like most worst-case objectives, the minimax and maximin objectives are plagued by poorly behaved alternate optima. Therefore, a secondary MinSumMax objective is used to select the best-dispersed alternate optima. We prove that equal spacing of added nodes along arcs is optimal to the MinSumMax objective. Using this fact we develop greedy heuristic algorithms that are simple, optimal, and efficient (O(mp)). Empirical results show how the maximum subarc, minimum subarc, and sum of longest subarcs change as the number of added nodes increases. Further empirical results show how using the ANDP to locate additional nodes can improve the solutions of another location problem. Using the p-dispersion problem as a case study, we show how much adding ANDP sites to the network vertices improves the p-dispersion objective function compared with (a) network vertices only and (b) vertices plus randomly added nodes. The ANDP can also be used by itself to disperse facilities such as stores, refueling stations, cell phone towers, or relay facilities along the arcs of a network, assuming that such facilities already exist at all nodes of the network.