cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrastructural pathological study of left ventricular myocardium in patients with isolated rheumatic mitral stenosis with normal or abnormal left ventricular function.

An electron microscopic study of left ventricular myocardium was carried out in 15 patients who had isolated rheumatic mitral stenosis, with particular reference to the relation among ultrastructural pathological findings, the severity of mitral stenosis and left ventricular function. They were divided into 2 groups based on left ventricular performance evaluated by 2-dimensional echocardiography and angiocardiography. The severity of mitral stenosis was determined by hemodynamic data and mitral valve areas measured by 2-dimensional echocardiography. Regardless of the level of left ventricular contractile function we consistently demonstrated varying degrees of ultrastructural pathological alterations of left ventricular muscle cells, involving the myofibrils, mitochondria, nuclei and other elements of the sarcoplasm and membranes surrounding the myocardial cells in all specimens examined. The ultrastructural pathological findings did not correlate with the severity of mitral stenosis reflected in the echocardiographic and hemodynamic data. However, those patients with abnormal left ventricular function always exhibited more extensive loss of myofibrils resulting from either disproportion of the mitochondria-to-myofibril ratio or myofibrillar degeneration. The present investigation provides the morphological data at the ultrastructural level to support the widely held concept of a myocardial factor i.e., the extent of myocardial involvement by the rheumatic process as the basic pathogenetic mechanism responsible for left ventricular dysfunction in patients with isolated rheumatic mitral stenosis. Furthermore, it is suggested that pathological alterations of myocardial ultrastructure were related to the extent of myocardial involvement by the rheumatic process rather than being structural adaptations in response to the hemodynamic derangement.
Viewing Nuclear Deformation with Sideways Microscopy

Structural information related to rearrangement of the cytoskeletal and nucleoskeletal structure, induced strains, and biochemical distributions are metrics for understanding cell response. However, structural information during applied stress is limited by our ability to image the cells under load. In order to study the mechanics of single cells and subcellular components such as the nucleus, we developed a unique system that couples an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) with a new imaging technique called PRISM - Pathway Rotated Imaging for Sideways Microscopy. PRISM allows for simultaneous horizontal and vertical fluorescence imaging of a single cell. The combined AFM and PRISM system enables acquisition of 3D images of cell structure with accompanying piconewton resolution force measurements. We use this new technique to observe nuclear deformation from the side in real time. From these experiments we can measure a cell's mechanical response (AFM) and strain maps of punctate labeled nuclei (PRISM). Additionally, we will show how external forces induce a strain in chromosome territories. Our larger goals are to investigate how external mechanical stimuli structurally affects the genome and thereby alters gene expression, motility and differentiation.
Visual image retrieval for applications in art and art history

Visual query programs are an effective tool for searching large collection of images. Unlike most programs of this type that rely on text to access categories of images, IBM's QBIC software will search for images based on what they look like. This is of value in situations where the content of an image is not described in the text catalog or when the user is seeking relational images. The Art and Art History Department at the University of California, Davis is using QBIC to determine what role it may play in retrieval of fine art images. This paper describes the department's construction of a pilot database and presents preliminary findings.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Efficient and Accurate Anomaly Identification Using Reduced Metric Space in Utility Clouds

The online detection of anomalies is a vital element of operations in utility clouds. Detection should function for different levels of abstraction including hardware and software, and for the various metrics used in cloud computing systems. Given ever-increasing cloud sizes coupled with the complexity of system components, continuous monitoring leads to the overwhelming volume of data collected by health monitoring tools. High metric dimensionality and existence of interacting metrics compromise the detection accuracy and lead to high detection complexity. In this paper, we present a metric selection framework and propose systematic approaches to effectively identify and select the most essential metrics for online anomaly detection in utility clouds. Specifically, a mutual information based approach selects metrics with the maximized mutual relevance and the minimized redundancy. Then metric space combination and separation are explored to reduce the metric dimensionality further. Experimental results on utility cloud scenarios demonstrate the viability and efficiency of this framework. The selected metrics contribute to a high efficiency and accuracy in anomaly detection.
A Stationary Hadamard Transform Interferometer

Optical interferometers have been used extensively in many applied fields of science including chemistry and physics. Conventional interferometers have provided one, if not more of the following advantages over conventional dispersive spectrometers: (1) multiplex advantage (Fellgett's advantage) (2) high frequency precision (Connes' advantage) (3) high optical etendue' or throughput (Jacquinot advantage) There are many different types of optical interferometers available on the market today (e.g. Fizeau, Fabry-Perot, etc.,) but perhaps the most important, at least historically, is the Michelson interferometer. Most Fourier transform infrared spectrometers today are based on this design. The Michelson-type interferometer, which employs a beamsplitter and a moving mirror can be thought of as an amplitude splitting device. In other words, the original beam from the source is split in half by a beamspliiter with each half traversing one "arm" of the interferometer. One arm contains a movable mirror which modulates the interference fringe pattern generated as the two halves (i.e. each arm) are recombined by the beamsplitter. Since the movable mirror is translated with time, the interferogram is effectively recorded as a function of time. This temporal interferogram can be further related back to the optical path difference between the two arms of the interferometer. Stroke and Funkhouser proposed a Fourier transform spectrometer which created a spatial interferogram as opposed to the temporal interferogram produced by conventional Michelson-type interferometers. Some have referred to this device as a holographic spectrometer or source doubling interferometer. These devices can be thought of as wavefront splitting devices analogous to Young' double slit experiment or the Fresnel biprism. The primary source is split into two coherent secondary sources which will exhibit constructive and destructive interference in the plane. An appropiate Fourier transform of this interferogram will reconstruct the cosine frequency components of the primary source. There are many devices that make use of a spatial interferogram. Presently, in our laboratory, work is underway to develop a stationary Hadamard transform (HT) interferometer that utilizes a liquid crystal optical shutter array to encode a spatial interferogram created by a Fizeau interferometer design. Thus, the HT stationary interferometer becomes a no moving parts spectrometer.
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Treatment outcome and prognostic factors.

Thyroid cancers span a wide clinical spectrum. Differentiated tumors, comprising over 90% of thyroid malignancies, have an overall mortality of only about 5%. In stark contrast, anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), representing <2% of cases, is almost uniformly fatal. ATC is so aggressive that all patients are TNM Stage IV, even in the case of small lesions initially confined to the thyroid gland. Although most thyroid cancers are indolent, allowing initial evaluation to proceed over weeks or even months without adversely affecting patient outcomes, ATC requires expeditious diagnosis, staging, and treatment. It is thus critical that providers likely to first encounter ATC patients (primary care, endocrinologists, surgeons, nuclear medicine physicians) become astute at quickly recognizing the imminently threatening nature of the illness, and respond rapidly if ATC is in the differential diagnosis. Because of its deadly, rapidly progressive, and rare nature, referral to a medical center with an experienced multidisciplinary team should be made if at all possible in order to expedite optimal evaluation, counseling, and management.
An Intramolecular Diels-alder Reaction of a Z-Diene. Generation Of The Chiral Isoindolone Nucleus Of Cytochalasin C.1

Abstract Aldol/elimination reactions of s-ketoamides with methyl glyoxylate result in highly selective production of Z-α,s-unsaturated amides. An intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of a triply activated dienophile derived from chiral dienylamine 7ZE stereospecifically affords chiral bicyclic lactam 11 at room temperature.
Our Republican Example: The Significance of the American Experiments in Government in the 21st Century

he founding generations of Americans saw themselves as undertaking experiments in government that included creating constitutional democratic republics and promoting commerce, science, and religious freedom. As Tocqueville recognized, their efforts fostered a society in which, for a time, there was extensive agreement on what James Ceaser has termed “foundational concepts,” despite sharp policy differences, and a society in which commerce, science, and religion all flourished. Yet as they did, they created a national context in which, in the late 19th and 20th centuries, many embraced notions of evolution that challenged older rationalist and religious foundational concepts, while many others continued to affirm these older beliefs. The American experiments in government thus initiated changes that have increasingly fostered deep political and philosophical divisions, creating major new challenges for democratic republican self-governance today.
Extreme bilateral atriomegaly; review of the literature and report of a case.

Extreme enlargement of the atria is unusual and its mechanism is not clearly established. A case is reported here of extreme bilateral atriomegaly with some special features of interest and the entire problem is reviewed.
Cultural Interpretations of States of Malnutrition Among Children: A South Indian Case Study

In this chapter, I wish to consider how a set of children’s illnesses often associated with states of malnutrition are conceptualized by a South Indian population. My focus will be the meaning accorded to these illnesses and the manner in which this meaning influences health care practice and decision making. Highlighted will be rural mothers ideas about the classification, etiology, prevention, and appropriate treatment of seven children’s illnesses in South Kanara District, Karnataka State. Following the presentation of this data, I will briefly consider its applied significance and suggest that culturally responsive approaches to health education may be developed around emic illness categories. I will further argue that ayurvedic practitioners are a primary health care resource in rural South India capable of playing an important role in nutrition education. They are consulted about diet for health as well as during illness and convalescence, times of greatest nutrient need and the most dietary restrictions.
Electrochemically controlled release of lipid/DNA complexes: a new tool for synthetic gene delivery system

Advances in molecular medicine have produced a large amount of information about genes that translate to therapeutic molecules when expressed in living cells. There is an increasing interest in nonviral methods for gene delivery, to address all concerns on non-toxic, easy, and possibly efficient delivery systems. In this paper we introduced a new attractive approach for non-viral transferring of genetic materials on demand. By using lipofectin reagent (1:1 molar ratio of DOPE:DOTMA. DOPE: l-α-doleoyl posphatidylethanolamine; DOTMA: N-[1-(2,3-dideyloxy) propyl]-n,n,n-trimethylammonium chloride), the lipid/DNA complexes (lipoplexes) can be electrostatically adsorbed on the gold microelectrode surface. The resulting lipoplexes molecules can be subsequently removed from the surface by applying −1.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in physiological phosphate buffer medium (pH 7.4). This electrochemically controlled-release process has been extensively examined by gel electrophoresis (GE), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), infrared spectroscopy (IR), and square wave voltammetry (SWV) techniques. The lipoplex composition has been addressed for efficient gene delivery protocol, based on their different charge ratios. The results from different techniques coincided, as also verified by the repetitive control experiments. This in-vitro electrically – triggered release protocol for genetic material offers the current gene delivery arsenal a new, simple, and non-viral alternative.
Plant Variety Protection, Private Funding, and Public Sector Research Priorities

While it is possible that the PVPA will pull research away from the socially optimal allocation of resources, other sources of distortion may be equally important. Political pressure on public research or industry's contributions to public research may lead to too much research on certain topics (Ulrich, Furtan, and Schmitz) or commodities. Another concern is that, in certain commodities, the private sector research is crowding out public research. Both concerns raise the questions of who will teach the next generation of scientists, who will provide varieties when markets are insufficient to induce private research, and who will maintain the competitive structure of agricultural production, inputs, and marketing. This paper is part of a larger project on the impact of the PVPA and patents on public and private R&D, and on crop yields and genetic diversity of major field crops in the United States. The primary purpose of this paper is to measure the PVPA's impact on public sector plant breeding. The secondary purpose is to find out whether industry directly influences public research. As a preliminary study, we examine public sector R&D expenditure patterns on wheat, soybeans, corn, cotton, and sorghum.
Recent progress on nutraceutical research in prostate cancer.

Recently, nutraceuticals have received increasing attention as the agents for cancer prevention and supplement with conventional therapy. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the US. Growing evidences from epidemiological studies, in vitro experimental studies, animal studies, and clinical trials have shown that nutraceuticals could be very useful for the prevention and treatment of PCa. Several nutraceuticals including isoflavone, indole-3-carbinol, 3,3′-diindolylmethane, lycopene, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, and curcumin are known to downregulate the signal transductions in AR, Akt, NF-κB, and other signal transduction pathways which are vital for the development of PCa and the progression of PCa from androgen-sensitive to castrate-resistant PCa. Therefore, nutraceutical treatment in combination with conventional therapeutics could achieve better treatment outcome in prostate cancer therapy. Interestingly, some nutraceuticals could regulate the function of cancer stem cell (CSC)-related miRNAs and associated molecules, leading to the inhibition of prostatic CSCs which are responsible for drug resistance, tumor progression, and recurrence of PCa. Hence, nutraceuticals may serve as powerful agents for the prevention of PCa progression and they could also be useful in combination with chemotherapeutics or radiotherapy. Such strategy could become a promising newer approach for the treatment of metastatic PCa with better treatment outcome by improving overall survival.
RESEARCH REPORT: The Personnel Training Director

Professional managers in the training and development area go by many titles. The one we have chosen to label the position is Personnel Training Director. It was chosen because those words appeared frequently in our survey of titles. The words do not necessarily have a finer “ring” than some other more creative title entries, but they do seem descriptive.
A Theoretical Model of Orographically Modified Cyclogenesis

Abstract The modification of baroclinic instability by low-level orographic blocking of cold advection is considered within a simple model. In this model, the meridional flow in the lower layer of a quasi-geostrophic model is blocked by a semi-infinite knife edge barrier extending eastward from the origin. The stability problem for a vertically sheared current parallel to the barrier is solved by means of the Wiener-Hopf technique, and a number of properties of the eigenmodes are determined. The barrier is found to have an inhibitory effect on cyclogenesis, in the sense that the magnitude of the pressure perturbation in the lower layer is reduced in the vicinity of the barrier. However, the barrier also distorts the flow in such a manner as to lead to the formation of a low-level cutoff low south of the barrier, which is characterized by intense easterly winds on the barrierward side of the low. It is also found that at certain phases of the development, the lower-layer velocities have square toot singula...
Lipoate metabolism in Pseudomonas putida LP

dl-[1,6-14C]Lipoate was used to support the growth of Pseudomonas putida LP, which was found to grow on d- or l-lipoate as sole source of carbon and sulfur. The major radioactive catabolite in the benzene extract from acidified aerobic cultures was identified to be bisnorlipoate. The principal acidic 14C-catabolites in the aqueous phase have now been isolated and identified as β-hydroxybisnorlipoate, as well as bisnorlipoate; the existence of lesser amounts of tetranorlipoate is also indicated by Chromatographic evidence. Although the microorganism can grow on 8-methyllipoate (6,8-dithiononanoate), the bisnor- and tetranor-compounds, as well as 6,9-dithiononanoate (a dithiane derivative), do not support growth. Hence, the bacterium can derive most of the needed carbon by β-oxidation of the acid side chain of a 3-substituted dithiolane to yield the two-carbon-shorter bisnor-compound. Less extensive degradation of bisnorlipoate results in the formation of β-hydroxybisnorlipoate, which may be further metabolized to tetranorlipoate.
In vitro and in vivo effects of ethanol on the formation of endoperoxide metabolites in rat platelets.

Preincubation of rat platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with ethanol resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of the formation of endoperoxide metabolites (EPM) when the PRP was aggregated by collagen suspension. The inhibition was manifested at concentrations normally attainable in blood of rats or humans by tolerable amounts of ethanol ingestion. Paradoxically, chronic ingestionof ethanol caused enhanced synthesis of EPM in platelets, indicating that the inhibitory effect of ethanol would be temporary, and that it can be reversed as soon as ethanol is eliminated. The level of arachidonic acid in platelet phospholipids of rats fed the ethanol diet was not different from that of the control, indicating that availability of immediate precursor acid would not be a factor for the enhanced synthesis of EPM in the ethanol group. This result suggested that platelets from rats subjected to chronic ethanol ingestion become hyperactive in synthesizing EPM through an unknown mechanism. When citrated whole blood was incubated in the presence of collagen suspension, amounts of EPM synthesized in the ethanol group were not different from those of the control group, but this was due to significant reduction of platelet counts in the ethanol group. whether the effect of ethanol on other tissues would be similar to that on platelets is unknown. It is tempting to speculate that some of the pathological changes resulting from alcoholism might be mediated through the effect of ethanol on EPM formation.
Education policy and schooling attainment in Malaysia and the Philippines

Abstract Aggregate schooling levels have risen greatly since the 1960s in Malaysia and the Philippines. This paper examines the extent to which the family background of individuals and education policies of the government together influence schooling levels. The results suggest that education policies in either country have significantly affected levels as well as the relative distribution of schooling among its demographic groups.
Tunnelling Measurements of Vibrational Spectra of Amino Acids and Related Compounds

OBSERVATIONS of inelastic electron tunnelling in doped tunnel junctions have been used to study molecular Vibrational spectra of organic molecules including amino acids, fatty acids and related compounds. The potential of the technique as a spectroscopic tool in the analysis of trace amounts of chemical compounds has been explored through a systematic study of the spectra observed for a group of several dozen dopant chemicals. Previous observations of inelastic tunnelling spectra have been limited to a few simple organic acids and alcohols with high vapour pressures1,2. In the experiments described here a system has been developed which allows the preparation of doped tunnel junctions using any reasonably stable chemical compound without danger of cross-contamination of the junction fabrication apparatus and permits the use of a wide range of successive dopants.
Testicular self‐examination and testicular cancer: a cost‐utility analysis

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recommended against testicular self-examinations (TSE) or clinical examination for testicular cancer screening. However, in this recommendation there was no consideration of the significant fiscal cost of treating advanced disease versus evaluation of benign disease. In this study, a cost-utility validation for TSE was performed. The cost of treatment for an advanced-stage testicular tumor (both seminomatous and nonseminomatous) was compared to the cost of six other scenarios involving the clinical assessment of a testicular mass felt during self-examination (four benign and two early-stage malignant). Medicare reimbursements were used as an estimate for a national cost standard. The total treatment cost for an advanced-stage seminoma ($48,877) or nonseminoma ($51,592) equaled the cost of 313–330 benign office visits ($156); 180–190 office visits with scrotal ultrasound ($272); 79–83 office visits with serial scrotal ultrasounds and labs ($621); 6–7 office visits resulting in radical inguinal orchiectomy for benign pathology ($7,686) or 2–3 office visits resulting in treatment and surveillance of an early-stage testicular cancer ($17,283: seminoma, $26,190: nonseminoma). A large number of clinical evaluations based on the TSE for benign disease can be made compared to the cost of one missed advanced-stage tumor. An average of 2.4 to 1 cost benefit ratio was demonstrated for early detected testicular cancer versus advanced-stage disease.
Role of interface structure on the plastic response of Cu/Nb nanolaminates under shock compression: Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations

We utilize non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to reveal the dislocation processes underlying the recently observed pronounced effect of bimetal interface structures on the plastic response of Cu/Nb nanolayered composites to shock compression. Critical shock pressures to nucleate and transmit dislocations across an atomically flat interface are shown to be substantially higher than those from a faceted interface, due to atomic-level interface characteristics that cause these two types of interfaces to nucleate, absorb and transmit dislocations by significantly different mechanisms.
Analytical solution of the polarized photon transport equation in an infinite uniform scattering medium

Extending our approach in analytical solving the scalar photon transport equation to the vector case, we obtained an Gaussian approximate time-dependent polarized photon distribution in an infinite uniform scattering medium, whose first two moments are exact.
White-collar delinquency

Seemingly harmless pranks by computer hackers have evolved into major economic crimes and acts of terrorism that appear far different than traditional forms of juvenile delinquency. Nonetheless, because they do not occupy the high status positions that facilitate white-collar crimes, serious computer crimes by juveniles have fallen between the theoretical cracks. A new hybrid category of crime that we label “white-collar delinquency” demonstrates that class does matter in the way illegal activity is conceptualized, and re-ignites debates regarding both white-collar crime and juvenile delinquency. We review conceptual issues that relate to this emergent form of computer-based deviance, and identify questions to be addressed in future theorizing and research.
Material limitations of carbon-nanotube inertial balances: Possibility of intrinsic yoctogram mass resolution at room temperature

We present a theoretical study of the intrinsic quality factor of the fundamental flexural vibration in a carbon nanotube and its dependence on temperature, radius, length, and tension. In particular, we examine three- and four-phonon decays of the fundamental flexural mode within quantized elasticity theory. This analysis reveals design principles for the construction of ultrasensitive nanotube mass sensors: under tensions close to the elastic limit, intrinsic losses allow for single yoctogram mass resolution at room temperature while cooling opens the possibility of subyoctogram mass resolution.
Colorimetric determination of acetaminophen.

A colorimetric procedure for the emergency determination of acetaminophen in plasma is described. Acetaminophen is extracted into ethyl acetate at physiological pH to eliminate salicylate, amino acids and other polar compounds. The extract is treated with Fuller's earth to remove bilirubin and with anhydrous sodium sulphate to remove traces of aqueous droplets containing proteins or uric acid. The extract is back-extracted into carbonate and simultaneously treated with Folin—Ciocalteau reagent to produce a stable colour complex.
ON THE CONVERGENCE OF POWER SCALED CESARO SUMS

Abstract Power scaling is combined with Cesaro summation, and necessary and sufficient local conditions are given for the resulting matrix sequence J N (T) to converge. It is shown that this convergence is closely related to path conditions on the one hand as well as suitable bilinear consistency conditions on the other hand.
The spacing effect in preschool children's free recall of pictures and words

In two experiments, preschoolers exhibited a spacing effect in free recall of both pictures and words even though procedures were very similar to those used in previous experiments in which preschoolers had not manifested a spacing effect. With these findings, the weight of the available evidence in the literature strongly supports the conclusion that preschoolers generally exhibit a spacing effect in free recall.
TU‐C‐T‐617‐06: Importance of Pre‐Fraction Helical CT Isocenter Verification in Extracranial Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Purpose: To quantify the impact of pre‐fraction helical CT isocenter verification vs. setup based on planning CT in fractionated extracranial stereotactic radiosurgery.Method and Materials:Treatment plans (Elekta PrecisePlan) and pre‐fraction isocenter verification helical CT scans for 12 patients (40 fractions) were recovered from treatment plan archives. All structures were contoured by a single physician at the time of treatment. Each plan was imported into a customizable treatment plan analysis suite (CERR). Using CERR, pre‐fraction isocenter verification CT scans were fused with the original treatment plan using the external body frame as a reference. The original planned dose distribution was then translated from original treatment plan isocenter to pre‐fraction verification isocenters in each fraction. Dose and volume parameters for pertinent structures were automatically extracted using both registration methods (planned or pre‐fraction scans) for the original treatment plan and for all subsequent fractions. All patients were treated using the pre‐fraction verified isocenter rather than pre‐calculated body frame fiducials as per our institutional policies. Results: GTV volumes on pre‐fraction CTs varied from original planned GTV volume (64%–203%, mean=101.8+/−26.5%) largely due to helical sampling of a mobile target. Using the external body frame as the only setup reference would have resulted in geographic misses (<80% coverage of 95% of GTV) in 7/40 (17.5%) fractions. Pre‐fraction isocenter verification resulted in improved D95 GTV coverage (88–102%, mean=99.3% +/−2.4%) with no geographic misses. Conclusion: The current RTOG protocol (0236) evaluating extracranial stereotactic radiosurgery does not require pre‐fraction CTtumor position verification. Our institutional policy is to verify isocenter/tumor position prior to each fraction via CT. Although helical scanning artifacts are present, pre‐fraction CT‐based isocenter verification may provide more consistent tumor coverage than setup to planned body frame fiducials. Conflict of Interest: Support for this research was provided in part by Elekta, Inc.
Signal transduction abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease: evidence of a pathogenic stimuli

Hippocampal and select cortical neuronal populations in Alzheimer's disease exhibit phenotypic changes characteristic of cells re-entering the cell division cycle. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether components, known to trigger cellular proliferation and differentiation, upstream of the ras/mitogen-activated kinase pathway, could contribute to the activation of a signal transduction cascade in Alzheimer's disease. We found that proteins implicated in signal transduction from cell surface receptors via the ras pathway, namely Grb2 and SOS-1, were altered in cases of Alzheimer's disease in comparison to age-matched controls. SOS is increased in susceptible pyramidal neurons, while Grb2 shows more subtle alterations in subcellular distribution. Importantly, both SOS-1 and Grb2 show considerable overlap with early cytoskeletal abnormalities suggesting that the alteration in signal transduction molecules is a concurrent, if not preceding, event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Taken together with the cell cycle abnormalities previously reported, these findings suggest that a signal derived from the cell surface contributes to a stimulus for neurons in Alzheimer's disease to re-enter the cell cycle.
Direct visualization in manipulation of stable molecular radicals at room temperature

Abstract We present a novel approach for room-temperature molecular manipulation which exploits the reduced thermal mobility of chemisorbed molecular radicals, with cyclopentadienyl, C 5 H 5 , on Ag(100) as an example. Several novel manipulation modes are demonstrated, all achieved at room temperature. Most notably, the dynamics of the radicals can be directly visualized during manipulation, revealing their preferred direction of motion to be perpendicular to the tip displacement. Additionally, individual radicals can be selectively desorbed intact. These findings point to the feasibility of controlling surface chemistry and molecular engineering down to the fundamental ligand level.
Simplified Scheme for Deterministic Synthesis of Chiral-Nematic Glassy Liquid Crystals†

Potentially useful for the fabrication of nonabsorbing polarizers, optical notch filters and reflectors, and polarized light sources, chiral-nematic glassy liquid crystals can be synthesized by a statistical or deterministic approach. A deterministic approach is characterized by the relative ease of product separation and purification and hence is more amenable to process scale-up. Prompted to minimize the effort involving protection and deprotection of functional groups, the present work has demonstrated the feasibility of reducing the number of synthesis steps from a previous synthesis scheme. The new methodology is widely applicable to the synthesis of a variety of right- and left-handed chiral-nematic glassy liquid crystals with desired phase transition temperatures.
D-branes, orbifolds, and Ext groups

Abstract In this note we extend previous work on massless Ramond spectra of open strings connecting D-branes wrapped on complex manifolds, to consider D-branes wrapped on smooth complex orbifolds. Using standard methods, we calculate the massless boundary Ramond sector spectra directly in BCFT, and find that the states in the spectrum are counted by Ext groups on quotient stacks (which provide a notion of homological algebra relevant for orbifolds). Subtleties that cropped up in our previous work also appear here. We also use the McKay correspondence to relate Ext groups on quotient stacks to Ext groups on (large radius) resolutions of the quotients. As stacks are not commonly used in the physics community, we include pedagogical discussions of some basic relevant properties of stacks.
DNase I sensitivity of immunoglobulin light chain genes in Abelson murine leukemia virus transformed pre-B cell lines

We have used Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV) transformed pre-B cell lines to test the hypothesis that the rearrangement potential of a developing B-lymphocyte is dependent on an "opening" of the chromatin structure surrounding immunoglobulin (Ig) genes, thus allowing accessibility to an Ig gene recombinase. The chromatin structures surrounding heavy (H), kappa (kappa), and lambda (lambda) chain constant-region genes were assessed by DNase I sensitivity in A-MuLV transformed cell lines capable of H, kappa or lambda gene rearrangement. Our results indicate that DNase I-sensitive chromatin structures of these Ig constant-region genes correlate closely with the ability of the genes to undergo recombination. We also find that the chromatin structure of an Ig constant-region locus becomes DNase I sensitive before any DNA rearrangement events occur.
Cascaded Emission from a Dual-Wavelength Quantum Cascade Laser

We present evidence for "cascaded" laser emission in quantum cascade lasers, demonstrating a dual wavelength (~9.6 mum and ~8.2 mum) laser with two consecutive optical transitions in each active region.
An introduction to goal programming with applications in urban systems

Abstract Decisions involving large-scale, complex systems, particularly those in which “society” serves as an ultimate judge of their outcome and effectiveness, also involve multiple, conflicting and noncommensurable goals. Traditional models for the representation and solution of such problems have generally been forced to ignore the multiobjective nature of such problems. As a result, we obtain “optimal” solutions to the simplified models but, since the models do not reflect the actual situation, these solutions can sometimes cause more harm than good. Since large-scale, complex and multiobjective systems are so predominate in urban systems, it is vital that any improved methodology for modeling and solution be at least considered. In this paper we direct our attention to just one of the several new approaches to multiobjective decision analysis; the tool known as goal programming. Considerable interest seems to have been generated in this area recently but the perceptions of goal programming are varied and conflicting and, all too often, erroneous. In this paper an attempt is made to present the reader with a logical structuring of multiobjective optimization and, in particular, to identify goal programming's place and role within this framework. In doing this we hope to dispel a number of myths and misconceptions that have arisen while, at the same time, present an accurate view of the scope and limitations of the methodology. While the paper is primarily tutorial, we will however, also consider the actual and potential implementation of goal programming in problems encountered in the study of urban systems.
Spectral entropy-based bit allocation

In transform-based compression schemes, the task of choosing, quantizing, and coding the coefficients that best represent a signal is of prime importance. As a step in this direction, Yang and Gibson [1] have designed a coefficient selection scheme based on Campbell's coefficient rate and spectral entropy [2]. Building on the spectral entropy-based coefficient selection mechanism, we develop a scheme to allocate bits amongst the chosen coefficients. We show that the proposed scheme can outperform the classical method under certain conditions. We then design quantization matrices (QMs) based on the proposed bit allocation method and show that the newly designed QMs perform better than the default QMs for H.264/AVC encoding in terms of both peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM).
Stability of absorption phenomena in laser-thermal propulsion

The mean flow and stability characteristics of laser absorption phenomena in a choked converging-diverging nozzle are considered. Calculations are presented for a given nozzle geometry and a series of laser intensities. Gas absorptivities corresponding to a hydrogen-cesium mixture are used with different initial temperatures being selected to investigate the effects of changes in the shape of the k-T curve. Both stability and mean flow calculations are limited to the one-dimensional case. The mean flow results show a decrease in mass flow as laser power is increased, along with increasingly steep temperature profiles. Calculations span regions of partial and complete absorption. One region is found where multiple solutions exist. Local stability results indicate the u-c characteristic is the only unstable mode in the unheated case. Laser heat addition makes this mode more unstable and also destabilizes the u-characteristic. Numerical calculations of disturbance propagation show that the instability of the u-c disturbances is counteracted by their reflection to u + c disturbances at the upstream end. The growth of the u-disturbances is localized in regions where the temperature profile is steep and they are damped in other regions. The increasing destabilization that is observed with increased laser power is probably the reason for difficulty in obtaining converged mean flow solutions at high laser intensities.
Translational repression of mRNA for eucaryotic elongation factors in Friend erythroleukemia cells

Poly(A)-containing mRNA was prepared from polyribosomes and postpolyribosomal messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNP) from Friend erythroleukemic cells. Both mRNA types were translated in vitro and the 35S-labeled translation products examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Among the most abundant untranslated mRNA species was the mRNA coding for eucaryotic elongation factor Tu (eEF-Tu). In addition, the mRNA for eucaryotic elongation factor Ts was also present in Friend cells in untranslated form. Calculations based on translation assays indicate that eEF-Tu represents about 15% of the translation products of RNP mRNA and that approximately 40% of the eEF-Tu synthesized in vitro is encoded by translationally repressed mRNA. This repressed mRNA can be activated by addition of cycloheximide to cell cultures. At the level of 0.1 μg/ml, cycloheximide was found to inhibit cellular protein synthesis by about 50% while augmenting the relative rate of eEF-Tu synthesis 1.6-fold. This result suggested that eEF-Tu mRNA might initiate poorly. However, addition of supersaturating levels of mRNA to a reticulocyte lysate augmented eEF-Tu synthesis about twofold, while generally depressing the synthesis of other proteins by about 40%. Thus the storage of large amounts of eEF-Tu mRNA in vivo is unlikely to be due directly to the ineffectiveness of the mRNA in competing for the initiation machinery of the cell. The results presented in this report suggest that the supply of active eEF-Tu in erythroleukemic cells is controlled, at least in part, by a translational mechanism.
The mechanism of the conversion of o-nitrobenzoyldiazomethane to N-hydroxyisatin

Abstract The acid-catalyzed conversion of o -nitrobenzoyldiazomethane (I) to N-hydroxyisatin (V) has been studied by following the fate of the diazo carbon atom in I which was labelled with C 14 . Degradation of V showed that all the C 14 was in the C 2 -position, thus establishing that a Wolff-type rearrangement of I (via a ketene intermediate) was not involved in the formation of V. A mechanism for the rearrangement of I to V, differing in important details from the mechanism previously proposed by Moore, 3 has been advanced.
A model for GRIN-SCH-SQW diode lasers

A comprehensive model for graded-index, separate-confinement-heterostructure, single-quantum-well (GRIN-SCH-SQW) Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As diode lasers is presented, and compared with experimental data. The model combines many individual features not heretofore included together, and gives good agreement with gain-vs.-current density data for different structure variations. In addition, the threshold temperature dependence agrees well with data for typical laser conditions, and the high-gain kink in T/sub 0/ versus temperature is qualitatively explained. >
Using a Multimedia Social Marketing Campaign to Increase Active Bystanders on the College Campus

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the campus-wide administration of the Know Your Power bystander-oriented social marketing campaign. Participants: Undergraduate students at a public college were invited to participate in a public awareness survey before and after the 6-week campaign administration in February and March 2009. Methods: Pretest and posttests were administered (N = 353) to examine if exposure to the campaign changed students’ stage of scale scores. Results: Exposure to the social marketing campaign increased participants’ awareness of their role in reducing sexual and relationship violence and stalking, increased their expressed willingness to get involved in reducing the incidence these types of violence, and resulted in participants being more likely to report having taken action to reduce these types of violence. Conclusions: As college students explore their role as community members, it is an opportunity for college educators to design and administer prevention messages highlighting behav...
Mechanism of Surface White Discoloration of Peeled (Minimally Processed) Carrots During Storage

A proposed mechanism of white discoloration development on peeled carrots included both physical and physiological responses to wounding. The physical response is a color change due to reversible surface dehydration. This study was performed at 2.5 and 10°C using a mode1 system controlling relative humidity, at 33, 75 or 98%, and a commercial system with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic film bags. The rate of surface discoloration increased with decreasing RH. When excess surface moisture was left on peeled carrots, rates of white development decreased sharply at all RH compared with a dewetted control. The same effects were observed on peeled carrots stored in LDPE bags. Carrots partially regained their original color when water-dipped, due to reversal of the physical response component.
THE HAUSDORFF DIMENSION OF A GRAPH-DIRECTED SET WHOSE UNDERLYING MULTIGRAPH IS A CARTESIAN PRODUCT OR A TENSOR PRODUCT OF MULTIGRAPHS

In this paper, we compute the Hausdorff dimension of a graph-directed set when the underlying multigraph is a Cartesian product or a tensor product of several multigraphs. We give explicit formulas in terms of the eigenvalues of the graph and the similarity ratios used with each graph.
Scheduling and flexible control of bandwidth and in-transit services for end-to-end application workflows

End-to-end scientific application workflows that integrate high-end experiments and instruments with large scale simulations and end-user displays are becoming increasingly important. These workflows require complex couplings and data sharing between distributed components involving large data volumes and present varying hard (in-time data delivery) and soft (in-transit processing) quality of service (QoS) requirements. As a result, supporting efficient data transport is critical for such workflows. In this paper, we leverage software-defined networking (SDN) to address issues of data transport service control and resource provisioning to meet varying QoS requirements from multiple coupled workflows sharing the same service medium. Specifically, we present a flexible control and a disciplined resource scheduling approach for data transport services for science networks. Furthermore, we emulate an SDN testbed on top of the FutureGrid virtualized testbed and use it to evaluate our approach for a realistic scientific workflow. Our results show that SDN-based control and resource scheduling based on simple intuitive models can meet the requirements of the targeted workflows with high resource utilization. A flow-based in-transit data staging and processing approach.An opportunistic QoS model, based on convex optimization, for resource scheduling.SDN controller for enabling in-transit services and end-to-end workflow couplings.An evaluation using a Fusion workflow scenario and an emulated virtualized SDN testbed.The approach achieves high resource utilization and satisfies workflow QoS requirements.
Splenic gonadal fusion

Splenogonadal fusion is a rare anomaly to be included in the differential diagnosis of testicular masses. It is often associated with congenital defects, including peromelia and micrognathia. A case is presented and the literature reviewed.
Impacts of the invasive plant Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) on plant communities and ecosystem processes

Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed) invades riparian areas and roadsides in New England. This large clonal species drastically alters the appearance of habitats by forming highly productive near-monocultures. To understand how these invasions affect ecosystem processes in New England, we quantified the impacts of F. japonica on species diversity, primary productivity, and nitrogen cycling at five locations in central Massachusetts, USA. In stands of F. japonica and in adjacent uninvaded areas, we recorded the cover of each plant species and measured the aboveground biomass and nitrogen (N) concentrations in plants, along with N retranslocation from F. japonica leaves and several soil characteristics. In addition, we severed rhizomes of peripheral F. japonica shoots to determine if clonal integration contributes to the species’ rapid spread and dominance. Stands of F. japonica had lower species diversity, but greater aboveground biomass and standing N than uninvaded areas. Nitrogen and carbon concentrations in biomass and N mineralization rates in soil did not differ between stands and adjacent areas. Rhizome severing temporarily reduced growth of F. japonica, suggesting that retranslocation of photoassimilates and/or nutrients between shoots via rhizomatal connections may maximize stand level growth rates and facilitate dominance by F. japonica.