cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of long-term oxidation on the rheological properties of polymer modified asphalts☆

Abstract The effect of long-term aging on rheological properties of polymer modified asphalt binders was studied. Modifiers included diblock poly(styrene-b-butadiene) rubber, triblock poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene), and tire rubber. Asphalt aging was carried out either at 60 °C in a controlled environmental room or at 100 °C in a pressure aging vessel [AASHTO Provisional Standards, 1993]. Both dynamic shear properties and extensional properties were investigated. Polymer modification resulted in increased asphalt complex modulus at high temperatures, decreased asphalt complex modulus at low temperatures, broadened relaxation spectra, and improved ductility. Oxidative aging decreased asphalt temperature susceptibility, damaged the polymer network in binders, further broadened the relaxation spectrum, and diminished polymer effectiveness in improving asphalt ductility.
Metastatic lymph node ratio successfully predicts prognosis in western gastric cancer patients.

Abstract Background Lymph node positivity is a strong prognostic indicator in many cancers including gastric cancer. The extent of surgical resection directly influences the number of lymph nodes available for staging, with the lesser D1 resection that is standard practice in non-Asian countries typically providing fewer nodes for analysis. The widely used AJCC TNM staging system has been criticized for under-staging and stage migration where fewer than 15 nodes are resected, which is often the case in these populations. The ratio of positive to total nodes harvested – Lymph Node Ration (LNR) – has been proposed as an improved and more widely applicable prognostic indicator. Hypothesis The LNR is a reliable and accurate prognostic indicator of survival in a Western gastric cancer population. Methods 9357 patients were acquired via a SEER case listing session with 2004–2011 gastric adenocarcinoma diagnoses. AJCC 7th edition nodal staging (N0: 0, N1:1–2, N2:3–6, N3:≥7 positive lymph nodes) and LNR positive nodal staging (PN0: 0%, PN1: 1–20%, PN2: 21–50%, PN3: 51–100% of examined nodes positive) were compared as respects seven year survivorship. Results Adjusted survival time ratios for AJCC nodal curves were less evenly distributed than were the percent positive nodal curves. Results of multiple regression reflected that survival time ratios of the percent positive nodal schema being more evenly spaced than those of the AJCC schema. Because BIC for AJCC, 41071.48, was larger than that for percent positive nodes, 41024.25, the LNR nodal system better explained survival than the AJCC nodal classification system. Conclusion LNR produced reliable and internally consistent survival curves for this population. LNR is an effective tool to predict survival in a western gastric cancer patient population, where the majority of the patients have limited lymph node dissection.
Fringe Benefits Provision by Rural Small Businesses

We examine the relationship between employer size and the provision of fringe benefits in a large sample of rural businesses. A clear employer size-benefits relationship exists only in the case of health insurance, while other benefits are not strongly linked to employer size. The negative relationship between employer size and health insurance is weaker, though still existent, in businesses whose employees have relatively high skill levels. Single, independent establishments and sole proprietorships are less likely to provide fringe benefits than multi-establishment and corporate firms.
Personality traits, Cluster B personality disorders, and sociosexuality.

Abstract This study had two objectives. First, using the California Q-set ( CAQ ), we attempted to identify the personality features that are associated with individual differences in sociosexuality (i.e., the extent to which people are willing to engage in uncommitted sexual relationships). A second goal was to explore whether unrestricted men and women have personalities that resemble profiles for the Cluster B personality disorders (i.e., narcissism, psychopathy, histrionic, and borderline). Findings indicated that both unrestricted women and men described themselves using the CAQ as, attractive and not ethically consistent. Additionally, unrestricted women described themselves as not being moralistic and to vary roles depending on the situation. Whereas, unrestricted men described themselves as irresponsible, unproductive, not warm, not anxious, and assertive. There were no significant relationships between unrestricted sociosexuality for women and any of the Cluster B profiles. However, relationships were demonstrated between unrestricted sociosexuality for men and narcissism and psychopathy.
Enkephalin contents reflect noradrenergic large dense cored vesicle populations in vasa deferentia.

Abstract Opioid peptides including met- and leu-enkephalins are co-stored with catecholamines at similar concentrations in highly purified chromaffin granule fractions from bovine adrenal medulla and large dense cored vesicle (LDV) fractions from bovine splenic nerve. An initial attempt was made to test the universality of the co-storage of enkephalins in LDVs of sympathetic nerves. Based on a number of practical considerations, vasa deferentia were chosen from seven species. Leu- and met-enkephalin contents were quantitated by radio-immunoassays and norepinephrine by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Norepinephrine contents varied 11-fold and generally paralleled the density of sympathetic innervation among the species as reported in the literature. Leu-enkephalin contents varied 26-fold, generally paralleling the percentage composition of LDVs in the respective terminal varicosities among the species and animal size (axonal length). Met-enkephalin contents varied 20-fold, generally paralleling the density of sympathetic innervation, but not the percentage LDVs. Various amounts of met-enkephalin were also likely stored in cells other than sympathetic nerves, including chromaffin-like cells, the incidence of which varied according to species. Thus, the met- to leu-enkephalin ratios varied from 1.2:1 in dog; 1.7–1.9:1 in rabbit, cat and bull; 2.9:1 in man; 8.2:1 in rat; and essentially only met-enkephalin in guinea pig. The data imply differences in the processing of pre-proenkephalins in the same tissue of different species as well as in different cells of that tissue.
Modulation of fluoropyrimidine metabolism in L1210 cells by l-alanosine☆

Abstract l -Alanosine, an analogue of aspartic acid which inhibits the conversion of inosine monophosphate to adenosine monophosphate (AMP), was evaluated in L1210 cells as a modulator of 5-fluorouracil (FUra) and 5-fluorouridine (FUrd) metabolism. l -Alanosine resulted in increased intra-cellular levels of 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP), enhanced FUra metabolism to ribonucleotide derivatives, and resulted in more FUra residues incorporated into RNA. Sequential addition of l -alanosine and FUra also resulted in synergistic cytotoxicity as determined by soft agar cloning. Adenine antagonized these biochemical and biological effects of l -alanosine. l -Alanosine also augmented the rate at which FUrd was metabolized and was also associated with a greater incorporation of the FUra residues into RNA. Cytotoxicity after sequential l -alanosine and FUrd was also synergistic. The mechanism by which l -alanosine altered the metabolism of FUrd, however, was different from the way in which it enhanced FUra metabolism in that aspartic acid and not adenine was able to reverse the effects of l -alanosine on FUrd metabolism and cytotoxicity. l -Alanosine appeared to augment the RNA-directed activity of FUra and FUrd in that there was no correlation between the enhanced metabolism and cytotoxicity of these two fluoropyrimidines and either levels of fluorodeoxyuridylate (FdUMP) which inhibits thymidylate (TMP) synthetase or inhibition of the ability of cells to incorporate deoxyuridylate into acid-precipitable material.
Antisocial traits in psychiatrically ill veterans without antisocial personality disorder: relationship to Axis I disorders and effects on functioning

The prevalence of antisocial traits was investigated in a group of veterans who were in treatment at an out-patient psychiatric clinic and who did not meet diagnostic criteria for an antisocial personality disorder. Standardized DSM-III-R interviews were used to diagnose Axis I disorders and antisocial personality disorders and traits. Frequencies of antisocial traits were compared between patients and controls as well as between diagnostic subgroups in the clinical population. Odds ratios were used to assess the effect of antisocial traits on several standardized measures of functioning. There was no overall difference in the dimensional measure of antisocial traits between the clinical and normal groups. There were trends for the frequency of individual traits to vary by Axis I diagnosis. The amount of antisocial traits (measured dimensionally) negatively affected measures of functioning for the overall clinical population. Different specific antisocial traits were associated with trends towards poorer functioning in the alcohol, major depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome subgroups. It is recommended that future research in the area of antisocial traits pay careful attention to the possible negative effects on functioning of subthreshold antisocial traits and also to Axis I comorbidity.
Global Distribution and Climate Forcing of Marine Organic Aerosol: 1. Model Improvements and Evaluation

Abstract. Marine organic aerosol emissions have been implemented and evaluated within the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR)'s Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5) with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's 7-mode Modal Aerosol Module (MAM-7). Emissions of marine primary organic aerosols (POA), phytoplankton-produced isoprene- and monoterpenes-derived secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and methane sulfonate (MS−) are shown to affect surface concentrations of organic aerosols in remote marine regions. Global emissions of submicron marine POA is estimated to be 7.9 and 9.4 Tg yr−1, for the Gantt et al. (2011) and Vignati et al. (2010) emission parameterizations, respectively. Marine sources of SOA and particulate MS− (containing both sulfur and carbon atoms) contribute an additional 0.2 and 5.1 Tg yr−1, respectively. Widespread areas over productive waters of the Northern Atlantic, Northern Pacific, and the Southern Ocean show marine-source submicron organic aerosol surface concentrations of 100 ng m−3, with values up to 400 ng m−3 over biologically productive areas. Comparison of long-term surface observations of water insoluble organic matter (WIOM) with POA concentrations from the two emission parameterizations shows that despite revealed discrepancies (often more than a factor of 2), both Gantt et al. (2011) and Vignati et al. (2010) formulations are able to capture the magnitude of marine organic aerosol concentrations, with the Gantt et al. (2011) parameterization attaining better seasonality. Model simulations show that the mixing state of the marine POA can impact the surface number concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The largest increases (up to 20%) in CCN (at a supersaturation (S) of 0.2%) number concentration are obtained over biologically productive ocean waters when marine organic aerosol is assumed to be externally mixed with sea-salt. Assuming marine organics are internally-mixed with sea-salt provides diverse results with increases and decreases in the concentration of CCN over different parts of the ocean. The sign of the CCN change due to the addition of marine organics to sea-salt aerosol is determined by the relative significance of the increase in mean modal diameter due to addition of mass, and the decrease in particle hygroscopicity due to compositional changes in marine aerosol. Based on emerging evidence for increased CCN concentration over biologically active surface ocean areas/periods, our study suggests that treatment of sea spray in global climate models (GCMs) as an internal mixture of marine organic aerosols and sea-salt will likely lead to an underestimation in CCN number concentration.
The effect of communication on the evolution of cooperative behavior in a multi-agent system

A team of agents that cooperate to solve a problem together can handle many complex tasks that would not be possible without cooperation. While the benefit is clear, there are still many open questions in how best to achieve this cooperation. In this paper we focus on the role of communication in allowing agents to evolve effective cooperation for a prey capture task. Previous studies of this task have shown mixed results for the benefit of direct communication among predators, and we investigate potential explanations for these seemingly contradictory outcomes. We start by replicating the results of a study that found that agents with the ability to communicate actually performed worse than those without when each member of a team was evolved in a separate population [8]. The simulated world used for these experiments is very simple, and we hypothesize that communication would become beneficial in a similar but more complex environment. We test several methods of increasing the problem complexity, but find that at best communicating predators perform equally as well as those that cannot communicate. We thus propose that the representation may hinder the success of communication in this environment. The behavior of each predator is encoded in a neural network, and the networks with communication have 6 inputs as opposed to just 2 for the standard network, giving communicating networks more than twice as many links for which to evolve weights. Another study using a relatively similar environment but genetic programming as a representation finds that communication is clearly beneficial for prey capture [4]. We hypothesize that adding communication is less costly to these genetic programs as compared to the earlier neural networks and outline experiments to test this theory.
Phage like it HOT: solution structure of the bacteriophage P1-encoded HOT protein, a homolog of the theta subunit of E. coli DNA polymerase III.

Abstract DNA polymerase III, the main replicative polymerase of E. coli , contains a small subunit, θ, that binds to the ϵ proofreading subunit and appears to enhance the enzyme's proofreading function—especially under extreme conditions. It was recently discovered that E. coli bacteriophage P1 encodes a θ homolog, named HOT. The 1 H- 15 N HSQC spectrum of HOT exhibits more uniform intensities and less evidence of conformational exchange than that of θ; this uniformity facilitates a determination of the HOT solution structure by NMR. The structure contains three α helices, as reported previously for θ; however, the folding topology of the two proteins is very different. Residual dipolar coupling measurements on labeled θ support the conclusion that it is structurally homologous with HOT. As judged by CD measurements, the melting temperature of HOT was 62°C, compared to 56°C for θ, consistent with other data suggesting greater thermal stability of the HOT protein.
James R. Wait (1924–1998)

James (Jim) R.Wait, a pioneer in electromagnetic theory and applications to geophysical exploration, died of cancer in Tucson, Arizona, on October 1, 1998. At 74, he was still very active and innovative in electromagnetics as Regents Professor Emeritus, University of Arizona, and as a consultant in electrical geophysics. He is survived by his wife, Gertrude; his son, George; his daughter, Laura; and three grandchildren, James, Carolyn, and Connor. Jim was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on January 23, 1924. He obtained B.A.Sc.and M.A.Sc. degrees in 1948 and 1949, respectively and his Ph.D. degree in 1951, in electrical engineering, all from the University of Toronto. He obtained his “T” in skiing and remained an avid skier all his life. Jim stayed in great shape and always found time to work out despite his busy schedule. I still remember the business trip where Jim and I ran laps around the parking lot of a Holiday Inn for his daily workout.
Stereomammography: evaluation of depth perception using a virtual 3D cursor.

We are evaluating the usefulness of stereomammography in improving breast cancer diagnosis. One area that we are investigating is whether the improved depth perception associated with stereomammography might be significantly enhanced with the use of a virtual 3D cursor. A study was performed to evaluate the accuracy of absolute depth measurements made in stereomammograms with such a cursor. A biopsy unit was used to produce digital stereo images of a phantom containing 50 low contrastfibrils (0.5 mm diam monofilaments) at depths ranging from 1 to 11 mm, with a minimum spacing of 2 mm. Half of the fibrils were oriented perpendicular (vertical) and half parallel (horizontal) to the stereo shift direction. The depth and orientation of each fibril were randomized, and the horizontal and vertical fibrils crossed, simulating overlapping structures in a breast image. Left and right eye images were generated by shifting the x-ray tube from +2.5° to −2.5° relative to the image receptor. Three observers viewed these images on a computer display with stereo glasses and adjusted the position of a cross-shaped virtual cursor to best match the perceived location of each fibril. The x, y, and z positions of the cursor were indicated on the display. The z (depth) coordinate was separately calibrated using known positions of fibrils in the phantom. The observers analyzedimages of two configurations of the phantom. Thus, each observer made 50 vertical filament depth measurements and 50 horizontal filament depth measurements. These measurements were compared with the true depths. The correlation coefficients between the measured and true depths of the vertically oriented fibrils for the three observers were 0.99, 0.97, and 0.89 with standard errors of the estimates of 0.39 mm, 0.83 mm, and 1.33 mm, respectively. Corresponding values for the horizontally oriented fibrils were 0.91, 0.28, and 0.08, and 1.87 mm, 4.19 mm, and 3.13 mm. All observers could estimate the absolute depths of vertically oriented objects fairly accurately in digital stereomammograms; however, only one observer was able to accurately estimate the depths of horizontally oriented objects. This may relate to different aptitudes for stereoscopic visualization. The orientations of most objects in actual mammograms are combinations of horizontal and vertical. Further studies are planned to evaluate absolute depth measurements of fibrils oriented at various intermediate angles and of objects of different shapes. The effects of the shape and contrast of the virtual cursor and the stereo shift angle on the accuracy of the depth measurements will also be investigated.
Medulloblastoma with melanotic differentiation: case report and review of the literature

Medulloblastoma with melanotic differentiation, a rare variant of medulloblastoma, often carries a poor prognosis. We present such a case of a 4 year male with this rare, aggressive tumor. Additionally, we have reviewed the literature and report on the features important in the pathologic and radiologic diagnosis in this type of tumor, as well as review clinical outcomes. This subtype of medulloblastoma occurs more frequently in males, at a younger median age than the other subtypes of medulloblastoma. The prognosis is generally very poor. However, it is important to note, that a subset of patients with M0 disease who can achieve a gross total resection followed by radiation and platinum based chemotherapy can become long term survivors of this aggressive subtype of medulloblastoma.
Fractional Fokker-Planck equation, solution, and application.

Recently, Metzler et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 3563 (1999)], introduced a fractional Fokker-Planck equation (FFPE) describing a subdiffusive behavior of a particle under the combined influence of external nonlinear force field, and a Boltzmann thermal heat bath. In this paper we present the solution of the FFPE in terms of an integral transformation. The transformation maps the solution of ordinary Fokker-Planck equation onto the solution of the FFPE, and is based on Levy's generalized central limit theorem. The meaning of the transformation is explained based on the known asymptotic solution of the continuous time random walk (CTRW). We investigate in detail (i) a force-free particle, (ii) a particle in a uniform field, and (iii) a particle in a harmonic field. We also find an exact solution of the CTRW, and compare the CTRW result with the corresponding solution of the FFPE. The relation between the fractional first passage time problem in an external nonlinear field and the corresponding integer first passage time is given. An example of the one-dimensional fractional first passage time in an external linear field is investigated in detail. The FFPE is shown to be compatible with the Scher-Montroll approach for dispersive transport, and thus is applicable in a large variety of disordered systems. The simple FFPE approach can be used as a practical tool for a phenomenological description of certain types of complicated transport phenomena.
Biochemical Studies of a New Class of Alcohol Dehydrogenase Inhibitors from Radix puerariae

Two potent, reversible inhibitors of human alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozymes were isolated from Radix puerariae (RP, commonly known as kudzu root) and identified as the isoflavones diadzein and genistein. The 4'-methoxy derivatives of daidzein (trivial name, formononetin) and genistein (biochanin A), minor constituents of RP, were also shown to be ADH inhibitors. All of these isoflavones inhibit the human gamma 2 gamma 2-ADH isozyme competitively with respect to ethanol and uncompetitively with respect to NAD+. A survey of more than 40 structurally related compounds revealed one more isoflavone (prunetin) and four flavones (7-hydroxyflavone, apigenin, galangin, and kaempferol) that inhibit ADH. The isoflavone inhibitors, however, are far more potent than the flavone inhibitors. Among the isoflavones studied, genistein is the most potent with Ki = 0.1 microM toward gamma 2 gamma 2-ADH. Human ADH isozymes differ in their sensitivity to these inhibitors in the order gamma 2 gamma 2-, gamma 1 gamma 1- > alpha alpha-, pi pi- > chi chi-ADH. These inhibitors do not affect the beta 1 beta 1- and beta 2 beta 2-ADH isozymes at concentrations as high as 20 microM. Rat and rabbit class I ADHs are also inhibited by these isoflavone inhibitors. The 7-O-glucosyl derivatives of daidzein, genistein, formononetin, and biochanin A do not inhibit ADH, but are potent aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors.
Kappa-bungarotoxin: an intracellular study demonstrating blockade of neuronal nicotinic receptors by a snake neurotoxin.

Abstract Pressure injection of carbachol elicited dose-dependent depolarizations of the principal ganglionic neurons in embryonic chick ciliary ganglia. These depolarizations were associated with a marked decrease in input resistance. Carbachol-induced depolarizations were completely and reversibly antagonized by the snake neurotoxin Kappa-bungarotoxin but not by α-bungarotoxin. Kappa-bungarotoxin, therefore, appears to be a specific probe for the postsynaptic neuronal nicotinic receptor in the avian ciliary ganglion.
Electrical transport, magnetic, and structural properties of the vortex lattice in superconducting V3Si

Abstract Electrical, magnetic, and structural properties of the vortex lattice (VL) in single crystal V 3 Si were studied by transport, bulk magnetometry and small-angle neutron scattering. Studies focused on the ‘peak effect’ in critical current density just below the upper critical field of this weak-pinning system. The overall picture is a slightly disordered VL easily re-ordered by transport-current ‘shaking’ and ultimately softening at the peak effect.
Studies on Egg Albumin Gelation Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance was used to monitor the thermophysical transition of aqueous egg albumin dispersion. Gelling, which was manifested by an increase in force required to penetrate the surface of the dispersion, was accompanied by a decrease in T1, the spin-lattice relaxation time of water protons in the dispersion. There was a high, negative correlation coefficient between gel strength and T1. Apparent rate kinetics of the transition was fist order for changes in T1 and zero order for changes in gel strength, with activation energies for the rate constants of 42.62 and 43.68 kcal/mole, respectively.
The short and sweet of T-cell therapy: Restraining glycolysis enhances the formation of immunological memory and antitumor immune responses

Upon antigenic stimulation, naive CD8+ T cells divert their bioenergetic metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis. This drives CD8+ T cells to differentiate into short-lived effectors, impairing the establishment of immunological memory. The pharmacological inhibition of glycolysis with 2-deoxyglucose enhances the generation of memory CD8+ T cells and thus improves their immunotherapeutic potential against cancer.
Resident joint tissues, rather than infiltrating neutrophils and monocytes, are the predominant sources of TNF-α in zymosan-induced arthritis

Abstract Intraarticular injection of zymosan (1 mg) into the knee joints of male Wistar rats led to infiltration of neutrophils and monocytes, joint swelling and elevation of tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) in joint lavage fluids. Neutrophil infiltration was maximal at 5 h after induction of arthritis but had declined by 24 h post injection. Monocyte infiltration was maximal around the same time as that of the neutrophil infiltration but was sustained through 24 h. Joint swelling was apparent at 1 h but was not maximal until 6 h after induction of zymosan- induced arthritis. The maximum levels of TNF-α (150–200 pg of mouse equivalents per joint) in joint fluid preceded the infiltration of neutrophils and monocytes and was maximal at 1–2 h after injection of zymosan but had declined to below 100 pg per joint at 5 h (the time of maximal leukocyte infiltration) and was below the lower limit of detection at 24 h after induction of arthritis. Depletion of neutrophils and monocytes with a rabbit anti-rat leukocyte antibody reduced leukocyte infiltration and the later phase of joint swelling but did not reduce the levels of TNF-α in joint fluid. These data indicate that in zymosan-induced arthritis TNF-α is produced from the resident joint tissues such as the synovial lining cells rather than infiltrating neutrophils or monocytes.
Dissipation, topology, and quantum phase transition in a one-dimensional Josephson junction array

We study the phase diagram and quantum critical properties of a resistively shunted Josephson junction array in one dimension from a strong coupling analysis. After mapping the dissipative quantum phase model to an effective sine-Gordon model we study the renormalization group flow and the phase diagram. We try to bridge the phase diagrams obtained from the weak and the strong coupling renormalization group calculations to extract a more comprehensive picture of the complete phase diagram. The relevance of our theory to experiments in nanowires is discussed.
Using a nonanalytical approach to model nonlinear dynamics in photosynthesis at the photosystem level.

Nonlinear dynamics in photon capture and uptake at the photosystem level may have a strong effect on photosynthetic yield. However, the magnitude of such effects is difficult to estimate theoretically because nonlinear systems often cannot be represented accurately using equations. A nonanalytical simulation was developed that used a simple decision tree and Monte Carlo methods, instead of equations, to model how a population of photosystems absorbs and utilizes photons from an ambient light field. This simulation replicated realistic kinetics in the closure and variable fluorescence yield of PSII on the single-turnover timescale, as well as the saturating behavior in light-driven electron flow that is observed in nature with increasing irradiance. This simulation indicated that the transfer of absorbed photon energy among PSII units can introduce strong nonlinear enhancement in light-driven electron flow. However, this effect was seen only in populations with particular photosynthetic states as determined by physiological properties of PSII. Other populations with the same degree of energy transfer but with different photosynthetic states exhibited little enhancement in electron flow and, in some cases, a reduction. This nonanalytical approach provides a simple means to quantify theoretically how nonlinear dynamics in photosynthesis arise at the photosystem level and how these dynamics may act to enhance or constrain photosynthetic rates and yields. Such simulations can provide quantitative insight into different physiological bases of nonlinear light-harvesting dynamics and identify those that would have the strongest theoretical influence and thus warrant closer experimental examination.
Optimizing lignocellulosic feedstock for improved biofuel productivity and processing

Liquid fuels from lignocellulosic materials, such as wood, offer an attractive alternative to fossil fuel. Lignocellulosic biomass is composed of a complex mixture of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. As structural polymers, the matrix of hemicellulose and lignin surround the cellulose component of the plant cell wall to protect it against enzymatic attack. The resistance of this complex to enzymatic attack is a major impediment to commercial bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass. Furthermore, proportional variability within the mixture of the three major components varies, depending on the species of feedstock used, growing site, climate, age, and the part of the plant harvested. This fact presents process design and operating challenges for the fermentation of sugars derived from lignocellulosic feedstocks. The essentially uncontrolled variability of biomass properties also presents major difificulties in understanding the fundamental processes involved in limiting the digestion of cell walls to fermentable sugars. Energy crops must be optimized for ‘low-input production’ systems and efficiency of pretreatment and hydrolysis to derive sugars for further fermentation to produce ethanol. Recent advances in the molecular biology of wood formation and cell-wall biosynthesis have provided new tools to tailor the biomass composition. This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating the biochemical and developmental processes of woody biomass production. Potential areas of future research in optimizing lignocellulosic feedstock for bioenergy production are identified. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Preparation of reversed phase open tubular liquid chromatographic columns from borosilicate glass

The preparation of open tubular liquid chromatographic columns with small inner diameters (≤ 20 μm) from Pyrex 7740 borosilicate glass is described. The surface area of the inner wall of the capillary is increased by etching with a series of acidic and basic solutions. Dimethyloctadecylchlorosilane is then reacted with the column wall to create a bonded stationary phase layer. The resulting columns exhibit good retention and high efficiency. The effects of each step in the etching process are examined and the silanization reaction is optimized.
Lecture video capture for the masses

Earlier work had shown the positive learning impact of the ability to review class lecture videos. Prior video capture systems used university provided infrastructure such as video technicians and post-production facilities. However, such capture is expensive; forcing schools to carefully choose the courses that can be video taped. We show that technology advances can allow every faculty member to make a modest effort and video tape their lectures, perform simple post processing and disseminate the contents either through their own web servers, using podcasts or via services such as Google video. Consumer grade HD cameras remove the need for accurate tracking of the faculty member and chalkboards; one stationary camera can frame the entire chalkboard. Desktop computers are powerful enough to perform the required multimedia operations. The faculty can also add pedantically useful annotations; a step that is unlikely to be performed by the video technicians. Many students own iPods, PSPs, laptops and other devices that allow them to watch the video at their convenience. We report on the tools used, the associated network cost and our experiences with video recording an undergraduate Operating Systems (Spring 2006). For the twelve month duration from Feb '06 - Feb '07, the OS course consumed over five days worth of our external network link bandwidth. The network cost in distributing all the lectures taught in our university can be prohibitive.
Basidioboliasis in Anurans in Florida

Members of the genus Basidiobolus, a saprophytic fungus, have been associated with the digestive tracts of a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles. To elucidate the relationship of Basidiobolus sp. with amphibians in central Florida (USA), we document the occurrence of the fungus in the digestive tracts of Bufo terrestris, Buffo quercicus, Hyla femoralis, Hyla cinerea, Hyla gratiosa, Hyla squirella, Osteopilus septentrionalis, and Rana utricularia. Species that occupy terrestrial habitats (B. terrestris, B. quercicus, and R. utricularis) were found to harbor Basidiobolus spp. more frequently (83, 78, and 91%, respectively) than those that occupied a more arboreal habitat (H. cinerea, H. squirella, H. femoralis, H. gratiosa, and O. septentrionalis (50, 56, 55, 56, and 70%, respectively).
Uniqueness and how it impacts privacy in health-related social science datasets

Social scientists, like those performing research at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, may use surveys to gather large amounts of sensitive data. Unlike purely medical-related datasets, these social science datasets tend to be sparse and high-dimensional, which presents opportunities to characterize participants in the dataset in unique ways. These unique characterizations may enable individuals to be linked to external data in ways that have not been previously considered. Therefore, traditional approaches to de-identifying data, such as fulfilling HIPAA requirements, may not be sufficient for preventing the re-identification of participants in large social science datasets.In this paper, we evaluate the statistical characteristics of two high-dimensional social science datasets to better understand how unique features impact privacy. We apply a class of statistical de-anonymization attacks in an attempt to achieve theoretical re-identification of participants. We assume that an attacker has exact knowledge of a subset of attribute values for a particular record, and wants to link this subset of data to the actual record to discover the remaining content. We show that although 98% of the records within the dataset are unique given any three attributes, re-identification of the records may not be easily achieved. We attribute limited re-identification to the inherent similarity in the human behavior that the scientists measure. This work is the first to characterize re-identification risks in high-dimensional data that is collected in surveys designed to capture the various behaviors and experiences of groups of individuals.
Stem cell proliferation: Ex vivo and in vivo observations

The contribution of stem cells to the early phases of hematopoietic engraftment is controversial, as is the issue of the number of stem cells required for successful long-term engraftment in man. An extensive body of data exists in the murine system and the degree to which this can be extrapolated to man is discussed. Other variables involving stem cells include their efficiency of homing to the bone marrow, their previous proliferative history influencing telomere length and their ability to upregulate telomerase. The extent to which stem cell numbers increase in vivo upon transplantation, or ex vivo upon cytokine stimulation, is discussed and the question as to the ability of nonstochastic extrinsic influences to alter stem cell self-renewal probability is raised.
The Effects of Social Determinants on Black Women’s HIV Risk: HIV Is Bigger Than Biology

Black women continue to be disproportionately affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. To theorize additional approaches to HIV prevention targeting Black women, this st...
Addressing ownership, access and participation needs in scientific collaboration

In this paper we discuss the initial phases of design work that we have carried out to support the collaboration of physical anthropologists who use High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) data as a key element in their research. Drawing from sociotechnical analyses reported in earlier papers, we highlight design issues that are of particular relevance to the tasks of scanning and sharing HRCT data -- balancing the costs and benefits experienced by the stakeholders who create and share the digital files, and addressing pervasive issues of data ownership and control. We describe the evolutionary approach to technology design that we are pursuing, summarize how we have addressed these key design issues, report feedback from system users, and discuss lessons learned -- for both the continuing development of our system and scientific collaboration systems more generally.
Restoration of missing boundary segments in shattered glass

Analysis of shattered automotive glass for determining particle size, shape and count is legally required to demonstrate that safety criteria have been met. Manual methods are labor intensive, subjective and prone to errors. This paper presents an approach for automating this analysis. Problems associated with missing boundary segments, can cause serious errors unless corrective measures are applied. Techniques for efficient extraction of particle boundaries and restoration of missing segments are presented.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Transport properties of helium in the temperature range 400–2300 K

Abstract The thermal conductivity of helium measured in the temperature range 400 to 2300 K is employed to establish a realistic interaction potential for it. This information together with kinetic theory enables the prediction of viscosity and diffusion coefficients.
On simply laced Lie algebras and their minuscule representations

In this paper we adapt a known construction for the simply laced, semisimple Lie algebras (over Z), and thereby obtain a very simple construction for all minuscule representations of those Lie algebras (again over Z). We apply these results to give explicit formulas for tensors invariant under the exceptional algebras $ E_6 $ and $ E_7 $ .
Fault Resilient Real-Time Design for NoC Architectures

Performance and time to market requirements cause many real-time designers to consider components, off the shelf (COTS) for real-time cyber-physical systems. Massive multi-core embedded processors with network-on-chip (NoC) designs to facilitate core-to-core communication are becoming common in COTS. These architectures benefit real-time scheduling, but they also pose predictability challenges. In this work, we develop a framework for Fault Observant and Correcting Real-Time Embedded design (Forte) that utilizes massive multi-core NoC designs to reduce overhead by up to an order of magnitude and to lower jitter in systems via utilizing message passing instead of shared memory as the means for intra-processor communication. Message passing, which is shown to improve the overall scalability of the system, is utilized as the basis for replication and task rejuvenation. This improves fault resilience by orders of magnitude. To our knowledge, this work is the first to systematically map real-time tasks onto massive multi-core processors with support for fault tolerance that considers NoC effects on scalability on an real hardware platform and not just in simulation.
Observation and control of shock waves in individual nanoplasmas

Using an apparatus that images the momentum distribution of individual, isolated 100-nm-scale plasmas, we make the first experimental observation of shock waves in nanoplasmas. We demonstrate that the introduction of a heating pulse prior to the main laser pulse increases the intensity of the shock wave, producing a strong burst of quasimonoenergetic ions with an energy spread of less than 15%. Numerical hydrodynamic calculations confirm the appearance of accelerating shock waves and provide a mechanism for the generation and control of these shock waves. This observation of distinct shock waves in dense plasmas enables the control, study, and exploitation of nanoscale shock phenomena with tabletop-scale lasers.
Behavior of Steelhead Fry in a Laboratory Stream is Affected by Fish Density but Not Rearing Environment

Abstract We quantified the aggression, feeding, dominance, position choice, and territory size of naturally reared steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss fry stocked with two types of hatchery-reared fry (from conventional and enriched rearing environments) at two densities in experimental flumes to determine how rearing environment and fish density affect the behavior of steelhead fry. We found that fry density had a significant effect on most response variables but that rearing treatment did not. The rates of threats and attacks were positively correlated with fry density, but the overall feeding rate was negatively correlated. Naturally reared fry were dominant more often at low densities, and hatchery-reared fry were dominant more often at high densities. There were no significant effects of hatchery rearing treatment on aggression, feeding, dominance, or territory size. The only significant effect of rearing treatment was on the position of naturally reared fry, which occupied more upstream positions when sto...
Recent advances in metal phosphonate chemistry II

Abstract Phosphonic acids are more acidic than carboxylic acids. They are non-planar and possess twice the number of protons. These attributes lead to strong hydrogen bond formation that can be utilized in design of crystal-engineered structures and self-assembled supramolecular arrays. Their superior cation complexing ability leads to formation of a vast number of metal complexes and their use in lanthanide and actinide separations. Recent work, largely drawn from the work of the author’s research group, is summarized in this update of the author’s 1996 review [Curr Opin Solid State Mater Sci 1 (1996) 268].
Electronic properties of Nb and H-treated Nb surfaces.

Clean Nb and H-treated Nb surfaces are studied using angle-resolved photoemission. Intrinsic surface states and hydrogen-induced states are characterized along the \ensuremath{\Gamma}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}--X\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} direction of the two-dimensional Brillouin zone. Hydrogen-induced states exhibit reversible temperature-dependent effects providing direct experimental evidence of the self-trapped surface states which have been proposed to account for novel properties associated with hydrogen uptake by Nb.
Does Uninjured Skin Release Proinflammatory Cytokines Following Trauma and Hemorrhage

Hypothesis Uninjured skin contributes to the elevation in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines seen following severe injury. Design Male C3H/HeN mice underwent trauma, trauma-hemorrhage and resuscitation, or closed long-bone fracture. Serum, skin, and liver samples were harvested at designated times after experimental treatment. Main Outcome Measures Levels of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were determined in serum and skin cultures at 1, 8, and 24 hours after trauma-hemorrhage. The RNA was isolated from liver and skin samples at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours from all 3 experimental groups, and gene expression of the cytokines was determined. Results Remote (nontraumatized) skin from trauma-hemorrhage animals released significantly more IL-6 and TNF-α into culture supernatants at 1 and 24 hours and significantly more IL-1β at 1, 8, and 24 hours than did skin from sham animals. Serum levels of all 3 cytokines were significantly elevated at 1 and 24 hours after trauma-hemorrhage relative to sham animals. Gene expression of all 3 cytokines was detected in skin and liver following trauma-hemorrhage. Furthermore, gene expression of all 3 cytokines was detected in uninjured skin after soft tissue trauma and closed long-bone fracture. Conclusions Proinflammatory cytokine gene expression is up-regulated in uninjured skin following trauma, trauma-hemorrhage, and long-bone fracture. This increase in gene expression correlates with increased cytokine production by cultured skin as well as increased circulating cytokine levels. These results suggest that uninjured skin may also contribute to the rise in circulating cytokine levels seen after injury.
Happiness, political orientation, and religiosity

Previous research has focused on how happiness is independently associated with political orientation and religiosity. The current study instead explored how political orientation and religiosity interact in establishing levels of happiness. Data from both the 2012 General Social Survey and the 2005 World Values Survey were used. Results from both data sets support prior research by showing a positive association between happiness and both political conservatism and religiosity. Importantly, it was found that political conservatism and religiosity interact in predicting happiness levels. Specifically, the current results suggest that religiosity has a greater effect on happiness for more politically conservative individuals compared to more politically liberal individuals.
Case of Anomalous Right Superior Vena Cava

A 36-year-old black woman with no significant medical history presented with severe headache, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. Initial evaluation was significant for ataxia and nystagmus. A computed tomography scan of the head was performed and showed a left posteromedial cerebellar infarct (presumed to be secondary to a transient embolic occlusion of the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery). Magnetic resonance angiography of the head and neck vessels was unremarkable. Further workup included a transthoracic echocardiogram, which was significant for a dilated coronary sinus suggestive of a persistent left superior …
Effect of anions on folate binding by isolated brush border membranes from rat kidney.

The characteristics of folate binding by brush border membranes from rat kidney homogenates were investigated. At pH 7.4, binding of [3′, 5′, 9-3H]-pteroylglutamic acid to membranes containing endogenous folate is inhibited by anions, with chloride being most effective followed by bromide, thiocyanate, iodide, phosphate and sulfate. A maximum inhibition of 70–75% is attained at a concentration of 0.1 M chloride and an incubation time of 30 min. The inhibition diminishes with increased incubation time and at 24 h is negligible. The binding of [3′,5′,9-3H]pteroylglutamic acid to brush border membranes stripped of endogenous folate by acid treatment is not inhibited by anions. Anion sensitivity can be restored to these treated membranes by reconstitution with membrane-derived folate, particularly 5-methyltetrahydropteroylglutamic acid, or by preincubation with synthetic 5-methyltetrahydropteroylglutamic acid. Inhibition of [3′,5′,9-3H]pteroylglutamic acid binding by anions in membranes with endogenous folate is best explained by an anion-induced stabilization of endogenous folate-binding protein complex resulting in a decreased rate of exchange with exogenous [3′,5′,9-3H]pteroylglutamic acid.
ADOLESCENT VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN PRIMARY CARE: Attitudes, Practices, and Obstacles. 651

OBJECTIVES: To assess attitudes, current practices, and perceived obstacles to implementation of violence prevention in the practice setting among Maryland pediatricians.