cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simian integrated framework for parallel discrete event simulation on GPUs

Discrete Event Simulation (DES) allows the modelling of ever more complex systems in a variety of domains ranging from biological systems to road networks. The increasing need to model larger systems stresses the demand for efficient parallel implementations of DES engines. Recently, Graphics Processing Units have emerged as an efficient alternative to Central Processing Units for the computation of some problems. Although substantial speedups can be achieved by using GPUs, writing an efficient implementations of given suitable problems often requires in-depth knowledge of the architecture. We present a new framework integrated in the Simian engine, which allows to make efficient use of GPUs for computationally intense sections of code. This framework allows modellers to offset some or all handlers to the GPU by efficiently grouping and scheduling these handlers. As a case-study, we implement a population activity simulation that takes into account evolving traffic conditions in a simulated urban area.
Comparative in vitro Resistance of Staphylococci to Penicillin and to Sodium Sulfathiazole

Discussion and ConclusionsWhen 68 strains of pathogenic staphylococcus were subjected to the in vitro action of sodium penicillin, 8 of the strains, or approximately 12%, were found to be quite resistant, requiring from 0.4 units per cc to 0.8 units of penicillin before growth was completely inhibited. The growth of the remaining 60 strains necessitated the following amounts of penicillin before growth was inhibited: 22 strains, or about 3276, required 0.2 units; 25 or approximately 3776, required 0.1 unit; while 12 or about 1870, failed to grow in the presence of 0.05 unit. About 28% of the strains were found to be highly resistant to the antistaphylococcic action of sodium sulfathiazole. There was no relationship between resistance to penicillin and to the sulfonamide. The evidence at hand would indicate that the mechanism whereby staphylococci become resistant to the sulfonamides is different and unrelated to the development of resistance to penicillin.10-14Since some strains of staphylococcus isolated...
Enhancement of Lithium Ion Mobility in Ionic Liquid Electrolytes in Presence of Additives

Ionic liquids are widely considered as potential electrolytes for lithium batteries due to their tunable electrochemical properties. In the present study, the mobility and transport characteristics of lithium ions in N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (mppy+TFSI–) ionic liquids were characterized using the molecular dynamics method. Results from the simulations indicate that inclusion of organic additives such as ethylene carbonate, vinylene carbonate, and tetrahydrofuran decreases the extent of coordination of the lithium ion with the anion of the ionic liquid and hence increases its mobility and overall ionic conductivity. The mobility of lithium ions in the ionic liquid based electrolyte increases with increasing concentration of the additive. Of the additives investigated, ethylene carbonate was identified as the most effective in increasing the mobility of lithium ions, while vinylene carbonate increases the overall ionic conductivity to the greatest extent.
Kant's Theological Constructivism

Our generation celebrates its freedom from the constricting yoke of the imperial age of grand systems. It joyfully rebels against abstract thinking and disavows preoccupation with systematicity, which none epitomized better than Immanuel Kant, according to whose daily routine the women of Konigsberg allegedly set their clocks. Contemporary liberal theology claims that we can no longer believe in a universal disembodied reason that is free from the constraints of particular circumstances. Our thinking, it alleges, reflects interests and desires. Theories serve our will to power and are to be interpreted not by appeal to an aloof rationality, but through analysis of our needs and inclinations. Freedom, however, produces new trepidations. Confronted with radical implications of their convictions, very few are willing to regard their theologies as relatively valid. Tending to reject the past yet wary of anarchy, contemporary liberal theology seeks a method that is attuned to contingent circumstances and avoids the pitfalls of unbridled relativism. I suggest that in our haste to defy and overthrow past masters, we deprive ourselves of profound insights that could guide a quest for resolution. As a case in point, I propose that if we are willing to look afresh at Kant and explore central elements of his system that have been obscured by an overzealous portrayal of his thought as a rigoristic abstract formalism, we shall find clues for escaping the impossible choice between absolutism and relativism.
A pilot study CD34 selected haploidentical transplant using a chemotherapy-only preparative regimen and intensive antibiotic prophylaxis for treatment of advanced leukemia

7097 Background: We present preliminary data of haploidentical transplant for 13 patients (pts) with acute leukemia. Methods: Phase II Study Results: We present preliminary data of haploidentical t...
Rapid cleanup procedure for gas-liquid chromatographic determination of chlorpyrifos-methyl residues in cat food

A simple and rapid gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method was developed for the determination of residues of chlorpyrifos-methyl in dry cat food. Cat food fortified with chlorpyrifos-methyl was extracted with acetone and cleaned up on a modified acetonitrile-on-Florisil partitioning column. The chlorpyrifos-methyl was determined by GLC with a flame photometric detector. Results were compared with those for known standards that had undergone the same cleanup procedure. The quantitative electronic integration limit of determination was 0.03 pp. Average recoveries for 5 analyses at fortification levels from 0.052 to 51 ppm ranged from 90 to 102% and averaged 97%.
External canal cholesteatoma.

Objective External canal cholesteatoma (ECC) may develop spontaneously or as a consequence of infection, trauma, or surgery. There is little information on the relative incidence of ECC according to cause. An analysis of cases was conducted to compare the clinical, surgical, and radiographic features of different types of ECC. Study design Retrospective case review. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients All patients with cholesteatoma of the external auditory canal. Intervention Treatment was variable, ranging from local debridement and topical antibiotics to tympanomastoidectomy. Main outcome measure Assignment of cause is based on the combination of clinical history, physical examination, and radiographic appearance. Results A total of 39 patients were reviewed, 5 of them with bilateral lesions. The cause was iatrogenic in 15, spontaneous in 13, trauma in 6, congenital in 2, postinflammatory in 2, and postobstructive in 1. Surgery was performed in 25 cases. Successful results were obtained in most patients. Conclusion The cause of an ECC is determined on the basis of clinical features and radiographic appearance. The treatment plan is influenced by the cause of the ECC. Surgery is frequently necessary in congenital, posttraumatic, postobstructive, and iatrogenic ECC. Spontaneous lesions are usually controlled with office debridement.
Novel ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor development: A story from virtual screening to inhibition mechanism

A a key enzyme in DNA synthesis, RNR is involved in tumor growth, metastasis, and drug resistance effect. Effective and clinically useful RNR inhibitors have yet to be developed as the current RNR inhibitors have shortcomings of short half-life, drug resistance, and iron chelation. We have developed a class of effective RNR inhibitors using structure-based and mechanismbased approaches. A novel ligand binding pocket on the RNR small subunit was proposed by computer modeling and verified by site-directed mutagenesis and NMR techniques. A hit compound was identified against the pocket by virtual screening an NCI diverse small molecule database representing of the NCI library of 250,253 compounds. Following several rounds of lead optimization, the novel RNR inhibitor COH29 with sub-micromolar range inhibition was designed and developed. COH29 was a potent inhibitor of both recombinant and cellular human RNR enzymes, which overcame resistance to HU and Gem in resistant cell lines, and effectively inhibited proliferation of most cell lines in the NCI 60 human cancer panel, most notably ovarian cancer and leukemia. Normal fibroblasts were far less sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of COH29 compared to the RNR inhibitors currently in clinical use. In murine tumor xenograft models COH29 treatment significantly reduced tumor growth compared to vehicle. Site-directed mutagenesis, NMR, and surface plasmon resonance biosensor studies confirmed COH29 bound at the proposed ligand binding pocket and may block assembly of the RRM1-RRM2 quaternary structure. Our study suggested COH29 represents a promising new class of RR inhibitors and was granted a US Patent.
SANITATION OF REVERSE OSMOSIS/ULTRAFILTRATION EQUIPMENT

Data are presented from studies relating to cleaning and sanitizing reverse osmosis/ultrafiltration equipment used to concentrate and fractionate cheese whey. Current equipment design makes cleaned-in-place (C.I.P.) systems mandatory since modules cannot be completely drained or disassembled. In addition, many presently accepted sanitizing methods cannot be used without harming the delicate membranes. More than 50 different chemical agents, or combinations, currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, were screened. Grossly contaminated reverse osmosis/ultrafiltration equipment was readily sanitized with several agents, including iodophors (10 ppm available iodine), sodium metabisulfite (0.2%), diethylpyrocarbonate (0.05%), zephirin chloride (0.006%), and calcium hypochlorite (10 ppm available chlorine). Merits of these agents are discussed. The sanitizer of choice would depend on type and design of equipment, operation of the plant, time allotted for cleaning, and degree of control desired. Fo...
Syntactic and Pragmatic Factors in Children’s Comprehension of Cleft Constructions

ABSTRACTWe present a series of experiments investigating English-speaking children’s comprehension of it-clefts and wh-pseudoclefts. Previous developmental work has found children to have asymmetric difficulties interpreting object clefts. We show that these difficulties disappear when clefts are presented in felicitous contexts, where children behave adultlike both in their evaluation of the truth of cleft sentences and in their response-time patterns. When the pragmatic requirements on cleft use were not satisfied, children succeeded only on some types of clefts. However, they did not uniformly show difficulties with infelicitous object clefts; rather, success correlated with the amenability of the structure to a word-order-based parsing strategy. We argue that children fail to build an adultlike representation for infelicitous clefts across the board, but pressures to carry out the task lead them to adopt interpretive means outside of what is licensed in adult grammar.
The Heterogeneity of Homelessness

Most studies of homelessness have focused on populations receiving shelter in large metropolitan areas. This article provides descriptive-correlational information about homeless individuals and fa...
Indefinite NPs and the Interpretation of Discourse-Based Null Elements

In this paper I will propose that notions of markedness can be brought to bear on the question of what kinds of representations indefinite NPs (such a a man, many men, few men) should be associated within a given discourse context. These representations in turn account for the possibilities of pronominal anaphora in discourse. Crucial to this account is the behavior of what I will call discourse-based null elements. These are null elements which receive pronominal interpretation: PRO, the phonetically unrealized subject of a tenseless clause; and pro, the null subject of a tensed clause in languages that allow such constructions. Thus discourse-based null elements stand in contrast to null elements which are associated with so-called movement rules, namely WH- and NP-traces.1
Effects of dispersal, habitat selection and competition on a speciation pattern of Drosophila endemic to Hawaii

Since the processes involved in speciation, particularly those of acquiring reproductive isolation, are elusive to experimental manipulation, we have examined natural populations seeking to observe actual cases of partial reproductive isolation which may eventually lead to speciation (e.g. the work reported by Dr. G. L. Bush in this volume) or to analyze recent speciation events ex post facto (e.g. the case in this paper). The discovery that two closely related species of Hawaiian Drosophila, D. mimica and D. kambysellisi occur in the same limited geographic area on the volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa has provided us with a genetically and ecologically analyzable example of recent speciation. Evidence has been accumulated by several colleagues and myself on diverse aspects of these species, including genetic data, habitat preferences, and dispersal patterns, which may be interpreted in light of the geologic and floral histories of the common habitat. These data suggest that the species may be an authentic example of sympatric speciation which can be experimentally verified, and constitutes a second chapter following the paper of Heed (1971).
A Hybrid Generative/Discriminative Bayesian Classifier.

In this paper, we introduce a new restricted Bayesian network classifier that extends naive Bayes by relaxing the conditional independence assumptions, and show that it is partly generative and partly discriminative. Experimental results show that the hybrid classifier performs better than a purely generative classifier (naive Bayes) or a purely discriminative classifier (Logistic Regression) and has performance comparable to some state-of-the-art classifiers.
2.4 – Planet Formation

The origin of the Sun's planetary system is a long-standing problem but one whose solution may be in sight. Recent progress has been rapid and much has changed since the first edition of this book. This article will describe a reasonably coherent story for the formation of the planets, based on what people know today, with the obvious caveat that future discoveries are bound to change some of the details. This article outlines the various aspects of planet formation according to the current paradigm, with a particular emphasis on the origin of the Sun's planetary system.
Regulation of Trypanosoma brucei Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase by Environmental Lipids

ABSTRACT To satisfy its fatty acid needs, the extracellular eukaryotic parasite Trypanosoma brucei relies on two mechanisms: uptake of fatty acids from the host and de novo synthesis. We hypothesized that T. brucei modulates fatty acid synthesis in response to environmental lipid availability. The first committed step in fatty acid synthesis is catalyzed by acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) carboxylase (ACC) and serves as a key regulatory point in other organisms. To test our hypothesis, T. brucei mammalian bloodstream and insect procyclic forms were grown in low-, normal-, or high-lipid media and the effect on T. brucei ACC (TbACC) mRNA, protein, and enzymatic activity was examined. In bloodstream form T. brucei, media lipids had no effect on TbACC expression or activity. In procyclic form T. brucei, we detected no change in TbACC mRNA levels but observed 2.7-fold-lower TbACC protein levels and 37% lower TbACC activity in high-lipid media than in low-lipid media. Supplementation of low-lipid media with the fatty acid stearate mimicked the effect of high lipid levels on TbACC activity. In procyclic forms, TbACC phosphorylation also increased 3.9-fold in high-lipid media compared to low-lipid media. Phosphatase treatment of TbACC increased activity, confirming that phosphorylation represented an inhibitory modification. Together, these results demonstrate a procyclic-form-specific environmental lipid response pathway that regulates TbACC posttranscriptionally, through changes in protein expression and phosphorylation. We propose that this environmental response pathway enables procyclic-form T. brucei to monitor the host lipid supply and downregulate fatty acid synthesis when host lipids are abundant and upregulate fatty acid synthesis when host lipids become scarce. IMPORTANCETrypanosoma brucei is a eukaryotic parasite that causes African sleeping sickness. T. brucei is transmitted by the blood-sucking tsetse fly. In order to adapt to its two very different hosts, T. brucei must sense the host environment and alter its metabolism to maximize utilization of host resources and minimize expenditure of its own resources. One key nutrient class is represented by fatty acids, which the parasite can either take from the host or make themselves. Our work describes a novel environmental regulatory pathway for fatty acid synthesis where the parasite turns off fatty acid synthesis when environmental lipids are abundant and turns on synthesis when the lipid supply is scarce. This pathway was observed in the tsetse midgut form but not the mammalian bloodstream form. However, pharmacological activation of this pathway in the bloodstream form to turn fatty acid synthesis off may be a promising new avenue for sleeping sickness drug discovery.
New methods for assessing electron storage capacity and redox reversibility of biochar.

Abstract Black carbon such as biochar has been shown to support microbial redox transformation by accepting and/or donating electrons. Electron storage capacity (ESC) is an important property that determines the capacity of a biochar to mediate redox processes in natural and engineered systems. However, it remained unclear whether a biochar's ESC is constant and reversible and if so to what extent, over what redox potential range ESC is distributed, and what fraction of the ESC is microbially accessible. In this study, we developed chemical methods that employed combinations of reductants and oxidants of different potentials – Ti(III) citrate, ferricyanide, dithionite, and dissolved O2 – to measure the ESC of Soil Reef biochar, a wood-derived biochar that can serve as an electron donor or acceptor for Geobacter metallireducens. For a given oxidant–reductant pair, the ESC obtained over multiple redox cycles was constant and fully reversible, though lower than that of the virgin biochar. Pore diffusion within biochar particles was rate-limiting and controlled the timescale for redox equilibrium. Results suggest that redox-facile functional groups in biochar were distributed over a broad range of potentials. The ESC measured using dithionite indicates approximately 22% of the biochar's reversible ESC was accessible to G. metallireducens. We propose that reversible ESC may be regarded as a constant and quantifiable property of black carbon.
Signs and Symptoms That Rule out Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Outpatient Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: A systematic review of clinical decision rules to identify patients at low risk for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has not been previously presented in the literature. Methods: A systematic review of MEDLINE for prospective studies that used at least 2 signs, symptoms, or point-of-care tests to determine the likelihood of CAP. We included studies that enrolled adults and adolescents in the outpatient setting where all or a random sample of patients received a chest radiograph as the reference standard. We excluded retrospective studies and studies that recruited primarily patients with hospital-acquired CAP. Results: Our search identified 974 articles, 12 of which were included in the final analysis. The simple heuristic of normal vital signs (temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate) to identify patients at low risk for CAP was reported by 4 studies and had a summary estimate of the negative likelihood ratio (LR−) of 0.24 (95% CI, 0.17 to 0.34) and a sensitivity of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.94). The simple heuristic of normal vital signs combined with a normal pulmonary examination to identify patients at low risk for CAP was reported by 3 studies, and had a summary estimate of LR− of 0.10 (95% CI, 0.07 to 0.13) with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92. Conclusions: Adults with an acute respiratory infection who have normal vital signs and a normal pulmonary examination are very unlikely to have CAP. Given a baseline CAP risk of 4%, these patients have only a 0.4% likelihood of CAP.
Differences of Bijections

When is a function from an abelian group to itself expressible as a difference of two bijections? Answering this question for finite cyclic groups solves a problem about juggling. A theorem of Mars...
Academic succession planning: A US perspective

Succession planning for the replacement of vacant academic leadership positions is of paramount importance. It permits organized and minimally disruptive changes during times of transition. Interim chairs have become more common because of increasingly high chair turnover rates and the declining tenure of sitting chairs. In the U.S. nearly 66% of new chairs come from the department of the home institution. Therefore, training faculty members within the department who have the desirable attributes required to be strong leaders will be of assistance to an institution during the turbulent times created by transitions. An emphasis should be placed on the importance of the development of interim chairs as leaders. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Systems-based practice, Interpersonal and communication skills, and Professionalism.
Multimode Nonlinear Fiber Optics

Fibers supporting multiple stable spatial modes enable intermodal nonlinear interactions yielding spatially coherent MW peak power pulses in colours not previously accessible from fiber sources. We review the physics and applications of this emerging platform.
THE NERVE GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR: DEMONSTRATION OF SPECIFIC BINDING IN SYMPATHETIC GANGLIA

Membrane preparations from superior cervical ganglia of the rabbit and calf bind [I25I] nerve growth factor (NGF) in a specific fashion indicating that this binding represents an interaction with the physiological NGF receptors. Items of evidence supporting this conclusion include the following: (1) Of a variety of tissues studied, specific NGF binding has been observed only in the superior cervical ganglia, the presumed target organ for NGF. (2) [125I] NGF binding is highly specific for the NGF peptide sequence and is not displaced by several other peptide hormones, though it is displaced by low amounts of nonradioactive NGF. (3) N-bromosuccinimide treatment of NGF preparations produces a decrease in receptor binding which closely parallels the decrease in biological activity. (4) NGF receptor binding is saturable with an affinity constant of about 2 × 10−10m, which is similar to reported plasma levels of NGF and to concentrations of NGF which produce biological effects.
On Minds that Interpret Quantum Mechanics: a Tribute to Henry Stapp

This essay describes what an anthropologist has learned from his ethnographic research with physicists who are engaged in quantum physics interpretation, including Henry Stapp. I argue that meta-physical considerations about “mind” among physicists often obscure the possibility of empirical research on concrete and individual minds and the role they play in quantum interpretation. Therefore, the philosophical rigor of quantum interpretation could benefit if individual interpreters could find an interest in discovering a manner of analyzing their own style of interpretation such that their own style would be communicable with others as a topic of conversation, rather than simply repeated dogmatically and argumentatively. Such considerations would require greater empirical attention to human thought itself, such that “mind” becomes less abstract and mystified, and thus more knowable and self-conscious.
Risk Factors and Outcomes Associated with Prolonged Subtherapeutic Anticoagulation with Bivalirudin: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background Bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor, is a treatment option for the management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and other coagulation disorders. To date, no published studies have identified patients at risk for or the consequence of subtherapeutic bivalirudin therapy. Objectives The primary objective was to identify factors associated with failure to achieve early therapeutic anticoagulation (ETA) with bivalirudin, defined as achievement of two consecutive therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin times (aPTTs) within 24 hours. Secondary objectives included evaluating whether failure to achieve ETA was a risk factor for clinical outcomes of interest including thromboembolism, hemorrhage, and mortality. Patients/methods This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients between the ages of 18 and 89 years treated with bivalirudin for 24 hours or longer were identified and classified as either achieving or failing to achieve ETA. Results Nonadherence to the dosing protocol (odds ratio [OR] 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-2.71) and creatinine clearance (CrCl) of 60 ml/min or greater (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.12-7.97) were significantly associated with failure to achieve ETA in univariate analyses. Conversely, increasing age (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99) was significantly associated with achievement of ETA. Failure to achieve ETA was associated with a 4-fold increase in the odds of thromboembolism. Conclusions Younger age, normal renal function, and nonadherence to the dosing protocol when targeting therapeutic anticoagulation is associated with increased risk of failure to achieve ETA. This confers an elevated risk of thromboembolism when using bivalirudin for the management of HIT or other coagulation disorders.
Artificial Intelligence in Strategic Context

Study of AI’s societal impacts and risks, and its implications for risk assessment and governance, tends to fall into two clusters, separated in time horizon and the anticipated scale of impacts. Since early development of AI there has been intensive speculation over potential emergence of general intelligence far more capable than humans, under terms such as advanced general intelligence (AGI), superintelligence, or the AI singularity. More recently, as actual applications with significant impacts have proliferated, attention has shifted to current and immediately anticipated risks, such as fairness and bias, privacy, autonomy and manipulation, due process, and other concerns. There is, a region of mid-term effects between these two, however – where AI might transform people and societies by vastly reconfiguring capabilities, information, and behavior, while still remaining (mostly) under human control – that receives much less attention. These mid-term effects may be of greatest importance, in terms of the probability and magnitude of potential societal disruptions and the ability to influence these through anticipatory responses. But in contrast to immediate impacts, for which an observable record is available; and to endpoint or singularity issues, which are amenable to deductive reasoning based on stipulated technological characteristics that are assumed to dominate any societal or political conditions in shaping impacts; this mid-range presents serious challenges to assessment and response planning, with few promising tools or methods available. We propose and begin to develop one approach to assessing these mid-term impacts, focused on the actors whose decisions shape the development and application of AI systems; their interests, capabilities, and information; and the strategic interactions that influence their decisions.
A review of photovoice applications in environment, sustainability, and conservation contexts: is the method maintaining its emancipatory intents?

Photovoice, a Participatory Action Research method developed by Wang and Burris, has gained popularity as a pedagogical tool to engage youth with environmental, sustainability, and conservation iss...
6 Wire: Flow

Garments for musical performances necessitate a perfect balance between the three components of the FEA Model. Functional, expressive and aesthetic design criteria were considered during the design process of this dress designed to be worn by an erhu musician during an ensemble performance at Carnegie Hall. Design lines for an embellishment to draw the eye toward the instrument, but not interfere with her ability to hold/play the instrument were conceived. The resulting sleeveless, 4-ply silk evening dress has a silhouette that flares from the hip and a center back godet for additional flare. The dress has a curved, asymmetric neckline and an asymmetric ribbon illusion embellishment that crosses the body in front and back from the right shoulder. This submission contributes to the understanding of creative design practice for performance attire and demonstrates the usefulness of the FEA Model as a theoretical framework for creative practice.
Effects of the S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase inhibitor, 5′-{[(Z)-4-amino-2-butenyl]methylamino)-5′-deoxyadenosine, on cell growth and polyamine metabolism and transport in Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures

The regulation of polyamine transport and the roles of polyamine transport and synthesis in cell growth were investigated using cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and CHOMG cells which are mutants lacking polyamine-transport activity. Metabolically stable methylated polyamine analogues were used to measure polyamine accumulation, and the irreversible S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase inhibitor, 5'-([(Z)-4-amino-2-butenyl]methylamino)-5'-deoxyadenosine (AbeAdo), was used to inhibit synthesis. Exposure to AbeAdo lead to a dose-dependent decrease in growth for both cell lines, although CHOMG cells were more sensitive. Intracellular putrescine levels were greatly increased in AbeAdo-treated CHO cells and to a lesser extent in CHOMG cells, whereas intracellular spermidine and spermine levels were substantially reduced in both. Treatment with AbeAdo increased putrescine content in the culture medium to a much greater extent in CHOMG cultures indicating that a portion of the excess putrescine synthesized in response to AbeAdo treatment is excreted, but that CHO cells salvage this putrescine whereas it is lost to CHOMG cells which cannot take up polyamines. AbeAdo treatment increased polyamine transport into CHO cells despite high intracellular putrescine, suggesting that spermidine and/or spermine, and not putrescine, are the major factors regulating transport activity. The accumulation of either 1-methylspermidine or 1,12-dimethylspermine was significantly increased by AbeAdo treatment. Accumulation was increased even further when protein synthesis was blocked by cycloheximide, indicating that a short-lived protein is involved in the regulation of polyamine uptake. In the presence of cycloheximide and AbeAdo or alpha-difluoromethylornithine, methylated polyamine derivatives accumulated to very high levels leading to cell death. These results show that the polyamine-transport system plays an important role in retaining intracellular polyamines and that down-regulation of the transport system in response to increased intracellular polyamine content is necessary to prevent accumulation of toxic levels of polyamines.
A Distributed Population Management Approach for Mobile Agent Systems

Many mobile agent systems rely on a population of software agents roaming a network of nodes (visitation sites) performing various tasks, such as monitoring security or measuring connectivity. For these systems, the number of agents in the population is critical for maintaining desired visitation rates throughout the network; however, the population distribution may change dramatically in reaction to an event, such as issues within the network or adversarial activity. As a result, population management is needed to ensure the number of agents in a system is available to achieve the system objectives. Although centralized management can be used to maintain agent populations, these approaches are not resilient to failure or scalable to large systems. This paper introduces a novel approach for managing the population of agents by governing the death and birth of agents through the distributed examination of the expected visitation rates. Nodes in the network individually monitor local visitation rates to determine if new agents should be created or destroyed, while queue management is used to distribute agents and dampen population oscillation (cyclical death and rebirth of all agents). Since these two population management components are available at every node, the agent population is maintained in a decentralized fashion. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed population management approach can appropriately manage an agent population under various conditions including sudden agent loss and attack situations.
Residue-based pharmacophore approaches to study protein–protein interactions

This review focuses on pharmacophore approaches in researching protein interfaces that bind protein ligands. Pharmacophore descriptions of binding interfaces that employ molecular dynamics simulation can account for effects of solvation and conformational flexibility. In addition, these calculations provide an approximation to entropic considerations and as such, a better approximation of the free energy of binding. Residue-based pharmacophore approaches can facilitate a variety of drug discovery tasks such as the identification of receptor-ligand partners, identifying their binding poses, designing protein interfaces for selectivity, or defining a reduced mutational combinatorial exploration for subsequent experimental engineering techniques by orders of magnitudes.
Cleaning Our World through Green Chemistry: Introducing High School Students to the Principles of Green Chemistry Using a Case-Based Learning Module

The need for more sustainable practices is in high demand. Green chemistry discusses practices that would lead to less harmful chemical products ending up in the environment. Herein, we describe an...
Il Waqf: Charitable trust dei modelli islamici (Waqf: Islamic Model of Charitable Trusts)

Italian Abstract: Il Waqf ha origini lontane, occorre risalire all’eta del profeta per osservare la prima manifestazione di waqf finalizzata alla costruzione di un edificio destinato al culto e, nonostante questo dato, non e comune nel mondo occidentale parlare di waqf con la stessa naturalezza con la quale si parla di trust. Nelle linee che seguono ci introdurremo nel mondo islamico al fine di comprendere la funzione che in esso ha il waqf e per capire le somiglianze, nonche le differenze, con il charitable trust. English Abstract: The Waqf has ancient roots. Going backwards to the prophet era it is possible to see the first waqfs' instruments in the construction of a building devoted to worship. Nevertheless, it is uncommon in the western world to talk about the waqf with the same confidence as we speak of trusts. The present work briefly explores the Islamic world in order to understand the waqf function and to understand the similarities and differences with the charitable trust.
Self-Portrait in a Complex Mirror: Reflections on the Making of a Justice: My First Ninety-Four Years by John Paul Stevens

Justice Stevens showed extraordinary independence in a branch of government and in a profession immersed in rules. He wrote over 600 dissents and 375 concurring opinions, more separate opinions than any justice in history. His independence, however, raises several pointed questions: Independence from what? And with allegiance to what principles? No individual, let alone a lawyer or a judge, would admit to a lack of independence. So does Stevens’ independence really distinguish him from others in the same profession? This review attempts an answer to these questions in three parts: first, in examining Stevens’ personal and professional background and how that might have influenced his decisions as a judge; second, in accounting for the growing salience of the positions he took over his career; and third, in assessing the lessons from his long tenure as a justice.
The SJL/J Spontaneous Reticulum Cell Sarcoma: New Insights in the Fields of Neoantigens, Host-Tumor Interactions, and Regulation of Tumor Growth

Publisher Summary The biology of cancer has been an area of intensive investigation for several years. Cancer remains one of the most challenging fields in the 20th century. Research in cancer has attracted scientists from numerous disciplines and has provided the impetus for investigations in molecular biology, biochemistry, and immunology. Convincing evidence of immune surveillance has been provided in the areas of neoantigens, host immune response, and regulation. However, the evidence was primarily derived from experimental studies in animals using virally induced tumors or long-term transplantable or chemically induced tumors. The spontaneously arising reticulum cell sarcoma (RCS) of SJL/J mice is a good experimental tumor system for investigation. The heterogeneity of the tumor with an unknown cell origin resembles several ill-defined spontaneous tumors in man. Because the RCS tumor system offers several unique features, several studies have provided experimental evidence for new concepts in the biology of SJL/J RCS. The RCS tumor system also resembles several human neoplastic diseases such as Hodgkin's and other undifferentiated lymphomas and, therefore, can be used as a model system to investigate human neoplasia.
Faith, Pluralism, and Public Engagement

This essay is Miroslav Volf’s reply to the respondents to his book A Public Faith (2011). In the process of engaging his his respondents, the author articulates the main thesis and thrust of the book as well as the motivation behind writing it.
Development of thermodynamically consistent, experiment-based molecular models of diffusion through thin microporous membranes

Abstract Thermodynamic consistency in developing experiment-based molecular models of diffusion through microporous membranes is imperative for accurate prediction of both steady state and transient permeation properties. In this paper we present a multiscale approach to developing thermodynamically consistent molecular models of diffusion through very thin single-crystal mciroporous membranes. We employ a generalized kinetic Monte Carlo model to represent complex atomistic zeolite topologies as representative lattices of binding sites. Equilibrium Monte Carlo simulations yield self-diffusivities within these structures, validated here via comparison to PFG-NMR experimental data. A rational factorial design simulated annealing fit of the full equilibrium kinetic Monte Carlo model to experimental isotherms enables direct extraction of adsorption and desorption parameters from macroscopic experimental data. The result is a self-consistent model describing adsorption, desorption, and migration within the zeolite lattice. Armed with this thermodynamically consistent odel, we employ gradient continuous time Monte Carlo simulations as a means to model diffusion of benzene through very thin, single-crystal NaY zeolite membranes.
Treatment of Disabled Infants

In Reply.— I am concerned that the Academy9s position on treatment decisions regarding seriously ill newborns may have been construed to be one in alliance with the government9s hard-line stand on interventionism and insistence upon treatment. It has always been our position that neither the government nor the courts should interfere in decisions best made by parents in consultation with medical professionals. The Academy is as committed to this concept today as it was when it first challenged the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and successfully struck down the first "Baby Doe" rule which ignored the role of parents in this critical decision-making arena.
Beyond Preservation: Using Public History to Revitalize Inner Cities – By Andrew Hurley

A review of the book "Beyond Preservation: Using Public History to Revitalize Inner Cities," by Andrew Hurley is presented.
O(log n)-time overlay network construction from graphs with out-degree 1

A fast self-stabilizing algorithm is described to rapidly construct a balanced overlay network from a directed graph initially with out-degree 1, a natural starting case that arises in peer-to-peer systems where each node attempts to join by contacting some single other node. This algorithm constructs a balanced search tree in time O(W + log n), where W is the key length and n is the number of nodes, improving by a factor of log n on the previous bound starting from a general graph, while retaining the properties of low contention and short messages. Our construction includes an improved version of the distributed Patricia tree structure of Angluin et al. [1], which we call a double-headed radix tree. This data structure responds gracefully to node failures and supports search, predecessor, and successor operations in O(W) time with smoothly distributed load for predecessor and successor operations. Though the resulting tree data structure is highly vulnerable to disconnection due to failures, the fast predecessor and successor operations (as shown in previous work) can be used to quickly construct standard overlay networks with more redundancy.
Ventricular tachycardia originating from the right ventricular outflow tract in a patient with dextrocardia

A 38-year-old woman with dextrocardia with situs inversus (D-SI) underwent catheter ablation (CA) of idiopathic premature ventricular contractions and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). Electrocardiograms were recorded with the electrodes placed in reversed positions and VT exhibited left bundle branch block (LBBB) and inferior axis …
Surfactant Protein A Enhances Production of Secretory Leukoprotease Inhibitor and Protects It from Cleavage by Matrix Metalloproteinases

Mice lacking surfactant protein A (SP-A) are susceptible to bacterial infection associated with an excessive inflammatory response in the lung. To determine mechanisms by which SP-A is antiinflammatory in the lung during bacterial infection, SP-A regulation of secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI), an inhibitor of serine proteases, was assessed. SLPI protein expression and antineutrophil elastase activity were reduced in bronchoalveolar fluid of SP-A(-/-) compared with SP-A(+/+) mice. Intratracheal administration of SP-A to SP-A(-/-) mice enhanced SLPI protein expression and antineutrophil elastase activity in the lung. SLPI mRNA was similar in whole lung and alveolar type II cells; however, it was significantly reduced in alveolar macrophages from SP-A(-/-) compared with SP-A(+/+) mice. In vitro, SP-A enhanced SLPI production by macrophage THP-1 cells but not respiratory epithelial A549 cells. SP-A inhibited LPS induced IkappaB-alpha degradation in THP-1 cells, which was partially reversed with knockdown of SLPI. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-12 cleaved SLPI and incubation with SP-A reduced MMP-12-mediated SLPI cleavage. The collagen-like region of SP-A conferred protection of SLPI against MMP mediated cleavage. SP-A plays an important role in the lung during bacterial infection regulating protease and antiprotease activity.
Lesions in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, but not in the lateral septum, inhibit short-photoperiod-induced testicular regression in Syrian hamsters

The transfer of adult male hamsters from long days (LD) to short days (SD) (i.e. < 12 h of light per day) typically results in marked testicular regression and a decline in plasma testosterone concentrations. To help disclose key brain regions responsible for mediating this photoperiodic response male hamsters received either chemical (i.e. N-methyl-d-aspartate; NMDA) or radiofrequency current lesions in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and were then exposed to SD for 15 or 12 weeks, respectively. Although body weights were similar between sham-lesioned controls and the NMDA-lesioned hamsters, the latter showed a significant attenuation of testicular regression; additionally, their plasma testosterone concentrations remained at typical LD levels. When radiofrequency current-lesioned hamsters were transferred from LD to SD they also failed to show significant signs of testicular regression, nor a decline in plasma testosterone concentrations, nor a complete arrest of spermatogenesis. In contrast, sham-lesioned controls or hamsters that were lesioned dorsally to the BNST at a site primarily involving the lateral septum all showed the expected degree of testicular regression, a decline in plasma testosterone concentrations, and complete arrest of spermatogenesis; body weights were similar in all of the experimental group. Taken together, these findings suggest that the BNST, a brain area traditionally not associated with reproductive function, may play an important role in mediating photoperiodic information to the neural circuits that control the reproductive axis.
Is there a bench at the bedside

PERSPECTIVE The good news about hematology and hematology/oncology fellowships is that they're doing well. Applications are steady, and most programs are strong. That doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement, and, in an article by Todd and colleagues (page [4383][1]), members of the
Surface and interior stress intensity factor measurement by a random speckle method

An embedded random speckle method is developed to measure the displacement, both on the surface and interior, around a crack tip of a four-point bend specimen made of Plexiglas. From the displacement measurements in different planes across the thickness, stress intensity factors are evaluated assuming either a plane stress or a plane strain condition. The results are compared with theoretical and other experimental values. The variation of SIF across the thickness clearly demonstrates the existence of the effect of free surface.
Symmetry breaking transitions in CsCl-type solids

Abstract The Landau theory of symmetry and phase transitions is applied to the CsCl-type structure to determine the symmetry-allowed second-order phase transitions at the k = 0 and k = ( a ∗ + b ∗) 2 special points. Two distortions of CsCl-type that have been found experimentally, to the rhombohedral LiPb structure and to the orthorhombic AuCd-type structure, were found to meet the conditions of the theory. The AuCd-type was found to allow a further continuous distortion to the monoclinic NiTi structure that plays an important role in the shape memory of this material.
Evaluating Site Investigation Quality using GIS and Geostatistics

Current practice in the characterization of subsurface conditions usually involves the interpretation of data from laboratory and in-situ tests using deterministic analysis methods. These deterministic methods do not reflect the uncertainty inherently associated with the estimation of geotechnical parameters. In addition there are no commonly accepted methods for evaluation of the quality of the investigation or estimation of the impact of additional sampling in a quantitative manner. In this paper the development and implementation of a performance-based investigation and monitoring approach for assessing the quality, or thoroughness, of site investigation and monitoring activities in a quantitative, spatially sensitive manner is described. Thoroughness images are based on probability values generated using geostatistics and are designed to enable users to better assess the likelihood that design or regulatory criteria will be satisfied. This approach has been implemented within a geographic information system and was evaluated using an existing geotechnical data set.
Succession in Family Business: A Review of the Research

This paper reviews the research to date on succession in the field of family business management. Five streams of research are highlighted: (1) succession as a process, (2) the role of the founder, (3) the perspective of the next generation, (4) multiple levels of analysis, and (5) characteristics of effective successions. Gaps in the literature and future research directions are also presented.